Beta Test....Part 5

[Steel]

Hi all,

Wouldn't fit into X-News (it's big enough already), so we'll link to it here. Don't forget that IGN should be running the full series, although you of course, have seen the first ones on here anyway.

Cheers,

Steel


Argon Titan.

I mentioned this ship before in a previous report, but this time I thought it would be nice to acquire one. For those that know, the Argon Titan is a large battleship class ship, referred to as an M2 class, just a little smaller than the M1 (Carrier) class.

Firstly, I need to actually hand over my hard earned credits. Well, actually, in testing I don’t, my “allowance” for this session is 250 Million credits, which is more money than you will probably ever acquire (or maybe not). The price of the ship is a cool 64 Million! If that will remain its price in the finished game, I don’t know, but it sure packs a punch, which I’ll shortly come on to.

I am actually sitting in my Nova (fighter) and communicating with the shipyard via a trading extension. If I didn’t have that, I’d have to physically dock to trade, but this way is for the experienced and wealthy trader. The part I am currently role-playing <grin>.

Lots of stations and ships are listed for sale. All Argon, as this is an Argon shipyard. Each race has it’s own unique stations and ships and you can own and pilot every ship. With over Seventy types available and no limit on how many you can own, you can build up quite a diverse fleet. The list of stations for sale is in red, which is telling me that I cannot buy a station, as I don’t currently own a ship big enough to transport one or have a hired ship waiting for the same job. Plenty of time for stations another day.

I purchase the Titan. It comes equipped with a single 125MW shield (the largest shield available and standard fitting on capital ships) and more can be fitted, if you can find them. Pretty rare are the large shields, but you could always buy your own 125MW shield factory and supply yourself. Ah, decisions, decisions!

I also acquire a selection of lasers and a few dozen missiles and have them loaded into the Titans rather spacious freight bay (375 units expandable to 3500) and also pick up some other add-ons that for me are essential, like a trading extension and freight scanner etc.

I then command my new acquisition to follow me (I’m still in my Nova, remember) and pan around the cockpit so I can see it approaching. I decide to see how big the ship is and command it to stay in its present position, and then I engage thrusters and angle my Nova towards it. OK, I didn’t actually go for a space walk in my environment suit with a tape measure (although I could have done – minus the tape measure bit), I flew my ship along the length of the Titan and made an approximate guess at its length by reading my distance indicators. I’d say it was in excess of one and a half kilometres long. When switching to 3rd person view, my Nova is so small in comparison; it’s actually difficult to see against the bulk of the larger ship.

I communicate with the battleship and for some reason (I don’t know if this is intentional or not), I don’t have the option to dock. The big carriers can carry lots of ships, but maybe the battleships, being a battleship, can’t. I decide to do it the old fashioned way, don my suit and head out into the harsh coldness of space.

A small jaunt using the small thrusters of my suit and I am soon close enough to climb aboard. I am placed in the “Captains” seat, on the bridge.

Red screens and consoles chatter away in front of me. Another selection adorns the walls to my left and right. I gaze upwards and the roof is a transparent space screen. I can see the stars outside, the swirling patterns of distant nebulae. Hang on, what’s this?

In front of me is what appears to be some seating, facing various consoles. It gives an air of being a large room and in the middle is a table. On the table is a working sector map, it mirrors the real radar that is also on screen on the now familiar overlay. Nice touch! It’s not very legible, but it adds that little something extra. Very cool!

Now, this ship has (I think) eighteen lasers. They are fitted in banks of three on each facet of the ship with each laser being tens of metres from its sibling. So how do I control them?

Well, as previously stated in other reports, you have turrets that can have AI assigned. The Titan has six turrets. Yes SIX! Front, back, left, right, top and bottom. Each turret is selectable for manual action. The rear turret faces backwards with the rotating radar in view. It’s a very cool view and you can also set the probability (as a percentage) that the turrets will fire a missile. I haven’t tested this in-depth, but during one brief fight, a missile was indeed launched by the ship while I was in another turret.

A final point. The single turret in the Nova class fighter has a single laser fitted and this can be seen when you are seated in the turret. On the Titan and I guess on other ships of it’s size, the turret directs the fire from the three guns placed along that face. So, the effect is three lasers, far apart, converging at a greater distance. It’s an awesome effect and works really well. Oh and I must say, the Titan does handle like a battleship. It’s a brick, a brick with enormous firepower, but a brick nonetheless, even if it doesn’t look like one.

[The_Abyss]

Grrrrr already rated you tonight!

[Reverend_Vader]

Grrrrr already rated you tonight!

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Just tell us when its out

[cappedup]

so many snippets, so many little questions answered, with little riddles, nice little inset glances at what could be happening..



good job the rear turrets face backwards though imo....

[Deleted User]

Another brick in t wall the khaak don't seem so daunting any more i hope

[GoateeCat]

You are writing into you previews, a definite air of teasy superiority, comparable to the rich boy showing off his new generation porshe to the rag wearing whelp in the street.

