To address your first point, there would always be a minimum price based on hull cost + all additions which equals what it would cost the player if they did it themselves. You could never undercut game prices and sell a Corvette for 5 credits. Therefore a new player with a Sidey and 1,000 credits could never buy an FDL from someone else.
The second point of avoiding advancement, engineers and ranks is correct. Not everyone wants to do that and it gives an option for players who want to:
- Get a specialist ship (mining, exploration, PvP, scavenger, Buckyball racer, smuggler, silent running combat etc.) as they don't know how to set them up properly as new players.
- Allow experienced players to sell ships for profit.
- Get a custom "to-order" ship done for you. (design in coriolis.edcd.io and have someone else build it)
- Gives casual players access to engineered components.
It's no different than someone wanting a custom cooled loop in their PC, but has no idea how to do it, so they hire someone. Saves hours of messing around and cleaning up the mess in your case when you do it wrong.
