New player strategy guildes for various "lifestyles&quo

[CmdrLUke]

First of all thanks to the oolite authors, and the community members for this forum and the wiki. oolite is totally awesome!

There are a few hints in various posts, and I know "discovering how to play" is part of the game, but my play time is very limited and I don't want to spend a lot of time going down a path for a lifestyle I'm not really interested in.

E.g., I like both the idea of pirating and bounty hunting, but there just doesn't seem to be the cash in it those that there is in bulk cargo freighting, and cargo freighting point doesn't appeal to me. But I'd like to build up good cash for the snazzier dogfighting planes. Is cargo freighting unavoidable as a stepping stone to better dogfighting ships?

Are there more (spoilerific perhaps) guides that give specific advice for the most efficient path to becoming a super pirate/bounty hunter (and how to make good money at them) for both native oo and for OCX? Where the best places are in the various galaxies for doing this?

Is there anything to cargo freighting other than: 1) play a long time to build up enough cash for a Python, 2) start cargoing and build up cash and trade up to bigger freighters?

Is there any danger in switching ships other than losing mission-specific equipment? E.g., if I wantd to try out a Python for a while could I trade in my MarkIII for a Python, try it out, then go back to a MarkIII again? Are MarkIIIs hard to come by? (I don't see a ton of them in the ship listings).

Another question: what's the best ship progression for a pirate/bounty hunter, for both native and OCX? Ships with zero cargo hold don't make much sense except for collecting bounties, but the bounties I've seen are all miniscule. Are there multi-1000 bounties out there in native? I know RandomHits expert level hits give good rewards.

Best ship progression for freighting, both native and OCX?

Any info or hints much appreciated!

[Captain Hesperus]

Is cargo freighting unavoidable as a stepping stone to better dogfighting ships?

Well, the other option is to sell your standard Cobbie 3 for something cheaper, such as a Cobbie 1 and add some combat bling. Then you could start bounty-hunting/piracy (note for piracy, getting a Fuel Scoop is a priority).

Are there more (spoilerific perhaps) guides that give specific advice for the most efficient path to becoming a super pirate/bounty hunter (and how to make good money at them) for both native oo and for OCX? Where the best places are in the various galaxies for doing this?

Well, there is no real short-cut to making good credits (other than editing the savefile, but that's very naughty....). As for making money on OXPs, many offer monetary recompense for your actions and the shooting down of 'alternative entrepreneurs' (pirates, if you read between the lines) will obviously make you money (and add to your Elite rating). If you want to be lazy, you could always buy a Scanner Targeting Enhancement, hang out around the entrance of a space station in an Anarchy and shoot all the Fugitives that launch.

Is there anything to cargo freighting other than: 1) play a long time to build up enough cash for a Python, 2) start cargoing and build up cash and trade up to bigger freighters?

Some OXPs, like Eric Walsh's UPS, offer cargo missions as well as a number of other missions.

Is there any danger in switching ships other than losing mission-specific equipment? E.g., if I wantd to try out a Python for a while could I trade in my MarkIII for a Python, try it out, then go back to a MarkIII again? Are MarkIIIs hard to come by? (I don't see a ton of them in the ship listings).

Well, as for mission-specific equipment, I assume you mean the Naval Energy Unit, since things like the Cloaking Device gets transfered when you get a new ship. But then with the majority of equipment, you will tend to see ships for sale with a selection of equipment, some of which you would not normally be able to get hold of without completing a mission (such as the NEU and Thargoid Plans).

Another question: what's the best ship progression for a pirate/bounty hunter, for both native and OCX? Ships with zero cargo hold don't make much sense except for collecting bounties, but the bounties I've seen are all miniscule. Are there multi-1000 bounties out there in native? I know RandomHits expert level hits give good rewards.

For a pirate/bounty hunter, you will need a ship with a fuel scoop and a better weapon than the pen-torch, sorry pulse laser, so that you can scoop cargo/escape pods and not have to worry about having to dock to get Quirium Fuel for your Witchdrives (Offenders and Fugitives are often poorly received by GalCop, don't ask me why...). Once you've built up some cash, I'd say go back to the Cobbie III, since it is the most versatile ship (able to take every piece of equipment available in the Equip Ship menu) and has a reasonable cargo bay to boot. From there, if you want a balanced ship, I'd recommend the Seldar Shipyards Imperial Courier, since it moves like a fighter and carries as much as a Python, with the luxury of a Fer-de-Lance.

Best ship progression for freighting, both native and OCX?

Now I'm a bit behind when it comes to OXP ships, so I'd say with the Native ships, Cobbie 3 - Python - Boa Class Cruiser. Don't bother with the Anaconda, it's slow, turns like a cow three days dead and unless you spend a long time doing contract runs, you'll never have a full cargo bay. And you also present a big easy target to every alternative entrepreneur within 7LY...

Captain Hesperus

[CmdrLUke]

Is cargo freighting unavoidable as a stepping stone to better dogfighting ships?

