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Author Topic: Need to define prices of good that are available at surface bases/space stations  (Read 2148 times)

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Offline ar81

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20 August 2008, 23:19:04
Here is the deal.
I already finished the conceptual matter flow model for Space Orbinomics.
I am trying to define prices of goods in every station/base.

DEMAND
There are certain substances that have certain uses, which describes demand of goods for certain purposes.

But such uses might not take place in other places of solar system.

SUPPLY
Every planet or moon in the solar system has also supply.

So for example water might be very abundant, so oxygen and hydrogen would be more expensive than water.
Methane is the product of decomposing organic matter we call garbage and it is very cheap because we have the
abundance of anaerobic organisms and abundance of garbage.

But in some other places, good could be more scarse. In some others, those substances could have less supply.

So here is a list of substances that I need to establish prices.
I need to establish supply for each one in every planet and moon, so knowing about availability of materials create
them would be good.

These are the goods that will be available in the game.
(NH)2CO - urea
C - carbon
C5H7NO2 - Cell mass (organic matter)
C6H12O6 - Glucose (most common in organic matter)
Ca(OH)2
CaCO3
CH4 - Methane
Clean/wash subtances
CO
CO2
Compost
Compost Enriched (with potassium and nitrogen)
Dryed human waste
Faeces
Food
Grey water
H2
H2O
K
K2CO3
KHCO3
KNO3
KO2
KOH
Li
Li2CO3
Li2O
Li2O2
LiOH
N2 - Nitrogen
NH3
NO3
O2 - Oxygen
Plant waste
Solid waste
Urine


PRICE COMPARISON

I already have oxygen prices.
After making comparison with supply demand I would need to compare it with current oxygen price, to establish a
reference price.

Simulation simulates consumption of goods inside the ship, but not production or consumption inside station/base.
Simulating economy would imply to simulate also alternate supply vessels fleet and travel times and vessel
consumption/production/recycling of goods that also would affect supply and demand.

I am not going that far.

I am focusing on simulating internal consumption inside player ship.
So prices are fixed and established using a reference price (oxygen) and modified by the relationship between supply
and demand in order to establish a price.

Such calculation will not happen in game, but I set prices as fixed parameters. I am simulating the craft, not simulating
the economy outside.

And to set those prices I would need to have an idea of what will happen in other planets.
Prices should be set as $ per Kg of a certain substance.

I am simulating waste management and I am ignoring goods that are not waste or products of waste processing
reactions. Or those goods that are consumed or produced in very small quantities.


Offline Dig Gil

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Reply #1 - 23 August 2008, 11:21:30
A lot to say about this:

-Where's the iron, copper and aluminium on that list? I think iron and copper specially are very important to include on
that list, cam'on they are the basic materials of machines.

-Remember the planets' natural resources! For example Mars is full of CO2, H2O and carbon (and iron) but don't
Jupiter which is full of hydrogen; these materials would be cheaper on those planets.

-There is another problem, which is the ability of mankind to convert some resources into others like water into
hydrogen, oxygen and some organic materials or minerals (if water is not pure).

-You choiced to use O2 as the base of all prices, which is a good choice, but I'd prefer you to use gold, because it's
useless (then you don't waste it nor breath or eat it) and is what real world economy uses.

-In my knowledge is better using dynamic prices, because with time stuff gets more rare (making it get expansive) or
each time more common (making it cheaper), then in my opinion price should change due quantity of gold relatively
materials quantity what would create a capitalist economic system.

I think is all for now, I know how simple you want to make Space Orbinomics, but make some effort to run realism.



Post Edited ( 08-30-08 11:13 )

At Light Speed and Beyond!!!

Offline ar81

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Reply #2 - 27 August 2008, 16:20:28
-Iron and aluminium are not in that list for they are not part of the waste treatment system.
Universe economy is not simulated, for dynamic prices would add too much complexity to an already complex game.  It
is a waste treatment system simulation, not a universe economy simulation.  So it will be realistic to that point.

Perhaps in the future I would try to create a macroeconomics game, but I suspect it would not be Orbiter related.
That would be the ultimate simulation of economy.  I already have the model, but implementing it seems kind of
tough.  If it was easy, economy would be taught in primary school.

-I found detailed data on planets at Wikipedia.  I think it is mostly solved.  Just a matter of organizing data.

« Last Edit: 27 August 2008, 16:20:28 by ar81 »