The PIRACY Thread - new ideas for changes needed to make it more viable as a Role

  • Have you ever been Pirated by NPC and given Cargo and then let go on your way? - Nope
  • Have you been Pirated by a Player and given Cargo and then let go on your way? - Yes!
  • Have you tried Piracy without trying to kill the Ship and picked up Cargo? - Yes!
  • What Cargo do you hope to find and what is it's value? - Rares, whenever a relevant CG pops up. Value from 6-12k credits
  • Have you tried Piracy in Multicrew? - No
  • If any of the above what Mode do you Pirate in: SOLO/GROUP/OPEN? - Open
  • Why did you try Piracy else would you like to? - I've never seen the point in pirating NPCs. Lot of effort, little reward. Combing the profits from rares with the excitement of PVP? Worth it!
  • Can you suggest how to improve this Role to become even more viable? - Make commodities much more valuable or create a mechanic to get cargo in bulk. Grabbing a handful of units of cargo rarely is worth much, especially considering repairs and risk.
 
  • Can you suggest how to improve this Role to become even more viable? - Make commodities much more valuable or create a mechanic to get cargo in bulk. Grabbing a handful of units of cargo rarely is worth much, especially considering repairs and risk.
If they dropped a complete rack that would be a solution. We can't make all commodities increase else we'd be in the same relative situation and prefer Trading instead. Say 1 complete Cargo Rack to each Hatch-Breaker!!!



Add collecting Cargo Racks on planets. They seem to be a placeholder for this. Only make them full of errrrrrrrrrrrrrrr CARGO!
 
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Well an Anarchy System should have the advantage of full price imo and why you may have Pirate Flagged Outposts.

Ok.. And the fence makes his margin on what? Goodwill? Turning you over to the cops for the bounty? Ratting you out to another pirate who will take your next load for a finder's fee?

Being a pirate means you're a criminal. You're selling your goods to other criminals, because you can't sell them on the open market. Those pirate outposts? Yup. Run by criminals.

People that want full price play a trader. People that want to be a pirate deal with the 75%. It's the cost of doing 'business'.
 
Have you ever been Pirated by NPC and given Cargo and then let go on your way? -

Nah, if i'm hauling no NPC gets their hands on my stuff.

Have you been Pirated by a Player and given Cargo and then let go on your way? -

Yes, a couple of times back in the day when i used to fly in Open.

Have you tried Piracy without trying to kill the Ship and picked up Cargo? -

Absoloutely. I always let the target go once i've got their stuff.

What Cargo do you hope to find and what is it's value? -

Only LTDs, at around 60k a ton its damn worth the effort.

Have you tried Piracy in Multicrew? -

Not tried any multicrew yet. Like wings, it will take a few patches to settle down, so i'm in no rush. Not sure MC piracy will be so interesting except for RP though.

If any of the above what Mode do you Pirate in: SOLO/GROUP/OPEN? -

Group/Solo

Why did you try Piracy else would you like to? -

Don't understand the question.

Can you suggest how to improve this Role to become even more viable? -

Barring bugs, PvE piracy is viable. Its the bugs that are annoying. Also one gameplay element, when you take out PP how quickly higher ranked NPCs reboot, it gets very tedious, so you have to take out thrusters, and if they are drifting fast, that's a pain. I'd like to see a system where when you have subdued an NPC, as long as you don't shoot at it, they understand they are beaten and will let themselves be robbed.
 
Ok.. And the fence makes his margin on what? Goodwill?
It's already handled via the 2 tier prices on Buy/Sell e.g. Basic Medicine I rember was 111 to Sell but more to Buy and I calculated the Black Market was at 75% of the Sell fee. There's your profit margin to sell on the market place already there.
 
