Only first impressions, but Elite IV will blow this away.

[The Inter-Galactic Kong]

Hurry up and get released, Elite IV! I've just bought X3 and it's only ever going to be a stop gap.

The planets mean nothing, they just sit there and spin, no matter how close or far away from them you fly. And you can't land on them, so why is there a cutscene where you're so obviously doing so? By the way, why are there no gas giants?

Jazuras, Stazuras and crap. What's wrong with 'minutes, hours and days'?

Bloody rubbish jump effect. A BLANK SCREEN! Wheee! Elite II's jump effect was better and how old is that?

It's far too easy to get lost when using jumpgates.

Kilometers. In SPACE FFS!

North, South, East and West. Ditto.

The guys that give directions: 'I believe it's behind the North Gate'. Where? How many gates away? It's confusing.

Also, you can't beat a game in real space, with proper systems and planets.

Why is there no in-ship engine noise?

Edit: Elite IV is coming, it's confirmed that Frontier are working on it, that the tech required for it is nearly finished and that it will be released shortly after 'The Outsider'.

[Ravenstar]

Elite IV seems like it is never going to happen. Frontier and First Encounters were good games for their time but you were only limited to one ship.

Also the economy never took into account supply and demand. Prices were fixed from planet to planet.

The X series has been going strong for many years now and while the story lines for the plots simply suck the freedom easily matches that of the Elite games.

[Nanook]

I'm sorry you don't like the universe that the Egosoft guys created. You could always go play in another one. First you don't want to use made-up names for time, but you also don't want to use real world distances.

[The Inter-Galactic Kong]

Yes I do, I want to use AU (Astronomical Units) from Elite II. They are real units that really make space seem as huge as it really is. Seeing 'km' just gives the sectors a very small feel. Jump into a system in Frontier and it can be quite a while before you arrive at your destination, even on full time speed up. It makes space feel big!

I'm sure I'll glean a reasonable amount of enjoyment from the game (when I can figure the damn thing out, that is) but when Elite IV comes, it'll be bye-bye X universe.

[Nanook]

Yes I do, I want to use AU (Astronomical Units) from Elite II. They are real units that really make space seem as huge as it really is. Seeing 'km' just gives the sectors a very small feel.

That's because the X Universe uses make believe gates for travel instead of make believe 'hyperdrives'. Think Stargate vs Star Trek. Different 'phunsics' for different game universes.

I'm sure I'll glean a reasonable amount of enjoyment from the game (when I can figure the damn thing out, that is) but when Elite IV comes, it'll be bye-bye X universe.

And Elite IV will probably be the basic shooter in space all its predecessors have been, with very little depth. I know, I have and played them all, starting on my old Commodore 64. But, different strokes for different folks, as they say.

[pjknibbs]

I'm sure I'll glean a reasonable amount of enjoyment from the game (when I can figure the damn thing out, that is) but when Elite IV comes, it'll be bye-bye X universe.

And we'll probably be playing X27 by the time that happens. Elite IV has been "in progress" since at least 2000 and probably longer, and has got no closer during that time...and the game isn't even mentioned on Frontier Developments' website anymore! I'd love to see Elite 4 come out, I really would--I used to pull some really scary manoeuvres skimming a planet's surface at an altitude of about 2km and a speed of 20km/s--but I'm not holding my breath for it.

[The Inter-Galactic Kong]

What I liked about Elite II is the manual (yes) had a tutorial that eased you into things with a easy trip from one system to another to sell goods. Why isn't there something like that in X3, some kind of ingame tutorial?

Also, don't expect Elite IV to be basic. Over at the Frontier forums, all sorts of ideas are being mooted and there's an Elite Mod there reading the forums and I'd imagine many of them will be in the final game.

[Carlo the Curious]

What most people expect Elite IV to be is late. If ever.

If it ever does come out then quite possibly it will be the most shiny game ever made. Or maybe it won't.

Comparing an ageing game to one which doesn't even exist yet seems rather pointless.

Incidentally, every one of your complaints is purely subjective - the simple solution is if you dislike X that much, don't play it.

[Cycrow]

Also, don't expect Elite IV to be basic. Over at the Frontier forums, all sorts of ideas are being mooted and there's an Elite Mod there reading the forums and I'd imagine many of them will be in the final game.

just because they are on a forum doesn't mean al lthe ideas will be in the game

but dont hold your breath about elite 4 coming out anytime soon.

theres been rumors that its nearly complete for 10 years

[Nanook]

.... and there's an Elite Mod there reading the forums and I'd imagine many of them will be in the final game.

Just so you know, 'mod' does not imply 'developer'. Most of us here on the Egosoft forums are just players like you. We have no connection to Egosoft. So assuming the 'mod' in the Elite forums has the ear of the developers is probably assuming a bit too much.

[The Inter-Galactic Kong]

What most people expect Elite IV to be is late. If ever.

If it ever does come out then quite possibly it will be the most shiny game ever made. Or maybe it won't.

Comparing an ageing game to one which doesn't even exist yet seems rather pointless.

Incidentally, every one of your complaints is purely subjective - the simple solution is if you dislike X that much, don't play it.

It's not that I don't like it, I just feel it badly needs a decent in-game tutorial. It has to be the most complex game I've ever come across and all it does is chuck you in the deep end! It's a pain to have to keep alt-tabbing out to read the fanbook, helpful though it is.

[Storm666]

Elite IV will probably blow away this

yeah it probably will... but its been coming for over 20 years and the latest news puts it at 2010... how many times have i heard a date for elite 4 in the past 20 years? the answer is about 4 times a year in those 20 years.

yes i loved the elite series... but the X-universe is here and its working and its always getting updated, i cant say that about elite.

if your having a problem about the complexity of X... do what everyone else did, ask or think!... people here are happy to tell you everything you need to know.

