Market

=Game Start=

=Market Dynamics= Note: it will never require more than 100 units bought to increase the price by $1. For example, with a starting price of $1 in an 8-player game, it will only take 100 units bought to move the price to $2, not 200 units.

Supply and Demand
Apart from the differences based on the number of players in a game, or the changes when a resource hits a price of $101, $201, etc..., the market works on a simple supply and demand model. Produce too much of a resource, and the price will eventually diminish.

Colony Needs
The Colony will always consume life support ( Food, Water, and  Oxygen), and will consume some combination of  Power,  Glass,  Electronics, and  Chemicals.

As the game progresses, the Colony will grow, putting more pressure on the market.

Base Demand
Every 15 seconds, the price of every resource increases, with the increase dependent on how many seconds the game has lasted, how many players are in the game, and the game's location. The base demand increases the price of every resource by 0.001 * # of Players * (seconds + 100). For example, 150 seconds into the game, prices will increase by $1 in a 4-player game. This amount is multiplied by 1.5 on Io and by 2 on Ceres.

Surplus/Shortage
Shortages caused by the Hacker Array, or a random event affecting one resource, will simulate the effects of someone buying units of the affected resource every second for 30 seconds. Random events that affect multiple resources will also simulate buying units of the affected resources, but only for 20 seconds.

Surpluses act as if someone sells units of the affected resource every second for 30 seconds.

Shortage/surplus effects are modified by a multiplier that increases based on the number of players in the game and the sum of their HQ levels, with the resulting number of units as follows (with N as the sum of all players' HQ levels):

Random Events
Every 21 seconds, if there is no random event in progress, a new random event has a 1/6 chance of starting. Given that there is a random event, the possible types and probabilities are as follows. Note that the same random event cannot occur twice in a row.

Depressurization
Causes a shortage in the following resources: Water,  Food, and  Oxygen. 1.92% chance

Dome Collapse
Causes a shortage in the following resources: Glass,  Aluminum, and  Steel. 1.92% chance

Dust Storm
A dust storm lasts 90 seconds and halves the production of Hydroponic Farms, Ice Condensers, Dry Ice Condensers, and Solar Panels, while doubling the production of Wind Turbines. 15.38% chance

Explosion at the Colony
Causes a shortage in the following resources: Glass,  Chemicals, and  Power. 1.92% chance

Marsquake
This random event causes a shortage in every resource except Power. 3.85% chance

Flash Fire
Causes a shortage in the following resources: Oxygen,  Fuel, and  Carbon. 1.92% chance

Metal Oxidation
Causes a shortage in the following resources: Aluminum,  Iron, and  Steel. 1.92% chance

New Claim
Every player receives a new Claim. 3.85% chance

Pipeline Leak
Causes a shortage in the following resources: Water,  Oxygen, and  Fuel. 1.92% chance

Robbery
Causes a shortage in the following resources: Chemicals,  Glass, and  Electronics. 1.92% chance

Short Circuit
Causes a shortage in the following resources: Power,  Silicon, and  Electronics. 1.92% chance

Solar Flare
Lasts 90 seconds. Doubles the production of Solar Panels and Solar Condensers. Can only begin between 05:00 and 21:00. 15.38% chance

Random Shortage/Surplus
Causes a shortage/surplus in one resource. 1.92% chance for each possible shortage/surplus