Phaese
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Posted - 2006.04.11 18:18:00 -
[1]
Well, a couple of things... I'm not saying my thoughts accurately reflect COSMOS, but I do speak from personal experience.
Most COSMOS missions are storylines and thus can only be ran once; though completeing all of them may take a while, it's not gonna last forever (effectively forever at least) like conventional missions will. The one exception, to my knowledge: I'm pretty sure some agents will repeatedly ask for Archeology loot, so if I'm not wrong than you'd have an infinite source of Archeology-related missions.
That being said, understand that Gallante's COSMOS is totally gimped. Firstly, check out Thukker's standings; they're actually negative to Gallante. Running Thukker missions will, as far as I know, actually lower your Gallante faction standing. Secondly, there aren't even that many Gallante agents in Algintal to begin with, as more than half seem to be Thukker/Caldari/pirate faction agents. This, I think, isn't quite fair; Amarr, Caldari, and Minmatar all have more than enough agents in their respective COSMOS constellations.
I can't tell you if Archeology is a viable method of income, and I won't critize you for wanting to play "in-character". However, I will explain what Archeology consists of (assuming that it works the same way as hacking):
1) Warp through acceleration gate.
2) Kill rats.
3) Orbit within 5k of a "spawn container" - a.k.a., things that can be hacked (Hacking) or analized (Archeology).
4) Lock and hack/analize.
5) Move within 1.5k of spawn container once successfully hacked/analized.
6) Pick up loot.
7) Repeat.
Keep in mind this can only be done with virtually no rats around you, and typically they spawn quite rapidly. On top of that, many of these deadspace complexes consist of scramming/webbing frigs, dozens of cruisers, and multiple battleships... And they only let in cruiser-size ships or under. This often translates to needing a team of at least one HAC and some other damage-dealing ship (likely another HAC) just to be able to do your work. In other words, it's a total *****.
Overall, I think COSMOS, despite having a lot of kinks, is a nice change from normal mission running. However, I wouldn't enjoy hacking or analizing any longer than absolutely necessary - ideally, not at all. I think it's boring and, since I operate solo, also quite hard (depends on the deadspace complex). I'd recommend normal agents as the mainstay of your mission-running, with COSMOS being a nice change.
However, I would talk to a few more people, since I'm awefully biased. 
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