Trading

Revision as of 05:46, 5 December 2020 by Roguelazer (Talk | contribs)

Until recently trading was just about the only way to make money. Although there are now other options, trading cargo widgets is still the most profitable means of acquiring your own personal fortune. The basics of trading is a simple concept. You buy cargo at a low price and sell it someplace else for a higher price. Easier said than done. Discovering a good route can be a long process, but the rewards are well worth it. One simple way is to load your ship up with as many single cargo widgets as you can fit. Ships like the Centaur can hold up to 48 different types of cargo allowing you to carry many types of cargo. Don't give up if you don't find a good route right away.

So You Have A Route

Now that you have a route it's time to exploit it and get as much money as you can from it. If you already have a decent amount of money, at least 100,000cr, don't sell your cargo. Instead hit "Unload All" to leave all your cargo in the station without selling it. This is called stockpiling and is the best way to get the most from your route. If possible, try to find a profitable widget from station B to bring back to station A to gain more money. After amassing a large amount of cargo in the stations, sell them. Or, if you have money to spare, let it sit and wait for the price to rise. Be warned, other people can and most likely will find your route and sell before you do, so only wait if you are willing to go without the income for a bit.

Stockpiling is now of only marginal use. Dumping your stock will give you a per-unit price that decreases the more you sell at once. You can still hold on to it for later though, as the in-game economy is dynamic.

Tips

  • Mining and trading can go along very well together. For instance if you mine a rare type of ore and stockpile it in a close by station, you can transport it to another station a few systems away to make an even bigger profit. Few if anybody does this, and the result is that stations nearby the rare ore often does not sell very well.
  • The news can often help you find a good route. By giving you a list of what that particular station needs you can plan ahead, keep a mental list or one on paper is better, and keep an eye out for the cargo a station needs.
  • Someone has made a handy dandy site that lets you match up two stations and shows you their differences in trade goods. You can find it right around here.
  • Smuggling different weapons between stations can often give you tons of profit. Keep an eye on price. Moreover, most of the stations have fixed price on equipment.

Ships To Carry Your Cargo In

Ships listed are the basic versions. See the ships list for full information.

Ship Revenant Atlas Centaur Marauder Behemoth
Cargo 22 32 48 48 120
Turbo 180 180 200 200 160
Weapons 2S 1L 1S 1L 1S 2L 3S 2L
Level Trade 1 Trade 2 1/-/3/4/- Trade 8 -/-/-/8/4

(s)= Small Port (l)= Large Port

  • The Revenant is the perfect entry level trading ship. Enough weapons ports to keep you safe from Hive ships, and enough cargo room to get you through the basic trade missions.
  • The Warthog Mineral Extractor is definitely worth a try early on in your advancement, for combined Mining and Trading, as it has 24 cu cargo space, an S & an L weapons port, and is relatively fast and agile.
  • The Atlas is a decent trading ship, but once you have a Centaur you can pretty much ignore this one. It is fast and has plenty of cargo room. But often is easy prey for pirates.
  • The Centaur slow and hard to move this ship has often been ignored by traders with access to the Marauder, but it does its job very well, and that job is to move large amounts of cargo in one go. The Centaur has the ability to carry two sets of mines, enough to send any pirate to their grave.
  • The Marauder is the fastest cargo transport ship in the game. Its TPG variant can carry up to 48 cargo widgets, and the Tunguska 60. Although all but the Tunguska version lack L port weapons it can still fend for its self or simply speed by any pirate blockade.
  • The Behemoth is yet another win for the TPG corporation. When you need to move large amounts of cargo, the Behemoth is your ship, with a capacity of 120cu.

List of Trade Goods

This is a, hopefully complete, list of the various trade goods that can be found within the game. There is another table which sorts the trade goods by the "type of good", which contains pictures for all of the trade goods.