And how appropriate your angle is I must say.

I a vessel of anticipation, all aquiver with impatience. This may be the first game I actually spend money on in years.

Keep em coming Steel!!

[The_Abyss]

Grrrrr already rated you tonight!

[ external image ]

The creativity is stunning....

[Burneyx]

Hi Steel

Very interesting, if you have time i would enjoy to read more about
very good.

Greetings

Burneyx

[Scarecrow]

Well, I haven't rated you yet today so...........have a(nother) thumb




Please tell me that those lasers have a real, usable convergence point.

Not like the Mamba where convergence point is a contradiction in terms!

[harag9]

is sounding better every time

Would it be possible for you to show some screen shots with your Beta reports?

I'd like to see the size comparison as a Screeny and also the control center with the table in the middle.

any any others

Thanks

Al (Harag)

[Deleted User]

so many snippets, so many little questions answered, with little riddles, nice little inset glances at what could be happening..



good job the rear turrets face backwards though imo....

Rear turrets face forwards i hope

[cappedup]

so many snippets, so many little questions answered, with little riddles, nice little inset glances at what could be happening..



good job the rear turrets face backwards though imo....

Rear turrets face forwards i hope

better ask the developers about this then

The rear turret faces backwards with the rotating radar in view.

[Snokid]

Im uneasy about this M2 costing a considerable but still meager amount. I would expect it to be more of 106 million or around there. Not 64! This ship costs money to make and material plus labor. I don't think the ship should cost such a low amount.

Prices are one thing that needs to be worked on in X2.
prices of ships are good. stations could be a little more expensive. But captial ships hae to be up there...


other than that, it's a good report; not as good and supenseful as the others but it keeps me going.

[The_Abyss]

Im uneasy about this M2 costing a considerable but still meager amount. I would expect it to be more of 106 million or around there. Not 64! This ship costs money to make and material plus labor. I don't think the ship should cost such a low amount.

Prices are one thing that needs to be worked on in X2.
prices of ships are good. stations could be a little more expensive. But captial ships hae to be up there...


other than that, it's a good report; not as good and supenseful as the others but it keeps me going.

Argon Titan.
The price of the ship is a cool 64 Million! If that will remain its price in the finished game, I don’t know, but it sure packs a punch, which I’ll shortly come on to.

Nuff said

[cappedup]

come on steel, are you listening, snowys not impressed, please try a bit harder next time.. oh and make those ships a bit more expensive..

tsk!

[Deleted User]

so many snippets, so many little questions answered, with little riddles, nice little inset glances at what could be happening..



good job the rear turrets face backwards though imo....

Rear turrets face forwards i hope

better ask the developers about this then

The rear turret faces backwards with the rotating radar in view.

Better not mention the top and bottom turrets then, does the bottom face the top and does the top face the bottom it's all sounding a bit confusing think i will invest in an anti alzheimers component

[Snokid]

Argon Titan.
The price of the ship is a cool 64 Million! If that will remain its price in the finished game, I don’t know, but it sure packs a punch, which I’ll shortly come on to.

Nuff said

(don't do that)
actually it's not enough said by you. I read that part. Im just emphasising that the prices need to be improved. As he said he was unsure of the prices, they could change or they could very well stay the same! Do you want o buy a supership for the price you could buy a TL? Tls are for storage not warships. I would think this ships wold be at least 90m

Im impressed by the game, but steels report's are just losing a little of the excitement. They were good the first he was wriing them, now they don't have the enthusiasm of the previous ones!

[Steel]

come on steel, are you listening, snowys not impressed, please try a bit harder next time.. oh and make those ships a bit more expensive..

tsk!

I'm already on the phone......

But seriously, it's that kind of feedback I like (plus praise obviously ). You see, one guy wants pics.....'tis a good point (actually I did mean to put two pics in it, but couldn't locate any on the web quick enough).

Steel

[crunn]

The price of the ship is a cool 64 Million! If that will remain its price in the finished game

mmm,
For some reason I was expecting it to be something a little over 100mil.

Well I guess I'll just have to buy 2 instead.



Nice one Steel

Any idea when's the next X-News ??
or release date (*crosses fingers and hopes really really hard that Steel accidentally lets it slip*)

[The_Abyss]

Argon Titan.
The price of the ship is a cool 64 Million! If that will remain its price in the finished game, I don’t know, but it sure packs a punch, which I’ll shortly come on to.

Nuff said

(don't do that)
actually it's not enough said by you. I read that part. Im just emphasising that the prices need to be improved. As he said he was unsure of the prices, they could change or they could very well stay the same! Do you want o buy a supership for the price you could buy a TL? Tls are for storage not warships. I would think this ships wold be at least 90m

Im impressed by the game, but steels report's are just losing a little of the excitement. They were good the first he was wriing them, now they don't have the enthusiasm of the previous ones!

Well how much do you want without giving the whole game away?

Also, did they mention the price of the TL's in X2 yet? The prices were already altered in the X-T patches, so maybe they are altered in X2.