NPC Pirates at under 500ly from inhabited space? Whats the point?

What exactly does it add to the game when you come across a few black holes, multiple brown dwarfs and other shizzle only for some NPC in a sidewinder 480ly from earth to try and interdict you? What exactly do these NPcs think the explorers are carrying? Space doubloon's and black-hole juice?
It seems pretty much pointless that a sidewinder would even go out that far and pirating? Makes zero sense at all! :rolleyes:
 
What exactly does it add to the game when you come across a few black holes, multiple brown dwarfs and other shizzle only for some NPC in a sidewinder 480ly from earth to try and interdict you? What exactly do these NPcs think the explorers are carrying? Space doubloon's and black-hole juice?
It seems pretty much pointless that a sidewinder would even go out that far and pirating? Makes zero sense at all! :rolleyes:

You miss the point. Those are hermits (or pirates guarding their hideout). The explorer is the bad guy here. They went 500ly away from human space, they want to be left alone... And then you come, gathering the data and selling it to aggresive goverments and greedy corporations...

"Zero sense" denied :p.
 
You miss the point. Those are hermits (or pirates guarding their hideout). The explorer is the bad guy here. They went 500ly away from human space, they want to be left alone... And then you come, gathering the data and selling it to aggresive goverments and greedy corporations...

"Zero sense" denied :p.

If they put outposts at 500ly - 400ly i will commend those pirates. Even better if it were Thargoids!! If not i will resume thinking them to be the local galactic scale village idiots xD
 
Alternatively, they are rival explorers, who decide that the easiest way of making sure that they get back with the data first is to ensure you never can. :)

I'll admit though, this and the theory above is somewhat punctured by the dialogue they use when they interdict you. It would hold up much better if they acted like space hermits or exploratory rivals, pirate dialogue makes little sense.
 
To be fair this has been bugging me as well - I have set out into the wild black yonder in a galaxy of 400 billion systems so what exactly are the chances that in doing so I will pick the one system a pirate is hiding in - yet alone manage to hit one every 5 or 6 jumps. Meeting NPCs out in uninhabited space kind of kills the immersion because it simply would not happen in reality or at least would be so shockingly rare as to be news worthy not something happening every 10 minutes.
 
Alternatively, they are rival explorers, who decide that the easiest way of making sure that they get back with the data first is to ensure you never can. :)

I'll admit though, this and the theory above is somewhat punctured by the dialogue they use when they interdict you. It would hold up much better if they acted like space hermits or exploratory rivals, pirate dialogue makes little sense.

Agreed - would be nice to have the dialog changed for that, but I also make the same assumption -- they're hermits, rival stellar cartographers, or just gone plain space-happy.
 
Guys, how long does it take to travel 500 ly? For a sidewinder it would be maybe 30-40 jumps, its 3 hours maybe? So, its an equivalent of a car trip to nearby forest... Its really not far...
 
Guys, how long does it take to travel 500 ly? For a sidewinder it would be maybe 30-40 jumps, its 3 hours maybe? So, its an equivalent of a car trip to nearby forest... Its really not far...

True, but it's also not inhabited, so why would you go there unless you're exploring. You won't be carrying anything worth stealing.

I guess you could argue that your stellar cartographical data could be stolen (like Trade Data when you find wrecks). That's as good a work around as any :)
 
Not much profit in pirating 500Ly from home. It would be like as if pirates from the 1700s were pirating in the North Pole instead of the Caribean Sea.

Now, i think it would be interesting if we could find pirate bases hidden in systems say, 50 to 100Ly systems from inhabited space. Could be an hideout for those who want to pursue the pirate life. With pirating missions available, special outfits and black market.
 
Honestly none of these excuses work for me. I think, after a certain distance, you should see other NPC *explorers about as much as you see player explorers and I think that you should see NPC terrorists about as often as you see player ones.
 
Honestly none of these excuses work for me. I think, after a certain distance, you should see other NPC *explorers about as much as you see player explorers and I think that you should see NPC terrorists about as often as you see player ones.

Thats how it is. I have several over few 1000ly trips under my belt and i havent seen ANY ship beyond 200 ly from the human space.

Again: 500 ly is a 2-3 hour trip. ITS NOT FAR!
 
Yeah, but that doesn't explain why pirates would be there if they know said hikers are only carrying string in their pockets. ;) (but the stealing data explanation works well enough)
Hikers and backpackers get assaulted, robbed, whatever... out in the woods all the time. It's prime pickings for that kind of crime as there is no real way to get help.
 
yeah, they are very annoying, in fact, one almost ruined the game for me. i was in 34% hull hauler, coming home from 20 000ly trip and 1200 scanned systems. he interdicted me and started shooting instantly. was down to 25% in matter of seconds, then i decided to unplug my internet cable and quit game. that saved me.
 
Consider them a warning that you are approaching civilization. I was shocked when i came back 2 days ago and to finally see another ship and i realized i wasnt ready if i had been ganked by a good sneaky player so i rectified the situation. I saw mine at 350ly going out and coming back. Makes things interesting, as explorers if we lose we lose everything. Its not like getting your ship blown with cargo in it, it's much worse it's weeks or works that will go up in smoke at once, the buff is nice but i still think it could pay a lot more because of that.
 
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