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« on: January 29, 2015, 05:41:55 AM »
I think factions should become your new trade partners instead of random ships. We already have a comms console that lets you contact the other factions and give them silver for relationships boost, so I think it would be relatively easy to flesh out that system and integrate it with trade. Different factions could act somewhat like the various trade ships in the game, and their relationship with you would influence their prices in addition to the colonists' social skills.
Pirate factions would charge really high prices, but would offer weapons and prisoners, like military and slaver ships. Tribal factions would offer medieval weaponry and fur pelts and other 'low tech' items. And other towns would offer random assortments of goods, like general traders and exotic traders. Ships could still pass by, but they would be rarer, and would provide sources of the items that would be unrealistic to see rimworld colonists producing, rare glittertech and such.
What would be the MOST impressive was if prices could be made flexible, and factions relationships could raise or lower depending on how good of a deal you give them. Basically, if you trade with them but only give them the lowest amount of value you could get away with, they'll accept the trade but feel somewhat cheated, and would lower your relation slightly (or at least not boost it). Give them a fair deal, and it would raise relations a little. But if you give them a generous deal, it'll start to really boost relationships with them (Which would basically replace the current method of give silver to boost relations ). Higher relations would mean better prices in trade, and possibly a wider selection of goods in the future.