Currently, the amounts of speculative goods available for purchase is not affected by local population - if a trade good is available because is it Common, because of a trade code the world has, or because is was one of the random goods that was rolled for, it doesn't matter if the world has a population of 1 or 10 - the roll to see how much is available for purchase is the same.
Additionally, once a speculative buyer is found, it’s assumed that they’re always willing and able to purchase any goods you have at the determined price (with only the possible exception of locally-illegal goods), whether you have five tons of a good, or 50, 500, or 5000. It doesn't matter if you're on a world with just a few settlers, or a world with massive population.
The following is an attempt to adjust for local conditions.
1. When selling, roll for amount buyer wants (same roll as if you’re buying). Buyers might not want all of a particular good that you have, or they may want more than you have.
2. Adjust the amount die rolls (1D or 2D, but before applying any multipliers) as follows:
* DM -7 + UWP Population
* DM -1 if Low Tech, +1 if High Tech. (To account for ease of transport).
The referee may add other adjustments as they see fit: for example:
* A world with a large presence of refugees or other temporary population might be treated as having a larger population than normal, but only when selling goods there, as there is greater demand but no greater production.
* A highly mechanized world with a small official population might be treated as having a larger population, but only for purchasing goods, as there is highly-efficient production but little need for imports.
Note that goods where only one die is rolled are more vulnerable to being unavailable for purchase or not having someone to purchase them, but they also have a greater potential for there to be more goods (or more interest) than normal.
As an example:
* At Drinax (Pop 4, High Tech), the net DM would be -2 (-7, +4 Pop, +1 High Tech) on all amount rolls.
* Common Electronics are usually available for purchase in the amount of 2D x 10 tons. The player rolls an 8, applies the -2 DM, and the result is 60 tons.
* Cybernetics are generally available since Drinax is a High Tech world, but the player rolls a 1, and after applying the -2 DM, the result is that the seller currently has no cybernetics available.
* The player also has 50 tons of Medical Supplies they wish to sell - the Core Rules would indicate that a buyer would be willing to purchase all of them (even if the player had 500 or 5000 tons to sell), but with this adjustment, we roll to see how much the buyer wants: Using the same 1D x 5 tons roll that would be used when determining the amount available to purchase, but applying the -2 DM, the player rolls a 4, which becomes 2 x 5 = 10 tons that the buyer is willing to purchase.
* All is not lost though, because the player’s next stop is Tyokh, a High Tech world with a UWP Population of A, which will give a +4 DM on these rolls!
Additionally, once a speculative buyer is found, it’s assumed that they’re always willing and able to purchase any goods you have at the determined price (with only the possible exception of locally-illegal goods), whether you have five tons of a good, or 50, 500, or 5000. It doesn't matter if you're on a world with just a few settlers, or a world with massive population.
The following is an attempt to adjust for local conditions.
1. When selling, roll for amount buyer wants (same roll as if you’re buying). Buyers might not want all of a particular good that you have, or they may want more than you have.
2. Adjust the amount die rolls (1D or 2D, but before applying any multipliers) as follows:
* DM -7 + UWP Population
* DM -1 if Low Tech, +1 if High Tech. (To account for ease of transport).
The referee may add other adjustments as they see fit: for example:
* A world with a large presence of refugees or other temporary population might be treated as having a larger population than normal, but only when selling goods there, as there is greater demand but no greater production.
* A highly mechanized world with a small official population might be treated as having a larger population, but only for purchasing goods, as there is highly-efficient production but little need for imports.
Note that goods where only one die is rolled are more vulnerable to being unavailable for purchase or not having someone to purchase them, but they also have a greater potential for there to be more goods (or more interest) than normal.
As an example:
* At Drinax (Pop 4, High Tech), the net DM would be -2 (-7, +4 Pop, +1 High Tech) on all amount rolls.
* Common Electronics are usually available for purchase in the amount of 2D x 10 tons. The player rolls an 8, applies the -2 DM, and the result is 60 tons.
* Cybernetics are generally available since Drinax is a High Tech world, but the player rolls a 1, and after applying the -2 DM, the result is that the seller currently has no cybernetics available.
* The player also has 50 tons of Medical Supplies they wish to sell - the Core Rules would indicate that a buyer would be willing to purchase all of them (even if the player had 500 or 5000 tons to sell), but with this adjustment, we roll to see how much the buyer wants: Using the same 1D x 5 tons roll that would be used when determining the amount available to purchase, but applying the -2 DM, the player rolls a 4, which becomes 2 x 5 = 10 tons that the buyer is willing to purchase.
* All is not lost though, because the player’s next stop is Tyokh, a High Tech world with a UWP Population of A, which will give a +4 DM on these rolls!
