ecomomy is automatic depression

[Dr.Atropine]

How do I make money?

[shango]

You make money by investing in money making activities. Industry serves two main functions namely giving you the ability to build ships faster and very importantly allowing the production of goods, which are then sold for a profit. Upgrading industry therefore increases capacity, goods production and more profit. A similar process applies to upgrading entertainment and trade centres. The first attracts tourists and the revenue from tourism and the latter provides more profit as trading efficiency improves.

Investing in agriculture increases the population, which in turn increases the revenue earned from taxation. In addition certain technological research positively impacts on the productivity gained from population, industry and agriculture. In this regard, the tech areas of construction and biotechnology are of prime importance. For example improving robotics results in increased industrial capacity and efficiency, which leads to more goods being produced and therefore more credits being accrued. Again, investing in genetic technology allows the race to become smarter and more productive, greatly improving both industrial and research efficiency, resulting subsequently in increased credits and research points.

I am still on my first game of Horizon, and am currently awash with credits, by means of adopting the 'holistic' approach outlined above, of analysing how economic development is inextricably linked to crucial functional areas of the game. I hope this helps you.

[Lithari]

I ran out of money myself once, so I restarted the game and discovered that the Entertainment, Trade and Industry parts of the colony increases the income the colony makes each turn, the industry has an addtional function, speeds up contruction of the colony buildings as well.

[Dr.Atropine]

Much better now thanks

[CrispyMouse]

Entertainment should be the last one to upgrade as it has the highest upkeep.

[Lithari]

Entertainment should be the last one to upgrade as it has the highest upkeep.

I noticed, the first thing I do upgrade is the industry, it speeds everything else up and boosts some revenue as well.

[Spazticus]

Let's not forget trade agreements. Assuming you can establish contact, these agreements can be quite profitable for you indeed, especially when the other empires you're trading with are much larger than your own! All you have to do is maintain relations, and send your scouts to go exploring. You'll get new trade routes for every system a trading ally owns, so it's in your best interest to go exploring, even if you can't place new colonies into those systems.

[CyberMage]

[...T]he first thing I do upgrade is the industry, it speeds everything else up and boosts some revenue as well.

Excellent tip.

I realized that when I wanted to upgrade my Research facilities (since Research for most items was projected as taking far too long). When I saw it would take 36 turns to accomplish the first upgrade of Earth's labs, I did the basic Industry upgrade first. Not only did it boost my revenue, it also reduced the upgrade time for the Research facilities down to 18 turns -- a 50% reduction.

[Lithari]

[...T]he first thing I do upgrade is the industry, it speeds everything else up and boosts some revenue as well.

Excellent tip.

I realized that when I wanted to upgrade my Research facilities (since Research for most items was projected as taking far too long). When I saw it would take 36 turns to accomplish the first upgrade of Earth's labs, I did the basic Industry upgrade first. Not only did it boost my revenue, it also reduced the upgrade time for the Research facilities down to 18 turns -- a 50% reduction.

Also, I have discovered that the trade and entertainment revenue doesn't go that high at all, it only becomes profitable when you discover the technology called: 'Interstellar Broadcasting' it increases trade and tourism by 50% by 1-2 sectors at level 1, reaching right up to 11 sectors by level 10....that is where the money comes from with those two buildings.

To get that tech, its random, its in the electronics field, but its just random, you might get it right away or not for a while, if its not for a while, then I wouldn't bother upgrading the trade or entertainment buildings past the first stage, if at all, it will save money in the long run.

I do recommend that the developers at some point, make us start with it in a level 0 stage.

[Madbiologist]

Actually trade the building can be upgraded even without the Interstellar broadcasting. As long as you have a lot of trade routes and open trade borders and free trade agreements.

The upkeep of Trade buildings go 100mc, 250 mc, and 500mc. While you get a factor of 1 increase per building. So if you generate 1b per trade docks, a commercial center will yield you 3b easily (give or take). So 1b-0.1b < 3b-0.5b. So yeah... upgrade it, and it not hard to get those numbers if you being a peaceful and diplomatic (heck I was only friends with 4 races and I got these numbers). This is all without IS Broadcasting.

