Trade tips for a newbie?

[Fraoch]

Hello! I'm an extreme newbie as it seems even the newbies here were playing the game 20+ years ago!

So as I'm just starting out, I'm earning credits from trade (and shooting down the occasional lone pirate!) The tutorial has some tips for trade - trade food, textiles and wine/liquors from agricultural worlds on industrial worlds, and trade machinery in the opposite direction.

I'm wondering if there's a list of other tips? Also, what are the effects of going to a "poor", "average" or "rich" world? It seems prices are lower on the poor worlds and higher on the rich worlds, correct?

Thanks!

[Ramirez]

Welcome Fraoch!

It sounds like you're on the right track. Trading in fairly cheap goods like textiles and machinery is a good way to build up cash when you start out. Once you have enough money to fill your hold, move on to the more expensive items, buying up luxuries to sell to agricultural systems, and selling furs to industrial systems in return.

The best pair of systems to trade between tend to be rich industrial and poor agricultural. The rich industrial systems have so much cash they can afford to sell manufactured goods relatively cheaply, while the poor agriculturals are desperate for luxuries and so will pay quite well. Taking things in reverse, rich agriculturals seem to price all of their commodities rather highly (I liken them to organic food stores) and poorer industrial systems tend to charge more for their manufactured goods because they need the cash.

Definitely make the most of any cargo you encounter on the way. Even if you don't want to become a pirate yourself, if you get set upon by a pirate fleet, they'll usually have a Python amongst them full of stolen cargo which you can take for yourself. Also, keep on the lookout for cheap narcotics - the prices for these fluctuate quite a lot and if you're lucky you can make a small fortune in one trip!

[Captain Hesperus]

Hello! I'm an extreme newbie as it seems even the newbies here were playing the game 20+ years ago!

So as I'm just starting out, I'm earning credits from trade (and shooting down the occasional lone pirate!) The tutorial has some tips for trade - trade food, textiles and wine/liquors from agricultural worlds on industrial worlds, and trade machinery in the opposite direction.

I'm wondering if there's a list of other tips? Also, what are the effects of going to a "poor", "average" or "rich" world? It seems prices are lower on the poor worlds and higher on the rich worlds, correct?

Thanks!

Welcome to the boards, Fraoch! And yes, to some degree, Rich worlds have a higher priced market, but usually only in items which they are not likely to produce (computers, machinery etc on Agriculturals, Furs, Food, etc on Industrials), and the Poor worlds are something the same. So the best trade routes are Rich Industrial<-->Poor Agricultural. The closest example to Lave (G1) is Ensoreus (Rich Industrial) to Ararus (Poor Agricultural), but be warned most Poor worlds also tend to have 'unstable' governments (Ararus, for example is an Anarchy) so they tend to attract the real scum of the Universe.
And honest, respectable pet livestock traders like myself (ignore the scurrilous rumours).

On that subject, would you like to buy a small furry, very loving and easy to control pet Trumble? Only 30Cr and it's yours!

Captain Hesperus

[Fraoch]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys, and so fast!

I did start to realize that once I had enough credits to fill my hold with low-value food and credits to spare, I wasn't getting full compensation for each trip, so I started buying higher-value items.

Now I didn't realize that if you shoot down another ship you get its cargo! I'll have to look into that, although flying into a group of pirates is something I try to avoid.

About narcotics: I won't get in trouble with the law if I trade in them?

Oh and regarding Trumbles...uhh, no money for such luxuries. Also their reputation precedes them.

[Makandal]

One of the safe and easy way to build cash is to trade between rich industrial and poor agricultural as said before.
My technic is to buy furs from poor agricultural with low tech level and sell them on rich industrial with high tech level where I buy computers and sell them to the poor farmers.
Every time you see cheap gold, platinium and precious stones, BUY and build a kind of reserve. It does not take place in your cargo.
I prefer shooting pirates than piracy. Drug, firearms or slave traffic does pay but too much trouble at the end.

