I agree that "big trade" is the only reasonable model. The bush pilot or charter service analogy is spot on. Between major hubs, essentially all traffic goes on scheduled liners (akin to commercial jet traffic in the modern developed world). Out in the less populated "wilds", there might be occasional scheduled runs, but there's a lot more room for entrepreneurs to nab what little passenger traffic exists. And even between hubs, you'll occasionally find a passenger who simply can't wait a day for the Tukera liner; she needs to be in the ducal court at Mora in 7 days, not 8. And that sure sounds like an adventure seed right there. :)

On Wed, May 6, 2015 at 1:22 PM, Bruce Johnson <johnson@pharmacy.arizona.edu> wrote:

> On May 6, 2015, at 11:57 AM, Richard Aiken <raikenclw@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Wed, May 6, 2015 at 2:12 PM, Ethan McKinney <ethan.mckinney@gmail.com> wrote:
> The actual number of hulls going back and forth isn't going to increase at the same rate as the increase in passenger traffic because the size of the hulls is also going to increase with traffic volume.
>
>
> Wouldn't there also be jump lag involved? E.g. it would take time for it to become known that Route X needed more passage space, while Route Y didn't need as much.
>

Again, we’re running into the issue of is the OTU small trade or big trade.

All of the trade rules in all the supplements are oriented towards PC scale ships; ie: free traders.

If there’s a LOT of trade between systems in the OTU, then pretty much any passage you ant is available, presuming the systems in question are large enough to warrant the traffic. Akin to airline travel in the US today. The PC-scale stuff is equivalent small single aircraft bush pilots or charters, which is all well and fine, but I don’t hire a bush pilot to fly between NY and London.

If not, travel on small PC-scale ships is all there is.

(and I contend that the OTU simply could not exist with so little trade between systems).

--
Bruce Johnson
University of Arizona
College of Pharmacy
Information Technology Group

Institutions do not have opinions, merely customs

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