Newbie questions (REALLY newbie questions, like..where is that button)

AngryNewb · Post by **AngryNewb** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 17:56

Right, I will refrain from relaying my emotional state...I think you've all felt it before.

I have been trying to figure stuff out, and in here I will be posting stuff I cannot figure out despite all the bloody guides and what not.

Right now for example this entire godamn automated trading ?=(#/¤¤"#!!§!!

I bought the mk3 trading system, granted I got it for a discoverer but that should have sufficed for a bloody test.

Except I don't have any of the damn commands to send him out into sector or universe trading or anything.

Well, do I have to hire a pilot? Ok, I'll hire a pilot...wait, where's the button for that? Is it in the command console? No...is it here? No...Is it there? No!

Can someone please for the love of Sagan tell me how the hell I hire a pilot.

Treat me as if I'm retarded, explain elaborately where the button is and how I find that button because I am completely and utterly lost.

I started the argon thing, did a few combat missions that was np, I got the centaur, I sold it and I have about 10m creds and a fairly decent Nova. I know how to shoot stuff (even if those missile spamming bastards keep insta-popping me, how the hell do you deal with misssiles anyway?! It's not as if I always have the time and opportunity to shoot them down if they were fired at my posteriour from 1km you know).

I'm sorry if this is a little erractic, but I have just spent yesterday and today trying to learn X3 and so I am currently clinically insane.

BDK · Post by **BDK** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 18:08

Click trade > Start sector trader > Let him work for an hour then expand his range to 4 jumps. Rinse & repeat until he's level 20 and you can do a 10-sector trader or a universe trader (every single sector you've explored).

Also for new players, I highly recommend watching these videos
http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=297924

Relax as well, this game takes time

You'll learn to love it.

Ulan Dhor · Post by **Ulan Dhor** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 18:10

Did they change the requirements?

"Ship type M4, M3, M6, TS, TP, or TM "

I don't see M5 in that list.

Edit: That sounded a bit flippant, but I really don't know whether the ship requirements have changed recently. Usually, you could not use M5's, so Discoverers were out.

AngryNewb · Post by **AngryNewb** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 18:14

BDK wrote:Click trade > Start sector trader > Let him work for an hour then expand his range to 4 jumps. Rinse & repeat until he's level 20 and you can do a 10-sector trader or a universe trader (every single sector you've explored).

Also for new players, I highly recommend watching these videos
http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=297924

Relax as well, this game takes time You'll learn to love it.

That's the thing though, I'm sure I saw that option (greyed out) yesterday, but today it was just gone. I was quite tired last night so I don't remember details but yeah, no such option in the trade menu.

Any reasons it might be missing?

BDK · Post by **BDK** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 18:18

AngryNewb wrote:
BDK wrote:Click trade > Start sector trader > Let him work for an hour then expand his range to 4 jumps. Rinse & repeat until he's level 20 and you can do a 10-sector trader or a universe trader (every single sector you've explored).

Also for new players, I highly recommend watching these videos
http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=297924

Relax as well, this game takes time You'll learn to love it.
That's the thing though, I'm sure I saw that option (greyed out) yesterday, but today it was just gone. I was quite tired last night so I don't remember details but yeah, no such option in the trade menu.

Any reasons it might be missing?

You'll need MK1/2/3 trade software to make a fully automated trader. If you don't have such an option, you are missing MK3.

Ulan Dhor · Post by **Ulan Dhor** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 18:24

AngryNewb wrote:Any reasons it might be missing?

You could try it out on your Nova and sit in the Discoverer and watch. Or buy a used freighter.

Elleron · Post by **Elleron** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 18:29

AngryNewb wrote:I bought the mk3 trading system, granted I got it for a discoverer but that should have sufficed for a bloody test.

Unfortunately, it will not. The command only runs on TS/TP/TM/M3/M4/M6 vessels. There are a number of "gotchas" like that which make the FAQ entry on required equipment mandatory reading.

As a practical matter, you want to begin with a TS. Anything that can't carry XL cargo is at a significant disadvantage. They're much more economical than the alternatives.

ajax34i · Post by **ajax34i** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 18:43

1. Buy a TS ship, and transfer the Mk3 software to it (dock both ships in the same station, open your My Property window from the menu bar, click on one of the ships, Advanced -> Freight Exchange With -> the other ship, then click each module you want to transfer, hit the right/left arrow keys to transfer it, then press ok to finalize each transfer).

