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In the new economy,
14 commodities were reduced in maximum available profitability.
24 commodities were increased in maximum available profitability.
The 14 which were reduced only had a profitability that high for one, or at most 2, transactions in the entire game. Most of the regular transactions were closer to what the profitability figures have now been lowered to. In most cases those transactions were bugs created by an unbalanced trade system, mainly due to the commodity being sold in locations that created problems. (Diamonds sold in New Berlin, and Niobium sold in New Tokyo, for instance). Removing those sale locations automatically drops the maximum available profitability for the commodity and extends the route lengths to what they were intended to be (Niobium from Falkland in Tau 37, Diamonds from Bautzen and Solarius). Those high profit figures were largely artifacts from economic systems that were built on top of each other as the mod versions were developed rather than the result of intentional planning.
Additionally, in 4.84 those highly profitable transactions were the exception rather than the rule. Nearly all of the rest of the available transactions for those commodities were at much lower rates of profit. In 4.85, the decline in profitability across routes is much more gradual, creating a more uniform set of profit potential if you don't want to go to the same base with a commodity every time. Now you can go to multiple bases without sacrificing nearly as much profit as you would have had to in 4.84.
As you can see, a substantial number of commodities which no one ever traded before are now viably profitable trade routes, and in almost all cases, the highest profitability transactions are available going to more than one House, instead of just in one direction like they were in 4.84. The most dramatic increases in profitability are in the mid to low tier commodities, which are now an integral and profitable part of the economy, like they should be. Before, you might see engines transported, but never any of the commodities that are used to build engines. Now you'll see all of them transported.
Check out my Trade Development Blog
for all the latest news on Nerfs and Final Nails, or to request trade changes.
