XBTF -> X-Tension passive rank progression

[professen]

I decided to "play through" the titles I never "finished".
I am nearly done with X beyond the Frontier, I would say 10 hours Top.
Half the universe is saturated with my factories, I just need to improve the Boron rank, so that all the carriers may help me in my last mission.
It takes quite long, since X:BTF has not the passive rank progression the newer titles have. So owned factories and ships do not improve ones rank through trading. Only direct player actions influence the rank.
Granted, there are a lot fewer tanks, but just planting factories does not help at all (well buying factories do seem to improve the rank, not sure about freighters bought in the factories).

Now, I did never play the perseus mission in X-Tension, because I had a savegame problem back then.
Since it is quite similar to X and I do not know if that massion is "worth" it, I think about skipping this (otherwise excellent) title if it does not have passive rank progression.

My question is: Do only direct player actions influence the rank, or do factories and transporter also influence the rank like in later games of the Series in X-Tension

PS: I know that traiding improves the rank fairly fast, but I have an empire know. Personally trading is beyond me at this point. I do not do such an monotonous job.

[Nanook]

....
Now, I did never play the perseus mission in X-Tension, because I had a savegame problem back then.
Since it is quite similar to X and I do not know if that massion is "worth" it, I think about skipping this (otherwise excellent) title if it does not have passive rank progression....

X-Tension is the true X1, in my opinion. It introduced most of the game mechanics we see in the later titles: flying all small ships, the ability to own and fly capital ships (only the TL in this case), factory ships that you own, not 'rent', capturing enemy ships for use or sale, non-plot missions (there is no plot), and many more. And I seem to recall that trading of products by your freighters does count for your trade rep, although direct sales to NPC freighters doesn't, same as for all the later games.

If you want the complete experience and to know how the game evolved, X-Tension is well worth it, IMO.

[professen]

Thank you for your reply. I have started a new game thanks to your information.
Sold my Buster and bought a nice Discover which is maxed out as we speak. Pirate hunting in Paranid space is quite lucrative and makes way for an early start docking computer.

I play the old games to take care of some "unfinished business". They are nothing new to me.
And though I do agree, that x-tension is the better game, I wouldn't say it is the "true X1".
The setting, being confined to a single ship, nearly no information(even the manual did not help a lot), the extremely slow start(since you did not know to sell you shields in 1999, no you did not), that all creates a special feeling of being lost and alone. XBTF has its place and the combination of XBTF <-> X-Tension let me hope for a X-Tension2 one year after X-Rebirth which was in my mind the same ultimate fix for X-Rebirth as X-Tension was to XBTF.
Sadly I was wrong, it never came.