Influence’s economy connects resource extraction, production, construction, and transport. Players operate marketplaces and trade the goods needed to develop settlements across the Adalian asteroid belt.
A resource deposit is a starting point. Extracted materials can be sold, refined, or used as inputs to other processes. Refineries, Bioreactors, Factories, and Shipyards turn supplies into food, components, and ships. Buildings and inventories connect those activities into production chains.
Players decide which stages to perform themselves and which supplies to buy. Specializing in one stage can create a useful role within a larger network of producers and customers.
The cheapest listed input is not always the best choice. Consider how far it must travel, available storage, crew time, transport capacity, and the other inputs needed to complete a process. Inter-asteroid travel also requires planning around orbital positions, propellant, and cargo.
For example, a producer deciding where to obtain a material can compare a nearby supplier with a more distant one, taking delivery time and the rest of the production schedule into account.
SWAY is the in-game currency used for trade and services. Players place market orders, compare prices, and decide when and where to buy or sell. Market fees and agreement terms should be checked in the game rather than assumed to be a universal rate.
A useful economy guide explains the quantities, inputs, transport, and costs behind a decision. When describing a trade or production result, state the assumptions and observation date so another player can assess it in their own situation.
A player may supply a local market, lease infrastructure, organize cargo deliveries, or coordinate production with an alliance. Demand changes as players build and expand. The challenge is to understand those needs and operate effectively within them.
For gameplay details, see Trade, Production Chains, and Surface Transport. Specialist details about accounts and currency are covered in Asset Types, Ownership, and Control and SWAY.