With the civilization level code in operation, it might be nice to have
it affect the trading as well as determining random encounters. As
a province's civ level rises and falls, the market (if any) in the
province could alter as well. City's would still always have markets,
but provinces that acquire a civ-2 level from being adjacent to a
metrapolis might also spontaneously develop a low level market. Not
too sure on the threshold, but I think a province with civ-2 or better
seems reasonable.
Besides generating new markets, existing markets might change as well.
A civ-4 market might no longer purchase clay pots - such civilized people
would use iron skillets or urns (possibly makable with a unit of iron).
So, clay pots would disappear from the civ-4 market (possibly to appear
at a spontaneous market in one of the civ-2 adjacent regions). Also,
new items might be produced or consumed - maybe blank scrolls could
be purchased at a higher civ rated market.
This has the added benefit of making the markets a little more dynamic
while retaining a certain degree of stability.
The idea is pretty general. The actual mechanics and items involved
are still open for discussion. Any comments?
-dave kerven