New X game wishlist!! write here features you need in next X game

[Meme Turtle]

A couple of my ideas on what should be in the next X game. Those might not be new but, in my opinion, they are absolutely necessary:

• -UI optimization. Every X game suffers from UI restrictiveness. Even simple tasks, such as renaming your ships, become tedious as it is only possible to rename one ship at a time. Unless player is using some custom scripts. There are a lot of clicks are needed to get to the necessary sub-menu to change ship behaviour. New UI must allow to change any property parameter with no more than 3-4 total clicks. Additionally, this time mouse must be properly integrated into UI and allow actions like mouse-drag to select, drag&drop(for example to assign wingmen) as well as context based RMB mouse menu: select multiple ships and press RMB to give them the same order or change some of their properties like name or combat behaviour.
  
  -Ship customization. One of the great things about X Rebirth is increased detailing of ships with surface elements and modular components like engines and cargo blocks. I would really like this to be improved and taken to the next level: every ship should be a core platform with a number of customizable blocks. Allow players to deeply design and alter functionality of their ships. For example, Arawn can have extra cargo slots or weapon platforms instead of fighter docks on his gondolas. Let player decide which weapons, engines, radars he wants to be equipped on his ships.

Also, there are several things that are already present in X rebirth and previous titles and I hope Egosoft preserves them:

• -Mod support. Modding community is one of the greatest assets of Egosoft and I can only hope that mod support will be improved. Specifically, I have noticed that X Rebirth has only a few mods that add custom ship models. I do not know the reason for this(lack of tool support or lack of modders desire to create new ships) but this should improved.
  
  -GOG/DRM-free version of the game. I am more than happy to pay extra for the game does not tell me when and where I can play it. I am looking at you, region lock on Steam.
  
  -Linux support. 1% is still 1% and I am happy Egosoft supports it. Please, keep it that way.

[Observe]

Three things I require of the next game:

1. Functioning collision avoidance
2. No Highways
3. Ability to fly all sized ships

Without those, I doubt I'd play it any more than I play Rebirth; which is practically never.

[birdtable]

I would be quite happy to have more information screens on the periphery of the cockpit view .... Trade info, Zone info, Ship info etc ... all click on/off and still be able to have total flight control..... Well we can always hope.

[RAVEN.myst]

I would be quite happy to have more information screens on the periphery of the cockpit view .... Trade info, Zone info, Ship info etc ... all click on/off and still be able to have total flight control..... Well we can always hope.

+1 to this - Rebirth's use of one screen for everything is a ball-ache of note, with each new bit of information overwriting what was there before, which is painful when the previous info hasn't been "digested" yet, or needs to up for the current activity, and VERY painful when multiple updates come in quick succession, along with a couple of video comms from captains/managers - chaos. Thus, splitting out the info into multiple HUD displays that can be watched simultaneously would be a big help (and I like the option of being able to collapse unwanted ones when not needed.) Present-day monitor resolutions make it possible to display plenty of info at once, there's no need for a "coarse-grained" UI such as in Rebirth, that to me smacks of console-connected-to-TV design mentality, and even TVs these days deliver definition that permits much finer detail to be displayed.

[Ezarkal]

I would be quite happy to have more information screens on the periphery of the cockpit view .... Trade info, Zone info, Ship info etc ... all click on/off and still be able to have total flight control..... Well we can always hope.

+1 to this - Rebirth's use of one screen for everything is a ball-ache of note, with each new bit of information overwriting what was there before, which is painful when the previous info hasn't been "digested" yet, or needs to up for the current activity, and VERY painful when multiple updates come in quick succession, along with a couple of video comms from captains/managers - chaos. Thus, splitting out the info into multiple HUD displays that can be watched simultaneously would be a big help (and I like the option of being able to collapse unwanted ones when not needed.) Present-day monitor resolutions make it possible to display plenty of info at once, there's no need for a "coarse-grained" UI such as in Rebirth, that to me smacks of console-connected-to-TV design mentality, and even TVs these days deliver definition that permits much finer detail to be displayed.

