Dwarf Fortress Bug Tracker - Dwarf Fortress
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IDProjectCategoryView StatusDate SubmittedLast Update
0003399Dwarf FortressDwarf Mode -- Economicspublic2010-10-09 23:532012-04-23 09:52
Reporterburlingk 
Assigned ToFootkerchief 
PrioritynormalSeverityminorReproducibilityrandom
StatusresolvedResolutionduplicate 
PlatformLinux or WindowsOSLinux or WindowsOS Version
Product Version 
Target VersionFixed in Version 
Summary0003399: Trader doesn't want to work
DescriptionNot sure if this is a bug, or just really annoying. :-)


Periodically, in just about every version I have played so far, the trader will do everything they can in order to avoid actualy trading.

The description for r (Trader requested at Depot) indicates that the broker should be called away from whatever they are doing to trade. Instead however, thet trader carries things, harvests things, drinks things, and does whatever else is available to do that does not involve going to the Depot.

Rather more often than I would like, this results in no trade taking place as the merchants get tired and leave before the trader finally sees fit to make his way to the Depot.

Steps To ReproducePlay as normal, and see how it goes.
Additional Information
TagsCLOSE THIS
Relationships
duplicate of 0000330new  Broker won't come to the depot 
Attached Files
Issue History
Date ModifiedUsernameFieldChange
2010-10-09 23:53burlingkNew Issue
2010-10-10 00:09sgruntNote Added: 0013289
2010-10-10 02:28burlingkNote Added: 0013292
2010-10-10 11:34Q.T.QuazarNote Added: 0013299
2010-10-14 08:30Khym ChanurIssue Monitored: Khym Chanur
2010-11-27 10:38tatterdemalianNote Added: 0014245
2011-08-28 06:55burlingkNote Added: 0018640
2011-08-28 07:21RhenayaNote Added: 0018641
2012-03-03 23:58etherflanNote Added: 0021048
2012-03-03 23:59etherflanIssue Monitored: etherflan
2012-04-07 14:42etherflanNote Added: 0022143
2012-04-07 15:06KumquatNote Added: 0022145
2012-04-09 09:55dree12Note Added: 0022178
2012-04-10 01:19KogutNote Added: 0022185
2012-04-10 01:20KogutTag Attached: CLOSE THIS
2012-04-10 07:05zombiejusticeNote Added: 0022194
2012-04-11 11:58FootkerchiefRelationship addedduplicate of 0000330
2012-04-11 11:58FootkerchiefStatusnew => resolved
2012-04-11 11:58FootkerchiefResolutionopen => duplicate
2012-04-11 11:58FootkerchiefAssigned To => Footkerchief
2012-04-23 09:52etherflanIssue End Monitor: etherflan

Notes
(0013289)
sgrunt   
2010-10-10 00:09   
I, too, have noticed this occurring - frequently I need to pause the game, cancel whatever task the broker is working on, go to the depot and toggle the trader requested bit off and then back on to motivate him to come up and trade... and although that's reasonably reliable, it's not 100% reliable!
(0013292)
burlingk   
2010-10-10 02:28   
That doesn't work very often for me. It is worth trying though, for those who are having the same issue.
(0013299)
Q.T.Quazar   
2010-10-10 11:34   
I don't think that's a bug. That's pretty much trader behaviour for every version of Dwarf Fortress I've played, especially if you haven't turned off trader's labor prefs. Trader especially doesn't like to trade if you have a long list of items still being hauled to the depot.
(0014245)
tatterdemalian   
2010-11-27 10:38   
My broker refuses to trade, too. He's also the expedition leader, and starts performing the "Conduct Meeting" job rather than trading. (Before anyone asks, no I can't upload the save, DFFD doesn't accept registration requests with Hotmail accounts.)
(0018640)
burlingk   
2011-08-28 06:55   
Conduct Meeting will take precedence over pretty much everything, even trading.

Make sure someone other than your leader is the merchant. In newer versions you can manually change leaders.
(0018641)
Rhenaya   
2011-08-28 07:21   
dont make your "dislike dealing with others" or similar trait dwarfs to broker, or simply dont give him other jobs. conduct meeting isnt neccassary priority either, my brokers most often do 1-2 pages of the meeting, then i turn on the "broker needed at depot" will run off in the middle of it.
(0021048)
etherflan   
2012-03-03 23:58   
seems to still be present in 0.34.04. I attempt to solve it by turning off all jobs for my broker, but that usually makes them immediately go and eat + sleep instead of trading. They usually finish all that before the traders get impatient and leave, but sometime I just have to allow anyone to trade to make it in time.

The same seems to go for my Mayor. An entire season can go by before a meeting is conducted, unless I turn off all other tasks.
(0022143)
etherflan   
2012-04-07 14:42   
0.34.07 Traders also prioritizing pen/pasture animals before trading.
(0022145)
Kumquat   
2012-04-07 15:06   
I guess dworfs just go newest-first for any job they're qualified for. Repeat jobs simply get reissued on top of the stack when they're done, that's why they work at all. Cleaning and healthcare seem to be the exception, though I guess all the 'collect troll fur sock' jobs get issued after any 'rescue bleeding soldier' jobs as other soldiers do their work...

So it is not about a bad priority system, it is the complete lack of one.
(0022178)
dree12   
2012-04-09 09:55   
There is in fact a priority system - fishing, for example, will take place (in my testing) above all else but eating, drinking, attending party, on break, sleeping, and clean self. This is reproducible by simply assigning your mason fishing and watching him abandon the masonry.
(0022185)
Kogut   
2012-04-10 01:19   
duplicate/child of 0000412: Nobles job priority is weird
(0022194)
zombiejustice   
2012-04-10 07:05   
One can also rig the trader to drop what he's doing by setting a burrow for just the Depot and assigning it to the trader.

But what I find works very reliably is to have the broker have no job before the merchants even show up, then request him at the Depot immediately. Once he takes the job, then assign goods to be hauled to the Depot. Trivial, if the broker is also your bookkeeper/manager.