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Data-Driven Merchant AI


bosco151

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Hi DU Community,

 

I can envision the possibility of large corporations investing in the development of merchant AI (bots) using LUA scripting to interface with the various trade markets, perform analysis and make real-time automated buy/sell decisions based on a set of pre-defined objectives (minimize risk, maximize ROI, etc..)  have we received any insight into what type of database architecture will be supporting the DU economy, is it going to be possible via API's or in-game interfaces for players to perform analysis and make informed data-driven decisions or will this type of thing be more of an external metagame?

 

It would be ideal if players could download (in-game) trade/market data from the station/hub they are in to their ships computer which will be a repository for all the analytics described above - this could open the possibility of trading in data/information, for example the more stations you visit (and the more frequently you visit them) the more up-to-date your data assets will be etc.. in-game systems could emerge to enable (data storage, computing power, analysis, data protection, hacking,  long-range data relay)  

 

other forms of data may include:

 

obviously blueprints 

scripts/AI (running on-board)

trade data (what you've purchased/sold)

cargo manifests (historical record) 

station logs (where you've docked)

comms logs (who you've communicated with)

 

Any of this in the works?

 

 

 

 

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You can have market analytics displayed on the market unit for that specific market unit's or territory's ttraffic in the market to predict the "flow". It's not hard to code, it's literally as easy as making vectors displaying a graph.You don't need to have omniscience in the form of knowing what every single market i nthe whole server's marekt units have in price ranges. You know, be social, ask around, be a human being.


Problem is, "market bots" is how stupid people get exploited by Insider Trading. 

 

As for the API thing, they said it's not a priority of theirs.


Also, NQ has said in the past they won't allow of player market bots. You know, for the same reason :

1) you won't have drones do the fight on your behalf.
2) you won't have offline protection on your ship.
3) you won't have automated turrets on your ship.

You know, so the game is not "one player per ship".

 

But hey, since I feel itchy, here let me punch holes in your logic some more :

How exactly will NQ know what I discussed with people off of the game?  Number one lapse in logic "Comms records". Apparently, you don't know what Discord is.

 

Cargo Manifests... why would I want the whole server to know what I have stored on my station? Why? So I can have tactical pirate attacks launched? "Oh hey, this station is a pinyata for loot, so much shit in it, look ,we just found out by the API keys that got leaked to us!". You are asking for NQ to force everyoen to show their hands to everyone on the server. You know, also known as "Stupid Poker".

Station Logs : Yey, let's show everyone where people have docked. That won't go bad, it's not like mercenaries will grief you easy peasy that way. They won't even have to look for you, set up a script, run an API key for anyone's location - which is not hard to get someone's API key lol, EVE is notorious for this, spies are a bitch - and voila, grief on demand.

 

Such a brilliant plan, so far all I see is : "Give me tools to make  grief, scam and trolling bots pl0x!"

I am a scammer, but at least I do it manually and have to actually read the market analytics thoroughly to do my thing. Your suggeestion just insulted my scammer self in a fundamental level as a scammer, a scoundrel and a ruffian.

 

Also, no amount of Bots will be able to predict a market move that involves things like a war. Nothing wil lbe able to predict that. Only thing that will be able to inform you of such a thing is knowledge of current events and ties (bribing or social ones) with people of access to high comamnd to get a knowledge of "hey, war will break out around X region, move your assets to Alpha station if you want to set up a monopoly when the war starts, the Y alliance uses Beta ships, so buy a lot of bluepritns cheap and sell them high."

You know, the above example? That's how you actually make money. Bots are only good for adjusting prices according to the Point-1 Rule - and even then, it's risky.

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