X2 - The Threat

TimberWolf · Post by **TimberWolf** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 2:24 pm

How is your emiper developing? Looking over the boards at the X2source it looks like the start is hard but it quickly grows like an avalanch.

They seem to agree that a ship called the Osprey makes the perfect secter patrol craft. Also they said that a Solar Power Plant (SPP) can provide enough power for up to 5 factories, such as two mining stations (unless one has an output of 50), a crystal fab, and two food factories (can't remember what they were called).

Another thing I found on the board is that the AI ships neeed to gain levels to do certian things, such as they need to be level 8 or higher to buy and sell goods from one of your factories (they are limited to just buying or selling prior) or to become a Universe Trader (instead of being a Sector Trader) where they can go into many sectors to trade.

From what I have read they can't agree on how well shielded a frieghter should be, some say leave it weak so it would be cheaper to replace while others say max it out so it can last longer in hopes of reinforcements to save it. Also if a station of yours is damaged then you have to check the boards of station in that sector to get it repaired, if there are no boards in that sector then you are short of luck.

You can tell by the fact that I am ignoring importaint home work that I am really interested in the game. I will stop by Walmart on my way home from school monday to check, I drive by it so it will only cost me the time to walk in and look.

XMEN Ashaman DTM · Post by **XMEN Ashaman DTM** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:36 pm

Do you have a Target, K-Mart, or some small place at a mall? I got mine at Target for under 10 bucks (I think it was 6 or 7 dollars, with tax). Or maybe a compusa, bestbuy (use $2 bills

), or something else would work too...

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 pm

At this point I'm very much into the empire-building as opposed to moving the plot along. I had barely any money before today, just enough to keep going. I'm trying to figure out what step to take now that I've worked up to about 300k - I could buy another ship, or should I continue saving for a factory of some sort, or what.

I think all the AI trading, even the mod you mention, can't really start until you've got a station, but there's so much I don't know. I found a copy of the manual, but it's pretty sparse, and there's a lot of difference between the original game and the 1.4 version anyway.

TimberWolf · Post by **TimberWolf** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 9:58 pm

Ash: I kind of forgot about the Kmart just down the road from the Walmart I intend to check. The Nearest Bestbuy is over an hour drive away. We do have Office Max and Office Depot. I could also see if Toysrus has it.

Gambit: As I understand it if you build a factory you will need at least two frieghters to do runs for it (one for outgoing goods and the other for incoming supplies). Also be mindfull of the area you build it in and supply and demand in the area. Once you build it there is a good chance it will be running in the red for a while until the market around it adjusts to its presense. You will also have to protect it, either by buying or making LaserTowers or by keeping fighters there.

If you do build a factory or station it would probably be best to build in Argon Prime because of the high level of NPC defence already in that sector. From there you can begin setting up a ring, a series of self sustaining stations, to start racking in the credits. Also set the number of jumps for those frieghter servicing the stations to at most 2 or else they may leave the Argon systems into areas with little defences which would mean you would have to provide some sort of escourt.

My opinion would be to get a wingman or two and take on harder missions for a while to build up credits. Also, found this out reading the X2 forums, you need to either buy your own or rent a TL class ship to carry the Station parts to where you want to build it. Here is a link to what they are: http://x2source.com/index.php?act=class&class=TL Collect enough credits so you can rent or buy the TL class ship, buy the Station you want and two frieghters with upgraded engines and software. Get the station building and while that is going on get the frieghters so when the station is done you can get the resources it needs to begin production.

Check out this link to a FAQ on GamesFAQs.com: http://db.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/ ... ations.txt

It states what each factory produces, how long it takes, and what it needs to operate. It also has info on the ships, but you should really check out the station info. This info can be used to plan what fectories to build so you can set it up to be self supplying with some over production to generate income. You could also look into building the infrastructure that will allow you to build weapon systems and other high end goods. You can slso build the LaserTowers to deploy around your stations to defend them.

If you build enough LaserTowers, you could deploy them around the Jump Gates to prevent any enemy ships from entering that way and deploy them in groups around the sector to catch Khaad (or what ever that race is called that pops in at random and attacks things). Just talking about the game makes me want it even more, ARG! But I can't get to a store until Monday, guess I have to do my work (Home work and grading students papers).

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 11:13 pm

Oh, yeah. Been there, seen all that, but just haven't DONE it yet.

Still trying to prime the money-pump.

TimberWolf · Post by **TimberWolf** » Sun May 01, 2005 12:02 am

I have been reading posts about the economy in X2 and by the sounds of it try building a SPP in Red Light, a Wheat Farm in Hole, and a Crystal Fab in Heron's Nebula in that order and each should bring in a large profit if each is set to sell at max price.

Reason why, Red Light lacks power suppliers, Cahoona Bakery and Silicon Mines and SPP need more from Wheat Farms in that area, and there is a high demand for Crystals in the area around the Nebula.

This is a good thread to read for ideas on the economy:
http://www.egosoft.com/x2/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34805

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Sun May 01, 2005 12:43 pm

Aha! See, I told you what I hadn't figured out was where the end-product went, and found the answer in that thread you linked. Thanks! Here's the relevent post:

Re Trading and equipment docks - Im pretty certain on this one. Ive read it in the "economy is broken" thread which has mods contributing, and more vaguely ive studied who trades with my weapon and missile facts and it is always a ship owned by a trading station or equipment dock.

