Profitable Factory Loops

[Timbuk2]

What factory-loop end products are profitable?

I've got a Fighter Drone loop in Seizewell which is a nice earner, and a Satellite factory loop in Ore Belt which also does well.

I've tried a Beta PAC loop which didn't make money so I gave up on it (reverted to savegame).

Read on this forum that weapon and shield factories and forges in fact don't make much profit, if at all.

So besides Fighter drone fabs and Satellite factories, what other types of factories make profitable end-products in loops?

Missiles?
Computer Components?
Computer Chips?
Weapon Components?
Anything Else?

[Llama8]

While they aren't loops, I find that food factories (BoFu Labs, Soyeries, etc) are very profitable, as the resources are fairly plentiful in most sectors & the end product is bought at max price by the trading stations (so you don't have to use a seller ship).

[Gazzareth]

I don't bother with loops as such - since you can sell to the AI high and buy back from their factories low.... I will make "feeder" factories when absolutely necessary but sometimes it is enough to increase local supply to drop the price at the AI factories !!!!

[Splinkio]

I know this is quite low on the chain, but I was gonig to set up a wheat farm to the north - near to atreus' clouds or something - or even in KE. I seem to have done a lot of missions where people run out of wheat, so I tootle off to get them some - find a sector which has about 150 wheat in it, get to dock - some other TP comes out of the ship, I rescan, and it has like 10 left !!

This happens quite a lot i noticed, and getting quite annoyed looking around for wheat. I imagine a 25w shield would go quite well there too, however, I am only on my first SPP at the moment .. so I am waaay off

[BenKanoobie]

Timbuk2, are you finding it easy to get the Massom powder for the drone factory, I was wanting to set one up in Argon Prime as there is a massive need for drones in that area, but was badly put off when I saw that Massom powder is a primary R instead of Meatsteaks and that it can only be bought in split space.

[Timbuk2]

Yeah I have a standalone wheat farm in KE and standalone wheat farm in Rolk's Drift.

The Boron need wheat for some of their products but can't make wheat factories, so setting up wheat farms is a sure-fire winner in their space.
Sell at max price and watch those Dolphin's dock.

I like setting up loops cos they look after themselves, plus none of the profit made leaks to the outside economy. I get fed up with the flashing yellow which happens with all standalone factories from time to time, no matter how well you supply them.

[Timbuk2]

Timbuk2, are you finding it easy to get the Massom powder for the drone factory, I was wanting to set one up in Argon Prime as there is a massive need for drones in that area, but was badly put off when I saw that Massom powder is a primary R instead of Meatsteaks and that it can only be bought in split space.

I bought a Massom Mill and Scruffin Fruit Farm to supply it from Family Pride in Split space. This supplies the drone fab with Massom powder no worries.

[MulveyMan]

Timbuk2, I have a BPPC forge that does at least SOME business, and a lasertower factory that consistently underperforms. You're right, these things tend to suck, IME.

My best-producing loops are a drone fab, a wasp missile fab, and a SQUASH mine fab. Look for equipment docks (not trading stations) that buy these things, then build loops to support them.

[Timbuk2]

A Wasp Missile Fab huh?

Hmmm ... think I'll try that.

Never thought of checking what Equipment Docks buy. Great advice, thanks.

[MulveyMan]

You're welcome. I got a tip from... shoot, can't remember, but appreciate his/her help anyway... that Trading Stations aren't such healthy consumers as Equip Docks.

[Nodakear]

I'm a bit of a newb here, but how do u set up loops? How many jumps and stuff should u give all the stations and what r those jumps actually? Is it to say how many systems they should go through for resources?

And how much should i extend the cargo bays of the trading ships i use to buy and sell the resources? I only have 1 spp in kingdoms end now and don't know if it runs well. I just had it there for like 1 hour btw, should i max out the cargo bay for the selling ship for that spp?

Thx for any help u guys can give me

[Al]

The whole point of a loop is that all factories are in the same sector and hence they dont have to jump anywhere.

