Warning, :words:.
I started out in Gamma running mission for faction rep, it was easy money (and good money at that point) but I realised it was only a start. There was lots of space to explore and I had to get out there, so I saved up for a Cobra and then pointed my new ship in a random direction. Eventually, I came across a system with a Pristine belt, so I thought, why not try some mining? My Cobra was still stock, so I fitted a mining laser and refinery and hoped that shooting rocks wasn't like it was in Eve.
Well, it was a bit more involved, but it wasn't exactly exciting. I made enough to fully upgrade my Cobra, but then decided it was time to find something else for a while. Elite's a trading game, right? So I load up Slopey's BPC and try and find some good trading routes. After a few trades, I realise I need a bigger ship, so I buy an Asp and fit it with all cargo holds. The money starts coming in, but after a few dents and bumps I realise the expense of repairing this ship isn't worth the extra cargo space, so I re-fit a shield and grind more trade runs. It's good money - I found a route giving me 2460cr/ton profit so if I just grinded for a bit I could upgrade my Asp. Station to station, dock, load up, undock, hyperspace, dock, sell, load up, undock.... I can handle this for a while, but it's soul-destroying, and not what I remember "space trading" being like from back in '84.
I'm starting to wonder how to make enough to afford a bigger ship, or even just enough to afford the repair bill if I do a bit of combat. I've heard about rare trading but it seems a bit complicated, but nothing's for free, right? So I do a bit of research and decide to do a round-trip of Fed stations to test the water. I load up with some rares and head off across the Galaxy. This is exciting! I'm out of my comfort zone, no Friendly ships around, loads of new systems to explore as I make my way to the next stop. Sure, I'm not making as much money taking the scenic route like this, but damn is it fun! This is what I remember from those late night huddled over my BBC B. A purpose, not just a grind.
So then the nerfbat hits. Now I have to wait for the stock to refresh at each port. After an initial outcry, I realise this isn't so bad. Now I can run some missions while I wait, make some new friends in each port I visit, and as long as I don't take too many risks I can fly around with a hold half-full of rare goods (I can't buy a separate ship to do combat in because you can't store a ship with cargo...). It's not so bad though, I'm making less money - much less than I was making trading even, but I don't care so much, there are still systems to explore and new friends to make.
And now this. Rare trading is now literally pointless, unless you're a new player in a small ship, and even then it's just a stepping stone to a larger ship, which you then won't be able to afford to run. I've championed this game, defended it from the trolls, been called a fanboy, but now I'm starting to wonder what direction the devs are taking. Getting a bigger ship (and being able to afford upgrades and repairs) is a goal most players aspire to, yet that goal is being moved further and further away. I'm sorry to say, but this may be a turning point for me, when I start to lose hope that this game will actually be a keeper.
FD, I'd love to hear some reasoning from you behind the changes to rare trading. So far, there's been no word at all. In Gamma, the changes you made went from one extreme to another, but now they just seem to be heading progressively south.
