[AP] First Factory Steps

[mang109]

Hi All

AP is infact my first attempt at playing an X game fully (I bought all the rest, but gave up usually after 1-2 missions), so Im not as experienced as many AP players.

I have finished the storyline, and built up around 40Mil by grinding patrol missions.

I really want to start working with factories, but my first few attempts have been such total failures I have re-loaded back to my 40mil save.

I tried a Silicon Mine on the high yield asteroid in Antigone Memorial, Result: Impossible to balance the energy costs (14 per energy cell = 336 per silicon unit) with what NPCs will pay for the silicon (wont buy unless its around 300).

I tried a Cattle Ranch in Home of Light next to the 2 Cahoonas, Result: Not only will NPCs not pay more than 70 for the beef ( which needs energy to be at 14), but NPCs wont bring me energy at any price.

Can anyone suggest a "my first factory/complex" plan for AP ( i.e what and where) ?

Many Thanks

[DukeFlame]

Hi

Try a 1mj shield factory around Argon Prime that should get you going.
Other options include Advanced Sat Factory, Space weed factory (in Teladi space - try a complex with Bliss Place and Dream Farm), Im sure IRE factories do well too although Ive never bothered with these. If you set your selling price for any of these at 1 below average you should always be empty.

[pr0nflakes]

Make a 4 wheat farm L, 4 Space fuel L complex and a 4 Dream Farm L ,4 Bliss place L complex in Farnham's Legend and set 2 frieghters to each buying ecells.
I use CAG's as it is a great place to train them up for my bigger complexes and trading stations.
After that starts building in the money and you have about 120 mil make a 1MJ shield complex in Herrons nebular in a closed loop 10 shield fabs, 4 Cattle ranch L 4 Cahoona bakery L 2 Crystal fab L and one solar power XL.
You will need 1 silicon mines L on the 46 yeald and 2 ore mines on the 2 high yeald ore roids.

There are plenty other options but thats what i did when i started and it worked out great for me.


(IRE fabs make a lot of cash but require a CAG to sell them to the EQ docks and Military bases)

[Kal Ryper]

Being an inexperienced X-player compared to many on this forum I know your pain.

My first factory was a Wheat Farm in Queens Space. I later connected another Wheat Farm to it (a wheat-plex).

Another is a Teladianium Foundary in Red Light.

I note you mention "...NPCs wont bring me energy at any price." but I've always had my own ships to go out and buy resouces for best-price (set by the station).

Regarding your attempt in Antigone Memorial, I'm trying a complex, using 2 high-yield silicon mines. Currently I don't have a final product but it is self-sufficient, with some surplus. (Credit to those who built the complex calculators).

I'll never rake-in the massive profits but my stations are profitable.

Kal

[cheakytoast]

If i was you i wouldn't bother with a illegal good yet, just wait until your more familar with the game.

Pretty much any weapons, tech or shielding sells great in the argon prime area.

I usually make 1MJ + PAC + IRE complexes and they are always stocked on on supplies and sell instantly. (you don't even need your own transports to sell most of the time)

Don't bother with minerals, bio or food, they usually have a hard time selling and the profits are usually low. Only build these supply your own stations.

[Pruvmerong]

Individual stations usually have rather poor profit margins. Partial or fully closed loop complexes are a much better investment. This is a good thread to get you started:

http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=301999

Also, you can use this web utility to plan your complexes:

http://www.altanetworks.com/x3/x3tcocc.html

And finally, it'd recommend looking into UT's if you want some more passive income. They usually have a much better cost:benefit ratio than low-end complexes.

[Thias]

Microchips sell very good.

A closed loop complex with 1 or 2 silimines on one end and some microchipfabs on the other will get you some money rollin'

Xadrian will help you to calculate the neede stations.

