X2OL Game Interface

[Oldman]

Yup, I would think it's not on the high list of priority's at the moment what with X2 ready to be conceived, but i'd just like to ask two questions...

1. Will the main player interface in X2OL be the same as X-Tension...X2 etc.
Namely joystick/keyboard with a cockpit view? (at least in flight).

2. Or are there any plans to change this...

*fingers crossed*....(please say 'no' to second question..... please!)

Oldman

[pjknibbs]

Why would they change it? Are you worried that they might try to copy Freelancer in the hope of gaining converts that way?

[Oldman]

Why would they change it? Are you worried that they might try to copy Freelancer in the hope of gaining converts that way?

Well....I wouldn't have thought so.....but I've just been told I've got the chance to beta test another up and coming online 'space game' and this would be the 3rd game now that has no joystick support.....so you see, I'm getting a bit 'twitchy'.
Plus the fact that I can't remember if the previous info that was on the Egosoft site (no info there at the moment....if there is I can't seem to find it) mentioned anything about the interface that would be used, I presumed that Egosoft would stick with the interface that is in the present games.....but you know what sometimes happens when one 'presumes' something.

Oldman

[pjknibbs]

Well, Steel's beta test notes make clear that he's using a joystick to play it--he says the early alphas were mouse only, but they changed it. I can't see them removing joystick support once it's been added, can you?

[carran]

I can't see them removing joystick support once it's been added, can you?

Not unless they want to cause problems for themselves.

You do have a point though, those joystick thingys don't half take up desk space and don't work with my word processor so I really can't see much point in having one. The coffee cup holder has likewise lost it's appeal, someone has turned a really useful tool into a something that uses silly silver discs, keep it simple I say. And what's wrong with wire frame graphics on a green screen monitor and an 80 key keyboard? why do we need a keypad and cursor key - let alone function keys?. Not to mention my new footswitch, that is what a mouse is for isn't it??

[Oldman]

Well, Steel's beta test notes make clear that he's using a joystick to play it--he says the early alphas were mouse only, but they changed it. I can't see them removing joystick support once it's been added, can you?

No....that would be unthinkable, of course not, I'll now go and wash my mouth out with soap......how dare I mention such a thing. Honestly, I just don't know what came over me.....oh dear....oh dear.. oh dear......

*stumbles over to couch*.....clutching my Wingman protectively....."there there my pretty, daddy didn't mean to frighten you"....

Oldman

[awdougherty]

I really hope that the interface stays the same as well (meaning using a joystick). But to be honest, I don't think having a well thought out mouse control option is such a bad idea. Let's face it, we want two things essentially, to play X with a joystick and to have it become popular enough to keep the series going.

I think Freelancer's failing wasn't the well-thought out mouse control, it was the lack of joystick support. Maybe there is something to be learned from DA's mouse control that could help get X2 and XOL out to more gamers.

[Macio]

Hi guys
i knowthat a lot of you complaining about lack of joystick support, but ..

Do you remeber Taychoon ?? it was the first game that had mouse controls, and while it was strange to play after few hours i had to say - it was better then my 6 button joystick.
I played Freelancer demo for 20 hours maybe, and i have to say - i don't miss joystick. It is very easy to target and shoot at things, and having my other hand constantly on keyborad makes life easier for all those other commands.
I know that a lot of you guys never tried it becouse it don't have a joystick support - but give it a try - and try for few hours.
It is working - and you will see more and more games comming with mouse only controls. I have nothing agains joystick as i have one my self, but i prefer playing with mouse at the moment.

Regards
Maciek

[Oldman]

Hi guys
i knowthat a lot of you complaining about lack of joystick support, but ..

Do you remeber Taychoon ?? it was the first game that had mouse controls, and while it was strange to play after few hours i had to say - it was better then my 6 button joystick.
I played Freelancer demo for 20 hours maybe, and i have to say - i don't miss joystick. It is very easy to target and shoot at things, and having my other hand constantly on keyborad makes life easier for all those other commands.
I know that a lot of you guys never tried it becouse it don't have a joystick support - but give it a try - and try for few hours.
It is working - and you will see more and more games comming with mouse only controls. I have nothing agains joystick as i have one my self, but i prefer playing with mouse at the moment.

