Part of this discussion has been about what rules break or need to be changed if FTJ/FTL communication is possible. Several posts discussing it talk about 'instant communication' which I pointed out previously, FTL or FTJ can still take a day per parsec. Ignoring that and assuming all FTL/FTJ communication is instantaneous, and available to everyone, and very low in cost, why are people changing the trade rules and using the changed rules as part of their arguments?
I think that that is exactly why we are assuming that FTL comm is instantaneous and ubiquitous, because anything else in between is going to have various levels of effects. Thus, to demonstrate that it would have any effect at all, you need to go to the extreme. Because otherwise, how do you know whether or not faster or more common FTL comm will not have more of an effect (or any at all) than the in-between amount you have arbitrarily chosen to talk about? Once you determine, either way, whether or not the extreme has any effect at all, then you can move on to discuss how much of an effect it has, and then extrapolate how much lesser amounts of it have based on that determination.
- even if communication is instantaneous, you still need to make a skill roll to find a supplier/buyer and you must roll to determine how long it takes. It is not automatic and instantaneous.
True, but the main difference is that with FTL/J comm, you can check on a price (assuming a successful roll)
before you purchase any cargoes. This vastly reduces the risk involved in spec trading. You can also set up deals ahead of time, which as I've demonstrated would likely be done by the supplier themselves, or authorized distributor, thus cutting out any free-trader middlemen.
- According to the rules, it takes TL 8+ for finding an online supplier. This, to me, should obviously apply to both worlds involved in the FTJ/FTL communication. SIDE NOTE: What is the technology required (at both ends) for interconnecting a computer network and transmitting the data via FTJ/FTL communication?
This is likely not relevant. The TL of a world represents the manufacturing capability of the world, not the existing tech. A TL 8 world with a starport type A can still make starships. This is likely because some higher-TL company (LSP for instance) exists there and uses it for their own purposes. For our discussion, if Naasirka has an office on the TL 8 destination world, they are likely to use their own TL 15 comm equipment (among others), rather than limiting themselves to what can be manufactured there. Thus, the big corps (the ones I am saying would make use of FTL to make these transactions thus cutting out the free traders) would be the ones most likely using this technology. This makes the idea of them doing this instead of smaller parties (like those that free traders deal with) even more likely. Naasirka just sets up a local distribution center on the destination world, which informs them of the local market information, and boom, they can fill those orders faster and better than any free trader captain, regardless of his contacts or skill.
- The rules do not state you determine prices online. You only find the supplier/buyer. You still need to get with the buyer to determine what goods are available and work out the price.
No they don't, but then they are assuming no FTL/J tech, aren't they? That just seems like more evidence that the lack of this tech is built-into the rules. But fine, even assuming that buyers don't list what they are willing to pay, there is still the ol' telephone. The buyer simply calls the local Naasirka distributor, and finds out what prices they are willing to sell at. Sure they can check out the local free traders waiting around for their time to see what is available, and negotiate a price with them, but again I ask what are the chances that any given free trader will have the exact things they want in their hold right when they want them? Compare this with the megacorp who will guarantee the product in quantity (since they have so many) within a week.
- if you do not accept the price offered for goods, you must find another buyer (if you are using FTJ/FTL communication, you are now calling the next world to determine the price. don't forget to do another skill roll and roll again to determine how long it takes) or wait a week and make a new deal (if you decide to go back to someone who you spent time negotiating a price with then walked away, you roll for a new price after a week. Are you going back and saying, "sorry I waisted your time before and blew you off, can I get that good price now?" better expect a price markup (see below))
This just makes me imagine free traders running around from system to system, hoping for the right deal, and that they have not already been cut out by buyers ordering from megacorps. How long can they do that and still afford to operate their ships? Not long I imagine. This is why I say that while it may still be possible to do spec trade in an FTL/J environment, there will not be enough opportunities given the odds to make enough profit to afford to operate a ship.
- Remember that 'dice modifier from the supplier/buyer' which is in the rules for a DM the GM can set. Why can't FTJ/FTL deals have a high markup (DM) compared to 'traditional' deals since the person you are dealing with is not in front of you and the goods are not even on world so there is more risk of problems with delivery.
Sure, assuming that the goods are there, then that is fine. However, what I am saying is that the odds of just happening to have a free trader in port with the exact things you need will be very small, while you will know exactly what you can get from a megacorp. Megacorps (or even just big local ones) didn't get that way by being untrustworthy. Just look today: If I order a computer from Dell, I know that I will get it within a week. If what you say is true, Dell would not have become the huge company it is and so quickly too, simply because people can go to their local store where the goods are in front of them, and they can take it home immediately. Dell offers instead better customizability, and lower prices (on average, due to their business model). The proof is in the pudding; this is how they became so big so fast, and more companies are catching on to their ways and making use of it. And all this is thanks to the Internet (our instantaneous/faster-than-driving communications).
1) Additionally, it seams like in a 'traditional' TU, worlds near each other that often trade will supply information to each other. There should be current trade magazines available that list what the nearby planets were buying and selling items for not that long ago. Anything in high demand (things traders would love to provide) would be requested and advertised for with nearby worlds.
True, but the comm lag makes this model uncompetitive. FTL/J-using corps would be able to undercut those not using it.
2) IF a FTJ/FTL trader can lock in prices, why can't a Jump trader. As you are leaving a location you ask what products are needed and lock in your price.
Simple: Because of the lag. You are looking at up to three weeks turnaround (two in jump, one docked as standard) instead of one. Time is money.
If the trader is way out on the fringe where information and trade is not common with other nearby worlds, why would you assume these worlds have spent the time, money, and resources to install the equipment necessary for FTJ/FTL communication and pointed the dishes or antennas or satellites at these other worlds they have little dealings with.
There will always be exceptions due to circumstances. Whether or not this is done all comes down to the math: which is more profitable? If a company can make/save more money with FTL/J comm than not, then they will put in the investment to use it. If they cannot, they won't. Some will even make mistakes in this decision and be out-competed by their rivals, unless they have a monopoly (which will be more common on worlds with traditional or low-UWP governments). So sure, it will happen in some places, but not in others. Another thing that you will either have to determine with house rules because the rules don't cover it, again demonstrating how this idea is not built-into the rules and would make for a different game.
1) and 2) above are not in the rules (that I am aware of) and I think kinda break the rules in a similar way as people have described FTJ/FTL communication doing so by alowing you to know markets or lock in prices before you have the product to deliver. But are 1) or 2) 'breaking the rules'?
Like I said, the only rules that would need to be actually changed are the cargo availability rules. The price determination, ubiquity of FTL/J comm use, and their effect on the markets of that particular world would all require additional rules to govern. It would be like if I added stargates into the game, I'd need additional rules governing where they could be built, how big they would need to be, energy and material requirements for building, expenses for construction and use, etc. And that is not getting into the existing rules that would need to be changed to accommodate their existence, such as the ubiquity of jump drives, their cost to build and use, costs of travel tickets for each, etc.
).