X2 Vs Freelancer.

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Golden_Gonads
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Post by Golden_Gonads » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 00:36

I used to play Freelancer about a year ago, and after completing the plot, found that I couldn't be bothered to continue playing - there was it seemed, little left to do, sure you could fly about and discover the secrets such as the wreck of The Hispania', but other than a mild interest, there wasn't any point. Also, as I don't play multiplayer (I've only ever played one game on MP - Diablo 2) there was much point to carry on, so within three to four weeks, it was shelved and the box never opened again

X2 has a similar problem, not much to do except the main plot, and yet I've spent months playing it. Whilst there are no secrets to speak of, the empire building is much more...... Capturing... I mean on my restart for 1.4 I decided to do the plot until I had to see the Goners, then go and get a few bucks together, get an M3, then wander back to the plot for a bit. Well, I got myself a Barracuda and fully equipped it by the end of July, yet have played on freeform since. Due to my play style, I haven't actually got much further, I only have around 10 mill in the bank & about 6 stations, but still...

Anyway, the point is, that to me, other than the plot theres nothing to do in Freelancer, and other than free-form, theres nothing to do in X2, and as free-form is a lot longer lasting, having no definite end X2 is to me, the far superior game.

Now, on to another couple of points that struck me whilst I was musing above, the atmosphere in combat in X2 is far inferior to that of any other space game I've played..... I'm not sure what it is about it, but its lacking that 'Seat of your pants' excitement... I know that part of the reason for this, is that X2 is built as a trading game first & a fighting game second (It better be at least - I flew around for an hour earlier mapping sectors, & all I saw, was ONE pirate ship and not a single khaak), maybe X3 will improve this feeling, at least, I hope it will.

As for people wanting to land on planets, like the mod earlier, I can't see the point of it, though I do want to be able to do more on stations, like visit the bar and talk to people... or something...

Though, if Freelancer had played more like StarLancer, control and ship wise, it may have kept my attention for months longer.

Finally having mentioned StarLancer, I wouldn't mind a mission based Space Combat Sim set in the X universe, maybe during the Terraformer War or Boron Campaign...


(Sorry for the rambling... Just got distracted by the fact I was thinking)

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dmf
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Post by dmf » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 02:50

it seems like no-one has mentioned this already.
The FL shield and weapons were a very nice touch. i wish they were in X2.
certain weapons are stronger against certain shields.
say the argons and borons use one type of weapon and shield design. the teladi use a different design. xenon use another.
it would make loading up a battleship in X2 much harder. depending on which sector you were in depends on what shields and weapons you would need.

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giskard
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Post by giskard » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 02:54

Talking of life after the plot.

The thing about games that continue after the main plot has ended is they attract the type of player who can make his own goals and create missions for him selve where none exist.

Now Golden_Gonads, it sounds like you where not able to do that in freelancer which is a shame because freelancer was great once the plot ended.

But you could do it with X2.

So my question (a leading question I admit) is why is that the case ?

The answer to that question highlights the differenced between the two games.

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Golden_Gonads
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Post by Golden_Gonads » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 05:52

giskard wrote: Now Golden_Gonads, it sounds like you where not able to do that in freelancer which is a shame because freelancer was great once the plot ended.

But you could do it with X2.

So my question (a leading question I admit) is why is that the case ?

The answer to that question highlights the differenced between the two games.

Giskard
Honestly? I have no idea... It could just be me subconsciously preferring strategy games to action ones, it could be that X2 remains a challenge, as I'm not that good at it, and Freelancer was just too repetitive and easy... Though saying that, I'm unsure if I'm remembering the difficulty correctly... Ultimately, the only answer to your question I can give, is 'I just do...'


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Some Idiot in PA
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Post by Some Idiot in PA » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 06:08

I have recently reinstalled Freelancer and loaded up the "Evolutions Mod" for it. It makes the game new again. :)

I forgot how fun that game could be. I even went back to multiplayer, which I swore up and down I would NOT do no matter what. What can I say? I'm STILL addicted to Freelancer.

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Post by Maranno » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 10:07

The best part of both games is outside the storyline, the Freedom you get then and what you can do with it.

Try some mods and a whole new world opens, this goes for both X2 and Freelancer.

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Post by rustamk » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 11:59

It would be cool if one of the species was at war with another, at a constant war, for example the Teladi and the Split over a "trade disssssspute", and there would be "border" sectors between those races raging with Piracy, both sides' battleships, fighters and corvettes duking it out.

That would create many more opportunities for SBB missions. Help out in the army. Do a special mission. Do this or that. Plus it would add life to X-universe. You couldnt get past Omega-17 (or whatever it used to be) without seeing the corsairs and outcasts in a dogfight. Or through badlands without seeing LSF and Rogues in a fight. That gave it a lot of life.

Plus, the universe in Freelancer was a bit nicer I think, by looks, even though X2 has all those bells and whisles, although I cannot compare, my CD is broken, maybe I will get another one. I just looked at screenshots from Freelancer on google, and the world seems more "colourful" and "surprising" than in X2.

