X3TC Barren Shores Complex Question

[Cayo124]

Is it possible to connect all mines without moving them around? (what a pain would that be)
PS: I still think this is the most painful task in TC --- moving the mines.

[DiArmada]

it seems to be possible to connect different complexes in the same sector with another CCK.
why do you consider towing asteroids to be a painful task?
with 80 m/sec they're pretty fast where they need to be, even in a large sector.
I assume you do most things remotely, so it's not really lost time, is it?

[Cayo124]

"seems" to be possible --- the whole sector is based only on silicone asteroids.
But there are NPC stations too.
Thus is a question, before I go nuts

2. Well, towing asteroids takes me 2 hours per 10 asteroids. Aligning them... well after one sector, I really stop bother with esthetics

3. I do things first-person. And I don't use SETA, unless I need TL or something else to get to the point NOW

[TTD]

I did it in my first full run of TC Hub Plot.

Put mines on all 'roids.
Connect as many as possible withh CCKs.

Choose end product.
use Complex calc (I use one in my sig)

Any groups of mines that do not connect... use needed factories / CCKs to link them .

Simples.

[Black_hole_suN]

Barren Shores is the home of my giant Crystal plex that supplies all crystal needs of all my complexes.

The trick I use when connecting a complex is:

- I just connect the farthest stations and extend its resulting hub as close as possible to the space where the final complex hub will be placed..

- Then I keep on connecting them by pairs and extending it closer and closer to the final Hub.. (note Complex Construction Kit has 20km range)

- After all stations are connected by pairs, I then rename all resulting Hubs with #1 as the final Hub, #2 (closest), #3 (2nd closest) and so on

- Then connect all hubs starting from the farthest.. until it all hubs are connected to #1

[Bill Huntington]

It's not hard to connect all the Silicon mines you want. I place the HUB close to the North gate for easy access, perhaps 10 km away. The Silicon mines are all 5 to 10 in positive altitude, so if you connect to your HUB at altitude 4 or so, it would be smart. That helps avoid collisions with NPC traffic when you are in sector. The connector crosses a major traffic lane. But most NPC travel close to 0 altitude.

I label them N,S,E,W to keep them straight. Then connect from the furthest inward. Always choose the inward one first, or you might lock yourself out of range. Save often.

When I do the HUB plot in a game, I set up Barren Shores as a dedicated MicroChip factory, as soon as I can. Long before I start the HUB plot. I put big TSs there for storage. So I don't wait long at all to finish that part of the HUB. After the HUB, I sell MC for $.

[OniGanon]

I don't use SETA

Oh dude that is some serious masochism.

[ancienthighway]

I don't use SETA

Oh dude that is some serious masochism.

Actually, not. I find when I have a lot going on with transports and stations that not using SETA gives me more time to check up on my empire. I'm also less likely to pass up lucrative missions when flying. If I really need to be someplace "right now", I'll jump (set to not auto jump currently).

I have in previous games connected all the major silicon and ore mines and set up some weapons and crystal/chip complexes. No moving involved.

[mouser9169]

I checked my old save from when I was trying to crack through to Tycoon.

I have a massive complex in the Ore Belt with at least 50 'roids connected and another 50 stations hooked up to that: crystal fabs, the food production chain, solar power, production.

The first think I did was plop down all the mines. Then I got a bunch of connection kits and connected all the ones I could. After that, just pick a place to start, make a 'complex' of two stations, then connect that complex to the larger one. This will let you place a new 'hub', which you move closer to where the next roids you want to hook up are.

When I was finished, the sector looks like a big doughnut of tubes and stations, so I try to stay out of the sector unless it's absolutely necessary (collision detection and all).

I put a bunch of ships in there to patrol the sector and it did pretty well for me. I checked the save, I've got a billion credits - I think that's part of why I stopped that one, I couldn't figure out what to spend them on... That and the thought of getting some M1's and then have to go through equipping all the fighters with the jumpdrives , transporters, and docking computers didn't really thrill me. Jumpdrives so if I ever need to 'bug out' I can just set the wing to 'follow me' and jump (keep the fighters stocked with plenty of energy). The transport and docking computer let me quickly 'bounce' from ship to ship docking - a bit of a hassle, but quick once I got it down, and I stopped losing ships to docking collisions.

[Cayo124]

Oh dude that is some serious masochism.

I use SETA, just not for standing around and waiting for the money.

Any groups of mines that do not connect... use needed factories / CCKs to link them .

Hmm. The place does look congested with asteroids and stations. But that is still a nice trick. Thank you.

I set up Barren Shores as a dedicated MicroChip factory,

Huh... I was thinking of making it as a Silicone/Crystal Complex.
Should think this Chip idea through.
Thank you.

I have in previous games connected all the major silicon and ore mines and set up some weapons and crystal/chip complexes. No moving involved.