Then study the inventories of those docks and you will notice that products simply disappear without ships landing over time, as well as legitimately moving from dock to dock (i.e. boron equipment dock buys missiles from argon equipment dock)

In any case its about the only way the economy can work and heres why:

If weapons and shields do NOT disappear into the X-Universe; then nothing can create the wealth at all. The equipment docks would stock up on missiles and sit on full inventory, then everything else would stock to capacity and the whole thing would grind to a halt on full inventory.

It could also work by independent fighters shopping for wares at fabs, but ive never seen this happen, and even if it does happen; the broad point is unchanged. Only by manufacturing goods which the X Universe sucks up like a vacuum can you capture all possible wealth.

Also, found an answer in this thread, specifically how to hire a TL class ship to pick up and place your factory for you. Wondered earlier if that was how. Looks like I'll need to get some more moola first, though. Though it's referenced in the FAQ, which I read, I either didn't see this entry or didn't understand. Duh.

TimberWolf · Post by **TimberWolf** » Sun May 01, 2005 1:30 pm

Good to hear I was of some help. I read several pages in that thread before I finally posted it. They get rather deep into how to reap the most out of the economy and different methods of collecting that wealth.

I have been watching the scoll demo for the game and enjoying what I see (still awe struck at the size of the capital ships in relation to the fighters). Also been looking through a couple of websites for more information and details on the ships.

Check this out for more details: http://argonopedia.ppcis.org/
The above link contains a lot of info, from type of missions in the game (not story) to what type of weapons that can be mounted on each ship, to where stations are located, and where you have to go to buy certian things.

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Mon May 02, 2005 12:20 am

I hired a ship and placed my first factory. I still only have the two ships I was given, though: the scout and the transport. Since I've only got the transport to ferry goods to/from the factory, I have to babysit it and am not getting the most profit, but it's still the best source of income I've had so far. No, it's not paid for itself yet, but it's paying down the equity fast. It's a SPP in Kingdom End, FWIW. Next ship I buy is another (faster) transport to help out there.

TimberWolf · Post by **TimberWolf** » Mon May 02, 2005 6:03 pm

I just got home and checked the Walmart and Kmart. Walmart didn't carry it and Kmart didn't even have software, I even asked about it. It may be a couple of weeks before I go to the other side of town (a couple of miles) to check EBgames, GameStop, Office Depot, Office Max, Toysrus, Meijers, or the other Walmart. When the quarter ends I may consider buying it online (but then there are "use tax" on online buys).

I have read if you set the SPP right the only thing you have to do is buy the crystals and the NPC's will come to buy the energy. If the demand for the energy is high enough then you can set the price to max (it was estimated that any factory averaged about 110k an hour, not sure if thats with the 10x speed or not).

If you want more credits then try taking some Assasination missions. You can usually capture some ships when you do them, such as M6's if you have the right weapons.

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Mon May 02, 2005 8:42 pm

Haven't been in a single fight yet. Not much point with the starter M5 you get.

I've got a TS and TP working for my SPP, and the configuration is relatively stable now that the factory is stocked on crystals. There are two trading stations that carry crystals one gate away, so if I wait long enough there are 40 at a nice price at each, and it works out well.

If your prices are competitive, and you set your station to allow foreign traders, they will come and buy your goods. I prefer to have a freighter out there selling my goods, because then I can get near max price. SPPs are too common in most parts to get max selling price passively.

TimberWolf · Post by **TimberWolf** » Mon May 02, 2005 9:14 pm

From my understanding that area has a high demand for energy, so it should be possible to up the price. Also you could always buy the energy from other SPP and resell them at the marked up price, that way cornering the market by being the "middle man."

I have been reading on the forums about the TL class ships and what people see as their use. Several people state that the TL ships, depending on which one you have, are most profitable if you use it as a mobile trader. They say if you stock it with some cargo ships and buy at best price, either of one good or many, you can then jump (provided you got the engines) to the best place to sell and have a large income. But you have to do it manualy basicly. Or you can equip it with the mining tool and find some nice asteroids to mine.

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Mon May 02, 2005 9:22 pm

Dude, those TLs are HUGE. Really. You can use them for just about anything that needs cargo space, and they're not too slow, either. But it'd be a heck of a job just to fill one up. There's one news post within the game that mentions "...a single TL class is sufficient to transport the needs of an entire sector..."

TimberWolf · Post by **TimberWolf** » Mon May 02, 2005 9:54 pm

From my readings a couple of players where able to double/triple/or more the size of their empire/company when they got one and had 5 or more transports with it. They also chose a TL that could carry more than one station with it so they could build them at once and then deploy transports to service them at the same time. Would be something to work towards. They also work as simple carriers, mobile bases, storage facilities, resupply bases, scrap yards (taking the equipment from captured and selling it seperate from the ships themselfs, more money), and more. One player talked about having a couple of wings of fighters with Ion guns and HEPT's (I think) capturing ship after ship that came out of an enemy ship yard, taking the gear off of them and then sending them to a friendly ship yard to be sold and later selling the gear when the cargo hold was full.

TimberWolf · Post by **TimberWolf** » Tue May 03, 2005 5:54 pm

I just called EBgames and GameStop. They no longer carry it. So I am left with three more local choices basicly, then I will have to consider buying it online or taking a couple hour drive to the next big city. But for now I need to read some stories for english and worry about my Differential Equations Test on monday.