Have you ever been Pirated by NPC and given Cargo and then let go on your way? No, I always fight them or run.
Have you been Pirated by a Player and given Cargo and then let go on your way? No, I always escaped. Once they got some with a limpit. Didn't destroy me and stayed in the spirit of the game.
Have you tried Piracy without trying to kill the Ship and picked up Cargo? Yes.
What Cargo do you hope to find and what is it's value? Low Temp Diamonds 50k
Have you tried Piracy in Multicrew? No
If any of the above what Mode do you Pirate in: SOLO/GROUP/OPEN? All of them
Why did you try Piracy else would you like to? Tried it to get easy low temp diamonds for money.
Can you suggest how to improve this Role to become even more viable?

Piracy game play needs to address both sides. Pirate and merchant. The pirate wants something of value that is impossible for him to get. Pirates want to make money by taking what they can't buy. As most CMDRs can easily become millionaires, current piracy becomes a little meaningless. There's no reason they can't just buy the goods. Low temp diamonds are the best example, I don't want to mine them. You can't buy them. Looks like I'm gonna have to steal them! Pirates need targets that they can't get. Rare goods carried by NPCs or rare mission unique goods carried by players that can't be bought.

Merchants need reasons to play victim. They need very high paying missions to take unique goods through low sec systems. Merchants win conditions for the encounter is escape and money. Lots of money. That's their incentive. Mode switching voids contracts.

If the dev wants to promote player v player piracy, then mode specifics missions for both sides need to be made. Killing the merchant voids the contract.
 
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If they dropped a complete rack that would be a solution. We can't make all commodities increase else we'd be in the same relative situation and prefer Trading instead. Say 1 complete Cargo Rack to each Hatch-Breaker!!!



Add collecting Cargo Racks on planets. They seem to be a placeholder for this. Only make them full of errrrrrrrrrrrrrrr CARGO!

Yeah, a commodity re-value would be very hard to balance. But pirates do need an easier way to get value out of bulk traders. That being said, I've a hard time imagining how the transfer of "cargo racks" would work in the context of our 1 canister=1 unit of cargo system. Especially looking at the size of our cargo hatch and limpets.
 
Good to see people caring about piracy.

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Why did you try Piracy else would you like to? - Don't understand the question.
What drew you to try Pirating - perhaps you wanted to test out the tools for the Ship Build OR wanted to test it on Players and be a badass but with respect?

I think Multicrew Piracy does have advantages here. I kitted out the Cobra MkIV with 3 Beam Turrets for my Crew as they are on top rather than underneath (Cobra Mk III) so are good when pulling up in any defence. Helm can concentrate on where the Collector Limpet is and if near any cargo to pickup thus making it keep up and waste nothing whilst shorten the collection time.
 
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Have you ever been Pirated by NPC and given Cargo and then let go on your way? - YES
Have you been Pirated by a Player and given Cargo and then let go on your way? - YES (once)
Have you tried Piracy without trying to kill the Ship and picked up Cargo? - NO
What Cargo do you hope to find and what is it's value? - NONE, just bounties perhaps...
Have you tried Piracy in Multicrew? - NO, well not really, I don't think massacring security counts.
If any of the above what Mode do you Pirate in: SOLO/GROUP/OPEN? - Well, if I did, OPEN
If you have never tried Piracy would you like to try and why? - I would like to try just for fun.
Can you suggest how to improve this Role to become even more viable - More ways to ensnare a target w/o killing them and stopping them from high waking. Also some proper anti-combat log stuff would be very much appreciated.
 
Have you ever been Pirated by NPC and given Cargo and then let go on your way? -
Yes, glad they ask for a set amount now so you know what to give them

Have you been Pirated by a Player and given Cargo and then let go on your way? -
Yes


Have you tried Piracy without trying to kill the Ship and picked up Cargo? -
Yes

What Cargo do you hope to find and what is it's value? -
Cargo prescribed for Missions, or back when getting UAs from Convoys, so cannot comment of raw value, if I was aiming for a payout I would go for the ships carrying rare goods

Have you tried Piracy in Multicrew? -
No, not yet

If any of the above what Mode do you Pirate in: SOLO/GROUP/OPEN? -
OPEN only

Why did you try Piracy else would you like to? -
More Privateer as running missions to attack other factions shipping for my own faction.
But it is a quintessential part of Elite Fiction

Can you suggest how to improve this Role to become even more viable? -
Like the NPC Pirates do now, be able to demand cargo, even it if it just a demand button and NPCs know to drop some (mission critical cargo first) and flee

It is viable, per se, the economy is not balance so not all roles earn the same amount but trying to achieve that has resulted is massive pay inflation compared to Gamma

Black markets need to uncouple Demand from Economy Type so there is a demand for stolen and illegal goods even if they are supplied from the station.
This ties in with Smuggling, but they should go hand in hand.

