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Getting started, some basic hints
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RPGDot Forums > X2 / X3

Author Thread
Badger
Stripey Forest Dweller
Stripey Forest Dweller




Joined: 18 Mar 2002
Posts: 924
Location: UK
Getting started, some basic hints
   

Original thread title: "Me and you and a dog named…..erm… X2"

I bring before you a thread wrapped around the thing of beauty that is “X2”. An Xtooey thread if you like. A thread that delves deeply into X2 for its subject matter. This is not a thread about “Freelancer”.

It is not a thread about long tailed Lemurs or Global Warming. It is not a thread about Which Beer is Best? or How Long Can We Grow Our Toenails? These things, though not without merit in themselves, do not have the letter “X” or indeed the number “2” in their titles. This is an “X2” thread. Look…. If you don’t believe me, go back and look at the sign on the door as you came in. “X2 Thread.” See?

“X2” was released in the UK on Friday. I didn’t get it. You know I wouldn’t get it. We all know that my system would not do it justice. So I was never going to get it.

I didn’t get it…… but, erm….. somebody did! Somebody who is quite the cats pyjamas got it for me as an early birthday present.

So what are you going to do? Tell them you can’t play because it’s too much sandwich for your tuck box? Nooooo no no, Install it you will, play it you must.

Pretty init!!

You people wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen. Attack ships on fire of the shoulder of Orion etc etc….. all those…moments, will be lost. Like tears, in the rain.

Except they won’t! Because I can record them all with the handy recording feature. I can bring monitors up on the windshield to show different views. So I can see where I’m going, where I’ve been and watch episodes of Buffy all at the same time while busily scoffing Meat Cahooners. Um…yep.

Up to now, while enjoying the likes of these basic pleasures. These entrees on the “X2” menu. My frame rate is Tickety Boo. Even with all the monitors on and all showing spinney scenes. If I have problems when the action hots up, I can try reducing to 16 bit graphics I notice. But fingers crossed eh?

But as with all my pc endeavours, this joy comes not without questions, four in fact and who better to put them before than the assembled cerebral might of the NFG.

1/ A little NFG bird told me that if I play the storyline up to the second mission, I’ll get a free ship. So I’m doing that prior to branching out on my own for a little while. I’m collecting the scientists from Far Far Away, and making them…erm.. less remote.

(As a side note here I should like to mention that I look forward very much to an addition to “X3” whereby you can actually leave the flight deck of the ship. Walk around and take a blunt object to any mouthy scientists you might meet who have a degree in back seat driving!)
I took some power cells with me on my trip. Not only did this mean that I was able to listen to my walkman all the way there. But I was also able to sell them for a tidy profit before picking up my passengers. I knew to do this because my boss suggested it.

So now I’m about to make the return trip and … well, an empty trip is a wasted trip right? But I don’t know who will want to buy what back at the old ranch. What shall I take? Duty Free Booze? Giant Stuffed Donkey? 300 packets of cigarettes? What shall it be?

2/ I decided that the answer to number one might be “Bad is Good” and so I decided to pay the Pirates a visit and buy some of that “Spaceweed” stuff. But they won’t sell me any, the peg legged gits. Why is that then? (Oh and please tell me that the recorded message at the pirate station didn’t really say “Argrgrgrgrh, welcome aboard matey”.)

3/ I thought you could only save if you bought “Salvage Insurance”. But I can save whenever I dock in a station.

4/ Is it just me? Or is the automated voice of the station docking computers, actually Fat Tony from the Simpson's?

That’s enough for now my fellow space farers. I have nothing to give for your advice. Our planet has suffered since the taxes were raised and we have nothing to offer this year but our loyalty.

Yours (with an I’M PLAYING IT!! Stripe.) Badger.
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Post Mon Feb 16, 2004 12:08 am
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dteowner
Shoegazer
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Joined: 21 Mar 2002
Posts: 7570
Location: Third Hero of Erathia
   

Ah, a post that has me laughing hard enough to get those "you geek" scowls from the Mrs is a rare thing indeed. For such a treasure, we shall declare your tab paid in full and endeavor to explain a few of the mysteries of life, the universe, and everything.