Regards
Maciek

Hi

I don't want to give the wrong impression here, I haven't got anything against mouse driven games, in fact I found the mouse interface quite easy to get to grips with in the Freelancer demo, in some ways it was a bit of a refreshing change (I can't believe I'm saying this ...where's me pills ) no...seriously , it wasn't the mouse interface and keyboard that dampened my spirits, it really was the overall 'feel' of the game.
Some, or when I come to think of it most parts were (IMO) reasonably pleasant or playable. I've still got the demo on my HD, and I dare say I'll be playing it for a couple of hours tonight. (after watching Enterprise )
For me I must say the truth, it lacks a certain 'sparkle' that I get when playing some other games, and undoubtably that is to do really with my own character and preferences.
I will keep an eye out for it when it's run the course and is maybe a little bit cheaper (yeah...I'm a tightfisted son of a bitch )



Oldman

[moggy2]

Hi guys
i knowthat a lot of you complaining about lack of joystick support, but ..

Do you remeber Taychoon ?? it was the first game that had mouse controls,
...

correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that a fairly recent game?

I was flying spaceships in Elite+ with the mouse on a 286 back in the late 80's and a friend was crashing Apache helicopters on Atari ST with his moose about the same time.

[Xenon_Slayer]

I cant stand using the mouse. Few buttons and to fidily, I perfer the game pad. We should keep both options open though.

[GHarper]

I prefer to have my left hand free to use my throttle quadrant.

I have no problems with new and innovative mouse controls, if FL was worth playing IMHO, I'd get it. I'm not getting it not because of the mouse thing, but cuz of the game, but thats covered in other threads.

I DO have a problem with innovative mouse controls coming at the expense of joystick support.

I am more than happy to use my logitech mx500 mouse with medieval total war, morrowind, etc. but I refuse to fly anything with a mouse until someone actually invents a spaceship or airplane that uses a mouse and not a stick.

*imagines F22 pilot reversing his turn and his mouse flies across the cockpit and clocks him in the head. at 7+Gs I bet that mouse would hurt a lot!*

[Deleted User]

Hi guys
i knowthat a lot of you complaining about lack of joystick support, but ..

Do you remeber Taychoon ?? it was the first game that had mouse controls, and while it was strange to play after few hours i had to say - it was better then my 6 button joystick.
I played Freelancer demo for 20 hours maybe, and i have to say - i don't miss joystick. It is very easy to target and shoot at things, and having my other hand constantly on keyborad makes life easier for all those other commands.
I know that a lot of you guys never tried it becouse it don't have a joystick support - but give it a try - and try for few hours.
It is working - and you will see more and more games comming with mouse only controls. I have nothing agains joystick as i have one my self, but i prefer playing with mouse at the moment.

Regards
Maciek

**********************************************************
I played Freelancer demo for 20 hours maybe, and i have to say - i don't miss joystick.

I played FL for 15 maybe more hrs and i have to say i DID miss joystick it's only one reason and not the 'main' reason i wont be buying the game it looks dated IWAR2 has better graphics and as far as i am concerned the marketing strategy was a grand deception i feel like i have been conned waiting years and being led to believe there was joystick cntrl only to find out months before release there was none, not only the stick but look at the trading in the game it's false as well.
It looks like it would be siuitable for my 12 year old nephew i suspect that is the target audience.

PS i think Oldman has good cause to be apprehensive there is only ONE space sim/game for people who like to play with stick and that's X so why are people saying the mouse would be good for X games leave them alone for chrise sake cause if you stop to think about it it's one of the things that make the X games what they are

[pjknibbs]

Hi guys
i knowthat a lot of you complaining about lack of joystick support, but ..

Do you remeber Taychoon ?? it was the first game that had mouse controls,
...

correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that a fairly recent game?

I was flying spaceships in Elite+ with the mouse on a 286 back in the late 80's and a friend was crashing Apache helicopters on Atari ST with his moose about the same time.

Whereas my first experience of playing an action game with a mouse was "Magic Carpet" on my PC, way back in 1994 I think; and as for the idea of selecting icons on screen to control stuff in a 3D world, that dates at least as far back as Carrier Command (1985?) and probably further.