Hello everyone! This will be my X3:Terran Conflict game diary for seven game days.

Preamble:
GOG user WinterSnowfall very generously gifted me and two others a pack each of all the X3 games (X3:Reunion + X3:Terran War Pack, containing X3:Terran Conflict and its addon X3:Albion Prelude) with the condition that we will make a diary on GOGs forums for the first seven ingame days of play. Time normally passes as fast ingame as in real life so this will take quite a while. https://www.gog.com/forum/general/x3_bonanza_giveaway

Some abbreviations:
X3R = X3:Reunion X3TC = X3:Terran Conflict* X3AP = X3:Albion Prelude* XR = X:Rebirth (no #)
* = Terran War Pack, sold as one packet on GOG. X3TC needed to play X3AP

I have owned X3R for many years on DVD and played that for between 150 and 200 hours so this project will double my game time with X3...

More things about the user interface have changed since X3R than I expected so spent a lot of time with familiarising myself with that.

I thought long and hard which of the X3 games to play, which start and what kind of goals to set. I chose the 'nostalgic Argon'. I decided not to remember/look up where the free goodies are but claim them when and if I run into them. I forbid myself from selling my ship or its weapons before I have a replacement fighter.

After having worked many years on the Argon Prime trading station I had saved up a bit and so after the divorce I thought I'd go out there and see places myself; also to distance myself from that *****. I settled upon a small Buster and some guns but then there was hardly any dosh left for shields to just stuck a small one in there. Still, only 1000 credits in cash left. Now time to go see places! It shouldn't be too dangerous as I don't really have any enemies (1).

(1) This guy is on neutral to good terms with all the races I have met so far, not sure about the other factions.

So after having got about a third of a day in I wanted to make a post even I have almost nothing to show yet. Still only own the one ship I had at the start, even if upgraded a bit, still low on cash. What have I been doing then? Well, exploring, trying to find some missions I could manage, failing missions :-(, doing a bit of trading but not a whole lot.

The 'Soup' picture shows how hard it is to see anything in a nebula. Finding that gate took me quite a while. In the '8h in' picture the hero is docking with a station and status window shows some stats.

nice

I have been playing Rebirth for a few days but it just isn't as much fun

Hey, you made a start! I'm looking forward to watching your progress. Is that the Albion Prelude content?

I started toying around with X3R's starting scenarios today and I'm already predicting this game will take a loooong time to wrap my head around. You know it's a great simulation when the manual is 96 pages long. I've opened it on a tablet just to check keybinds while I'm in fullscreen :v

No, this is Terran Conflict. I think I spent over fifty hours studying before and while I played Reunion some six years ago.
I strongly suggest Humble Merchant start if you are new to the X games. The Custom start has the plot turned off. Not that the plot in X3R was any extra.

Remember that the SETA (time compression) does NOT make you go any faster, it only feels so as less real time is used.

Yep. Fow in nebula sectors is ridicolously short, you can barely see your own nose. Dunno who thought that was a good idea, but that's Egosoft for you: one step forward, two steps backwards, and some random hobbling sideways.

Anyway, one way of finding gates, especially early on, is to observe ship traffic in the sector map. If you see a bunch of civilian ships going in the same direction, chances are they are moving toward a gate.

In X3TC, probably X3AP too then, another way I found is taking missions with mission guide on showing you where to go... That's how I solved the problem in The Hole this time. It was less than 10km from the gate before I could see it.

Just stumbled onto this thread by accident. Glad to see you've gotten around to playing the games :D. This was addressed in AP actually. There's a new game setting where you can extend the default view distance... I've set it on High and can see for about 80km in game (there's also a Very High setting which, I think, eliminates any clip-off... which you can use I guess if you have a really good graphics card).

Back with some more :-)

I've travelled far and wide but still not met any Terrans. I'm a bit homesick I think. I've been offered ships of all kinds but me thinks me wants to keep my Buster. My first own ship, I'll never sell it. Good thing I learnt welding as that tiny shield I had before didn't stop me from getting hurt.

The mission system got totally overhauled in X3TC which is good for those that like to do missions. Never again a covert mission unless I am desperate; huge time sink. I did one and it dragged me through half a dozen sectors for a measly ~2700c.

I have been in very little combat outside a couple of combat related missions. Heavy fighting can wait till later.

