Tales of the Trade Sets up Shop in Wishlisted.gg Indie Game Showcase
Last Friday, developer Unique NPC proudly shared the first gameplay trailer for Tales of the Trade, the studio’s first release and a medieval shopkeeper sim that transports players to a world of swords, sorcery, and sales!
The new trailer aired during the Wishlisted.gg Indie Game Showcase, illustrating the game’s vibrant fantasy world and the colourful citizenry who make up the customer base for the player’s newly opened market stall.
Nobody likes being in debt, let alone when you owe 99,999,999,980 in gold… but with some plucky entrepreneurship and a discerning eye, prospective shopkeepers have a chance not just to fulfill their financial obligations, but to establish a booming medieval business all their own!
Tales of the Trade invites players into a fantasy world where economics means just as much as enchantments. In order for your burgeoning business to succeed, you’ll need to skillfully evaluate the weapons and items that fill this bustling marketplace, as well as understand the needs and wares of the customers and purveyors who frequent your stall. You can sharpen your psychological skills (including Sweet Talk, Pressure, and Deceive) while selling and bargaining with customers in real time, with the goal of expanding your influence by setting up shop in new cities. Many heroic (and persistent) adventures will come calling, eager to outfit themselves with the most useful gear for their guild quests and trusting YOU to equip them. But don’t let the pursuit of profit cloud your judgment: after all, not everything that glitters is gold. Illusions, cursed items, and the dark side of the black market can endanger your reputation (and your gold!) at any time.
Key Features of Tales of the Trade include:
Magic-Focused Economy - Here, items gain value not through attack & defense points, but through qualities like Rarity, Condition, and unique Enchantments. Hundreds of items pass through your shop, but not all of them are honest about what they are…
Tactical Bargaining System - Manage the patience and preferences of your NPC customers by upgrading skills and developing your own methods to make the sale. Read the customer's mind, choose your approach, and learn the ancient merchant art of knowing exactly when to shut up.
Dynamic Adventurer Management - All good adventurers need good equipment, and they’ll rely on you to provide it and even train them to use it, as they acquire different benefits from different items based on their classes (Fire Mage, Paladin, etc.).
Expanding World & Reputation - As your profits climb, you can use your earned gold and “Fame” to open new shops in distant lands, even establishing and maintaining good relations with different powerful factions who wield great influence (like the Thieves' Guild or Church of Light).
Living World Events - Everything from joyous festivals to devastating crises can affect the economic conditions of your industry, as a dynamic calendar system can instantly affect market supply and demand.
Risky Business - Nontraditional business methods are available to enterprising players: try asking the Church to cleanse cursed items, or take a risk and sell them on the Black Market… but be wary of how different choices can affect your Reputation!
From Shelf to Empire - A skill tree with five branches opens up as your business grows: Appraiser, Negotiator, Shadow Merchant, Craftsman, & Magnate. Each one changes how the shop works.
Tales of the Trade is the debut title from Unique NPC Studios, and interested players can wishlist the title on Steam today