I am using a Python as a transport ship to grind up a some credits by performing transport missions. I really haven't had a problem with gankers until recently when it came out that ED has a hacking problem. I've been interdicted twice now and destroyed as soon as my game loads into the instance with a single shot of whatever weapon they are using.
I get you can engineer your weapons with effects, but never have I seen anyone- in game or in a YouTube video- destroy a ship with a single shot against shields. Especially when I am not using a super low tier ship and they are using a Mamba. This experience really killed the excitement I get from sharing a universe with other players. It is one thing to role play by interdicting a player and demanding loot, it is a different thing to indiscriminately attack players who are flying ships that are not kitted for combat.
inb4 "Just don't play in open"
I play in open peacefully the same reason someone who plays World of Warcraft plays in a shared world with other players. It makes the game feel more alive and you can have meaningful experiences through interactions with them. Yes, there are bad apples, but again, in the 300ish hours I have been playing, this has only been a problem recently. For now, the griefers win and I am playing in Solo to recover the $3 Million plus the cost of cargo I lost in that interaction.
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I was thinking of a few ideas to assuage pirating:
(1) Open up a slot on the ship where either an FSD Interdictor could be placed, OR FSD Countermeasures that work on ammo so you can avoid being ganked long enough to hop out of system. This would give a use to the cat and mouse game of scanning FSD wakes and tracking a traget if the person who is interdicting a player is not hacking.
(2) They could introduce a better insurance system where the player can pay credits in advance so that when their ship is destroyed, you don't have to worry about a rebuy. It could work in tiers where bronze level deducts 25% of the rebuy cost, silver deducts 50% of the rebuy cost and gold deducts 100% of the rebuy cost. Maybe there could be a plan you buy where the aggressor has to pay for part of your rebuy.
(3) Maybe they could work out a system where if a player kills you while you have crimes against you being reported, when you respawn, you have a 24 hour period where you could pay different tiers of prices per strength for mercenaries to track and attack your killer (only once per death). Perhaps assassination missions could be posted on the mission board for other players to accept, thereby promoting a sort of crowd justice.
It seems as if I am crying into a pillow but if a player is going to (A) Hack, or (B) be ballsy enough to kill players without bound, there should be some way to fight back, or at least provide a path to players who most likely haven't grinded out the perfect anti-ganker ship.
I honestly have a bunch of idea on how to balance the whole experience but seeing as I am not a developer, I can only hope some intelligent system is released before 4.0
\rant
I couldn't help but overhear your complaints from the other side of the bar, and I have to say Commander looking at your build it's easy to see why you died so damn easily.
From one Open Mode trader to another, lets see what we can do with your build.
Right, off the bat you need some decent armour. I'd recommend some Military Grade Composite, you can get it from most starports.
That 7B Power Distributor needs to go. You need to have more capacitors to draw from to replen your shields/boost engines for any encounter.
Pulls out Prybar Next. You see the 4C Shield Gen you have fitted now? Pull it out. Cover it in hydrogen fuel and set fire to it. Better yet, eject it into the nearest star and never look at one again. You need a 6A. Replace that Class 4 slot with a cargo rack
Change that Class 5 Cargo Rack for a 6. It's not doing you any favours and recovers 16t worth of cargo space.
I'm not sure why you have collector limpets for a trade build. Toss that, lob a cargo rack in.
Next thing, ditch those Supercruise assist and docking computer modules. To any would be ganker, having these modules screams 'here be greenhorns'. Change it for a class 2 Cargo Rack, and a class 1A Fuel Scoop.
This may seem counterproductive (as you're losing... GASP... another 2t of cargo space) but this makes sure you're not THAT GUY who ends up calling the fuel rats because they have no fuel. In the Bubble. 1ly from a class F system.
Finally, you're a a hulking big target so chaff ain't gonna do you any good, and you really shouldn't need heat sinks for trading as you shouldn't be having heat issues in a trade ship, replace with Shield Boosters. Some would argue 2 boosters and 2 rear facing PD's in case you get Grom missiled but trust me Commander, they're something I've rarely seen mounted on cookie cutter reaver build FDLs.
Congratulations. You now have a much more survivable ship that can carry even more cargo than you're previous paperweight build managed.
There's plenty more advice I can offer, but you'll have heard it all before (hi/low waking, planetary braking, arcing approaches and the like) and slightly more obtuse, drunken space trucker tactics too, but people have explained them all before and likewise you're probably sick to death of every damn commander who's had a skinfull of Lavian Brandy leaning over to offer you guidance, so I'll leave you with the basics. Just remember: You're an open trader, something that as far as I'm concerned is a rarity and badge of honour that requires a skill few of the blowhards cowering in their blocked instances or PGs will ever posses. You take risks, for the greater reward to fill that void hole with CMDR interactions that all these paperweight build pilots will never understand, with every evasion of your hunters another victory mark on your board.
Gets off bar stool and heads for bar door
I'll see you in the black. It won't be hard to miss me, I'm the one in the Adder with paint falling off it running the blockade gauntlet at every damn CG laughing at every Annie pilot who can't understand why they keep dying, when they keep repeating the same mistakes, whilst I get through mostly unscathed.
