The game needs a built-in, paid information system.
Say, I would like to find a conflict zone to make some real combat money. I don't know where to go! There're billions of systems out there! Or say, I would like to do some long-haul and make some money. I don't know where to go! The game's internal commodity information system is extremely limited, just "export to" or "import from", not mentioning if I got to the wrong station, I may even lose money!
The lack of proper in-game information system forced us to rely on stuff like Elite Trading Tool or this forum post, the equivalence of mouth-and-ear, to get the information we need. Inconvenience aside, it really takes players out of the gameplay experience.
Therefore, I propose: add an in-game, paid info service: If I'm a trader, I would gladly pay 500k cred/month for the up-to-date trading info within 50LY, or 1 million cred/month for within 100LY, or probably another 500k cred/month for the added privilege of knowing all the locations for rare goods. Not a whole lot of money - I could make the money back within two round-trips with a Lakon Type-6 and the right trading route.
Or, if I'm a dedicated mercenary, how about a service that cost 200k cred/month that tells me all the nearest conflict zone within 100 LY? Maybe even a 2 million cred/year package? Also, I would gladly pay another million for a freighter to ship my Eagle/Viper to my desired destination - why not? A Lakon Type-6 could easily hold an Eagle, and a Type-7 could definitely haul a Viper. And by gully a million per trip is definitely more that whatever a Type-6 could earn by trading.
There you go, Frontier. Get to it.
***
Wait...I've got a better idea.
You could pay players to do it.
I would happily haul an Eagle to somewhere 100 LY away if I get paid 1 million. I would happily zap around the galaxy looking for trading/conflict info in my 25LY-jumper Hauler if I get paid the right rate. Now we've got ourselves a live economy!
Say, I would like to find a conflict zone to make some real combat money. I don't know where to go! There're billions of systems out there! Or say, I would like to do some long-haul and make some money. I don't know where to go! The game's internal commodity information system is extremely limited, just "export to" or "import from", not mentioning if I got to the wrong station, I may even lose money!
The lack of proper in-game information system forced us to rely on stuff like Elite Trading Tool or this forum post, the equivalence of mouth-and-ear, to get the information we need. Inconvenience aside, it really takes players out of the gameplay experience.
Therefore, I propose: add an in-game, paid info service: If I'm a trader, I would gladly pay 500k cred/month for the up-to-date trading info within 50LY, or 1 million cred/month for within 100LY, or probably another 500k cred/month for the added privilege of knowing all the locations for rare goods. Not a whole lot of money - I could make the money back within two round-trips with a Lakon Type-6 and the right trading route.
Or, if I'm a dedicated mercenary, how about a service that cost 200k cred/month that tells me all the nearest conflict zone within 100 LY? Maybe even a 2 million cred/year package? Also, I would gladly pay another million for a freighter to ship my Eagle/Viper to my desired destination - why not? A Lakon Type-6 could easily hold an Eagle, and a Type-7 could definitely haul a Viper. And by gully a million per trip is definitely more that whatever a Type-6 could earn by trading.
There you go, Frontier. Get to it.
***
Wait...I've got a better idea.
You could pay players to do it.
I would happily haul an Eagle to somewhere 100 LY away if I get paid 1 million. I would happily zap around the galaxy looking for trading/conflict info in my 25LY-jumper Hauler if I get paid the right rate. Now we've got ourselves a live economy!