Chris, you raise valid issues, but keep in mind that the problems with the contracts is mainly a byproduct of a game balance issue - namely my favorite one, the under production/ over retail problem - and if that issue would be solved, then most of the problems with the contracts would be solved as well.
Because if there would be enough supply for everybody, or even oversupply, then people wouldnt bother limiting how much, or in which order other players can buy from them, because it would be hard to sell supplies anyway, so no point limiting your few potential buyers.
If the balance issue is solved
Problem 1, then not much point, not really need for it.
Problem 2, hand approval is big no, because if you are very big supplier company, than you can easily have 1000+ or even more orders, and it would be huge timesink. This game already has a little bit too much micromanagement IMO.
Exclusion list. In a competitive space you want to get buyers - because they are hard to get -, not restrict them, so could be, but not much point.
Problem 3, order sorting is awful, but again, if you are in competitive space, you couldnt care less about order priorties, when you can hardly sell what you have.
Just for the record, I know that the contract system is not that good, and it could be improved considerably, but its rather the effect, and not the cause of the problems, and I think its always better to solve the cause - in this case, the imbalance. |
