Kenshi | Shop Counters and You!
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2023
- To skip to the conclusion of it all, head to around 16:00. Otherwise, enjoy the bits along the way! This is one of those topics where I'd always had some information, but not as much as I'd have liked--so, I spent some dull tedious time in finding out a bit more. Hope it helps!
- Hry
This shopmaking is rarely been showcase in kenshi I'm glad someone is going to explain this stuff I'm planning to build one myself 😁😁
The gameplay loop itself can be fun (find/make X and Y to sell). A slow burn, to be sure, but I find some of those slower burns to be a little more rewarding.
I'm planning on doing this to help feed Mongrel
I feel like we should have a mod that increases the shop counter rng percentage so u can roleplay as a merchant shop keep😊
this is another aspect of Kenshi that really needs mods in order to flesh it out better as it's not really been properly implemented in the base game.
Certainly wouldn't hurt. Help sell the whole base/shop/merchant style.
I wonder if robotics shop is profitable if you build one
@@JohnR783 As I don't know what all is on their shopping list, it's hard to say. Maybe it's a simple table that one could peek inside the game and find, but that's a bit beyond my skill.
@@zombiegandhi8405there’s a few good mods for it. The main issue with base game kenshi is not that they won’t buy certain items it’s the fact everyone besides the player is BROKE. Like less than 100 cats. So they can never afford the items you sell
@@JohnR783the problem is not the items you sell the problem is that in base kenshi npcs are unbelievably broke. Like less than 100 cats. Which is why they’re all starving. But it simply makes it so they basically can never afford what you sell
I hope Kenshi 2 has the shop mechanic fully fleshed out, like it should be like a game within a game, like a mini-shop tycoon, where you can setup your shop with various items (maybe even specialise in 1 or 2 things and get a rep for it) and maybe even setup deals with wandering traders where they'll agree to stop by more often with goods you want, but only if you give them a discount on items, which you can then mark up for a profit in your store.
Alternatively you could setup your own factories or farms etc making your own stuff to sell. kind of like you can with your own bases, but make it much more doable inside cities early on.
And yes I know there's mods for Kenshi 1 that kind of do this, but in a jank sorta way, would be nice if proper shop tycoon mechanics were in the base game of Kenshi 2 (which can be expanded by mods if wanted and not out of need).
I watched four or five other videos about how these shops work before I found this one, you're the only person who broke it down and answered my questions. Thanks a bunch, and you just earned a sub!
I'm glad it was helpful. Partly why I made the video, as I found some answers, but not enough. I'm glad people are finding it useful.
This seems like a fun thing to do after you've built up a trade caravan of your own with some recruited npcs. Eventually build yourself a shop and leave one there full time to man the counter while you and the rest of the company keep to your routes and build up an In-Character trade empire by buying buildings and making shops in other settlements.
I've made restaurants in the past, and those were a bit of fun. Very much a sit back and chill kind of Kenshi day. No limit to how one might want to play it, either. Maybe the shop is a cover to slowly help those rebel farmers in the UC; or a cover in Okranville, to help out slaves.
For anyone learning the ways of Kenshi, If you build your own base and not have it be included as part of an existing town (i know its a lot of work) you will get more trader visits. they can identify your town easier i think and visit more often. I usually have 3-4 caravans they hang around, rarely do I not have traders in or around my town. I also have multiple shop counters in multiple buildings and set the town to (public access) have gates and also be friends with nearby factions./ I hope that helps. I have so many traders they defend my town from most regular monster attacks with little aid.
This is pretty good advice. The safety of a nearby town is also really helpful if you bite off more than you can chew with bandit raids. You're not running away--you're just tactically getting a drink at the bar.
@@zombiegandhi8405Now that IS Expert advise AHAHAHAH (>.
Work smarter, not harder!
I love making shops in kenshi, and one time i saw a Mercenary buy a type 3 edge weapon from my store, i saw it appear the 30k cats he spent on the sword which I promptly stole back from him 😂
Surely due to a mod--but still! That's a nice amount of cats. I hope you bought everyone a foodcube in celebration.
😆😅🤣🤣😂
I put this video on once while trying to fall asleep and boy howdy did it work.
This was an accident, by the way, I was trying to wind down, not completely pass out.
Good information nonetheless.
My life's work (and lame mutant super power) is now complete.
