Playing X3 and, while I haven't explored all sectors yet, I have to say I'm relatively disappointed. Of course, the graphics are better than previous games, shinier and more detailed. But it all seems more stripped down at the same time, more streamlined perhaps.
I'm talking more about the celestial objects (planets, stars, clouds).
X: BTF and X2 were both awe-inspiring, but I didn't really get that with X3. At first yes, the planet in Antigone Memorial and incredibly detailed rocky planets are awesome. Until I see it for the 10th time in different sectors.
There only seems to be a few types of planet - Earth-like, Mars-like, gas giant (cool), and distant rocky or ice planets. Other than a colour change maybe, they all look exactly the same.
Stars are no longer massive balls of fire, which (awesomely) shine like a normal star if you're at a normal distance. Now they're just the latter, and there's only ever one. So far, every sector I've been to is 100% suns (not 150% or 200%).
Additionally, all sectors are either filled with gas or open space, no bit of gas floating around like before. This would be fine, but the repetitiveness of the planets and stars makes it a negative.
To top it off, sometimes the sector descriptions talk about something that isn't there - a giant ringed planet, a fiery cloud from a terrible Xenon experiment. They were in X2, but aren't in X3 because of the change. Feels like I'm missing out (though I did play X2 and explored everywhere).
Am I the only one that feels this way?
(EDIT: Check out this mod for Akeela's Beacon. The guy who made it gave up, but it looks very good. I'm sure some people would download it like that!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9GqHB2mT8U )
Who else preferred X2's graphics engine?
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Who else preferred X2's graphics engine?
Last edited by ozzyoscy on Mon, 24. Oct 11, 14:15, edited 3 times in total.
You forgot to mention the loss of shadows and Akeela's Beacon losing the cold beauty that made it such a cool place in X2... 
Overall, I'd have to agree that the environments looked better in X2, but the ships and stations look much, much better in X3--try doing a close flyby of the panels of a solar power plant sometime and be amazed at the detail they put into them!
Overall, I'd have to agree that the environments looked better in X2, but the ships and stations look much, much better in X3--try doing a close flyby of the panels of a solar power plant sometime and be amazed at the detail they put into them!
I do enjoy a close flyby. The solar panels was the first thing I saw - in a loading screen.pjknibbs wrote:You forgot to mention the loss of shadows and Akeela's Beacon losing the cold beauty that made it such a cool place in X2...
Overall, I'd have to agree that the environments looked better in X2, but the ships and stations look much, much better in X3--try doing a close flyby of the panels of a solar power plant sometime and be amazed at the detail they put into them!
I am still a stars-and-planets guy though.
I remember in X2 when I was in a Boron sector, I looked down and I'm flying over a sun! Or Akeela's Beacon. Alas, now they are kinda generic.
And of course, the childish joy of slamming your ship multiple times into an explicably solid star.
Variety would definitely be great though. Freelancer is another big name in the genre you may remember and know. That had a red gaint about to explode in a radioactive and hellish system, a neutron star system, and even a dyson sphere. Imagine that with X's graphics!
Perhaps good things will come to those who wait...
Last edited by ozzyoscy on Mon, 24. Oct 11, 14:14, edited 1 time in total.
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Yellow Melos
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- Joined: Mon, 26. Sep 05, 17:03
This is one thing I don't like about the X-Series. In freelancer I would go full speed in a certain direction, cut my engines, and just look around. Many places were just so unique you couldn't ignore them.
X3 has some neat places but most of space is boring. I usually don't even bother looking around sectors as there's nothing new or exciting.
I hope Rebirth improves on this. Not really a game killer but you can't just float along looking at the stars.
X3 has some neat places but most of space is boring. I usually don't even bother looking around sectors as there's nothing new or exciting.
I hope Rebirth improves on this. Not really a game killer but you can't just float along looking at the stars.
Using X3 AP + All TC plots enabled
I like X2 graphics engine, I like whole game, much more then X3.
X3 has high 3D objects detalization - better graphics engine and he looks very different, then X2.
One thing are in the X2, who are not in X3R and X3TC - game atmosphere are simply unique - unrepeatable, I don't know why, maybe - I too like X2.
Space environment, must be interesting for exploration - you need to be interesting simply flying around in the sector, for exploring it.
X3 has high 3D objects detalization - better graphics engine and he looks very different, then X2.
One thing are in the X2, who are not in X3R and X3TC - game atmosphere are simply unique - unrepeatable, I don't know why, maybe - I too like X2.
I agree with that, it has X2 and X3 games problem, space are almost empty - there don't have nothing unique and interseting objects, anomalies and other interesting unique objects, you simply no interesting to explore something.rujikin wrote:X3 has some neat places but most of space is boring. I usually don't even bother looking around sectors as there's nothing new or exciting.
Space environment, must be interesting for exploration - you need to be interesting simply flying around in the sector, for exploring it.