[Maxumous]

I have 10 Mobile Mining Systems running in Antigone Memorial Its a complex Just need ore and Energy . Ore asteroid yield there at 90 best i`ve seen it
Moneys nice from this Complex

[snowman001]

+1 on the chip plants i have 8 chip fabs with assciated factorys requiring only energy (spp loop will be done tonight) but even buying energy in the plex makes a huge ammount - it is also never stocked up teh NPC's buy them as soon as i can produce them.


Another good Fac is nostrop oil down in Paranid space i have 4 x flower farms 4x refinarys in Empires Edge again sells like hot cakes as all the local Paranid tech facs are usually dry, this is a very easy market to monopolise as its a secondary resource it seems NPC's never supply nostrop to Paranid fabs.

regards

[mang109]

Another good Fac is nostrop oil down in Paranid space i have 4 x flower farms 4x refinarys in Empires Edge again sells like hot cakes as all the local Paranid tech facs are usually dry, this is a very easy market to monopolise as its a secondary resource it seems NPC's never supply nostrop to Paranid fabs.

regards

Ok so I have built this ( but its 2,2 not 4,4)

So- where do I sell this mound of nostrop oil ?

No NPCs are buying it, and I cant find anywhere that actually buys it

[Thias]

Did you set the selling price to average -1 ?

[Kal Ryper]

...No NPCs are buying it ...

Are your station(s) within the NPC detection range?
If you station(s) are too high/low on the Z-axis or tucked away in a far corner of the sector, then NPCs' may not be aware of you.

Are the trading lanes (the main routes between gates) close to your station(s) ?

[Vim Razz]

I tried a Silicon Mine on the high yield asteroid in Antigone Memorial, Result: Impossible to balance the energy costs (14 per energy cell = 336 per silicon unit) with what NPCs will pay for the silicon (wont buy unless its around 300).

For food, energy, and minerals, setting up a freighter to sell your product is the only way to reliably move product in TC/AP.

Tech goods (microchips, shields, etc) can be sold directly from your complex at avg -1 pricing, but bulk goods you need to move yourself to get a good deal.

For example, with a silicon mine, assigning one ship to buy energy cells and another to sell the silicon wafers will let you reliably buy energy around 12-14, while selling Silicon at 600+

I tried a Cattle Ranch in Home of Light next to the 2 Cahoonas, Result: Not only will NPCs not pay more than 70 for the beef ( which needs energy to be at 14), but NPCs wont bring me energy at any price.

A freighter to supply your factory with energy/materials is important, too.

So- where do I sell this mound of nostrop oil ?

It's used as a secondary resource in food fabs. Again, with foods/energy/minerals you'll need to have your own ship selling it to get a good price for your production.

Buying and selling can be handled easily by getting some freighters with Trade Mk2 software, setting their homebase to your factory, and commanding them to "Buy/Sell at Best Price..." whatever it is you need them to move.

A little more advanced is the Commercial Agent (CAG) freighter pilot, which is part of the Bonus Pack and well worth looking into if you have the time.

[snowman001]

Another good Fac is nostrop oil down in Paranid space i have 4 x flower farms 4x refinarys in Empires Edge again sells like hot cakes as all the local Paranid tech facs are usually dry, this is a very easy market to monopolise as its a secondary resource it seems NPC's never supply nostrop to Paranid fabs.

regards

Ok so I have built this ( but its 2,2 not 4,4)

So- where do I sell this mound of nostrop oil ?

No NPCs are buying it, and I cant find anywhere that actually buys it

you will need a tanker to sell the nostrop, it is used as a secondary resource at soyerys which will be buying at 77cr if they are empty i have my freighter selling at -1 and the fac is ticking away nicely.

Just set your sell price to 75-76 cr and tell your freighter to sell at best price

[hedge0035]

To get your trade ships to sell at best price or buy at best price you need to have Trade command software MK2 installed on the trade ship. Then homebase the ship to your factory. Go into the command interface afterwards and select trade it will be under there.

Much easier if you download the bonus pack then you can have CAGs that will buy stuff when needed and sell when needed. They also do the best price thing.

you need
Navigation Software
and both of the trade software to get the CAGs working.