Non combat ship travel safety tips:

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

maybe you're not understanding what I'm saying -- play the role of a criminal in game, your character in game should be treated like a criminal. you want people to submit and hand over cargo and cry if I suggest criminal should lose their insurance. It's not treating you like a second-hand gamer, it's treating your character the way you chose to set it up.

I understand what you mean, and I understand that the profession really should be hard, but it shouldn't be so hard that it pushes a huge amount of the playerbase away. The amount of pirates should slightly, just ever so slightly, outnumber the bounty hunters, in order to give them something to shoot at, and it not to be a very rare occurrence. Darkphoenix's suggestion fills that hole though, so i don't think there's much more to discuss.

I stand by what I said. I see a pirate, I shoot. if they get the bette rof me, I self descrtuct. I'd rather pay insurance than give up my cargo. If that makes your in-game criminal life to "hard," sorry, it's not called "elite easy".

Yeah, it wouldn't be Elite: Easy, it would be Elite: Impossible, Dark Souls on the highest difficulty using one hand.

Criminals don't get insurance. If you want insurance, don't play a criminal.

You're saying that Criminality is frowned upon as a playstyle out-of-game. If you believe they should be in the game (Which if you don't, then this isn't the game for you), you wouldn't try to make it nigh-impossible. Pirates are part of the food chain.

maybe institute a criminal-backed insurance fund.

This could work, and I'm sure something like this has been mentioned by Jezzah.

If pirates know they won't get cargo, they'll go find something better to do.

And thus goes an entire profession out the window. I would point out that we could always just move on to the next trader, as they are plentiful, but that isn't the point.

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I do hope you realize the absolute hypocrisy of this line, because you as the pirate are intentionally making the game harder for that trader who is playing a role counter to your own

There is no hypocrisy. he's trying to make the game hard for me in an unsportsman-like way, using immersion-breaking techniques, while I am playing the role as true to it as I can. I've never heard of any trader with regular cargo sinking/killing themselves to stop the pirates, but i do know that pirates, well, pirate.

 

[jmg]

understand what you mean, and I understand that the profession really should be hard.

If you think "pirate," "in-game murder," and "making a living off other people's in-game work" is a profession, you're not getting what I'm saying.

You've chosen a character that ignores in-game rules, kills in-game people, and yet demand the same benefits of in-game society as everyone else. you can't chose a player that operates outside the in-game societal rules and expect to be treated lie every other in-game citizen.

piracy is not an honored "profession," in game or out. that is why there will always be missions to kill pirates (don't see too many missions to kill traders...). Myself, I'll continue to shoot pirates on sight, to encourage others to do the same, and will self destruct any day rather than dump my cargo.

 

[Wolfechu]

You have to be kidding me. Do you honestly, HONESTLY believe that all pirates are horrible people in real life and thus you should try to make their game as miserable as possible, because you don't understand it? You're the type of person who ruins this galaxy. Keep it to yourself, at least.

..are you suggesting we should be handing over cargo as a charitable thing? I mean, I realise pirates have put a lot of time and effort into getting set up as a pirate, but I don't recall signing up to reimburse them for their troubles

 

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

Oh to be accosted by CMDR Hagglebeard. Having traded around the backwater systems I've only ever been interdicted by an NPC, and while I destroyed those pirates it was in self-defence, there was no option for dialogue and they opened fire first. If on the other hand a player pirate character were to interdict me and make his/her demands and give me the opportunity to respond I would welcome the dialogue! Anything to spice up the game. I'm not saying I would roll over and give up my wares, but at least I would have options. This is supposed to be a dangerous galaxy and I can't help but think that so little life has been breathed into the NPCs precisely because DB fancied that actual players would fill the various roles, including pirates!

I'm glad you'd be so eager! If you want to trade and encounter "friendly" pirates, steer clear of the rare trade hubs. The Peraesii > Nunus trade route is iffy, and Community Goals vary. I like to base pirate's attitude based on who I meet and the tenacity of the local traders, and so I've found that CG's with goods that have low base prices tend to have friendly traders (Big Surprise). The Persephone trade goal had so many compliant, chatty traders that I spent most of my time on the comms panel rather than actually pirating! The Wolf 406 Goal, currently ongoing, has quite unfriendly traders excepting a few, AFAIK, but the pirates are friendly! Also, I may not have been as friendly as I was in Persephone. Oops!

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..are you suggesting we should be handing over cargo as a charitable thing? I mean, I realise pirates have put a lot of time and effort into getting set up as a pirate, but I don't recall signing up to reimburse them for their troubles

No, just don't self-destruct. Try to honestly evade them, use countermeasures, shoot back, and if they do overpower you, value your cargo far less than your life. Be a little closer to reality than "Death is equal to x hours trading". If you can get away, you deserve all of that cargo and more

EDIT: Also, don't get angry if you decide to comply while at 5% hull. You may be dead before the pirate reads the message.