More Asteroid Bases only dockable if you are allied with Anarchy Factions in the system they exist in, a kin to Engineers Workshops being off limits until the invitation.
 
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  • What Cargo do you hope to find and what is it's value? - NONE, just bounties perhaps...
  • Have you tried Piracy in Multicrew? - NO, well not really, I don't think massacring security counts.
  • Can you suggest how to improve this Role to become even more viable - More ways to ensnare a target w/o killing them and stopping them from high waking. Also some proper anti-combat log stuff would be very much appreciated.
Yes this also is the misconception of Piracy. You are thinking of Bounty Hunting rather at first, Psycho Killer second, then finally you tagged onto to the Pirate Role.

Yes, other ways to snag your prey are needed. Say if you had totally no weapon but had 1 Unit which could disable the Power Plant but also give you plenty of time to do the deed! As suggested already above, the NPC REBOOT/REPAIR is too fast!
 
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Can you suggest how to improve this Role to become even more viable? -
Like the NPC Pirates do now, be able to demand cargo, even it if it just a demand button and NPCs know to drop some (mission critical cargo first) and flee

It is viable, per se, the economy is not balance so not all roles earn the same amount but trying to achieve that has resulted is massive pay inflation compared to Gamma

Black markets need to uncouple Demand from Economy Type so there is a demand for stolen and illegal goods even if they are supplied from the station.
This ties in with Smuggling, but they should go hand in hand.

More Asteroid Bases only dockable if you are allied with Anarchy Factions in the system they exist in, a kin to Engineers Workshops being off limits until the invitation.
Another excellent post of ideas, thank you Vasious.

- - - Updated - - -

Also some proper anti-combat log stuff would be very much appreciated.
In USA they find out their home address and call for SWAT!

[video=youtube;TiW-BVPCbZk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiW-BVPCbZk[/video]
 
If they dropped a complete rack that would be a solution. We can't make all commodities increase else we'd be in the same relative situation and prefer Trading instead. Say 1 complete Cargo Rack to each Hatch-Breaker!!!



Add collecting Cargo Racks on planets. They seem to be a placeholder for this. Only make them full of errrrrrrrrrrrrrrr CARGO!

They could easily increase the value of commodities without affecting trading profits. A commodity which buys for 5,000cr and sells for 6,000cr is no different from a trader's perspective to one which buys for 100,000cr and sells for 101,000cr, aside from the increased loss if the cargo fails to reach its destination.

In my suggestion I posed the idea of creating new higher value commodities rather than increasing the value of existing ones to avoid negatively affecting early game traders who can't afford to invest many millions of credits into their cargo, along with slightly increased profit from carrying the high value cargo so that there was a reason to take on the extra risk. But the principle is the same either way.

A cargo rack is a pretty variable size, even within a single ship. Perhaps a certain percentage of the total cargo being carried would be better for the sake of consistency?
 
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Yeah, a commodity re-value would be very hard to balance. But pirates do need an easier way to get value out of bulk traders. That being said, I've a hard time imagining how the transfer of "cargo racks" would work in the context of our 1 canister=1 unit of cargo system. Especially looking at the size of our cargo hatch and limpets.
1 Hatch-Breaker would break away 1 Rack (whatever the size) and all goods would float outside of it. Yup that's gonna be a lot so it may need balancing. I just really want to be able to send out as many Collectors as I wish to!
 
