Introduce Yourself.

[Aycheff]

Hi,

I'm Howard, and very new to Oolite, and space games in general (which surprises a great number of people who know me!). I only found out about it a year ago by looking for free sci-fi books on iTunes and came across Drew's Oolite Saga (which I just finished rereading this past weekend), and I only started playing it a couple weeks ago. And although I am certainly old enough to have plate Elite, I'm pretty sure I never heard about that until recently as well.

I've spent the better part of the last week shipping computers from Zaonce to Lave to build up a bank account, and avoiding (or well, trying to) pirates when I can. I started with the generic Cobra Mark III (simply because I don't know any better ) and as I get enough money I'm adding things to it. So far I have fuel injectors, fuel scoops, and a large cargo bay. Next on my list is scanner targeting enhancement and a beam laser (even though my fighting skills are awful )

So, once I get my ship all tricked out, I'm going to need something more exciting than the Zaonce/Lave route (and something to improve my combat abilities). Without using OXPs (I'm starting slow, remember), what are some more interesting things to do/trade/explore?

I still haven't decided what role I wish to play in this game, but it's my general inclination to stay on the good side of the law. Although, I have thought about creating a save point when I get the ship and finances how I like them, then branch off in different directions, so (for example) I can just go out and start killing things if I'm in that type of mood, and not ruin my legal status in other branches I'm playing. But I'm not there yet.

I have lots of other questions, but I'll save those to a better time and venue. I think my game has left me for the day, so I think I'm going to read another story or two from Alien Items to get my late evening "fix"

Seeya all out there!

[Disembodied]

Hi Howard, welcome to the boards! The Lave-Zaonce run isn't the best for a beginner ... Even though it's where you start, Lave, as a Dictatorship, is in the bottom half of the Government list! From most dangerous to safest, it goes like this (although, for 1.80, you also have to consider - a bit - what the neighbouring systems are like, too):

Anarchy
Feudal
Multi-Government
Dictatorship <-- e.g. Lave
Communist
Confederacy
Democracy
Corporate State <-- e.g. Zaonce

Lave is a Rich Agricultural, too. You'll make better money running between Poor Agriculturals and Rich Industrials. [Edited to add: press "i" on the F6 local chart to bring up information on government and economy types, and tech levels. The icons are explained  here.]

Probably the easiest option to take, when you tire of making milk runs, is to try a little parcel courier work, from the F4 screen. Plan your route carefully! The straightest line isn't always the quickest (a single jump of 6 LY takes 36 hours: two 4LY jumps would only take 32 hours. The time taken in hours is equal to the square of the distance in LY.). And the shortest route might not be the most survivable, either. Since parcels don't take up any cargo space, you can trade on the way - which is something else to consider when planning your route: should you take the shortest run, from one Mostly Industrial to another? Or do you have the time to dog-leg through that juicy Poor Ag-Rich Ind pairing, to make a quick buck on furs and booze?

The more successful on-time deliveries you make, the better your reputation as a courier will become, and the job offers will get more lucrative. Watch out, though: the contents of some parcels may attract unwanted attention!

[Diziet Sma]

G'day Howard, and welcome to "the friendliest board this side of Riedquat™"..

Drew will be pretty chuffed that his books led you to Oolite..

I started with the generic Cobra Mark III (simply because I don't know any better )

Well, the ol' Cobby is not too bad a ship.. she might not necessarily be the best at anything, but she's a darn good all-rounder, and fully kitted out, is still the ship of choice for a great many Commanders here.

Next on my list is scanner targeting enhancement and a beam laser (even though my fighting skills are awful )

Whilst I applaud your decision to take things slowly on the expansion packs side of things, you may want to consider installing the Combat Simulator. (note that it also needs Ship Storage Helper to work - the SSH won't change anything in your game though, it just makes creating OXPs easier) The Combat Simulator gives you the chance to practice and develop your combat skills without risking your ship and cargo. And when you lose, it's faster than pressing Space and starting again..

Both of the above can be installed through the new Expansion Pack Manager built into Oolite 1.80.

So, once I get my ship all tricked out, I'm going to need something more exciting than the Zaonce/Lave route (and something to improve my combat abilities). Without using OXPs (I'm starting slow, remember), what are some more interesting things to do/trade/explore?