Ive noticed that any item that has a markup percentage will sell in a shop. Ive also found it better to make my own base with a shop. More caravans will pass through than waiting in a town.
I can confirm . my base can have as many as 3-4 caravan traders at a single time.
Any tips on not having your base ransacked every 5 minutes?😂
@ghxstdiamxnd231 Have an adequate amount of guards. Your location also has an impact.
@@robertthomas-ball9416 thank you!
Great video, I’ve always wondered about the shop counter. The results were underwhelming though lol, but to be honest I kind of figured they would be. This is definately an area of Kenshi that could have been fun if implemented better. Maybe Kenshi 2 will give us a better experience of setting up shop. Thanks for your efforts, painful that it was for you 😁
While I'm not surprised by the results, it's one of those things that I just had to know. Despite the tedium, I'm glad to have learned/confirmed, and at the end of the day, I was playing Kenshi. That's never a bad way to spend the time.
Hol' up. I'm already a fan of yours and I'm less than 10 seconds in. Preem names you got there.
Who doesn't like a fun little name now and again.
Cool video, I found where you set up shop effects how many customer count. Hub is a slum, noone there has any money, set up in Heng and you get a constant flow of customers. I found booze to be the best thing to put into the counter. My best store however is in clownesteady, using hydro farming and rain catchers I can produce my own booze in town and put it straight into the counter, got sadneil on the job so he doesnt need feeding, sure its not the best earner but its just another little passive ticking away while i go out and have fun
this was something i really wanted to do. i pretty sure i never sold anything ever in 2 shops for 140+ hours of them open in 2 dif towns, and kept trying dif things.
Enhanced Shopping Economy on steam is what i refering too
with all that said im pretty sure there is a mod out there that fixes the shops. basically base game all ai spawn with x coin on them. after they spend said money its gone the end. they cannot re gain that money.
the mod gives them a daily allowance, so they are able to ofc save up, buy items which pertain to their char.
i personally never tried it. i wanted to do new playthrough with it. while beating my first playthrough as mod free as possible.'
im shocked some items sold. i say i just in wrong location i did the hub, and in my base. i def had traders come to my base often but they never got anything that i noticed.
nice video ty for this.
Every shopper (my own division of them is 'personal' and 'caravan') seems to have their own list of 'wants'--and a cats limit to spend. So if you don't have what they want, it won't sell. If you have what they want, but can't afford it, they'll let ya know.
Thanks for sitting there waiting for all of us. Was wondering about that too.
It's by no means exhaustive in answers, but hopefully it did provide at least a few.
i noticed cheap food goes quickest. My custom 'people pies', yes you read it correctly, didn't sell. same for dustwiches. too expensive.
the fun part is that it attracts grouos that come visiting your town. does need to be on public. same as the building.
its a fun addition.
made that large round advanced building. as a bar, with grog etc mostly for my own people to sit. and a large bar with the public stall. fun:)
Good info, thanks! I figured the hub would be too poor to do well there. I haven't been able to test it yet, but i downloaded the improved shopping economy mod, so eventually I'll try to get a decent base and set up a shop counter to try it out.
Thanks for the tips man actually helped me understand it a bit better
Glad it was able to help.
Dude thank you. This makes me want to set up a caravan trading company and take over all the trade city by city. Have routes all over the place. Maybe even guard outposts.
That's one of the things that keeps Kenshi fresh for me--new ideas, restrictions, and self-set goals. I hope your trade network goes well!
This would be an excellent addition to my long playthrough! I have a theif I station in Sho Battai in her own house and selling my stolen stuff for full price at a shop counter would be a nice way to get some kind of passive income! Good idea!
Unless otherwise modded, not all thing will sell, but I do like the roleplay and focus around it. Stealing what you know will sell. I think it fits longer plays really well, as getting cats in Kenshi isn't tough at all.
Thanks for the video, got a whole new idea for a new playthrough!
Hope the playthrough is a good time!
Keep in mind they need inventory space to buy your goods. So it's best to sell food as that will be consumed the fastest keeping their inventories open to continue buying from you. Medkits might be consumed slowly over time, but only if they are in combat often enough. Trade goods like iron plates will fill their inventory quickly and won't go away. So just stick with food. If you have the consumable liquids mod then beverages like sake can be good too.
you can sell weapons ; but they do sell incredibly slowly. i crafted a bunch of clubs and put them in my shop and forgot about them for ~50game days, i sold about 8 clubs in the Hub.
