I usually start with Normal setting, or with some harder (like Broke Adder), then I avoid all problems, shoot Asteroids (each Cr counts) and when possible I trade until I have full Cargo Bay of Computers/Furs and 400+ Cr, then I buy Large Cargo Bay and slowly buy the most basic equipment (while maintaining Cargo full) - Ejectors, Docking Computers (for saving time, I normally land at full speed without problems, but the way to station takes long ), Targeting (rectangle, IFF, ASC, long travel planning), Beam Laser, ECM, Extra Energy and finally Military laser (Which marks the end of weak rabbit era. Welcome growing traveling trader era.) (Usually at this point I am still Harmless.)
At that point I am able to somehow fight and I can make more money, so I am starting to explore more, do also less profitable tasks (RRS, Parcels, Passengers, ...) while still trading as much as I can (also I buy Gold/Platinum/Gem-Stones when they are cheaper then +1Cr and sell when more than +2Cr) and buy all other equipment, until I have basicly all buyable and few 100k Cr over. (In case of hard starts I buy ships up to Cobra Mk III on the way.)
And when I am finally rich and equiped, there came era of exploration. I do missions, try to hit all planets in Galaxy, maybe buy some interesting ship, get Elite class, and such. I do Random Hits for some fun and trade is not much needed, as money are not problem and more or less millions Cr efects nothing at all.
----
I try some OXP combinations, some from start to point, where I see how I would hit era 2, or in era 3 to see, what they offers on larger scale. Ususally I just try some OXP in copy of some my ship, them if I love it, I add it to my collection of what the "real oolite world" is like.
I like extensions, which add a lot of color (like RRS) or which helps me a little, for a price (like Telescope), but usually I do not like extensions, which hust do life harder (often in name of "realistic" - I play this to leave real world for some time) or which are blatlant cheats. (I often refrain from using Hunting Logue in Feudal States, as when I go there with (new) Military Laser and 1.000Cr, I get like 40.000 Cr in a few minutes and it is repeatable (with more than 100.000Cr yield each time). )
Basically I like it, when I have some goals, which a realistically obtanable soon (but not "just now") and some other for far reach, but when the steps forward such goals are visible. (Explorer's Club with 8x256 planets to see, but every one is immediately visually marked as visited, when I land there is good example
)
