If any of you haven't checked out X2 yet but have the funds to do so, I recommend getting a peek. It's not quite the same as our beloved Privateer, but it's entertaining nonetheless. That said, the early game can be tricky, so as a service to all of you, I present:
Tye's Guide To Not Sucking So Bad Early in X2
There are a couple of simple things you'll need to know before you get started.
1) In your starter ship, you're not a threat to anything. I'm going to repeat that, because it bears repeating. You. Can't. Threaten. Shit. I don't mean that in the form of 'you're not a threat unless you're a good pilot or until you get some nice upgrades.' You can pay out the nose for VERY expensive midrange missiles, in which case you can destroy ships of the same size if you're lucky, but 1300 credits for a kill that nets you more or less nothing isn't the best trade off.
2) Not all hostiles are out to get you. Having red blips that weren't even remotely interested in me threw off my WC reflexes in the worst possible way. In some of the early 'safe' sectors you'll see pirates, who will be red and hostile, and they'll fly right past without batting an eye. SOME might go after you, but unless you make them mad, the ratio is around 1 in 500. So don't panic. It's quite possible to sell your shields and guns and be safe, if you have half a brain in there.
You start the game with a lowly scout ship, an Argon Discoverer. To explain these I'll use Priv equivalents. This would be a Talon, with all missiles removed, stripped down to a single laser cannon, with shields that wouldn't stop BBs thrown by your little sister. No, thats not exaggeratting. As soon as you're in the game there are storyline missions to run. Don't panic, just take them. The second or third, depending on your point of view, will loan you a new ship for a long run. It's more or less unarmed, but don't worry. Just don't. Yes, I know what just happened. Wait a minute. See? All better. Anyway.
Once you land, your employer will give you a second ship, her old trading vessel, an Argon Mercury. This would be like a Tarsus, but slower and with only one gun mount, that being in the single turret. Stop with the story missions right here, because anything past this will get frustrating in the dumbest way. Switch to the freighter and leave the Discoverer behind. DO NOT SELL IT. You'll see why in a bit.
The best way to make good money is with energy cells. They're created at Solar Power Plants for anywhere from 6 to 16 credits each, and can be sold at almost any other kind of station for 16-25 credits each. They're the cheapest good in the game, they're in the highest demand, and the profit margin can be sickeningly large. Once you've sold them somewhere, CHECK THE BULLETIN BOARD. With alarming frequency a station will have some mission along the lines of "We need cells, we'll pay 25 credits each for XXXX number of them (you're allowed to make multiple trips on this type of mission), and once we've got them all you'll get XXXX stupid large bonus." Let me spell that out. You keep doing what you're doing, they'll guarantee the highest possible price, and pay you a bonus on top of that, anywhere from 1000 credits to the hundreds of thousands. They do have time limits, but those are mind-numbingly large. A 'Stazura' is an hour and a half, for example, and most of these missions will give you several stazuras to do it. You're on your way to being rich.
When you hit 200,000 credits, you can afford your own station to start producing goods and making you money. Don't, under any circumstances, go for that yet. You'd be much better served by buying a second transport ship and using the command console to trade with two ships at once. The tutorials cover how to do that. Unless you have two transports, a station is a monster pain in the ass. Think about it for next time.
I'll leave this at that for the time being. That will cover most of the stupid mistakes that can be inadvertantly made in the early game. By the time you have two transports and can afford a station, you're in better shape (set them to auto-trade for it and cruise about in the Discoverer, hence saving it... best to upgrade that if you can afford it afterwards though).
Tye's Guide To Not Sucking So Bad Early in X2
There are a couple of simple things you'll need to know before you get started.
1) In your starter ship, you're not a threat to anything. I'm going to repeat that, because it bears repeating. You. Can't. Threaten. Shit. I don't mean that in the form of 'you're not a threat unless you're a good pilot or until you get some nice upgrades.' You can pay out the nose for VERY expensive midrange missiles, in which case you can destroy ships of the same size if you're lucky, but 1300 credits for a kill that nets you more or less nothing isn't the best trade off.
2) Not all hostiles are out to get you. Having red blips that weren't even remotely interested in me threw off my WC reflexes in the worst possible way. In some of the early 'safe' sectors you'll see pirates, who will be red and hostile, and they'll fly right past without batting an eye. SOME might go after you, but unless you make them mad, the ratio is around 1 in 500. So don't panic. It's quite possible to sell your shields and guns and be safe, if you have half a brain in there.
You start the game with a lowly scout ship, an Argon Discoverer. To explain these I'll use Priv equivalents. This would be a Talon, with all missiles removed, stripped down to a single laser cannon, with shields that wouldn't stop BBs thrown by your little sister. No, thats not exaggeratting. As soon as you're in the game there are storyline missions to run. Don't panic, just take them. The second or third, depending on your point of view, will loan you a new ship for a long run. It's more or less unarmed, but don't worry. Just don't. Yes, I know what just happened. Wait a minute. See? All better. Anyway.
Once you land, your employer will give you a second ship, her old trading vessel, an Argon Mercury. This would be like a Tarsus, but slower and with only one gun mount, that being in the single turret. Stop with the story missions right here, because anything past this will get frustrating in the dumbest way. Switch to the freighter and leave the Discoverer behind. DO NOT SELL IT. You'll see why in a bit.
The best way to make good money is with energy cells. They're created at Solar Power Plants for anywhere from 6 to 16 credits each, and can be sold at almost any other kind of station for 16-25 credits each. They're the cheapest good in the game, they're in the highest demand, and the profit margin can be sickeningly large. Once you've sold them somewhere, CHECK THE BULLETIN BOARD. With alarming frequency a station will have some mission along the lines of "We need cells, we'll pay 25 credits each for XXXX number of them (you're allowed to make multiple trips on this type of mission), and once we've got them all you'll get XXXX stupid large bonus." Let me spell that out. You keep doing what you're doing, they'll guarantee the highest possible price, and pay you a bonus on top of that, anywhere from 1000 credits to the hundreds of thousands. They do have time limits, but those are mind-numbingly large. A 'Stazura' is an hour and a half, for example, and most of these missions will give you several stazuras to do it. You're on your way to being rich.
When you hit 200,000 credits, you can afford your own station to start producing goods and making you money. Don't, under any circumstances, go for that yet. You'd be much better served by buying a second transport ship and using the command console to trade with two ships at once. The tutorials cover how to do that. Unless you have two transports, a station is a monster pain in the ass. Think about it for next time.
I'll leave this at that for the time being. That will cover most of the stupid mistakes that can be inadvertantly made in the early game. By the time you have two transports and can afford a station, you're in better shape (set them to auto-trade for it and cruise about in the Discoverer, hence saving it... best to upgrade that if you can afford it afterwards though).