Phase 1 design · Trading · interactive mockup

Fort Hall Trade

Trading opens from the hot bar (T, Talk & trade), lit only at forts and camps. It mirrors the bag: your wagon's goods on the left in the same grid, the trader's goods on the right, and a balance beam between them that tilts as you build an offer. Values shift by region (clothing is dear in the mountains, flour is cheap at the fort), so what you packed in Independence becomes currency out here. The original's fixed offers remain as offer cards you can accept, decline or haggle.

Mode
Trader

In Haggle, click the goods on either side to add them to the offer, and click again with Shift to take one back. The beam and the trader's face show whether the deal will land.

Rules

Offer cards (faithful)

As in 1985: "I'll trade you a wagon axle for 3 sets of clothing." Accept (1), decline (2), or haggle (3). When you're stuck with a broken part, a card is the lifeline.

Haggling (new)

Build an offer from both grids. The beam weighs each side at local value. Traders accept anything within about 5% of fair, and a good-natured trader gives a little. Push too hard three times and they close for the day.

Regional value

Chips on each item show the local multiplier (×2 clothing in the mountains, ×0.5 flour at a fort). It's the first taste of Phase 2's hidden logistics game: buy where it's cheap, carry it where it's dear.

Who you trade with

Post traders (fair, stocked with parts), passing parties (random needs, great for spares), and Native traders at the original's light level: dried salmon, horses and guiding in exchange for clothing and goods. Written respectfully, and reviewed before it ships.

Weight matters

The bag's weight bar updates live. You can't take the horse if the wagon's full, which pushes you toward trading heavy for light.

Phase 2 hooks

on:trade, reputation per region. Almanac "Trader's Ledger" shows every post's prices. Heirloom "Silver Watch" is a coveted trade good everywhere.