Making Cash

[Kilarin]

Greetings and Salutations!

I'm having fun with Oolite. (whichever version is in the Ubuntu repository)

I've upgraded my Mark III to have lots of nice equipment, including an expanded cargo bay. BUT, its obvious that I need a bigger ship. I refuse to trade in narcotics or slaves, and that leaves the most profitable runs being running Computers from Rich Industrial planets to Poor Agricultural planets, where I buy furs, and sometimes radioactives to trade on the return trip. I also monitor the metals and gems for profitable trades since they don't take up cargo space.

I'm making a tiny profit, but the Mark III cargo holds just aren't big enough for that profit to grow as quickly as I would like. I've tried carrying passengers, and it is amusing, but the profit level doesn't seem to be enough to make up for the lost cargo space I could have traded during the same time. And contracts just aren't available in my cargo size.

It looks like I need a good 200k, and preferably 400k or more credits to purchase a ship with a decent speed that has 100 tons of cargo or more. (I've got my eye on an Imperial Cruiser!) But running computers/furs at 35 tons a trip its going to take a VERY long time to get there, even with selling my trusty and rusty old vessel.

So, what I'm asking is, am I missing an important money making scheme, or is this just the pace if you won't trade in slaves or narcotics? It's not a bad pace, mind you, I'm enjoying the game being less twitchy. But I've got the feeling that I may be missing an important strategy.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

[Disembodied]

Hi Kilarin, welcome to the boards! If you want to make big money then I'm afraid you're going to need a big cargo hold: the cargo contract missions are where the dough is really at -- especially once you've build up a reputation as a reliable operator. Of course, you'll need a sizeable stake just to get into this game...

Your best option is probably to bite the bullet and get a big ship that's NOT terribly fast, or terribly manoeuvrable, and use it to accelerate your path up towards the ship of your dreams. You'll have to be a lot more circumspect than you are in the Cobra, picking fights carefully and not being too proud to leg it when the occasion demands!

If you want to stick with the Cobra, or a similar-sized vessel, then there's no way other than maximising available profit. Places like Convenience Stores (in the Your Ad Here OXP) and the Imperial AstroFactory (Dictatorships OXP) can offer some good trade deals and some extra options, but your progress will still be slowed by the small cargo hold.

[Kilarin]

Your best option is probably to bite the bullet and get a big ship that's NOT terribly fast,

This makes sense. I could make profit faster in a big slow ship and earn my big FAST ship sooner. But even a boring old Python is going to cost me 200k. I'm obviously going to be running back and forth a lot to get there.

thanks!

[Hoopy]

there's an OXP that's let you but battered old ship for less than the new price. So your second hand python will be slower than a normal python but much cheaper.

Alternatively try doing some mission OXPs, you'll rack up some more kills and get awarded some cash and can still do a bit of trading whilst you're at it. It takes the drag out of trying to earn that first 250k...

[Captain Hesperus]

Your best option is probably to bite the bullet and get a big ship that's NOT terribly fast,

This makes sense. I could make profit faster in a big slow ship and earn my big FAST ship sooner. But even a boring old Python is going to cost me 200k. I'm obviously going to be running back and forth a lot to get there.

thanks!

Another means of enhancing your funds is running wines and liquors to Rock Hermits and then taking gems, gold and platinum back. It keeps you insystem (no need to use Quirium), gives you opportunities to do a little 'privateering' (piracy) or bounty-hunting (shooting down those nasty Offenders and Fugitives and scooping cargo/escape capsules) and you can be assured about what prices you are dealing with.

Captain Hesperus
.....There ain't nothin' wrong with Pythons!

[matt634]

I second the Bounty Hunting road to riches. If you have combat ready ship with a limited cargo hold I would consider these pro bounty hunter arguments:

1. Kills give you an immediate credit reward (bounty), most are minimal, but some are worth several hundred credits.

2. You can collect multiple bounties per jump.

3. After collecting the bounty you can scoop the cargopods of the now deceased pirate and sell them off. This is what make bounty hunting so profitable (more than piracy in my opinion) because offenders and fugitives are likely to be carrying gold, gems, or platinum. Not only are these highly valuable items; they are SMALL as well - you can carry an infinite number of them in your cabin safe at no cost to your cargo hold.

4. It's morally acceptable to kill pirates (this is important to those who wish to refrain from smuggling or piracy).

5. It's FUN!! The profit return from the average trade jump with 35t of computers/furs maybe greater than the average bounty hunter jump... maybe (this would take some serious research) but there's no doubt which is more satisfying to me personally.

