To end up the trade routes annoyance

[Naokaukodem]

Not playing a patched version of the game, so maybe this have already been issued by the devs.

When i have to choose or renew a trade route, i'm like "ah, THAT."

I wish i could hit a single button which picks automatically the best science yield, and the best gold yield among the best science one(s), and finally, the worst science/gold out of them for the AI.

It would be cool if i could configure such a button for my own use. I have to say, I'm playing on low difficulty levels so maybe my choices tend to be "industrial" more than anything, so -for now- I would do a great use of such a button.

Maybe later one could configure the trade routes so this automated button would aim certain civs and totally ignore others. Or things like that.

N.B. : On a side note I would suggest to not limit convoys to earth and vessels to sea, but have instead a generic trade 'something'. I see no reason why such 'things' couldn't auto-embark as units do. Then the auto-button would need for sure to have an option land/sea routes. (because seas may be infested with monsters)
Also, I think we should be able to set up rally points for trade routes. Jsut because if we are at war with somebody, we wish we avoid its territory totally.

 

[ZHONN]

I too would love such buttons to make setting trade routes faster.

The patch changed vessels and convoys so that they yield equally. The trade 'something' idea has its merits, but I find that safe convoys are nice during intercontinental wars, were AI can raid the vessels. Having only a single unit that embarks leads to more trade route raiding, which isn't nice, as the player can't decide which route the trade unit goes by.

 

[Aimeryan]

What you are essentially looking for is the ability to prioritise the yields, and/or give them weightings.

Some would argue that this would be playing the game for you, I would disagree; it removes the mechanical difficulty/effort involved the implementation (i.e., having to look through a list), while still requiring you to choose how you define your strategy (is science more important than energy for you? is it more important for you to maximise your yield or minimise the opponents? does the particular opponent matter?).

On the other hand, it is probably far easier than it sounds - just being able to sort by one yield would probably be enough to work out the correct trade route in a second or two. If this sorting was "remembered" you could far more quickly assign trade routes.