The Commodity Exchange is where your industrialist goes to buy raw materials. The raw materials fluctuate in quantity, quality and price. Therefore, timing your purchase is important. The game helps you by showing a good buy in the color blue and a poorer buy in red. This is the real-time aspect of the game as you notice the time used bar at the top. How quickly this time runs out is determined by the game player when starting a new game. Also, notice the selection buttons at the bottom, these provide shortcuts to other areas of the game.