 

[jmg]

..are you suggesting we should be handing over cargo as a charitable thing? I mean, I realise pirates have put a lot of time and effort into getting set up as a pirate, but I don't recall signing up to reimburse them for their troubles

yes, we should respect pirates and all the work they put into this game. how DARE you try and make their life more difficult by not handing over your cargo? I mean, jeeze, the're FRIENDLY pirates! they'll ask you nicely for you to turn over cargo you worked hard to be able to afford.

 

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

piracy is not an honored "profession,"

You go on and tell FD that. Tell them how to make their game.

 

[jmg]

You go on and tell FD that. Tell them how to make their game.

Fd allows pirates in game, doesn't mean it's a profession.
pyschos and griefers are also allowed, doesn't make them a profession either.

Jeeze, bub, you're playing a criminal in game. Just man up to it an own it. don't try to justify it.
It's not a profession... by definition, piracy is an anti-profession. pirates are anything *but* professional.

 

[Jenner]

Reopened. Please be respectful and non-inflammatory.

 

[Morbad]

If you were a trader in the year 3300, and you decided to self-destruct, you'd be dead!

Only if I didn't eject.

If I thought I could survive scuttling my ship, I'd do so, if faced with a threat I did not expect to be able to overcome. If not, I'd probably go down fighting.

Criminals don't get insurance.

High-risk entities don't get cheap insurance. Plenty of criminals are insured and plenty of criminals in ED are statistically less of an insurance risk than their victims.

 

[Eagle Eye]

Eh, will never ever drop even a single cargo. Got enough money to cover insurance on my combat Anaconda 80 folds, my trading ships are so much cheaper anyway...

 

[Greyhawk]

Role play mate....I does whats right by me, savvy? I 'ate pirates - they're scum through and through and if I can ram em or otherwise find a way to relinquish said pirate of his life I will. If not, then I will deny said pirate the fruits of 'is labours.

- Commander Jack Sparrowhawk

 

[hanks01]

I'd recommend if interdicted the first thing anyone should do is boost once and open comms with the interdictor as you never know whether it's a pirate or a psycho. Pirates are usually quick on the comms in which case I'd stop. If they ask for cargo then I usually give it to them, sometimes even more than they ask if they don't ask for much, for two reasons. One it encourages good pirates to remain pirates and not kill on sight. Two, I bounty hunt a lot so i see it as paying it forward to the piracy community as they in turn are my bread and butter. I've only been pirated a few times in my Type 7, a shot has never been fired on either side and I still made a profit on my run.

Now on to the rest of the discussion. If a trader self destructs, they've escaped in their escape pod, the pirate just has to swallow this. Obviously if they combat log then report to FD. As long as the trader doesn't whinge on the forums about it then that's fine. If the trader is well armed, fighting back is indeed valid, piracy is a risky business, don't bite off more than you can chew and if you're pirating, be prepared to run, have a fast or strong ship.

If the trader tries to run instead of drop cargo then they can't be upset if they're blown up, they could've just dropped a bit of cargo but they didn't. If you try to run, make sure you have a ship that can outrun the pirate or at least tank damage and/or not be masslocked. SCBs can save your life, oh and heat sinks if your ship isnt that good with heat.

The best advice though? Talk, respond to all posts, even if it's just to say ok. Some people try and exit through the main menu which is leading to pirates having itchy trigger fingers so decent communication is key. Oh, and if you're dropping cargo, abandon it, some pirates don't take kindly to illegal salvage.

 

[Zustiur]

Oh, and if you're dropping cargo, abandon it, some pirates don't take kindly to illegal salvage.

I don't think you understand what 'pirate' means if you make a statement like that.

 

[hanks01]

I don't think you understand what 'pirate' means if you make a statement like that.

You do realise the difference between abandoning your cargo and just jettisoning it right? My statement stands, some pirates don't like it when cargo is marked "Illegal Salvage" and will shoot the person they're pirating.

 

[jmg]

You do realise the difference between abandoning your cargo and just jettisoning it right? My statement stands, some pirates don't like it when cargo is marked "Illegal Salvage" and will shoot the person they're pirating.

I'll only abandon cargo to pirates if I'm hauling feces. And even then I'll drop a few mines with my cargo -- even if they don't do much damage, it'll give the scum a more fitting paint job for their ship.
.
Otherwise, I'll fight. And if they manage to disable me, self destruct.Please, let's cut through this crap of "let's try and figure out a way to make the pirates happy so they won't kill us ... they're just trying to earn a living..". They're trying to steal something you paid for. They're leaches that are too lazy to work. and the only way they survive is becuase people keep giving insane advice like "just submit... it'll be over soon."
.
My experience is that most of these guys are, in game, cowards. pop your guns, and if you're packing anything remotely close to what they have, they turn tails and run like rabbits. Have some pride people.