I still haven't decided what role I wish to play in this game, but it's my general inclination to stay on the good side of the law. Although, I have thought about creating a save point when I get the ship and finances how I like them, then branch off in different directions, so (for example) I can just go out and start killing things if I'm in that type of mood, and not ruin my legal status in other branches I'm playing. But I'm not there yet.

Since you'd like to mostly come down on the good side of the law, you may want to consider bounty-hunting as a profession. There's good money to be made taking down pirates (and scooping their cargo!) for the money on their heads, and if you find it to your taste, down the track you might consider installing Random Hits, which makes a career as a professional bounty hunter more viable.

Another, perhaps less exciting option, though some folks quite enjoy it, is to take up asteroid mining. It can be a slow way to earn credits though, unless you install the Ore Processor OXP.

Other options open to you are to specialise in cargo, passenger or parcel contracts, all of which are available to you in the core game, via the F4 key. As you gain in reputation and experience in these fields, more lucrative (and riskier) contracts will become available to you.

Most of us do as you yourself have been considering, and branch off a gamesave (or even begin a new Commander), to advance a persona in a different direction, so that we can be a trader, a bountyhunter, a pirate, or whatever, as the mood takes us.

Safe flying, Commander!

[Smivs]

Hi Aycheff, and welcome.
You have already realised that this great game can offer you all sorts of different playing styles, and as has been mentioned many of us have several Commanders, each with a different 'personality' and 'job' for want of a better word.
I also applaud your very sensible approach. Far too many newcomers go crazy, both in terms of over-reaching themselves in-game and coming unstuck, and in over-doing the Expansions right from the start. Slow and steady is definitely the right approach, and as far as the Expansions go, there is no need to avoid them, just choose wisely. Anything that just adds eye-candy won't un-balance or upset the game, and neither would a different HUD for example, although be wary of other equipment items.
Whatever you end up doing, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

[Cody]

Anything that just adds eye-candy won't un-balance or upset the game, and neither would a different HUD for example...

Hmm... are there not some HUDs that give the player an extra edge? Oh yeah... welcome aboard, Aycheff.

[Smivs]

... are there not some HUDs that give the player an extra edge?

Perhaps, but they are mostly going to help advanced combateers in tight situations. Aycheff seems to be taking a sensible 'avoid trouble' approach so is unlikely to gain much if any benefit from a fancy HUD at the moment - the advantages are pretty marginal even for experienced players I suspect.

[Stormrider]

Hey Aycheff Welcome,

I highly recommend the ship's library expansion pack for new commanders, it provides an excellent manual that you can access in-game. There are also a few other 'books' that can be installed separately that are more entertainment oriented, but still have some interesting info. It might give you an advantage but only because you'll be more informed.

They are all in the new expansion manager in 1.80

[Cody]

If there's one OXP you should have right from the start, it's  Random Ship Names.

[Redspear]

Welcome Howard (Aycheff) ...and a belated welcome back to Cmdr. Wyverrn.

Lots of good advice there.
I can only add that exploring what else to do or where to head can be a lot of fun to do within the game itself.

If you're not wishing to install oxps/oxzs at the moment then you don't have to worry so much about missing out on this or that feature that you may not have installed.
The options within your game are already there, waiting for you to find and explore them... Enjoy

[Wildebeest]

Hi! It's me, Wildeblood. I've lost all my login data in the great Win7 melt-down of 2014. I'm wanting to upload a file to the wiki - I was sure I knew that password OTTOMH, but apparently not - but can't login there either. I didn't want to post any message here, I was trying to PM someone would remember me and could put this OXP file up to the wiki for me, but as a "new" member I'm not allowed to use the PM function either. GRR!

HELP, PLEASE!

[Disembodied]

Hi Wildeblood/beest - check your PM, I've sent you a new password for your old account.

[Wildeblood]

Hi Wildeblood/beest - check your PM, I've sent you a new password for your old account.

Hooray!

[Disembodied]

Welcome back! I can't help with the wiki, sadly, but good to see you again anyway.

[Diziet Sma]

Welcome back mate.. I was starting to think we weren't gonna see you again.

[Wildeblood]

Welcome back mate.. I was starting to think we weren't gonna see you again.

I'm just here to heckle and cause trouble. You won't see OXPs from me because all except two were lost.

Make frequent back-ups of your files, people! Windows can do the dirty on you at any time, with no warning whatsoever.