Before the game released, this is what I thought merchant missions were going to be.
There should be set Merchant routes from outpost to outpost (quickest routes displayed on the map), and missions that are accepted, mean you load say...20 crates of goods to your vessel. Your vessel then has to display merchant colours that notify other players you are on a merchant mission.
Now instead of like....10 days to complete it, you're given 10 real-time minutes (whatever is reasonably possible to complete the mission in to get from one outpost to another)
Other players can hunt these routes, PVP for said goods which can then be sold onto the black market (via a new Pirate NPC) for a lesser price.
Merchants can then choose to team up in convoy with other players for protection against would be attackers.
Would be FAR more interesting and challenging then the current set up.
Thoughts?