Have you ever been Pirated by NPC and given Cargo and then let go on your way? - Nope. I have very little to fear from NPC's currently. I either kill them if they are wanted (my preferred method:D) or run.
Have you been Pirated by a Player and given Cargo and then let go on your way? - Nope. Being in Australia I don't seem to get instanced with many other players :(
Have you tried Piracy without trying to kill the Ship and picked up Cargo? - Not yet but I would love to get into it soon
What Cargo do you hope to find and what is it's value? - LTD's seem to be the choice material but as a pirate I'd be looking for anything of worth (rares, CG cargo etc)
Have you tried Piracy in Multicrew? - Not tried MC anything yet.
If any of the above what Mode do you Pirate in: SOLO/GROUP/OPEN? - Whatever mood I'm in. Mostly depends on whether I'm thinking about getting some sweet 4K screen shots
Why did you try Piracy else would you like to? - I was a pirate in EVE for years (A proper pirate not just a pvp'er) but Elite has kept me 'distracted' from piracy so far.
Can you suggest how to improve this Role to become even more viable? - I'll get back to you once I actually give it a shot but the lack of a detailed C&P system seems to be the factor from what I've read.
 
  • Have you ever been Pirated by NPC and given Cargo and then let go on your way? -
    Yes at the start of the game or when in a very weak ship. But sometimes it's too late and they don't accept "only" cargo anymore :D
  • Have you been Pirated by a Player and given Cargo and then let go on your way? -
    Yes but very rare. Last time at the Prism CG. It was a perfect place. I didn't wanted to highwake just to fly these 280k ls again and meet the player pirates than a second time. So i have given 100t of my 720t :p
  • Have you tried Piracy without trying to kill the Ship and picked up Cargo? -
    Yes, it is very different. Since Hull buff for traders, it is possible now. Good change! Preferably NPC's 'cause players mostly choose to die rather than dropping 10t-20t of cargo. Also players mostly don't even have cargo that would be worth picking since rares got nerfed.
  • What Cargo do you hope to find and what is it's value? -
    I hope to find low temperature Diamonds. They are worth around 60k when stolen on the Black Market. Not enough to make it a profession. But i have used Piracy this way to make an impact on BGS. Therefor it's VERY effective!
  • Have you tried Piracy in Multicrew? -
    No, not yet.
  • If any of the above what Mode do you Pirate in: SOLO/GROUP/OPEN? -
    Open only player!
  • Why did you try Piracy else would you like to? -
    I've tryed piracy to make quick strong changes in the BGS. With some more spice it could be fun!
  • Can you suggest how to improve this Role to become even more viable? -
    SPEEDING UP COLLECTOR LIMPETS! At least at around 300% to 400%. System security appears before i even have collected 2 tons in low to medium security systems. The beginning was funny, i was allied with the faction and they didn't even scanned me the first times. But than it became horrible.
    Piracy is all about speed. Collector Limpets and also Hatchbreakers need to be way more effective before i even think about doing it again.

Greetz and o7
 
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Yes this also is the misconception of Piracy. You are thinking of Bounty Hunting rather at first, Psycho Killer second, then finally you tagged onto to the Pirate Role.

Yes, other ways to snag your prey are needed. Say if you had totally no weapon but had 1 Unit which could disable the Power Plant but also give you plenty of time to do the deed! As suggested already above, the NPC REBBOT/REPAIR is too fast!

I've been looking at this "ethical piracy" thing for quite a while, and I'm convinced it's just not possible. Absolutely any tool that FDev gives us to make piracy easier also makes mindless killing easier as well. Take for example what you mention above, some sort of powerplant disabling limpet or an EMP missile - those would just be used to alpha targets and them pummel them as they drift helplessly until they explode.
 
I've been looking at this "ethical piracy" thing for quite a while, and I'm convinced it's just not possible. Absolutely any tool that FDev gives us to make piracy easier also makes mindless killing easier as well. Take for example what you mention above, some sort of powerplant disabling limpet or an EMP missile - those would just be used to alpha targets and them pummel them as they drift helplessly until they explode.

Yeah, it'd be abused by a wing or just a buddy following you around.
 
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