Owing to the unfortunate wastage of a semi-new player today, I will walk you through what goes through my head while I'm pirating, and the associated guidelines that I believe make an honorable pirate:

(Shape, sitting in empty space in a valk with tri-neut3's, keeping an eye on sector traffic)

Suddenly

Useradd: 38586
number number Blah
number bumber Blah

Shape looks to the wh, if its coming out there, he has the best chances. Sure enough, a bright spot begins to open.

He guns his ship over to the entrance, and while the mark is coming out/invulnerable does a quick char-info check. Ah, trade level 4, the prey can pay. And its a centaur, even with the FC that it is likely carrying I should have plenty of time.

Neutron III's heat up as he launches a sufficient volley to drop the poor fellow down to 10-20%. A warning is sent out, "By order of the Corsairs, give me a large gift in creds, or I blow ye up"

<trader fires back>
<shape dodges for a few seconds to give the trader an option to reconsider>
<trader runs>
<Shape kills trader>

This unfortunately, is the ideal situation.

Generally, there are a few major problems. first, if they're not coming from the wh, my window to drop them down to 10-20% decreases, making it very difficult to check char info. In those situations, I tend to rely on the type of ship that they are in, i.e. a centaur is SOO going down., but a mk 1 warthog requires a signifigant background check.

Also, if I don't kill them, merely severely wound them, and they're heading for the wh, they're not going to stop, they're going to assume that the last 2 shots needed to kill them, missed.

They'll also probably throw out something like "HAHA you couldn't finish me off!" or various insults of many kinds.

If I hunt them back to their stations and kill them, they tend to get angry and have their friends come after me. The latter is actually kinda fun, but I want to add danger and I don't want people to start hating me for it.

(note: if I catch you mining, warn you, realize you're afk, and blast you once or twice to remind you that the universe is a dangerous place, don't come on the main channel calling me a complete moron+worse things, that just makes me want to come back and kill you, which I have no problem doing)

I think it vital to warn, I won't kill n00bs who aren't acting like jackasses (if you do in grey space, you get what you ask for :-) ). I don't want to be a griefer, and don't get so angry with me for killing you, ships are cheap.

but the hunt is fun, as many traders will attest.

I don't want to be a jerk, I just want to be THE bad guy.

Uhm.... What exactly are you suggesting Shape?

The bad guy is going to be a jerk no matter what shape. People get angry and forget it's a game and take it out on you. Just the way it is.

Shape
I really don't hold it against you, for killing me that is (twice). And nothing more would have been said 'cept finding this posting.
The second time was my own fault, but as you said ships are cheap.
BUT if anyone had newbie across their forehead t'was I (try 1,1,1,1,0 at the time).
I'm running in a wraith (just graduated from a bus), sign back in to the game (I had logged out 1000m from the Wormhole) just figuring out where my hands were on the keyboard and such and yadayadayada, I try to run for it and Boom there I go.
So though you make the statement that you are a "honorable pirate" and live by these guidelines, bear in mind that sometimes ones own words can come back and bite them.
"Calamari"

Silver, remember that I did warn you, and a wraith generally means trader. (you appeared so close to me while I was typing on 100 as I remember, so I went into action mode) Plus as you said in your post, you ran.

Look, I'm not going to kill someone who stops and says, "Sorry, I'm new and I don't have the cash". But when you RUN, you choose the game.

Calamari, I don't even remember the second one, but if its what I think it was, then it kinda was your fault :)

I acknowledge that the second was my fault,no problemo.
But my point still stands, I logged in,(hence the reason I appeared so close) started accelerating toward the Wormhole, got threatened,(at this time I was still figuring out the whole 100,1,sector talk thing) continued and hoped I would make it to WH and later reevaluate the circumstances and try to prevent it in the future.
In this particular instance you shot from the hip and did not adhere to your own guidelines.
That's alright it's part of learning a new game and I have learned my lesson. And later I did send you a player that was bored of trading and wanted to fight.
So, I'm not holding a grudge.
If your in Dau sometime maybe I'll buy you a drink, or maybe set you up for an ambush :-)
c-ya in the game

:) fair, I may have made a mistake, I believe there was also a period when I didn't know how many blasts to fire to get someone in the deep orange/red. You may have been part of the testing period.

