I thought Fdev were increasing payouts, not reducing them???

[veryDead]

The mission board needs some help from FD, especially if you are trying to make money. I gave up on it after they killed board flipping. If you can't stack 20 missions, it simply isn't worth it for credits. It still works great for Navy Rank and pretty good for certain materials.

Making credits: Mining is the only way. Old style mining in overlapping hotspots for painite is better than core mining if you do it right. In just over an hour you can make 200-300 million. That is about as good as it ever gets. I get 490 million per run in my Cutter (just over 2 hours to fill).

Materials: Don't get me started. Pirates or straight up murder seems to be the best way to get G4/G5 materials right now. HGEs are not as bad as they were before the latest patch, but still pretty bad. On the upside I just found 12 Pharmaceutical Isolators in a single HGE. Hadn't found a single one in half a year.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

I can outsmart AI, with enough practice so can you..

I’ve seen those videos. I’d like to consider myself at adept pilot, but I’d not subject my T9’s to that.
As for outsmarting the AI... a shoe lace can outsmart the AI.

It has gotten better, though there are times when I miss Mines as a death-sentence for NPC’s. My Keelback rivaled my best warships in those days.

 

[Maymo]

There’s lots of factors at play here...

Some systems out there just seem to have a bad thing going for them and the mission boards will always offer rather mundane missions regardless of system state/player reputation.

In the months after...

Wing missions became a thing
Supply depots were introduced
Distance traveled > ££$$

...the mission board/passenger lounge began churning out ridiculous missions that would allow a T6 pilot to upgrade into a Python after just a few runs. (Anyone remember the insane source & return missions?).

The point I’m making is that I think FD have simply cleaned shop and the boards are now displaying the mission values that they intended all along...

I’m personally fine with that. I’m currently sat pondering over a 34.7m/72 ship massacre mission that looks rather nice. Seems a good deal...

If I was a trader and I couldn’t find good trade missions I’d be coming on here and asking around to see if any of the good trade-folk know of a place I could set up shop. Because these places definitely still exist...

TL/DR

I think the boards are fine, and I hope FD don’t touch anything. Lest they mess it all up again...

 

[veryDead]

There’s lots of factors at play here...

Some systems out there just seem to have a bad thing going for them and the mission boards will always offer rather mundane missions regardless of system state/player reputation.

In the months after...

Wing missions became a thing
Supply depots were introduced
Distance traveled > ££$$

...the mission board/passenger lounge began churning out ridiculous missions that would allow a T6 pilot to upgrade into a Python after just a few runs. (Anyone remember the insane source & return missions?).

The point I’m making is that I think FD have simply cleaned shop and the boards are now displaying the mission values that they intended all along...

I’m personally fine with that. I’m currently sat pondering over a 34.7m/72 ship massacre mission that looks rather nice. Seems a good deal...

If I was a trader and I couldn’t find good trade missions I’d be coming on here and asking around to see if any of the good trade-folk know of a place I could set up shop. Because these places definitely still exist...

TL/DR

I think the boards are fine, and I hope FD don’t touch anything. Lest they mess it all up again...

Now that mining is so profitable, there really is no incentive to ever do any missions again. They could remove the entire mission board and my game experience wouldn't change that much at this point. I get engineering mats other ways, haven't done a mission for materials in ages (too few mats for the effort when there are much better ways already).

Trading is more profitable if you bypass the mission board. Mining is more profitable if you bypass the mission board. Combat is more profitable if you bypass the mission board. It's easier to get high grade materials if you bypass the mission board. What's left?

 

[Riverside]

TL/DR

I think the boards are fine, and I hope FD don’t touch anything. Lest they mess it all up again...

I feel the same way about the AI & a few other things too. It's good enough and more fiddling will probably screw things up somewhere else so leave it alone imo, it's good enough.

 

[Riverside]

Now that mining is so profitable, there really is no incentive to ever do any missions again. They could remove the entire mission board and my game experience wouldn't change that much at this point. I get engineering mats other ways, haven't done a mission for materials in ages (too few mats for the effort when there are much better ways already).

Trading is more profitable if you bypass the mission board. Mining is more profitable if you bypass the mission board. Combat is more profitable if you bypass the mission board. It's easier to get high grade materials if you bypass the mission board. What's left?

I do missions for influence, lots of people do.

 

[veryDead]

I do missions for influence, lots of people do.

Ok, that really supports my point. If influence is the only reason to do missions, the mission board is hopeless.

 

[Riverside]

Ok, that really supports my point. If influence is the only reason to do missions, the mission board is hopeless.

It isn't the only reason to do missions. But it is a use for them that others have & you didn't account for.

They are fine as they are, if earning money is the aim go mining or exploring.

