I've played X3TC quite a bit, and built up a large trading empire. While that was fun for a while, I think I'm done with trading, as it ended up being fairly boring.
My question is, can I play AP without doing much trading? I'd like to run missions, explore, focus on combat, etc. I've never tried that in an X game since they are so trade heavy.
Let me know your thoughts!
Can I play AP without trading?
Moderator: Moderators for English X Forum
Yes.
Your income can be:
- loot missiles in war zones for some initial cash
- turn it into a few million by playing a stock exchange for a bit
- get combat ship, capture and sell other ships
- also do missions for cash (when you get to high racial standings each mission can pay a few million)
The thing, though, is trading and factories are PASSIVE income; once you've set up your traders and your fabs they just make you money automatically. So it's easy to forget just how much outfitting a whole capital fleet costs.
Without trading, your income will be active, in that you have to do stuff (missions, piracy, whatever) to get cash, so that may become a mmo-like grind for you.
But it's perfectly ok to limit yourself to a few ships, really. A single Megalodon or Boreas piloted by you can certainly win most fights, you don't need to have a fleet.
Personally I kinda like the middle game, where I'm in a Nova Raider and can dogfight and the enemies aren't advanced enough to bring a huge number of capital ships. I usually restart once I progress to that point.
EDIT: Scratch everything I said about income. You can get unlimited income really easily if you do the Nividium exploit, so yeah feel free to not have any traders if you don't like them.
Your income can be:
- loot missiles in war zones for some initial cash
- turn it into a few million by playing a stock exchange for a bit
- get combat ship, capture and sell other ships
- also do missions for cash (when you get to high racial standings each mission can pay a few million)
The thing, though, is trading and factories are PASSIVE income; once you've set up your traders and your fabs they just make you money automatically. So it's easy to forget just how much outfitting a whole capital fleet costs.
Without trading, your income will be active, in that you have to do stuff (missions, piracy, whatever) to get cash, so that may become a mmo-like grind for you.
But it's perfectly ok to limit yourself to a few ships, really. A single Megalodon or Boreas piloted by you can certainly win most fights, you don't need to have a fleet.
Personally I kinda like the middle game, where I'm in a Nova Raider and can dogfight and the enemies aren't advanced enough to bring a huge number of capital ships. I usually restart once I progress to that point.
EDIT: Scratch everything I said about income. You can get unlimited income really easily if you do the Nividium exploit, so yeah feel free to not have any traders if you don't like them.
Spoiler
Show
Nividium exploit: Mine nividium asteroid to fill up a TS freighter, then move that freighter in and out of Teladi Stock Exchange areas. The freighter's presence will count as a sudden supply on the Stock Exchange, and the freighter's absence will count as sudden demand, allowing you to buy stocks low and sell high.
-
Timsup2nothin
- Posts: 4690
- Joined: Thu, 22. Jan 09, 17:49
Missions are by far the most profitable thing you can do so you can certainly 'make a living' doing them. There will always only be one of you however, and whole flocks of traders pave the way to faster earnings.
Ultimately though, the only use for credits is to make more credits, and it is entirely possible to play the game without earning anything. I set out once to play as an 'Argon explorer' and my only objective for the game was to visit as many sectors as possible as quickly as possible. Other than engine tunings for my ship I never bought much of anything, and those I paid for with a couple of salvaged missile sales.
Ultimately though, the only use for credits is to make more credits, and it is entirely possible to play the game without earning anything. I set out once to play as an 'Argon explorer' and my only objective for the game was to visit as many sectors as possible as quickly as possible. Other than engine tunings for my ship I never bought much of anything, and those I paid for with a couple of salvaged missile sales.
Trapper Tim's Guide to CLS 2
On Her Majesty's Secret Service-Dead is Dead, and he is DEAD
Not a DiD, so I guess it's a DiDn't, the story of my first try at AP
Part One, in progress
HEY! AP!! That's new!!!
On Her Majesty's Secret Service-Dead is Dead, and he is DEAD
Not a DiD, so I guess it's a DiDn't, the story of my first try at AP
Part One, in progress
HEY! AP!! That's new!!!
I'd say some trading is almost unavoidable, but it's perfectly possible to keep it at a bare minimum. In my last game I had a small automated trade network (6 Baldrics) and a couple of 1 MJ shield factories, just to keep at least some cash flowing in case I hit a dry spell, but other than that I made my fortune mainly by doing missions. With a bit of salvaging and some pirating on the side 
Before I left that I had a TL, two TPs, two Mercury Super Freighter XLs I used to pick up dropped loot, my own e-cell complex and was working on equipping an M7 to get the Kha'ak out of M148 (final mission in Operation Final Fury, using the "TC plots in AP"-mod). So I would guess I made a good hundred million or so in around 3 in-game days, and at least 90% of it by doing missions or salvaging stuff.
