[X3R] What complex makes more money?

[Gqqnbig]

I had a solar power plant XL-space fuel complex. It sold well. Later I found the demand of microchip is high, so I combined a chip plant into the complex. Prices are set as follows:

Sell: microchip 12128 ~ 14400
Sell: Space Fuel 710 ~ 1252
Sell: energy cell 13 ~ 18
Buy: wheat 25 ~ 41
Buy: Meatsteak 55 ~ 84
Buy: silicon wafers 232 ~ 665
Buy: crystal 1630 ~ 1690

The prices are adjusted to the inventory (Xai Corporation Station Command Suite).

According to X3 - Reunion: Online Complex Calculator, in the worst case (buy at highest price, sell at cheapest price) the net income is 127,339; in best case, the net income is 725,071. But actually it seems the complex is not very profitable. Many resources are in shortage and few people buy Space Fuel at a price (4 jumps) higher than average.

What's wrong with my complex? Is the configuration resonable?[/url]

[Carlo the Curious]

How long has it been running, and how close is it to other fuel/chip buyers?

It can take a quite while for NPC traders to utilise a new source, and chip/fuel storage at most stations tends to be quite small.

[Aragosnat]

Depends on how close to Xenon spawning grounds too. As they can help keep demand for wares high. But, on the whole. If you just use NPCs to deliever wares. It takes a long time. Best way most of the time is to use your own ships and or make it a closed loop plex.

[Geek]

Keep in mind that OCC calculate the theorical profit, if you sell all the time, and get resources for uninterrupted production.
Chances are you will not in practice because the local market is not big enough.

[thelebk]

I am about 1/2 way through X3R so let me tell you the most profitable business venture I have which you can replicate:

Find the Unknown Sector in the middle of the map out the East Gate to patriarchs retreat. Between patriarchs retreat and cho's defeat you have a TON of SPP nearby with plenty of ecells.

Now Fly into the unknown sector and move 10km away from the gate and build the following complex:

Large Space Fuel (Argon Prime Yard)
Large Wheat Farm (Home of Light)
Large Dream/Weed Farm (Teladi Yard SE Corner)
Large Bliss/Swamp Plant (Don't remember)

DONT add anything else. Link all four together. If you can get the bonus pack to install and use CLS you only need two mercuries buying ecells. Without auto-jump drive capability you will need to add a boron dolphin superfreighter as well also buying ecells. All you will ever have to buy are ecells which are plentiful (though distance to gate is lengthy so faster freighters are better)

Set the Space Fuel to sell at 10 cheaper than average
Set the Weed to sell 20 cheaper than average

Once the AI freighters discover your post it will sell as fast as you can make it. Make sure you keep a minimum of 300k credits in the factory at all times to buy ecells with.

If you want a profitable legal complex I can give you a good design for Cloud Base SW. Enjoy!

[Gqqnbig]

How long has it been running, and how close is it to other fuel/chip buyers?

It can take a quite while for NPC traders to utilise a new source, and chip/fuel storage at most stations tends to be quite small.

It has been running for sometime since the chip plant was integrated. Ships come to my complex but become fewer and fewer.

My complex is at Split Fire. In the universe, there are only two factories producing space fuel, one is mine, the other is at Nyana's Hideout, very far away.

As to microchips, Elena's Fortune has one chip plant and many others are around this area.

Make sure you keep a minimum of 300k credits in the factory at all times to buy ecells with.

I guess I only allocated less than 100k credits to the complex. Is it too less?

[thelebk]

100k is too little. And depending on your setting for intermediate resources the AI may be buying them. I check my stations regularly, and even though I have set not to transfer to my account unless over 300k in station, they frequently go much lower and require ongoing capital injections from me to sustain operations.