Contracts
Contents
Contracts
There are three types of contracts available: cargo, parcel and passenger. These contracts are accessed through the F4 Interfaces screen, via the "Cargo contract deliveries", "Parcel contract deliveries" and "Passenger contract deliveries" items. The quantity and quality of any contracts is variable and dependant on a number of factors (position of the planet in the galactic sector, experience of the pilot, available space on the ship, etc).
After you accept any contract, a summary of the details of it can located on the F5F5 Manifest screen. Also, the destination system will be marked on the F7 System map.
Contracts are automatically completed when you dock at the destination station. Depending on the result, a message will be added to your arrival report, informing you of the result and the amount of any payment made to you (if applicable).
You must dock at the main station to complete contracts. Docking at a Rock Hermit or an OXP station will not complete contracts.
Cargo Contracts
Cargo contracts involve taking a prescribed amount of a certain commodity to another system within a given timeframe. Bonuses may be paid if the delivery is completed ahead of time. Arriving late, or with less than the contracted amount of cargo, could result in a reduced payment, or no payment at all. As contracts are completed successfully, your reputation as a cargo pilot will increase and better contracts may be offered.
You must have sufficient cargo space to take the full delivery amount in order to accept the contract.
If you lose part of your cargo on route to the destination, you can buy any shortfall amounts wherever you can. As long as you arrive with the full cargo amount before the deadline, the contract will be completed successfully.
To view all the available cargo contracts, open the "Cargo contract deliveries" F4 interface.
Items displayed with a gray color are not available for the player for various reasons (insufficient resources, insufficient cargo space, and low reputation are the most common reasons). Items displayed in yellow are available to the player. If only one contract is available, the details of the contract will be displayed immediately. Otherwise, select a contract and press "Enter" to view the details.
The destination will be displayed on the system map, and if the ANA is installed, the route will also be shown, and menu options will allow the route mode to be switched from "quickest" to "shortest". Details about the contract will be shown here, including estimates on how long the voyage will likely take, how much must be paid in advance, and how much will be paid on completion.
Parcel Contracts
Parcel contracts involve taking a small item, like some legal documents or sporting videos, to another system within a given timeframe. Because these parcels do not take up cargo space, you can accept as many of them as you believe you can deliver. Bonuses may be paid if the delivery is completed ahead of time. Arriving late will result in no payment at all. As contracts are completed successfully, your reputation as a courier will increase and better contracts may be offered.
Parcels will be taken with you if you are forced to use an escape pod.
Care must be taken when accepting parcel contracts. Some contracts have a higher degree of risk and could attract the attention of assassins.
To view all the available parcel contracts, open the "Parcel contract deliveries" F4 interface.
Items displayed with a gray color are not available for the player for various reasons (low reputation is the most common reason). Items displayed in yellow are available to the player. If only one contract is available, the details of the contract will be displayed immediately. Otherwise, select a contract and press "Enter" to view the details.
The destination will be displayed on the system map, and if the ANA is installed, the route will also be shown, and menu options will allow the route mode to be switched from "quickest" to "shortest". Details about the contract will be shown here, including estimates on how long the voyage will likely take, and how much will be paid on completion.
Passenger Contracts
Passenger contracts involved ferrying passengers from one system to another within a given timeframe. You must have passenger berths installed in your ship in order to accept contracts, and you can only accept one contract per passenger berth. Bonuses may be paid if the delivery is completed ahead of time. Arriving late will result in no payment at all. As contracts are completed successfully, your reputation as a passenger transporter will increase and better contracts may be offered.
Passengers will be taken with you if you are forced to use an escape pod.
Care must be taken when accepting passenger contracts. Some passengers have a higher degree of risk and could attract the attention of assassins.
To view all the available passenger contracts, open the "Passenger contract deliveries" F4 interface.
Items displayed with a gray color are not available for the player for various reasons (insufficient passenger berths, and low reputation are the most common reasons). Items displayed in yellow are available to the player. If only one contract is available, the details of the contract will be displayed immediately. Otherwise, select a contract and press "Enter" to view the details.
The destination will be displayed on the system map, and if the ANA is installed, the route will also be shown, and menu options will allow the route mode to be switched from "quickest" to "shortest". Details about the contract will be shown here, including estimates on how long the voyage will likely take, how much will be paid in advance, and how much will be paid on completion.
OXP Options
- For older Oolite versions: Equipment Aide OXP underlays a chart telling roughly how much time it takes to install new equipment from the F3 screen (the newer Oolite versions give exact times automatically)
- Cargo Contract Mod OXP makes cargo contracts a little more profitable
- Display Current Course adds the current plotted course to all new contract detail pages, enabling one to see if a new contract is on a similar path to what is presently plotted.
OXP Contracts
Several OXP's offer additional types of contracts to the player. 'Contracts' in this context are understood to be repeatable, variable, optional missions that aren't part of a single-play, once-only mission. These are:
- GalCop Missions
- Escort Contracts
- Rescue Stations
- Random Hits
- In-System Taxi
- Mining Contracts
- Smugglers - The Galactic Underworld
- Taxi Galactica
Bulletin Board System
The Bulletin Board System can be used to combine all the standard contracts, and most of the OXP contracts, into one view, rather than having a different F4 interface screen for each one, by using the Bulletin Board Contracts OXP.