Import/Export (Stats)

[automator]

In the end game stats, there is the "Import/Export" column. I don't understand. Usually I end up in "first place" for that with something like 240/240. The "Opponent Best" is like 240/0 and the "Opponent Worst" is 0/240.

I don't get it.

Is the number involved the quantity of imported or exported product? The number of turns in which an import or export was happening? The cash transactions? Why is only importing considered good but only exporting considered bad?

Anyone have an understanding about this particular statistic?

(I've also wondered how things like "military service" and "life expectancy" are figured, but this question seems more important to me.)

 

[almeida_cohen]

I also don't understand how this stat works? I always come in at last place for it...what do you do to come in first?

 

[Joecoolyo]

Actually, I've been wondering the same thing, I always seem to come in last too, usually somewhere around -2000 (or somewhere similar).

 

[Tibur753]

I'm not sure what this represents but a good import/export score would mean that the difference between your imports and exports is the biggest (meaning you want more imports and less exports).

Life expectancy is based on how healthy your cities are.

 

[almeida_cohen]

I'm not sure what this represents but a good import/export score would mean that the difference between your imports and exports is the biggest (meaning you want more imports and less exports).

Thats kind of silly...why would you want more imports and less exports???

 

[so18apm]

Read this War Academy article on the demographics screen for more info: http://www.civfanatics.com/civ4/strategy/demographics.php

 

[almeida_cohen]

Read this War Academy article on the demographics screen for more info: http://www.civfanatics.com/civ4/strategy/demographics.php

Thanks the link helped a great deal!

 

[blitzkrieg1980]

I don't get why I've been first with a 0/0 so often in the earlier days. That's a ratio of 0 outbound to 0 inbound. Sounds like my whole trade system is ZERO, but I'm somehow first.

Weird

 

[Kadazzle]

It's based on your trade routes. If you sign open borders with a civ that doesn't have the trade-route icon by their name, it will give you a negative in the demographics. If you sign one with a civ with the trade-route icon beside their name, it gives you a plus. Things like the Temple or Artemis and The Great Lighthouse help out in the demographics as well. The end number is how much money you are making from your trade route, and how much money the person your are trading with is making.

 

[Tibur753]

Imports are how much you make from foreign trade routes. Exports are what other civs make from trade routes with your cities. Because it is good to make more commerce than the other civs, more imports is better.

 

[Lord N.]

Imports are how much you make from foreign trade routes. Exports are what other civs make from trade routes with your cities. Because it is good to make more commerce than the other civs, more imports is better.

I think it's the other way around - exports represent your income, and imports the income that other civs get from you.

 

[Camikaze]

All I can say is WOW! 3 year necro of a one post thread! Although, I've never really understood it either.

 

[PhroX]

All I can say is WOW! 3 year necro of a one post thread! Although, I've never really understood it either.

Well, I guess it shows that almeida_cohen knows how to use the search function rather than starting new threads. Which is good.

 

[Camikaze]

'Tis indeed. I for one would not have exerted that much energy, which is what defines me as lazy, I guess.

 

[Pacifist46]

More exports help your rank, that's what makes you money, selling stuff to other people abroad, it brings money into the country. Imports are bad because you are losing money from the circular flow abroad, making other civs richer.
(This applies to real life as well).

 

[Tibur753]

I think it's the other way around - exports represent your income, and imports the income that other civs get from you.

That would make more sense, but in the game the money you earn is imports.

The amount of commerce you get from trade routes to your cities is the Imports, the total amount of commerce other nations cities get from your cities is the Exports. In effect its counter intuitive, since you would expect that the money you get from other cities is from your Exports and the money other cities get is from your Imports, however it works the other way around, again this does seem strange but as I said before I’m not here to argue about it.

 

[Pacifist46]

Ah. Fair enough then.

 

[Lord N.]

That would make more sense, but in the game the money you earn is imports.

I disagree, and I'll try to prove it.

Luckily, I found an old vanilla game (I bought BtS in the meantime), with only 3 cities (Berlin, Hamburg and Munich), which will be a good example.

Spoiler :

As you can see, Berlin gains 2 commerce from foreign city Rheims.

Spoiler :

Hamburg gains 2 commerce from Djenne.

Spoiler :

Munich gains 1 commerce from Berlin, which is not a foreign trade.

Spoiler :

If you look at the demographics, you'll see that the total foreign trade (2 commerce in Berlin + 2 commerce in Hamburg = 4 commerce) is equal to the Exports value.

Spoiler :

 

[Tibur753]

I disagree, and I'll try to prove it.

Luckily, I found an old vanilla game (I bought BtS in the meantime), with only 3 cities (Berlin, Hamburg and Munich), which will be a good example.

I was just going by what the article said. If someone can try this with a BtS game and see if the result is the same then the article may need to be edited.

As I said before, it did not make sense to me either why the imports gave you money. But if that's right, why would you want more imports than exports?

 

[BunnyWunny]

Thanks, I couldn't figure it out either.

So, if I still get negative numbers I should just close all the trade routes?