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Mightysword
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Yet most of the time ... you are not really in a position to see them naturally. Honestly I think the way thing is scale and distance in X3 a lot of detail go to waste. Like ... the only time I can see how gorgeous and detail those cooporate HQ looks is when they show up on my loading screen. I would never notice that in game ... since I never have a reason to.pjknibbs wrote: Overall, I'd have to agree that the environments looked better in X2, but the ships and stations look much, much better in X3--try doing a close flyby of the panels of a solar power plant sometime and be amazed at the detail they put into them!
The first time I fly by a ship or a station, my eyes will open wide as I admire the detail. However in grand scheme of thing the glamor does wear off quite fast and we get back to grind of whatever it is we do in our universes. I would like to see more unique sectors for sure though. Guess we'll have see if rebirth delivers on this.Mightysword wrote:Yet most of the time ... you are not really in a position to see them naturally. Honestly I think the way thing is scale and distance in X3 a lot of detail go to waste. Like ... the only time I can see how gorgeous and detail those cooporate HQ looks is when they show up on my loading screen. I would never notice that in game ... since I never have a reason to.pjknibbs wrote: Overall, I'd have to agree that the environments looked better in X2, but the ships and stations look much, much better in X3--try doing a close flyby of the panels of a solar power plant sometime and be amazed at the detail they put into them!
Duke's Buccaneers... I hate you so much... I am sooo demolishing your HQ when our business is finished....
(EDIT: Check out this mod for Akeela's Beacon. The guy who made it gave up, but it looks very good. I'm sure some people would download it like that!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9GqHB2mT8U )
It was only after the plot and hours into exploring that I actually noticed stations. Up to that point, I just autopiloted to dock, assuming the stations must not look very interesting.
It's only when I changed the camera (F1) to a view of the target (station) that I noticed the design was different and the station was quite massive.
It was only after the plot and hours into exploring that I actually noticed stations. Up to that point, I just autopiloted to dock, assuming the stations must not look very interesting.
It's only when I changed the camera (F1) to a view of the target (station) that I noticed the design was different and the station was quite massive.
I miss the variation of the bullets in X2. IRE's and PAC's for example looked nothing alike. Now, the PAC looks like an IRE that has been enlarged a little and given a new color.
Brute force and ignorance solves all problems, just not very efficiently.
If brute force isn't working, then you aren't using enough.
If brute force isn't working, then you aren't using enough.
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Master of the Blade
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I love X2's more 'cartoony' (that's not really the right word but I think it's close enough) graphical effects. They aren't as detailed or complex as in X3, but they seem more characterful. The more weird ship designs and racial station variants were cool, too.
But then, X3 has more of a sense of scale - everything in X2 looks almost like a toy sometimes, and proportions can seem strange. Often I get sick of looking at one style and move onto another.
But then, X3 has more of a sense of scale - everything in X2 looks almost like a toy sometimes, and proportions can seem strange. Often I get sick of looking at one style and move onto another.
Allergic to work.
If at first you don't succeed, delegate the job to a minion.
If at first you don't succeed, delegate the job to a minion.
This is somewhat of a staple of space games, if you're talking about what I think you're talking about - how the dimensions and distances of planets and stars can be too close, when in real life they'd look like ordinary stars (just as planets look from Earth).Master of the Blade wrote:But then, X3 has more of a sense of scale - proportions can seem strange.
It's a case of the creators of space games (not just the X series) taking "creative liberties" with the facts, but in the case of space games I think this is a good thing. Even in X3 it's unrealistic, because we can see distant planets in detail when they should be much farther away.
If space games didn't take these creative liberties with proportions, most places would just be black voids, and there certainly wouldn't be any nebula colonisation or colourful backgrounds.
Imagine all the amazing views we'd be missing out on, in the genre. From Priest's Rings in X2 to the moon level in Project Freedom (Earth is far, far too large, but looks AWESOME).
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Master of the Blade
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@ozzyoscy, I don't think you understood my post, probably because I should be asleep. I meant that X3 has a better sense of scale and that proportions in X2 can be strange. Look how large an X2 fighter is compared to a destroyer, then do the same in X3. That's what I was getting at.
Allergic to work.
If at first you don't succeed, delegate the job to a minion.
If at first you don't succeed, delegate the job to a minion.
Something else I've noticed which kinda kills the immersion for me - dead, lifeless, dirty, rocky planets with night lights on the dark side, as if it's teeming with city life.
And as mentioned the odd inaccurate description, but for sectors that weren't in X2 (if I recall). Very odd to go to a sector named 'Shining Currents' because of the moon's reflective mercury seas, only to look at the moon and see it's rocky.
Or the planet in 'Light Water', which is described as being abnormally light and mostly covered in water. I look at it, and it's full of dry land... Hmm!
And as mentioned the odd inaccurate description, but for sectors that weren't in X2 (if I recall). Very odd to go to a sector named 'Shining Currents' because of the moon's reflective mercury seas, only to look at the moon and see it's rocky.
Or the planet in 'Light Water', which is described as being abnormally light and mostly covered in water. I look at it, and it's full of dry land... Hmm!