Questions about the Present and the Future...

[vadiolive]

Since ego like do standalone expansion....

If you are owner x-rebirth get 50%-75% off(depend content)
If not you pay full price

I see in fews game (and think bit fair)

But if guys think ego can sustain more patch without expansion or new game i have strong sure cant

I stopped in 3.20 and wait expansion
Whats i like to back play? well its other topic i think

[mr.WHO]

I like the idea of a new stand-alone XR-based game with a discount for XR owners (75% might be waaay to much, but 25-50% is resonable).

Especially if it would provide same evolution as it was between X3:R and X3:TC.

If the average 3 years developement between games will be kept, then we can expect the new game somewhere next year.

[Luanda]

Maybe I overdramatized, but I still read "ignore the XR and it's DLC, all good stuff will be in the new game".

yes, i seem to read the same way as i've got to that idea too. which is somewhat good for me as i've got back the price of xr, at least there is no danger i will have to buy it again

what worries me is that for me there was no real quality jump between x3:r and x3:tc, not even with x3:ap. just fixed some bugs, added some minor menu changes and an overscripted pointless war (and some op ships like m7m-s). if that will be the jump they can give with the next iteration, i will have to start developing my own spacegame i will finish quicker...
i dont know when they have started developing the first x but the ancient x-wing games had better fight AI than what ego achieved since the first day until now. i've promised myself, i will not buy their game unless the AI and pathing gets fixed because when a straight line fly - 1 turn - straight line fly would be enough to dock a trader it goes 3 round around the station before it can find where to go and thats pretty bad.

[DeathMade]

I love whole X series. Hell, I even love XR! Exploration is just super cool and those huge stations are just mind blowing.

But there are many annoying bugs and the optimisation sucks! (we know that there is massive economy simulation running in the background, but when even on top end PCs it has max 40 FPS, there must be something wrong)

So here is a recipe for new title: Listen to community + optimisation + no bugs = MASTERPIECE

And PLEASE don't even think of those ****** console textures again! X series is PC master race only

[Nikola515]

XR is not that bad game.... But problem with it is that it don't have freedom just like all the other X2/X3 games. So for new players might be ok but for majority of X fans it is junk.... Having pretty graphics is nice but freedom and gameplay design is horrible Especially when we need to deal with stupid AI managers and almost no way to tell our ships what to do Even escorts ships are r*******

[XenonSurf]

@Graaf,

Another flyable ship? Take another cockpit and change the external ship textures (that you don't see anyway, except in External View), and there you go, you fly another ship.
Sorry, but I could mod such a pathetic thing in 10 minutes... So what's the point in that? It doesn't change the gameplay for 1 yota.
Besides: There are already a couple of nice cockpits, so they don't even need to be modded...

@CBJ,
thanks very much for an excellent XR, I appreciate your numerous patches. Vortreffliche Arbeit

XenonS

[Slashman]

@Graaf,

Another flyable ship? Take another cockpit and change the external ship textures (that you don't see anyway, except in External View), and there you go, you fly another ship.
Sorry, but I could mod such a pathetic thing in 10 minutes... So what's the point in that? It doesn't change the gameplay for 1 yota.
Besides: There are already a couple of nice cockpits, so they don't even need to be modded...

@CBJ,
thanks very much for an excellent XR, I appreciate your numerous patches. Vortreffliche Arbeit

XenonS

I'm thinking that people would want additional flyable ships to have different stats and abilities, advantages/disadvantages, weapons to the default ship.

That WOULD change the gameplay more than a little bit.

Also...the butt-ugliness of the Skunk is a turn off for some folks. Yes...one of those folks is me.

[XenonSurf]

I'm thinking that people would want additional flyable ships to have different stats and abilities, advantages/disadvantages, weapons to the default ship.

That WOULD change the gameplay more than a little bit.

