Trade

Trade is done via special Augments; labelled as trade goods. They can be told apart from normal Augments by the mention of 'trade goods' in their description.

Trade good can be bought and sold at a Store when arriving at a Store beacon for the first time (provided an event doesn't stop you).

Trading Game Mechanics

When arriving at a Store beacon for the first time you will have white options to buy good available in this sector and a blue options to sell your own goods (if you have any goods that are not sold in this sector). Selling will net you a certain amount of scrap ranging from low to very high.

Scrap profit range from trading is fixed and not affected by your runs difficulty setting. Therefore trading is more profitable on higher difficulties when compared to normal scrap gain.

Buying or selling goods will cause the Rebel fleet to advance by 1 jump. This is the main drawback of trading, but it can be completely mitigated If you carry the Cargo Teleporter augment or the Store comes equipped with a cargo teleporter itself. Sector types have varying "trade affinity" which affects the chance of their stores having cargo teleporters. Civilian type (green) sector stores are generally more likely to have cargo teleporters, hostile sectors are the least likely.

Supply and Demand

Captain's Edition simulates a crude representation of varying supply and demand across sectors. Sector stores will never buy goods that are sold in their sector. All regular goods can be sold for profit in any sector different from the one you bought it in. Each type of goods also has 1 or more sector types where the good in question is in very high demand, leading to much greater profits. High demand is telegraphed by more specific blue flavour text for selling the goods, appearing instead of the usual "Sell trade good x for y scrap." Due to the potential of high profit in certain sectors, it might be good idea to hold on to trade goods while you can until you find the right buyer, rather than selling them immediately.

You can get hints on about the best places to sell certain goods from a couple events (taking a drink at a black-market cantina/talking to your Slug crew at an empty beacon) Trade goods also tend to sell better in different sector categories, for example goods bought in civilian (green) sectors will sell usually sell well in hazard and hostile sectors. Planning your sector route accordingly can lead to higher profits.

All trade goods that isn't Religious Rock Scriptures or Crystal Artifacts are sold for 10 more scrap in the Ancient Sector (Hidden Crystal Worlds).

Scarcities

Trade goods come in a range of different scarcities. Each scarcity puts a trade good into a certain price range, here shown via its base value:

• Basic (10 base value)
• Common (15 base value)
• Uncommon (20 base value)
• Rare (25 base value)
• Legendary (30 base value)

The base value defines the price a trade good can be sold at a store without using the trade event. This process is called "Quick Selling" in the mod and can be used to quickly get rid of excess trade goods.

Prices and Profit

Prices of all goods will fluctuate slightly above their base value, depending on the particular store. The On-board Assembly Line augment will always produce goods at their exact base value.

Goods will sell for about 200% to 300% of their base value at stores where they are not in high demand. At stores with high demand they will sell for 400% to 500% of their base value. Sell prices will also vary due to dynamic price negotiations with the trader, so prices quoted in the sell option are not the definite outcome of the sale. Trading goods of high level scarcities will net the biggest profits with one haul, selling them also comes with a better chance of price negotiations swaying in your favour.

Piracy and Trade

"(Pirate Ship) Use your contacts to the underworld to facilitate trading."

Pirating civilian crafts often nets you generic trade goods as a reward, requiring the player to sell them off to make the most profit from piracy. Stores in pirate sectors will always make a cargo teleporter available if the player has augments that enable risk free piracy. This makes these sectors a great place to unload your booty.

List of available Trade Goods

The following augments are regular trade goods, listed alphabetically and arranged into rarities.

Basic (10 Scrap): 

Beacon Parts (45 scrap)

"Beacon parts are used to create an FTL network in newly colonized regions of space. They are also always needed as spare parts in other sectors. Common trade goods."

• Buy: Zoltan
• Best Sell: Mantis, Nebula, Hazard, AI (90 scrap)

Consumer Goods (35 scrap)

"Once the basic necessities of survival have been met, most want to immediately spend their money on meaningless things like these. Basic trade goods."

• Buy: Civilian

• Best Sell: Pirate (80 scrap), Uncharted Nebula (70 scrap)

Industrial Machinery (30 scrap)

"Equipment needed for deep space mining and industrial stations. Basic trade goods."

• Buy: Engi
• Best Sell: Mantis (50 scrap), Rock (70 scrap)

Plastic Items (30 scrap)

"Cheap things made out of simple polymers. Basic trade goods."

• Buy: Lanius
• Best Sell: Industrial (60 scrap), Rock (70 scrap)

Raw Asteroid Ore (30 scrap)

"Metals refined from asteroid ores are needed to manufacture all kinds ship components. Basic trade goods."

• Buy: Rock
• Best Sell: Rebel, Auto, Slug, Industrial(70 scrap), Lanius(65 scrap)

Ship Wreckage (30 scrap)

"Space battles sometimes damage a ship to a degree that nothing of it remains usable. Only complex salvage operations can turn these burnt out hulks into anything useful again. Basic trade goods."

• Buy: Fed
• Best Sell: Industrial (70 scrap), Lanius (75 scrap), Engi (65 scrap)

Common (15 Scrap):

AI Research Data (40 scrap)

"Academic studies of rogue AI behavior. Common trade goods."