2. Make sure the TS has Trade Command Mark 1, 2, and 3, and Trade System Extension. Most TS'es have Trade 1 built in, but not 2 or 3. Also extensions that help are Navigation 1 and 2, Jump Drive, and Fight 1 and 2. You should put a turret in the back (IRE) and not in any "Main" gun slots. If possible your TS should have at least 1 shield of 25MJ strength installed (but if you can, maximize the shields - most TS'es have 2-4).

3. The ship MUST BE DOCKED at a station in order to accept the initial Start Sector Trader command. If it's in space the command will not appear (it's not explained anywhere, but when you Start Sector Trader that's when it "recruits" an NPC pilot, and the pilot comes from the station, so no station = no command). Find the ship in your My Property window, click it, Command Console, Trade..., Start Sector Trader (at the bottom).

4. When you give it the Start Sector Trader command it will start trading in whatever sector it is in / you specify. Pick a good sector with Solar Power Plants, Ore Mines, and various factories.

Ulan Dhor · Post by **Ulan Dhor** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 18:48

ajax34i wrote:4. When you give it the Start Sector Trader command it will start trading in whatever sector it is in / you specify. Pick a good sector with Solar Power Plants, Ore Mines, and various factories.

Ore Belt is good for the start. Or Empire's Edge, if you have access.

AngryNewb · Post by **AngryNewb** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 19:14

While you guys were writing this I went and earned 10m on the stock exchange.

I was using the one in nyana's hideout, but I'm thinking about getting accs to the Argon Prime one (though I have NO idea how to put down a station...someone give me a tip on the easiest/cheapest station I can smack down just for stock exchange access?).

So, while we're here, are there major differences between the different stock exchanges? Are any better than the rest? I'm hoping the Argon Prime one will have more traffic and volume, thus more fluctuations and thus more profit.

Am I correct or have I just had too much space fuel?

Playbahnosh · Post by **Playbahnosh** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 19:19

I knew it...I freggin knew it

See? Even someone who can barely fly a ship in XTC/AP can make millions in a few clicks on the SE. It's stupid. It's freggin cheating!!

BDK · Post by **BDK** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 19:21

Playbahnosh wrote:I knew it...I freggin knew it
See? Even someone who can barely fly a ship in XTC/AP can make millions in a few clicks on the SE. It's stupid. It's freggin cheating!!

Why do you care though? It's a singleplayer game, people can do whatever the hell they want.

Ulan Dhor · Post by **Ulan Dhor** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 19:24

BDK wrote:
Playbahnosh wrote:I knew it...I freggin knew it
See? Even someone who can barely fly a ship in XTC/AP can make millions in a few clicks on the SE. It's stupid. It's freggin cheating!!
Why do you care though? It's a singleplayer game, people can do whatever the hell they want.

While that is correct, it somehow takes the fun out of the game. There's nothing left to look forward to.

Edit: Although you still have to put some effort into getting your rep up first.

BDK · Post by **BDK** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 19:29

Ulan Dhor wrote:
BDK wrote:
Playbahnosh wrote:I knew it...I freggin knew it
See? Even someone who can barely fly a ship in XTC/AP can make millions in a few clicks on the SE. It's stupid. It's freggin cheating!!
Why do you care though? It's a singleplayer game, people can do whatever the hell they want.
While that is correct, it somehow takes the fun out of the game. There's nothing left to look forward to.

Edit: Although you still have to put some effort into getting your rep up first.

Thats why plots are in the game. Plots are awesome, make no mistake. Oh and running your gigantic empire is another plus ...

AngryNewb · Post by **AngryNewb** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 19:32

Playbahnosh wrote:I knew it...I freggin knew it
See? Even someone who can barely fly a ship in XTC/AP can make millions in a few clicks on the SE. It's stupid. It's freggin cheating!!

I invented my own stock trading game when I was 9 years old using my fathers collection of financial papers. Stock market for dummies (which is what x3 has) I understand, space flight is in an entirely different category.

Now, let's focus on the questions shall we.

Ulan Dhor · Post by **Ulan Dhor** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 19:32

BDK wrote:
Ulan Dhor wrote:
BDK wrote:
Playbahnosh wrote:I knew it...I freggin knew it
See? Even someone who can barely fly a ship in XTC/AP can make millions in a few clicks on the SE. It's stupid. It's freggin cheating!!
Why do you care though? It's a singleplayer game, people can do whatever the hell they want.
While that is correct, it somehow takes the fun out of the game. There's nothing left to look forward to.

