[X3AP] Preventing NPCs from buying my HQ stuff (SOLVED).

[Mokunen]

I have a simple problem which should have a simple solution... which eludes me thus far. I've tried Google and the forum search, to no avail.

The problem is: I want to use my PHQ as a storage dump to collect "trophies" (equipment from captured ships), as well as the resources needed to build my own armada. However, I can't seem to find a way to prevent the NPC traders from buying the things I'm trying to stockpile. I set Max Jumps to zero, forbid it from trading with other races, set everything to the maximum possible price, but that didn't stop a random trader dropping by and emptying my stash of Aurora missiles. Left behind a pretty penny, and it only happened once, but I'm uneasy with the thought that my unfaithful HQ might one day give away all of my quantum tubes.

Did I miss something? If I picked an Argon gamestart, does that mean that the Argon are able to trade with my station even if I use the "other races can't trade" option?

EDIT: ancienthighway found the root of the problem: NPC ships en route to buy wares at a station will not cancel their orders if the station is suddenly set to not trade with other races. This is consistent with what happened in my game. "Other races" refers to all ships not owned by the player, contrary to my worries.

[Sabrina Bergin]

It sounds like you have one of your UT's selling your stuff best way is to set the prices to max on the stuff you want to keep.

[Mokunen]

The thing is, I don't have UTs. I'm not interested in trading, my stations are meant to be self-sufficient and supply my fleets directly. I know very little about UTs and CAGs and whatnot, beyond the facts that they exist and I don't have any. Even more, the only freight ship I kept is my station-building Albatross; I'm just quietly building up some factories in a remote sector, capturing ships to RE or sell, and running missions. The only way my wares can currently leave my HQ is on an NPC ship, or in my own cargo bay :D

I also assumed setting prices to max (as well as forbidding trade with other races) would deter all NPC traders, but then there was this one incident. Maybe it was just the AI derping out, but there's no way I can be sure so I came here to ask.

[kaistern]

Sounds to me like some blackmarket dealer bribed you dock manager

[ancienthighway]

If you put the Aurora missiles into the PHQ before setting the PHQ to not trade with other races, it's possible an NPC got the order to buy them before the setting was made. As the NPC was already in route, it ignored the setting and completed the sell.

"Other races" is all races but your ships, so if you were using UTs they would trade with the PHQ. There are settings for all of the automated traders that will let you set up no-trade stations if you ever decide to give them a try.

[Mokunen]

Sounds to me like some blackmarket dealer bribed you dock manager
:lol:

Hahaha! Now I gotta find the menu to fire my dock manager, too! Though I could just mail him an Aurora volley for the vendetta bonus XD

If you put the Aurora missiles into the PHQ before setting the PHQ to not trade with other races, it's possible an NPC got the order to buy them before the setting was made. As the NPC was already in route, it ignored the setting and completed the sell.

Sneaky NPCs operating in the grey areas of the law? Impressive AI programming!
Seriously though, it makes sense. The sale was made some while after I set the no-trade option, but I definitely didn't enable it right after dropping the HQ, so this could very well be the culprit; I'm not unfamiliar with AI limitations either.
I did find it strange that there was no simple way to prevent automatic trading, good thing I was mistaken. Good thing this will be a one-time issue, too; I'll mark this thread as solved.
Thanks a lot for your help!