Interesting. Is your game modded at all? Do you recall the clubs in question, and their quality/sell price? It they sold in pure vanilla game state, that'd be pretty interesting.
@@zombiegandhi8405 im at work currently; off in a few hours. ill load up my save file and provide a mod list + club description. i try to keep myself as close to vanilla as i can ; but i may have inadvertently affected the club sale rates. ill get back in touch!
Thanks for the content. I have enjoyed the different type of videos you have put out. Only recommendation i have is to check your audio. I have to turn up my sound all the way to hear you.
I keep upping the decibels in editing on the audio track, in hope that it helps. When I listen to it, to my ears, it sounds like I'm quite loud--so I'm always hesitant to fiddle with more than the 5-6db gain I've been giving it.
the question is, the place you are selling it, in big city centers, you gonna sell more for citiziens
in your own outpost, you gonna sell mainly for caravans
This is great info. Thanks for the video
Glad to be of some Kenshi help
I love Kenshi.
As the youth of today would opine: a most based opinion.
Im not sure if it's a mod I have on but i made a base just east of the Waystation Border zone outpost and it literally has more people walking around in it than a lot of the cities. It's pretty neat.
If you turn up the squad sizes and stuff you will get a lot more people in the hub. (Sometimes all hell breaks loose but its honestly hilarious to watch)
ill bet a shop counter at the gray desert would sell a lot more. you got so many factions flowing through there, and a lot of fighting too
Maybe the devs thought people might build shops in every major city eventually during end game, and then get passive income until you need to restock the items. But it seems like if you put crafting stations for medical/food inside of a building you buy in every single city, with storages to hold the excess, then the passive income would be greater. You could build farms outside the city for the shopkeep to maintain, to help keep the supply going? Just started playing Kenshi about 2 months ago though, and it’s so complex that I’m sure I’m incorrect to some degree of how time consuming/easy this would be.
My guys are finally starting to become “chads” though and don’t get killed by hungry bandits anymore so that’s pretty awesome!
I suspect the shops and buying of things, are there for two reasons: 1.) because it's interesting 2.) it helps to tell the narrative of what the world's like.
No one seemingly can afford weapons, armor, or even fancy food--so anyone in a place of power who can offer you such things (the major factions), have quite the allure.
Making money in Kenshi is very, very easy; and setting up shops isn't a 'good' way to make it---but, I think it's a FUN way to make it. I think they're great for RP focused runs: maybe you want to set up a fast food chain, and all that goes into supplying it.
I think shops are just interesting, fun, neat, and different gameplay loops the emergent narrative provides.
@@zombiegandhi8405 awww man I didn’t even think about that but I think you are completely right. It wasn’t supposed to be a major source of income but adds to the RP and FUN in the game when you finally and actually make sales. It adds another layer to the gameplay and immersion and fits within the setting and narrative! I really like this response thank you! Would you think it’s viable at all to set up multiple shops as a source of income or would it be way too tedious? I’m thinking about it and I feel like multiple shops in cities would just be way too difficult because you’d have to micromanage it quite a bit with farms outside the city and whatnot. Thank you!
@@zombiegandhi8405 and also what you said about the major faction cities being able to offer more makes way more sense
@@Jaymennn I think it will require a fair bit of logistics to get off the ground, but not impossible. You will need to keep someone in the area to keep the 'cell' active (which means they'll need food, unless it's a skeleton). That's not too difficult, depending on what you're going to try and sell food wise--though again, most NPCs are pretty poor, so even a load of bread might be a big ask.
You'll want to position your farming base that's within easy reach of the places you want to set up shops in--and of course, have guards who are strong enough to fight off any attackers. Maybe setting up the farm in an easier area, may be worth the longer trek.
I am currently doing a shopper playthrough and I dabbled on it when making bases. I do use mods and there's a better economy mod out there that simply gives some more money to people thus increasing the amount of goods shoppers buy. So, overall, my experience should still apply and if you want to play this kinda game it's a must have for sure.
