No migrant or trader in 4 years.

[Vrayna]

My fortress is up and running, but after the initial extra dwarves in the first year, every year I get the message that no one wanted to join. After the first autumn merchant, no one has come to my trade post either. I still see a merchant on my map but I think it's the first one who got distracted by a giant kea, got into a fight, and then forgot to leave.

So questions: Is it normal to have several (4) years in a row with no migrant or trader? And if that's not normal, how do I fix that?

[graalGGTV]

It's possibly caused by your first trader never leaving, so they never reported your trade or fort value, which makes it harder for migrants to come, or it could be caused by your civilization not having access to your fort due to distance, being across the sea, and so on. The first 2 migration waves and the first trader are hard coded, so you get them even if you are completely isolated

[Morkonan]

The merchant is still on your gameplay map? They could have gotten bugged or gone insane.

It's not normal to have that lapse, normally... But, if you didn't have any Neighbors showing up in your Embark description when you picked your spot, that means none of those can get to you. And, if you chose a civilization that is on another unconnected continent or island, they can't get to you either.

("Boats" are coming in a future patch. For now, the only way to cross ocean/big-water tiles on the main world map relies on some convoluted player-side juggling. Basically, making a bunch of fortresses where bridges are built over that water or tunnels are dug beneath it. Yes, that matters in this game and the game will see those new paths, even if the player then switches to a different fortress to play and leaves those fortresses "retired.")

Delete the Trade post to see if that will force the merchant to leave.

Or, after deleting the trade depot, "Abandon this fortress "for now"" Make sure to keep it in "this current timeline" too. (I think. Check before ya click!) and then "reclaim" it when you start a new embark on the same world. A few days will have passed, that's all. Then, rebuild the Trade Post once it loads up. Make SURE there is a three-tile path from the map edge to your Trade Post. Ramps/hills are fine, but boulders, trees, and constructions are not and will block their wagons, forcing them to only bring pack animals to you.

*fix't

[Vrayna]

I have neighbours, so it's not a fortress location issue. I'll blame that silly merchant getting distracted.
Time to try your suggestions Morkonan!

Edit: That merchant is up in a tree. I'll try cutting down the tree first.

[graalGGTV]

Originally posted by Vrayna:

I have neighbours, so it's not a fortress location issue. I'll blame that silly merchant getting distracted.
Time to try your suggestions Morkonan!

Having neighbours doesn't necessarily mean they are from your civilisation, though

[Morkonan]

Originally posted by Vrayna:

I have neighbours, so it's not a fortress location issue. I'll blame that silly merchant getting distracted.
Time to try your suggestions Morkonan!

Good luck!

And, if it doesn't work?

This never happened. I wasn't here... :)

[Vrayna]

I cut the tree, she fell from it and created a pool of blood, so my poor woodcutter and haulers were pretty freaked out. Merchant still didn't move. She only started towards the edge of the map when I destroyed the trading post. x_x

[Morkonan]

Originally posted by Vrayna:

I cut the tree, she fell from it and created a pool of blood, so my poor woodcutter and haulers were pretty freaked out. Merchant still didn't move. She only started towards the edge of the map when I destroyed the trading post. x_x

LOL

Btw, it's supposed to be "Abandon For Now" not "Retire" I think. Fixin' it in my above post,, now.

Looks like it'll work for you to get things jumpstarted. Report back if it works so that others looking for the solution will know!

[Warner Vachanges]

deleting/rebuilding trade post usually resolves my "no trader in x" issues. gl

[Vrayna]

Well, Next Autumn and I get a Trader, but I also get a "A Diplomat could not complete a meeting and has left unhappy" message.