X3 TC - Mission system
Moderator: Moderators for English X Forum
X3 TC - Mission system
Firstly I'm a big fan of X and played the a*s off X3R, BUT, I've just bought TC and the mission system is making me turn it off and re-join the real world. The thing is, I have no money so I thought I'd step out of the storyline to earn some credits with missions. So I think, awesome, I don't need to dock to find out if there's a mission for me anymore but oh no, the only mission is to hunt some guy down who is 4 sectors away. I have no jump drive and I have 20 minutes to do it (and so it is impossible). Then I have to protect a sector from about 20-30 xenon, single handed in my elite with 3 lame guns on it and only one shield (I couldn't even survive by hiding in the skirt trails of a station whilst they crashed into it - well done AI). Ok, before this turns into an essay, I'll get the point; X3R had difficulty levels of missions so you would only get them if you had a chance to accomplish them - this would be a good idea in TC.
I have to agree about these. Missions do have a stated difficulty level, but I'm failing to see what this actually effects. 40 fighters descending on a station in waves of 5 is not what I'd call "easy", especially in my little Argon buster
I think missions with easy, or very easy difficulty, need to be a lot easier. because they're anything but.
I think missions with easy, or very easy difficulty, need to be a lot easier. because they're anything but.
-
SirCharles
- Posts: 227
- Joined: Sat, 3. Apr 04, 02:42
i thought i would give you a heads up.
you probly do not want to take on to many missions that will increase your
fight rank a lot.
at least not before doing some of the plot missions. some plot missions seam to get real difficult if you fight rank gets about halfway or more up the rank list.
of course you are more than welcome to play as you wish, i just thought you would be interested in checking into things before you get to far into the game and then realize you would have been better off trying a different path to get to your goals.
i know i wish i had done things in a different order.
well, live and learn as they say....
you probly do not want to take on to many missions that will increase your
fight rank a lot.
at least not before doing some of the plot missions. some plot missions seam to get real difficult if you fight rank gets about halfway or more up the rank list.
of course you are more than welcome to play as you wish, i just thought you would be interested in checking into things before you get to far into the game and then realize you would have been better off trying a different path to get to your goals.
i know i wish i had done things in a different order.
well, live and learn as they say....
Having a fight rank that exceeds your ability shouldn't be too much of a problem if you have some time to spare and don't mind your trade rank decreasing (and I don't think trade rank has any impact on things, unlike fight rank) -- find a safe area, turn off your engines and activate SETA on 1000%: give it a while, and you should lose a number of fight ranks.
When you first start out the vast majority of missions are simply put- Impossible. The difficulty levels are often ludicrous and the timescales idiotic. My personal rule of thumb so far is-
Earlyish in the terran plot you get given an Advanced Argon discoverer. Out fit it with a jumpdrive and a mineral scanner and max out the speed. You can now use this to do many of the 'think' missions. In paticular the 'scan asteroids' and 'return abandoned ship' missions. These often aren't fantastic earners but they get you a lot of rep fast with the race offering them.
When you get an M3 (again a jumpdrive is essential with the stupid time constraints) you can then start taking on some combat missions. I've avoided the patrol missions (since some of these spawn obscene numbers of enemies) and concentrated on the assassination and station defence missions, which have more sensible levels of opposition.
The build missions can all be completly ignored until you get a jumpdrive equipped TL.
I've never really got into the 'trade missions' Everytime i've checked they seem to be someone wanting transport somewhere and since i don't own a TP then they're impossible.
Earlyish in the terran plot you get given an Advanced Argon discoverer. Out fit it with a jumpdrive and a mineral scanner and max out the speed. You can now use this to do many of the 'think' missions. In paticular the 'scan asteroids' and 'return abandoned ship' missions. These often aren't fantastic earners but they get you a lot of rep fast with the race offering them.
When you get an M3 (again a jumpdrive is essential with the stupid time constraints) you can then start taking on some combat missions. I've avoided the patrol missions (since some of these spawn obscene numbers of enemies) and concentrated on the assassination and station defence missions, which have more sensible levels of opposition.
The build missions can all be completly ignored until you get a jumpdrive equipped TL.
I've never really got into the 'trade missions' Everytime i've checked they seem to be someone wanting transport somewhere and since i don't own a TP then they're impossible.
-
simonnance
- Posts: 6788
- Joined: Fri, 12. Mar 04, 23:39
early assassination and station defence missions can be happily done in the Terran starting ship. Personally avoid the former until you have a Jumpdrive (going 2 sectors one way to get an ID on the person to find you have to go another 5 back again isnt doable in that period tbh without one).
