Well, here I am!

[Macarthur]

Finally got around to picking up this little gem after having played the demo and waiting for weeks to be able to pick this up (Married life is expensive!)

You can call me Kodos, or Macarthur. I am occasionally known to answer to 'Hey you!' and 'Dinner!' as well. I have a few questions about this game before I get too deep into one thing or the other.

1> I read somewhere about some servers offering a 'no hardship' policy, where I'd be free to mine, trade, transport, etc in Peace, without fear of being attacked. Which server(s) offer this, if any anymore?

2> What are the most popular servers? I'd like to be able to play on MP as opposed to being by myself.

3> How viable is a life of mining and exploration? I've spent the last 7 days watching videos of anyone I could find doing Let's Plays, tutorials, or anything else, and I've settled on that being what I want to do. I'm well aware that a time will come when I need to defend myself, but for the most part I'd like to just do non-combat things. Even cleaning solar arrays sounds more appealing than trying to take down a battlecruiser!

4> This isn't so much a question, but more of a request of information. Specifically, any tips or tricks (Spoiler-free, please) I could use to my advantage.

Thanks for your time in reading this if you've gotten this far! I look forward to flying with you all =)

[Rubber Chicken]

Hello Macarthur. Welcome to EM.

I'll see if I can help answer some of these questions.

1> Most servers do allow catch-as-catch-can pvp. What they don't allow is repeatedly camping new players that are clearly outclassed by veteran pilots. You might get bumped off once but not repeatedly. Besides most veteran players gauge by using the player board (~ or scroll lock) and viewing rank status who might be a more formidable target. New players generally are aided or left alone.

2> Depending on the time of day, and location of the players, they all can have about the same amount of traffic.
I've been seeing a fair amount of people on the Ceti Alpha V server (U.S.) during the primetime hours recently - 8-11pm EST.

3> Mining and trading/exploring can be lucrative enough to gain the most expensive commonly available ships/equipment, pay for a good crew, and perhaps build a few space stations of your own. Combat/raiding is available but not mandatory.
There are a few veteran players that forgo combat simply to Sunday drive around their favorite eye-candy system for a session. Besides there are a few systems that are totally non-hostile AI-wise that you can enjoy a nice flight in.

4a> Alt-F9 is the quicksave. You should do this *every* time you make progress - especially in an asteroid field.
4b> Atlas is one of those systems that has zero hostile AI. It is also the richest system in the Northeastern section of the Quadrant map. The lines on the map between the systems indicate that there are jumpgates linking them together. You should be able to plan your trip by using the quadrant map, then finding the gates on the regular navmap.
4c> Traveling faster than 1800 speed seems to outrun most missiles.
AI rarely travel faster than 3300 (estimated) speed.
If all else fails point your ship at open space, turn off the IDS (spacebar) and lay on the afterburners!

Hope this helps.

[Marvin]

Sunday between noon and 2:00 pm Pacific time is a good time to log on to Galactica 1. It's also a good place to get your questions answered and find help, if you need it.

[Busch]

Hello Macarthur, and welcome aboard!

I think the Ceti Alpha V server still has a PvP arena/trade station set up in Sapphire system (where one usually starts/spawns in-game the first time) @ 7.0.3 Nav co-ords...or thereabouts. I guess one might call it an area of/for 'consensual' PvP. The pilots of the [BA] Clan used to 'introduce' new pilots to the Evochron universe by engaging them in a one-time PvP bout. In the past, they've always asked first, and then suggested an immediate 'save' for the victim...I mean, the targeted pilot. It's sort of like earning one's sword-scar at Kriegschule - a 'mark of honor'. They've only done this once per new pilot. Well, that is, unless the new pilot wants more of the same, then they're happy to oblige! Some of the veteran pilots of renown, have stepped into the breach a time or two, (in my experience) in order to safeguard a new pilot from much in the way of 'griefing' by other, more inimically minded pilots... All in all, there's enough going on in this game universe, one may get one's fill of combatives soon enough. And, there's so much of it to explore! Blackholes, Wormholes, & Lumpy Nebulae... OH MY!

[CS-ACI-]

Hello,

3> How viable is a life of mining and exploration?

When mining press "ALT" and then "B" to lock the beam on, press "B" to turn off.

Press "F3" to bring up your inventory, check the prices of what you are mining, dump any thing not worth having. Generally Platinum and Diamonds are what you will want.

If you can, when at a station see if you can get a contract to either mine or destroy asteroids, every little helps.

I am a miner with the top of the range civilian ship and it is fully loaded, and I have a bank balance in access of 1.5 Bil credits, I trade too.

Steve

[Marvin]

If you have a deploy constructor you can deploy a mining thingy. And, IIRC, you can order your wingmen to do some mining for you.