WALKTHROUGH UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
This walkthrough is mostly spoilered, so that if people get caught on the common sticking-points they can read it without spoiling the story for themselves.
However, it is not expected that the replies will be spoilered, so don't read beyond the first post if you are stuck but don't want to know the plot!
This walkthrough is for the Corporation Troubles plotline available on the Albion Prelude version of X3.
If you have mods, it is possible that they may introduce problems with the plot. As this is a Vanilla forum and a repository for information and issues regarding the unmodded game, if you have a problem with a modded game you are requested to post in the Scripts and Modding forum.
The plotline begins at the end of the Albion Prelude HUB plot, on the conditions that you are at least Petty Financier and you have the Unfocussed Jumpdrive from the HQ plot.
Chapter 1; Introductions
You begin by getting a message from Tuffonmeluks, a Paranid who owns a minor corporation. He's in Third Redemption on the Trading Station. It seems that he's in a spot of financial bother.
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Tuffonmeluks apparently understated the bother he was in. When you chat to him, he tells you that he inherited a company but not the nouse to run it. He diesn't know how bad the situation is but he only owns 10% of the shares, and the Company is losing money hand over fist. He begs for your help.
A Paranid, begging for your help. Savour it.
A Paranid, begging for your help. Savour it.
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He suggests that you go to a Corporate Accountant to get a better picture of the Corporation's financial matters. The CA will become available at the first Stock Exchange that you dock at. Have a chat - get the info. It seems that the Company isn't dead yet, but it's well on the way. The credit rating is junk, as is the corporate reputation. But, with your backing, a loan can be secured to begin the process of hauling it out of the mire.
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Once you get the loan sorted, you fly back to give Tuffonmeluks the news. He says that in order to start getting shares bought back, you should start with a shareholder who has got into a spot of bother himself. His name is Frenk Stringer and he can be found in Elena's Fortune.
From this point in the plot onwards, the idea is to build up your corporate reputation whilst doing missions and favours to buy back shares. You will periodically get 'Reputation Missions' where Tuffonmeluks calls you back in a hurry to discuss a business opportunity and giving you three options. You have to pick the right option; remember, your objective is to build rep, not make money, so err on the cautious side.
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Frenk's bother is that he's bought a new ship, sold his old one, and the new one isn't spaceworthy. He needs someone to go get some equipment. He needs;
2x 25MJ shields
20x Silkworm Missiles
4x HEPTs
He'll be happy to pay for the wares, and give you 9% of the Company's shares in return for your trouble. This shouldn't be too hard.
2x 25MJ shields
20x Silkworm Missiles
4x HEPTs
He'll be happy to pay for the wares, and give you 9% of the Company's shares in return for your trouble. This shouldn't be too hard.
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There's typically a Medium Shield production complex in Cloudbase SE where 25MJ shields are manufactured. Also, Silkworms are often available at a fab in President's End. HEPTs can often be got directly in Elena's Fortune. If you can't find them here, then there's usually fabs for all within a couple of Sectors.
Once you have the goods, deliver them to Frenk, and mission is done. You now have 19% of the Corporate shares.
Once you have the goods, deliver them to Frenk, and mission is done. You now have 19% of the Corporate shares.
Once you hit a Corporate rep of -2, the next mission starts.
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Abmanckolanks is on an Ore Mine in Pontifex' Realm. He has a problem; an incoming Pirate attack on one of his factories. He offers you the shares in return for your skills as a fighter pilot.
This mission starts at a corporate rep of 0.
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Gaga Do is identified as the next holder of 9% of the shares. He's in Queen's Retribution.
Unfortunately, he lost the shares because he gambled away the strongbox they were in. He'd dearly like to have them back, so he's happy to help you out all he can. Which is not at all.
You have to chat to the recipient of the gambling proceeds in the next Sector. He wants a ship, a Mako, in return for the box. This isn't too hard to do as the Shipyard in Queen's Retribution stocks them. Buy one and deliver, then dock and pick up the box. Deliver it back to its owner, and you get your shares.
Unfortunately, he lost the shares because he gambled away the strongbox they were in. He'd dearly like to have them back, so he's happy to help you out all he can. Which is not at all.
You have to chat to the recipient of the gambling proceeds in the next Sector. He wants a ship, a Mako, in return for the box. This isn't too hard to do as the Shipyard in Queen's Retribution stocks them. Buy one and deliver, then dock and pick up the box. Deliver it back to its owner, and you get your shares.
This mission starts when you hit rank 2.
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You have to fly to Empire's Edge to chat to Ebmanckelttak, who tells you that he's willing to part with his shares in exchange for the safe escort of not one but two convoys which are being threatened by the Yaki.
This mission will incur a Yaki rep penalty. Also, For every ship under escort that gets destroyed, you'll have to fork out cash to replace.
Fortunately, you're warned which of the convoys is about to be attacked, giving you some time to respond. But you'll need a fast and powerful ship to deal with this one. A fully kitted-out Solano will do the job against the heavies, but you'll have to have something faster on remote to deal with the scouts.
Having a Jumpdrive helps. A lot.
This mission will incur a Yaki rep penalty. Also, For every ship under escort that gets destroyed, you'll have to fork out cash to replace.
Fortunately, you're warned which of the convoys is about to be attacked, giving you some time to respond. But you'll need a fast and powerful ship to deal with this one. A fully kitted-out Solano will do the job against the heavies, but you'll have to have something faster on remote to deal with the scouts.
Having a Jumpdrive helps. A lot.
This mission starts when you hit rank 3.
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It's a tour guide mission. You need a TP to do it.
Three words are apt for this; long, easy, boring.
