As part of the Hub plot, you are encouraged to build an ungodly number of all of these factories, and assorted other things. This leads to a situation where, once your Hub is complete, you have more money rolling in than all the billionaires on the planet combined.
Ok, that's fine. It's a nice reward for having persevered through such a long plot. In my first game, I did it all the right way and built all these things, and completed the Hub (except about 40,000 chips). I realized at that point that money would never be an "issue" again, and found that I didn't consider that fun. I know you can do it without building your own factories, but that (mainly the Chips part, the rest wouldn't be too bad) would take months, if not years.
So this time around, I cheated the Hub plot with the Cheat package (I should have docked myself equivalent credits but didn't think of it), and all goods were delivered without any factories of my own. This resulted in a situation where I actually still have to think economically, and therefore keeps this dimension of the game interesting to me.
Just as my thoughts on this, it's very much a challenge to coordinate and build all of those factories, and the Hub is a worthy reward for the effort. It just seems that once you overcome that challenge, unless you destroy your factories (which is an option, though one I don't particularly like)... you've removed one of the more interesting elements of the game, at least for me. I want to have to think like a corporation when I finish the Hub and get my PHQ, not be rolling in so much cash that you really never have to consider Profit/Loss again.
I would prefer the reward for a challenge with such a culminating effort be something that doesn't essentially trivialize any further considerations of what is supposed to be a key aspect of empire management (money). Though I don't have any ideas that would be better, admittedly.
What do others think, if I may ask?
Chip Plants, Teladianium Foundries, Crystal Fabs, etc...
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builder680
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I'd say the only way to 'fix' this would be to have stations (and freighters) cost regular maintenance. Then, when your fabs are fully pumping out chips n crystals and there's no buyers for them (as you've saturated the market) you'll be paying out instead of raking it in.
Maybe the issue is more that the profit margins are too high for these items, and that the market can absorb too many of them.
However, after all's said - you need a lot of cash in the first place to build all those fabs, so you could say that you were already past the 'poor man' part of the game when you started the hub plot.[/img]
Maybe the issue is more that the profit margins are too high for these items, and that the market can absorb too many of them.
However, after all's said - you need a lot of cash in the first place to build all those fabs, so you could say that you were already past the 'poor man' part of the game when you started the hub plot.[/img]
Making money in TC is much more easy than the other X games. So, even if you decide not to do (or cheat) the HUB plot, after some days you will have millions.
Either way, starting the HUB plot means that you already have 1 billion in your account, otherwise you can't build all that mega-complexes and buy all the needed ships (TL, TS etc). That means you already are a rich guy. I believe that the meaning/intention of the HUB plot is to prepare the player to be ready for the PHQ. Because you need many resources to run the PHQ. So, "forcing" you to build all that complexes, after you complete the HUB you have all you need for your PHQ.
Either way, starting the HUB plot means that you already have 1 billion in your account, otherwise you can't build all that mega-complexes and buy all the needed ships (TL, TS etc). That means you already are a rich guy. I believe that the meaning/intention of the HUB plot is to prepare the player to be ready for the PHQ. Because you need many resources to run the PHQ. So, "forcing" you to build all that complexes, after you complete the HUB you have all you need for your PHQ.
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builder680
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Yes, it's true that you're already past the 'poor man' part of the game when you start on the Hub. I never had a "billion" until I was almost done with it though, I was hovering in the "hundred millions" until then. But being uncountably rich for the rest of the game after the Hub (since you can now sell everything you were using for the Hub) is a bit extreme, at least for me.
Would be nice to have more concern financially, at all stages of the game. Even after you're rich, the possibility of financial ruin without proper management should always be looming, in my opinion. Tolls for traversing other race's sectors, and perhaps taxes (ala the IR mod) for factories in other sectors are also interesting ideas.
I like the idea of factory maintenance, and lower profit margins. Ship maintenance as well would be interesting. I didn't play previous X games, but I agree that in this game it's pretty easy to make money, far too easy in my opinion. But that's a more general topic...
Would be nice to have more concern financially, at all stages of the game. Even after you're rich, the possibility of financial ruin without proper management should always be looming, in my opinion. Tolls for traversing other race's sectors, and perhaps taxes (ala the IR mod) for factories in other sectors are also interesting ideas.
I like the idea of factory maintenance, and lower profit margins. Ship maintenance as well would be interesting. I didn't play previous X games, but I agree that in this game it's pretty easy to make money, far too easy in my opinion. But that's a more general topic...
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Carlo the Curious
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I don't think it's an issue with the Hub plot as such.
While the Hub may encourage you to build those fabs, you don't have to build an excessive amount if you're patient. I imagine the original intention was to ensure the player had enough of the necessary wares to build at the PHQ once they got that far (which is obviously far less than a lot of people build for the plot).
In any case, if you could afford to build masses of chip & crystal complexes then you were fairly cash-rich to start with, and could have just built an economic empire anyway.
Having a vast empire and/or fleet with more credits and ships than you know what to do with is a point anyone will reach, if they play for long enough. That has been a potential issue since the X games began, I think.
EDIT: As Ebon said, mostly. I got distracted mid-post
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While the Hub may encourage you to build those fabs, you don't have to build an excessive amount if you're patient. I imagine the original intention was to ensure the player had enough of the necessary wares to build at the PHQ once they got that far (which is obviously far less than a lot of people build for the plot).
In any case, if you could afford to build masses of chip & crystal complexes then you were fairly cash-rich to start with, and could have just built an economic empire anyway.