• Buy: AI
• Best Sell: Zoltan, Lanius (90 scrap)

Compressed Nebula Gas (40 scrap)

"The basis for the production of FTL fuel. Common trade goods."

• Buy: Nebula, Slug
• Best Sell: Rebel, Auto, Industrial (90 scrap), Rock (85 scrap)

Disease Samples (40 scrap)

"A collection of disease strains kept in high security containment. Highly dangerous and should not get into the wrong hands. Common trade goods."

• Buy: Quarantine
• Best Sell: Mantis (90 scrap), Pirate (75 scrap)

Federation Contraband (40 scrap)

"Crates with confiscated goods that are illegal under the new Rebels laws. Common trade goods."

• Buy: Rebel
• Best Sell: None

Looted Bounty (40 scrap)

"Various cultural artifacts stolen from different species. Some call it trash, others call it treasure. Common trade goods."

• Buy: Mantis, Pirate
• Best Sell: Zoltan, Engi(80-100 scrap)

Pharmaceuticals (45 scrap)

"A shipment of extremely effective medicine, produced in Engi space. Common trade goods."

• Buy: Engi
• Best Sell: Quarantine, Uncharted Nebula, Federation(90 scrap)

Ship Hardware (40 scrap)

"The superior cluster production methods of the Engi undercut prices and made their advanced ship electronics the interstellar standard. Common trade goods."

• Buy: Engi
• Best Sell: Nebula (90 scrap), Mantis (85 scrap), AI (60 scrap)

Ship Hull Panels (40 scrap)

"The Rocks obsession with hull construction has led to an immense overproduction. Of course, to other species, they only sell third grade junk. Common trade goods."

• Buy: Rock
• Best Sell: Civilian, Zoltan, Industrial, Lanius (90 scrap)

Space Rations (40 scrap)

"One bar of this stuff can feed a humble colonist family for an entire month. Common trade goods."

• Buy: Civilian
• Best Sell: Pirate, Mantis, Hazard (90 scrap)

Terraforming Gear (40 scrap)

"Specialized machinery and tanks filled with reactive gases. Needed to colonize otherwise uninhabitable planets. Common trade goods."

• Buy: Industrial
• Best Sell: Mantis, Hazard, Civilian (110 scrap)

Zoltan Legal Codex (40 scrap)

"The Zoltan legal code is the basis of general system law. Even when stored on super capacity micro drives, this behemoth of legal documentation still fills an entire cargo hold. Common trade goods."

• Buy: Zoltan
• Best Sell: Civilian, AI (90 scrap)

Uncommon (20 Scrap):

Alien Livestock (45 scrap)

"Living cargo. The individuals you sell these animals to will either pet, hunt, slaughter or vivisect them. It's a sad galaxy you try to survive in. Uncommon trade goods."

• Buy: Slug
• Best Sell: Mantis, Engi (90 scrap)

Eccentric Artwork (55 scrap)

"Nebula and other phenomena often inspire aliens to create impressive pictures, installations, soundscapes, genetic mutation sculptures and all kinds of other stuff. Uncommon trade goods."

• Buy: Slug
• Best Sell: Zoltan (110 scrap), Engi (100 scrap)

Engine Parts (50 scrap)

"Engine parts are an essential component in ship construction. Any invading space-armada that wants to be taken seriously needs a lot of these. Uncommon trade goods."

• Buy: Mantis
• Best Sell: Rebel, Auto (100 scrap)

Reactor Modules (50 scrap)

"Components used to build FTL reactors. Uncommon trade goods."

• Buy: Industrial
• Best Sell: Civilian (110 scrap)

Religious Rock Scriptures (50 scrap)

"A collection of stone tablets with religious speeches. The Rockmen are one of the few species that still keep physical records. Quite a heavy shipment. Uncommon trade goods."

• Buy: Rock
• Best Sell: Quarantine (105 scrap)

Shield Components (55 scrap)

"Zoltan produced shield systems are known for their precise bubble creation. You also get a handmade carma cake with each shipment you purchase. Uncommon trade goods."

• Buy: Zoltan
• Best Sell: Engi (100 scrap), Civilian, Federation (110 scrap)

Small Arms (55 scrap)

"Financing your escape from the Rebel fleet by arms trading seems kind of wrong. Not everyone can be that picky though. Uncommon trade goods."

• Buy: Industrial
• Best Sell: Zoltan, Pirate, Quarantine (110 scrap)

Rare (25 Scrap):

Luxury Goods (60 scrap)

"Status symbols for individuals who want to set themselves apart from those with less resources. Rare trade goods."

• Buy: Civilian
• Best Sell: Slug (115 scrap), Pirate (120 scrap)

Obedient Nanobots (60 scrap)

"These re-programmable Nanites are the most flexible machine known in the galaxy. They can perform countless different tasks. Rare trade goods."

• Buy: AI
• Best Sell: Quarantine, Zoltan, Engi (130 scrap)

Rare Elements (60 scrap)

"Certain space phenomena produce hard-to-come-by forms of matter. Advanced containment fields preserve these elements for use in industry and science. Rare trade goods."

