Engineers Bill Turner: Alioth System Permit Required!

[CMDR Minion Blob]

Just a word of advice to those thinking of unlocking Bill Turner, before you end up like me and have 50 tons of Bromellite sitting in your cargo hold only to find out you can't actually plot a course to Alioth, his home system, unless you've happened to have obtained a System Permit first. This requirement is unlisted in the Engineer invitation and unlocking requirements, unlike the similar setup with Marco Qwent and Sirius.

I've contacted Frontier Support, waited for 3 days for a response but no help was offered. My issue isn't with the fact that you need to obtain a permit but the fact is that I now have to get rid of the Bromellite since it occupies a major portion of my cargo space and I can't swap ships without at least that much cargo space available. Getting allied with that faction to "win" the permit is kind of hard to do when you're already full with cargo you will need to mine again once the permit is obtain.

Had I been aware of this, I wouldn't have bothered at all with Bill and wouldn't have spent 3 days fighting of NPCs interested in my "tasty cargo" or go near a RES or Nav Beacon.

Anyway, I hope it helps out those who didn't already know this to avoid some needless frustration until they fix the omission.

 

[Mikey2305]

Yes, i had just this experience at the weekend so i can feel your pain! Fortunately i was in my annie, so when i had stored my scoop i had plenty of cargo space to do some trading and some missions and was making a reasonable profit. I clung on to my hard earned bromellite and wasnt too bothered by interdictions. Then when i had become allied with alioth independents i had to check all the local systems to find the one offering the permit which was a further faff and not where i was expecting. The only item of interest to me has been the lightweight life support mods which i now have on all my ships. So quite an experience and a trap for the unwary!

 

[Limoncello Lizard]

Try Teamsters Logistics Corporation.

They sell mined stuff, so they may well buy it off you and sell you some back later.

 

[drzdeano]

Umm, I have the permit and need those 50 units of bromide...

If your just gonna throw em away?

 

[drzdeano]

*ahem, clears throat....

 

[metatheurgist]

I was at Bill's last night with more than 100 Bromellite. I considered going into open to give away the extra, so if you'd spoken up earlier...

 

[Susanna]

Just a word of advice to those thinking of unlocking Bill Turner, before you end up like me and have 50 tons of Bromellite sitting in your cargo hold only to find out you can't actually plot a course to Alioth, his home system, unless you've happened to have obtained a System Permit first. This requirement is unlisted in the Engineer invitation and unlocking requirements, unlike the similar setup with Marco Qwent and Sirius.

I've contacted Frontier Support, waited for 3 days for a response but no help was offered. My issue isn't with the fact that you need to obtain a permit but the fact is that I now have to get rid of the Bromellite since it occupies a major portion of my cargo space and I can't swap ships without at least that much cargo space available. Getting allied with that faction to "win" the permit is kind of hard to do when you're already full with cargo you will need to mine again once the permit is obtain.

Had I been aware of this, I wouldn't have bothered at all with Bill and wouldn't have spent 3 days fighting of NPCs interested in my "tasty cargo" or go near a RES or Nav Beacon.

Anyway, I hope it helps out those who didn't already know this to avoid some needless frustration until they fix the omission.

I've just found myself in exactly that position!

50T of Bromellite mined last night - today... Oh, no permit!

Guess I'll have to go work for that permit now! Grrrr.. Nice one Frontier - shafted us again.

 

[Limoncello Lizard]

Guess I'll have to go work for that permit now! Grrrr.. Nice one Frontier - shafted us again.

Since you are in a mining ship. Mining is one of the most time efficient ways to earn a permit, as it's pure profit.

 

[Kyokushin]

Then get an permit to Alioth.

 

[VerticalBlank]

Sorry but it's not a support issue if a player neglects their due diligence. The game is working as designed. Alioth is well known as the capital of one of the superpowers, all three of which need permits.

 

[euchid]

Just do it like everyone else who fell in that "trap": do missions, trade and combat with 50 Bromelite in your cargo hold.
It really doesnt take long to get permit.

Yes, i agree it should be in the mission text: First get permit. Second mine Bromelite.

 

[Mikey2305]

i think we should qualify for a badge!

 

[GG7]

UGH!

That sucks!

Alioth is a somewhat famous place in the ED lore which informed me in advance that it was permit locked. I definitely took notice of Bill Turner's location when we were in Beta, and thought to myself how this could present some problems for players not familiar with the ED backstory.

Chalk this up as reason number 100021 why we NEED Engineer Commodity Storage NOW!

P.S. I agree with others who are suggesting that you just do the permit unlocking work with the Bromelite onboard. It wasn't one of the harder permit processes I have encountered in the game so far. That's what I would do if I were in your place.

 

[Starstrydur]

Don't forget you also need friendly status with Alliance.

 

[bitstorm]

Well if people have bromellite and are genuinely stuck I would be happy to hold it. (not joking)

I have Bill Turner access, it's no use to me, I am able to store it if it helps someone out.