X-universe online

[mrbadger]

At least a Lan version of X universe will be great before an online one.

that would be a neat trick, given that X has no networking code.

[Vaygr]

Thanks for the move , whoever it was.

Anyway , I did see that X Online link but when I clicked on the link in one of the threads I got redirected to a page with an animation that turned the screen into an old ship render (X maybe?) and had to manually copy the link it offered (Xuniverse or such). And Then It was just a website with seemingly no clear info.

At any rate, It Is possible (theoretically). Another game (don't want to mention names because if the forum policy) that was completely unprepared for network code is running along and is now at the stage of actual connection , even though the representation for players is static NPCS ( though they DO move), and seeing how there's so many excellent coders on this forum ... one can hope : D (ooopsss ... /steps away from the smiley bar).

Thanks for the info

[Cycrow]

ccoders dont mean much if they dont have access to the source code of the game

and for something as big as adding multiplayer to a game does require more access to the core game engine

[fiksal]

At least a Lan version of X universe will be great before an online one.

that would be a neat trick, given that X has no networking code.

Yep, Ruut, it would be. A couple of things would need to work differently in 'multiplayer'; perhaps a couple of new features - and at least in theory, it should be fun to play.

Perhaps Egosoft would consider that for next big release (expansion or X4)?
I wonder if that was ever really brought up on DevNet

[FoubouT]

Damn right! and seriously I think that it is a shame that games as great as X2&3 do not have an integrated multiplayer mode.''

The best would most probably be to have Egosoft to make a X game that is specialised for LAN with a few sectors of each race already set up as well as pirate, xenon, khaak presence just to start off and then plenty of uknown sectors that can be named by the player and will belong to the guy who claims it his.

Being able to fight side to side or against each other would really make X the top game of the range in its category (if it is not already ).

The thing is that this will requiere good computers and a very good hub (at least 1GB speed, I suppose)

Another great thing would be a 2 or 3 player Story line game where the players can interact and do the storyline together![/quote]

[esd]

There's a fair few gameplay mechanics that simply wouldn't work in multiplayer, or they wouldn't be desirable.

SETA, for example. Leave that in, every time you hit J everyone else on the server would also have to be forced into SETA. Obviously, that'd just be silly, so SETA's out for a start.

[FireballX3]

c'mon...that's just a detail, which would have to be ironed out...

if (game.mode == multiplayer) {
game.singleplayerfeats.Disable();
}

would force you to use more autopilot and enables you to do your laundry and stuf...or simply put in a jumpdrive instead of seta in every ship since the very beginning...or make it cheaper...for example.

[esd]

But then you'd still have the issue of it taking 20mins to cross a sector. Ship speeds would need to be increased. This would mean doing some more work on the AI, possibly redesigning sectors. Sensors would then have to be modified to be in proportion to ship speeds.

Ask anyone that's played an "original XTreme" start in XBTF/XT/X² - you get no SETA to start in that, and it takes forever. Simply removing SETA would be the only thing that'd need doing, as the removal of SETA would need balancing. Those balances would need balancing. You end up with a cascading chain reaction of changes to the code and gameplay. It's really not a simple job, more like completely rewriting the game.

[FireballX3]

what about the jumpdrive idea? just provide everyone with a jumpdrive since the very beginning...offer more jumpedrive coordinates for sale in-game...or the ability to share them, to key them in manually in your navcom.

I think that wouldn't cause that chain reaction.

[esd]

what about the jumpdrive idea? just provide everyone with a jumpdrive since the very beginning...offer more jumpedrive coordinates for sale in-game...or the ability to share them, to key them in manually in your navcom.

I think that wouldn't cause that chain reaction.

Wouldn't solve the problem, either.

Jumpdrives are gate-to-gate. SETA is for in-system.

[mrbadger]

I know! I know! Ask me! [sticks hand up eagerly]

Buy Eve out, replace every instance of the word 'Eve' in the game with 'X-online', and Bjorn Stronginthearms your uncle.

See, all problems solved.

Please, no applause, you're too kind..

[esd]

In that case, d'ya fancy lending Egosoft a few million quid?

[ZaphodBeeblebrox]

Well I have a question, surely esd must have some idea as to a "good" replacement for SETA?

