How do I start trading

[NateWr]

Hi everyone. I'm just getting started with this game. I can't seem to figure out what I need to do to start trading. I've got the comms console built and an orbital trade beacon. But even though I have silver and other goods, none of it is available in the trade window. I'm essentially "broke".

The wiki mentions something about a launch pad and stockpile, but it also suggests that this feature is deprecated. Either way, I'm unable to find a launch pad or anything that looks like something I need to build.

Any tips on what I'm missing?

[vagineer1]

First off: Build a Trade Beacon outside, you cannot build them inside.

Secondly: Place a stockpile around the beacon and place your silver and other goods you wish to trade with in the stockpile. Having goods inside of an outside placed trade beacon will allow you to trade.

Don't read the wiki as of now as it is heavily outdated and needs work.

[NateWr]

Thanks I'll give that a try.

[Halinder]

Something that you may be missing is power. If power is online and thus the comm console, you will need to pick out a colonist and right-click the comm console, selecting which trader you wish to communicate with. The higher the colonist's social skill, the lesser the cost of goods for purchase and I /think/ maybe to sell as well. If you're already doing that but forgot to mention it in this post, then following vagineer's advice and making sure the trade beacon is outside should do it for you.

[milon]

@NateWr, welcome!  How's trading going?

[HatesYourFace]

Don't read the wiki as of now as it is heavily outdated and needs work.

Not anymore it's not, have you checked it out recently? Most info on the wiki is now current and up to date, although the Trade page in particular is not and still makes reference to the removed Launch Pad. The article is marked for a re-write though and should be fixed soon.

Also to answer the OP's question, anything you want to trade has to be near the beacon. (Within the circle of influence that displays when you are setting it down.) So build a small stockpile centered on the Trade Beacon and have your Colonists store anything you want to be able to sell in it. (Including silver, which won't be available to use unless it's near a Trade Beacon.)

[piptastic]

so i have a beacon
and a stockpile sort of nearby
but my silver is right outside of the beacon range

how do i move silver inside of a stockpile to a different space in the stockpile?
or can I?
how do they choose where to put things

[piptastic]

nevermind i figured it out
can just delete existing stockpiles
then make one around the orbital and set it critcal
and then you can prioritise the dudes to haul silver (or whatever)

[C. Fenderson]

nevermind i figured it out
can just delete existing stockpiles
then make one around the orbital and set it critcal
and then you can prioritise the dudes to haul silver (or whatever)

I usually set it to lowest priority and make it the only silver stockpile.  If it fills up, I'll make another stockpile for silver.

[illarion]

I'm struggling to trade as well.  I have a powered comms console, I have an outside trade beacon with silver in a stockpile surrounding it.

I can get the trade screen up, but I can't seem to actually BUY anything.  I may be being dense, but I can't figure out what to do.  It says "drag to trade", but nothing seems to want to drag.  What exactly do I drag, and from where to where?

Screenshot attached.

Any help very much appreciated!


[attachment deleted by admin: too old]

[ShadowTani]

You click on the number under the "drag to trade" column, on the row for the desired item. Then you drag left to buy and right to sell.

[illarion]

Thanks, I eventually got it

[Wex]

Another good trick (if you like open air colonies) is putting just about any open space under a trade beacon. It's a bit expensive in metal, but saves a lot of time when you have to clean after an attack.