Am I Getting This Whole Pirate Thing Wrong?

[NickTheGrey]

I thought this was supposed to be a cutthroat galaxy?

Why in all the 400 billion stars would I not fight off somebody that is trying to steal from me? Why would I praise them for a role playing experience well-portrayed? All they've done is beef up their own ships to take advantage of others.

I think played properly, piracy can be an interesting way to play the game. But you have to believe that not everyone is going to simply give a pirate what they want just because they crave player interaction.

My Cobra is well on its way to what I would consider to be a decent, all-round ship. Sure I only have modest cargo capacity (40 tonnes) but it also means I have the weapons to defend myself and give any would-be attackers a bloody nose if they set their sights on what I'm carrying. Or the speed to escape. And you'd better believe your name is being taken just in case we meet again...

I can't be the only one that thinks this way, surely?

 

[Skip Intro]

You are not flying a big fat, unarmed, unshielded treasure box. You will not be pirated by any sensible pirate.

 

[Derpster Frey]

Who said anything about praise?
Feel free to open fire on them, they're trying to rob you after all.

Yell at them while you do. Again, dude is trying to rob you!

What they ARE complaining about, is the logofski because some people think all pirates are automatically "griefers".

 

[azdour]

I thought this was supposed to be a cutthroat galaxy?

Why in all the 400 billion stars would I not fight off somebody that is trying to steal from me? Why would I praise them for a role playing experience well-portrayed? All they've done is beef up their own ships to take advantage of others.

I think played properly, piracy can be an interesting way to play the game. But you have to believe that not everyone is going to simply give a pirate what they want just because they crave player interaction.

My Cobra is well on its way to what I would consider to be a decent, all-round ship. Sure I only have modest cargo capacity (40 tonnes) but it also means I have the weapons to defend myself and give any would-be attackers a bloody nose if they set their sights on what I'm carrying. Or the speed to escape. And you'd better believe your name is being taken just in case we meet again...

I can't be the only one that thinks this way, surely?

I get the feeling from your post that role-playing in the game is not your thing which is fine. For me role-playing adds so much more to the game for me and I have had several player pirates interdict me and the exchange through role-play via the comms was great. For me it is all about the comm between pirate and trader. I am also aware that there may not be any comms and they may just start firing at me.

 

[Susimetsa]

You are roleplaying your role just fine if you shoot at anyone who tries to rob you. A pirate who expects their prey to just roll over is not a very experienced pirate.

But, yes, as Frey said above, it is bad manners from all parties to turn off their game the second things start going badly for them - those sorts of players should just remain in single-player. And if it is a pirate who behaves that way, they are basically griefers.

 

[Britannkic]

When pirating, uhh I mean, when selling anti-pirate Ensurance policies, I only target Type6 and 7 customers.

I'm in an Asp and not loking for combat, that is what the Viper is for

 

[NickTheGrey]

I get the feeling from your post that role-playing in the game is not your thing which is fine. For me role-playing adds so much more to the game for me and I have had several player pirates interdict me and the exchange through role-play via the comms was great. For me it is all about the comm between pirate and trader. I am also aware that there may not be any comms and they may just start firing at me.

Sorry if it came across like that but actually, yeah - the role play is a big part of the game for me. Hell, I role-played the Hell out of the original game! The fact that I can do it with other people now is icing on a 20yr old cake

I've had a couple of conversations with pilots over the comm regarding things like trade items sources, delays in docking at some of the smaller stations, etc. and they were immensely enjoyable experiences. But the sense I get from reading threads regarding piracy is that there seems to be an expectation that IF you are interdicted and IF you are ordered to give up your cargo, then you should do it AND be thankful that players are extending some sort of deep role play immersion for you.

I haven't been using these forums for long and reading these threads is often my first encounter with terms like Griefer, Combat Logging, etc. As far as I'm aware I'm not encountering them as I play - though there have been a few occasions when I've been interdicted and once my ship has righted itself, there's no sign of anything that could have caused the interdiction. In that event, I just resume course

 

[Traven Mayhem]

It's not piracy it's aggressive redisitribution of commercial assets.

 

[ciger]

I thought this was supposed to be a cutthroat galaxy?

