Factory Guide

[Historical Archives]

Well, I had to take a while first, but now here is my old Guide to getting, using and making money with Factories, enjoy.

Factories: a guide to making money while being idle.

Table of Contents
1.) Things you should know before starting out.
2.) Getting started.
3.) Finding a slot.
4.) Resources, or how to keep your factory running.
5.) Upgrading your factories.
6.) What to do if you run out of people to sell too.
7.) Appendix A, links to useful sites that you should already have.

1.) First thing you need to know is which type of factory you want, and that means knowing the market. There are a lot of different factories and the demand for the goods each one produces varies as vastly as the goods themselves. The GBM is a great way to find what's needed, and asking in the IRC chat is also good.
*note* that factories pretty much run themselves when you have them in place, but they need a bit of work to start and do need some work to keep running (though not much).

2.) Buying the factory: depending on the type, you can either get the factory you need from Sven's Barter Store (Starbase 118 in the Jaster system) or the factory store itself (Laurences Emporium), both cost just about the same now a-days. however you can probably find a friendly crafter who will make it semi cheap, most likely cheaper than Sven's or Laurences.
3.) So you have a factory: the next step is to get enough IP for it, you need about 5850 IP to get the 30 points in Manufacturing needed to get one, the next thing is to find a slot for it. There are Gleso Industries scattered around the galaxy. It's semi hard to find one, but most settlements have one with a slot or two open and a few ports have ones that are open as well.

4.) Feeding the gaping maw of your moneymaker: resources are pretty easy to come by these days. First thing you do is place three contracts on the GBM for as much of the resource you need as you can afford, and then think about getting extractors to feed it as well. Note these can suck some IP, but they are really worth it. The list of resources needed is as follows (quoted from a post Coops made because I could not say it any better)
the following is quoted from this thread: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=31

This is a list of the Resources required by each Factory. (This does NOT relate to the resources needed to build them) This list may be apt to change so PLEASE do not take it as Gospel but should be correct as per the last date of update (at the bottom).

Medical Components
Inert Gas
Oxygen
Refined Chemicals

Biogenetic Goods
Reactive Gas
Traylon Gas
Medical Components

Civilian Grade Ammunition
Reactive Gas
Alucite Ore
Munitions

Construction Components
Iron Ore
Plasteel
Copper Ore

Cybernetics
Refined Metal
Steel
Electronic Components

Electronic Components
Copper Ore
Isotopes
Alucite Ore

High Tech Components
Radioactive Stocks
Iron Ore
Refined Chemicals

Technological Goods
High Tech Components
Electronic Components
Refined Metal

Textile Goods
Water
Agro Grow
Wood

Tinned Goods
Alucite Ore
Water
Food Goods

Frozen Meats
Livestock
Reactive Gas
Refined Chemicals

Ready Meals
Rice
Water
Cereal

Wines
Wheat
Water
Refined Chemicals

Fashion Clothing
Synthetic Silk
Textile Goods
Refined Metal

Musical Instruments
Wood
Refined Metal
Plasteel

Games
Electronic Components
Refined Chemicals
Wood

Festive Goods
Synthetic Silk
Textile Goods
Wood

Horticultural Goods
Agro Grow
Oats
Cereal

Civilian Goods
Plasteel
Inert Gas
Copper Ore

Commercial Furniture
Wood
Refined Metal
Plasteel

Domestic Furniture
Wood
Refined Metal
Animal Pelts

Childrens Goods
Synthetic Silk
Wood
Alucite Ore

Sports Goods
Plasteel
Electronic Components
Steel

Commercial Technology
High Tech Components
Electronic Components
Textile Goods

Commercial Brews
Oats
Water
Refined Chemicals

Domestic Chemicals
Traylon Gas
Reactive Gas
Refined Chemicals

Hope that helps some. I haven't given you the amounts but this will allow you to plan for each "current" factory.

Coops

5.) So you now have a money maker that will work while you sleep. The next thought is upgrading to the next level for even more shiny profits. This is a good idea, so if you have the IP for it then by all means do it. Advanced factories cost a lot from the factory store but will pump out 10 items an hour (to the basic factory's 5) but they also take about double the resources. IC (interchangeable) factories are the next level up from there and cost a LOT (unless you get a REALLY friendly crafter) and take a fair amount of extra IP as well, so weigh the need for more money per week that you didn't have to do much for against getting that new weapon or that bigger cargo expander.

6.) So the market is dead: well then a few of the things in factories will be able to be sold in malls, (and the first level of malls, with the implant that gives the 8 skill of the type needed, only takes 2!!! skill points extra in it to use) which can make up to 80k credits a day. (Next level up of malls makes about 130k credits a day and can sell 2 different types of goods.) Also going into business for yourself crafting can be a good idea if you are bored of what you are doing and want a change (in some cases you don't even have to IP reset to do it since you get some of the skill needed with IC factories).

7.) http://www.shields-down.co.uk/crafters/resources.php list of ALL the resources in the game and the prices of them at a Joe's in a law level 12 port.