Long absent member - trying to understand X3 Versions - Reunion, Rebirth etc

[steveyell]

Hi,

So I've not logged onto this forum for 18 yrs , managed to reactivate my account last used in 2004 - was a massive fan of X-BTF and X2, but then got drawn into Consoles and didn't revisit the X Universe until I've just got a Steam Deck and have taken a punt on the X-Universe Humble Bundle which has brought me up to date and to X4.

However - I'm trying to understand the cadence of releases for X3, and what the Humble Bundle is missing. It has X3-Rebirth, but doesn't include Reunion. Are they different games and is the Humble Bundle missing part of X3? Link to what I bought is here:

https://www.humblebundle.com/games/x-un ... ion_bundle

Anything that people can point me to that would fill in my 18 yr history gap would be appreciated

Thanks.

[jlehtone]

Chronologically?

1. X: Beyond the Frontier
2. X-Tension
3. X2: the Threat
4. X3: Reunion (you play same char as in X2)
5. X3: Terran Conflict (X3TC)
6. X3: Albion Prelude (separate game, but requires X3TC)
7. X Rebirth (something entirely different)
8. X4: Foundations
9. X3: Farnham's Legacy (released last year https://www.egosoft.com/games/x3fl/info_en.php )

Split Vendetta (SV), Cradle of Humanity (CoH), and and Tides of Avarice (ToA) are DLC's released for X4: Foundations.

[Alan Phipps]

Just to further explain, X3:FL is largely a fan-made new game using the X3 platform which is why it was released out of sequence. (Even X3:AP had a lot of community-led content.) The X3 series effectively reached the limits to which the old XP OS/DirectShow era X2/X3 single-thread engine could be pushed.

X Rebirth is not an X3 game but was a change to a new bespoke multi-threaded game engine and uses a single player-ship throughout with remote command of other player ships and fleets. A cut-down version of X Rebirth was made using Vulkan API for use with VR gear. X Rebirth was partly a test and development basis for the future X4 game which further develops combined use of the new engine and Vulkan.

The X4 games return to use of almost any ships by the player. X4 is not designed as fully VR capable.

X4 briefly had a few minor online elements (not multiplayer or co-op) but those have been on hold for some time pending something better to replace them.