Why in all the 400 billion stars would I not fight off somebody that is trying to steal from me? Why would I praise them for a role playing experience well-portrayed? All they've done is beef up their own ships to take advantage of others.

I think played properly, piracy can be an interesting way to play the game. But you have to believe that not everyone is going to simply give a pirate what they want just because they crave player interaction.

My Cobra is well on its way to what I would consider to be a decent, all-round ship. Sure I only have modest cargo capacity (40 tonnes) but it also means I have the weapons to defend myself and give any would-be attackers a bloody nose if they set their sights on what I'm carrying. Or the speed to escape. And you'd better believe your name is being taken just in case we meet again...

I can't be the only one that thinks this way, surely?

nothing wrong with that, if you can defend yourself good for you. but traders keep crying about being blown up by pirates when they decided the best thing to do is ignore comms and boost away.

 

[Quineloe]

Then fight them off, but don't complain when your ship ends up destroyed because they were better than you.

 

[Kerrec Snowmane]

But the sense I get from reading threads regarding piracy is that there seems to be an expectation that IF you are interdicted and IF you are ordered to give up your cargo, then you should do it AND be thankful that players are extending some sort of deep role play immersion for you.

It's a question of perspective. If you get interdicted by someone that is out to confiscate some cargo, then you should have to make a decision: Does he outgun me? Can I escape? Will trying to escape COST MORE than the cargo being requested? Is the cargo worth more than my ship's insurance + cargo cost?
.
And there's the problem. A game designed with the concept of players filling the role of the bad guys, would make sure that ignoring or denying the "bad guys" roles would be a bad thing.
.
The, "I don't negotiate with bad guys" attitude is fine, as long as you have Credits in the bank to buy the next batch of cargo to haul. But if your bank is getting low, the "I'd rather blow up" attitude is wrong, yet people continue to choose it. Then they rage on the forums about the game being stupid.
.
OR they just go into Solo and there are no more "bad guys". NPC pirates interdict, but they're incompetent. They grind until they have all the ships and complain on the forums the game is boring.

 

[FuegoPantalones]

What they ARE complaining about, is the logofski because some people think all pirates are automatically "griefers".

This. I don't blame anyone for wanting to print credits. Just do it in solo if you want to minimize your risk. Open play is an invitation to the real meat of the game (IMHO) which is interaction with other real, live human beings. Sometimes it's pirates. Sometimes it's bounty hunters. I've seen lots of good coordination from bounty hunters out there despite all the difficulty the current game mechanics makes doing things like jumping in on FSD wakes, or even just identifying your friendly pilots in space. So, if you're trading in open and you get pirated, go tell your friendly neighborhood bounty hunter. It really does make everyone's - pirate, bounty hunter, and trader - life more interesting.

 

[Tigga]

There's two type of traders:

1) Cargo boxes. Pirate sees cargo box, pirate either takes cargo from cargo box, or cargo box goes boom. To be fair, cargo boxes can do ok against Cobras, but unless you're a Type-9 packing proper shields, an Asp will take out a cargo box fairly easily.
2) "Combat" traders. These can be robbed, but you need the correct ship. The correct ship is usually exactly the same ship as the guy who is being robbed. If they chose to fight back, then we have some fun. You can pirate a different ship (ie. Cobra vs Asp), but you have to be significantly better than the other chap. A Cobra will run from an Asp if the Asp is attacking. An Asp should beat a Cobra if the Cobra is attacking. Clipper is a bit of an exception: these can take down Asps and Cobras, though the fight against the Asp may be a fairly close one. Similar to robbing an Asp in a Cobra, you can rob a Python in an Asp, but the other chap has to be worse at fighting than you! Anacondas can't be robbed except by an Anaconda. Clippers can't be robbed except by a Clipper.

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

When pirating, uhh I mean, when selling anti-pirate Ensurance policies, I only target Type6 and 7 customers.

I'm in an Asp and not loking for combat, that is what the Viper is for

Combat occasionally finds you though! Insurance men are the lowest of the low. Engage with extreme prejudice.

