Market Forces

[Capt. Hook]

Was just wondering how the market forces of Elite would work - in particular the player driven side of things and what others thought.

I can see the benefit of player to player contracts so I can sell items on the market for credits - or request items for credits etc. This would naturally support any crafting that players can produce. How this would integrate into a largely NPC market of goods/services/ships and whatnot I'm not so clear.

I suppose there would also have to be some sort of credit transfer mechanism between players which could be used between players co-operating, a pirate demanding credits not to blow someone up and so on.

 

[Kipper]

I remember in Pirates of the Burning Sea, you could surrender your ship to pirates in exchange for money just using the trade window, but from what I heard, they'd blow you up anyway (scoundrels).

If there's the ability to pirate people for credits (why not indeed) then there needs to be a separate mechanic that prevents that sort of shenannigan.

You can't lock them or their group out of combat as it would be unrealistic and people could just change groups to circumvent it, but how about making a credit transfer that's only payable on arrival at the next station? You get blown up along the way and the deal is off... blown up by anything, that is, since dead men can't pay pirates

 

[Capt. Hook]

Perhaps there should be an extra clause to say that if the pirate ship ransoming you is blown up before you dock - the whole deal is off?

Maybe to be fair to the pirate (??!) you have to give more than the actual ransom initially - extra bit refundable - if you dock within 10 minutes or something like that so as to prevent you orbiting the nearest star waiting for the pirate to die from your backup crew!

 

[Kipper]

Perhaps there should be an extra clause to say that if the pirate ship ransoming you is blown up before you dock - the whole deal is off?

Totally Of course if a pirate is trying to ransom you and you're a better pilot in a bigger ship, you'd just say no and blow him up anyway...!

Maybe to be fair to the pirate (??!) you have to give more than the actual ransom initially - extra bit refundable - if you dock within 10 minutes or something like that so as to prevent you orbiting the nearest star waiting for the pirate to die from your backup crew!

Not needed.... Assuming that you have limited fuel, things to do, and don't want to be blown up by someone else I think you'd be heading back to port anyway. If you did have a backup group though, fair tactic I think!

I can imagine a situation where the pirate is escorting you back to the nearest base trying to make sure you stay alive so he can get his money!