It is worth it. But takes time, the most lucrative run i've made with a humpback was worth around 300.000 credits but had to fly through 40 waypoints (i think 5 or 6 diferent systems) more or less...around 30 mins! Ah, and never stopped to fight...just ran away like an elephant escaping from one mouse nest.

There are better traderuns, you just have to know where to go...look for some of them in the spoiler forum if you want some help with it...depending on how much time you want to spend on a run, you can make 600K or more...

Trade runs are pointless. I run missions out of tripoli shipyard in omicron gamma with my eagle and I make between 220K-250K each mission. Missions are so close when you do them at tripoli that it takes me only 8-10 minutes a mission. Id love to see any trader make 250K in a 10 minute trade run.

I did however run trades until I got the money to buy my titan, after which i went to an saber, then to an eagle, which i like the best. I did alot of trade runs to get the money for all that, plus the bribes... So early on, good, later on tho its not an efficient way to make money, unless you're a bad pilot 8-/

Depends on the trade run, on my fav you can make about 500k on way and 200k back. Not sure if those are the right numbers but colse, and it only takes about 4 jump gates.

Well, if you want to figure out your own trade runs, as opposed to checking out the spoilers, your best bet is first to dock with every base/planet in every system you visit (non-hostile, of course). That way, you get a list of what they buy/sell and how much.

Once you figure out some lucrative trades, get yourself a frieghter (the biggest you can afford), and start your runs.

noob run at the border from liberty to britonia

buy
start
dock with trade lane
dock with jumpgate
dock with tradelane
dock with station
sell
3-4 minutes have passed since you started

you make a profit of over 100 000 credits (you cargo was over 350k worth)

any questions?
oh yeah sure, there are better runs, but well, as I said this is a noob run, and well, in a rhino it would be still worth about 35k profit

I enjoy the trading aspect of this game more than the fighting one (most of the time anyways). But then again, I really, really like the exploring bit of it too. I always have a nagging feeling if I leave a system without checking out ALL the patrol routes I have in it and finding EVERYTHING.

That said, I totally feel that trade routes are worth it. Finding a system to do mining and then taking all that stuff you got and selling it for 1600 per unit is really fun. I think it's more fun that you have to find the best places to actually *do* the mining so that more than half the rocks you shoot are dropping goods to pick up.

I had a great time last night, I bought cardamine from the outcast home system and took mostly jump holes all the way back to planet Manhatten. It was great because I was avoiding police the whole way and I had found all the jump holes myself.

Anothing thing to do is to pirate the trade lanes. I picked up a load of diamonds from a transport and because I had landed on a whole lot of planets, I knew that *such and such* place had the best deal on it. pure profit of 148k. I just had to take the diamonds there.

I don't even do set trade routes anymore, I just find a decent deal from where I am and take it somewhere. makes me feel more exploratory, particularly when I know I want to get back to certain areas of space to finish exploring.

Hope that helps.

I have found trade runs to be very profitable. With a Humpback or Dromedary you can make large sums of money in very short time. See the spoiler section, but I have found trade runs as short as 3 jump holes that net over $400K round trip. I figure just 10 or so of these and, voila, level 38. Not much sport in running away all the time, though!

you need one of the big 2 freighters and advanced thruster and then trade in alien organisms yeah you lose some but for the money you make on them(nothing sells for more money) its worth the risk.......just remember run forest run

I think trading makes more sense in the later part of the game. But there is a great asteroid field in Bretonia space that can make a bunch of money, even with a fighter. But I can't post it here, that'd be a spoiler.

OK, here's a question about trading that I can't figure out. What are the little colored dots and squares next to a commodity in the commodity traders window? I look at my commodities and h-fuel has a red dot but it has a green square in the buyers window. Any idea?

Well, since posting that first question, I have played MUCH Freelancer and have learned all about trade routes. I made a little over $450,000 yesterday doing runs from Colorado to Edinburgh. In my opinion, trade runs are totally worth it, and FUN!! Nothing like the challenge of trying to take a full hold of goods from one end of space to the other, fighting off pirates and hackers while desparetly racing to reach that next trade lane or jump gate.

Much fun.

To answer your question about the colored dots, they indicate what kind of "deal" you are getting. Generally, if a commodity has a red dot in the seller's window, it means that that commodity is over-priced at that location. IE, you would be able to find that commodity cheaper somewhere else. Yellow indicates that it is still over-priced, but not as bad as red. Green indicates that you are generally getting a good deal. Although there might be lower prices elsewhere, overall, you aren't getting hosed.

As for your screen, the colored dots indicate how good of a deal you would get if you SOLD that commodity at that location. That is why the color is opposite of the seller. Let's take an example (made up, no spoiler). Say you are on Planet Manhatten and the commodity trader lists Luxury Food for $1350. And let's say it appears with a red dot. That means that Luxury Food is overpriced at this location and you could certainly find it cheaper somwhere else, say, at Planet New London. Basically, the red dot indicates "bad deal, don't buy!!". The same commodity, Luxury Food, would show up with a green dot in your screen if you currently owned some though. Why? Because Planet Manhatten is obviously the best place to sell that commodity! If $1350 is the highest price anywhere for Luxury Food, then selling it at Manhatten will make you rich!!

Does that make sense? Basically, it's an indicator of how good of a deal you are getting. In the commodity seller window, it indicates whether an item is over-priced or not, when you buy it there. In your cargo hold window, it indicates whether or not you are getting a price for selling it there.

Generally, you want to buy green items and then sell them at a base that lists them as red. Or another way to look at is to only "deal" with green items. That is, buy green items and then once they are in your cargo hold, only sell the green items (green on your list). Keep in mind however, that this is only a general rule and you may still be able to make a decent profit when buying a red or yellow item, just as long as you can find another base that will buy it back from you for even MORE credits.

Trading is totally where it's at. Until I can afford a better fighter and become a pirate. Arrr matey....



Those are my thoughts, not yours, I'm WapCaplet[!

Yes they're worth it, but on a good run you can make close to a million, of course you have to fly through three diferent star systems to make that sort of cash, and it help to be friendly with the "wrong" people, (if you take may meaning)

But yes, it's real easy, but a bit dull to make money in this game.

later
jb

smuggle cardamine, get it from one of the kusari systems blood dragon bases and make a run for Manhatten buy for $150 and sell for $1500. Yeah it's a bit long, but with a nice freighter and a lil patience, you'll be rollin fat and happy

Yes they are worth it as you have found as you progress through the game I still like to take some stuff to different systems as I hate an empty cargo bay. While I may not NEED to be a cargo hauler as I have traded in my cargo vessle for a larger Fighter (it is easier to explore in) I stil like making a few coins to help pay for any damage or special weapons I think I might want to try out to see why they used to hit me so hard at the beginning of SP. Most people I think get caught up in the whole make a million dollars in 10hr deal. They in my opinion miss the point sometimes the journey is as important as the destination. Yes it is nice not to have to worry about how to pay for this or that but so what take some time to enjoy the experience of the different systems. Personally I like the Diamond trading but I won't say from where to where as that would spoil it. You can make good money on perishable goods but you best not make ANY side trips or get caught up in any trade lane disruptions or fights. Make nice with the locals and see what they have to offer bribe someone to get on their good side and you might be supprised at what you find at their bases. Just some thoughts from the edge of space.

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