It's amusing to see threads still popping up about game difficulty, while players don't realize how trivial in reality this game is.
Few "rules" to make life easier for every new player:
- Start on normal and savescum a lot, it's essential to cover the basics, nothing will teach you stuff like your own mistakes.
- If you have a rough start, just re-roll. Personally I can't remember single very rough start for me ever, like two big pirate fleets? Nope.
- Don't ever pick comission, unless you're into non-stop hardcore fighting. If you're trying to roleplay trader, your best bet is to get as friendly as possible with everyone, and even not to *** off pirates too much, at least early game.
- Roleplaying trader (or explorer) at the start is pretty hardcore way to have challenge. Payouts of both are absolutely pathetic, while risks are sky high.
- On some missions which require you to deliver some stuff, it may trigger special pirate event, where they will wait for you at the exit from Hyper and will try to extort you, if you can't beat them, reload and try different mission.
- Bounty hunter is the best (and only tbh) way to build up money and fleet, because payouts are very-very high while you're gonna be up against pretty even opposition (try to go for lowest bounties early on). I hope you're aware about galaxy info panel with random bounties, trade, factions and other useful info.
- Sadly right now, and especially if you're new and don't feel masochistic, ^ it's the only safe start option in the game.
After few hours of bounty hunting, you should be able o afford fleet that steamrolls any pirate armada you can come across (even two), and literally 15 minutes later you will be rocking best ****ing fleet in the galaxy, because rewards are exponential and opposition will be even easier to crush. Earning 500k+ for steamrolling some douches will make you rich quick. The drawback is that everything will feel waaay to easy for you from that point. It's too easy in this game to reach invincible state, where nothing can really mess with you.
After you bought all you ever wanted and been hauling all that stuff on some station with several dozens of millions of credits on your balance, you're ready to start your roleplay and not worry about dying, reloading and stuff. I've got like 10 Astral supercarriers and around 20 of each ship I like with heaps upon heaps of weapons and other equipment, while I'm rolling as trader in some junk ships like Buffalo, Hound, Lasher, Hammerhead with Dram tanker and etc. Yeah, it can feel boring sometimes, but it's one of a kind sandbox in space where you really can roleplay in.
P.S. Really miss the time when everything was so fresh, and felt like challenge, now it somewhat feels like chore, but good and still very unique type of chore. New update will bring even more stuff to play with, really looking forward to it!