Sparta-Morgan Relations

[Snoddasmannen]

No, the way to barter is to now ask them how much they think it's worth. "Come on, you ask me how much it costs, why would you ask me that if you didn't have a price in mind?".

We gave them an opening price, their proper resonse is "No that's way to much! Look it has a mark right here, and this clearly isn't real leather. But I'll take it off your hands for 100, not a joule more."

[Snoddasmannen]

EDIT: Removed, double post.

[Googlie]

Shouldn't someone (Kassiopeia?) reply before their turntime runs out?

[Modo44]

Go ahead, and ask them what they would like to pay. Might be a good idea to get some numbers from the Morgans.

[Googlie]

Along the lines of:

Proposed post to the Embassy

Why don't you tell us what might be an acceptable price for The Corporation to pay?

It'd be easy for us to reply "Ok - let's say 430 credits then" as we want as much as possible, ('cos we have numerous upgrades we need to make to adequately garrison our captured bases)

Of course, you don't want to pay more than you need to, but this way we'll skip ten iterations of "430 - that's too much. OK, then, 420 - that's still too much,..... etc etc"

[Kassiopeia]

/me nods

Done and done.

[Googlie]

Actually - this might be a better version:


Why don't you tell us what might be an acceptable price for The Corporation to pay?

It'd be easy for us to reply "Ok - let's say 430 credits then" as we obviously want as good a price as possible
But equally obviously, you don't want to pay more than you need to. This way, however, we'll skip ten iterations of "430 - that's too much. OK, then, 420 - that's still too much,..... etc etc"

Of course, it still can get bogged down should the Corporation come back with "300 - that's our maximum (or whatever) and then have the Junta say "Sorry - 375 was our minimum" (or whatever)

There's got to be an easier way - something automatic, like 80% of the research costs for the buyer, rounded to the nearest 25 ec's (that would then be 350) or 30% of the combined research costs of both parties (that'd be 375 ec's) ........... something like that which had a built in automatic escalator (as research costs increase, so does the price of technologies)


I'd like to see some kind of automatic calculation formula

[Kassiopeia]

Okay, I incorporated your proposition to my post, see how you like it.

[Googlie]

(Saw the edited Embassy post)

Of course, until such a formula gets ironed down it itself is the subject of negotiations ("why not 65% of the buyer's research costs? Why not 25% of combined research costs", etc etc)

But eventually a Googlie Formula will emerge

(or as some wiseass once said:

Where there's a will there's a won't)

[Snoddasmannen]

Originally posted by Googlie


(Saw the edited Embassy post)

Of course, until such a formula gets ironed down it itself is the subject of negotiations ("why not 65% of the buyer's research costs? Why not 25% of combined research costs", etc etc)

But eventually a Googlie Formula will emerge

(or as some wiseass once said:

Where there's a will there's a won't)

Well, being a wiseass, I just flat out say that such a generic formula will never be perfect. I mean, how much would be charge the Gaians for Air Power if we had it right now? A lot more than it would cost them to research it ... There are a lot of economics at the bottom of these negotiations, but above that there is game theory and let's not forget honor

But I like the idea of having an economic framwork to base negotiations on.

"Googlies Formula suggests 342.3 ec, but since you supported our enemies in the last war we will only pay you 80% of GF, according to Snods Adjusted Table of Cost".

[Modo44]

I agree with Snoddasmannen here. If we charge them for the tech cost, or even below, we get little value out of the deal. We should at least try to get exactly the tech cost, and even more if we can. What they have to pay for, is time. We give them a technology now, so they can start researching new things earlier. And we should be payed for saving them those turns.

Consider, that in 4 turns, we will have some more University bases conquered, some new bases built, more units, more upgraded units, ... If they can afford waiting, by doing research on their own, then fine - let them try. Make it clear to them, preferably by sinking that Gator...

Googlie, same thing happened with the Angels lately. You are being too nice to people.

[Snoddasmannen]

Originally posted by Modo44
I agree with Snoddasmannen here. If we charge them for the tech cost, or even below, we get little value out of the deal. We should at least try to get exactly the tech cost, and even more if we can.

Well wait a second here, I think you misunderstood me. I was just saying that in general, there is no exact formula you can use to determine the perfect price. I wasn't commenting on this case in particular.

In this case, I happen to think we should be happy to get 300 ec:s. I don't think the Morgans are willing to pay us more than they would pay themselves to get it, even if they got it quickly. So the negotiations are going well

Googlie, same thing happened with the Angels lately. You are being too nice to people.

Well I agree the Lt. Colonel was too kind against the Angels, but this looks to be handled very well. In fact I like the way we are subtly mentioning these high figures. The lowest I've seen in this thread is 300, which is a figure I would accept for us, though I imagine it's very high for the Morgans.

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Snoddasmannen
Well wait a second here, I think you misunderstood me. I was just saying that in general, there is no exact formula you can use to determine the perfect price. I wasn't commenting on this case in particular.

Sorry, I did misunderstand you.

Originally posted by Snoddasmannen
In this case, I happen to think we should be happy to get 300 ec:s. I don't think the Morgans are willing to pay us more than they would pay themselves to get it, even if they got it quickly. So the negotiations are going well

Why exactly do you consider it good? We are planning to sell advanced technology, below it's research price, knowing very well that our tech advantage will be hard to keep. Hard to keep against the same faction we are selling to - the Morgans. IMO, they should be very happy with 400 energy credits, not 350, and definately not 300.

[Modo44]

This was posted by jtsisyoda at the embassy today. Did we accept to pay them 50 energy credits for that Attorney? Or are they messin' with us? I thought we only suggested it, but came to no conclusion.

Enclosed in turn 2153 you will find 5 ECs, but 5 ECs credit toward attorney fees. This is 40% of the Morgan Bonus ECs we received in trade with you, plus 8 for the installment of ET and GS trade.


Profit Sharing Earnings Summary

Amount Morgan Bonus Shared this Turn: 2

Cumalative Commerce Morgan Bonus Shared: 45 (43 shared in prior turns)


Morgan Purchases

Techs:
Amount paid this turn: 8
Cumalative Paid: 72 (64 paid in prior turns)
Balance: 48

Commlinks:
Amount paid this turn: 0
Cumalative Paid: 30
Balance: 0

Total Cumalative ECs paid and shared, including prior years: 160


Morgan Attorney Fees

Amount Billed this turn: 5
Cumulative Billed: 50
Balance: 0

[Googlie]

We had mentioned 50 ec's as recompense for their loss, but gad tied it into a deal for Int Int

(We had essentially given them 3 choices
- declare Vendetta
- do nothing and accept the loss of their defensive probe
- offset 50 ec's agaisnt what they owed us and work a leapfrog with us to Int Int

They introduced a 4th:

offset the 50 ec's but othewrwise do nothing