Old Reunion player. Just got X3TC/AP via GOG. Forgive Ignorance.

[Tanus_1]

Howdy all,

Just picked up X3TC/AP from GOG and had a few questions. Do note that I've had X3 Reunion back when it was a complete wreck. Before the patches and changes [Not like that helped all that much]. And yes, even these days, the auto-pilot is still a wreck!

So I was wondering if it might be wise to just skip the vanilla plots TC/AP and just go for the XRM mod from the start. From what I've read XRM improves the game significantly [Increased hull values do indeed extend combat times]. Of course, this might come at the cost of the Argon plot, but I don't care. Generally, vanilla game plots suck compared to what modders come up with. I doubt I'd be missing anything anyway.

No doubt this is an opinion based question, but would it be better to just start in XRM? Possibly as the terrans to preserve some of the plot. Possibly to learn all the new ships, stations and equipment changes by default? Possibly to get used to how XRM works as opposed to vanilla game play? Clearly, you get the picture by now.

Sure, I'ved mucked with the Vanilla Argon plot. Plus made 1mil mostly by gate jumping out/into Omicron L, and just picking up left over missiles. I've noticed that ships I deploy in Omicron L tend to be beacons for all terran ships when I use a gate to exit the sector. That seems to be an exploit to be used. My argon discoverer, nova proto, and stolen demetris brought me MANY missile pick-ups that resulted in at least half a million credits. This gets better when you get a fully functioning factory in the sector. All terran ships try and hit that station, fail, and leave behind lots of missile pick-ups. Something just isn't right about that at all, considering its all based on whether or not I'm in the sector or just left or entered via a gate. Almost NOTHING ever happens when I'm actually IN the sector...

Would XRM actually fix all that or not? This seems to be a consistently identifiable pattern within the vanilla X3TC/AP game. Why set up a trade network, when I can just flip/flop threw the border gates and snag missiles?

[Timsup2nothin]

I have played vanilla TC literally for years. I have separate installations for XTC and XRM, but just never get around to trying them.

[zazie]

I have played vanilla TC literally for years.

Same here.
I have played XTM for Reunion - it was all a new game. Much of it made it into X3TC.
IMO X3TC (Vanilla) still is absolutely fascinating. The AP-changes have influence on your game-style, the war-campaigns might ruin your game.

I never played XRM, but for about two years I am now into XTC (Xtended-Mod for X3TC). Again this mod makes a complete different game. Actually I am observing an intense war between Kha'ak and Xenon in the western Xenon sectors. Within less than 24 hrs the Kha'ak have taken three Xenon Sectors ...

=> I would advice you to start with X3TC before you go for the Mods. The X3TC-game mechanics are quite different from X3R and the start into TC could be more than challenging in a modded universe.

[jack775544]

When I first got X3TC I think it stayed vanilla for all of 10 minutes

You could give Litcubes Universe a try, it adds alot of polish onto the game, whilst still keeping with the spirit of the vanilla game and gives a really good end game experience.

[pjknibbs]

The missile thing must mean you're running AP. OL is a war sector in that game and thus the race you have lower rep with between Argon and Terrans will attack your stuff--that doesn't happen in TC.

As for "why set up a trade network rather than just grabbing missiles"--because doing the latter is boring as heck? Personally I think you should use every means available to make money in the game, rather than concentrating on one thing over and over and thus making it dull for yourself--your mileage may vary, of course. XRM makes the whole game more combat-heavy, also, so it's very unlikely to fix an issue which is related to making too much money from combat rather than trading!

[ancienthighway]

I've never used XTC, XRM or Litcube, so I can't speak about any of them.

However, I don't understand the desire to put a game changing mod into the game before having a thorough understanding of the base game. You have nothing to compare changes to, so you can't say you like one way over another. I've seen posts where someone just picked up the game and popped XRM into it, then get frustrated because he can't even fly one sector without being attacked and destroyed. That's brutal. And it's not default game play.

I have played modified TC/AP since after I found things that frustrated me after a few days. There are mods available to change just about anything you aren't pleased with.

That being said, I've played many hours in TC, and it still doesn't bore me to the point of never wanting to play again or wanting something to shake up everything I know about the game.

I played AP a bit, and even added the TC plots. Yet when it was time for a new start, I went with TC.