Yea, Atice, I did read it. It felt decent, but does not get the point across. Sometimes, there IS no option but to pay, and you simply MUST illustrate it.

Also, due to a freak accident with the Delete key, I must now restart part of it from scratch. Should have results by tommorow.

-Mr. C

So how is the truce going?

Jest Bess

What truce?

The Christmas truce only benefits traders. Pirates get nothing out of it except boredom.

How about a Christmas "traders pay at a discount if they pay all christmas" truce?

I had decided upon the following agreement:

"I will cut my prices in half for all traders over the month of December as long as they pay."

Several traders took advantage of this earlier in the month, much to their benefit.

Of course, some dumbass had to come along "nobly" and ruin it for the rest of you, so prices are back to normal.

Until further notice, because of the large number of traders refusing to ever pay, I will give no trader any quarter.

Damn I thought this was a good idea. But I'm not a trader or a pirate. Just an sometimes arms/equipment dealer and a catalyst for trouble.

Jestatis Bess

Good for me I am a miner.

Why can't we just..... Get along?

Hort

a long what?

: )

Long duck dong?

A long time ago, back on Old Earth, there was a song called "Why Can't We all Just Get a Long Neck"

I have an old music device with the song on it. So I do not know if it's a good one. But I cannot determine how it works. It looks like a flat disc with a hole in it..

break19

I think you guys are missing the core of the issue: you're all blaming the opposing party and refusing to alter your own behavior. Isn't that what caused this wanton escalation of vitriol to begin with?

We can all agree that there is a problem, but the only way we've going to correct it is if we all do our part.

Pirates: Blowing up veterans on your "no-hail" list is all good and fine (they know what to expect), but that sort of behavior is rather detrimental to the player-base when directed against hapless newbies. Make clear demands, answer their questions ('how do I pay?', etc), and if they go boom, take the time to EXPLAIN their error (just pointing and laughing is pretty lame. the stock 'shoulda paid' is only slightly better).

Now that cargo scanners are available, you really ought to consider adjustable fees. Who's going to have more cash, a newbie in a bus full of ore, or a vet in a moth full of Sedina Chocolates? Demand they pay FIRST; don't shoot first and don't ask questions later. Treat your privateering more like a business, and more people will be willing to deal with you.

While you're at it, when you're raiding nation space, leave the newbies alone. Older players are fair-game, but lets not drive off the fresh meat. (maybe make it clear that you'll start making demands the SECOND time you see them?).

Anti-Rats: Less fanatical, foaming-at-the-mouth, rabid unpleasantness. Fighting pirates is your job, but don't make it an obsession. Griefing pirates is still griefing; focus instead on escorting traders, routing highwaymen from nation-space, etc. Grey is generally regarded as lawless; don't strut around like you own the place (it only invites trouble).

Traders: Haggle with the buccaneer so eager to shanghai your wallet (pirates: try going along with this). If you start hemorrhaging cash from unreasonable fees, then explain this to the pirates. If they won't listen, you may run--ONCE. Nobody likes a cheapskate, so don't get used to blockade running (it just puts the irate in pirates, which is no good for you, amusing as it might be). If you die while running, congratulate the pirate for the chase, and hire an escort from then on out (or else until the pirates catch wise and agree to lower their rates to something you can afford).

Don't be obstinate.

Everyone: Explain from the very beginning that piracy is part of the game, and what the appropriate response is (ie, not flying off the handle for being offed when they refuse to pay, etc). Have the newbies understand that Grey is dangerous, and they accept the risks when they enter. Likewise, that the only place COMPLETELY safe is inside the station, and they assume certain risks when they leave.

Above all, be supportive, friendly, and polite. The community is what VO's small player-base has going for it; lets work to preserve that.

Well said, but believe it or not I enjoy a good chase now-and-then. Newbies should be educated, though, on when they can run and when they can't. Some of them think they have more of a chance if they turn their Revenant 180 degrees and fire stingrays at my vulture while forgetting to turn off F/A. Blockade running is basically what grey's about. Nation is trading, grey is trading+blockade running. Adjust to grey trading if you don't want to pay. If we're having trouble catching your Atlas X, don't worry! We'll adjust as well, like sticking conc mines in your path or warp killing you. Also, educate them on the fact that sometimes a pirate will fire warning shots and will often tell them when they are. Warning shots aren't use to freak people out, they serve two purposes: 1) if they decide to run then the pirate will only need to stick a single neut into you and 2) to make sure the trader isn't trying /logoff or /explode.

Educate the newbies, and here's a message to my own mates: if someone's whining just don't respond. Responding will only make them worse, even if you mean well, and sometimes they ask something entertaining on 100 like "Are the pirates in grey space npcs?" Believe me, I see one of those a day and it is hilarious to watch (helps the environment, too, one might say). By all means, though, answer their questions if they're not asking whether or not I'm driven by a script.

Huh? I thought you were YarHar!

If a newb were to survive without paying, they'd have to give the money back to whoever gave it to them at the end of the mission, therefore practicing using the /givemoney command.

Why everyone is forgetting a third option? Pay for escort, not pirates.

This game needs anti-pirate fighters as well as pirates. However there is a very little incentive to play that role. You think not enough people consider paying to pirates? Even less people consider asking for escort, even free one

Go sit on a peg, [VPR]

Sorry, nobody notified me that RP forum has turned into all things pirates forum. Now that I look at the topic list... yep, seems it's the case.

Nice try at insulting VPR, but at the moment the only guild tag I have on any character is SKV

And aside from Niki, whom none of you is capable of controlling anyway, you're a blue version of [VPR].

Then again, Dr. Lecter, wouldn't you agree that ONE is the red version of [VPR]? Everybody hates us. I've grown quite used to it.

[ONE]? Is that a real guild? I thought it was like the current [BLAK], a spoof full of genka alts.