Before I left that I had a TL, two TPs, two Mercury Super Freighter XLs I used to pick up dropped loot, my own e-cell complex and was working on equipping an M7 to get the Kha'ak out of M148 (final mission in Operation Final Fury, using the "TC plots in AP"-mod). So I would guess I made a good hundred million or so in around 3 in-game days, and at least 90% of it by doing missions or salvaging stuff.
I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am 
DiDs:
Eye of the storm Completed
Eye of the storm - book 2 Inactive
Black Sun - Completed
Endgame - Completed
DiDs:
Eye of the storm Completed
Eye of the storm - book 2 Inactive
Black Sun - Completed
Endgame - Completed
I rarely trade in my games until I am looking to start outfitting capitols. I make my money almost exclusively from combat missions and ship capture, be that derelicts or boarding.
A great way to make money fast this way is to get yourself a TM with a jumpdrive. Have it fueled and waiting (but not docked) in a safe sector near where you plan to be operating. Find some combat missions, kill some bad guys, get some to bail. Once you've "liberated" some ships, claim them, then call in your TM and have your new acquisitions dock. Since these ships usually have significant hull damage, they are very slow, and often die en-route to a shipyard by themselves. With a TM, not only can you sell them quickly, but you greatly enhance the likelyhood of them surviving the journey.
Another version of this tactic is passive claiming. Find a high combat sector War sectors can be good, just stay away from the active combat. Core sectors bordering Xenon space also work, but you need to be fast to capitalize without getting ventilated in the process.
Doing this, you end up with a decent extra income on top of your combat earnings, and even the occasionally cool ship that you couldn't otherwise afford or find. Obviously, your income isn't passive - the money stops when you do - but it is a viable alternative for those who don't like dealing with the market.
Also, if you use docking computers and transporter devices, you can drastically increase the speed at which you pick up claimed vessels. It does require more micro on your part, but in a high-threat area, it can be necessary.
A great way to make money fast this way is to get yourself a TM with a jumpdrive. Have it fueled and waiting (but not docked) in a safe sector near where you plan to be operating. Find some combat missions, kill some bad guys, get some to bail. Once you've "liberated" some ships, claim them, then call in your TM and have your new acquisitions dock. Since these ships usually have significant hull damage, they are very slow, and often die en-route to a shipyard by themselves. With a TM, not only can you sell them quickly, but you greatly enhance the likelyhood of them surviving the journey.
Another version of this tactic is passive claiming. Find a high combat sector War sectors can be good, just stay away from the active combat. Core sectors bordering Xenon space also work, but you need to be fast to capitalize without getting ventilated in the process.
Doing this, you end up with a decent extra income on top of your combat earnings, and even the occasionally cool ship that you couldn't otherwise afford or find. Obviously, your income isn't passive - the money stops when you do - but it is a viable alternative for those who don't like dealing with the market.
Also, if you use docking computers and transporter devices, you can drastically increase the speed at which you pick up claimed vessels. It does require more micro on your part, but in a high-threat area, it can be necessary.
Needs a definition for "trading"
Do you consider selling captured/looted things trading?
Tbh its entirely possible to never once get involved into any sort of trading. But you won't be able to progress through story without at least minimal trading. Hence no access to some of the most fun things like PHQ, UJD and such.
Outfitting ships becomes a fair bit more annoying. It would be masochism trying to use M7M w/o either fueling economy or having your own production.
Doing just combat/combat missions will get tedious the same way trading gets tedious. The ideal approach is to do one then when you are bored switch to other until you are bored, rinse and repeat.
Do you consider selling captured/looted things trading?
Tbh its entirely possible to never once get involved into any sort of trading. But you won't be able to progress through story without at least minimal trading. Hence no access to some of the most fun things like PHQ, UJD and such.
Outfitting ships becomes a fair bit more annoying. It would be masochism trying to use M7M w/o either fueling economy or having your own production.
Doing just combat/combat missions will get tedious the same way trading gets tedious. The ideal approach is to do one then when you are bored switch to other until you are bored, rinse and repeat.
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” - Albert Einstein
If you do not want to do the plots and refuse to do any trading what so ever,you are asking to play as a mercenary.
If you like dogfighting etc,this is possible. even possible to upgrade your ship by looting abandoned goods.
But uprading will be limited.
The only way to have a better ship is by capping one,if you do not want to trade.
How far up the ladder of millitary ships you can climb without purchasing anything is probably not far,as some ships can only be gained from boarding.
If you like dogfighting etc,this is possible. even possible to upgrade your ship by looting abandoned goods.
But uprading will be limited.
The only way to have a better ship is by capping one,if you do not want to trade.
How far up the ladder of millitary ships you can climb without purchasing anything is probably not far,as some ships can only be gained from boarding.