Disclaimer: the author has not even mastered the wiki on ancap (ANarcho-Capitalism), not to mention the lack of education in economics, and does not pretend to have a “scientific” definition of economics in Starsector as an ancap. The title was chosen for the sake of loud words and memes, not for discussion on the topic. I don’t know the term for the economy of the times of the East India Company and the times of the Great Geographical Discoveries, if one exists, it would be more suitable. I ask people who are rummaging around to write in the comments how “legitimate” this is all.

Starsector is a space sandbox game where you control a created fleet captain in a not-so-happy future. The prehistory of the world can be described as follows: humanity conquered space, settled across the stars, invented cool AI, “star gates”, then something happened (war?), and since then humanity has split into factions, none of which can prevail in confrontation with each other, piracy is flourishing, etc. (Post-Apocalypse? Vakha without fantasy elements?).

For an even somewhat complete description of the gameplay and mechanics, it would take so many words that would be enough for a separate article (perhaps there will be a link to such an article by me, but not today). Therefore, briefly. In the main mode, you can fly in space, travel to different planets, run away from another fleet, etc.d. In combat mode, you directly control the ship, and order other ships under your command what to do. In negotiation mode, well… this… you can select dialogue options.

This is what Hyperspace, or simply space, looks like

View inside the system

Colony Dialog Box

Why anarcho-capitalism? Part of the “anarcho”: factions are not very similar to states, rather like open organizations connected by economics and, say, “ideology” (pirates have a great deal, Hegemony has a ban on AI, weapons, the Path of Ludd is radical towards all technologies), and individuals are quite free. “Capitalism” is that everything costs money, and for many things this is the only requirement. And since this is a sandbox and it’s difficult to measure progress here, it’s easier to do this through some kind of pay ox (the first capital ship, the first colony, etc.).

Economic base

Starsector has one of the most thoughtful economic systems I’ve seen. Ships must be serviced by at least the specified number of people (who, by the way, need to be paid a monthly salary), supplies per day, fuel per unit of movement (normal-space light year). Buildings in colonies generate corresponding requests for manufactured products: food production farms require organic matter; the combat base prepares crew for colonies and ships, space marines (okay, just marines) in return demanding supplies, fuel and warships, mines dig what is on the planet (organics, ore, blue ore) need heavy equipment and drugs (the life of a miner is hard). But the center of production and the center of consumption can be dozens of light years apart, so logistics is very significant. Thus everything is connected, both colonies and fleets.

Production in general

And no matter where you fly to in space, these rules will apply everywhere. This means traders will be lurking around everywhere, having seen on their Tri-Tachyon brand transmitter the rise in food prices several light years away. Every fleet, whether pirate or free, requires fuel and supplies (I once won a standoff against a pirate raid by maneuvering around it until they ran out of supplies). And all this lives its own life, requiring no player intervention at all. And constant events, such as another war between factions, a raid by pirates or followers of the Way, introduce unpredictability into the accepted order.

Pricing depends on several https://nogamstop-casinos.co.uk/ factors: availability of demand, resource reserves in the colony, stability of the colony. You will not sell ore for a reasonable price in a colony where there is no smelter, not to mention what prices will be in a colony with a mine of this ore. Also, you won’t sell it well in the colony, where there is already an abundance of this ore. If the colony also has orbital batteries, patrols, and a communication relay is built in the system, then goodbye easy money, stability does not contribute to a profitable deal. for a Rogue Trader. Colonies in need and victims of pirate raids, ready to sell their mother for food (or whatever they need) – this is our way.

The Black Market, or How I Stopped Worrying and Loved Anonymity

Next, let’s talk about "markets". Do you think being a trader is profitable and safe?? How about a “white” market with a 30% tax on every transaction and product in every colony?? Even with a price difference that is favorable to you, the deal is unlikely to be worth much, take into account the fuel spent and ship repairs! All the cream is in the shadow sector of the economy. Yes, this is not legal, and can be punishable by sudden inspection of you by patrols, but what can’t you do for money?. This chapter will be devoted to avoiding all these misunderstandings.

The first thing you need to know about the gameplay of this game (immediately after the tax, of course) is the button for entering the darknet and turning off the transmitter. What is she doing?

Transponder (1) included as standard

Stealth button free transaction incognito to do war crimes in the entrance not a recognizable person

Do you dream of quickly making a fortune without doing anything, selling extra (barrel or dose) junk at a good price?? Then this is the button for you. Precautionary measures: do not use in patrol areas to avoid further distress. Therefore, the second thing you need to know is that you will never believe it, another button! Which makes the radiation from your ships minimal, reducing the detection radius of other fleets, and also greatly slows you down. But you can’t just turn off the repeater in the middle of the system! The AI ​​here will quickly let you know which of you is the fool. A suddenly missing signal will make it clear that something is dirty here, and a patrol needs to be sent out. Therefore, use either in advance or far from fleets; you can also use nebulae and asteroid belts, which block the Wi-Fi signal well.

