expansion of trade

[Valcoren]

Currently Trade is in my opinion a need of an overhaul. At its current state the only trading "goods" are Credits. I would like to see other resources to be added to this.

Trading lines Goods:
Dilthum
Deuterium
Duranium
Intelligence
Research
Food

Gifts:
Food
Intelligence
Research
Spying (Request a minor race to spy for you)

These can be set as one time trade offers, or a combination of the goods to be continually traded between systems, and much more.

[Iceman]

The diplomacy code does already have (some) support for offering/requesting resources (Dil/Deu/Dur) the same way as Credits - it's mostly a matter of implementing the UI for it.
There is also support for a Research Trade Pact, but I'm not really sure how to make that work?

Intel hasn't been implemented yet, Bloodwurm was going to work on that.

As for Food, we were considering using Freighters (non-combat Transports) for carrying it from one system to another, but it's probably too much MM.

Any ideas/specifics about this (or anything else) are most welcome!

[Valcoren]

I like the idea of using freighters, I think the best way to use them would be if they follow just trade routes on an auto pilot and allow the AI manage them with a looping way point. and based on the type of trade agreement you sign with a planet the freighters with either will carry (food, resource, or credits)

This might also help with sitting up trade pirating also.