have my 3 factories up and connected but

[-John-]

unsure what to do now.
I have a large fuel distill,large solar pp and large wheat factory.
I guess I need help with setting up a trader/freighter of some sort to get the crystals?? Also would like some tips on setting up the rules for buying and selling.
I have been reading, Im lost,lol.
Thanks,
John
PS
this is set up in Heretics End

[TTD]

For complex and station supplies use the CAGs from the Bonus Pack
They will start off buying what you need.
When trained enough,they will also sell the goods produced.

[jkjklkl]

Download the Bonus Pack from here if you haven't done so already.

Use this guide and train a pilot to Logistician level. You can see the pilot's level by selecting the ship and hitting 'u'. This is optional but strongly recommended.

Transfer your newly-trainged pilot into a TS also equipped with the CLS1 and 2 software. Homebase this ship to your complex and under "Trading", hit "start commercial representation". Make sure he is set to buy only. You don't want your ships to be caught with illegal goods if he strays into race sectors.

Look around aqnd see what stations are near by that can supply you with what you need. Set your buy/sell prices as well as your jump range accordingly.

Watch your profits go up

[MOH_Skid]

As you have a space fuel complex, it is probably best to have a CAG (or CAGs) just behave as purchasers. Even if your complex is in a "safe" sector, having one of your transports carting around a load of space fuel is inviting trouble from the police/border/customs patrols.

Let the customers come to you.

[Kirlack]

-John- I think you've actually made things more difficult for yourself by adding the SPP to the complex. Crystals can be kinda hard to come by, especially enough to run an L sized or bigger SPP. In my experience you would have been better off leaving the SPP out and buying in E-Cells, especially in Heretic's End, as there are usually at least two or three SPPs in a 2-3 jump range.

Of course, if you've got a complex producing an overspill of Crystals you could just use a CLS pilot to ship them in for you.

[-John-]

Kirlack, no I dont have a Crystal factory.
What should I do with the SPP???? I like making things easier.
Thanks,
John

[Kirlack]

If the SPP is already built and tied into your complex there's not much you can do except reload from an earlier save (unless you're willing to go, or already are, modified, in which case there are options).

The trouble stems from the fact that player owned SPPs require Crystals as their primary resource. NPC owned (those built by the GoD engine), only require them as a secondary resource. In short this means there's actually very little call for crystals throughout the universe, meaning very few get produced. You could keep your SPP on a TL for now and tie it into a self sufficient complex elsewhere, or maybe find a hot spot where there is at least some crystal production and try to make some cash selling energy. This used to work back in X2 but I've had little success with it in TC.

[-John-]

Thanks much Kirlack. I think I will just restart and keep the SPP on my tanker for now.
There is a Crystal Fab in Omicron Lyrae, one jump away.
Thanks
John

[insolent1]

If you can reload to before you bought the SPP it would be easiar for you, a L sized SPP requires about 7 M sized crystal fabs to run if its in 150% a sun sector.

If you can try to look for build missions that ask you to build a race type L SPP although you would have to be very lucky to get one offering the exact type you have.

[jkjklkl]

You can always just pretend the SPP isn't there and supply energy directly. Of course, this means you've sunk a couple million into a station that isn't doing anything for you, but it's one less station for you to buy later on when or if you decide to make it self-sufficient

[Neil Depledge]

OR you could drop silicon mines on 3 asteroids (yields 55,22,21) then add 4 crystal fab-L's which produce more than enough crystal for an SPP-L and an SPP-XL. Then you just need the food inputs ... Neil

[haft2doit]

I would leave the spp connected but turn it off, Supply the complex with energy until you can afford the silicon mines and crystal fabs and food facts. Then turn it all on and have a complete sustained loop.