Aiabiko, standard sidewinder and 100 Cr.
Let's do this.
Before even leaving the hangar, I check the system maps of this and the 3 nearest systems. There are quite a few stations in most systems, duly noted.
Check the bulletin board, lucky me: A hauler mission to Chemaku with 2 tons of auto-fabricators for 14k. So my 100 cr becomes 14,100 within 3 minutes of flight time.
From there on, I hit my rhythm like I never had in beta. Find out I have a basic discovery scanner installed, I use it on the nearby systems. 5k a pop here and there. I then drop it for a 4 ton cargo hold, at 8 tons now. I accept no mission that pays less than 3000 Cr, even though I'm "not trusted enough" to do the big ones yet. I bounce between the same 5 systems trading, hauling, until I discover a juicy gold run. I take a calculated risk in dumping my shield generator for a 2t cargo hold, because I've been so good at escaping interdictions. I'm eventually hauling 10t of gold to the same port, which happens to occasionally have missions to haul stuff back to the EXACT SAME OUTPOST I'M GETTING MY GOLD FROM. Occasionally I take missions off my established route as long as the money's good. I add a secondary gold export outpost and accept missions to haul stuff there too. Finally, after building up my alliance with these local groups and their stations, I get the mission I'd been waiting for: 4 tons of palladium for 130k. I fill half my hold with Palladium, the other half with gold, and take it to the station. With almost 450k in the bank, I head back to Aiabiko and sell my Eagle and buy a Cobra. Now after I find this Black Crow guy I'd been collecting bounty offers for (find and kill him and theoretically I should get almost 500k off 4 separate bounties), I'll begin my trek to Sol. I'm still pounding my gold run while I'm at it, and woe behold the pirate who gives me an easy 5-8k bounty claim for their head. Seriously, killing a competent in a Cobra has been no less than a free 5k...
Concerning the note: Just because a system imports or exports x-product doesn't mean every station has a particular demand or supply for that product. Unlike beta where each system only had one relevant station, you've really gotta do your diligence in determining which station in system x links with which station in system y to make the most money, or if a system y is even necessary. Being able to access the galaxy map from any screen in Starport Services has been sort of a godsend, imo.
Bottom Line: The game is tough, it's a grind, but it's fair. There's a lot to complain about, but people are complaining too much. All it takes is a keen eye, a cell phone camera and a folder called "Elite Trade Markets", and some half-decent reflexes, a little risk and some luck, and any chucklehead can succeed at this game with a little patience. Btw, I'm doing this on a gamepad, gimballed weapons are my bff.
Idk, I like it.
Let's do this.
Before even leaving the hangar, I check the system maps of this and the 3 nearest systems. There are quite a few stations in most systems, duly noted.
Check the bulletin board, lucky me: A hauler mission to Chemaku with 2 tons of auto-fabricators for 14k. So my 100 cr becomes 14,100 within 3 minutes of flight time.
From there on, I hit my rhythm like I never had in beta. Find out I have a basic discovery scanner installed, I use it on the nearby systems. 5k a pop here and there. I then drop it for a 4 ton cargo hold, at 8 tons now. I accept no mission that pays less than 3000 Cr, even though I'm "not trusted enough" to do the big ones yet. I bounce between the same 5 systems trading, hauling, until I discover a juicy gold run. I take a calculated risk in dumping my shield generator for a 2t cargo hold, because I've been so good at escaping interdictions. I'm eventually hauling 10t of gold to the same port, which happens to occasionally have missions to haul stuff back to the EXACT SAME OUTPOST I'M GETTING MY GOLD FROM. Occasionally I take missions off my established route as long as the money's good. I add a secondary gold export outpost and accept missions to haul stuff there too. Finally, after building up my alliance with these local groups and their stations, I get the mission I'd been waiting for: 4 tons of palladium for 130k. I fill half my hold with Palladium, the other half with gold, and take it to the station. With almost 450k in the bank, I head back to Aiabiko and sell my Eagle and buy a Cobra. Now after I find this Black Crow guy I'd been collecting bounty offers for (find and kill him and theoretically I should get almost 500k off 4 separate bounties), I'll begin my trek to Sol. I'm still pounding my gold run while I'm at it, and woe behold the pirate who gives me an easy 5-8k bounty claim for their head. Seriously, killing a competent in a Cobra has been no less than a free 5k...
Concerning the note: Just because a system imports or exports x-product doesn't mean every station has a particular demand or supply for that product. Unlike beta where each system only had one relevant station, you've really gotta do your diligence in determining which station in system x links with which station in system y to make the most money, or if a system y is even necessary. Being able to access the galaxy map from any screen in Starport Services has been sort of a godsend, imo.
Bottom Line: The game is tough, it's a grind, but it's fair. There's a lot to complain about, but people are complaining too much. All it takes is a keen eye, a cell phone camera and a folder called "Elite Trade Markets", and some half-decent reflexes, a little risk and some luck, and any chucklehead can succeed at this game with a little patience. Btw, I'm doing this on a gamepad, gimballed weapons are my bff.
Idk, I like it.
Last edited:
. It's a far richer experience now it's matured, though annoyingly tedious for veterans, as these things tend to be after so long.