Just give me a screen dedicated to radar only!
But yeah, any more screen we could have or remove and configure independently would be a nice bonus. +1 to that.
Otherwise, how difficult/possible would it be to implement dual-screen support? (Screens as in actual computer monitor, this time.) Have the main cockpit immediate flight info on the main screen, and the empire management windows on your side-screen. I heard it's been done in one of the previous X games (X2 I think), and I wonder what kind of engine limitation made it disappear. There are seriously plenty of games out there that would hugely benefit of this.

[RAVEN.myst]

Otherwise, how difficult/possible would it be to implement dual-screen support? (Screens as in actual computer monitor, this time.) Have the main cockpit immediate flight info on the main screen, and the empire management windows on your side-screen. I heard it's been done in one of the previous X games (X2 I think), and I wonder what kind of engine limitation made it disappear. There are seriously plenty of games out there that would hugely benefit of this.

I like this, too - very nice. I'm a big fan of Supreme Commander, for example, not only because it's a great game, but also because you can use two screens (I like to put my main zoomed-in view on my main, and a zoomed out view on the auxiliary, for example.) Yes, it was X2 that supported this, until Microsoft changed the way Windows handles multi-monitors (I think the change was from XP to Vista, or maybe it was from 98 to XP), which made X2's multi-monitor feature stop working
I like your notion: main (cockpit) view on main screen, with things such as, perhaps, a map window, property screen, trade menus, etc on the other (ideally with some degree of customisation.)

[RodentofDoom]

Something I've said

time, and time, and time again ..

Resources need 2 distinctly seperate lists in station over views

Products
Resources

Intermediaries belong in BOTH, and should have a seperate pricing structure for each case

[mr.WHO]

I think that any new X-game is in danger of being either dump-down like X-Rebirth or "wide like an ocean, shallow like a puddle" (like infamous No Mans Scam).


I think that Egosoft need to look back at their X-Game motto:
"Think, Trade, Build, Fight", because none of these evolved since the time of X2 - they just made it more wide, but it still imitation that is shallow.

They need to add depth much more than adding new content of the same thing again and again.

Lets go throught each point:

BUILD:
- How is that player cannot be fully self suficient? Why we cannot build our own shipyard and obtain/steal/reverse-engineer blueprints?
- How is it that there is still NPC/hostiles spawned out of thin air like in ancient X-BTF? I don't ask for ultra accurate economy where every ore orb and every credit matter. However simple system that regulate Faction/Pirate/Xenon spawn based some factor would add depth to the sandbox...if player can affect these factors (e.g if I hunt Xenon miners there will be less Xenon patrols/invasions, if I hunt Pirate raids there will be less pirates over time)

FIGHT:
- How is it that there is still terrible game ballance ever since X2 - pick optimal "excel-sheet" wise M2 and ignore everything else as it's useless OOS? X-Rebirth is even worse, because even IS, anything but a destroyers is an useless piece of crap?
- there should be a well thought ballance between URV-Fighters-Capships. If something is useless then why waste the time and disc space to put it in game (like 90% of Albion fighters). I'd prefere to have 10 ships in where all of theme have purpose and use, rather than 50, but where only 5 are useful.
- generic mission especially the combat ones need to be reballanced - what is the point of "protect station from pirates" where several pirate light fighters attack station armed like an fortress? WHy would station hire someone to "protect" from the attack that has 0% of sucess and 0.00001% of doing any significant dammage?
- more variety of generic combat missions (e.g. Pirates hacked the station turrets and depots and send freighters to stoll the containers)
- more variety of hostiles in generic combat missions - I never saw any capships "pirate attack the station"
- more variety of hostile factions (Pirate and especially Xenons)

THINK:
Well this is hard nut to define, but to me "think" means "think about your purpose" in this sandbox and the purpose means player ability to make a meaningful and I mean MEANIGFUL impact on the universe, no matter if he is a lone pilot or CEO of giant trade empire.
- Point 2 of "Fight" part is one of such examples
- destroying/capturing/ buying out NPC stations.
- increasing or decreasing faction strenght by player actions.
- making that generic missions success/failure gives an long term effect - e.g. you failed to protect station from pirate raid then raid destroy the station and give cash/ticket/treasury bonus to pirates which then contribute to pirate spawn increase.