• Buy: Hazard
• Best Sell: Industrial, Rock, Lanius (130 scrap)

Slug Hallucinogens (60 scrap)

"Illegal substances synthesized by the Slugs are popular among all species. You better keep the crew away from these. Rare trade goods."

• Buy: Slug
• Best Sell: Pirate (130 scrap)

Weapon Components (65 scrap)

"These charge cycle cores, shielded muzzles and chassis panels are the basis of all these fancy guns you can mount on your ship. Rare trade goods."

• Buy: Mantis
• Best Sell: Zoltan, Quarantine (130 scrap), Engi (110 scrap)
  

Legendary (30 Scrap):

Crystal Artifacts (70 scrap)

"These remains of an ancient alien civilization act as a status symbol for wealthy aliens, especially among the Rock people. Legendary trade goods."

• Buy: Hazard, Crystal
• Best Sell: Rock (140 scrap)
  

Generic Trade Goods

Generic trade goods can never be bought at stores and are therefore much rarer, although not necessarily more valuable. They are most frequenctly acquired through piracy and certain events. Generic trade goods come in the usual scarcities (very basic to rare), but a lot of them are not in demand in any particular sector types. Therefore it is harder to make huge profits from selling generic trade goods. Its also a lot harder to get ingame hints on where generic trade goods sell well.

Alien Glands (30 scrap)

"Modified clone-organs that can secrete complex organic components. Basic trade goods."

• Best Sell: None

Antimatter (40 scrap)

"An illegal, outdated type of fuel; still used in some remote quadrants. Common trade goods."

• Best Sell: None

Archaeological Relics (50 scrap)

"Cultural artifacts, robbed from a civilization you never heard of. Uncommon trade goods."

• Best Sell: Zoltan (90 scrap)

Basic Chemicals (30 scrap)

"Duro-steel barrels (some of which are leaking) that contain chemicals for various industrial and scientific purposes. Basic trade goods."

• Best Sell: Industrial (70 scrap)

Bio-Engineered Seeds (30 scrap)

"Genetically enhanced seeds capable of growing in any planetary environment below type IV. Licensed by the trade union. Basic trade goods."

• Best Sell: Civilian (70 scrap)

Building Material (30 scrap)

"Crates containing thousands of standardized structural rods used in deep space construction. The most boring shipment ever. Basic trade goods."

• Best Sell: Auto, Rebel (70 scrap)

Deep-Space Gemstones (40 scrap)

"Pure compressed carbon. Regularly found and mined in outer space and then used for industrial purposes. Common trade goods."

• Best Sell: None

Huge Water Supply (30 scrap)

"Water is essential for the survival of carbon-based species, but useless for some other beings that roam the galaxy. Basic trade goods."

• Best Sell: None

Life Support Gear (40 scrap)

"Replacement purifiers and filters; needed to keep the life support on larger settlements running. Common trade goods."

• Best Sell: None

Power Conduits (30 scrap)

"Easy-to-produce 1kW hyper-cables; often used in newly founded colonies. Basic trade goods."

• Best Sell: None

Research Equipment (50 scrap)

"Smart people need this stuff to do science. Uncommon trade goods."

• Best Sell: AI (90 scrap)

Sensor Components (40 scrap)

"Spare parts for extensive sensor suits; something usually only cruiser classes are equipped with. Common trade goods."

• Best Sell: Nebula (90 scrap)

Serve Drones (40 scrap)

"Industrial drones that can be customized to perform various simple tasks. Useless in combat. Common trade goods."

• Best Sell: Industrial (110 scrap)

Solar Panels (50 scrap)

"Provide a reliable way to generate power and therefore are used on space stations and planetary settlements alike. Uncommon trade goods."

• Best Sell: None

Space Whale Ambra. (50 scrap)

"A rare florescent substance, left behind by full grown space whales. Rumored to stimulate telepathic abilities. Uncommon trade goods."

• Best Sell: Slug

Station-Grown Vegetables (40 scrap)

"Contribute to a healthy diet, but are considered more of a luxury than something that can sustain a population in space. Common trade goods."

• Best Sell: None

Stored Oxygen (30 scrap)

"Duro-tanks full of valuable O2. Ships usually restock at any stations they dock, so huge quantities of oxygen are needed everywhere. Basic trade goods."

• Best Sell: None

Synth-Textiles (30 scrap)

"Cloth made from simple space-age materials. Basic trade goods."

• Best Sell: None

Trooper DNA Backups (50 scrap)

"A large enough cloning facility could breed a small army of fully individualized soldiers with this data. Highly illegal under Federation law. Uncommon trade goods."

• Best Sell: Pirate (90 scrap)

Virtual Games (40 scrap)

"Holo equipment and data substrates that can simulate complex virtual realities. Common trade goods."

• Best Sell: None

Xeno Organisms (30 scrap)

"Various sorts of alien plankton or algae that are commonly used as a food source or as bio-terraformers. Basic trade goods."

• Best Sell: None