Al

[Nodakear]

ooookaaaay, but that wasn't what i was asking

[Timbuk2]

I'm a bit of a newb here, but how do u set up loops? How many jumps and stuff should u give all the stations and what r those jumps actually? Is it to say how many systems they should go through for resources?

A loop is essentially a combination of all the factories required to provide all the resources to all other factories in the loop to give one final end product.

So if you wanted to produce fighter drones (a classic example)

You need:
1x Fighter Drone factory
1x Solar Power Plant (supplies ecells to all other factories)
1x Crystal fab (supplies crystals to SPP)
1x Cahoona Bakery (supplies meatsteak cahoonas to crystal fab)
1x Cattle Ranch (supplies argnu beef to cahoona bakery)
1x Massom Mill (supplies massom powder to drone factory)
1x Scruffin Farm (supplies scruffin fruit to massom mill)
1x or 2x Silicon Mines - depending on yield of asteroid (supplies crystal fab and drone factory with silicon wafers)

Except for the drone factory, set all prices on all factories to near minimum, set jumps to zero, and set trade with other races to No.

On the drone factory, set trade with other races to Yes and set the price to maximum.

With this loop all supplies come from your factories, you lose no profit to buying goods from the outside economy. Once in place with all supply ships, the loop looks entirey after itself with no further micro-management after initial setup, and its nicely self-contained in one single sector (occasionally two if appropriate asteroids aren't present in the chosen sector).

Loops don't make huge amounts of money, my standalone SPPs make more per game hour, but I find the actual process of setting up the loop in the first place enormously satisfying, and i like the fact that I can leave it alone once its up and running.

My standalone SPPs, tho more profitable, flash yellow from time to time when their supply ships are unable to find supplies from the dynamic outside economy. This annoys me intensely:)

I'm a beginner when it comes to loops, I only have two up and running, but there are some expert loopers here in the forum with some excellent advice and links.

And how much should i extend the cargo bays of the trading ships i use to buy and sell the resources? I only have 1 spp in kingdoms end now and don't know if it runs well. I just had it there for like 1 hour btw, should i max out the cargo bay for the selling ship for that spp?

Extend cargo bays to max and speed to max (although TPs already have cargo bay fully extended.) I also do rudder optimisation to max, but have a feeling it makes little difference really.

[Gazzareth]

The whole point of a loop is that all factories are in the same sector and hence they dont have to jump anywhere.

Aaaah cheers I understand now !!!

[Llama8]

I also do rudder optimisation to max, but have a feeling it makes little difference really.

If maneuverability is taken into account in OOS then maxing the rudder optimisation would help your ships survive.

[Shara]

Profitable Loops are anything that sells to an Equipment Dock or Trading Station. Check the Trading Stations to see what products they sell - those are the products they will buy. For instance - not every Trading Station sells Crystals, but the ones that do will buy for max price.

Generally, any Trading Station that needs something will buy it at max price as fast as your factory will make it.

Take a look at a Trading Station's inventory - see what products they sell and which ones are always at zero. For instance - in Argon Prime, the Trading Station there is ALWAYS out of Quantum Tubes. Bingo - instant income. Build a Quantum Tube Fab Loop there, and sell to the Trading Station at max price.


Since Trading Stations are in every sector, all you have to do is find the best sectors for building loops. Generally, I am finding, this is primarily dependent on the available Silicon.

[MulveyMan]

)Yeah, what Timbuk2 said... plus one note: the cahoona factory and cattle ranch are needed for ARGON cyrstal fabs; other races' need other types of food and farms.

BTW, I've found loops using Argon cyrstal fabs & supports to better than those with crystal fabs & supports bought from other races - the food & farm just seem to eventually fill up and stay filled better.

(Timbuk2- thorough, clear; props to you )

[Bones-1]

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[CHAZZ]

SSShhhhh...build Space Weed, Space Fuel and SQUASH Mines factory loops in OldMonkeysFart Treaty (or Elenas Fortune) and sell your contraband products to up to 6 Pirate stations!(make them come to you) Load of cash, reliable customers guarranteed!
Chazz.