Edit: Although you still have to put some effort into getting your rep up first.
Thats why plots are in the game. Plots are awesome, make no mistake. Oh and running your gigantic empire is another plus ...

Sure. But I felt a certain satisfaction when I had enough money together to buy my first Mammoth. After that, it was like printing money, anyway.

Playbahnosh · Post by **Playbahnosh** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 19:42

AngryNewb wrote:I invented my own stock trading game when I was 9 years old using my fathers collection of financial papers. Stock market for dummies (which is what x3 has) I understand, space flight is in an entirely different category.

Now, let's focus on the questions shall we.

Fair enough. STs and UTs are a great way to have some stable cashflow going early in the game and they ARE easy to set up, you just needs some experience with the game, and patience, young padawan, patience.

Buy a TS, any will do at first. Equip it as best as you can, buy NavCommand software, Best Buy/Sell locators and ALL THREE Trading Command softwares (the MKIII costs around half a million!). Put these all in your TS, bring it to a peaceful core sector with many stations and select the Start Sector Trader from the Trade menu. That's it. It will take off and do it's own thing.

Check back on him after some time. Looking at it's info screen, you should see a number in brackets near the pilot's name, that's his level. When he reaches are 8-9, you can buy him a jumpdrive if he doesn't have it yet and let him loose in the galaxy by selecting Start Universe Trader. That's the gist of it.

Post by **Nanook** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 19:44

Ulan Dhor wrote:
BDK wrote:
Playbahnosh wrote:I knew it...I freggin knew it
See? Even someone who can barely fly a ship in XTC/AP can make millions in a few clicks on the SE. It's stupid. It's freggin cheating!!
Why do you care though? It's a singleplayer game, people can do whatever the hell they want.
While that is correct, it somehow takes the fun out of the game. There's nothing left to look forward to....

Except it's not just a single player game, it's also a sandbox. That means each player is free to choose to use whatever game mechanics he/she wishes and avoid the ones that they feel are 'cheating'. In TC, for example, I avoid the so-called nividium exploit because it does the same thing as the Stock Exchange in AP - gives way too much money, way too easily. I personally like the challenge of building up from nothing. Others enjoy having big fleets early on, and so use methods to get money easily. It's all in how you enjoy the game.

AngryNewb · Post by **AngryNewb** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 19:53

Playbahnosh wrote:
AngryNewb wrote:I invented my own stock trading game when I was 9 years old using my fathers collection of financial papers. Stock market for dummies (which is what x3 has) I understand, space flight is in an entirely different category.

Now, let's focus on the questions shall we.
Fair enough. STs and UTs are a great way to have some stable cashflow going early in the game and they ARE easy to set up, you just needs some experience with the game, and patience, young padawan, patience.

Buy a TS, any will do at first. Equip it as best as you can, buy NavCommand software, Best Buy/Sell locators and ALL THREE Trading Command softwares (the MKIII costs around half a million!). Put these all in your TS, bring it to a peaceful core sector with many stations and select the Start Sector Trader from the Trade menu. That's it. It will take off and do it's own thing.

Check back on him after some time. Looking at it's info screen, you should see a number in brackets near the pilot's name, that's his level. When he reaches are 8-9, you can buy him a jumpdrive if he doesn't have it yet and let him loose in the galaxy by selecting Start Universe Trader. That's the gist of it.

Ok, let's scale this back a bit. I think my Gordon Gecko'esque stock market abilities might have gotten us on the wrong track here. Still very much ignorant newbie.

What is a TS? IRE? I'd love that explanation again in a "for dummies" verison because it sounds useful

Ulan Dhor · Post by **Ulan Dhor** » Mon, 30. Jul 12, 19:54

Nanook wrote:In TC, for example, I avoid the so-called nividium exploit because it does the same thing as the Stock Exchange in AP - gives way too much money, way too easily.

Well, but that one takes at least some effort to set it up first.

Sure, you can always decide what to use and what not to use. I just think the stock exchange is not well implemented. It doesn't have any checks and balances.

Newbie questions (REALLY newbie questions, like..where is that button)

Newbie questions (REALLY newbie questions, like..where is that button)

Re: Newbie questions (REALLY newbie questions, like..where is that button)