 

[EUS]

OP is right FD was to increase payouts across the board when the board flipping went away.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Now that mining is so profitable, there really is no incentive to ever do any missions again. They could remove the entire mission board and my game experience wouldn't change that much at this point. I get engineering mats other ways, haven't done a mission for materials in ages (too few mats for the effort when there are much better ways already).

Trading is more profitable if you bypass the mission board. Mining is more profitable if you bypass the mission board. Combat is more profitable if you bypass the mission board. It's easier to get high grade materials if you bypass the mission board. What's left?

I disagree to a point. Now I haven’t seen a mission board or the inside of a station in months, but as I recall, mining missions paid more that the value of the materials requested per ton.

My method was always to load up on these missions, then go mine my ship’s capacity for the requisite material, turn in all my missions and sell my overage. Now I’d be surprised to find out there were any missions to mine void opal, which last I knew, was the top seller, and that’s pretty much the only thing people look at, but I’m sure the case would be the same - a mine 20 tons of VO mission would pay more than the value of 20 tons of VO.

 

[Schmack]

Here is a mission payout that isn't on the mission board.
Mission giver is the "personal narrative" and the mission is to become a billionaire. You need to outfit your ship with mining gear and go Void Opal mining. Repeat until desired level of wealth is achieved.
I'm at almost 7bn and the personal narrative is oogling the 10bn mark. Because personal narrative.

14b here, 4.5 from mining.

 

[Schmack]

Virtually all my mats come from the pirates that come after me on trade missions.

Or get hostile to neighboring pirate faction and take down the endless anacondas that "eagle is in the nest" on you. Pharm Isos, Imp Sh, mil super caps, ex f crystals...

 

[Maymo]

Now that mining is so profitable, there really is no incentive to ever do any missions again. They could remove the entire mission board and my game experience wouldn't change that much at this point. I get engineering mats other ways, haven't done a mission for materials in ages (too few mats for the effort when there are much better ways already).

Trading is more profitable if you bypass the mission board. Mining is more profitable if you bypass the mission board. Combat is more profitable if you bypass the mission board. It's easier to get high grade materials if you bypass the mission board. What's left?

Mining maybe...

But recently when I was doing A-B trading between stations, as I was making my trades my rep was steadily increasing like normal until it got to a point where the missions (source&return/bulk) were easily outclassing my trade route and I switched over to them. Was a strong route as well.

And I think you’re probably wrong about combat. Massacre missions easily outclass freelance bounty hunting.
I’ve currently got rank 5 with Duval so I earn twice as much for bounty hunting than the peasants. This still can’t touch what I make if I switch to massacres...

Edit:
I will add that I do much prefer doing freelance trade/combat/exploration. It suits my RP better...and I’ve been caught out by mission timers on occasion.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Or get hostile to neighboring pirate faction and take down the endless anacondas that "eagle is in the nest" on you. Pharm Isos, Imp Sh, mil super caps, ex f crystals...

I use to use those garbage micro-materials for that. Throw a couple rubber hoses in the cargo bay of my Corvette, go park at a Comp Nav, and sit there and watch NPC suicide like lemmings.

Good entertainment, good profit, not exactly thrilling game play though.

 

[Miko]

I occasionally submit for fun, and yes I have taken on multiple Anaconda's in a T9 (along with other high rank ships, I have also posted those videos on this forum)

And stop being so oversensitive, probably half your issue right there.. This is a computer game, am not claiming to have single handedly defeated Isis or come up with a cure for cancer.

I can outsmart AI, with enough practice so can you..

As soon as you said you have taken on multiple Anacondas in the Type-9 I'm afraid your credibility was lost. She doesn't have the shield, let alone the firepower to tackle such an engagement.

And you do it for "fun", you say?

End of discussion.

 

[777Driver]

As soon as you said you have taken on multiple Anacondas in the Type-9 I'm afraid your credibility was lost. She doesn't have the shield, let alone the firepower to tackle such an engagement.

And you do it for "fun", you say?

End of discussion.

Yeah, just for fun. Why else do we play this game? These are freighter configs, back before they increased the T9's armour values and before the uproar when they tamed the AI.

In any scenerio the ship only needs to survive long enough to highwake, you don't even need to submit these days, 3.30 in the first video, enough time to have smoke. Btw, Omega prospect cargo runs are still paying 40+ mill for 7000ls trips hauling 700+ tonnes.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtAqjkho1ro&list=UUXm79fS4PrZYTT_SxqSI7zQ&index=46

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8qre-cT2zk&list=UUXm79fS4PrZYTT_SxqSI7zQ&index=47

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxzrDtMION8&list=UUXm79fS4PrZYTT_SxqSI7zQ&index=45

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEvUNfdg9KM&list=UUXm79fS4PrZYTT_SxqSI7zQ&index=36

 

[Miko]

Yeah, just for fun. Why else do we play this game? These are freighter configs, back before they increased the T9's armour values and before the uproar when they tamed the AI.

