Controlling a space station also allows you to trade goods with the planet which it is orbiting, buying products and raw materials from the surface and either using them on the station or selling them on to traders visiting your outpost at the price of your choice. Every planet imports and exports various goods, and if you and your friends can gain control of every station orbiting it you will have a strangehold on its economy. As some planets export rare or even unique products that may be needed elsewhere, you can then cut off vital supplies and enforce your monopoly to raise prices. The range of possibilities on offer are almost endless, and the developers seem to be aiming to give players as much freedom as possible, instead of trying to limit them with rules and restrictions. Hired The character development system has also been designed to give you as wide a choice as possible, with many ways of gaining experience, and a wide range of skills which you can choose to train yourself in as your character develops.
Skills vary from computer hacking to weapons abilities.
As well as the usual benefits from completing quests and emerging victorious in battle, experience can also be earned by trading, running space stations, and even carrying out jobs for other players. Somewhat uniquely you will be able to hire other characters to work for you, and pay them both in cash and with experience. This should prove particularly useful for players who control space stations, as they will be able to divert some of the regular flow of experience they get from the job towards hiring other characters to help them out. How this will work in practice remains to be seen, but it's certainly a novel idea. Conclusion Ever since the first massively multiplayer games started springing up, many of us have been awaiting the arrival of an Elite-style space sim which would allow us to fly amongst the stars with hundreds of other players.