Core game money earning

[Amon2501]

Hi. What is the best way of making money in the core game? Especially for just the cobra mk3, because any ship i can afford now is worse than it and i cant afford any ship which is better.

I`ve tried the parcel delivery contracts but still they need more experienced courier, and the highest price i`m getting now is about 500 cr (what do they want for that >1000 cr contracts? An Elite rank?)
For just trading there isnt much cargo space in that ship (same goes for the cargo contracts), so i only trade occasionally using the parcel delivery route as a guideline, or by selling a looted cargo.
Killing a pirates even completely purging an entire Anarchy system wont gives too much.

[Redspear]

You may have heard any or all of these before but here are some suggestions:

Whatever route you take, look out for cheap (even a slightly cheaper than average) gold, platignum and gem stones.
Any ship can carry lots of them and once you fine somewhere with a good price you can make quite the profit.

I used to leave a bit of cargo space free so that I could pick up cargo and (especially) escape pods from any bested assailants. You don't need to be a pirate to get free cargo... but you do need fuel scoops.

Contracts are to do with reputation, so make sure they are on time and the offers should improve.

Know when to run. You'll likely need fuel injectors and (where possible) a route that doesn't require the longer jumps. Repair bills can put quite the dent in your savings while damaged systems can lead to more damage (shields), prevent you scooping (fuel scoops) or make it harder to run (injectors).

Good luck.

[Amon2501]

Contracts are to do with reputation, so make sure they are on time and the offers should improve.

Good luck.

I dont know the mechanics of this process. Does my courier rating stocks up little by little with every delivery made in time, or it degrades over time when i`m not carrying anything and for example just hunting a pirates or trading?

[Cody]

Does my courier rating stocks up little by little with every delivery made in time, or it degrades over time when i`m not carrying anything...

Short answer: yes!

[Amon2501]

Yes for both? Do i need to constantly carry something just to not let my rating drop? If so, i`d better look for another earning method like pirate hunting or trading.

[Cody]

<nods> And your courier rep may drop even while you're carrying a parcel - delivery is what counts.
In the core game, I reckon the courier business is the fastest earner - but you gotta grind first.

[Amon2501]

<nods> And your courier rep may drop even while you're carrying a parcel - delivery is what counts.
In the core game, I reckon the courier business is the fastest earner - but you gotta grind first.

Kinda sadistic gameplay mechanics then. But i never failed a single delivery, if i wasnt sure that i will deliver it in time, then i`m not picking up the contract. For most of the time just one parcel per a route, maybe two if for the same direction. Can i build up my rating that way, or it gonna drop faster than grows?

[Cody]

Kinda sadistic gameplay mechanics then.

~ Oolite takes the rather more Darwinian approach of heaving you straight into the ocean, often with a brick or two in your pockets for luck.

For most of the time just one parcel per a route, maybe two if for the same direction. Can i build up my rating that way... ?

You should be able to build your rep that way, yes - but the more parcels you can carry, the better. As I said though, you gotta grind first (like many games).

[Amon2501]

Thanks for the answers. Gonna try that parcel runs. Anyway i need the guideline for my travels and using the same milk route every time is boring.

PS WOO-HOO! Seems like it begins to work.

[Cody]

Cool! Some parcel contracts will pay bonuses for early delivery, and those bonuses can be substantial.

[Alucard]

The quickest (and if not easiest) way of increasing your credits on your first ship is to ...

1. Top up with food
2. Fly to the next system
3. Find the nearest Deep Space Dredger and dock with it
4. Sell all the food you have (should get 20 credits for every ton you sell)
5. Buy all the Alloys you can at 0.4 credits per ton
6. Leave the Deep Space Dredger and fly to the Space Station and sell your alloys for an average of 40 credits per ton


Hope this helps

[montana05]

Agreed, this a great way to earn some quick money when you are in the beginnings, just don't forget to install the OXP because Deep Space Dredgers are not part of the core-game.

When it comes to OXP's there are multiple other ways to earn quite well. Work as a "laser for hire" with Random hits or participate in tournaments at Feudal systems for example.

[Cody]

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, running contraband was the best way to make a quick buck.

[Amon2501]

Deep Space Dredger

I`m playing the core game now, no oxps (i wanna do it the original Elite way but not being locked to just Cobra 3, since it the OOlite not Elite). Maybe later, but before that i need to earn a money for (probably) a boa cruiser or another decent fight-and-trade ship. Fully equipped Cobra 3 is fine but the lack of cargo space reminds itself almost every time. I`m forced to decide before every undocking: either to buy some goods or to be prepared for the fight and leave a spare place for a loot. I cant have the both. And if i made a wrong bet, then the most i can earn is a bounty for a dead pirate, covering just the fuel refill.

[Switeck]

Recovering an ejected pirate's escape pod or a trade ship's escape pod after it's been ambushed by something is typically worth 2-10x more than pirate bounties.

Using a Mining Laser on a side mount of a Cobra 3 lets you mine asteroids for minerals, but it's only worth doing that in Industrial systems that pay more per TC of minerals. With OXP/OXZ add-ons, mining becomes far more profitable.

Passenger contracts and Parcel contracts risks ambushes by assassins, which can be nastier than pirates. The parcels contracts for "trial exhibits" sounds like trouble, although all those mentioned ones could be. Better pay is assumed to be higher risk.