And note that those games are
dedicated to trading/resource management. There isn't a Mad Max road combat piracy mode in Big Truck Simulator.
The whole point of being a game developer is imposing your vision of fun on others, because every game is a set of restrictive rules. Wanting everything in a game usually leads to a *** game. Exceptions exist, but not many.
...
Player choice? You choose to trade!
Risk? You have a freighter, not a combat fleet. Pirates are a big risk.
[Edit: Also, note that in the paragraph below the one you quoted I put forth reasons why bulk trading
could be fun
. But now I've changed my mind a bit.]
Sure, thats fine. Counterpoint: why should trade be incentivized as compared to smuggling. Smuggling: also requires freighters, also carries risk of pirates. However, it also adds needing to dodge the sensors of non-hostile faction fleets at the risk of having goods impounded, or requires going to pirate bases directly for more profits. IE its trading, but more involved with core game systems, requires more player input, and carries a greater risk.
Combat? Who sez you have to always fight?
The game being 95% a combat game, with nearly every mechanic leading back to combat. Starsector has truly excellent combat and cool warship design: if players aren't doing that, they aren't playing a very good game. Why use SS to trade instead of another game that is dedicated to making trading a fun time?
...
I find that "common sense" and "general human behavior" is a better argument than any technical mumbo-jumbo. People trade. Lots of good exist. Lots of good needs moving.
This I agree with, though I'd call it "internal consistency" - we see lots of trade fleets, so goods should be available (within reason). I find that the current high tariff + missions + smuggling is pretty good in terms of incentives, though it can always use tweaking as things change.