Sure, we'll meet up, have a drink, I'll give you 100k and you can give me my ambush, :) they better be good though.

Let me add that if I do make a mistake, I will pay you. And I have in the past.

I prefer to think of their malediction as turbulent iterations of love.
No matter how far away a trader may be from their darling pirate, they know they can never be apart forever.

:P

HAHAHA

Come to my arms Chao!

An honorable Pirate???

Wipes tears from eyes,stop it your killing me Shape.

deep breath...nothing like a good laugh to start your day!

Cheers/Thrangar

Gotta love pirates. Even though pirates kill you often enough just to see what kind of cargo you have....They do have eh "morals" that they do often [play the game by]

There are no rules or guidlines to pirating!!!!! Plunder and pilages and destroy as you like, that's the pirates life!! =)

Thanks for the post Shape. As I trader, I have been thinking about how to react to pirates since I was first splashed in grey space. For me, pirates are just a cost of doing business. I can take three basic approaches.

1. Stay out of gray space. This won't always work, but it will cut down the cost. It also cuts down on the fun.

2. Join a guild dedicated to fighting pirates, like the Vipers. I'm a trader, not a fighter.

3. Work out an accommodation where possible (i.e., pay the squeeze). Take other measures when an accommodation is not possible. (i.e., hire some muscle). This is my approach.

My most recent encounter with the pirate that splashed me the first time [not an exact transcript]:

I spot the pirate in my sector. We are in his national space.

[Pirate] Sends over a couple of love taps.

[Me] Stops ship. "I'm not running."

[Pirate] "I noticed."

[Me] "I'm mining with a member of your nation. Do I get a discount?"

[Pirate] "Certainly" Demands squeeze.

[Me] Decides amount is reasonable. Pays squeeze.

[Pirate] "Have a good day."

I do believe that pirates who run around splashing noobs should consider their own rational self interest: if they chase noobs away from the game, the game won't be around. In fact, it is probably in the pirates' guild's best interest to, ahem, "discourage" such activity.

Otherwise, I think pirates add lots to the game. YAARR and all that.

BBS

yes they do add alot and my fun in this game is to hunt them. I do think though that they should have a "pirates code" or at least have some honor in their actions...
I get a kick out of "YARRR" when i jump or am being chased i.e tramshed hehe... still makes me laugh now.
:D
so.. if some people ask for more CONTENT, well pirates are the best content one could make up.

M. Duncan

Yah, I don't want to splash noobs, mainly cuz I'd like to see as many people in the universe as possible.

Consider us an effective Ion storm, with personality!

Someone want to get to writing a pirates code? I would but I'm too lazy and tired from a long night of wenching.

Arr, A thought on my piratey morals.

1. If you run, you die, noob or not.
2. Insolence will get you shot
3. I generally try not to kill noobs unless they run or get insolent, although i do often fire without checking levels, if I do kill you as a noob and you feel it was unjust, tell me, and if I agree Ill try to make it up to you.
4. Miners are target practice, sorry.
5. Paying me makes me much more likely to not shoot you the next time I see, possibly even going so far as to help protect traders and the likes in grey space.

And now, a few tips for when you encounter a likely pirate...

1. If you think they want cargo/money DO NOT RUN unless you are sure you stand a chance of getting away, as running from a pirate is the quickest way to make him hunt you.
2. DO NOT fly around unarmed in grey space, if I try to pirate you and you tell me you dont have guns that has exactly the opposite of the effect you intended, as I now know you cant shoot back, and are way more likely to pay me some money.
3. This is possibly one of the most important ones, THERE BE PIRATES IN GREY SPACE. Its hard to believe I know, but I feel I should warn the people who feel they have been violated by getting annihilated floating about in grey space.
4. Be Nice to us pirates, while we may be a scurvy, salty, crusty, bloodthirsty lot, we aren't bad people really.
5. If you intend on paying a pirate or otherwise, STOP IMMEDIATLY, a moving ship can be construed as a running ship.

All in all these are my thoughts on pirating, just remember, become a friend of the pirates and you have a small army of trained killers on your side.

Me likey