Trade Good Description Class of Goods
Advanced Logistics System Controllers for ship systems Ship and Station Components
Advanced Targeting Systems Advanced weapon targeting computers Weapon Components
Aeolus Pilot Training Unit Training for Aeolus pilots Consumer Goods
Agricultural Research Supplies Assorted chemicals and other consumables for research Research Equipment
Airlock Maintenance Supplies For general upkeep of the station Ship and Station Components
Amplification Module Component of many electronics Elekronik Supersonik
Apicene Ore A rare asteroid composition formed only at very high temperatures Ores (Premium and Standard)
Aquean Ore Dirty ice, mostly H2O with trace chemicals Ores (Premium and Standard)
Basic Research Supplies Assorted assay bottles, spot well plates and pipettes Research Equipment
Basic Robotic Equipment Simple robots Production Goods
Basic Targeting Systems Simple and efficient weapon targeting systems Weapon Components
Bearing Grease Keeps machinery working smoothly Production Goods
Betheshee Spices Extremely aromatic spices and herbs preferred by most Serco Comestibles and Beverages
BioCom Implants Components for cybernetic implants Medical Equipment
Biomedical Nanites Used in common medical treatments Medical Equipment
Biotechnology Research Supplies Assorted chemicals and other consumables for research Research Equipment
Blank DataPads One gross of DataPads ready to be filled with useful information Elekronik Supersonik
Carbonic Ore Ore which is heavy in carbon compounds Ores (Premium and Standard)
Chemical Spill Kit Used to clean chemical spills Industrial Goods
Civilian Textiles Clothing for every-day wear Consumer Goods
Combat Simulators Training for pilots Military Equipment
Commercial Textiles Industrial grade fabric for use in various applications Production Goods
Consumer Electronics Electronic audio/visual/neural entertainment products Consumer Goods
Consumer Robotics Personal robotic assistant devices Consumer Goods
Cooking Supplies Collection of pots, pans and other cooking utensils Consumer Goods
Coolant Used in cooling systems Production Goods
Cooling Systems Weapon cooling systems Weapon Components
Corrosive Chemicals Industrial chemicals with corrosive properties Industrial Goods
Corvus Holo Disks Take exotic trips without leaving the station. Consumer Goods
Corvus Textiles Very fancy pants and shirts Consumer Goods
Cybernetics Grade AA Premium grade materials for implants Medical Equipment
Cybernetics Grade BB Common grade cybernetics Medical Equipment
Cybernetics Grade EE Industrial grade cybernetics for implants Medical Equipment
Data Link Connectors Component of many electronics Elekronik Supersonik
Dau Spices A mixture of herbs often used to season standard food rations Comestibles and Beverages
Dau Wine A fine wine from Dau Comestibles and Beverages
Deneb Rum An inexpensive intoxicant sold at most station bars Comestibles and Beverages
Denic Ore Rare ore found often in young solar systems Ores (Premium and Standard)
Diagnostic Imagers Used in basic research Research Equipment
Divinia Spices A special blend of spices regarded as a delicacy by many Itani Comestibles and Beverages
Doppler Array Component of various mineral scanners Equipment Parts
Dried Meat A spicy version of the jerky of Sol I Comestibles and Beverages
Dyes Common dyes and pigments Production Goods
EC-Class Ship Repair Manual Instructions for repair of ships for pilots on a small budget. Consumer Goods
ERS Tracking Systems Standard missile tracking computer Weapon Components
Emergency Repair Kit Standard kit with parts for basic ship repairs Ship and Station Components
Energy Conversion Module Components of various ship systems Ship and Station Components
Engine Mounts Holds engines in place Ship and Station Components
Escape Hatch System For escaping Ship and Station Components
Exhaust Manifold Directs engine exhaust Ship and Station Components
External Equipment Mounts For holding equipment Ship and Station Components
External Thermal Couplers Controllers for ship systems Ship and Station Components
Extravehicular Suits Protective suits for work done outside of a station Consumer Goods
Ferric Ore Ore composed mostly of iron Ores (Premium and Standard)
Fine China Rare antique plates Consumer Goods
Fine Furniture Crafted from the finest synthwoods Consumer Goods
Fire-suppression system Fire protection systems for ships and stations Ship and Station Components
Fitness Equipment Required for military training Military Equipment
Flight Assist Control Module Found in most ships Ship and Station Components
