Optimal routes are rarely used in my experience, due to two major factors. First is simply getting caught, no one wants to fly halfway across the sector to get blown up. The second is, it's easier to run Disco in a window and watch a film or a TV show between jumpholes. It doubles your flight time but ensures you get to your dropoff and your money.
That's why I'd like to shift the mindset of smuggling from credit farmer to a more fun, fast-talking, catch-me-if-you-can role. Something that can't be done if it's still viewed as an illegal trader who should never be seen. Sadly that kind of change will simply not happen if the easy option still exists.
Take jumptrading as an example, folks were told to stop doing it, which they did for a time but eventually human nature kicked in and the drive got nerfed in response. It's the same sort of deal with smuggling, if a role is not seen then it detracts from gameplay and the server suffers as a whole. In this case it's the police factions whose existence has been overwritten by the navy due soley to the lack of natural enemies, the ones the TLAG system is supposed to catch, smugglers.
I wasn't trying to be offtopic. You said that in-game PvP RP has become a thin veneer for pew pew against other players. I said trading was also a thin veneer (for credit farming) in lieu of RP. Considering your opinion on jumptrading and jumphole smuggling, we are in agreement.
Note: I'm not making a judgement on it (I trade too, obviously)... it's just an observation.