Well, the other option is to sell your standard Cobbie 3 for something cheaper, such as a Cobbie 1 and add some combat bling. Then you could start bounty-hunting/piracy (note for piracy, getting a Fuel Scoop is a priority).

Thanks! After making countless fur/computer milkruns, I've already got my Cobra pretty much blinged out for combat. Just missing the Mil Shield Enhancement.
But is it possible to make credits pirating/bounty hunting equivalent to or more than a good fur/computer trade route, measured in credits per real world time? A good computer/fur run seems to be about 2-3K credits per about 3 minutes real world time. But it's not as fun as fighting, that's for sure

BTW, how do you save the game when you're a pirate since you can't visit regular space stations? How do you trade at all for that matter?

From what I've read if people put in the time with freighting, they start getting 20-30K contracts and up. Is the same true with pirating/bounty hunting? If you put in the time do you start getting 30K hits, etc? Do you have to go to OXPs for that kind of money with a fighting lifestyle?

The Imperial Courier looks sweet . But at 750K, looks like I've have to haul freight for a while unless you or someone can point me at equivalent money makers in pirating/bounty hunting.

Does having a large ship mean you can't visit places like Seedy Space Bars, Rock Hermits, various other dockable OXP stations?

[Captain Hesperus]

But is it possible to make credits pirating/bounty hunting equivalent to or more than a good fur/computer trade route, measured in credits per real world time? A good computer/fur run seems to be about 2-3K credits per about 3 minutes real world time. But it's not as fun as fighting, that's for sure

It all depends on the systems you frequent and the OXPs you install. With things like the Pirate Coves OXP, LittleBear's Renegades and the Tiger gang (can't remember the OXP name) you can draw in especially BIG bounties (especially the Renegades)

BTW, how do you save the game when you're a pirate since you can't visit regular space stations? How do you trade at all for that matter?

While a Fugitive/Offender, you can still dock, it's just that you may end up paying fines or getting hassled by the Vipers on the way in/out. As for trading, then there is always OXP stations such as the Your Ad Here convenience stations, the Commies and Dictatorship stations and so on.

From what I've read if people put in the time with freighting, they start getting 20-30K contracts and up. Is the same true with pirating/bounty hunting? If you put in the time do you start getting 30K hits, etc? Do you have to go to OXPs for that kind of money with a fighting lifestyle?

There is a Random Hits OXP that adds a Bountyhunters station with a special 'jobs board' that you can take contracts.

The Imperial Courier looks sweet . But at 750K, looks like I've have to haul freight for a while unless you or someone can point me at equivalent money makers in pirating/bounty hunting.

Yeah, but it is soooo worth it....

Does having a large ship mean you can't visit places like Seedy Space Bars, Rock Hermits, various other dockable OXP stations?

Not at all, every OXP station uses the same dimensions for the docking slot (though the depth of the bay is open), I think it's a GalCop regulation.

Captain Hesperus

[Svengali]

Does having a large ship mean you can't visit places like Seedy Space Bars, Rock Hermits, various other dockable OXP stations?

Not at all, every OXP station uses the same dimensions for the docking slot (though the depth of the bay is open), I think it's a GalCop regulation.

The GRS-Station (BuoyRepair.oxp) uses a custom docking bay with other dimensions than the native ones. We have a contract with GalCop - so we have a special deal and don't need to care about these regulations. Take a rest and support GRS - without having trouble while docking :-)

Your health is our business...

[CmdrLUke]

Is there ever a reason to choose a fer-de-lance over a cobra mkIII other than bragging rights? The Cobra's faster and can hold more cargo, holds more missiles and has twice the energy banks. About the only thing I can see about the FDL is that it rolls about 1.5 times faster.

Are smaller ships harder for NPC AI to hit / notice?

[LittleBear]

I think the players model is "really there" in the game (try docking a Longshot without allowing for its underslung missile pod!), so a small ship is probabley hit less than a bit ship. The FDL is arguable over priced and you are really paying for the name. But you might want to try the OXP FDL (NG) Version. Really fast and some nice custom paint jobs.

[polyh]

Fugitives can't dock automatically, you have to manually.

I play without OXPs and went from the Cobra M.III to a Python and back. It's balanced and well suited to bounty hunting and piracy.

[TGHC]

Are smaller ships harder for NPC AI to hit / notice?

Generally yes, though the Imp Courier is an exception, basically because of its design. On a jousting run, head on it's a bitch!

[Captain Hesperus]

Are smaller ships harder for NPC AI to hit / notice?

Generally yes, though the Imp Courier is an exception, basically because of its design. On a jousting run, head on it's a bitch!

But watch out for those frangible spinny nacelles. I got into a head-on punch-up and lost the starboard one and had to fly around with only the left one! Odd that it didn't detract from the handling, but that must be part of the triple-redundant systems that Seldar built into their version of the Courier.....

Captain Hesperus