Three words are apt for this; long, easy, boring.
This mission starts at rank 5, and completion of it opens a new plotline, the Breaking Grounds plot.
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Molo Do was killed. No clue is given how, but that's unimportant for the moment. What matters is the effects are going up for auction. You'll need lots of cash to make sure you get it - in excess of 2M Cr.
This mission starts at rank 6.
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A simple factory build mission with an extra bit; you have to deliver a set amount of resources after it's been built.
This mission starts at rank 8.
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This guy's parcel delivery business is being undercut by a competitor, and rather than fight fair, he's decided to ruin the competitor's reputation by planting some illegal cargo on his ship.
You have to go find some Space Fuel and return with it. You will then be issued with two marines, and you must then find the courier and follow him, not getting any closer than about 8km.
When he docks, you dock and the marines will plant the goods. You then leave and contact a designated police ship which will be flying around. The copper will chase down and blow up the competitor, leaving you with a guilty conscience but another 9% of the Shares, once you return to drop off your marines.
You have to go find some Space Fuel and return with it. You will then be issued with two marines, and you must then find the courier and follow him, not getting any closer than about 8km.
When he docks, you dock and the marines will plant the goods. You then leave and contact a designated police ship which will be flying around. The copper will chase down and blow up the competitor, leaving you with a guilty conscience but another 9% of the Shares, once you return to drop off your marines.
This mission starts at rank 9.
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This guy is happy to sell the shares. By the way, they're currently in an abandoned ship in the middle of a Xenon sector.
Wonderful.
Best ship to take is a TM or some form of ship with carrying capacity, so that you can take a spare Jumpdrive and Energy Cells. Procure said materials and jump into the requisite Xenon sector.
Basically, your best chance is probably to lure away the Xenon, which may require a third ship, a fast fighter, then jump back to the gate, high-tail it over to the claim, do the deed, then jump it and yourself out as fast as you can.
Wonderful.
Best ship to take is a TM or some form of ship with carrying capacity, so that you can take a spare Jumpdrive and Energy Cells. Procure said materials and jump into the requisite Xenon sector.
Basically, your best chance is probably to lure away the Xenon, which may require a third ship, a fast fighter, then jump back to the gate, high-tail it over to the claim, do the deed, then jump it and yourself out as fast as you can.
(ASIDE) - Breaking Grounds plotline
This begins with you finding the mentioned asteroid in Heretic's End.
When you try to blow it up, you find you can't, so you have to go see a mining specialist to get some advice. They can be found in NMMC HQ. Also, Plutarch.
They suggest a TS full of mines detonated nearby. Your TS will need to be delivered for modification. It will also need a Jumpdrive and sufficient Energy Cells to make the jump as it won't survive a trip through the war sectors on its own.
Then, you need to find Mines. There are some available in Profit Center Alpha, but you might well have to go hunting through Pirate space. Note that Ion Mines and Tracker Mines also qualify.
Send the TS to Heretic's End and tell it to move to the asteroid's position. When it gets there, it'll blow the asteroid, revealing a gate.
You then get a message from a researcher somewhere saying that they've just started detecting another Gate in Heretics End. When you explain your involvement, they invite you home for tea, as it were.
The Researcher wants to know more abotu the Gate. They'd like a crack at repairing it, but to do that they'd need to find some parts from a Gate off the grid. That means that you'll need to salvage one, requiring a UFJD and a TL.
Dock at the researcher's station in said TL, pick up the researcher and then start jumping until you find a Gate, broken or intact, it doesn't matter.
When you find one, move within 5km and it'll be picked up. You then return to the research station and the Researcher unload himself and the Gate and tells you to come back later.
Later, he tells you that the gate is repairable, but he needs some stuff.
150 Quantum Tubes
200 Computer Components
100 Microchips
The Microchips are hardest to get hold of. Run around the X-verse looking for Chip Plants, adn remember to check the Trading Stations as you pass through, as they often have small stocks.
Next, you have to acquire some black crystals. What?
There's a Pirate Salvage Crew Caravel somewhere between Maelstom and Gaian Star which is actually smuggling Black Crystals. You need to go blow him up. Since he's a Caravel, he will launch fighters, so be ready for multiple enemies.
Once you have destroyed him, pick up the Crystals, and head back to the research station.
After a wait period, the Researcher tells you that he is ready. You will have to escort the Science Ship from the West gate of Void of Opportunity to the place where a North gate would normally be. Problem is it's crawling with Pirates.
If Pirate rep is a problem for you, then you don't actually have to join the fight; just jump in, wait for the science ship to enter, then jump out again. The Science Ship's own heavy fighters will deal with everything shy of Corvettes, which if you're OOS, will lose interest. Once the Science Ship arrive,s jump in and skirt round to it. The Gate is deployed, and you have to investigate by moving close. Nothing happens. Chat to the Researcher on the Science Ship and you'll get no answers. He leaves to go think about it whilst you leave to go do your own thing.
After a little while, he has an idea; the gate Hub. He asks you to take him there, then go pick up some specialist computer chips. They come in two rounds and you have to dock at the Yaki Shipyard in Senator's Badlands to pick up the second lot.
Then, return to the Hub and wait another little while. The Researcher will eventualy be ready to force the connection. When done, comm him on the Hub, then pick him up and fly through the gate marked 'Uncharted Sector'.
This is a previously unknown sector which will now be connected permanently to Heretic's End and Void of Opportunity. Furthermore, it can become your own home sector.
You will shortly get a message concerning traveling to NMMC HQ to register the sector, for which you will get naming rights, although you are limited to picking from a list. You then have the option of moving your HQ and Corporate HQ there if they have already been deployed.