X3TC - Advice please on how to stop passenger missions disappearing

[zarrazee]

Greetings CMDRs...
I'm currently on a break from Elite: Dangerous and decided to try to get into X3TC (again). Can you X3 gurus with 1000s hours playtime please advise...

Here is the situation.
1) I fly around in an M5 to find a passenger mission I like. When I find one, I stay in sector.
2) I tell my TP to jump to the sector the mission is in, meet it en route to the station and transport across to it
3) I open Comms when in range of the mission giver
4) If the mission is still there, I ask for details & stay at the Accept/Reject dialog choice until within 5km of mission giver. I accept the mission, then use the docking computer

Sometimes when I start step 4 (above), the mission is gone.

I suppose I could fly around in the TP, but I like the speed of the M5 and that I can insta pick up asteroid scanning missions.

I've just had a thought (unable to test atm). When does the mission clock start, when I accept the mission or when my TP docks?

Thanks all

[Bill Huntington]

I've had that question, and your own experience answers it. Thank you. It seems the timer continues to run even if you have it the accept-reject phase.

So you accept the mission and just wait until you get there with the TP. Usually there's enough time for that. Save before you start. Then you can reload if you need to try a different way.

[Nanook]

[Cpt.Jericho]

If you have a fast TP - basicallly any TP with maximum engine tuning - you cann accept the mission as soon as it appears. That is, if your TP has a jumpdrive and sufficient e-cells. Only the Very Hard and above missions may be tricky (but only in very large sectors). If you have more than 20 mins to finish, you can't really fail (if you have explored the map).

[RainerPrem]

Hi,

there is always enough time after you accept the mission to get a decent TP docked at the station. Then you can put the passenger into your fast ship and deliver him.

Normally the sequence goes like this:

1) accept mission
2) order TP to dock at station
3) fly/jump to gate where the TP emerges
4) switch over into TP and order your faster ship to dock
5) use turbo and docking computer to dock TP
6) if the other ship has docked in the meantime switch yourself and passenger over. If not, undock and make the switch in space.

cu
Rainer

[Snafu_X3]

See also https://www.egosoft.com:8444/confluence/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=49774722