 |
Trading and Exploration At last, the fun can begin and here pilots really should choose for themselves. Not only will new ships be available, they will be within financial reach. If your aim is to become a bounty hunter or member of your faction's military then now may certainly be the time to take that route. However, for the traders there is still much work to be done. One could now begin bartering for goods at the stations and trying to make a profit as a freelance trader. If that is your wish, good luck; make use of the "News" board and remember to check the chat channels for other pilots as they may have useful information. Yet for many of you this may not offer the immediate rewards you desire, and certainly by that route it takes more luck than skill to attain the level 1 trading license, never mind turn a profit. Instead I'd advise you to take a few jobs from the Trading Guild, often found in the "Missions" area of a station. Here cargo hauling or pickup missions can be accepted whose profit can be more easily guaranteed. Even in an EC-88 it is possible to complete many of the long haul, bulk delivery or procurement missions for a considerable sum (and if you're quick in the brain, with a tidy bonus).Traveling in-system will have been covered in Basic Flight or the Tutorial, but wormhole jumps will not. For the most lucrative of the Guild missions it will be necessary to become accustomed to warping between systems through the wormhole network. It is simple enough: jump to the wormhole sector, and on arrival point the craft in the direction of the event horizon (indicated by a blue arrow on the HUD, a blue item on the radar, and a target in the view). Once the ship is within range of the event horizon a message will indicate readiness. The activate key will initiate the jump. Pilots should note what they are traveling into, however; the galaxy map can be found in the "Nav" screen of their ship (hit "n" and click "Zoom to Universe"). Mineral mining requires a more capable ship than the EC-88, so once you've acquired that level 1 Trading license it is definitely time to consider an upgrade. Although it is possible to continue with your original, sturdy craft, the bar for new licenses has been raised and by now you should have the skill to handle yourself in the galaxy. Personally, I recommend one of the Wraith series. From here you may continue to learn the skills of trade, combat, or mining. With luck your progress should not be as painful as that of your predecessors. Other Hazards and Considerations While this guide has so far covered the elementary stages of any pilots' journey in this galaxy, there are thus far several notable omissions. First, there is the possibility of encountering an ion storm, particularly when traveling through dense asteroid fields. The storms can be identified by a yellow message in the "General" chat screen, or by an almost rain-like pattern of blue sparks in the sector. They also have a tendency to attract large numbers of heavily armed collector bots. In this circumstance normal jumping rules do not apply: one must find the exit point in the same manner as finding a wormhole by following the blue HUD arrow and looking for the marked target. Proceed at best possible speed (a higher average can be obtained by pulsing the afterburners at short, regular intervals), remembering to set a new course if this sector was the intended destination. Jump at the earliest available opportunity once the exit point is reached. Although it may be tempting to engage the collector bots beware that it is not so easy to retreat in an ion storm if an unwelcome crowd is attracted, so until you have gained experience and better equipment this pilot advises against it.Secondly, there is no mention here of pilot-organized Guilds or the Mentoring system. Participation in these can be achieved through the judicious use of the chat facilities offered by stations and most ships. Other pilots are a valuable source of help, so do not be afraid to ask for it. Novice pilots may request help on Channel 1, though general chat takes place on Channel 100. There are dozens of other channels that may be of interest, a list can be found on the main information repository (read: Official Vendetta Website). At last I turn to the issues of piracy and real combat. Both are really beyond the scope of any beginner's guide, as they require skill and almost total mastery of combat flight. Challenging another pilot is something you should do with care, although fighting those superior to yourself will help you learn, it is of no benefit to die quickly. When picking a fight, the target must not be flying a ship which is many times more deadly than your own. If you don't have access to buy it you'll probably end up as space dust. Similarly, piracy is not a skill I would openly encourage for a beginner (unless it's from bots; that's OK) simply due to the inherent and obvious risk. You have a pea-shooter in that shuttle, and no trader is going to fear it. Additionally, when all the factions hate you you'll only have grey space to run to. Real pirates love easy pickings, so keep this warning in mind. But don't feel pressured by this old bum to stick to the rules; they are there to be broken. I hope this may have been of some help to you in your journey into the universe of Vendetta Online. Myles Leonadis, Union of Independent Territories, over and out.
| Pages: |  | 1 | 2 |  |
|
|
