XU Forum Quest - Round 24

[X2-Illuminatus]

Hello, Community!

Welcome to the X-Universe Forum Quest, let us introduce this little project.

We would like to offer you a competition while you wait for X Rebirth to be released and thus play X3: Terran Conflict probably for the 1000th time. We're quite sure that you know the universe you're playing in by now and so we have come up with some riddles for you to solve. Your knowledge of the sectors, ships, stations as well as the history of X will be put to the test in this competition.

This competition is not just to pass the time until X Rebirth is released. We have great prizes for the winners and for one "Lucky Loser". So be sure to take part. Even if you don't win, you might be the lucky one that gets the special prize. Ensure that you read the rules below. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. We look forward to seeing how much you know about the X universe.

Rules:

• All registered users of the EGOSOFT forums are permitted to participate with the exception of EGOSOFT staff members, administrators and members of the XU Forum Quest group.
• Answers are only considered valid if submitted via email to [no more mails please] including your forum nick. Note that you should inform us if you change your nick, otherwise you risk losing your score.
• Please use XU Forum Quest Round x (where x is the number of the current round) as the subject for your email entry.
• If multiple entries are submitted by the same user then only the first one received will be considered valid.
• If multiple users share the same score, those who have participated in more rounds will be ranked higher. Should both scores be the same, then the users will share the same rank.
• If any user posts a solution to a question (right or wrong) in the forum, they may be excluded from that round and the answer will be removed.
• A 'Lucky Loser' is to be randomly selected from the users that have participated in at least 42% of the rounds and who is not ranked among the top three users.

Prizes:

• The winner receives a signed copy of X Rebirth, a Steam X-Superbox and a poster
• 2nd place gets a steam copy of both X Rebirth and X-Superbox
• 3rd place gets a Steam copy of X Rebirth
• The Lucky Loser will also receive a steam copy of X Rebirth

Standings:

• Standings can be looked up on the special off-site XU Forum Quest Standings

XU Forum Quest Round 24

• Time limit for round: 15.10.2012 - 24:00 CEST
  Note: Participation will earn you 1 point and each correct answered question is worth 3 points.

• Question 1
  
  • Which sector is this?
    
    (click to enlarge)
  
  
  Question 2
  
  • What is the name of this ship?
    
    (click to enlarge)
  
  
  Question 3
  
  • A Player's Hyperion Vanguard fully-loaded with marines does an unfocussed jump to a randomly generated sector with Xenon activity. The Player stays there quite a while and is lucky enough to find and claim an Aran without loss of marines. While defending it against many Xenon carrier attacks over time, the Player is fortunate to claim 32 Xenon ships (fighters only) whose AI 'bailed out' and without the Player losing any ships. The Player must now return to normal space but also wants to take back as many ships as possible.
    
    In the best case, how many Player-owned ships made it back to normal space from that UFJD sector?

We wish you all the best of luck and hope for wide participation.

- The X-Universe Forum Quest Group




Email Template

Email to: [no more mails please]
Subject: XU Forum Quest Round x

Nickname: {insert here your forum user name}
Answer to Question 1: {insert your answer here}
Answer to Question 2: {insert your answer here}
Answer to Question 3: {insert your answer here}

[Geek]

Is that just me or are there odd artifacts on the left of the first picture ?

[Alan Phipps]

Space starfish (the quadruped type). Yes we can see them too.

[Geek]

I think I found the answer (with a clear shot), so I assume the artifacts are an unexpected result from some graphics drivers/game settings.

[eliseeff]

1. What would be in the case if the authors of the quiz do not know the way, that I'm going to use to return the ships?

2. If the proposed method is more effective, whether the known to the author of the quiz method recognized as an infidel answer?

[EmperorJon]

Yep, definitely space barnacles.

[Geek]

I am not sure what you mean, but game exploits are unlikely to count as a valid answer.

[Alan Phipps]

@ eliseeff: If you can explain a demonstrably different (better) answer using vanilla X3TC that does not involve a totally unintended and illogical game exploit (hypothetical example: a CLS etc trick that ends up with ships docked inappriopriately) nor relies on some external hardware/software tool, nor a gamefiles/save edit, then the quiz authors will probably listen to your reply and judge it on its merits.

[eliseeff]

@ eliseeff: If you can explain a demonstrably different (better) answer using vanilla X3TC that does not involve a totally unintended and illogical game exploit (hypothetical example: a CLS etc trick that ends up with ships docked inappriopriately) nor relies on some external hardware/software tool, nor a gamefiles/save edit, then the quiz authors will probably listen to your reply and judge it on its merits.

