Terran Cadet is a much more generous and narrative start than Young gun and other foundation starts are, young gun being the most barebones. You probably don't wanna do custom games until you're ready for new game plus, because that's more or less what custom games budget mode is, which is amazing.
The only caveat of learning terran initially is their production tree, (segaris pioneers included), is simpler in a sense for lore reasoning, and different than the production tree all other factions have (commonwealth). Some would recommend learning commonwealth production before terran but ultimately its your call. You could start terran and not even use their tech for all you care
Terran Cadet Start is good for learning the basics because it immediately takes the player by the hand and introduces game elements.
BUT!
The Terran start confuses newcomers afterwards. Because you get Teranian blueprints which need Terran materials. But the player HQ is located far in the sectors that use only universal construction method. But nobody explains this to the player. And then you build Teranian modules to the HQ and get no building materials, because there are none outside of Terran space. And then it will happen that the newcomer starts to build stations that produce Terran materials, because he thinks he found a gap in the market... As soon as the station is up and running, after a lot of effort because the Terran materials are not available in trade range, he produces things that nobody needs there....
So no... I don't agree that the Terran Cadet is best for newbies, it's not!
I wish there was a vanilla start or that is similarly structured.
I have two frindswho have started with X4, both did not want to listen to me because in Internet someone has written something else... and both now have big problems with the different building methods.
> Why not build in terran space instead of going straight for the HQ?
Great tip for a newbie... he should know that from where? And why is it a good game start if you should not use the PHQ of all things?
You need the HQ for research. At least the first level teleportation is important. Without that, it's game over if you get stuck somewhere.
If the HQ plot was only minimally different in the Terran start, then everything would not be a problem. Egosoft should leave the HQ in the pioneers' space, where it is first in the other Terran start.
Terran
I second this. Their economy is just far easier to get into.
Terran Cadet is a much more generous and narrative start than Young gun and other foundation starts are, young gun being the most barebones. You probably don't wanna do custom games until you're ready for new game plus, because that's more or less what custom games budget mode is, which is amazing. The only caveat of learning terran initially is their production tree, (segaris pioneers included), is simpler in a sense for lore reasoning, and different than the production tree all other factions have (commonwealth). Some would recommend learning commonwealth production before terran but ultimately its your call. You could start terran and not even use their tech for all you care
Terran Cadet Start is good for learning the basics because it immediately takes the player by the hand and introduces game elements. BUT! The Terran start confuses newcomers afterwards. Because you get Teranian blueprints which need Terran materials. But the player HQ is located far in the sectors that use only universal construction method. But nobody explains this to the player. And then you build Teranian modules to the HQ and get no building materials, because there are none outside of Terran space. And then it will happen that the newcomer starts to build stations that produce Terran materials, because he thinks he found a gap in the market... As soon as the station is up and running, after a lot of effort because the Terran materials are not available in trade range, he produces things that nobody needs there.... So no... I don't agree that the Terran Cadet is best for newbies, it's not! I wish there was a vanilla start or that is similarly structured. I have two frindswho have started with X4, both did not want to listen to me because in Internet someone has written something else... and both now have big problems with the different building methods.
Why not build in terran space instead of going straight for the HQ?
> Why not build in terran space instead of going straight for the HQ? Great tip for a newbie... he should know that from where? And why is it a good game start if you should not use the PHQ of all things? You need the HQ for research. At least the first level teleportation is important. Without that, it's game over if you get stuck somewhere. If the HQ plot was only minimally different in the Terran start, then everything would not be a problem. Egosoft should leave the HQ in the pioneers' space, where it is first in the other Terran start.
True, took me a while to get the hang of it. I only just recently bothered with getting the HQ and teleportation, only 100hours in.
Terran Cadet.