Is a life as a trader viable?

CalUKGR

CalUKGR
I just wondered, because I'm terrible at combat and don't really want to become an ace pilot; I'm more interested in life as a for-hire cargo pilot. Is this possible? I'm a n00b round here (only got the sim yesterday, as matter of fact), but I really enjoy just collecting delivery run missions, seeing them through and pocketing the profits. I'd quite like to get into some trading, perhaps eventually running a business with several transports on the go.

I love the exploration, the travel, plotting routes and navigating from point-to-point to complete deliveries, etc. If this is possible, is there any kind of 'end game' for traders/hauliers/merchants? Is it possible to build up a vast business with fleets of ships?

If there's any kind of document that lays this all out I'd appreciate a link - any advice welcomed and appreciated.
 

DraigUK

DraigUK
Trading is the most lucrative way to play.

The DDF is where you need to look http://forums.frontier.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=36

So much vital info in there about what will be in the game eventually, there's even stuff about trading. Have a browse...and welcome to the game and forums. Polite queries from new players are very welcome.

And a nice change recently.
 
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Joe Spivey

Joe Spivey
Trading, or better yet trading/exploring is going to be every bit as rewarding as the never ending game of Cowboys and Indians that some want to play. Not that I'm not saying that PVP isn't legitimate. (Thought I better but that in before Squicker, the unofficial guardian of forum morals pops up and spanks me for being 'rude' :D).
 

CalUKGR

CalUKGR
Thank you! One thing I've noticed straight away around here - this is a very helpful forum and there seems to be no shortage of veterans looking to assist n00bs like me find our way around. That's very reassuring as ED is initially quite daunting! I'll check out the detail on the end of that link!
 

Cosmo Bozo

Cosmo Bozo
Trading is very lucrative, but it's done with one big ship, no vast business with several transports, not unless you manage to convince some players to join you.

They have said there will be no fleet management, Personally I found that side of the X games a bit spreadsheety, so I can see why.
 

Zvanya

Z
CalUKGR said:
Thank you! One thing I've noticed straight away around here - this is a very helpful forum and there seems to be no shortage of veterans looking to assist n00bs like me find our way around. That's very reassuring as ED is initially quite daunting! I'll check out the detail on the end of that link!
Click to expand...

Welcome! And HELL YES trading is going to be viable. I doubt I will ever be better than above average in combat skillz but I'll have plenty of money.
 

HeavyGroovez

HeavyGroovez
Trading is insane. You get to fly the Space Cows and see the sights whilst making outrageous amounts of money :D


You can make over half a million quid in a 5 light year single system hop with a Type-9...
 

Half Giant

H
I think you will have to maintain your reputation as a trader to get the best missions. Smuggling is a variation of trading but with the dodging the law aspect if you fancy that. There are specific people carrying ships (like the Orca) and I can see the mission based ones of those being interesting. Evading assassination (even player assassination possibly). I see the Lakon line as bulk shifters for fairly safe space. But the Cobra is a trader for more risky trips, a blockade runner. It'll be interesting to see what a top level blockade runner is like. With faction warfare they have already said getting goods delivered is vital to the war effort. So those missions will be dangerous and effect ongoing events. Check out the First Great Expedition. That is a combined effort to push exploration and they are looking at a large scale effort with pilots involved at all levels. If you look at the galaxy map there are remote stations hundreds of light years from other stations. Why are they there? It might be worth taking a ship there to see what you can bring back.

You can hire wing men as well, so you can kind of have a mini convoy.
 

Hellhawk666

Hellhawk666
There will be many ways to enjoy the game - have a read of the first post in this thread form the DDA http://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6279. Although you might not think at first glance that reputation is about overall progress, it is. At the bottom of the post the section on "Becoming Elite" (which is as close as this game will have to any sort of "win") is particularly relevant. Trading is slightly overpowered at the moment, but the ongoing balancing that is part of beta testing will contribute eventually to a game where each way of playing is just as viable and just as satisfying.
 

SjadoHawk

SjadoHawk
Trading is definitely a viable way to play the game, and take on the cargo missions to get out of running just a profitable route back and forth back and forth... explore and maybe find a trade route everyone seems to have missed.
 

Sandmann

Sandmann
CalUKGR said:
I just wondered, because I'm terrible at combat and don't really want to become an ace pilot; I'm more interested in life as a for-hire cargo pilot. Is this possible?

[snip]

I love the exploration, the travel, plotting routes and navigating from point-to-point to complete deliveries, etc. If this is possible, is there any kind of 'end game' for traders/hauliers/merchants? Is it possible to build up a vast business with fleets of ships?
Click to expand...

Elite has always been and still is first and foremost a space trading game. There's been a lot of noise in the forums from a small group of people who want to change it into a player vs player, combat oriented game but everything the developers, the author, and the planners have said about it is that combat between players will remain a "rare and meaningful" occurance. This means that while you can exist solely as a trader, you will run into combat occasionally... however there will always be the possibility of escaping from it if that's your preferred method.

There's a group formed already called "The First Great Expedition" whose stated goal is to reach the centre of the galaxy, so yes exploring is going to be a big part of the game (400 billion stars is a LOT to explore). I don't think you'll be able to build a business empire all on your own as this game puts the emphasis on the pilot in the cockpit, not the manager in the office.

Other parts of the game that hasn't been introduced yet but will be is mining and smuggling. There'll also be more combat oriented roles such as pirate, assassin, bounty hunter, etc.
 

Fenris Wolf

Fenris Wolf
CalUKGR said:
I just wondered, because I'm terrible at combat and don't really want to become an ace pilot; I'm more interested in life as a for-hire cargo pilot. Is this possible?
Click to expand...

Most definitely :)

However, you might want to brush up for piloting skills as you will have to deal with attacks (NPC and PC) so you'll need to be able to flee or stand your corner and fight. :D
 

Gwyvern

Gwyvern
Currently trading is the only way to make money outside of farming federal fighters at a distress beacon, (and it makes a lot more) combat missions pay lousy and have long hours and require various levels of risk, while trade missions pay well, have short hours, and carry little to no risk with them.

By release time though, if FD is successful in delivering on their plan, then all careers will be equal earning opportunities if you are good enough, that includes trade, exploration, combat in many forms, and even espionage.
 

TerrorTrooper

T
Interestingly enough, I had a friend who played freelancer with me. He lost his right hand to a tropical infection, as such his piloting skills were sub par and his reactions quite slow compared to the average dog fighter. His love of the online game compelled him to become a trader, he was soon considered an easy target to stop and demand tribute from. He however turned this to his advantage.
He became somewhat of a kingpin on the server. If any particular alliance was causing trouble for ours or the community in general, he would hire the generally poorer combat orientated players as mercenaries to join us in teaching troublemakers a lesson. :)
 
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