[X-BTF] What prices should I put in wheat farm?

[chrismokvack]

I read somewhere that buying a wheat farm in Argon Prime is a good idea due to the wheat shortage there, so I did that. I got one freighter and I've pumped in about 5000 credits into that station, which the freighter quickly used up to buy energy cells. I've been hauling wheat to the nearby Cahoona Bakery for good profit, but I was kinda hoping to leave the system knowing that the station continues to make profit without me, but nobody seems to come and buy from it, despite the supposed wheat shortage.

Do I perhaps need to adjust my prices? I left selling price for wheat at default but decreased buying price for energy cells to 14, so this is what it looks like now:

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[Spychotic]

Well, you've definitely got to have it below average.

Just keep dropping it down periodically until it sells. If you're a seasoned player of later games, pick a number you'd sell wheat for in that and quarter it to convert to the lower prices in X-BTF.

Spike

[chrismokvack]

But there's a Cahoona Bakery bakery next door that buys wheat for 32 credits if I take it there myself, so it's rather strange they won't buy it for 24 if they come to me.

Oh well, guess I'll have to try lowering it a bit. Just don't want to sell wheat for almost the same price I buy energy cells for, then I won't make any good profit. Unless of course one energy cell yields more than one wheat, which it actually appears to do, but only barely. Do you recon I can decrease the buying price for energy cells a bit without running out?


Edit:

I changed the settings as follows and look what happened:

[ external image ]

Now it seems they want to buy more than I can supply. Do you recon I ought to get a second Argon Lifter to haul more energy cells?


And btw I haven't played the other X games, I'm complete newbie.


Edit2:

Wtf, now they have stopped buying even though I didn't changed any settings!

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[pjknibbs]

Wtf, now they have stopped buying even though I didn't changed any settings!

The buying price they'll offer for wheat will vary according to how much of it they have. If they have lots, they're not going to be offering a good price, which might explain why they've stopped buying--you're too expensive for them now! This is the thing with a dynamic economy like X, you can't rely on always being able to sell the same stuff to the same stations.

[chrismokvack]

Ye but seriously... I'm the only one selling wheat in that system. They prefer going to the neighbouring system to buy it for 30+ rather than buying it for 17 from me? And if I take it to them they gladly pay 32.

I just feel like I'm being totally cheated if I let them have it for 15, which is the minimum, but that seems to be the only thing that works now.

[Spychotic]

Firstly, yes, you will need another Lifter to supply Energy Cells.

I can't quite remember how the AI in X-BTF goes about deciding which factories to buy from, but I nevertheless have a few pieces of advice for you.

Dynamic economy; In X-BTF you have a relatively small Universe (only 64 sectors compared to the 250-odd of the latest game, TC). That means that the market is smaller. You are unlikely to be continually selling your products because the market is too small for there to be enough buyers. What will happen is that your stock will fluctuate between 0 and 3/4 of full, with no-one buying whilst your stock builds up, then suddenly three freighters arriving at your factory at once and cleaning you out. Do not expect your products to sell at the end of every cycle.

NPC factory prices; The NPCs will try to buy the cheapest resources regardless of the price they ask if you take it to them. The price your customers are quoting is just the maximum price they will pay for those resources. They will, if possible, get them for less. I do not recall exactly how the choice algorithm works in X-BTF as it's been too long since I played it and it is different in later games.

Energy cell price; If your stock is high and stays high, then you can safely revise the buying price down. If it's low and stays low, you should revise it up.

Wheat price; If you're not selling in the long term (i.e. your stock is full for a significant fraction of the time, to be determined by judgement), you must revise the selling price down. Otherwise, you may revise the selling price up. When it's on the point of your stock fluctuation between 0 and 3/4, you've got it right.

However, you cannot set it too low. Yes, Energy Cells will make more than their value in Wheat, but there is still a lower limit to your selling price to recoup your costs. YOur selling price must be higher than this to turn a profit.

Spike

[Scartha4040]

Ok I have started the XBtf a few times. I noticed while I was in Seizwell there were 3 things missing.
1 No Dream Farm
2 No Ore Mine.
3 No Silicon Mine.

Now While I was waiting I put the three factories up. Dropped the price about 10 credits above minimum. Then I went off and got a good rep with the Split. For the MARS.

Now I then went to the Boron and did the same.

Then I did the same with Argon. And I had some more money.

So I bought a Wheat farm. I set the price to 120.00 credits.

I then left it alone for awhile.

I went into the Paranid territory and got my rep up there for the hornet Missiles and Docking computer. While going back I attacked every single xenon. And Pirate. I can now take on 5 of these small ships at once without using a missile.