Additionally the think part is also where I'd put the "Exploration". The exploration part of the X-Games always had this HUGE problem since X-BTF - once you expore whole space there is no more exploration, even if you start the new game you still in the same static space.

This is the part where "procedurally generated space" would shine. Something like the old "unfocussed Jump drive" sector, but on much bigger scale like whole system or even whole uncharted region of several systems which would change every game or even within the same game.
That way you could have carefuly man-made static "Core" space and procedurally/randomly generated "Fringe" space.

TRADE:
I'm not really the trade guy, but I think that thereis several things to deepen the economy.
- replace spawns with shipyard build ships as much as possible
- make pirate-economy based on goods stolen by pirate raids (both freighter raids and station raids) - pirates should have their own black market stations and shipyards. That way if player will patrol space and hunt down pirate raiders this would reduce pirate presence in long er time.
- make xenon-economy which base on miners which transport resources to Xenon processing plants (we already have several Xenon stations), then processed construction materials are transported by Xenon freighters to Xenon shipyard - if shipyard if well stocked it build Xenon patrols and invasion fleets. That way player can "defeat Xenons" which is not possible with "magical spawns"

[vkerinav]

Additionally the think part is also where I'd put the "Exploration". The exploration part of the X-Games always had this HUGE problem since X-BTF - once you expore whole space there is no more exploration, even if you start the new game you still in the same static space.

This is the part where "procedurally generated space" would shine. Something like the old "unfocussed Jump drive" sector, but on much bigger scale like whole system or even whole uncharted region of several systems which would change every game or even within the same game.
That way you could have carefuly man-made static "Core" space and procedurally/randomly generated "Fringe" space.

Ironically, this would have been an excellent idea for Rebirth; utilize the gate re-alignment. Why do they all have to connect to somewhere uncivilized? There must be a few sectors that haven't yet been corrupted by you questionable biological life-forms. Make exploring it part of a mission--and then you stumbled across the gate to _____. Even better--an encounter with an explorer that came through the other gate.

[kyrah]

100% agree with Mr.Who.

ES should focus on their "Think, Trade, Build, Fight".

And not waste massive development time on half baked features like landing on stations with no real purpose while the core mechanics are neglected.

[mr.WHO]

And not waste massive development time on half baked features like landing on stations with no real purpose while the core mechanics are neglected.

Station walking would be great for Player HQ and Capships interiors (And bridge) - sadly we had none of these in X-Rebirth (capship docking platform doesn't count).

Ohh and NPC shouldn't looks like bunch of space hobos.

[RAVEN.myst]

And not waste massive development time on half baked features like landing on stations with no real purpose while the core mechanics are neglected.

While I agree in principle, let's not forget that 'walking on stations' was quite the loudly asked-for feature, so ES were responding to that demand. Of course, those who shout loudest are not always (dare I say, "almost never") worth listening to...

[26072013]

My wish:

X4, please be good.

Additionally:

* Day 1 Linux support
* keep it a single player game, not multi player
* no walking, focus on space
* keep it moddable.

And I hope that Egosoft works on a good user interface and perhaps hires some people with fresh eyes and UI experience. Especially a good universe map, fleet management and station building UI.

The X games are really unique, there's nothing like them. I wish Egosoft and us that they get it right this time.

[Toramo]

My wish,

Just a true X.

Also, do not lie on what will be the game with a catastrophic marketing campaign like they did for XR.

Oh wait, why not after all, XR was an AMAZING SUCCESS (said Bernd).

Yes, I do not forget.
No, I'll not pre-order.

