Using Star Trader Counter - expanded edition

I got some voices saying - ee.. what is it all about the demand/supply track? And how your calculator will work? We'd like to have it all automated! From my perspective... it is not the most time consuming activity, it is however bit like that and additionally - requires 'maths' - yeah, I don't like that especially when you wish to play AFTER work :) To describe how counter simplifies it - I will compare this using table - what happens in each way of dealing with that, using standard approach and using counter. By the way - you could also create rectangle counter - it would however be a lot bigger, since round shape allows squeezing elements greatly. The document itself is quite a big essey, this is why I did put it as a Google Doc entitled Star Trader Counter - Enjoy! Link to the doc - > LINK.

Dices - new approach to calculating prices

Not a long ago I had the idea of 'automatic' or 'mechanical' price calculation. The most recent idea is to do this with dices - the 6sided ones. The way it is designed is quite simple, but necesairly - easier than in original design :) Who cares if it is fun? So how it will work. First of all - there will be two 'sets' - one for -10 to -6 and second -5 to -1 (or maybe for each PP a separate set... undecided yet). On both - there would be a set of 6 numbers plus the original numer. Now for each PP modifier you would have a definition - which numbers should you use. After rolling - you wouldn't need to find - how the price would change, but you would only add numbers from both dices. Well... I must be honest - all the results wouldn't be exactly the same as with the original. Yes, the prices would go up slightly quicker. Again - who cares? From what I remember - this was the biggest pain of game if playing in big groups. That might work. There is also a second idea, a bit aligned to what I already did before - and this I must admit - I find even better. Idea is to create wheels indicating all the prices and changes. To check the pricing you would only need to 'roll' the wheel and that would be it. It would be good, if already based on that you would see - hoe many items can you purchase with your price, don't you think? Yes, and that is possible. It will however require some development of parts - and I dont think it will be enough to use just paper - this time it wont. Interesting stuff anyway - for sure I will prepare both those and show the results.

Trade in box

Initialy my idea was to set up separate 'tokens' for each action possible. That in fact would create dozens of wooden rounds. Aditionally - it would be a bit complicated to set this up. Now - as a remedy for that - another idea jumped into my mind. Why not using dices? Those do fit perfectly - one action is to buy or sell - first dice, second stands for planet considered in trade, third one is to show the trade good, while fourth and fifth are representing proposed price. All together in a wooden box.The form of the wooden box could be as shown on the picture... but not necessary. I think that it might be good to set up a big trade boxes per player, that would allow multiple trades. Ideal size of a dice will be 8/10 mm.Having this size will allow relatively simple, clear and - easy to hide from opponents setup. If I'm lucky - I might have this done during the weekend. Fingers crossed.