Just like how you can request resources from visiting merchants at a premium rate, it would be neat if the same could happen the other way around.
Basically when a trader visits, or right after they depart, you can get a message that a trader has a high demand for a resource. This would be best with minimal time after notice so it’s not too easy to do, no more than 1 year. Then next time traders arrive, you can sell that resource for a premium.
This would provide an opportunity to shift the dynamic of the town, perhaps to focus production on one resource, which may require multiple professions to fully staffed to fulfill the production chain. As a player, you can choose how much manpower to divert to this good so that you have more to sell by the time the trader arrives.
I like this idea. I had been thinking myself about some way to generate information about desired resources so that one can tailor production to current demands. One thing I had thought of was some form of news such as messengers that would visit the town center to present news and rumor from the surrounding regions not only including information to direct your manufacturing of resources but also info about potential raids or health concerns, crop diseases etc.
Another thing I’d like to see at the trading post/center is actual trading of food, resources, and manufactured goods, not just buying/selling.
That would definitely make the world feel more alive, though it may pose challenges due to the needs being open to interpretation. Perhaps in the long run. But I think something simple like a messenger saying “so and so is in dire need of X resource. If you are able to provide, we will pay you well” or something along those lines.
And yes, actual bartering instead of just buying/selling would be really cool too, if not just for novelty than for practicality. I’d imagine bartering was more common during those times.