So, one of the first things you said about items is not accurate. NPC's will buy gear. I have a sword shop and sell swords. It is not common but once you have high enough sword smithing just one sale can net you 5 -7k cats. Not much but it's nice. Most poeple who buy weapons will be caravan guards, mercenaries or soldiers. I assume it's the same for armor. I suppose the AI decides if it will buy given how much cash the NPC has and their gear quality at the time.
Location is extremely important. The more free agents are in a settlement the more you might sell. I currently have a shop in Sho Batai and another one in Heft. I feel that in Sho Batai I sell way more. I need to test more locations.
As far as saying that shops aren't working in far away cities this might or not be true. I left characters in Sho Batai and Heft to handle the shops. Well, to craft stuff really. I have been going out regularly with my main character to find ancient tech books and truth is even when I was back at Hub I was getting sales in Sho Batai. My point is, yes you can sell things even if you're wandering about in the other side of the map. But, it could be because I have characters on my shops.
One thing I also noticed is that NPC will usually come to my shop in the morning for food. But most will not buy anything because food is too expensive. So perhaps it's worth having cheap food like dried meat in there and not only high end food like foodcubes or rations.
btw, no need to assign a person to the shop.
what happened to me was that small techhunter groups, in Shem, came to my town especially to viait. then stick around for a while and leave. i Think hired, goons also sometimes take a look when they are done.
just makes things more alive.
who knew setting up shop in a ghost town is not good for bisness^^
do you need to man the counter at all times? like have a NPC with the counters inventory open for it to work?
I'm not a game programmer, but from my own observations: the game seems to have 'chunks' active where any of the players' squad might be. So what you'll need to keep the store up and running, is someone in the area (unsure of how large such an area actively is). You don't need the inventory window open--I just had it like that so I could watch what was being bought.
Question…if im like in village which is kinda in the middle of nowhere, theres a chance some group of people or a guy visiting my village and a chance to visit my shop?
So that depends on a few things: mostly, whether or not NPCs in that area have 'shopping' in their list of 'things to do'. In my experience, most NPCs who frequently shop, seem to the caravan merchants and those part of; where residents of a town/city/village, seem to have their 'shopping needs' already met. The Wandering Assassins will also shop (especially for bandages in the swamp--those dang blood spiders).
So it depends on who all is in that area; whether you have caravans visiting; and so on. You can get an idea of who at least has the 'shopping' tag, for lack of better word, by looking for that yellow-greenish color of Cats being spent--and for the dialogue of "I can't afford that". This can let you know the type of NPCs who are able/willing/wanting to buy 'something'.
@@zombiegandhi8405 hmm,noted
I posted several Beak Thing Eggs in my store at my outpost and all of them were bought by Western Hive traders. It was Vanilla too.
Interesting! Those sell for a mighty chunk of cats, too. I have been wanting to revamp my beak thing hunters, and this might just be a new thing I try.
@@zombiegandhi8405 granted it took a while though I suggest going somewhere caravans go and sell there clothing definitely don't sell but food definitely is a winner
heres a cool thought, when you make armor and weapons, your name goes on it as a stamp of brand, what if.. in kenshi two, the npcs talked when they seen someone wearing clothing that you made, and that was how you got business rolling, but.. the kick back was the quality effects the percentage of how likely they are to come and buy your stuff. come on kenshi 2 we want to sell our weapons and armors..
mm what would happen if you set up a counter so sell hashish in holy nation territory?
An interesting question! That would depend on whether hashish was on whatever 'needs list' a given NPC has, when it comes to shopping. Further still, whether they have the actual cats for it.
As to whether anyone of the Holy Nation would visit the shop, and 'see' then as illegal goods? Unsure.
Seems like a side hustle for a party member. Like, maybe the armor smith of your city squad is making so many Bandanas that you can clear out nearby shops and still have bandanas piling up, so it might be time to trade some of them for goods or components that you could then offer in your own shop for a few thousand extra Cats per week.
It's a terrible form of income. Notice how the traders in this video bought electronics? Well if those electronics were used to craft robotics components and then skeleton repair kits... you are looking at thousands of percentage extra profit compared to just selling the electronics as a base ingredient. Except the skeleton repair kits don't sell in these personal shops. You could follow that same line of logic for everything that is crafted (besides food and medical). Cactus is 14 cats per. Five cactus (70 cat value) makes rum (200+ cat value). Cactus sells in the shop, rum doesn't.
.
