Why cant I establish trade ports after I colonize a planet?

from Sins Forums
Why can't I imediately establish trade routes with a planet I colonize right from the start? Sins won't allow it. For example I come accross an asteroid planet and establich some extractors for metal and crystal. My homeworld where I came from needs more crystal and if I could imediately establish trade ports I could refurbish my homeworld's crystal supply. But sins won't let me. What must I do to enable trade ports more quickly?
strategy
2,849 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
Hmmmm... not quite sure what you mean here. For a start, trade routes have to be researched before you can build them anywhere, so you'll need to place civil labs and tech up.

Also, resource quantity is the same throughtout your empire. So if your empire capital is lacking in crystal, your whole empire is. Find an ice planet (once you've teched up so you can colonies it), they usually have more crystal asteroids.

hope this has helped, might have got the wrong end of the stick
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
I think you might have the wrong idea. Like vannerhawk said above, you have 3 empire wide pools of resources. One for metal, one for crystal, and one for credits. To get more crystal, build crystal extractors (should be about 250 credits). Ice planets have a lot of crystal points, while I believe desert has more metal.

Trade Ports are used to set up "trade" between planets in your empire. Basically, you get more money due to this "trade." Really, it's just another money resource.

There is another structure, the Refinery, that can be used to get more metal and crystal. Build one of those the system you want to "upgrade" and you can get more resources out of your extractors.


When it says need more crystal, it just means you need to mine and store more crystal. Don't forget to upgrade your colony so that you can avoid the money penalties as well.
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
while I believe desert has more metal.


Volcanoes are metal abundant. Deserts are balanced in resources.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
Ah, that's right. My mistake. Keep forgetting there are 4 basic types of planets. So sorry.