There are con's of course; death being the first that comes to mind. And, worse than death is having your ship seriously damaged but living to pay the repair bill

A slight variation to the bounty hunter career is bug squashing. The thargoid's offer BIG rewards and leave behind valuable alien items that sell for BIG credits on Behemoths or at SecComs.

[Captain Hesperus]

A slight variation to the bounty hunter career is bug squashing. The thargoid's offer BIG rewards and leave behind valuable alien items that sell for BIG credits on Behemoths or at SecComs.

Just had to get your plug in there didn't you?

Captain Hesperus

[Disembodied]

This makes sense. I could make profit faster in a big slow ship and earn my big FAST ship sooner. But even a boring old Python is going to cost me 200k. I'm obviously going to be running back and forth a lot to get there.

thanks!

As Hoopy mentions, there is an OXP that makes some slightly decrepit second-hand ships available at lower prices. It's called "M-Pack (rusties)" and it's available here. Remember, your current ship has quite a substantial trade-in value too. When you're trading in a ship, it's best to sell it in prime condition: wait until you've just had it serviced (which you should always do at as high-tech a planet as possible -- if you've got some kit on board that's too advanced to be sold at a particular planet, then they can't service it and you're just wasting your time and money). Then you'll get the full value of your ship and upgrades when you trade it in.

PS: you can get upgrades and services a bit cheaper if you go to AstroFactories (Dictatorships OXP) or Collective Zero-G Factories (Commies OXP).

[matt634]

That one actually wasn't a Navy plug - though I do admit to shamelessly touting it in other posts . I have always enjoyed bug squashing as a part time career, doing so well before the Navy OXP. I actually pull in fewer credits now that I have to compete with Frigates for kills. Damn my creativity!

Support the Galactic Navy! Join the Reserves Today!

[Captain Hesperus]

PS: you can get upgrades and services a bit cheaper if you go to AstroFactories (Dictatorships OXP) or Collective Zero-G Factories (Commies OXP).

I always head to the nearest 'Hammer and Sickle' system when the dreaded 'Maintenance Overhaul' flashes up in unfriendly orange letters....

Captain Hesperus

[Commander McLane]

Hi, Kilarin, and welcome to the boards and of course to this great game!

It's okay that you don't want to trade in illegal goods. Leaving a station with a holdful of drugs or weapons tends to harm your good reputation with GalCop. Docking with the same commodities, however, does you no harm. So don't be shy to scoop anything that's in your way. Just make sure to sell the incrimination items the very next time you dock, even if the narcotics happen to have a shameful 1.2 Cr pricetag.

And, as I told another newbie a couple of days ago: Your profit comes from selling commodities. So you can maximise your profit to 100% if you avoid to buy them before you sell them. There is an..., errm..., alternative way of getting hold of commodities. If you stretch your imagination just a little bit, you will sure find out what I'm talking about.

I also would like to re-draw your attention to the contract-market. First of all, get rid of your passenger berth. It's a waste of your cargo space, as you always will make more profit from the computers/furs-scheme than from ferrying passengers.

But have a close look to all cargo-contracts offered on every station you dock with. Because every now and then you will find a contract that is doable with your 35t of cargo space. They are not very common, but sometimes you get contracts to bring 28t of this-and-that to here-and-there. Take these contracts! The clue of the contract market is that you build up a reputation as a carrier. And if you have successfully delivered an finished a certain number of contracts, you will get offered much more lucrative cargo-runs on the market. And for these you don't need a cargo bay at all anymore. Even an Adder would be sufficient to deliver them.

[davcefai]

Can I point out that launching with an illegal cargo adds a certain spice to the game.

The trick is then to clear your reputation ASAP. If you install Anarchies.OXP your rep clears much more slowly than with the standard game but, OTOH you can clear it by zapping baddies and Thargons (Hint, head for Witch Space and Anarchies)

[Disembodied]

"Illegal cargos" are only illegal if you buy them in, and then launch from, the GalCo-op controlled main station. You can make an excellent profit buying, say, Narcotics, at a Convenience Store, and shipping them in to a main station, without haing any impact on your legal record! Okay, the quantities aren't very large, but there's a profit margin there sometimes in excess of 90Cr per ton...

[Hoopy]

some of the missions in assassins pay 50,000Cr or so. Might be worth a go if you think you're hard enough

[Captain Hesperus]

some of the missions in assassins pay 50,000Cr or so. Might be worth a go if you think you're hard enough

But of course, you need to get to G7 first.....

Captain Hesperus