An overhaul to trading ships?

[mellowautomata]

I find that these ships are just far too rare and there is something definitively wrong. I tried out playing with all storytellers and the result is always the same: once your colony is established and wealthy, good luck getting tradeships. At worst, you'll have only one during five years of gameplay. Even in best case scenario, that means that the smallest possible interval would be 2,5 years. I haven't tested systematically whenever this applies to every storyteller (Randy in particular), but there's one thing for sure: it takes too long for all of them.

In all honesty, I think that there should be means to improve this situation. No matter how OP bionic implants seem, for example, endgame gets still far too boring if it's all about you waiting for those trader ships. Heck, maybe make implants far more rare stock among trader ships and instead make it a mechanic that is more about caravans as well. Have bases that have bionics stocked, which you can assault or trade with. Or have those quests with implants and a lot of difficulty.  It does not matter.

But as for trader ships, I think there should be something else than simple frequency increase. I'd much more enjoy a system where you can actually attract them through various ways. Let's say, for example, that the more wealth you are broadcasting through your comms beacons, the higher chance there is for a trader ship to come by... as well as a higher chance there is to be raided by pirates. And to enhance the system, the pirates could also pack a lot more punch depending on the amount of trading that you did with the trader ship. Or maybe each item could have an associated value that determines the impact on the raid; bionics have a huge impact / cost factor, something like rice instead very little.

Whatever the system is, I personally don't think the current system is reasonable. Most often when you're at the point of having to wait long times for trading ships, you're not really anymore at the same kind of risk as you should have established colony and a good stock for all kinds of situations. You might lose a colonist here and there between the tradeships, but very little should have catastrophic potential anymore.

[O Negative]

I find it interesting that trader ships follow the same sort of trading habits as the RimWorld colonies; mostly, with respect to currency.

I understand why a civilization without a form of government might not use currency, but I have a harder time believing trade ships have as much use for our "silver" currency system.

Just my two cents