I hope, you don't reserve the right to unfounded declare a response illogical? Who will be the judge, if our opinions on this matter would be different? Other participants of the quiz? They can hardly be objective - they can lose points...

[Alan Phipps]

Hey, I don't reserve any rights, but the XUFQ Team who host the competition no doubt will do. It is their competition and by their rules. They seem a sensible lot who will no doubt seek a team consensus decision so your fate is in good and fair hands!

[eliseeff]

Hey, I don't reserve any rights, but the XUFQ Team who host the competition no doubt will do. It is their competition and by their rules. They seem a sensible lot who will no doubt seek a team consensus decision so your fate is in good and fair hands!

Then let the team will give a clear answer:

In the vanilla game without some external hardware/software tool, nor a gamefiles/save edit, I can perform any and all actions with my ships and their equipment (according to their purpose and characteristics)? If no, what actions will be considered valid, and what - no?

P.S. By the way! If I have to shoot a video that confirms my way, no one will say that I used Fraps (external software tool), so my method is wrong?

[Ketraar]

Clarification to questions in that detail will only be given after the competition so you will have to make your own mind, that's the point of the question, if we give you the formula, we might as well give you the result dont you think?.

MFG

Ketraar

[eliseeff]

Clarification to questions in that detail will only be given after the competition so you will have to make your own mind, that's the point of the question, if we give you the formula, we might as well give you the result dont you think?.

MFG

Ketraar

You read carefully? I did not ask to give me the formula. I asked to give me an answer to question: In the vanilla game without some external hardware/software tool, nor a gamefiles/save edit, I can perform any and all actions with my ships and their equipment (according to their purpose and characteristics)?

Do you understand the question? If not - I'll try to reformulate. I'm sorry, but English is not my mother tongue - I'm using Google translate...

And just in case negative answer to the first question I ask you to reply to the second: If no, what actions will be considered valid, and what - no?

If any actions with objects, not inconsistent with their functionality and characteristics, are illegitimate - this should be known in advance, dont you think?

So you give me the answer to the first question or I have to restate it for you to understand?

[Ketraar]

@ eliseeff: If you can explain a demonstrably different (better) answer using vanilla X3TC that does not involve a totally unintended and illogical game exploit (hypothetical example: a CLS etc trick that ends up with ships docked inappriopriately) nor relies on some external hardware/software tool, nor a gamefiles/save edit, then the quiz authors will probably listen to your reply and judge it on its merits.

Nothing more to add.

MFG

Ketraar

[eliseeff]

@ eliseeff: If you can explain a demonstrably different (better) answer using vanilla X3TC that does not involve a totally unintended and illogical game exploit (hypothetical example: a CLS etc trick that ends up with ships docked inappriopriately) nor relies on some external hardware/software tool, nor a gamefiles/save edit, then the quiz authors will probably listen to your reply and judge it on its merits.

Nothing more to add.

MFG

Ketraar

Why did you move away from a direct answer? Yes or no?

Do you understand my question? Or you just do not want to answer unequivocally? It smells not good... Like politics...

P.S. By the way! Did you read my comment to the post, about which you write that can not do anything to add to it?

If anybody refuse to announce the rules of the game before this game - you see the opposite a sharpie.

[X2-Illuminatus]

In the vanilla game without some external hardware/software tool, nor a gamefiles/save edit, I can perform any and all actions with my ships and their equipment (according to their purpose and characteristics)?

Yes, you can do that to find the answer to question 3, as long as (and this is was Alan and Ketraar already told you) you don't end up with anything that contradicts the basic logic of the game. Alan already gave you an example regarding the docking slots. In the scale of this topic it's certainly not possible to list everything that is considered as illogical. And of course, game exploits are somehow creating a grey zone as to what can be considered logical or illogical.

All in all, it seems you have found a way that we, when we made up that question, haven't thought of. If you think that your solution is correct, then you should submit it as answer in your email. If you also think that the way, which led you to your answer, is not easily comprehensible, it would be nice, if you would add an explanation to your answer as well.

[eliseeff]

In the vanilla game without some external hardware/software tool, nor a gamefiles/save edit, I can perform any and all actions with my ships and their equipment (according to their purpose and characteristics)?

Yes...

Thanks!

[Ketraar]

Not much time left, if you haven't yet sent the email, hurry up.

(Yes EJ I mean you )

MFG

Ketraar

[Lwerewolf]

Started pondering at the questions half an hour ago... as usual

[EmperorJon]

I've sent it ok, I've sent it!