Sounds complicated? Of course! It’s good to have fast ships, as well as a couple of perks to perform the action more efficiently. But even with all of the above, it may not have an effect due to dense, ubiquitous patrols near developed systems. That’s why I’m sharing a life hack that greatly simplifies the life of an illegal trader. Neutrals don’t care about unknown ships. At all. Therefore, be friends with them, and enjoy mutually beneficial trade without unnecessary brain fucking and taxes. Also, if your fleet is much stronger, then the approaching patrols will not rush to make claims, but rather will drop off and watch you at an honorable distance. The main thing in such a situation is not to let yourself be caught in a battle with the station. Well, this only works for hostile factions; non-aggressive ones will expect prudent behavior from you, and will be upset if you don’t want to turn on the identification beacon.

We’ve sorted out the economics, it’s time to discuss the really important things: the ideological component of the game’s economy, and the profitable earning strategies that the game encourages.

Intellectual property and monopolies. Each faction (except neutrals) has its own drawings of space vessels, and is not going to share with them. Therefore, to access the coolest ships, you will need to give them a good lick, join their club, carry out their stupid orders, protect their systems from raids (the most profitable way in every sense). Thus, factions generate political and economic power around them, providing unique ships and access to powerful weapons. Yes, of course, you can find the wrecked ship you need in outer space, or on the black market, if you are incredibly lucky. You can accidentally find blueprints while exploring distant systems, or storming orbital construction docks, but you need to already have a developed colony, having previously invested a lot of money. But most likely you will have to follow the lead of the factions.

A little more about the black market. There is a proverb that goes like this: “Everything that ends up on the black market will sooner or later end up in the hands of pirates” (c) Sun Tzu Statham. But the rule is working. Having sold blueprints of small ships with jump engines to someone illegally, after a while you may encounter a raid by pirates who have suddenly made a technological breakthrough with your help. I don’t know if it works for capital ships, I think that pirates shouldn’t have enough production capacity, but you never know.

Also, in fact, any deal concluded on the black market will be beneficial to the pirates (or the Way of Ludd), since they cannot trade openly due to enmity with all (well, almost) other factions.

The most profitable goods that are sold and bought almost everywhere are drugs and harvested (yes, absolutely voluntarily) organs. Their price is one of the highest, which means that in order to get a profit it is not necessary to have a lot of cargo space, due to the specifics of the goods (they are prohibited) in remote regions (mostly pirated, of course) there is always not enough of it, and the difference between buying and selling can easily differ by 2-3 times, if you are lucky, then more. We get a good startup and a deal with conscience.

Sale price (bought for about 170)

General stonks (ah, the total price turned out to be a little lower, here you have dynamic prices)

You already understand that trading on the black market is profitable. Now let’s think a little more broadly. “Into the Dark” you can bargain even with hostile factions, pirates and followers of the Way are at least polynomial, but the defense of their colonies is lame (you can try your luck even with a relatively small fleet), prices depend on supplies and stability. Let’s mix the above and… oh my God, this is almost a win-win earning scheme!

Once again, but from the beginning. We’re saving up money for a cruiser-class ship (any Falcon will do), with such a ship the little mongrels will avoid us, a couple of cargo and fuel ships, a hundred other warriors, and we’re looking for a victim. We tactically bombard the planet to weaken stability, plunder the poor pirate colony without resistance until we fill the holds, and repeat with another planet until we get bored. We sell wherever needed. After a couple of months, the robbed planets will be ready to trade with you again, and often still have a shortage of approximately all the required products. And while you are making this circle, the first colony will already recover from the shock. It’s fun, profitable, and in addition to money you’ll also get a couple of levels. And most importantly, the scheme is flexible and easily expanded and supplemented.

I don’t remember exactly, I reached it myself or spied it somewhere, but the game itself encourages such “creativity”, because money is always needed, and easy money presupposes the presence of such inhumane methods, and you will not be punished for such behavior.

Money doesn’t smell

Maybe the developers didn’t have such thoughts in mind when creating the game, but I came to them. No pretentious dialogues, cutscenes, etc. Only gameplay and economics, which is in everything, and from which you cannot escape. This is why Starsector is great.

It’s not an enviable fate for people in such a world. Being a colonist often means living on planets with far-from-Earth conditions, probably working hard, and if you’re lucky, not being on the outskirts where raiders often visit. Being part of the crew is also not sweet, since hundreds of ships are lost in constant wars, and there is no guarantee that you will not end up on them. In any of these cases, you have no right to vote, you are a commodity and a consumable. They will tell you to settle a toxic planet – you will do it, you have no choice. If you’re lucky, you can become an officer on a small ship, or occupy a more or less important position in a colony. If you’re very lucky, you can become the administrator of a colony and spend years managing a bare piece of stone in space with rare ore. The “luckiest” ones become fleet captains, and have the opportunity to do whatever they want, but they pay for it with the risks of being lost in the next expedition or dying in battle along with the entire fleet. In this world, man is a wolf to man, and there is no way out of this vicious circle.

Well, I hope this was an interesting read. I hope to write about the gameplay of the game soon. In the meantime, be there, space wanderers, and remain human wherever the road of adventure takes you.