I know EVERYONE is going to have an opinion on this one. Here's how it works [in my mind]:
Trading - diamonds, water, food, little dolls with wobbly heads, noobium...this is trading. It doesn't require anything special and you can do it anywhere.
Smuggling - trading in Black Market Goods [BMG's], station blueprints, deadly toxins, carnivorus bugs. Requires an RP liscence.
Here's where I'm confused: If smuggling requires an RP liscence then smuggling is RP? That's the way I picture it. This means that systems which do not allow RP also do not allow smuggling because smuggling is RP.
Police are required to have a Police Liscence to be able to fine players for illegal activity. Pirates are required to have Pirate Liscence to "tax" other players. Mercs are required to have a Merc Liscence to take contracts and collect bounties.
BUT, many players go around "trading" in BMG's WITHOUT a Smuggler's Liscence.
Many of you will say that smuggling BMG's is only trading and is not RP. If that is so, then why is there a Smuggler RP Liscence? Also, if smuggling IS roleplay, then systems which disallow RP also disallow smuggling, like New York and many clan systems.
So, I guess my question is this: Is smuggling BMG's roleplay or not? Does it require a liscence, yes or no?
There is currently a great many players on the server who think smuggling is only trading and doesn't require anything.