Multiplayer Suggestion — Trade Network between Captains
Hello, Captain of Industry developers!
I'd like to share an idea of how multiplayer could work in Captain of Industry. Instead of having several players controlling the same island, my suggestion would be to create a system where each player has their own island and their own industry, but can interact economically with other players through the world map.
🌍 1. Friends and discovering islands
The player would add their friends through Steam as usual.
Then, through the world map, their exploration ship could find a friend's island.
For example:
Fernando's Island
Captain: Fernando
Status: Friend
Once the island was discovered, it could become available in a section like "Friends / Friendly Captains", allowing you to chat and trade with that player.
🚢 2. A second dock for multiplayer
Each player already has their normal dock for their exploration ship.
My suggestion would be to add a second structure:
Friendly Captains Dock / Multiplayer Dock
This dock wouldn't need a new port or a new trade fleet.
It would serve specifically to receive friends' ships.
For example:
- Normal dock → the player's own exploration ship.
- Multiplayer dock → ships of friends who are sending or receiving resources.
When a friend sent a cargo, their ship would travel across the world map and arrive at the multiplayer dock on my island.
📦 3. Don't limit trade to raw materials
Trade could work with practically any product that can be transported in the game.
For example:
- dirt;
- stone;
- coal;
- ore;
- iron;
- steel;
- fuels;
- components;
- chemicals;
- medical supplies;
- food;
- machines;
- other industrial products.
This would allow each island to develop its own specializations.
🤝 4. Help between friends
The system wouldn't need to force players to make a trade.
A player could simply help another.
For example:
Fernando is starting his medical supplies production and still can't produce enough for his population.
He could send a message:
«"Daniel, I'm having trouble producing medical supplies. Can you help me?"»
If I have a large production and surplus stock, I could simply reply:
«"I can. I'll send you two ships with medical supplies. We can work out a deal later."»
In this case, there would be no obligation to pay or trade.
It would simply be help between two captains.
💰 5. Negotiation and contracts
There could also be a more formal trading system.
For example:
Daniel sends:
- 1 ship of dirt.
Fernando sends:
- half a ship of iron;
- half a ship of coal.
Or they could set up a contract:
«Daniel supplies 20,000 medical supplies per month for a certain period.»
In return:
«Fernando supplies a certain amount of steel per month.»
Players could cancel the agreements according to rules defined by the game, maybe with some cost or penalty for long-term trade contracts.
🚢 6. Physical transport across the world map
I think it's important that resources don't simply disappear from one player's island and instantly appear on the other's.
Transport should happen via ships.
Example:
Daniel's Island
💊 Medical supplies
↓
🚢 Ship
↓
🌍 World map
↓
🚢
↓
Fernando's Island
This would make multiplayer directly use the maritime logistics that already exist in the game.
🏭 7. Island specialization
This could create a very interesting economy between players.
For example:
Daniel could have an island with large production of:
- medical supplies;
- chemicals;
- components.
Fernando could have an island specialized in:
- mining;
- iron;
- steel;
- copper.
Each player would remain completely independent, but both could benefit from each other's production.
👥 8. Each player would still have their own colony
This is the main part of the idea.
It wouldn't necessarily be a multiplayer where two players control the same city.
Each player would have:
- their own island;
- their own population;
- their own factories;
- their own vehicles;
- their own trains;
- their own economy.
Multiplayer would happen through the world map, trade, friendship and logistics between islands.
This would allow several captains to exist in the same world without having to turn the whole game into a single cooperative colony.
🌎 9. The world map as a network of captains
Over time, the world map could show:
🟢 Friendly captains
🟡 Known captains
🔴 Unknown captains
And the player could establish trade relations with authorized captains.
This would give the world map an even bigger role: it wouldn't just be a place to explore and find resources, but also a true economic network between different colonies.
I believe this model could fit very well with the philosophy of Captain of Industry, because it wouldn't change the essence of the game. It would simply allow different independent economies to interact through the logistics and transport systems the game already has.
Thanks for reading the suggestion!