Yes, maybe in X4 or whatever game Egosoft will (hopefully) release, but not in X Rebirth, I guess. We could speak for days about what should be added in XR, ships, planet landings and activities, Cap ships doing some loopings or other strange things, but every real content costs credits ähhh...money

There is barely any reason for Egosoft (or any developer) to add content to an existing game. It's an easy calculation:
Let's say Egosoft would double the content of XR. A budget of about 20M Euro is reasonable. But whatever, 1x more content would mean:

- The game must be re-released with double the price, OR
- Twice as much people have to buy the game

Needless to hope for any of this...

XenonS

PS: What's possible is that a developer could buy the license of the work of a real good modder and implement some stuff

[AdánPasos]

If they release a new X game next year, as a forumer said, and Ego keeps updating Rebirth, I just hope they make X Rebirth and the new game compatible to play separately.

Let me explain.

Many of us find Rebirth really exciting to play since very recently only (and many are still waiting for new content before playing "really"). If Ego releases a new game basically as a complete improvement from Rebirth, what motivation we'll have left to play Rebirth?

Maybe that concern is what Mr.Who meant to point out.

I hope they give incentives to play both games as I feel a new game after one or two years since X Rebirth got trully "fixed" could be a bit too soon? Especially with games focused on playing hundred of hours.

Don't know if I'm making sense at this hour of the night

[jambock1978]

I should point out that that post was referring to a prospective update to the current XR game. It does not mean that's being ruled out for future games based on the core XR technology; quite the opposite in fact.

Does this mean you actually work on that new title, or will we be left with DLCs for XR in the foreseeable future?

Our main development focus at the moment is on adding new features to the game engine. The result of a lot of this work is likely to find its way into a new game rather than an update to XR, but that by no means rules out further updates to XR nor future DLC for it.

I personaly keep track of good feedback in form of bookmarks in my browser and try to incoorperate this feedback into my work.
You may have noticed, that i ask sometimes for more details, when people complain about issues, gameplay wise. In these cases i tried to figure out why something is bad and how we could improve it.

I am happy and sad with these "official" answers; sad because now i am sure that i'll have to wait at least some more years to play a new X game that i may like, and happy because it seems that if it happens at least it will be closer of what i want. If you Devs, Mods, etc like to receive feedback from the community i can give some here and now, if it will or not be good is just a point of view, here we go:

Please, in the next game even if you decide to change core points of the series don't trap us in only one ship... What always attracted me (and a lot of people it seems) in the X series was the possibility to fly with practically anything you find, and achieve to buy/build bigger and better ships had the feeling of "leveling" in an mmo or something equivalent. So again please, never more one single ship, i would love to be able to fly with everything. This is really the only AND only change that make me don't like XR, and it's why i'll not buy it. Thanks for the answers, i am happy to be able to have some "official" answers.

[Graaf]

@Graaf,

Another flyable ship? Take another cockpit and change the external ship textures (that you don't see anyway, except in External View), and there you go, you fly another ship.
Sorry, but I could mod such a pathetic thing in 10 minutes... So what's the point in that? It doesn't change the gameplay for 1 yota.
Besides: There are already a couple of nice cockpits, so they don't even need to be modded...

But I do not want to sit idle playing Rebirth's Transport Management game in a slightly altered, yet still useless Skunk. I want to fly a transport ship and do actual trading with the stations.

It's nice to have CBJ call it the continuous request for additional pilotable ships, but its more about the lack of gameplay styles due to the single ship limitation. Adding more fighters doesn't solve that, or my, issue.


And to a lesser degree they told us the Skunk would be an iconic ship, like the Millennium Falcon or the Serenity, yet they forgot that both of those are transport ships.

[pref]

Many of us find Rebirth really exciting to play since very recently only (and many are still waiting for new content before playing "really"). If Ego releases a new game basically as a complete improvement from Rebirth, what motivation we'll have left to play Rebirth?

