I thought this thread was going to be about smuggling prostitutes.

Uh, aren't covert ops transport ships unable to be scanned? That's smuggling right there. Hop to it.

You could probably introduce high paying smuggling missions from the pirate factions that bring you into high sec.

Smuggling should certainly be very profittable. But that profit should also come with a high degree of risk.

Risk from all quarters, both player (catching smugglers can have numerous benefits) and NPC (such as, if not direct assault by faction or empire, then at least by faction standing and/or security status loss, if caught. Perhaps even NPC placed bounties).

Then there is the risk of failing the faction/agent you are smuggling for (there should be consequences there to, like status loss, underworld-bounties placed, loss of collateral, or even specialized NPC pirates that will specifically try to hunt you down and take you out - Hey the underworld is dangerous, you don't want to fail the boss - Even if "you get boarded sometimes").

Now if only they had a way to have you frozen in carbonite....

To a lesser extent PvP can be exerted through the licenses and forcing them to get "stuck" on gates/flagged as suspect by customs (as already discussed). And interactions with customs officials and faction have already been discussed to some extent. Any ideas for specifics?

The market isnt the only tool to make something visible. People don't buy supers on the market. Researched BPOs?

Also, again as i said before, remove it from HIGH SEC markets. This way Lowsec markets will form for drugs (much like the capital ship trade)


it does make sense for smuggling. If you want the item in highsec, you'll have to arrange for someone to smuggle it in. As for lowsec/null anything goes so its fine to put them on market there.

There is no help for you mate, regardless of whether you agree with me or not ;)

A strong smuggling profession by requires that the stuff has to be produced in null/low (preferably low because it needs the love) and in high demand in highsec.

1. Remove learning implants from the game. They need to go anyway to encourage PvP.

2. Introduce Learning Boosters that last a week/fortnight/month (or whatever balance you choose).

3. Learning Boosters can only be produced in lowsec. Or, a critical component is only found/produced in lowsec and is also contraband.

4. Allow contracts to include contraband but stick a whopping warning on it and a popup for publics. They can be sold on the market so why can't I contract a smuggler? Or maybe create a new contract type (Public Courier, Contraband).

Benefits:

- Exorcise the curse of learning implants. Seriously, these things are a horrible mechanic that either make the pilot risk averse or not want to PvP because of training time loss.

- Increase activity and traffic in lowsec.

- Create an actual profession by allowing formal, accountable contracts.

I would rather give players to work with Concord and hunt down smugglers, instead of NPCs doing the job.

For example, player scans cargo of smugglers ship and notices illegal stuff, he contacts Concord and gets "OK" to shoot down the ship.

Or if you have illegal stuff in cargo you are attackable by anyone without Concord destroying attacker. But trick is if you have illegal stuff in cargo you are not flashy, not flagged by anything, you are just neutral as "normal" players. Except when fired upon you get killed and killer wont get Concorded. That will bring up some PvP and also new profession to hunt down smugglers. Best of all its all players running the show not some NPC.

I think EVE future should be by players for players and NPCs have less and less role.

Yea there needs to be more in order to smuggle. Currently it's just a handful of drugs.

Why not something as simple as if a player cargo scans a ship moving contraband (and detects that contraband), the smuggler is flagged with a limited engagement timer that allows the scanner to attack. If the scanner destroys the smuggler's ship he or she gets a small number of CONCORD LP in proportion to the value of the destroyed cargo, similar to the way FW LP are awarded for kills. I agree there would need to be more items to smuggle to make this interesting.

Just flat out NO.

Smuggling is one of the few things in EvE that take genuine ingenuity and team work to pull off. It doesn't need to be dumbed down so every dip that can train a skill can do it.

It's an underground career path, like espionage and others it shouldn't have skills to make it simpler. There are already enough ways to get in and out of hisec with drugs while avoiding customs. Figure it out!

The only smuggling love i'd like to see is possibly new contraband items introduced.

But making it easier to smuggle? No please don't dumb it down CCP. Leave some things in game that require creative thinking skills please. We should have to figure out creative ways to deal with our NPC overlords, not skills and modules to bypass them...