Flatline wrote on Jan 30, 2015, 19:36:

Vall Forran wrote on Jan 29, 2015, 00:15:
I don't know how you guys do those 11+ rare trade runs. That is the most boring thing ever. I tried it after a long break thinking it would be easier with a bigger jump range, but nope. Super boring.

It's sad, but I prefer my 5 ly trading route.

Turn on a podcast like Yhatzee and go a space-truckin'.

I'm on a 3-4 jump loop right now that takes about 3 more minutes than your neighbor loop (which I did for a while). I'm averaging about 3300 credits per ton for the loop. Which isn't too bad. I'm averaging 300,000 credits in my type 6. Once I get 1.5 mil I can hit the A class jump drive and that should drop me down to 2 jumps and boost my profit rate.

I'm hunting around to find a higher credit per ton trading run but so far I'm not finding too much in the empire right now.

Edit: Apparently 3300 credits per loop is an insane profit per ton from what I'm seeing over on Reddit. Most people have trouble getting into the mid-2000's

$3.3k per TON! What the fuck. I'm assuming you mistyped...that is insane. I get (on a good day) $1.5k per ton. And, ahem, if it's real, please fill me in. Daddy wants a python.

Flatline wrote on Jan 30, 2015, 19:36:

Vall Forran wrote on Jan 29, 2015, 00:15:
I don't know how you guys do those 11+ rare trade runs. That is the most boring thing ever. I tried it after a long break thinking it would be easier with a bigger jump range, but nope. Super boring.

It's sad, but I prefer my 5 ly trading route.

Turn on a podcast like Yhatzee and go a space-truckin'.

I'm on a 3-4 jump loop right now that takes about 3 more minutes than your neighbor loop (which I did for a while). I'm averaging about 3300 credits per ton for the loop. Which isn't too bad. I'm averaging 300,000 credits in my type 6. Once I get 1.5 mil I can hit the A class jump drive and that should drop me down to 2 jumps and boost my profit rate.

I'm hunting around to find a higher credit per ton trading run but so far I'm not finding too much in the empire right now.

Apparently, empire sucks for trading. They did a *slight* balance tweak, but I've heard of some ridiculous trade routes in Fed space.

The faction thing is actually pretty cool. I know Elite is getting shit for having a "bare-bones" game. But the bones are definitely solid.

Essentially, you can do missions for the sub-factions. If they are allied with the Empire (or Fed or Alliance) you gain rep points for both when you do the missions. So, if you want to gain ranks, do quests for minor factions friendly to the Empire.

The ranking up process is actually really fast. I got lazy and I honestly like the title "Viscount" more than Count or Earl...so I stopped doing the missions.

It's sort of random...but after 10-20 quests you'll get an advancement opportunity.

I'm not sure if this matters, but I was trading empire to empire. Trading also gives you reputation points...but I have no idea if that influenced the speed at which I got the advancement missions.

I'd help more, but I really have no idea. It just happened while I was doing quests with my cobra before I could afford larger ships.

Vall Forran wrote on Jan 29, 2015, 00:15:
I don't know how you guys do those 11+ rare trade runs. That is the most boring thing ever. I tried it after a long break thinking it would be easier with a bigger jump range, but nope. Super boring.

It's sad, but I prefer my 5 ly trading route.

Turn on a podcast like Yhatzee and go a space-truckin'.

I'm on a 3-4 jump loop right now that takes about 3 more minutes than your neighbor loop (which I did for a while). I'm averaging about 3300 credits per ton for the loop. Which isn't too bad. I'm averaging 300,000 credits in my type 6. Once I get 1.5 mil I can hit the A class jump drive and that should drop me down to 2 jumps and boost my profit rate.

I'm hunting around to find a higher credit per ton trading run but so far I'm not finding too much in the empire right now.

Edit: Apparently 3300 credits per loop is an insane profit per ton from what I'm seeing over on Reddit. Most people have trouble getting into the mid-2000's

This comment was edited on Jan 30, 2015, 19:42.

This is a basic guide...not the one I was thinking of, I'm still trying to find it.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=83690

Do you have a link Vall? Google isn't finding it for me and I can't use the forum search because Frontier is being stupid about my registration.

I got up to Viscount whilst being neutral with Empire. The next day...boom friendly...next day (I literally did nothing) boom...allied. There's a good post on the forums about how you have to make friends with the sub-factions to increase your faction gain.

Trading will also increase your status. I honestly think that's how I got allied status.

Just have two ships -- combat and trader. If I go for an explorer I'll probably trade in the combat ship for that.

I've been working on my Federation and Empire reputations. I have my ranks up to Ensign and Baron, but I'm still Neutral. Has Frontier said anything about this? Seems busted to me...

SpectralMeat wrote on Jan 29, 2015, 08:20:

Mr. Tact wrote on Jan 29, 2015, 07:54:
Necessity. I'm up to 20M cash, with probably another 8-10M sunk into a Type-6 and a battle ready Cobra. And I still can't really afford a Type-7 or Clipper to do the high volume trading... How did you get the money to buy your Clipper?

Same here.
I can't afford any bigger ships without the long trade runs.
Not sure how Vall got into those big ships so soon.

Hax.

I use the founder's world when I can to get cheaper parts. They (obviously) don't sell the clipper though.

It seems you guys keep your ships? I sell mine and to buy the bigger ship. Once you get a clipper or t7, your cargo space can go crazy, so in my opinion, it's better to sell your 'pimp' ships, buy the large one, then trade away. Pretty soon, you'll have enough to re-buy your old ships.

