What tier goods do you usually start with?

[CommanderTM]

Do you always go from low to high tech wares or what?

I have usualaly started with mid-tier goods. Refined metals, reinforced metal plating, fusion reactors and then i usually build stations that feed those, whatever ware is the rarest. I often had ware shortages though (especially with wares needed for fusion reactors).

This time though, i produce refined metals, silicon wafers, wheat, meat and soon, food rations. Also have one warehouse. Checking how it is to go from low to high.

[RAVEN.myst]

It depends on what sort of game I'm playing, but let's assume a campaign game (the one most likely to keep my interest for more than 2 days or so). I go a similar route to you: RMP first (in the campaign, this is basically non-optional - you can't get it anywhere else, so you need to make it yourself.) Nividium cubes I set up at the same time, as they are needed for RMP, and also are unavailable except from PMC. These two stations I usually build in Albion, in the one zone that is not under PMC jurisdiction. I then generally build a Canteran Solar Energy Farm after collecting some missions to build one, as a cash boost - ECs are plentifully available in DeVries, so I don't need the station for that, but it does end up making some very modest profits in the background. I also build a Canteran Water Distillery, in a similar fashion (ie. to satisfy multiple missions = cash boost); this one ends up being somewhat more useful as such. I then turn my attention to bolstering Canteran food production - Crystal Castle is great for that, but regularly runs out of spices, so I make sure I can produce those, as well as the meat that the Heart of Albion food factory in Vapour Stream keeps run low on. In this manner, I can use the NPC-produced food rations for quite a while (I like doing that, it makes me feel like I'm integrating into the local economy, rather than displacing it completely.) While doing those, I also prioritise Fusion Reactors, obviously, and then the Bio-Optic Wiring, to make myself as independent as possible WRT construction - and also increasing the automation of the process, as I get to reduce the amount of personal intervention from me. From there, I colour in all the gaps, including stuff such as the special energy cells (which are only for my own use, as the locals don't buy them) and minerals IN A BIG WAY - I find that the various high-tech factories are voracious for refined metals and silicon wafers, and I always end up with at least two of the mining stations (I forget their name) in addition to the Integrative URV Forge. That is an approximation - specific order varies a bit from one game to the next.

In non-campaign scenarios, I still usually place a high priority on RMP, as that tends to dry up quick, followed by FR. If I'm playing in Omicron Lyrae, I build Solar Energy Arrays early and upgrade them hard, as OL has a serious energy shortage that can be exploited - those arrays bring in decent (though modest) income, as well as increasing the availability of other wares that depend on ECs, thus lowering costs. I follow that up with water production, as there's significant demand for that there too. In Albion, the bottom basics, especially ECs, are not in as high demand - in fact, I would consider building an early Energy Array to be a mistake, as it isn't very lucrative in that market, and cheap energy to power your other stations is very readily available.

In all cases, the most money to be made is obviously in the the high-tech and hull-tech categories, but I found that the optional secondary resources are quite profitable, too - it seems to me as though only some of the NPC traders are licensed to carry that stuff around, so there tends to be an undersupply on the consumer side even when there is no shortage at the producers.

[ezra-r]

The game is designed in such way that your first factories should always be for "fusion reactors" and "reinforced metal" and hurry before the economy runs out of them. Other products are much easier to get.

After you have factories for the above, generally bio-optic wiring and whatever you think is needed most where you build your stations.

[Santi]

Expensive, but drone factories next to a Shipyard work very well too, and keeping the Yard supplied saves the hassle of equipping them later because they run out.

[Nanook]

The game is designed in such way that your first factories should always be for "fusion reactors" and "reinforced metal" and hurry before the economy runs out of them....

That doesn't really happen any more, running out of them, that is. With the HoL DLC, you can usually find enough of both in the Home of Light system to build with if you're patient. That said, I do generally like to build the fusion reactor factory first. It can be very profitable selling FR's in Omicron Lyrae, even while you're in the process of building.

[CommanderTM]

Yeah, my conclusion is also that starting with low end wares first was not the brightest idea... Albion ran out of RMP and my low end wares station building plans halted... Thankfully i found large amounts of RMP in HOL so i bought it all and will focus on building the station producing RMP as fast as possible, in Albion, following FR, like i always do.

[Veeshan]

I started as low as it gets; buying three big mining ships to feed my ore, crystal, and ice factories.

Use those to feed my drone forge and OL's economy.

Going pretty well so far, I've been able to BuffeR the RMP and FR producers in OL, and snap up the offers, enough to fund building of my own URV Parts Supply (2880 RMP for first phase!).

Didn't notice that i was actually consuming the output of DeVries's Energy Cells and Food Rations until just now, so Food Supply is next to provide Food Rations, Spacefuel for my Med Dispensary, and Narcotics for everyone; those things are just plain unavailable in my game anywhere.

Not sure where DeVries is getting its Spices but i plan to undercut that next. Cant have enough Spaceweed.

[hisazul]

Terran magic.

Just wait argons will get butthurt about not having it and start another war. Oh wait... I hope I didn't just figure out plot for X4.

[RodentofDoom]

RMP
Fusion Reactors
Sesnor Arrays

those are what I normally see as long term always needed items

huge profits to be made in supplying secondary resources too
many factories almost always have them listed at very good prices

drones are always good too

[Earth Ultimatum IV.]

My first freighter for trading is usually a bulk Rahanas. Those sweet spaceweed and silicon wafer deals

Expensive, but drone factories next to a Shipyard work very well too, and keeping the Yard supplied saves the hassle of equipping them later because they run out.

Doesn't seem to happen to me.