Also, I am not sure, but I think the increase traffic from a Trade Hub makes your world more trade worthy (so basically an increase in base traffic, which also increases tourism). Since I noticed my tourism revenue goes up. So upgrading trade for you busy worlds is always a good idea since it seems to boost your economy all around, and also, doesn't take away from produced goods profits from industry either.

I do agree, due to the huge upkeep costs of Tourism buildings, I recommend to upgrade those later and probably when you have the IS Broadcasting tech as well.

[Lithari]

Actually trade the building can be upgraded even without the Interstellar broadcasting. As long as you have a lot of trade routes and open trade borders and free trade agreements.

The upkeep of Trade buildings go 100mc, 250 mc, and 500mc. While you get a factor of 1 increase per building. So if you generate 1b per trade docks, a commercial center will yield you 3b easily (give or take). So 1b-0.1b < 3b-0.5b. So yeah... upgrade it, and it not hard to get those numbers if you being a peaceful and diplomatic (heck I only friends with 4 races and I get those numbers). This is all without IS Broadcasting.

Also, I am not sure, but I think the increase traffic from a Trade Hub makes your world more trade worthy (so basically an increase in base traffic, which also increases tourism). Since I noticed my tourism revenue goes up. So upgrading trade for you busy worlds is always a good idea since it seems to boost your economy all around, and also, doesn't take away from trade goods profits either.

I do agree, due to the huge upkeep costs of Tourism buildings, I recommend to upgrade those later and probably when you have the tech as well.

Maybe so, but lately the races have been un-cooperative since the latest patch.

[Madbiologist]

Maybe so, but lately the races have been un-cooperative since the latest patch.

That is true, and I love it! Also, those numbers and examples (where I was friend's with 4 races) is from the latest patch. The alpha release version of the game I was friend with everyone... and won the game before it started....

The AI seems to react to over expansionism and to expanding into their 'sphere' of influence. Basically they game doesn't actually show you spheres but races get testy if you colonising something that gets closer to the their worlds. Making IS Coms such a useful tech, or sneaking a Military Outpost near them to get contact.

That said, it is not hard to make friends. In the game I had 4 friends, it jumped to 7 friends after I calmed down one of my enemies (latest patch still). You just need to know how to lead the horse with the carrot. Actually I think the AI is still too easily seduced as is.

What I notice is the AI does is it recognises how much of its trade income comes from you (and maybe has an idea of how important they are to you). Effectively it recognises when it becomes 'dependent' on your economy, while knowing how much you depend on them. When that happens it helps relations improve and even gives you a buffer. I had two races threaten to go to war with me if I didn't stop expanding. The one I trade with a lot, bluffed. The other race who I had little trade with was all too happy to carry out their threat.

I also noticed this in the diplo screen when I break treaties (I am after all testing the game, so I do... weird things to see the AI's and game's reaction to them). Sometimes it says you are screwing yourself over because you had the better end of the deal, other times it admits it was leeching off of you.

The trick to have a trade empire is to be diplomatic and know how to get the races to agree to free trade agreements. Once you did that, bam... you get rich and they are far more cooperative. After that, you just need to know how far you can push their buttons then. Still, even at this stage I find the AI too easily 'charmed'. But this is a step in the right direction.

There doesn't seem a way for you to know this information though, though I suspect it is because we are still an alpha. I notice the legends menu and read it is for map filters. We can also see trade lines in your empire. I imagine we will have ways to get feedback from these visuals that lets us know. But even then, you can guess, if half your lines goes to one race, then you know who is feeding your economy. Also, you do have internal trade (I think, unless those are migration lines only), which can contribute to income as well.

Sorry, I am an economic and diplomacy player in 4X games, finding ways to win the game without firing a singe shot... is my speciality. Hence why I can figure out how to maximise capitol and try to play the diplomatic game. Heck most of my wars are defensive, hold off and bleed the other side till they agree to peace. Hence why Horizon really interests me, I wonder what the devs will do to cater to this playstyle.