Food Mass-produced nutritional food Comestibles and Beverages
Frequency Modulators Component of many electronics Elekronik Supersonik
Fresh Flowers Fresh flowers cultivated in stations with specialized gardens Consumer Goods
Fuel Flow Regulator Component of ship turbo systems Ship and Station Components
Fuel Storage Container Component of ship turbo systems Ship and Station Components
Guided Missile Casings Empty tubes for weapons Weapon Components
Gyroscopes Used in weapon and ship construction Equipment Parts
Heliocene Ore Rare ore formed under intense heat and tidal forces Ores (Premium and Standard)
Holo Disks Visit popular vacation destinations without leaving the station Consumer Goods
Hull Panels Basic paneling used in the construction of ships Ship and Station Components
Hydraulic Tappets Components of various ship systems Ship and Station Components
Hydrogen Ion Collector Used in weapon and ship construction Equipment Parts
Industrial Research Supplies Assorted chemicals and other consumables for research Research Equipment
Inert Chemicals Industrial chemicals with no dangerous properties Industrial Goods
Ineubis Automated Defense Unit For personal safety Consumer Goods
Ineubis Personal Defense Systems Regarded as some of the best in the universe Consumer Goods
Instrumentation Panel Commonly found in most ships Ship and Station Components
Ion Core Primary component of most ion weapons Weapon Components
Ishik Ore A common asteroid composition containing lighter elements and chemical compounds Ores (Premium and Standard)
Itani Education Disk Level M Standard educational program used by most Itani children Consumer Goods
Itani Education Disk Level N Standard educational program used by most Itani children Consumer Goods
Itani Education Disk Level O Standard educational program used by most Itani children Consumer Goods
Janitorial Supplies Specialized tools for station maintenance Ship and Station Components
LCD Component of various electronics Elekronik Supersonik
Life Support System Commonly found in most ships Ship and Station Components
Luxury Goods Jewelry, artwork, rare spices, etc. Consumer Goods
Magnetometer Component of various mining beams Equipment Parts
Manufacturing Tools Common tools used in heavy manufacturing Industrial Goods
Medical Supplies First-aid supplies Medical Equipment
Meditation Crystals Used by the Itani as part of meditation rituals Consumer Goods
MicroTech Replicator Constructs many prefab products using nanotechnology Industrial Goods
Military Research Supplies Assorted chemicals and other consumables for research Research Equipment
Mineral Assay Equipment Needed for basic mining operations Research Equipment
Nanite Modulators Used in nanite manufacturing Industrial Goods
Nanite Replicator Controls the replication of nanites for mircotech replicator Industrial Goods
NanoFeed Mostly carbon, a powder used for nanite replication Production Goods
NanoPigments Dyes and pigments which can be instructed to change their color Production Goods
Navigation Unit Controllers for ship systems Ship and Station Components
Neural Nodule Component of many cybernetics Medical Equipment
Optics Frequently used in weapon manufacturing Weapon Components
Organic Solvents Super-corrosive organically-produced solvents Industrial Goods
Orion Drill Bits Component of various mining beams Equipment Parts
Orion Extractor Component Component of various mining beams Equipment Parts
Outer Hull Plate Used in the production of most ships Ship and Station Components
Oxygen Recycling System Compact air purifier and oxygen recycling system Ship and Station Components
Pelatus Spices Sweet spices often used in desserts Comestibles and Beverages
Pentric Ore A rare asteroid composition of complex chemical material Ores (Premium and Standard)
Personal Defense Systems Small arms and other personal defense devices Consumer Goods
Pharmaceuticals Used in common medical treatments Medical Equipment
Phase Array Modulates the phase of energy weapon projectiles Weapon Components
Pherona Spices A spicy mixture of dried peppers and herbs. Comestibles and Beverages
Pilot Safety Harness For the safety of the pilot Ship and Station Components
Plasma Core Primary component of most plasma weapons Weapon Components
Plasma Torches Specialized tools for station maintenance Ship and Station Components
Plasteel Light plastic compound with the strength of steel Industrial Goods
Power Regulators Power flow regulators, used in most energy weapons Weapon Components
Precious Metals Extracted in small quantities from other ores Ores (Premium and Standard)
