Black market

vanishpoint · May 9, 2000, 13:37

Just typing out loud as this thought congeals... What about incorporating a black market city improvement? I'd expect it to have the greatest impact in communist civilizations, but also in opprossive societies in general.

It'd likely be a two-edged sword. While it could increase crime, which as we all no decreases happiness, it also would enable the civilization to build items that would make the people happier.

I imagine a civilization could give rise to quite a criminal empire if every one of its cities housed a black market.

Imagine it -- once a nation-wide black market network is established, a civilization could "acquire" access to city advances enjoyed by other civilizations that it has come in contact with. Why spend manpower on scientific thought when thugs can steal all the microfische in the world for you...

But it likely wouldn't be able to operate in a city that has a court system. But once an oppressive government is replaced by a more democratic one, I suspect there would be one hell of a period of turmoil. Odds are good that there would be significant rioting and unahppiness. Perhaps there would be population loss of 1 in each black market city because of crime wars.

Par4 · May 9, 2000, 21:18

Do governments really build black markets. Maybe they could just happen if corruption is bad and there is no courts. High production cities could have more black market affects. The government could have dealings with black market operatives but couldn't build them.

Just my POV and 2 cents

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May 9, 2000, 22:49

Governments are generally against the black market (unless you're in Russia where the government IS the black market). I don't see how you would want to build one, but I see the idea of having to much corruption in a major city start a black market that could decrease taxes by some %. But if not, does it really need to be in Civ 3? Corruption/Waste does a lot as it is...

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~~~I am who I am, who I am - but who am I?~~~

UltraSonix · May 25, 2000, 02:37

Resurrecting old thread!

Maybe instead of creating a black market, a government could buy and sell from one?

For example, say you're a bit behind in tech and someone's got better units. A system could be set up in the game where you could buy a limited number of those better units. To do this, the other civ needn't have actually sold the unit, as the black market just scavenges/steals it for you - but the price will be quite high. If the other civ had sold units to the black market, maybe then your could pick it up at a cheaper rate. Prices can be set so of course the black market is the only true winner.

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No, in Australia we don't live with kangaroos and koalas in our backyards...

MidKnight Lament · May 25, 2000, 02:44

Mmmm. Perhaps those units that haven't been sold could be justified because of corruption values within the enemy civ. Perhaps the less corruption you have, the less of your units are available as units for sale...

- MKL

Urban Ranger · May 25, 2000, 05:19

Not sure about that.

Units aren't just a few crates of guns or a couple of tanks. You're talking about enough equipment to equip at least a regiment. That seems to be stretching things a bit, no?

Par4 · May 25, 2000, 10:44

Hmm well buying a battalion of tanks or just a regiment from a black marketer is, well it probably wouldn't happen. I'm for the designs of new weaponry. Say Russia is selling its T-123232436546686575857456345534543545345 to every country in the region, some of the tanks are lost in shipping because russia doesn't deliver and smugglers stole the tanks, or tank skimmatics being in multiple countries could raise the chance of them being stolen but this is a little far out, I think black market is more for guerrilla warfare and NBC weapons not conventional.

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I use this email
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Don't ask for golf tips
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UltraSonix · May 26, 2000, 04:36

Doh! Forgot that a tank on the screen was actually a whole battalion! Oh well, the black market idea almost worked...

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No, in Australia we don't live with kangaroos and koalas in our backyards...

May 26, 2000, 15:04

ok but instead of weapons how about actual trade items. Perhaps if you have no access to Uranium you can't build a Nuke. But you can buy from a black market who gets it from a city with high corruption. Oil/Coal as well for power plants. This will make civs a little more dependant on trade. In Civ 1/2 - I didn't even worry about trade b/c all it really did was get me a few extra bucks and I could just capture another city for that amount of money. Any thoughts?

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~~~I am who I am, who I am - but who am I?~~~

UltraSonix · May 29, 2000, 02:01

Revival of the black market! That's a great idea! If to build certain units, certain commodities were needed, it would also spice up the game, as, for example, cities in uranium-rich areas would be very hotly contested. Countries holding the uranium deposits could sell the uranium at their peril...

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No, in Australia we don't live with kangaroos and koalas in our backyards...