I almost pulled the trigger the other night to sell my clipper and buy a python...but decided against it.

On another note:

If you are exploring (or trading) and use grooveshark (or whatever), "Death is the road to awe" by Clint Mansell (The Fountain soundtrack) is pretty much the best song ever. (I also worked on that movie...I should watch it sometime)

I was in on the 'head-start'. When the game officially released, I already had a type-6. I expected the game to be wiped on release, so I was surprised I got to keep my progress.

I didn't do anything tricky. I mostly trade. I also buy the bigger ships when I can *barely* afford them. I sold my asp to get the type-7 and grinded out a few more million. Then I sold that and got my clipper. I actually flew it on trading runs without enough money to pay for insurance (in open :D).

Eventually, I found a sweet trading route. The systems are really close to each other (<6 ly)...so there's almost zero change of getting interdicted. On that route, I can make almost $500k in 7-10 minutes, so I do that to upgrade my ship.

I am kind of stuck at the moment. I did a huge grind to get the $16 million A6 thrusters for the clipper. Then, I didn't notice much of a difference. I ended up selling it back and using that money to buy my explorer asp.

I have around $12 million in cash on hand... but it's a looooong way off from what I need for a python or a type 9.

This comment was edited on Jan 29, 2015, 14:26.

Interesting/Good news for E:D Explorers - https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=106524

"In the next Elite: Dangerous update, planets will show which CMDR first scanned and sold data on them."

Pretty Cool!

Mr. Tact wrote on Jan 29, 2015, 07:54:

Vall Forran wrote on Jan 29, 2015, 00:15:
I don't know how you guys do those 11+ rare trade runs. That is the most boring thing ever. I tried it after a long break thinking it would be easier with a bigger jump range, but nope. Super boring.

It's sad, but I prefer my 5 ly trading route.

Necessity. I'm up to 20M cash, with probably another 8-10M sunk into a Type-6 and a battle ready Cobra. And I still can't really afford a Type-7 or Clipper to do the high volume trading... How did you get the money to buy your Clipper?

I agree, it is super boring, but super lucrative when you have a Type-6 or less and just starting off.

If I used Bounty Hunting and Exploring to make money it would take exponentially longer to make millions of CR.

I used the 11 Rare Crack run to make 10+ million in about a week or so, that allowed me to get my ASP way more quickly.

Now I have my ASP and start to explore... I make anywhere from 540-55K CR per system... slow money.

I want to get a few more high priced items for my ASP so I will probably go and do the 11 Rare Trade Run to make another 6-7 Million and then I won't worry about money for a while.

Boring, but extremely lucrative in a smaller vessel.

Mr. Tact wrote on Jan 29, 2015, 07:54:
Necessity. I'm up to 20M cash, with probably another 8-10M sunk into a Type-6 and a battle ready Cobra. And I still can't really afford a Type-7 or Clipper to do the high volume trading... How did you get the money to buy your Clipper?

Same here.
I can't afford any bigger ships without the long trade runs.
Not sure how Vall got into those big ships so soon.

From the latest dev update:

As well as the new features we’re continuing to fix and investigate issues, some fix highlights include improvements for AI docking and the docking computer, better handling of ship to ship collisions, balancing dumbfire missiles and shield cells and balancing of heat generation by weapons.

Yeey!

Vall Forran wrote on Jan 29, 2015, 00:15:
I don't know how you guys do those 11+ rare trade runs. That is the most boring thing ever. I tried it after a long break thinking it would be easier with a bigger jump range, but nope. Super boring.

It's sad, but I prefer my 5 ly trading route.

Necessity. I'm up to 20M cash, with probably another 8-10M sunk into a Type-6 and a battle ready Cobra. And I still can't really afford a Type-7 or Clipper to do the high volume trading... How did you get the money to buy your Clipper?

Yeah I agree about SC. I don't want to say anything negative in the SC threads anymore because there is no point, we'll see how that game turns out but so far I am not enjoying the way the ship feels when you fly it, and well in a space game that is kind of a deal breaker.

The videos look cool how you can land and trade etc but who knows by the time that game ships we will have 3 expansion packs for Elite.

As for the trade runs yeah those are like chores. I just put on some music, having a tea and texting with friends while doing it.
Otherwise it would drive me nuts.
You are also kind of locked in until you complete the circle and get back to your start position to change ships and go do something else.
It is very profitable but super boring.

I don't know how you guys do those 11+ rare trade runs. That is the most boring thing ever. I tried it after a long break thinking it would be easier with a bigger jump range, but nope. Super boring.

It's sad, but I prefer my 5 ly trading route.

Which is kind of why it drives me nuts how people use the blanket statement of "I'll never play open because I don't want to constantly get ganked."

Star Citizen's "persistent universe" will be way more of a gank fest. Everyone will be focused into a much smaller area.

Beta one was actually pretty fun. I died every single night to players. It's where I learned that a good eagle vs a good cobra is no match at all (read: dead eagle). There were a lot of players crammed into just five possible systems. The npcs were outnumbered by players...by a lot.

...all this is predicated that Star Citizen actually releases. I believe it will, but their release timeline compared to what they've shown so far seems...optimistic.

And I'm still pissed they are doing episodic single player.

Yeah the reputation is hard to gain back that is for sure. So everyone behaves lol