As CBJ clearly stated, they will also improve XR (patches and DLC).
For those who like XR - they already have a nice game they can play with, and it will be improved even further.
If you play rebirth for its own merits, and not only because nothing better is available, have no idea why you have concerns. You have a game you already like, and it's getting better.

But there are quite a few potential players longing for something else (compare first month player stats to the 2nd). Never understood why ppl who like XR mind if the rest also has a game to play. XR just doesn't cut it for many.

It's not like they will drop everything else and rush into releasing a new game - will likely take a couple of years until they can release X4.

[XenonSurf]

But I do not want to sit idle playing Rebirth's Transport Management game in a slightly altered, yet still useless Skunk. I want to fly a transport ship and do actual trading with the stations.

It's nice to have CBJ call it the continuous request for additional pilotable ships, but its more about the lack of gameplay styles due to the single ship limitation. Adding more fighters doesn't solve that, or my, issue.

All this you can actually do it in the current XR 3.53.

You don't have to stay in your Skunk, you can move to a bigger transport ship and take command from there, flying the transport. That's what I'm doing right now.
If you want to be on a 'bridge' instead of in a hangar, you will have to use a mod (see my first response to OP).

Your answers in this post bring me to ask: Are you sure you have been playing this game before giving such severe critics to it and the developers?
Telling a dev that his game has no future is not the thing to do IMO

XenonS

[mr.WHO]

The problem is not that we have a full control over only one ship, but the problem is that this ship lack not only customization, but even the upgrades (there are like maybe 10 upgrades in total and they are basically shields C replaces shields B which replaces shield A).

There should be multiple interior and exterior customizations where we could configure our very own Skunk.

You want to install turrets on Skunk? Your should be!
You want to have 1,2 3 or 4 chained Particle Repeaters? you should be?
Bigger drone hold? bigger missile hold? Faster engine, better bosters? Shield regeneration? Cloaking field? anti-missile flares? experimental mini-jump drive? More marines/crew hold? More armor? laser energy?

Interior should be at least 3 times bigger (on concept arts Skunk had 2 or 3 decks). You should be able to buy stuff for interior, like mini-command table where you could issue/access command over your assets, furnitures/decorations.

The posiblities are very robust - I hoped for them when they introduced the customizable cokpit, but unfortunately not much progress was made since then.


I like Skunk and I can stay with it - I spent most of my X3:TC time in a Vidar. Unfortunately for Skunk, the Vidar was much more customizable and upgradable.

[jambock1978]

The problem is not that we have a full control over only one ship, but the problem is that this ship lack not only customization, but even the upgrades (there are like maybe 10 upgrades in total and they are basically shields C replaces shields B which replaces shield A).

There should be multiple interior and exterior customizations where we could configure our very own Skunk.

You want to install turrets on Skunk? Your should be!
You want to have 1,2 3 or 4 chained Particle Repeaters? you should be?
Bigger drone hold? bigger missile hold? Faster engine, better bosters? Shield regeneration? Cloaking field? anti-missile flares? experimental mini-jump drive? More marines/crew hold? More armor? laser energy?

Interior should be at least 3 times bigger (on concept arts Skunk had 2 or 3 decks). You should be able to buy stuff for interior, like mini-command table where you could issue/access command over your assets, furnitures/decorations.

The posiblities are very robust - I hoped for them when they introduced the customizable cokpit, but unfortunately not much progress was made since then.


I like Skunk and I can stay with it - I spent most of my X3:TC time in a Vidar. Unfortunately for Skunk, the Vidar was much more customizable and upgradable.

Sincerely, i like those ideas. It would make me think in buy the game while i wait for "TNBT"; if those were well implemented. these would ease even the need of new player ships for a while, if we could make the Skunk bigger (losing speed and maneuverability but gaining firepower and/or Cargo space), making it seems different and feel different. it stills the same ship, but "inside" another one, it would become like the bridge of the ship and no more the ship. multiple turrets are a need for sure! Just my toughs.