Station Def missions TBH are a piece of pie until you get large nos of M6s, I think i hit Fighter Chief before i grabbed an M3+ as an upgrade for my Cutlass. They generally avoid you until you start hitting them, by which point its too late.... watch for turrets though.
Station Def missions TBH are a piece of pie until you get large nos of M6s, I think i hit Fighter Chief before i grabbed an M3+ as an upgrade for my Cutlass. They generally avoid you until you start hitting them, by which point its too late.... watch for turrets though.
want the FACTS about X2/X3?
Usenko wrote:Don't get me wrong, I think animals have their place in the scheme of things. It's just that in the case of sheep, cattle and pigs, their place happens to be in neat pieces under the griller.
My universal tip is "start with the Terran Defender start, even if you are an expert Reunion player". You are given a fairly decent M4 and a fairly-well graded series of mission to get you into it, which pay money as well as get good rep.
Once you are more familiar with the grading of the missions then try the harder starts, but beware they are harder. I had a go at the Argon Patriot start and decided the only way into that one was to trade Space Fuel and energy cells until I could upgrade my ship.
You might try wandering on Pirate borders in the hope of spotting and capping a better ship. Don;t worry about its hull level at the end, as you can zap it back to health with your suit-mounted repair laser.
Once you are more familiar with the grading of the missions then try the harder starts, but beware they are harder. I had a go at the Argon Patriot start and decided the only way into that one was to trade Space Fuel and energy cells until I could upgrade my ship.
You might try wandering on Pirate borders in the hope of spotting and capping a better ship. Don;t worry about its hull level at the end, as you can zap it back to health with your suit-mounted repair laser.
My new fave game (while waiting for Rebirth) - Kerbal Space Program
You dont have to do every mission out there?
Those impossible missions are not impossible if you are ready for them. IE have a jump drive, salvage ins. and other stuff.
As terran, i started flying towords Terra Corp HQ to get Jump drive and Salvage Ins after few initial plot missions. (ye, no jumping in terran space, but salvage insurance is a must), was doing only 'assassination missions' that didn't require me to jump/fly out of sector that offered atleast 500 000 credits (ie, defend station) and by the time i got to TCHQ, i had 15 million credits, improved reputation with paranid boron and argon, and had ~ 1/3 rd of the sectors mapped. (I also noticed that if you reload save game before you take mission, payment will be different in most cases, ie 1m instead of 700.000 etc)
When i got what i needed, i decided to fly back trough boron / split space this time (yes, i didn't jump) just to map more space (was actually ez, telling ship to go to mars sector was working like a charm, ai chose shorter route, trough sectors i 'havent' yet discovered in my game)
Did few missions on the way back too, and by the time i got to Terran space again, i had 25 million credits, wich is enough to start up small empire, or get some 'bigger' gun for the plot to counter that fighting rank that rose while i was flying arround killing stuff (or atleast m6 for boarding and few tp-s for trading / fatching goods / collecting wares after battles).
At start, you have to be objective when you choose will you take the mission or not. That changes after you get jump drive, salvage, and better ship.
Those impossible missions are not impossible if you are ready for them. IE have a jump drive, salvage ins. and other stuff.
As terran, i started flying towords Terra Corp HQ to get Jump drive and Salvage Ins after few initial plot missions. (ye, no jumping in terran space, but salvage insurance is a must), was doing only 'assassination missions' that didn't require me to jump/fly out of sector that offered atleast 500 000 credits (ie, defend station) and by the time i got to TCHQ, i had 15 million credits, improved reputation with paranid boron and argon, and had ~ 1/3 rd of the sectors mapped. (I also noticed that if you reload save game before you take mission, payment will be different in most cases, ie 1m instead of 700.000 etc)
When i got what i needed, i decided to fly back trough boron / split space this time (yes, i didn't jump) just to map more space (was actually ez, telling ship to go to mars sector was working like a charm, ai chose shorter route, trough sectors i 'havent' yet discovered in my game)
Did few missions on the way back too, and by the time i got to Terran space again, i had 25 million credits, wich is enough to start up small empire, or get some 'bigger' gun for the plot to counter that fighting rank that rose while i was flying arround killing stuff (or atleast m6 for boarding and few tp-s for trading / fatching goods / collecting wares after battles).
At start, you have to be objective when you choose will you take the mission or not. That changes after you get jump drive, salvage, and better ship.
