Currency (EXC)

History

During the transition from the Earth to the space age, human civilization, dependent on the economy of infinite growth, was in advanced decline. Governments were virtually powerless; all military and industrial power was under the control of freshly formed hyper-corporations. World currencies, like paltidlo, were worthless. To enable mutual exchange, hyper-corporations established their own new circulating currency. Given the planned escape to space, they defined it as a medium of exchange valid on the stock exchange in a new, non-Earth society. They named it Extraterrestrial Exchange Credit, or EXC.

Usage

EXC can be used to purchase raw materials, items, ship modules, and station blocks. EXC is also required for building station blocks in addition to necessary raw materials. EXC is needed to hire crew members.

Sources of EXC Income

There are several possible sources of income, with their priority changing over time. It is recommended to draw from all sources. Even if it may seem that some sources provide little income at the moment, this may not be the case in the future. Therefore, do not abandon your income sources.

Daily Reward

This is the first significant income for new players; if they log in every 24 hours, they receive a certain amount of EXC, cards, and morale. The amount increases with each consecutive day. For the reward to grow, the player must log in every day in a row. If they miss a day, they start over the next day.

Tutorials and Step Rewards

Each completed tutorial mission rewards the player, usually with a financial reward. If the mission is completed on time, the reward is significantly higher than if completed late. Many missions also involve selling loot, providing additional income while completing the mission. Therefore, it is important to complete tutorial missions early in the game. Not only will you learn the game's basic mechanics, but you'll also earn money.

Quest Cards

You will often receive "QUEST" cards. After playing them, they will appear at the top of the screen. Once their goal is reached, they reward you. They often contain EXC, experience, and other card packages.

Trade

By listing items on the market, you create a trade offer, which traders (buyers) will immediately respond to. For the item to be purchased, the offer must meet certain criteria.

Initially, it’s better to place the offer on an NPC station (the one with the white icon). There may be many reasons why traders don’t rush to your station that don't apply to NPC stations.
Pay for an advertisement with the offer; otherwise, only traders docked at that station will see it. If the offer is unadvertised, it will appear on the Tradelink system, which broadcasts interplanetarily. The reach of your offer will increase dramatically.
Don’t offer large volumes and enable partial purchases. Although traders have large ships, they are not always empty. If your offer requires too large a volume of product, the trader won’t be able to buy it. Allowing partial sales will enable them to buy only as much as they have cargo space for. The recommended amount will be pre-filled when creating the offer.
The recommended price for the offer will also be pre-filled for that location. It’s advisable to stick to this price or even lower it slightly. Hyper-corporation buyers will only purchase goods that make sense for them financially.
Traders will set a maximum price they are willing to pay in their local area, adding their margin, travel, and storage costs, and considering the quality (richness) of the goods. They will compare the final amount with your offer price. If your price is too high, they will not purchase. The right price is not easy to determine. Each trader comes from a different place, works for a different hyper-corporation with different pricing policies, and has different purchasing criteria over time and location.
Sell goods with high added value. If you sell something for 10 EXC per item and bought it for 9.50 EXC per item, there isn’t much room for pricing and advertising. Therefore, try to get the highest possible added value, buying for 1 EXC and selling for 10 EXC. This is an old adage, but it still holds true: “Buy cheap, sell expensive...”

Examples of Economic Activities in the Game

Here is an overview of some proven activities you can engage in; ideally, combine them. These activities are "peaceful," beneficial to players around you, and therefore recommended. If you are beneficial to your surroundings, it’s unlikely that they will attack you, and in the future, your usefulness may decrease. Trade is always better than war.

Miner

Mine raw materials and sell them; the cost is only for the rigs used and your work in transport.

Mine raw materials, refine them at an NPC station refinery, and then sell them. The added value increases further.

Mine raw materials, refine them at your own refinery, and then sell them; this saves considerable refining fees.

Hauler

Buy anything cheaper at one station than at another, transport it there, and offer it on the market.

Buy raw materials from a miner at a good price, transport them to where they are more expensive, and potentially refine them before selling.

Breeder

Breed COLONISTS, raise ASTRONAUTS, and sell them - for this, you need your own STATION.

Exorcist

Kill any EVIL and sell the loot while training your crew and combining it with the breeder.

Clearing groups of EVIL in trade lanes is crucial for functional trade with hyper-corporations. Traders won’t send a merchant ship to you if there are enemies near your station.

Do this as prevention within a ZONE and alongside station patrols to protect against parasites. Get paid for it.

Manufacturer

Buy raw materials and BLUEPRINTS, produce items at an NPC or your own station, and then offer them for sale.

Combine this with hauling, meaning buying materials where they are cheapest and transporting finished products to where they are most expensive.

Signal Hunter

Fly to download SIGNALS, save them as BLUEPRINTS, and sell them. Alternatively, combine this with manufacturing and hauling.

Learn to Use the Sector Map

The sector map is an amazing tool for traders. It quickly shows where there is an excess of goods, and it helps identify shortages as well.

You can see what is being sold and the concentration of people. Where there are many people but specific items are missing, you are likely to sell your goods there, even at a higher price.