I dont know what I like better at this point. :D

Rustam

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Post by euclid » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 14:34

Never managed to beat Hovis in the race. For some reason my thruster didn't work correctly (went off during the race). :cry:

Cheers Euclid

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giskard
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Post by giskard » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 18:36

Golden_Gonads wrote:and Freelancer was just too repetitive and easy...
In other words it is the late game is not as interesting as the early game in freelancer but in X2 it gets more interesting the longer you play it because more options open up to you. Options you actually want to have and not just the joy of exploration which is what I liked about the late freelancer game.

Freelancers mod scene does go a long way to extending that games life, which is the primary reason people still talk about it today.

I think most people would agree freelancers late game was just combat, trade and exploration and only exploration was truely interesting and fully featured. The lack of player owned battleships was the primary issue mod makers addressed due to public demand. X2 does not suffer in trade or combat like freelancer does but it does suffer in exploration due to its design.

So freelancer gets 1 out 3 right and X2 gets 2 our 3 right. The 2 bits that interest the most players for longest period of time. Explorations only fun until youve explored everything after all. Which is why most players moved on shortly after finishing the plot in freelancer.

Trouble is many players have done the same with X2 assuming wrongly there is nothing after the plot, when in fact the plot is boring bit when you consider what you can do in the late X2 game.

BTW i like a good plot too :)

PS its nice to be able to talk about these differences in an adult enviroment dont you think ?

When X2 first got released this chat would have been impossible here too. Before that the forums where like this and I like them this way.

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Post by Myo » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 21:01

Plus, the universe in Freelancer was a bit nicer I think, by looks, even though X2 has all those bells and whisles, although I cannot compare, my CD is broken, maybe I will get another one. I just looked at screenshots from Freelancer on google, and the world seems more "colourful" and "surprising" than in X2.
exploration was truely interesting
IMO these are both because of the differences in systems. In X2 there are far, far too many systems which are similar, the layout is the same each time. Think about it, gates on the compass points, big clump of factories in the middle, repeat to fade. There is hardly any variation, ever.
In Freelancer, apart from some vague similarities ('ring' structures of trade lanes for main house systems being an example) each and every sector was different, hidden jumpholes to skip sectors whilst trading, and so on.

I still believe that the jumpdrive is what has totally ruined the exploration in X2. Why bother exploring sectors when you can just jump where you want to go and leave automated ships ordered to follow others around to explore for you? And why bother exploring if there is nothing major to explore FOR? :|
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Some Idiot in PA
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Post by Some Idiot in PA » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 21:42

rustamk wrote:You couldnt get past Omega-17 (or whatever it used to be) without seeing the corsairs and outcasts in a dogfight. Or through badlands without seeing LSF and Rogues in a fight. That gave it a lot of life.
I'm pretty sure you are thinking of Sigma-17. :)

Then there was Sigma-13 and Sigma 19 (Corsairs, Outcasts, and GMG and the scattered House shippers eat each other alive in those sectors).

Also, the Omega sectors.... Omega 5, Omega 7, Omega 41... and Omega 11, if I'm remembering correctly (Corsairs, Red Hessians, Bounty Hunters and occasional House shippers duke it out in these sectors.). It's been awhile since I've played heh heh.

spence336
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Post by spence336 » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 21:49

did freelancer follow on from starlancer?
ships;
1 teladi osprey 5 pirate ships
1 paranid nemesis 1 argon nova
1 argon centaur 1 argon discoverer
1 split mamba 1 boron barracuda
1 split scorpoin 1 boron manta
2 paranid pegasus' 2 boron dolphins

Carl Sumner
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Post by Carl Sumner » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 21:54

spence336 wrote:did freelancer follow on from starlancer?
Sort of... but not much was related.
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spence336
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Post by spence336 » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 21:57

it was cool on starlancer that you could choose a part of the ship to destroy like the engines and then it would be stuck, you could do this on freelancer but it were hard
ships;
1 teladi osprey 5 pirate ships
1 paranid nemesis 1 argon nova
1 argon centaur 1 argon discoverer
1 split mamba 1 boron barracuda
1 split scorpoin 1 boron manta
2 paranid pegasus' 2 boron dolphins

Whiplash
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Post by Whiplash » Tue, 26. Oct 04, 22:44

Yes, but is a bit unplayable in that view, you can see the game is not designed to play in that view.
I played the whole game through, two times, using multiple ships, using that view. That complaint is very over-rated.

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Re: X2 Vs Freelancer.

Post by Virtualaughing » Mon, 29. Apr 19, 15:25

Freelancer engine kill function.
Maneuverability in general.
Radio chatter of NPCs
Piracy of NPCs
3rd person and first person view equaly useable.
Excellent transition of music ..... X's Music superior but the crossfade missing.
Trade lanes were a lot better than highways in X

but if i write a lsit why i love X the list won't ever end.
X to X3 is MENU SUPERIOR!
I think Egosoft has already worked out our doom, because Xenon AI will reach the stars! :D

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Re: X2 Vs Freelancer.

Post by Taylor2008 » Mon, 29. Apr 19, 15:37

:lol: A 15 years old thread.That is very important! :lol:

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