Old Timer coming back for one more run

[Vertigem PT]

Hi everyone,



Used to play a lot o X3-TC in the past, never really got into X3-AP but from the few minutes I had on it seemed just a refined version.

So I had TC and AP sitting on my steam for a long time now and finally decided to give it another go. Previous version I played was non steam, so I have a couple of questions\requests for advice.

a) Is it easy to install and run mods on the steam version? If not how do I go about to install some goodies?

b) I remember playing with some mods, mostly utility tools, remember one that made programing auto--trading easier (think the extra package in AP has this now), remember using a command to install satellites in all sectors and also remember fiddling around with some mods to help organize my complexes (they still sucked, never managed much more than 5 or 6 modules on each before they start to look like a bad Christmas tree). Which mods are advised in the AP steam version?

c) I have a decent machine these days holding a 1080 Nvidia Graphics card, a i7 4790k processor and a 2k screen, so I am planning to push the eye candy to max and enjoy space at its best.

BTW since I am new to the forum (used to read only), late congrats for the gem X3 series is, many hours of fun and my favorite space sim to date. Recent junk made me want to come back for ths coff coff elite dangerrous coff coff no mans sky coff.

Cheers

[RAVEN.myst]

Welcome back!

Since I play pure vanilla (ie. no unsigned mods), I can't answer some of your questions, but I do have a bit of info on one of them: complex building has been made a lot easier in the Bonus Pack for X3AP in the form of the Haephasto Corporation - it's basically a service that, for a small surcharge (I think it's about 10% of complex cost) will place all your complex stations in not necessarily an aesthetically pleasing manner per se, but at least in a regular, evenly spaced non-eyesore. The Bonus Pack (both the TC and AP versions) does indeed deliver extensive trade automation extensions (which I consider absolute must-haves - none of my playthroughs would be as interesting as they are without these functions), as well as many other nice-to-have goodies.

As you've discerned, X3AP is basically a refined X3TC, with enhancements both in terms of game mechanics and graphics - if you are looking to push eye-candy, I recommend AP, as it does away with the draw-distance limitation of previous titles (which were necessary due to limitations in graphical processing power of yesteryear, but even graphics cards several years old laugh at the "effort" of drawing X3 to infinity now, so your uber-graphics will do so even more!) The one downside of AP (in my opinion, at least - some players prefer this, however) is its much shorter plot-lines, and thus its greater reliance on the player's narrative-creation and own-goal-setting skills.

Good hunting!

[hisazul]

The process of installing mods is identical. There is little practical difference between retail and steam version. Egosoft also offers nosteam executable in download section so you can run your steam version without steam. You need to register an AP version with forum to see it in download section tho. Other then that steam version offers a unique start "suicidal squid" basically if you die the save is gone, it is only stored on steam itself so naturally requires constant steam connection.

As far as stations go Raven already mentioned bonus pack which has a function of simply ordering stations and they will be built as well. Tubeless mod reduces lag by a fair margin other then that it is all up to your own preferences. I only run my own modification to PHQ, UFJD sector(more loot and a large variety of it) and cheat package.

[ubuntufreakdragon]

Modding: you should allways copy your steam x3 installion into a non steam folder and use the noSteam.exe to block an automatic steamuptade from overwriting your mods e.g. current beta adds a 04.cat.

You should know the difference between a Script and a mod for X3: A mod changes one or more basic game files, these files can only be changed by one mod at the same time so mods editing the same files are mutual exclusive. A Script doesn't change these files therefore Scripts are almost always compatible to everything.

Things like a better trading AI or placing satellites are normally scripts (they do something new with existing objects), while new ships or Cockpits are mods(adding something new).

You should always at least have the bonuspackage installed, but if you play modified update the bpscripts to the unmodified version, as this version is newer and likely contains multiple bugfixes.

[Sinxar]

I have a decent machine these days holding a 1080 Nvidia Graphics card, a i7 4790k processor and a 2k screen, so I am planning to push the eye candy to max and enjoy space at its best.

Your CPU is fine but the graphics card doesn't matter. Anything modern with 512MB of VRAM or more is enough. So basically anything from an 8800GT 512MB and up is good. Since it is single threaded, the high IPC of the 4790k works quite well.

Max settings at 1440p doesn't even put enough load on my 1070 to make it come out of idle state.

So don't be alarmed if you look at GPU usage charts and it is sitting idle while playing.

[Vertigem PT]

Oh man that Haephasto Corp sounds like a lifesaver, I don't mind the extra charge, I usually do a merchant start and end up with enough credits to do whatever I want so cash is not a problem.

Plot-lines don't bother me much, wasn't even planing to do follow the plot, maybe after I setup my economical empire and become bored (much) later.

Thanks for the advice everyone, this game still has one of the best communities in gaming. Cheers, time to board my ship.

[RAVEN.myst]

Good hunting!

[TTD]

as you like the modded versions ,check my links below

[Baddieus]

I recently returned to TC myself, and with a seriously upgraded system I needed the below font mod in order to be able to read the screen without straining while running 1920x1080 rez ...

https://en.sdenn.com/x3tc-x3-terran-con ... text-font/