Sep 24th 2025, 17:42:37
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Tip #1- Public market
"The Public Market allows you to buy goods and technology from other players at prices they set. It functions as a buyers market, with the lowest priced goods selling first. From here, you may also place your own goods for sale. The market is a source of both acquiring goods at low prices and selling to generate a profit for your own benefit."
The in-game description of the Public Market informs us of its key attributes and intended use. First, we note that this market is "Public", meaning all players (and bots!) on the server may participate in the buying and selling of goods. Players are directed to use the market to both "acquire goods at low prices" and "generate a profit for your own benefit."
Prices of goods on the public market are a function of basic supply and demand principles. In-game features allow players to easily track historical buying/selling prices for goods. Let's use an example: A player may notice increased public demand for a particular good, such as medical tech, and adjust their selling volume and prices accordingly in attempt to maximize "profit for their own benefit." Of course, this is a "buyer's market", so there is always a risk of oversupply, or that other players may undercut your prices!
Tip #2- Demo techer
Running a techer strategy with the Democracy government is, under normal market conditions, demonstrably less effective at maximizing total end-of-set networth than with an alternative government, such as a Theocracy. The primary reason that a player might choose to utilize the Democracy government for a techer strategy is to take advantage of its key benefit: 0% commissions on public market sales. This allows the player flexibility to respond to evolving public market dynamics with more agility than other governments, which take a 6% commission on both purchases and sales. In fact, a player running a Demo techer strategy must take advantage of market opportunities in order to stay competitive! Failure to do so negates the strategic advantage of using the Democracy government. A demo techer must keenly track market spikes and the ebb and flow of market dynamics throughout the set, leveraging their early-set production to generate a profit on buying and selling goods.
Let's use an example. A demo techer has successfully amassed a stockpile of liquid assets in the early part of the reset. As tech prices naturally fall off, the player should consider how to use the public market to "acquire goods at low prices" and "generate a profit for your own benefit." Let's say there is increased demand for a good, say, medical tech. The demo techer ought to track market patterns to "buy low" and "sell high" to the maximum of their ability. Remember, buying and selling on the public market is risky! But it is an imperative for the Demo techer to take such risks in order to maximize their end-of-set networth.
Tip #3 - Netting vs. warring
Some clans prefer to play the game to compete for top rankings, including the top individual countries, average clan networth, and total clan networth. Other clans prefer to find a pretense to attack other clans in order to leverage non-country-building skills, such as IRC bots, automated notifications, and their ability to devote most of their waking life to being in front of the keyboard. Both styles of play are equally valid and require distinctly different skillsets.
Though many consider the Alliance server a "cesspool" of militant troll-like personalities, petty griefers, and terminally-online personas pining for the past, one can also view the community as an endearing collection of aging gamers who share a unique history. Many players view the political aspect of inter-clan relations as a key highlight of gameplay and server dynamics. Inter-clan relationships can be complex and illogical; nonetheless, there is a rich history of clans using these forums to justify their actions based on logic.
Let's use an example. Netgaining clans are inherently competing for the top individual and clan rankings based on end-of-set networth. Clans should use all available strategies and tactics, including diplomacy, to encourage and support its players in that regard. Diplomatic relations between clans, as in real life, must balance the needs and desires of both parties. For example, it is illogical and unreasonable for one warring clan to say to another, "I would like to win this war. Therefore, I will hit you and you cannot hit me back." Similarly, it would be illogical for one netgaining clan to say to another, "I would like to win this round. Therefore, you should not attempt to win or interfere with my plans, so that I can win."
In the absence of reasonableness, a clan may choose to use threats or exploit power dynamics to achieve their goal, such as by saying, "I would like to win this round. Because I lack the skills to compete with you on a fair playing field, if you do not let me win, I will kill your country with chemical missiles." This is also a valid style of play, though a clan choosing to habitually take this approach should not be surprised when they find themselves held in disregard by the rest of the community, and will struggle to maintain the moral high ground as perceived by their fellow players.
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