 

[NickTheGrey]

nothing wrong with that, if you can defend yourself good for you. but traders keep crying about being blown up by pirates when they decided the best thing to do is ignore comms and boost away.

Well if I find myself in that situation and I've not been able to escape I will (and do) fight until either I can escape, I scare off / kill the pirate or am killed myself. I've lost ships in this game and have had to work my way back up from a Sidewinder several times with lessons learned on how the game is played.

Then fight them off, but don't complain when your ship ends up destroyed because they were better than you.

I never complain - Hell, even Captain Kirk lost ships under his command

It's a question of perspective. If you get interdicted by someone that is out to confiscate some cargo, then you should have to make a decision: Does he outgun me? Can I escape? Will trying to escape COST MORE than the cargo being requested? Is the cargo worth more than my ship's insurance + cargo cost?
.
And there's the problem. A game designed with the concept of players filling the role of the bad guys, would make sure that ignoring or denying the "bad guys" roles would be a bad thing.
.
The, "I don't negotiate with bad guys" attitude is fine, as long as you have Credits in the bank to buy the next batch of cargo to haul. But if your bank is getting low, the "I'd rather blow up" attitude is wrong, yet people continue to choose it. Then they rage on the forums about the game being stupid.
.
OR they just go into Solo and there are no more "bad guys". NPC pirates interdict, but they're incompetent. They grind until they have all the ships and complain on the forums the game is boring.

Perspective is fine

That said, if I'm attacked I always consider fighting my way out of the trap. If he's bigger than me, it may be more of a fight than I can handle but therein lies my enjoyment of the game. Defeating larger, better-armed ships with my (relatively) smaller ship is a huge part of the experience for me. Perhaps I am subconsciously asking myself the same questions you list regarding considerations of cost, etc. but in the end I won't give up without a fight.

Being able to work back up from nothing to former glory is also a big part of what I enjoy about Elite Dangerous role play. Haulage and courier runs are a decent (albeit slow) way of doing that and that's fine. Gives me more reading time during Super Cruise trips

I will always choose to fight. Whether it's a fight to the death or a fight until an opportunity to escape presents itself is only ever made clear in the middle of that fight. I have - and will - never complain about the game being stupid. I truly believe that this game is what you make it. You get out of it what you put in.

Thanks for all your comments and answers, guys and gals.

See you in space

 

[theEmohawk]

It's a question of perspective. If you get interdicted by someone that is out to confiscate some cargo, then you should have to make a decision: Does he outgun me? Can I escape? Will trying to escape COST MORE than the cargo being requested? Is the cargo worth more than my ship's insurance + cargo cost?

This is the pertinent point for me. I'm not just going to hand over cargo, it depends on the ship they're in. While they are running a cargo scan I'm flipping through their modules to see how they are armed, and I'll already have made an assessment based on the ship they're flying.
Then it comes to the demand they make. If it's reasonable, and I don't think I can fight my way out without damage or risk I'll pay up. If it's unreasonable I'll try a negotiation.

Clipper is a bit of an exception: these can take down Asps and Cobras, though the fight against the Asp may be a fairly close one.

I was pirated by a Clipper last night, I'm flying a fairly well armed Asp. I could possibly have fought it out, but my assessment was that whichever one of us survived would end up with more damage than the cargo would be worth - however, a Commander confident enough to pirate in an Asp is not going to be a pushover. Interdicted by an NPC Clipper, it's a no-brainer, I'm taking it down.
My conversation was quite amusing -
Him - stop engines and prepare to be scanned.
Me - OK. (as I move into a position to watch him and deploy my own hard points)
Him - drop 20 tonnes and you're free to go.
Me - 10T?
Him - This isn't a negotiation. I out gun and out mass you. 20 tonnes.
Me - Fair enough. Worth a try.

I then dropped 20-ish tonnes of cargo. Now I was carrying around 40T, mostly rares, but also had 5T of basic meds...

Me - happy?
Him - clever move with the meds.
Me - You didn't specify what you wanted.
Him - You have a 2 day grace period. Now go before I change my mind.
Me - Nice doing business with you.
Him - And you. Well done on meds.


Now, that could have gone one of several ways. To me the unpredictability of a pirate encounter is what makes open play worthwhile.