Seventeen hours in I finally got over that first starting poverty when I looted stuff for a value of ~470 000c scattered around by the combatants in a battle between a pirate fleet and the sector defence. Finally able to buy shields and other much needed ship upgrades. A mere 1MJ (one megajoule) shield, the smallest in game I think, is like holding up a newspaper when a bomb explodes near you.

Time to go find some useful upgrades, namely: a jumpdrive, a triplex scanner (lost my duplex in a fight so this is high up on my wishlist) and some new guns. I still only have my two IREs from the start and not yet decided what to supplement them with. Suggestions? My Buster can take IREs, PACs, MDs and PRGs (sorry if you do not understand, just different weapons). It looks like they did away with the different weapon sizes found in X3R (alpha, beta, gamma). Tentatively I approve of the change for now.

Which freighter to buy? One that is suitable for AI pilots. I researched the freighters in X3R but presume that data not appliable in X3TC. Looking at a list of ships now. Is the list a whole lot shorter than in X3R or am I imaging things?

A picture of me fixing up my ship after a fight with some Xenon scoutship. The repair laser is new to X3TC.

Don't miss the old alpha, beta, gamma system for a minute! I find the new weapon classification in TC/AP a lot more interesting and efficient.

My standard config for Busters is 4 PRGs and 2 IREs (on a separate weapon loadout). I use the IREs when I've already sapped the shields of a ship to hopefully force the pilot to bail out and get me his ship. PRGs have a very high fire rate and projectile speed but do sap your energy a bit quicker than PACs and are also a lot more expensive. For starters, 4 PACs and 2 IREs (which you already have) also make a decent combination. I usually go for the plain'ol Argon Mercury as it's a decent all-rounder. The Mercury Hauler is also ok, as it has a larger cargo hold, but also a reduced speed.

Yes, you're imaging things. They've actually added a couple of ships and ship classes in TC. See for yourself.

As far as Discoverers go I'd recommend a Hauler for some extra cargo space you may need while picking up various missions or a Raider if you plan to go exploring.

I've heard the Teladi also have something new in TC you might find quite interesting... as far as small fast ships go. Next time you're in Seizewell do check their offers.

What I usually find *super* useful in terms of ship extensions is the "cargo life support system" extension (that comes by default with TPs). If you get one of those for your M5s, you'll be able to make most military personnel transport missions you'll find and get some nice profits.

Pirates usually sell them for slave transportation, but I've heard Boron scientists have also re-engineered the technology and sell them on some remote outpost. Just out of curiosity, where did you get yours? :)

Agree the 'cargo life support system' is useful which is why I bought it when I was docked at a pirate base, which location I forgot. I could use it for slavery.... but I am not stooping that low. I really like the docking computer (auto-docks within 5km) and triplex scanner too as they save me a lot of time and nerves.

Right now I am thinking which of my newly aquired ships to keep, which to use (be it myself, remote or AI controlled) and what I can sell.

Congratulations on completing Day 1, t is good to see you are making progress. If you are finding the Buster a little underwhelming in combat I would suggest upgrading your weapons, either adding four more Impulse Ray Emitters, or swapping them for Particle Accelerator Cannons.

I actually came across an offer for a second hand Demeter (80% health, easily fixed with the repair laser) and bought it for 80,000 Cr as it seemed too good a price to pass up. I sent it to dock somewhere until I can get around to setting it up as a trader.

The Teladi Kestral is about 70% faster than the Discoverer, and better armed and shielded to boot. It is also about 3x the price, but if you have the money that is what I would get.

In Omicron Lyrae I started on one of the plot lines and I keep getting killed in the first mission. Why oh why did I sell all missiles. A pack of missiles would have made my fight against those Xenon Ms tip over in my favour easily. Of course noone sells any in the relevant sectors.

* * * GAME OVER * * *

... is an annoying text to see too often :-P

EDIT: I see, that gun they have (PBE) has a mere 1km range, so I stay at 1.3-2km range and keep firing and should be able to win, just need to keep all of them at arm's length.

This is so typical for the X3 games, one needs to do research a lot.

That, or you need at least an M3 to be able to absorb the kind of damage PBEs can do. My advice is don't get into the campaign missions without a reasonably tough fighter (such as a Nova Raider for example, or anything in the same range).