1- there's a basic rule o' thumbies when it comes to trading: it don't matter terribly much what you buy as long as you buy it cheap. It might take a bit of running around to find a buyer, but odds are good you won't have to stray far. So how to buy cheap? Well, there's high-tech ways which are beyond your neophyte grasp for now (as they are also beyond the bounds of your humble instructor's non-Teladi adventure for now), and there's the old-fashioned way. Open up your sector map. Select a factory, any factory. Hit the info key to bring up the screen that shows what the factory uses and what it produces. See that little purple bar for the produced commodity? If it's not past 50%, escape out and pick another factory. If it's past 50% and your ship can carry it, set sail and make a purchase! As you get a little more experience, you might increase that threshold to 75% or so, but halfsies is fine for now. Same goes for picking a place to sell- if that bar is below 50%, it's probably an acceptable place to sell out.

2- not sure why you can't buy some Wackyweed. Perhaps the pirates don't trust you enough yet. Perhaps your ship can't carry that cargo size (doubt that's it, but trying to be complete). Perhaps you're already full up. Perhaps your uptight passenger, who could dearly use a little toke of Mr. Mellow, frowns on such a cargo run.

3- salvage insurance allows you to save the game right smack in the middle of space.

4- I'm guessing the folks at Egosoft (all 5 of them) did all the voice sets themselves. Your employer Elena Kho sounds a great deal like several other "generic computer voices" in the game.
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Post Mon Feb 16, 2004 1:03 am
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Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Stranger In A Strange Land




Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia
   

As I wipe the tears of laughter from my eyes I thank you for paraphrasing one of my favourite movies. I have actually seen a few things that would fit that sentiment. One of the things about X2 is a lot of events are random, so your game will be completely different to my game.

In my game, the Khaak invaded Atreus Clouds and caused quite a mess. Now, Atreus Clouds is probably the busiest (or close to) sector in the universe and has a very aggressive Pirate Station. The Khaak fired on the Pirate Station who got quite pissed off and sent out 20 - 30 fighters to have at them (along with the defence ships from the other stations). When the Khaak were defeated (or perhaps some poor Solar Power Plant defence accidentally shot a Pirate in the melee), the Pirates still had plenty of aggro left, so they're rampaging against the other stations in a massive war - quite the sight! Ahem, anyway...

dte gave a good explanation on pricing so I'll just make the comment that Energy is always a safe bet - *every* station (except SPP's) needs Energy and it's a small cargo size with a good range in pricing. The scientists are in Boron space IIRC (been a while since I did that ). I think there's about 3 or 4 SPP's in Queen's Space so you should be able to find Energy in the lower range (9cr is the bottom price) and it shouldn't be hard to sell it over 20cr.

Don't know about the pirate goods - but if you're scanned the police will make you drop it or attack - so maybe it's best not to take the risk yet - and, yes, they're a rather jolly bunch with their greetings - perhaps they're Penzance - type pirates.
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Post Mon Feb 16, 2004 3:43 am
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corwin
On the Razorblade of Life
On the Razorblade of Life




Joined: 10 Jun 2002
Posts: 8376
Location: Australia
   

I would also suggest stripping the borrowed transport of everything you can, before returning it. That will net you over 400000cr. There's some very good advice in the other X2 thread here.
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Post Mon Feb 16, 2004 8:42 am
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Badger
Stripey Forest Dweller
Stripey Forest Dweller




Joined: 18 Mar 2002
Posts: 924
Location: UK
   

quote:
Originally posted by corwin
There's some very good advice in the other X2 thread here.


Ahhh but is it a proper "X2" thread? Was it born an "X2" thread? I'll only take my newbie questions to properly sanctioned and licensed "X2" threads and I think that the thread in question may in fact be a pirate thread. A thread which steals the morsels of Freelancer knowledge from the mouths of the poor orphans who were waiting desperately for them...... is that the thread you mean?


Thanks for the advice guys. I will now be able to live long and prosper.

Badger
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Post Mon Feb 16, 2004 2:53 pm
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Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Stranger In A Strange Land




Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia
   

Fully X2 licensed and sanctioned. It was an X2 First Impressions thread I posted when I got the game in December. A bit all-new-glowy-warm-feeling in the beginning but there's some useful stuff somewhere in there.
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Post Mon Feb 16, 2004 9:25 pm
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dteowner
Shoegazer
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Joined: 21 Mar 2002
Posts: 7570
Location: Third Hero of Erathia
   

Dhruin's thread is in AOT (open forums). Rah-cheer
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=Proud Member of the Non-Flamers Guild=
=Benevolent Dictator, X2/X3 and Morrowind/Oblivion Forums=
Sorry. No pearls of wisdom in this oyster.
RIP Red Wings How 'Bout Dem Cowboys!
Post Mon Feb 16, 2004 10:29 pm
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