[Graaf]

You don't have to stay in your Skunk, you can move to a bigger transport ship and take command from there, flying the transport. That's what I'm doing right now.
If you want to be on a 'bridge' instead of in a hangar, you will have to use a mod (see my first response to OP).

Correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I can tell I would still not be piloting that ship. I'm merely a passenger. I'll basically sit idle on board another ship playing the Transport Management game.

[BigBANGtheory]

I'm looking forward to see which features have made the "lets take this into development" cut. I always expected to see significant updates and features as part of a new product and take no issue with that.

Despite X3:TC being a superior game to X3:R the progression was left wanting imho, the successor to XR needs some pretty radical changes or additions imho.

I know Egosoft has its own policy about sharing their in-development focus and attentions publically, but guys seriously if you take that gamble again and get it wrong again I'm not sure where that leaves you. Get a focus group of players (your choice who) and a couple of press, get them the sign an NDA then show or tell them what you have in mind and ffs listen to what they say your future depends on it.

[XenonSurf]

Interior should be at least 3 times bigger (...)

Well that's all very nice, we all can dream about more features, more interiors etc., but you don't seem to realize that the game engine has its limits. E.g. Have you tried to load an intensive mod like the mentioned CAP Ship Bridge or others? Ever figured out why Egosoft didn't put these in the game?
It's not Egosoft that will (or should) tell you that the engine or computer technology has limits Requesting features is one thing, implementing them and making them *work* is another. I don't blame them for not succeeding all in one step.

I'm much more interested that Egosoft will make the things *work* that actually are in the game, first the little things like picking up cargo containers in Cargo Scan Mode correctly etc. etc. I feel that a lot such things need to be corrected first before adding new stuff. And That's what they've told they are doing (see stickies), and I'm glad about it.
So, yes, the game HAS future.

@Egosoft,
be so kind and make an object and texture count for the Hangar interior; and then implement a smaller BRIDGE of the same size Should NOT pose FPS or other performance problems.
This will get a lot of players less confused about not being able to command other ships...

XenonS

[mr.WHO]

Improvements from X3:Reunion to X3:Terran Conflict that I remember:
- bigger universe
- more ship types
- new race (Terrans)
- GUI upgrades (right-click menu on the map screen)
- multiple side plots
- replacing of bulletin board with station icons for generic missions, more generic mission types
- more weapon types (General/Teladi, Terran, Argon-Boron, Spit-Paranit)


Now what I'd see for XR:"Terran Conflict"
- bigger universe (at least 3-5 new systems, both developed and empty/ lawless ones)
- more ships types (Frigates, real fighter-capable carriers with proper carrier script)
- new race (Terrans!! The real ones, the angry, Argon-eating ones!)
- GUI upgrades (let me give ship commands and waypoints from map screen, make better squad & property management screen and for god sake let me remotely call the shipyards OOZ)
- multiple side plots (at least one for every major faction)
- more generic mission types
- more weapon types (each system/race should have at least a few local weapon types just like in X3:TC)
- player HQ / Shipyards


For such XR:"Terran Conflict" I'd be willing to pay 50$ right away!

[mr.WHO]

Well that's all very nice, we all can dream about more features, more interiors etc., but you don't seem to realize that the game engine has its limits. E.g. Have you tried to load an intensive mod like the mentioned CAP Ship Bridge or others? Ever figured out why Egosoft didn't put these in the game?
It's not Egosoft that will (or should) tell you that the engine or computer technology has limits Requesting features is one thing, implementing them and making them *work* is another. I don't blame them for not succeeding all in one step.
XenonS

Umh, HELLO! I'm not asking for Ship Bridge, I' asking for bigger Skunk interior - this means no windows/cokpit view. Current Skunk interior excluding cokpit is 3 rooms (or to be more precise 1 room, 1 cargo room and one toilet). If I ask for 3xbigger interior it's basically 9 rooms which is the same size of station interior. Nothing requiring Alienware-grade computer.