Let's Play Space Trader

There's this wonderful game called Space Trader for the Palm Pilot. Someone made a version for Windows which is pretty much the exact same thing. Other people have made their own versions, which are all pretty different, but I have not played them. In fact, half of those 'other versions' are probably just games that have nothing to do with the original Space Trader other than the fact that "Space" and "Trader" are pretty common words and what else are you gonna name a simulation game about being a trader in space?

Here it is if you'd like it. I didn't get any viruses when I got but be careful anyway. https://sourceforge.net/projects/spacetraderwin/



So the style of this adventure is I'm going to be playing this game, posting screenshots, allowing you the readers to make some major decisions. This is a fairly open ended game. While you're supposed to be a merchant, there are quests, and you do have the option of becoming a Vigilante or a Pirate.

In addition I will indeed draw pictures of this and add some adventure-y elements of my own that involve what the player is doing when not space trading.

--------------
Day 0:
Dear Diary,
Today is my first day as a Space Trader! This is such a wonderful profession. My father and my mother were space traders, but they SUCKED at it! All they ever made was a measly 1000 credits!

....
I should not speak ill of them, bless their souls. I'll make their spirits proud to call me "Offspring." Having inherited their ship, the Gnat, I shall start small and become richer and richer until....

What's something I'd like... Something that would give me fame... power... happiness......

A moon! Yes, I'm gonna buy a moon! It's gonna be a great moon! I love moons! And then I'm going to retire there and have such a great life.

So Diary, what do you think of my plan? Do you think I can make it? I wonder how long it will take me... I believe that I truly will be the best Space Trader.

Oh! Sorry Diary! I forgot to introduce myself...



Name: >_
Difficulty: >_

Assign values between 1 and 10, inclusive. The total sum must equal 20.
Pilot:
Fighter:
Trader:
Engineer:

>_

Well I seem to already be in the game as the local currency so

> Currency: Yell at M'Xurino to place 10 points into Trading because you want to get the hell out of this weird person's grasp. Randomize the rest. Not like it'll influence anything important, right?

-Spheal
-Impossible
-Pilot: 8
-Fighter: 1
-Trader: 8
-Engineer: 3

SpoilerShow

WHY IS EVERYTHING SO TINY

YOU'RE HURTING MY EYES, GNAUGA

Murphy
impossible
10 points in pilot, the rest in trader

SpoilerShow

Well I seem to already be in the game as the local currency so

> Currency: Yell at M'Xurino to place 10 points into Trading because you want to get the hell out of this weird person's grasp. Randomize the rest. Not like it'll influence anything important, right?

-Spheal
-Impossible
-Pilot: 8
-Fighter: 1
-Trader: 8
-Engineer: 3

Murphy
impossible
10 points in pilot, the rest in trader

I am Speal M'urphino! I'm an excellent talker because I'm ridiculously cute.. I'm a Spheal, you see. I specialize in negotiating better deals.

If I ever get attacked, my only defense is going to be running away, and I should be pretty good at that. I'm not going to stand a chance if I fight back because I'm not a good Fighter and also my ship's defenses aren't very good because I am not a good Engineer...

Fortunately, I am REALLY good at running away. I'm a great Pilot!
So even though there are Pirates all over the place... I should be fine.



Pirates.... they killed my parents. They weren't even in space. I'm not sure why, but they came down to the planet and stormed my house...

We didn't stand a chance. They had a Pulse Laser. I was hidden and they never found me.

After they killed my parents they just left. They didn't take anything... except my parent's lives.

For a while I wanted revenge but I realized that I could never win. Not against the pirates. I could only run...



I live in the star system Kaylon. The planet I live on, Pokemon World (which is the only habitable planet in this system), is not very advanced in technology and we have to rely on the help of aliens if we want any technology. Still, it is all very expensive, so we have to deal in what we have, food, water and furs.

Our government advocates for peace, but despite this, all the humans on this planet don't do anything but fight each other with pokemon. Our government is not powerful enough to control this pokemon fighting.

Click: https://i.imgur.com/UpIVfLE.png

Diary, let me tell you more about my ship. It's a Gnat, and I should give it a name, but I haven't yet. I like it because it's mostly the same color as me! It is a good beginning ship, but I should get a better one later if I want to have more cargo space to carry goods and such.

The Gnat has one weapon slot and one gadget slot. Gadgets can do various things, but they mostly just provide more cargo space or improve one of my skills. I don't have a gadget though. I have a Pulse Laser, but I doubt I will use it, because, again, I can't do much in a fight except run away.



So, where should I go next? >_
Note: Sol will give the most profit if I buy Water here and sell it on Sol.

Ship Name >_

Should I buy a newspaper before I go? Should I buy a newspaper EVERY time I go someplace new? Newspapers cost 5 credits. >_

Sell Pulse Laser >_ ?

We can take a loan of up to 1000 credits in the bank. I don't know what the interest rate is... But that option is there.

Also, what options do we want to take?
>_

> Take a loan of 1000. Sell Pulse Laser. Buy water. Sell at Sol.

> Ignore pirates

> Newspapers are gr8. Show on arrival.

Day 1
Dear Diary,
I have reached Sol... it was a very safe, boring trip! I was approached by some traders with an offer to buy goods, but, just as my parents always told me, back when they were still alive, the best place to buy and sell stuff is at the space port! The folks in space never have better deals.



The planet Earth is just full of humans. It's awful. Humans...! I can't stand their creepy arms and weird chests...
I just hope none of them think I'm wild and chuck a pokeball at me!



Okay what is this. The price for water has dropped. Yesterday it was 53.. now it is 49...! Ugh, those traders in space actually did have a better deal! Ughhh

Oh well...

Having sold my stock of water for some nice profit I checked the market and.... look at that profit! I can only afford one load of narcotics, but I'd get a ton of profit for it if I sell it on Sigma. But Sigma is full of policemen, and that means it's more likely that they will stop me on a routine search.

Firearms and Narcotics are illegal, you see! I've heard of great vigilantes, who have defeated hundreds of pirate ships and helped the police, but were caught with illegal goods and suddenly their reputation plummeted...

So... what should I do? Should I risk it? I don't know what will happen if I get caught.
If I'm sticking to the side of the law, my best bet would be to sell Games back on my home planet. Not nearly as much money there in narcotics...
Speaking of my home planet... if I sell the Narcotics there instead, I'd make less money, but I have less risk of getting caught because the police level there is Few....

Selling illegal goods at Sigma: ~2000 credit profit, high risk
Selling legal goods at Kaylon: ~600 credit profit.
Selling illegal goods at Kaylon: ~1250 credit profit, lower risk
>_

Meanwhile, I can purchase an escape pod. It costs 2000 credits...
Should I get one?
>_

Click: https://i.imgur.com/Lm7VYN9.png

There's also this stuff for sale. I can only afford Extra Cargo Bays...

Click: https://i.imgur.com/p8nD7bG.png

Also, ships, for future reference.

We should probably decide what kind of ship, and with what kind of gadgets and weapons and shields we want to get in the future!!!
Also... what order do we want to get them?
>_

...Why am I letting my diary decide all my important life decisions anyway?
>_

> Because you love your diary. Never doubt your diary. Sacrifice human blood to your diary

> You can't buy as many Narcotics if you buy anything else so don't. Who needs to escape anyway when you can die among the beautiful stars?

> Sell Narcotics at Kaylon.

> Be safe, don't buy drugs!

> Instead, make profits on selling incredibly addictive video games to your home planet.

I vote for DANGER, DRUGS, and DOOOOOM!