Having a vast empire and/or fleet with more credits and ships than you know what to do with is a point anyone will reach, if they play for long enough. That has been a potential issue since the X games began, I think.
EDIT: As Ebon said, mostly. I got distracted mid-post
.I usually build about 10 Chip fabs even if I'm not doing the Hub, first for the cash inflow, and then for the ability to repair my ships via CODEA. The ore it needs is easily solved with mobile mining.
A Pirate's Revenge Completed Now in PDF by _Zap_
APR Book 2: Best Served Cold Updated 8/5/2016
The Tale of Ea't s'Quid Completed
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APR Book 2: Best Served Cold Updated 8/5/2016
The Tale of Ea't s'Quid Completed
Dovie'andi se tovya sagain
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builder680
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@ Carlos:
You're right, it's not really directly related to the Hub Plot. I guess that's just the most obvious manifestation of what I'd refer to as "Income Glut," especially once that plot completes, and you can begin selling all of those high priced chips (which I can't for the life of me figure out where that many chips are actually used).
Again, obviously by the time you're building those complexes for that plot, you're no longer poor. I just think that Income should continue to be a concern at all phases, including before and after completion of that plot. I guess at this point it's become a discussion about the ease of making money in general, and as such my topic isn't really relevant all on its own, but must be considered as part of the larger design of the game.
Therefore, I guess there's not really much more for me to discuss specifically about this, other than to say I'm having more fun with not building as many factories and thus "artificially" limiting my income.
Hopefully, managing an economy is more intensive in TNBT (if it has one). In this game, it's only a challenge up to a point. As you stated, after a while you're flush in cash permanently almost no matter what you do.
You're right, it's not really directly related to the Hub Plot. I guess that's just the most obvious manifestation of what I'd refer to as "Income Glut," especially once that plot completes, and you can begin selling all of those high priced chips (which I can't for the life of me figure out where that many chips are actually used).
Again, obviously by the time you're building those complexes for that plot, you're no longer poor. I just think that Income should continue to be a concern at all phases, including before and after completion of that plot. I guess at this point it's become a discussion about the ease of making money in general, and as such my topic isn't really relevant all on its own, but must be considered as part of the larger design of the game.
Therefore, I guess there's not really much more for me to discuss specifically about this, other than to say I'm having more fun with not building as many factories and thus "artificially" limiting my income.
Hopefully, managing an economy is more intensive in TNBT (if it has one). In this game, it's only a challenge up to a point. As you stated, after a while you're flush in cash permanently almost no matter what you do.
Tell me about it... I can't start up my billionaire's game for half an hour without having to worry about flushing cash into a station lest I loose money due to the 2 billion cash limit. 
I started buying M2 + assist ships (M7 an M6) on a regular basis just to have something to spend money on. It is kind of fun to put an Osaka patrol in each commonwealth sector. But without any real missions to complete anymore, that's about the only thing left to do. (that and capturing + reverse engineering all ships)
I guess that's the point to start over and see if you can reach the 2 billion sooner this time around. I'm having lots of fun doing the poisioned paranid start now.
After that, I guess I'll have a look at the modding scene.... prolly complex cleaner and that races-something mod... maybe codea too as I like space battles most. Which prolly is one of the lowlights of the latest X3TC patches... as xenon defense missions spawn less ships nowadays.
I started buying M2 + assist ships (M7 an M6) on a regular basis just to have something to spend money on. It is kind of fun to put an Osaka patrol in each commonwealth sector. But without any real missions to complete anymore, that's about the only thing left to do. (that and capturing + reverse engineering all ships)
I guess that's the point to start over and see if you can reach the 2 billion sooner this time around. I'm having lots of fun doing the poisioned paranid start now.
After that, I guess I'll have a look at the modding scene.... prolly complex cleaner and that races-something mod... maybe codea too as I like space battles most. Which prolly is one of the lowlights of the latest X3TC patches... as xenon defense missions spawn less ships nowadays.
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builder680
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cj-spartacus
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The improved races mod is my favourite by far. It adds so much more challenge to the game. Last time I ran through the terran plot I had to do the scan TL mission while Family Zyarth was under Xenon control. It turned an already tricky mission into an all out dash for survival.
As for the OP I agree that once the Hub and PHQ are done and dusted there is not the same challenge left in the game. I tried picking on the Paranid for a while and managed to more or less wipe them out (in Vanilla so no sector take over) but it was all too easy with my Cobra and its missile supply complex.
As for the OP I agree that once the Hub and PHQ are done and dusted there is not the same challenge left in the game. I tried picking on the Paranid for a while and managed to more or less wipe them out (in Vanilla so no sector take over) but it was all too easy with my Cobra and its missile supply complex.
"Sticking feathers up your butt doesn't make you a chicken." - Tyler Durden
Take a leaf out of Spaceweed Addicts book. Go destroy all terran sectors and more importantly keep them destroyed.
No jump gates means you really have to think about supply lines, and the constant respawns means you need to have a massive beat effort always going on.
Taking sectors out is easy. Keeping them clear is not so easy.
No jump gates means you really have to think about supply lines, and the constant respawns means you need to have a massive beat effort always going on.
Taking sectors out is easy. Keeping them clear is not so easy.
I agree. I started working on the Hub plot because I was getting a lot of money and didn't know what to do with it. This is because the first thing I did in the game was working towards profitable complexes. The first one I actually built in phases as I collected the money. So yeah, I was rich before the Hub, and what will change once it's finished, is that now I'll already have built all those weapon factories I was planning on building anyway.