Never take life too seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
-
Whitegaurd
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Wed, 4. Apr 07, 11:17
Missions difficulties rely on your Combat rank, in combat missions, and MAYBE your race rank. You should still with protecting stations for now, because as it were, only turreted ships take aim and fire unless you REALLY piss them off, in which case they'll follow you every which way and that, early on of course, you only get bombers, which are practically bigger versions of the Nova, just useless in combat, regardless of whether they're after you, or their rear turrets having a go at you. Strafe and shoot my boy, thats what you do to bigger ships!
You are a boy right?
You are a boy right?
err... Why would I have a signature?
WHITEGAURD Cause i'm just so important
WHITEGAURD Cause i'm just so important
You can also fit it with Cargobay Life Support and take the "I need a fast ship to yyyy" and "xx military personnel need transport to yyyy" missions. Just avoid ones that say they require a personnel transport. Also with the military mission be aware that each person requires 6 cargo space, so make sure you have space. Not sure if the mission (or time limit) permits multiple trips in this case.Nyax wrote:Earlyish in the terran plot you get given an Advanced Argon discoverer. Out fit it with a jumpdrive and a mineral scanner and max out the speed. You can now use this to do many of the 'think' missions. In paticular the 'scan asteroids' and 'return abandoned ship' missions. These often aren't fantastic earners but they get you a lot of rep fast with the race offering them.
-
simonnance
- Posts: 6788
- Joined: Fri, 12. Mar 04, 23:39
Spoiler
Show
pirate stations IIRC
try the unknown sector East of PTNI HQ
try the unknown sector East of PTNI HQ
want the FACTS about X2/X3?
Usenko wrote:Don't get me wrong, I think animals have their place in the scheme of things. It's just that in the case of sheep, cattle and pigs, their place happens to be in neat pieces under the griller.
Re: X3 TC - Mission system
Not really. You are denied trivially easy X3R jobs simply because Random Number Generator has chosen a number larger than your current "rank". Nothing to do with skill, resources, or the true "difficulty" of said mission. And on the other hand, would you take me to my destination in two Mizuras? Its only two sectors away ...Biscuitah wrote:X3R had difficulty levels of missions so you would only get them if you had a chance to accomplish them - this would be a good idea in TC.
Goner Pancake Protector X
Insanity included at no extra charge.
There is no Box. I am the sand.
Insanity included at no extra charge.
There is no Box. I am the sand.
Ravenstar wrote:Where can I get the cargobay life support?
I've mapped a fair chunk of the Universe and not come accross any staions selling it.
Spoiler
Show
If you do the Terran start, I think the Saturn Research Base sells it. I've only done Terran starts so far so I've always bought it in Terran space. There is also another supply base that sells lots of things in the far unknown sector after the Oort Cloud. Also might be worth trying the Argon Federal Installation in Black Hole Sun.
Hi folks, thanks for the tips. In the end I just resorted to a wee bit o' piracy to boost my credits. It's funny though how much your rep suffers when there's no way anyone could have seen my slide to the darkside. The guy jumped out of his ship so fast there was no way an SOS went out. Plus, as he was contemplating a life of slavery from some pirate with a penchant for buggery and entered my cargo bay, only to remove his helmet and discover I had no life support yet, he probably didn't think to leave a message in a bottle as his face turned inside out.
Whoa that was geeky! It's amazing to can be THIS geeky and still get women. The secret is to hide the geek when you're in the pub, it's like being Bruce Wayne/ Batman (although I'm not sure which one of those is the more geeky...). Hmm, anyway, now that I've gotten started I'll probably spend all hours on this and my virginity will grow back
Oh and Whiteguard yes I am a boy; or a lesbian, whichever...
Whoa that was geeky! It's amazing to can be THIS geeky and still get women. The secret is to hide the geek when you're in the pub, it's like being Bruce Wayne/ Batman (although I'm not sure which one of those is the more geeky...). Hmm, anyway, now that I've gotten started I'll probably spend all hours on this and my virginity will grow back
Oh and Whiteguard yes I am a boy; or a lesbian, whichever...
Didn't really matter to him - As Bruce Wayne he had his millions to attrat women, as Batman he had the suit - he won either way most of us aren't so fortunate.it's like being Bruce Wayne/ Batman (although I'm not sure which one of those is the more geeky...).
I reckon the ships must send a message on some sort of undetectable subpace carrier wave when they are attacked. That's how your race rep can suffer so much.
X3 - The Marmite of computer games