[X3:TC] How to start building an empire?

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ItWasntMe
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Joined: Thu, 12. Jan 06, 15:36
x3ap

[X3:TC] How to start building an empire?

Post by ItWasntMe » Fri, 21. Apr 23, 18:59

Hello,

I was trying to build an empire and I'm kinda stuck. Essentially I don't know where to start putting stations. I used the Terran start and I have completed the plot. I have the Terran M6 that you get as well as the M3 and I have a Split Mamba Raider, and a Caiman Super Freighter XL. I also have 7 Mil, satelites places all over Split space (Well on the family pride side anyway). and I have very good relations with the Split, OK relations with the Argon, Boron and Teladi and Abismal but not hostile relations with the Paranid. I had also explored fairly extensively.

I had hoped to setup a station and then go off doing other things but I can't seem to decide where to put one. I have been doing some trading to try and work out where to put something but I am having difficulty seeing a significant spot to put a station. Or at least where to put a station in split space between Family Whi,Thuroks beard and the Patriachs Keep areas.

I just wondered if anyone could give me any suggestions based on what I have said as to how to get started building an empire?

Thanks. :-)
Split say: ***Arrrg!!!***

jlehtone
Posts: 21801
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x4

Re: [X3:TC] How to start building an empire?

Post by jlehtone » Fri, 21. Apr 23, 21:08

I had so many factories in X3R that I tried to avoid them in X3TC. Completed most of the Hub plot without any. (Finally had some for the final lot of microchips.) I did gather a billion, but not by trade ...

I'd probably skip the "significant" and just build something somewhere. It is hard to make loss, but of course many not very profitable stations do not yield good ROI but do need that initial investment.
Goner Pancake Protector X
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RainerPrem
Posts: 3560
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x4

Re: [X3:TC] How to start building an empire?

Post by RainerPrem » Sat, 22. Apr 23, 05:29

ItWasntMe wrote:
Fri, 21. Apr 23, 18:59
Hello,

I was trying to build an empire and I'm kinda stuck. Essentially I don't know where to start putting stations. I used the Terran start and I have completed the plot. I have the Terran M6 that you get as well as the M3 and I have a Split Mamba Raider, and a Caiman Super Freighter XL. I also have 7 Mil, satelites places all over Split space (Well on the family pride side anyway). and I have very good relations with the Split, OK relations with the Argon, Boron and Teladi and Abismal but not hostile relations with the Paranid. I had also explored fairly extensively.

I had hoped to setup a station and then go off doing other things but I can't seem to decide where to put one. I have been doing some trading to try and work out where to put something but I am having difficulty seeing a significant spot to put a station. Or at least where to put a station in split space between Family Whi,Thuroks beard and the Patriachs Keep areas.

I just wondered if anyone could give me any suggestions based on what I have said as to how to get started building an empire?

Thanks. :-)
In X3TC and X3AP you can build a station producing 1M Shields in Argon Prime. You will sell unlimited numbers of them without even actively trying. I build mine normally at the North Gate.

cu
Rainer

glenmcd
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Joined: Sat, 16. Oct 10, 11:07
x3tc

Re: [X3:TC] How to start building an empire?

Post by glenmcd » Fri, 26. May 23, 23:46

I also ponder the question of best way to build an empire and even if upfront costs are high, it's a ton of fun building factories. But which factories? 1MJ shields do sell well, but there are wares that are in even higher demand (and low supply from NPC factories), but there is also the question of how long before you break even with your investment costs. Ignoring transportation issues, Ore mines have one of the fastest break-even times, and the demand is so high, by the time you satisfy the universe, you'll be quite rich. Like everything else in X3 though, there are compromises everywhere and one of the downsides of dealing with Ore is that you need large, expensive and generally slow XL cargo rated ships for delivery whereas 1MJ shields can be easily carried in small cheap M5s even. One strategy would be to manufacture for what you can afford the factories + transport ships for, and then revisit this later as your empire builds. Assuming you can find ECs for minimum price and sell the products for maximum price, you'll break even with a half decent Ore mine in less than four hours, whereas it's over 13 hours for 1MJ shields. Think that's a long time? Some factories (the larger lasers for example) can take multiple days to break even, credits wise. But transportation is a breeze. Options in X3 abound and IMO, this is where its true beauty is.