Pressure Relief Valves Primary component of oxygen generation systems Ship and Station Components
Propellant Actuators Component of turbo systems Ship and Station Components
Protective Outerwear Specialized clothing for working with hazardous materials Research Equipment
Purified Water Purified water, safe for drinking Comestibles and Beverages
Pyronic Ore Rare ore formed in the residue of a star's collapse Ores (Premium and Standard)
Quantitative Analysis Equipment Needed for basic research Research Equipment
Radiation Containment Kit Used to safely store radioactive materials Research Equipment
Rare Book Now considered obsolete, these printed materials are sought by collectors Consumer Goods
Recycled Plastic Pellets of recycled plastic ready to be reprocessed Industrial Goods
Refugee Support Kit Basic supplies for war refugees Military Equipment
Replacement Hydraulic Fluid Replacement hydraulic fluid Production Goods
Samoflange Extremely dense and valuable material Special Trade Good
Scanner Circuit Boards Component of many electronics Elekronik Supersonik
Sedina Chocolates A secret recipe prized throughout the universe Comestibles and Beverages
Serco Ale A strong alcoholic brew preferred by the Serco Military Comestibles and Beverages
Serco Cybernetic Implants Assorted Cybernetic Arms and Legs Medical Equipment
Serco Training Level V Standard educational program used by most Serco children Consumer Goods
Serco Training Level VI Standard educational program used by most Serco children Consumer Goods
Serco Training Level VII Standard educational program used by most Serco children Consumer Goods
Ship Paint Covers up those unsightly scratches Production Goods
Silicate Ore Unrefined silicate material Ores (Premium and Standard)
Silksteel Incredibly strong steel alloy Industrial Goods
Simple Plastics Common manufacturing materials Production Goods
Solid Explosives Component of missiles Weapon Components
Solid Fuel Packs Component of missiles Weapon Components
Stabilizing Systems Weapon stabilizers, increase precision by reducing recoil Weapon Components
Station Conduit Basic conduit for wires, pipes and other materials Ship and Station Components
Steel A durable but heavy building material Production Goods
Superconductors Component of many electronics Elekronik Supersonik
Surveillance Equipment Station security equipment Ship and Station Components
SynthWood Synthetic wood, common construction material Production Goods
Synthetic Diamonds Used in manufacturing Production Goods
Synthetic Gems Used in jewelry and art Consumer Goods
Synthetic Hydrocarbons Common building blocks for many industrial applications Production Goods
TPG Pilot Training Module Developed for TPG pilots Consumer Goods
Textured Vegetable Protein While extremely stable and ideal for long spaceflights, it has no flavor Comestibles and Beverages
Thermal Imagers Component of various mineral scanners Equipment Parts
Thermal Insulator Tiles Provides protection for the outer layer of many ships Ship and Station Components
Thrust Regulators Component of ship turbo systems Ship and Station Components
Tunguska Mining Module Component of various mining beams Equipment Parts
Turbo Charger Component of ship turbo systems Ship and Station Components
Unassembled Cargo Crates Empty cargo crates Industrial Goods
Valent Robotic Components Frequently used in weapon manufacturing Weapon Components
VanAzek Ore A common asteroid composition containing heavy and radioactive metals Ores (Premium and Standard)
Verasi Koffee A modern interpretation of the coffee of Sol I Comestibles and Beverages
Verasi Specialty Foods So good you'll lick your fingers. Comestibles and Beverages
Vismetal As strong as steel, but clear as glass Production Goods
Vismetal Cockpit Clear yet durable and able to withstand the pressures of space Ship and Station Components
Volatile Chemicals Industrial chemicals with volatile properties Industrial Goods
Waste Treatment Chemicals Used to process common station wastes Production Goods
Xang Xi Advanced Robotics Equipment used in cargo loading and unloading Ship and Station Components
Xang Xi Waste Container Standard holding container for station wastes Ship and Station Components
XiRite Alloy Extremely durable alloy made primarily from iron and xithricite Production Goods
Xithricite Ore Ore containing the precious mineral Xithricite Ores (Premium and Standard)

Avoiding and Escaping Pirates

For information on avoiding and escaping pirates, visit the [VPR]pedia, which can be found here.

Last modified on 5 December 2020, at 05:46