++

[Tali$]

[ external image ]

[Alandauron]

I'm in agreement on the no pre-order stance but honestly if I were to pre-order a game it would be one by Egosoft considering how long they continue to support their games(still patches for X3). X4 is almost a guaranteed buy for me just from knowing that the company stands by their product, so many other games out there that people throw money at that shouldn't even be allowed to exist, looking at you [annual] Call of Duty

It will most likely be a day one buy for me though, and unless they stop the trend of full support for their products it will continue as such. So sad seeing negative reviews from people playing the games despite them getting 1000+ hours of play out of it. Some $60 games are a struggle to get 20 hours of enjoyment out of, and while I have played a game for over 60 hours and not had that much enjoyment I would stop long before 1000 hours if I didn't enjoy the game.

Take down those reviews that are negative because X: Rebirth wasn't the next installment of X games...please.

Wishlist:
-X4 needs to be the next X Universe game with gameplay akin to the previous installments(prior to XR)
-Some ship interiors would be nice, like a bridge, but station interiors are not needed
-Command system for better control of fleet operations
-Multiple views while on a Capship bridge(if there are interiors)
-Capships that require multiple crew members, same for stations
-Crew gained through station interaction but not necessarily walking on station
-Piloting Capships would be nice but isn't a must for me
-A heavy focus on AI pathing to improve both combat and trading
-Fighter craft commands(focus engines, focus weapons, etc.)
-Ability to set a hard stop on attacking when you board a ship, but still attack other enemy ships in the area, ship that you're boarding still attacks if it has guns left.(before I got used to sending all my ships away if I decided to board I lost several Marine crews because one of my ships that wasn't in range previously came into range while Marines on board)
-Keep modding as open as it currently is or improve it slightly, the mods made XR even more enjoyable.

[Alandauron]

Thought of something else, I would like to see skills for crew members actually mean something outside of the "highlighted ones" so that the crew member has only relevant skills to their trade. If the skills they have for something isn't going to mean anything then just don't show those skills.

[Nanook]

I believe the hiring costs of each NPC is related to the total skill values, not just the primary ones. It allows a more random spread of hiring costs and that's why I think the NPC's were given a range of 'nonfunctional' skills. In other words, total number of stars determines hiring cost, so they do mean something.

Someone more knowledgeable than me will probably come along and correct me if I'm all wet.

[Alandauron]

Yes, they do have an impact on how much they cost, and while I understand that it's to allow a wider range of values for the cost of hiring them there are easier ways to implement that in code with each star representing a ramdom multiplier instead of some static value. In fact this may be in the code, I haven't looked personally yet, it just wasn't an appealing choice for me to see an Engineer with 2 stars on Engineering cost more than one with 4 stars because they have skill in other areas.

If you're going to add a bunch of skills like that it gives the impression that the crew member could be used in other professions if more adept in them. Now that would be incredible if that's the direction Egosoft wanted to go, but in Rebirth they were locked in their profession so those values were more of a slap in the face than anything else.

Since I mentioned it...I would love to see crew members able to fill multiple roles in the next iteration, you could create a UI based around it. Or if you want to stick to the static professions then the extra skills could have purpose as secondary skills.

For example the Engineer:
Primary Skills:
-Engineering
-Science

Secondary Skills:
-Navigation Systems
-Systems Maintenance
-Weapons Systems
-Defensive Systems

This way you make all the skills relevant to the crew member, and can still use stars in the same way to determine cost of the crew member.

[gbjbaanb]

Got to admit I prefer the idea that anyone can do anything, subject to their skill level in that field. Locking NPCs to being a certain role is daft, better to focus on the skill, not the career. Reminds me of old Traveller games where characters gained skills in several areas, depending on their past training, but still could work in any position.

Of course this means you have to have a bit of UI to assign individuals to the crew slots. This surely isn't that much of a problem (particularly if your crew roster is a drag and drop affair)

Can we also have AI crew too - either as pure AI with, say, 1 star only. Or robot crew that have more random stars (but cannot improve, perhaps).

The reason for this is that you don't need to fully outfit your ships, you can rely on AI instead, but they'll be rubbish. This should cut down the micromanagement of a large fleet, allowing you to focus on crewing important ships only.