Yeah, there's already 50 billion other games where I can be a hero; and in fact are forced to be the hero because there's not always the satisfying "badguy" ending available (still liked the one Evil playthrough of KOTOR where I killed my Jedi friends, had Big Z execute Mission cause he owed a lifedebt to me, AND hooked up with Evil Bastila to rule the galaxy).For me it was being tired of playing Space Jesus Space Heroes (Halo, Mass Effect) and just deciding to shoot down everyone I could to see what happened.
Now I'm in a used ship salesman out in the boonies!
And, since Elite has no ending at all except "I'm tired of pretending to be a spaceman", you really need to make your own motivations.
Speaking of, how is life out in the boonies? You're tempting me with a life of sin but I need moar details. Is there stuffs to do for and with real peoples? Will I miss the lap of luxury in the bubble?