No NPCs?

[moth hunter]

I've played around a bit, and noticed that my universe does not seem to contain any NPCs aside from the one at the shop where you start. No Pirates aside from the automatically firing stations, all the shops are empty, and I even found 2 trading ships / stations (not abandoned ones), nobody there either. At least the empty shops complain when I shoot at them, the trading ships / stations didn't even do that...
Did I miss some setting?
I play in Single player / Sandbox mode, AI is set to easy.

[GeekyGek]

yeah thats pretty much it unless you hire a crew member, but even those are very limited at the moment. I've never seen another npc save those two as well.

[moth hunter]

oh, ok...
I thought there were Pirate ships I can run into? And Trade Company ships that defend their stations?
How do I trade with Shops without NPCs in them?
Is there any interaction with those large trade faction ships / stations that sit somewhere motionless?

[CrisstheNightbringer]

The NPC and AI aspect of the game hasn't recieved much attention yet. The current focus is a new rail/turret system as well as a heatlh system. They have big plans for NPC interaction.

[moth hunter]

oh...
well, can't be helped I guess...

[[RG] Lidren]

Trade stations that are shops are interfaced with the shop menu (B key) not NPCs anyway. If you fire on a trade or pirate station it should start spawning ships as you do more damage.

[GeekyGek]

Originally posted by moth hunter:

oh, ok...
I thought there were Pirate ships I can run into? And Trade Company ships that defend their stations?
How do I trade with Shops without NPCs in them?
Is there any interaction with those large trade faction ships / stations that sit somewhere motionless?

there are pirate ships and stations you can run into, they are controlled by AI modules, no npc's in them. the pirates will attack you if your in range.

the trade faction stations you can trade with just like the shop at the start, just get close enough to their stations and open the inventory and click the shop button at the top.

There is one trade station that has no shop, not sure what the plan is for that one. The little trade ships you find roaming will help you fight pirates if pirates come into range, I've sat there and watch pirates and trader ships fight each other, it looks like a mini laser light show ;)