Mission

Welcome Pilot. This is Alywn Pinguar speaking, sectional leader of the TRI Department for Galactic Mission Oversight and Regulation. Below is the overview of mission standards and objectives that you requested. Since you have not filled out a 103104xz requisition form, you are limited to declassified data and general mission information.

This is fairly straightforward document describing the basic information related to each mission. You will notice that each mission has certain requirements that you will need to fulfill before the mission will be marked as complete.


Mining Missions

Mining is a good way of collecting raw materials without stripping a planet of its resources. Since each station is constantly consuming these materials, mining missions are always available and often pay very well.

Before you can mine you will need to obtain a few pieces of equipment. The first is a mining laser. (The best of which are produced primarily by the Quantar.) Secondly, you will need a capacitor to power the laser.

Now you are ready to begin mining. Before you launch, take a moment to figure out where the best place to mine would be. Since you are not cleared for galactic mineral surveys and distribution charts, you may want to take a few scout missions and note which sectors contain which types of deposits.

(Tip: Due to the spatial disturbances that ripped apart known space in the first place, there are large deposits of all types of minerals near the epicenter. It is also rumored that mineral deposits can be mined fasted by actively mining different areas of an asteroid.)

Common Metals

These are the most basic asteroids containing trace elements of common materials. Although such materials sell for a very low amount, they are often needed in large quantities.

Precious Metals

The materials mined from this type of asteroid often are rich in metals such as gold, platinum, and silver. On average, the ore mined from this asteroid will be worth more than common materials.

Radioactive Metals

Radioactive asteroids are by far the most worthwhile to mine. Due to the high demand for such materials in reactors and weapon systems, radioactive metals will always be in high demand.

Semifluxors

Semifluxor asteroids are the most despised asteroids in all space due to their dark color, which has created a navigational hazard for many a pilot. Rich in silicon, this type of asteroid will often fetch you a profit comparable to a precious metals mining run.

Ice Ore

 Formed in the icy depths of space, this type of asteroid is rich in frozen water deposits, but also contains trace amounts of various other elements. Mining these lumps of ice is not very profitable, but is very necessary for life forms needing water to survive.


Transport Missions

Transport missions are fairy simple missions. Once you accept a transport mission, a unique item will be loaded into your cargo bay. These items may contain sensitive data or equipment, such as weapons and equipment prototypes, sensitive data discs, or personal belongings.

Once you have received your transshipment container, all you have to do is deliver it to the designated station. Unlike most other missions, transport missions will pay on the spot. (You do not even have to sell the item, you must simply dock at the station, and the dock crew will take care of delivery for you.)

The biggest fear for a transport pilot is splashing against a 'roid, or being shot down by rogue fighters. If you splash during the course of a transport mission, the item will be lost, resulting in a failure.

Some complain that transport missions don't pay very well, but as a starter pilot, a few courier runs will help you out in a hurry.
 
Standard Transshipment Containers

Standard cargo crate. Used for transporting any number of personal or sensitive items. Each crate is magnetically sealed.

 Standard data disc. Although small in size, each disc can contain virtually unlimited amounts of data. Secured using any number of encryption techniques.

 Standard liquid transport containers. Can also be used for pressurized gases. Usually sealed or locked using magnetic or other means.

 

Cargo Missions

Cargo missions are slightly more advanced than transport missions. A station offers cargo missions when the supply of a particular commodity is low. To complete a cargo mission you will need to fly to a space station which stocks the particular item, purchase the specified quantity, and then return to the station of origin.

These missions, which consist mostly of profit margin comparisons and long hours behind the flight stick, are one of the riskier missions available. Since pilots are often weighed down by cargo they will need to keep an eye out for renegade fighters. In fact, on an expensive haul, it may be worth your time to split the profits with a few wingmen, and hire and escort fighter wing.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you, unlike the transport pilot, will have to pay for the cargo load out of your own pocket! As risky as this type of venture is, the profits are usually worth it.

Cargo missions can be very lucrative to a pilot who can afford a freighter, but will be considerably more difficult for a low level pilot in a fighter craft.

 

Patrol Missions

Patrol missions are imperative to local defense within a faction's sphere of influence. These missions are extremely straightforward, in that all you need to do is pass through a series of space locations. Once you have docked, the dock crew will make sure that your ship's flight recorder information is downloaded and sent to central command for processing.

A helpful resource for patrol missions is the in-flight map.

These missions can also be used in conjunction with personal cargo or beacon runs since they are so easy to complete.

 

Combat Missions

Although TRI encourages peaceful conflict resolution, the protection of enlisted pilots comes before communication with the conflux. To date no method of communication has succeeded, which leaves no choice but to rip 'em and send them back whenceforth they came. Combat missions are often offensive in nature, and are by far the riskiest of all missions.

Once you have accepted a combat mission, you will need to locate and destroy a given number of conflux craft. Combat missions will usually pay better than expected, as each conflux kill will generate a bounty as well as an experience point bonus.

 

Scout Missions

Scout missions are one of the more important missions available from TRI's perspective. These assignments, should you choose to accept them, provide TRI with much needed recon data about spatial anomalies and the like.

On occasion, you may also receive scouting assignments from your faction, which often consist of snapping a few pictures or scans of an opposing faction's stations. These assignments can be especially risky if other pilots catch on to your intent. In fact, once your mission has been uncovered by enemy pilots, be prepared to face espionage charges (usually dispensed at point blank from the steaming barrel of a serializer.)

Before accepting a scout mission, you will want to make sure that you have purchased the necessary mission equipment. Depending on the mission, you will need either a camera or a scanner MODx equipped.

Scanning Equipment

Solrain's standard data recording device can be configured to record any number of frequencies directly to an internal disc drive.

 Quantar's standard scanning device can record for several hours before the onboard hard drive must be wiped.

 Working on a slightly different system, the standard Octavian scanner pipes recorded data directly into the ship's main computer, giving virtually endless hours of recording time.

Visual Recording Devices (Cameras)

The Solrain camera includes such features as automatic zoom and digital image compression. these cameras can be used on even the most invasive espionage missions.

 Quantar's VRD (visual recording device) is the most durable camera on the market. this device was used during the GVB wars, and over 80% of damaged cameras contained salvageable data.

 Although Octavian cameras are both bulky and somewhat low tech, they do serve their purpose.

 

T.R.I. Missions

TRI often issues missions which will serve their interest (and supposedly everyone else's...) These missions range from keeping the conflux population down to running large loads of a particular commodity to a TRI certified production facility. TRI missions can be accepted from any station, and are universally uniform.

 

Faction Missions

Faction missions are issued from each empire's home world, and provide specific objectives for their members. Faction missions, when completed, build specific buildings and other useful items for that sector, which adds varying benefits and abilities to the faction's station and or pilots.