And most of these guys aren't very good. A few weeks ago I was interdicted, with some worthless cargo. Of course the scum-pirate asked me to shut down. I shut down. I told him over comms I've never ejected cargo before, and was loking up the right key mapping. I don't have a lot of combat experience, so I let him get got super close, and as I anticipated, he started firing. I let him get in a few shots (a7 shield ) popped a shield boost, and let lose with an a7 plasma, three medium beams, and medium canons. He was down to bare hull in a few seconds -- never seen anyone run so fast

 

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

Fd allows pirates in game, doesn't mean it's a profession.
pyschos and griefers are also allowed, doesn't make them a profession either.

Jeeze, bub, you're playing a criminal in game. Just man up to it an own it. don't try to justify it.
It's not a profession... by definition, piracy is an anti-profession. pirates are anything *but* professional.

Alright, I slept and can now reply, probably with more organized answers

Piracy is a recognized profession. What I mean by profession, is that it is, or should be, a viable way to earn money and create your riches. Random murder is NOT, because there is no way to make money. Few pirates in history have ever decided to steal the goods of trade ships because it was fun, without intention for profit.

With the implementation of the Limpet computer and the upcoming cargo collection computer, the 1.2 trailer and various other videos by FD, you cannot deny that they envision piracy to be an actual profession.

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My experience is that most of these guys are, in game, cowards. pop your guns, and if you're packing anything remotely close to what they have, they turn tails and run like rabbits. Have some pride people.

If someone flying a ship of equal value to my own, of equal potential, decides to fight me, I'll blast them into space dust, and I usually win. However, the entire idea of a pirate is to get as much profit with the least payout, so no, I won't be fighting Anacondas in my Vulture anytime soon.

 

[Pendra]

Stopping is THE WORST thing you can do when you start a combat against someone you don't know.
Always try to put a distance between you and your attacker. You can type "What do you want" while boosting away. Fair pirates won't damage you. Psychos will usually not communicate with you. Too busy to kill.

 

[jmg]

O

High-risk entities don't get cheap insurance. Plenty of criminals are insured and plenty of criminals in ED are statistically less of an insurance risk than their victims.

ok, KNOWN criminals don't get insurance.
State farm isn't going to insure a known murderer.

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Stopping is THE WORST thing you can do when you start a combat against someone you don't know.
Always try to put a distance between you and your attacker. You can type "What do you want" while boosting away. Fair pirates won't damage you. Psychos will usually not communicate with you. Too busy to kill.

Agreed.... although typically its better to boost TOWARDS them, unless yo're sure you're faster. Boosting away just gives them an easier target.
Just don't submit to the scum.

 

[CMDR Hagglebeard]

Stopping is THE WORST thing you can do when you start a combat against someone you don't know.
Always try to put a distance between you and your attacker. You can type "What do you want" while boosting away. Fair pirates won't damage you. Psychos will usually not communicate with you. Too busy to kill.

I can't disagree with that, but I can offer some advice. Check which ship is pirating you before hitting the boost, it only takes a second. See, I usually fly a Cobra for piracy, which can't mass-lock a pebble. When I notice the engines boosting, I immediately open up with railguns and blow out the drives, because I don't have the TIME to tell you to stop. If a Cobra, the prime piracy ship with consideration for a pirate's budget and needs, can't stop a darn T6, then I'm going to resort to other methods.

 

[hanks01]

I'll only abandon cargo to pirates if I'm hauling feces. And even then I'll drop a few mines with my cargo -- even if they don't do much damage, it'll give the scum a more fitting paint job for their ship.
.
Otherwise, I'll fight. And if they manage to disable me, self destruct.Please, let's cut through this crap of "let's try and figure out a way to make the pirates happy so they won't kill us ... they're just trying to earn a living..". They're trying to steal something you paid for. They're leaches that are too lazy to work. and the only way they survive is becuase people keep giving insane advice like "just submit... it'll be over soon."
.
My experience is that most of these guys are, in game, cowards. pop your guns, and if you're packing anything remotely close to what they have, they turn tails and run like rabbits. Have some pride people.

And most of these guys aren't very good. A few weeks ago I was interdicted, with some worthless cargo. Of course the scum-pirate asked me to shut down. I shut down. I told him over comms I've never ejected cargo before, and was loking up the right key mapping. I don't have a lot of combat experience, so I let him get got super close, and as I anticipated, he started firing. I let him get in a few shots (a7 shield ) popped a shield boost, and let lose with an a7 plasma, three medium beams, and medium canons. He was down to bare hull in a few seconds -- never seen anyone run so fast

And that's all good. Not sure why you needed the "cut the crap" in reference to my previous posts as I had said that running, fighting and self destructing are totally valid. Also remember that the thread is about surviving an encounter and my points were valid for helping pilots survive said encounter if they can't fight or run.