[Cycrow]

The mod firelance has a replacement for SETA called the slipstream drive, but u'll have to wait for it to come out

[esd]

Well I have a question, surely esd must have some idea as to a "good" replacement for SETA?

Heh, ideas are my speciality (when designing games). Offhand:
Slipstream/hyperspeed drive.
Spacelane gates.
Gravity eddies (like spacelane gates, but a natural phenomen).
Short-hop jumpdrive.
Redesign of sectors with short-hop gates (used with the jumpdrive).
Insane ship speeds rendering SETA pointless (would need massive redesign, including weapon rebalancing, redesign of AI and sector redesign).

[fiksal]

There's a fair few gameplay mechanics that simply wouldn't work in multiplayer, or they wouldn't be desirable.

SETA, for example. Leave that in, every time you hit J everyone else on the server would also have to be forced into SETA. Obviously, that'd just be silly, so SETA's out for a start.

How about this.
If all players activate SETA - then it turns on for all.
Of course it wouldnt work if players arent really playing together... but in the game like X - what would be the point to connect and not to play together?
And it wouldnt work if there are too many players.

I also dont think that multiplayer should always be started from scratch. Perhaps it can move some of the assets and what not from the specified saved game.

Well I have a question, surely esd must have some idea as to a "good" replacement for SETA?

Speaking of alternatives.

XBTF was quite annoying without SETA (in the beginning), but they also had Turbo drive, or whatever it was called. It let your ship go much faster but drained the shields.

Earth and Beyond (- no, it wasnt a good game) had a 'real-time' warp drive thingy. I think it charged then let you ship go really fast until it reached the destination.
Perhaps Eve has something like that? I also know Babylon 5 had a similiar idea.

[Ruut]

SETA is not a problem for lan game, just for online.
In lan when only all lan has enabled the seta it start and disable at any time one player disable it.
With less of 2-5 players seta is not a problem.

Jump drive at start can help in online world.

[DonMartin]

A SETA that switches on and off depending on what other players do would be confusing, IMO. A much simpler solution would be a turbo drive that would burn energy cells, for example. Or just increase the maximum speed of ships but limit acceleration (which is more realistic btw).

In the beginning it might be boring to travel for several minutes but later you will have enough bookkeeping to do (managing ships and stations) which will keep you busy while travelling from A to B. Also keep in mind that in an online game there is also the possibility to chat with other players.

Anyway, as far as I understand, making an multiplayer version of X is not that much a technical problem but a financial one.

[ShadowDragon8685]

Strip the SETA out. Or leave the word SETA, but make it act like the warping in Earth & Beyond or EvE - that is, the ship charges up for a bit, then BLOOOOOM, takes off at superluminal speeds towards your destination.


Would also help get rid of the "Every notable thing in the solar system is crammed within a hundred square kilometers" thing that kind of ruins immersion.


The downside is that unless you introduce some kind of a warp-disruptor field, once a ship got into warp you'd be unable to stop it. Which would mean the battles would take place around the gates and stations, and the defending strategy would consist of "Just get docked" or "Just get through", much like EvE. Too much like EvE - I stopped playing because I lost everything I owned because so random **** decided to blow me up at a gate.

But it would be easily handled in X. Specifically, as was mentioned - make it handle multiplayer like Neverwinter Nights does. Smaller communities of players, less problems, more managable servers. You could either use some kind of a warp drive, or increase the ship speed. Or even just make it so that entering any gate is like using a jumpdrive - you enter the gate, choose the gate you want to exit at, and Bob's yer uncle. Traveling within a given system might take some time, but it's a start.

[fiksal]

A SETA that switches on and off depending on what other players do would be confusing, IMO.

It's just an alternamtive to a case when you are flying together with your buddies.

Smaller communities of players, less problems, more managable servers.

Exactly. Something like that wouldnt require the complexities of MMO. If you dont like who you are playing with - leave the server or kick the user. Or if he/she sits next to you - just get up and smack him/her. It's that simple.


If anyone feels like coming up with set of multiplayer ideas, putting names of people who agree on it and dropping to DevNet - let's do it

Otherwise, they [points up] dont hear us

EDIT: deleted and combined replies...