Another thing I did was expand my cargo to 100 units. Plus I started to buy Quantum Tubes having 96 Units as that is the max it can take. Brings you credits very quickly.

Now I go back to the wheat farm in Argon Prime and by then you should have a profit of about 100,000 (I did). So I took that and then put another Wheat Farm in Rolks Drift. Now this takes a bit longer but it is a big money maker.

Now I ignore all of the factories for awhile and let them get established. Now comes the expensive jump one. I noticed that in Paranid Duke Domain sector there are about 4 soy farms. Now look at the price they will pay for BO Gas. So I got a Bo Gas in Boron and made 15 jumps at 1400 per jump. Which is 21000. But if you wait for it to get established. You have a monopoly. I only lowered the price by 10 credits. Now eventually I went back to Seizwell and my Dream Farm had over 600,000 credits. So I took 500,000 and the others were 100,000 more in Profit. So I now have just over 1 Million in credits.

The key to the factories is that it takes time for the NPC's to recognise you. But when they do they go nuts for the product.

I hope this helps

[Starlight_Corporation]

Considering the thread is 6 months old, I doubt he still needs help albeit your reply is helpful for future X-Btf players.

[Bonez0r]

Considering the thread is 6 months old, I doubt he still needs help albeit your reply is helpful for future X-Btf players.

I'm new to the X-universe and i find this thread very helpful. I also have a few questions myself (all X:BTF).

1.
Sometimes a station is low on resources but only one transport is underway to get them, while the others just stay at the station. Why is that?

2.
How does the AI decide when to send my transports to buy resources? Does the stock of resources have to go below a certain minimum before a transport is sent out to buy more? I often see my transports just sitting at a station while the resources are far below max.

3.
How to keep track of all your stations? If i have a lot of stations raking in money in different sectors, it's easy to forget one or two. Do i have to make my own list of what's where?

4.
Can i upgrade my transports with more storage space?

5.
How many defending ships are needed per station? I've never seen any of my stations being attacked. I don't want to spend more than necessary but if it's not needed i'll gladly spend my money on something else. I've assigned two M3 fighters per station now, i have a feeling that's too much.

6.
Does anyone know of a list with production cycle times per station and/or the resources needed to make that product?

[pjknibbs]

1. There's no point sending 2 ships to the same station, because the price there will go up after the first ship buys a load.

2. It will decide depend on the buying price you have set--if there's no stations nearby selling for the price you want, the transports won't move!

3. There's no other way in X-BTF, the Property List was an X-Tension innovation.

4. I don't believe so, but it's a long time since I played BTF!

5. Up to you. I don't recall my stations *ever* being attacked in BTF, but I didn't have anything like as many as some others did! The main advantage of getting ships for stations is that you can then ask them to accompany you to help out in fights.

6. For BTF? I doubt it.

[jlehtone]

6. http://www.klarix.de/xbtf/en/XFrSet2.html by klarix has something.

[siddham]

I just finished XBtF. I didn't put my wheat farms in Argon sectors. I put them in boron sectors because the boron need wheat but dont produce it. Ditto with plankton farms - ie put them in Argon sectors. A real money spinner for me was a Sun Oil Refinery and a Flower Farm to supply it in Split sectors. A transport Ship and 10000 credits per station.
Generally I set my selling price at minimum and cells at 10-11. Dont be greedy and try to get top prices; just set the price low - you only make profitzzz if you sellzzz. Then head-off and do some exploring. Dont hang around or trade the products yourself; at least I didnt. Hopefully when you come by again (make a note of all stations you build) there will be lots of credits to collect

[Scartha4040]

I found out a way to do a few things. In the Teladi sectors if there is no Dream Farm in that sector eg Greater Profit. I put one in there. Remember Nostrop Oil farms use swamp plants as well.

For the sunrise flower and Nostrop oil Try Dukes Domain in the Paranid. As there are a lot of Agriculture Factories.

But most of all have fun.

[Scartha4040]

I think I found a combo winner.
Plankton and Wheat farms in all of the Argon sectors that dont have a computer based wheat farm remember there are 15 sectors in the Argon Territory. Plus you can also patrol the area.

And put Wheat farms in every Boron sector. Plus Taladium Factories. as well

[siddham]

That's what I found too. Find out what each species needs from the other species and supply that need. I found that providing nostrop oil in Split sectors was a winner.

I only generated enough cash to fully upgrade my ship and finish the storyline - so I did not fully investigate the economy. I have moved on to X2 now - well I'll have to start over as soon as I get my computer going again.