No moving would be nice, but I like to keep space somewhat organized and some complexes being away from gates, just in case I might need to fly into that particular sector and not die from 2fps

When I was finished, the sector looks like a big doughnut of tubes and stations, so I try to stay out of the sector unless it's absolutely necessary (collision detection and all).

When I first played the game, I made a big complex in Ore Belt, but I also wanted to progress with whatever corporation is in that sector. My computers are not very good for this kind of deal. Laptop was just crushing Tower is surviving, but I am not risking it again


Thank you, all for your advice. [/quote]

[ancienthighway]

No moving would be nice, but I like to keep space somewhat organized and some complexes being away from gates, just in case I might need to fly into that particular sector and not die from 2fps Smile

Simply setting up mining on all the appropriate asteroids and building any sizable complex will reduce FPS and cause collision issues when you are in sector. Player presence can always be avoided once station building is completed by sending a ship in to get the wares needed, then transferring it in another sector. Most defense can be handled OOS, with maybe the only exception being a Q or two coming through.

[mouser9169]

Player presence can always be avoided once station building is completed by sending a ship in to get the wares needed, then transferring it in another sector. Most defense can be handled OOS, with maybe the only exception being a Q or two coming through.

This is my favorite part of TC: No dogfighting skills required. You can if you want to, and the game supports that style of play wonderfully, but you can also play the admiral back on the bridge watching the fleet issuing orders to ships and wings. I much prefer the latter. You can avoid combat almost altogether and play it as an economic sim, for that matter as well.

Choices. Choices are good.

Edit: As for a Q? A Panther should be able to take one out no problem, though you may lose a few ships in the process. If I can get the Panther to close first to draw fire and have the fighters defend, I've taken them out with no losses - but it's still a bit of a crap shoot.

3 Q's? I generally yield the right of way and wait at the crossing

[Cayo124]

with maybe the only exception being a Q or two coming through.

That's what I worry about --- when the complex defence might require my personal intervention and my computer will not be able to handle it.

when complex is out of sight fps is quite fine, that' why I move the mines away from direct sight, while enter.... Oh,.. I see

Edit: As for a Q? A Panther should be able to take one out no problem, though you may lose a few ships in the process. If I can get the Panther to close first to draw fire and have the fighters defend, I've taken them out with no losses - but it's still a bit of a crap shoot

I've taken Qs on Panther... Don't remember how, but that was scary. Although it was one at a time and I think in final FF missions.

[Cpt.Jericho]

OOS the Q is real terror. No matter what you get for sector defense, be prepared to take losses.

[DiArmada]

in TC I had a large complex in Terran Unknown Sector 1. (TUS1)
the sector is very often visited by Q's and even bigger.
I had deployed several advanced satellites to see how things were going.
this way I never had to be in the sector to take care of business.
when a capital Xenon vessel was making it's way to my complex I let an M8 undock and barrage it.
OOS the missiles will travel instantly and take out the enemy ship.
in the meantime you can just continue to do what you were doing.

[TTD]

in TC I had a large complex in Terran Unknown Sector 1. (TUS1)

when a capital Xenon vessel was making it's way to my complex I let an M8 undock and barrage it.
OOS the missiles will travel instantly and take out the enemy ship.
in the meantime you can just continue to do what you were doing.

Good tip there

[Cayo124]

in TC I had a large complex in Terran Unknown Sector 1. (TUS1)
the sector is very often visited by Q's and even bigger.
I had deployed several advanced satellites to see how things were going.
this way I never had to be in the sector to take care of business.
when a capital Xenon vessel was making it's way to my complex I let an M8 undock and barrage it.
OOS the missiles will travel instantly and take out the enemy ship.
in the meantime you can just continue to do what you were doing.

In my previous game TUSectors had pirate bases. In present game I have terrans almost in all 4

So M8 with say, hammerheads or something, is a better choice than capital ship and fighters or laser towers?

And yet again, wouldn't it be easier to contain the Xenon sectors in that way? Unless they spawn at different locations, rather than flying from their sectors...?

[DiArmada]

thanks TTD.

well yes, an M8 can do the job without much risk, it fires Tomahawk missiles.
just remember to dock it again once it's job is done, because it's not a very sturdy ship.
at first I had two destroyers defending the position of the complexhub.
that worked rather well, but in the end there were losses, so I tried with an m8.
the downside is that you have to check the map regularly.
the Xenon sector keeps spawning ships which eventually will go on a patrol.
some patrols will be intercepted by Terran forces before they become any threat.

[MarvinTheMartian]

OOS the Q is real terror. No matter what you get for sector defense, be prepared to take losses.

in my last tc game I decided to fight fire with fire, in the end my hq had produced 11 Qs, all fully tuned and max weaponry
Rather effective actually. I had them patrolling sectors in pairs.

[TTD]

11 Q's patrolling in pairs ?


Is this the new Maths they teach in schools these days, or am I not awake yet ?