Traders?

[Athenian]

I agree. I can identify with the excitement of running into manhattan with a hold full of artifacts!

The RP aspect of this game and server is the best reasons to get playing properly. I think the purpose of the smuggler id was, if you like, a way of ensuring that people stuck to RP ing. There has to be some sense of coherence to a character. Otherwise you end up with the situation like I have encountered on other servers, where it degenerates into a free for all and players decked out with all the best upgrades and weapons can physically and finanically dominate the game, trading in every black market item they choose. Back in the day of roleplaying games, it was called dungeon-bashing, and it could destroy what was otherwise an imaginative and fulfilling way to pass the time.

I think the smuggler id is, if you like, permission for a player to have a character that will trade contraband. It should only alert lawful characters to a suspicion that the character is involved in something nefarious and wouldn't constitute reason enough in itself to warrant a fine. That really would only be the case where some one is caught red-handed.

There are equally lucrative legal routes. The trader id covers these. Think of it as character alignment in role-playing games. It allows players to develop a character, while ensuring that the character doesn't stray beyond the realms of acceptable behaviour. I mean, how can you justify a trader being involved in the shipment of toys one day, and heroin the next? In real-life it doesn't work that way.

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Former member of "the most paranoid group of people in the community"
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[badkarmasix]

It's considered OORP to smuggle into Manhatten? Foolishness. Preposterous even. Not that I smuggle into Manhatten - I don't - but it's still foolishness. A smuggler, by virture of being a smuggler, should be able to dock just about anywhere (excluding Nomad, Phantom, etc. planets/stations). That's the whole point of having the ID, isn't it? Makes it within RP to buy contraband where it is cheap - namely an unlawful port; then sell that contraband where it will fetch the highest price - namely a lawful port.

As for getting rid of the smuggler ID on grounds that no smuggler in his right mind would broadcast that he was a smuggler - true enough, but as it has already been said, don't take the ID quite so literally. And what would be simpler - checking a player's ID (smuggler, for instance) who is docking at a pirate base, or having to listen to an RP explanation (which may or may not be true) as to why a player with say, a trader ID, is docking at a pirate base? In fact, make that EVERY time a player docks at a pirate base with trader ID.

Pirate - "Avast! Wots yer reason for dockin' 'ere? Quickly, or by me barnacles I'll keel'aul ya 'ere an' now!"

Trader - "Shhh. Don't tell anyone, but I'm actually smuggler looking for some illegal goodies."

Pirate - "Yar, matey. Welcome den, an' make yerself at 'ome. Wots mine is yers."

Repeat ad infinitum/nauseaum.

Right. Don't see that happening.

If you are going to smuggle, then just get the ID.

Restricting smugglers and independent traders to freighters (which would also exclude using the Mammoth, Firefly, etc.)? Great idea. It's one I've expressed before and it just makes logical sense to me. Smugglers moving 1000+ units of contraband cargo just doesn't seem right. Not to mention the whole independent owner/operator discussion regarding anything bigger than a freighter.

Cheers,
Cap'n Idaho the Black

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[El Nino]

It was already disscussed up here. In my opinion ID description tells everything.

I have to agree with ParanoidAndroid... Traders are not allowed to do unlawful actions.... :rtfm:

And there is no problem with trading as a smuggler, whenever i get scanned by the police with my lawful cargo, they just go.. "Howdy maam"... no problems whatsoever becouse of my ID, and pirates know your place in their life, i got taxed only once by some indies with my smuggler ID.

If you smuggle, why not use an ID for it, it's like pirating with a freelancer ID... OORP

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[The Pirate]

well for the fact that smugglers cant use Giant transports is ok but still somewhat unrealistic.
in real life Smugglers can use whatever the bloodyhell they want too they just bribe the officials too look the other way so in my opinion your arguements for smugglers being limited too fregithers is Rubbish too say the least.

on another note Independatn traders ARE capable of running their own goddamn Heavy tanker if they have the will and a Wallet thick enough it all comes down too money in terms of hireing a crew.
so infact anyone with enough money CAN buy a Huge ship with monster cargo space if there is enough money. and id reckon the crew comes with the ship price.


anyway thats my ranting for now.


Regards Pirate.

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[Reverend Del]

To all those still saying that trader Id'd fellas can't smuggle, I'll invite you to check the sanction boards and see how many people get yelled at for it. None. It's not recommended but it can be done. The issue is the smuggler ID being the biggest target ever, given that people don't bother to check your goods before they start opening fire. If people we're to obey the fact that no illegal cargo doesn't make you KoS just for having a smuggler ID, more people would use it and we'd not be having this argument.

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Saint Del is considered a holy healer of diseases of children, but also as a protector of cattle.

[bluntpencil2001]

To be fair, the smuggler ID, whilst arousing suspicion has the added bonus of staying the hand of many pirates.

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[Athenian]

In real life smugglers generally use smaller vessels or hide their smuggled goods amongst other legal commodities being transported. The use of large ships and transport planes is very rare. I think it's a question of trying to establish some degree of balance and perhaps discouraging the practice of, for example, running 5000 units of slaves openly through several major systems. In real-life, trafficking in human cargo is all very small-scale, relatively speaking.

Bribing the authorities isn't factored into the game (unless some clever cop learns to RP accordingly).
And certainly there is no real risk for people smuggling contraband considering it is available at such low prices at pirate bases. Reward, certainly. Risk, no.

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Former member of "the most paranoid group of people in the community"
Discovery Community Forum Rules

[old.steel]

Del posted it first but i also want to state it:

Traders are allowed to smuggle but smugglers are not allowed to do legal run on a regular basis.
Unless the Admin team states something different. Period.

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[Othman]

Trader ID shouldn't be able to smuggle illegal goods, in my opinion. They should be shipping legal stuff. Its the smuggler's job and why do we have seperate ID's then? The trader ID grants an advantage to the beholder such that he wouldn't arouse suspicion if combined with a non-tag or non-outlaw tag, while the smuggler ID is always under monitor even if he doesn't haul anything. If someone is bearing such a risk he should be awarded with an advantage for the balance. Otherwise, we would have no point in using a smuggler ID. I would see a trader ID hauling illegal stuff as a somehow defected person.

And something needs to be asked here, why would someone identify himself with a smuggler ID, while trying to haul illegal stuff without being caught? I don't see a point in this either.

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[Reverend Del]

Trader ID shouldn't be able to smuggle illegal goods, in my opinion. They should be shipping legal stuff. Its the smuggler's job and why do we have seperate ID's then? The trader ID grants an advantage to the beholder such that he wouldn't arouse suspicion if combined with a non-tag or non-outlaw tag, while the smuggler ID is always under monitor even if he doesn't haul anything. If someone is bearing such a risk he should be awarded with an advantage for the balance. Otherwise, we would have no point in using a smuggler ID. I would see a trader ID hauling illegal stuff as a somehow defected person.

And something needs to be asked here, why would someone identify himself with a smuggler ID, while trying to haul illegal stuff without being caught? I don't see a point in this either.

I'm utterly with you on this, Kress. There is no point in two ID's they should be combined into one, that let's you trade or smuggle as you please. But keep the company specific ID's the same, no-one working for a legitimate company should ever dock on Malta or Crete, or any other unlawful base

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Saint Del is considered a holy healer of diseases of children, but also as a protector of cattle.