Originally posted by dacis2
seriously! i don't know!
Go to the mission computer and take a scout mission in the local system. Scout missions are the easiest way to rack up the money in the early part of the game, since all you have to do is touch the waypoint and get out alive again. With afterburners, you can just zip in, touch the waypoint, then zip back out again, then auto to the nearest base to collect your money.
-- You want afterburners. You really really want afterburners.
-- Up-gun your ship asap. I prefer 2 meson blaster, because they're cheap, but cause a decent amount of damage for their price with a reasonable refire rate.
-- As soon as possible, buy two missile launchers and arm them with IR missiles. Two IR missiles will kill most Talons, so you'll be set to whip Pirate and Retro butt, although you're still toast for Kilrathi.
-- Don't even CONSIDER interstellar travel until you've got a repair robot. Interstellar trips are long hauls, and without a robot to repair your damage you're meat on the table at your current skill level.
-- Avoid Kilrathi at all costs. They are much more heavily armored and difficult to kill than pirates or retros. A dralthi is beatable, but a Gothri is death. Four Gothris is suicide at your current skill level (i.e. just starting out).
-- Regarding the plot: If you want a challenge play the plot as early as possible. If you just want to win avoid starting the plot until you've maxed out your ship (I suggest a Centurion with 4 Tachyon cannons, 2 missile launchers with 20 missiles, best ECM, repair robot, jump drive and all maps, max shields, max engines). The plot missions are far easier with a better ship.
When you're ready to start the plot, start talking to bartenders. They'll suggest places to go and things to see.
Go to those places and visit the bars at each.
Occasionally, there'll be someone else in the bar you can talk to. Talk to them, and they'll offer you a mission. If you want to complete the main plot, you MUST accept the mission and you MUST complete it successfully. Make sure you save before you leave, because if you fail EVEN ONE of these missions, the plot is instantly over. There are no second chances -- but that's what saved games are for!
Some of the missions are morally questionable. I'll give you just a gentle spoiler -- you can't avoid being a smuggler but you don't have to be a murderer. If you ever are put into such a morally indefensible position, carefully read the mission objectives and see if there are any alternatives that will fulfill the letter of the mission objectives but don't require murder.
Good luck!
Respectfully,
Brian P.