[Demolisher 2]

Hurry up and get released, Elite IV! I've just bought X3 and it's only ever going to be a stop gap.

The planets mean nothing, they just sit there and spin, no matter how close or far away from them you fly. And you can't land on them, so why is there a cutscene where you're so obviously doing so? By the way, why are there no gas giants?
There should be some way of trading with planets, but landing removes the focus from Space Simulation IMO. As far as there being no gas giants, I believe there is one in one of the southernmost Paranid sectors (Unholy Descent?

Jazuras, Stazuras and crap. What's wrong with 'minutes, hours and days'?
I agree fully

Bloody rubbish jump effect. A BLANK SCREEN! Wheee! Elite II's jump effect was better and how old is that?
Yes, there does need to be some kind of animation

It's far too easy to get lost when using jumpgates.
There is a universe map and a Jumpdrive: you can always go back to wherever you started and try again.

Kilometers. In SPACE FFS!
Flying for ages is not fun. Not being able to do anything other than "joust" with enemies while dogfighting due to extreme speeds are also no fun. The scale needs to be small.


North, South, East and West. Ditto.
Yeah, EGOSOFT really should find a better naming system. Like calling the now North gate the "X POSITIVE GATE" and the East Gate the "Y NEGATIVE GATE" and so on.

The guys that give directions: 'I believe it's behind the North Gate'. Where? How many gates away? It's confusing.
Just ask someone else once you are through the Gate. Simple.

Also, you can't beat a game in real space, with proper systems and planets.
Terran Conflict will get the Sol system, but that isn't really the scale you are talking about I suppose

Why is there no in-ship engine noise?
Ever flown a big capital class ship like a Python? IIRC there is engine noise in those.

Edit: Elite IV is coming, it's confirmed that Frontier are working on it, that the tech required for it is nearly finished and that it will be released shortly after 'The Outsider'.
After only 12+ years of development

My comments on your comments are in BOLD

[The Inter-Galactic Kong]

I'm not saying that X is rubbish, or Elite is perfect. Just that there are good bits and bad bits in both games, that Elite IV will, hopefully, combine together!

[Gothsheep]

What most people expect Elite IV to be is late. If ever.

If it ever does come out then quite possibly it will be the most shiny game ever made. Or maybe it won't.

Dooooon't count on that. When a game gets caught in that fun place called 'Development Hell' and no apparent progress is made on it for years and years, that is a very bad sign even if it does eventually come out. The extra time does -not- benefit the game. Instead it just means that technology begins to outpace it, so once it does come out, it looks like a game that should have been released 5 years ago, with features you've already seen before, and a lot of schizophrenic design choices as some things were changed over and over again until the original point is totally lost.

[Cycrow]

What most people expect Elite IV to be is late. If ever.

If it ever does come out then quite possibly it will be the most shiny game ever made. Or maybe it won't.

Dooooon't count on that. When a game gets caught in that fun place called 'Development Hell' and no apparent progress is made on it for years and years, that is a very bad sign even if it does eventually come out. The extra time does -not- benefit the game. Instead it just means that technology begins to outpace it, so once it does come out, it looks like a game that should have been released 5 years ago, with features you've already seen before, and a lot of schizophrenic design choices as some things were changed over and over again until the original point is totally lost.

yeah look at starfox adventures, 7 years in development and it didn't even bring half of what it promised. The only good thing about the game was fox's tail that look like it was real hair. Althou id prefer a more playable game that some fancy graphics you barely get to see

[The Inter-Galactic Kong]

Well, I know it's late and all, but I'm going to now dedicate a good few hours to trying to figure X3 out and start enjoying the game, as I usually love deep games like this.

Wish me luck!

[Blown]

Good Luck.

If you really are having trouble getting into the game, there are some guides and handbooks in the stickys at the top of the page.

most comprehensive (and spoiler loaded) is the X3 Handbook by the Apricot Mapping Service(In My Not So Humble Opinion).

[Knight_Of_Ni]

I have to disagree on every point made by the first poster:

1.So what no planets... not many games i know of make planets a key component and execute it well. Better to focus on making the game better overall.

2.BACKGROUND AND PLOT, DEAL WITH IT!

3. In X2 it got annoying although you could turn it off, so if its anyone's fault its the gamers for complaining.

4. How could you do that?

5. When i'm speaking to you from my space ship heading to my new home on mars then i might support you on that but for now km is all i need.

6. I'll refer to point 2. its plot, it might not sound great but until egosoft are known absolutely for their story telling then i'd let the rest of the game do the talking (although alot of the back story and some of fan stuff is really good hopefully that can be taken advantage of).

7.You have as much time as you like to find a place chill, ask a guy in the next sector where to go, once you've found these places you're done. Kept me entertained while my merc was doing runs!

8.No Planets is no big loss, and there are systems but they are presented in a different way, last time i looked there was no law against it!

9.Cause pilots complained about it, why else?

10. I really don't know enough about the new elite to say anything but i know you haven't played x3 enough to comment on it either so i'd get in some more game time and then maybe fault it.

[Xaffax]

Elite IV

Yes we have been waiting for that one since long before XBTF came out.
But it's kind of like talking about God.
Everybody has this grand vision of it in his/her head.
Everybody has a different grand vision.
But if you ask on about what it exactly is, no one is really sure and solid answers remain elusive.

And in the end you wonder if whatever it may be has ever existed at al.