I'm much further behind most pilots here as i'm solo with no friends.
But thought I'd add my experience to the mix of data in the event it adds any value.
I built a Commercial Orbital Station as my starter station. It granted me 4k Pop, earned me 9k credits, and inside had no Shipyard, UC, Missions etc. The market only sold 2x Biowaste.
I haven't been back there for a while, as I spent the last week hauling/building a Planetary Civilian Outpost. Upon reaching 99% completion of the Civ Outpost I popped back to my Commercial Station just to take a snapshot and see if anything was different, and to also see if the Civ completion would have any effect on the Commercial.
I was very pleased to see that now the Commercial Stn had missions, passengers and the market now also sold Hydrogen as well as Biowaste. So it's changed in the last week despite no additional builds being made by me.
I then completed the Civilian Outpost. This led to no jump in population and the same lack of facilities in this station that I saw at the Commercial Orbital.
However, today I logged in to find my system is now at 20k Pop. So overnight it's changed. Very cool. Still no change to the stations facilities though.
I'm now working on a Relay Installation. And then i'll be looking at Security. Before heading down the road of trying to establish some industry, extraction, refinery etc. I have 30 sites available in my system so plenty of growth opportunities ahead of me.
I am hoping to build up the commodity markets. It would be nice for my system to be producing something. Hoping that comes from establishing the industry, extraction stations etc.
But yeah, that's my experience so far. If anyone has any info to share on how to build up a varied commodity market it would be very welcomed insight for me.
Thanks to everyone whose sharing data and experience. It's so helpful in trying to connect the jigsaw pieces.