In any scenerio the ship only needs to survive long enough to highwake, you don't even need to submit these days, 3.30 in the first video, enough time to have smoke. Btw, Omega prospect cargo runs are still paying 40+ mill for 7000ls trips hauling 700+ tonnes.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtAqjkho1ro&list=UUXm79fS4PrZYTT_SxqSI7zQ&index=46

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8qre-cT2zk&list=UUXm79fS4PrZYTT_SxqSI7zQ&index=47

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxzrDtMION8&list=UUXm79fS4PrZYTT_SxqSI7zQ&index=45

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEvUNfdg9KM&list=UUXm79fS4PrZYTT_SxqSI7zQ&index=36

Did you just prove my point? Haha.

You fought a MASTER weak as hell Conda then did a bolt via High Wake. You didn't accomplish anything there but almost get killed versus relatively weak foes.

I rest my case. If that seems viable in a missions stack, and you like to high wake and then jump back for another round of the same engagement over and over with the same enemies, then good for you. Keep running.

I can't believe you just posted that nonsense. I've killed a Conda before in the Type-9. You have completely missed the mark here with your superior posturing.

 

[Riverside]

Yeah, just for fun. Why else do we play this game? These are freighter configs, back before they increased the T9's armour values and before the uproar when they tamed the AI.

In any scenerio the ship only needs to survive long enough to highwake, you don't even need to submit these days, 3.30 in the first video, enough time to have smoke. Btw, Omega prospect cargo runs are still paying 40+ mill for 7000ls trips hauling 700+ tonnes.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtAqjkho1ro&list=UUXm79fS4PrZYTT_SxqSI7zQ&index=46

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8qre-cT2zk&list=UUXm79fS4PrZYTT_SxqSI7zQ&index=47

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxzrDtMION8&list=UUXm79fS4PrZYTT_SxqSI7zQ&index=45

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEvUNfdg9KM&list=UUXm79fS4PrZYTT_SxqSI7zQ&index=36

I rarely post recordings of my own play but your post motivated me to upload an Elite T-10 NPC interdiction that happened to me this morning.
I am helping to repair stations, so my motivation is altruistic rather than for the cash but nevertheless I am effectively min/maxing my cargo capacity by running a shieldless Cutter (named 'Bait'). The ship has reactive hull armour and is lightly engineered with a 43mCr rebuy plus the value of the cargo.

This ship isn't really open viable but I play in open & don't mind losing it to a player pirate with poor aim. I am not recommending this loadout as good practice but hopefully it shows what can be done against NPCs. I could have jumped away at any time. I use a Hotas btw.

I swapped over to a T-9 and was interdicted by an Elite Cobra MkIV NPC:

The game throws what it determines to be a proportionate threat for your loadout. I'm Combat Elite so I get Elite ranked NPCs sent after me.

It's worth bearing in mind as 777 said, the T-9 has had a buff and the NPC threat is not the same as it was when their videos were recorded. Both of mine were recorded today.

 

[777Driver]

Did you just prove my point? Haha.

You fought a MASTER weak as hell Conda then did a bolt via High Wake.

Your observational skills are terrible, another major flaw you seem to possess. Whilst on that trade run I dropped into the signal. Two Anaconda's, one Dangerous, the other master. As you see I am engaging the master Conda, however it is the dangerous Conda providing most of the fire power because it is not being engaged: That is a key issue I have been bringing up regarding AI behaviour) The Master Conda is not a threat because it is being engaged.

The video was actually posted during a Beta when people complained about the AI being Buffed, this is not the same AI we deal with today.

Book yourself into specsavers.

@Riverside, nice, I'll check out those vids when I get back home.

 

[Miko]

Your observational skills are terrible, another major flaw you seem to possess. Whilst on that trade run I dropped into the signal. Two Anaconda's, one Dangerous, the other master. As you see I am engaging the master Conda, however it is the dangerous Conda providing most of the fire power because it is not being engaged: That is a key issue I have been bringing up regarding AI behaviour) The Master Conda is not a threat because it is being engaged.

The video was actually posted during a Beta when people complained about the AI being Buffed, this is not the same AI we deal with today.

Book yourself into specsavers.

@Riverside, nice, I'll check out those vids when I get back home.

The point is you came across all high and mighty with this flawless pitch dictating to me that I need newcomer advice. It was arrogant and ill considered.

These videos are discredited in the case of you now telling me they are not accurate depictions, so again, get your facts together because the AI certainly ain't buffed in that video.

Perhaps you should go to specsavers to sort your own fizzle popped wonky eyes out if you think substantiating your claims with non valid videos has any substance. You best start posting your victories over multiple Anacondas at tough levels and multiple ships slamming your undefeated Type-9 with railguns before coming back here to brag about your relentless success over the NPC's.

Get back on topic and stop wasting my time with your superior posturing with unsubstantiated bulldross.