[Stainless Steel Rat]

Now I didn't realize that if you shoot down another ship you get its cargo!

Not directly. After blowing up a ship its cargo is floating around in space. To pick it up you need to have the fuel scoops installed.

[Captain Hesperus]

Oh and regarding Trumbles...uhh, no money for such luxuries. Also their reputation precedes them.

And, if I wasn't paranoid, so has my reputation.....

Captain Hesperus

[LittleBear]

Welcome to the boards. To grab cargo form ships which carelessly just happen to explode near you, you'll need a fuel scoop fitted, which will set you back 525 Credits. But its well worth it. Cargo you *ahem* find is 100% profit! You can also use your fuel scoop to top up your tanks by skimming the sun.

[Fraoch]

Fuel scoops: yet another technology I can't afford yet.

I did manage to save and scrimp enough to afford witchdrive fuel injectors. Saved my sorry butt more than a few times already.

Wondering what next - the scanner targeting enhancement is almost within grasp but I'm not sure how useful it would be - I'm getting better at spotting pirates from way off.

The docking computer would be fantastic - I suck at docking, although I'm getting better.

[Cmdr. Maegil]

Fuel scoops: yet another technology I can't afford yet.

They're a moneymaker, and in my opinion it should be one of the first upgrades (after the fuel injector and the beam laser, and before the ECM).

I did manage to save and scrimp enough to afford witchdrive fuel injectors. Saved my sorry butt more than a few times already.

Wondering what next - the scanner targeting enhancement is almost within grasp but I'm not sure how useful it would be - I'm getting better at spotting pirates from way off.

It does, doesn't it?

Now that you can escape, I'd recomend to first upgrade your lasers to at least a beamer, then get the fuel scoop.
But until you have an ECM, make sure you don't get too close to the enemies or you might be surprised by a close-quarters missile. This advice is valid even if you do have the ECM as you might be targetted by a hardhead (or even a hardhead barrage if you're going against a big ship), but at least you won't be forced to break combat at every missile.

The docking computer would be fantastic - I suck at docking, although I'm getting better.

Elite - and Oolite - are like that: you can only afford the equipment by the time you've proven to be proeficient enough not to really need it... But even if you've got a fully rigged 'iron ass', the slightest mistake can still be fatal.
To quote a review, Elite "suffers no fools"!

[LittleBear]

Well you could take a loan with the Bank of the Black Monks! (Click the link on my signature to download the OXP). Just remember to pay them back or you'll be deader than flared jeans!

[Captain Hesperus]

Well you could take a loan with the Bank of the Black Monks! (Click the link on my signature to download the OXP). Just remember to pay them back or you'll be deader than flared jeans!

Do you get some kind of royalties from the Order of St. Herod for plugging them:?:

Captain Hesperus

[lolwhites]

Have you invested in the large cargo bay yet?In a cobra III, it increases your potential profit per run by 75%, and will soon pay for itself.

[Fraoch]

Have you invested in the large cargo bay yet?In a cobra III, it increases your potential profit per run by 75%, and will soon pay for itself.

Again, no money for it. It's on the list!

Regarding the beam laser, do I have to have my pulse laser unmounted first? I considered pulse lasers either aft or on the sides, but I'm so disoriented in combat it's enough just to fire straight ahead.

Love the list Cmdr. Maegil - that's perfect, I was considering the beam laser next. Yes, ECM would be useful too, I have been hit with my fair share of missiles...

[LittleBear]

If you have a pulse laser installed on the forward view and you fit a beam to the forward view, then you get some credits back from the shipyard as they take your pulse laser in part-exchange for the new laser.

@CH. Well it is designed as a noob's OXP!

BTW, the Brotherhood's records show that a certain Captain took a loan with the Bank of the Black Monks of St Herod (banking with a smile and a stab), to fund a new buisness venture involving the purchase of cute furry animals. This loan remains out-standing.

Warning: Your life is at risk and maybe repossessed if you fail to keep up repayments on this or any other loan secured upon it.