Point is, only reason to open a shop is if you are NOT crafting anything. Then yea, a shop is probably the most convenient way for you to get rid of that stuff.
Will they buy stolen goods from shop counter and if so is it at full value
That's a great question, and one I don't know off the top of my head. I know in moving items around, they can lose their stolen tag--so I'm not sure if that works with shop benches. But that's a question I'm now curious about, too. I sense more Kenshi in my future.
Paul Bunyan and Babe, lol nice
I'm glad someone noticed!
I have a highly successful bread shop near Worlds End
I've always enjoyed a cozy B&B (Breads and Bandages) waystation.
Im sure some npc can buy weapons because some times they only have a secondary or a primary but not the other
My understanding is that outside of mods, vanilla game, they cannot. They are either 1.) Not on their list of things to buy 2.) They do not have the cats to purchase a weapon.
@@zombiegandhi8405 have you tried in places were tech hunters can visit? Maybe i saw that in a mod but it was definitely a tech hunter npc, maybe they have more money
I built one in my base and was disappointed that they dont buy gear and ore n what not. I think the thought was there that it wouldn't make sense that npcs will buy these but if you really think about it... you buy these. Not ore but you run to shops to get gear if you dont get it off of dead bodies. Maybe to prevent cheesing? But again you can walk out of squin load up on copper with three dudes fill up a pack beast or bull and walk in and sell it all. Put a copper ore storage and they will auto fill it. I wasn't super happy about it so I go the shopping mod which I cant recall the name of. It was better kinda. It added a npc group that buys gear and sometimes does like raids that gives you an alert and buys everything. That was a bit excessive not really realistic. People where buying the test ore I put in there but very very little. Like 5 in the full shop counter. I looked at the mod making thing and its a little bit above me but Im sure I can see a way to add a few groups that get other stuff but more reasonably or just wait for Kenshi 2 and maybe that'll be better.
the counter doesn't need to be manned?
You don't actually man the counter, as it's nothing you personally interact with. You just need to be in whatever radius/cell, so that it (and everyone around it) are active. I just like to stick someone behind it for RP/'cause it it looks neat.
21:06
McBeakBurgers, hmmmmm
does it work in squinn
I've set up multiple shops in multiple places (cities, my own bases), and it works just fine. So you could very well set up there if you like--but know your foot and caravan traffic might have a lot of variance. Still, Kenshi (to me) is about the journey, so, give it a go!
Damn I forging weapons for nothing lmao , need to install some mods really want roll play as businessman entrepreneur 😢
You can still sell them to shops, and clean out their cats easily--but for people stopping on over to buy; yeah, a bit out of luck.
You could forge a bunch, use a stealthy character to knock people out, and equip them with the weapons! Imagine a rebel farmer waking up to find himself dressed in new clothes, with his hands gripping a brand new polearm.
You'd be a god, granting your unknown blessings of gear.
I wonder if NPCs will buy stolen goods 🤔
They do! Just about to upload a short video on it. From my testing, they buy the consumable (food, medical), despite the stolen tag.
@@zombiegandhi8405 shopping is something I've never really explored in Kenshi, so your video was very informative for me. Thanks.
Feed Babe, please
Babe has plenty of food in his backpack--don't worry!
Games like Fallout, Kenshi, CDDA and Project Zomboid only realy shine when modded.
You have chosen the worst possible location for such a test. Even Mourn would be better.
Reading these comments it seems people are confused on how these works, Im honestly suprised maybe I just play to many games
I think that Kenshi has so many things that operate 'under the hood', so to speak, that what might seem straightforward, isn't. It's why I made the video--to try and pass on a little of what I've learned.
@@zombiegandhi8405 True, and not trying like argue or anything man cause I genuinely feel you, this game do got me scratching my head sometimes, but a lot of it seemed obvious to me or didn't take me long to figure out that's why I said I probably just played to many games, respect to you and helping out those who are scratching there heads, it helps keep people playing and involved in the community
You need to speak up my guy.
3 and a half mins and nothing of value was said .. just rambling. For the love of god .. make a script and be concise.
Buying a house costs you a couple of thousand cats. You will only buy a property for production, not for selling stuff. You can sell all your junk in a normal shop and you need athletic training to move around anyway. Just set up a base very close to a big city and you can buy and sell things easily.