AleksMain
Posts: 907
Joined: Thu, 21. Sep 06, 11:05
x3tc

Re: [X3:TC] How to start building an empire?

Post by AleksMain » Sat, 27. May 23, 12:20

RainerPrem wrote:
Sat, 22. Apr 23, 05:29

In X3TC and X3AP you can build a station producing 1M Shields ...
Assuming, that you bought cheapest Split
Shield Production Facility 1MJ for 1,485,460 Cr and sell shields with average price 5,192 Cr as soon as they are produced (1 per 26 minutes), then you can get back cost of Shield Production Facility 1MJ after about 6 days (as there are some expenses on materials: energy cells, Ore and food), getting stable income about 10,000 Cr per hour.

Since you can get more (than 10,000 Cr) as reward for one mission, then is it worth your efforts ?

Correct me, if something is wrong in calculations.

Edit: see below posts for the right answer.
Last edited by AleksMain on Sat, 27. May 23, 15:47, edited 1 time in total.

glenmcd
Posts: 920
Joined: Sat, 16. Oct 10, 11:07
x3tc

Re: [X3:TC] How to start building an empire?

Post by glenmcd » Sat, 27. May 23, 13:52

AleksMain wrote:
Sat, 27. May 23, 12:20
RainerPrem wrote:
Sat, 22. Apr 23, 05:29

In X3TC and X3AP you can build a station producing 1M Shields ...
Assuming, that you bought cheapest Split
Shield Production Facility 1MJ for 1,485,460 Cr and sell shields with average price 5,192 Cr as soon as they are produced (1 per 26 minutes), then you can get back cost of Shield Production Facility 1MJ after about 6 days (as there are some expenses on materials: energy cells, Ore and food), getting stable income about 10,000 Cr per hour.

Since you can get more (than 10,000 Cr) as reward for one mission, then is it worth your efforts ?

Correct me, if something is wrong in calculations.
You may well be correct, but actually, X3TC and X3AP appear to differ in this area. I can't find Split 1MJ Shield factories for sale in X3AP, but there are Teladi 1MJ Shield factories with production cycle time of 1560 seconds, 12 products per cycle. Product average price is same (5192), cost of resources is same (per ware) and so in AP this works out to between 13 and 14 hours. I've played much more X3AP than X3TC in recent years. I originally assumed no differences in this area. 13 years playing X and I'm still learning lol!

AleksMain
Posts: 907
Joined: Thu, 21. Sep 06, 11:05
x3tc

Re: [X3:TC] How to start building an empire?

Post by AleksMain » Sat, 27. May 23, 15:46

glenmcd wrote:
Sat, 27. May 23, 13:52
AleksMain wrote:
Sat, 27. May 23, 12:20
RainerPrem wrote:
Sat, 22. Apr 23, 05:29

In X3TC and X3AP you can build a station producing 1M Shields ...
Assuming, that you bought cheapest Split
Shield Production Facility 1MJ for 1,485,460 Cr and sell shields with average price 5,192 Cr as soon as they are produced (1 per 26 minutes), then you can get back cost of Shield Production Facility 1MJ after about 6 days (as there are some expenses on materials: energy cells, Ore and food), getting stable income about 10,000 Cr per hour.

Since you can get more (than 10,000 Cr) as reward for one mission, then is it worth your efforts ?

Correct me, if something is wrong in calculations.
You may well be correct, but actually, X3TC and X3AP appear to differ in this area. I can't find Split 1MJ Shield factories for sale in X3AP, but there are Teladi 1MJ Shield factories with production cycle time of 1560 seconds, 12 products per cycle. Product average price is same (5192), cost of resources is same (per ware) and so in AP this works out to between 13 and 14 hours. I've played much more X3AP than X3TC in recent years. I originally assumed no differences in this area. 13 years playing X and I'm still learning lol!
Yea, thank you. I saw 12 products per cycle of 26 minutes (1560 seconds) note too, then.

So, there is profit of around 120,000 Cr per hour from the sold Shields 1MJ or 2,000 Cr per minute.

For my source of information look at Shield Production Facility 1MJ

There are listed Teladi and Argon Shipyards, where you can buy it.

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