X rebirth, video serie (german) part 1, 2, 3 and 4

[RichardDaborn]

Well one thing is certain just watching the first part alone, there is lots and i mean lots of missons to do. Most of those 'ped' craft had misson symbols above them so we are not going to be bored for long! Plenty to do.

[jasonbarron]

Something else that I noticed from reading the transcripts (thanks again for the translation, you two!) that I didn't like: Ren Otani.

It sounds as if we are not only stuck with a male protagonist, but lack the ability to rename him as well. Obviously this is sad news for anyone who wanted to role play as a woman, or create their own character identity.

[SilentcontrolSXM]

[ external image ]

THE BEST SANDBOX IN THE UNIVERSE !!!

Could we now stop with the complaints ...

[CutterJohn1]

Something else that I noticed from reading the transcripts (thanks again for the translation, you two!) that I didn't like: Ren Otani.

It sounds as if we are not only stuck with a male protagonist, but lack the ability to rename him as well. Obviously this is sad news for anyone who wanted to role play as a woman, or create their own character identity.

I don't mind that, tbh. If we must have dialogue directed at us, then give me a name so that the NPCs don't have to awkwardly avoid ever calling me by my name.

Picking a name out in a singleplayer game is quite inconsequential, since nobody will ever use it.

[jasonbarron]

Something else that I noticed from reading the transcripts (thanks again for the translation, you two!) that I didn't like: Ren Otani.

It sounds as if we are not only stuck with a male protagonist, but lack the ability to rename him as well. Obviously this is sad news for anyone who wanted to role play as a woman, or create their own character identity.

I don't mind that, tbh. If we must have dialogue directed at us, then give me a name so that the NPCs don't have to awkwardly avoid ever calling me by my name.

Picking a name out in a singleplayer game is quite inconsequential, since nobody will ever use it.

True enough, CJ1. For me, and only a minor quibble really, I like the ability to name my own character, in many ways it's a much bigger hang up than the one ship issue. I have to imagine there are any number of women players who would like to have a female protagonist, too.

[Santi]

Male, Female, we should have a poll, probably one of the truly meaningful polls we are going to get.

[jasonbarron]

Male, Female, we should have a poll, probably one of the truly meaningful polls we are going to get.

Any kind of poll is better then the latest "To Steam, or not to Steam", eh?

[Shootist]

I have to imagine there are any number of women players who would like to have a female protagonist, too.

Heck, I've been online so long that I often have trouble remembering the old adage is no longer true. That is, "the internet, where the men are men and the women are too".

[ThommoHawk]

The Ren Otani name thing is the single biggest indicator as to where this game may be really heading. I will wait to play the game and find out if it really is true that the player cannot name his own character after the plot is done.

Meanwhile this is how I think of it:

1) Sandbox = freedom to name your own character, ship/ships, stations. Proof = just witness all the pages at these forums where entire threads have been devoted to how players choose the names for the their ships ect. Egosoft knows that this is dear to many who play these games. If the game is truly still sandbox as Bernd tells us repeatedly then this must be retained surely? My own forum name comes from my first XUniverse player character, and I would not be alone in this.

2) the Ren Otani player role restricts the market to mainly males, and Egosoft has effectively ignored a huge gaming population of females. I don't know much about GTA but as Bernd has made repeated references to it in comparison to XRebirth, does GTA also restrict the in game character to a male role?

3)(adding)^ at least in previous X Games where the plot character was also male ie Julian the pirate boy, you could at anytime change your pilot name to be whatever suited you. (and later options unlock game starts with female character). But none of the plot characters really mattered because the games have generic qualities. Bernd has also stated with XRebirth he is a fan of generic npc interactions because this makes it a more convincing universe...

blah.... enough for now. My head will explode if I keep thinking about this. I wait.

Edit final: "Hey Pilot" or "Yes Commander" = all players welcome. "Hey Ren Otani" = too restrictive for a sandbox, and gives me instant claustrophobia.

[GebürtigerTerraner]

The Ren Otani name thing is the single biggest indicator as to where this game may be really heading. I will wait to play the game and find out if it really is true that the player cannot name his own character after the plot is done.

Meanwhile this is how I think of it:

1) Sandbox = freedom to name your own character, ship/ships, stations. Proof = just witness all the pages at these forums where entire threads have been devoted to how players choose the names for the their ships ect. Egosoft knows that this is dear to many who play these games. If the game is truly still sandbox as Bernd tells us repeatedly then this must be retained surely? My own forum name comes from my first XUniverse player character, and I would not be alone in this.

2) the Ren Otani player role restricts the market to mainly males, and Egosoft has effectively ignored a huge gaming population of females. I don't know much about GTA but as Bernd has made repeated references to it in comparison to XRebirth, does GTA also restrict the in game character to a male role?

3)(adding)^ at least in previous X Games where the plot character was also male ie Julian the pirate boy, you could at anytime change your pilot name to be whatever suited you. (and later options unlock game starts with female character). But none of the plot characters really mattered because the games have generic qualities. Bernd has also stated with XRebirth he is a fan of generic npc interactions because this makes it a more convincing universe...

blah.... enough for now. My head will explode if I keep thinking about this. I wait.

Edit final: "Hey Pilot" or "Yes Commander" = all players welcome. "Hey Ren Otani" = too restrictive for a sandbox, and gives me instant claustrophobia.

GTA never had a female playable character.And just because the character is male does not mean women can not play the game.

[Stellen]

The Ren Otani player role restricts the market to mainly males, and Egosoft has effectively ignored a huge gaming population of females.

I seriously doubt that the portion of X-Universe players who are female would even reach 5% of the total.

Wasn't there a poll on that topic on the forum three to six months ago?

[ThommoHawk]

GTA never had a female playable character.And just because the character is male does not mean women can not play the game.

OK so that answers me on my GTA character question.

The question is not really if female gamers 'can', but rather, are they likely to? Will they want to? I guess if they do want to play it enough, then they have no choice but to accept being whatshisname, just like everyone else M/F. Not really a nice way to make a choice.... so there is no choice.

This be cooler if you could name your own character, pick your gender at least, that all. I have mentioned this elsewhere Im sure. Maybe something for Egosoft to work on once they become fabulously wealthy with the success of XRebirth, and have access to increased HR.

The Ren Otani player role restricts the market to mainly males, and Egosoft has effectively ignored a huge gaming population of females.

I seriously doubt that the portion of X-Universe players who are female would even reach 5% of the total.

Wasn't there a poll on that topic on the forum three to six months ago?

^ yes. exactly. I wonder why?

"Hey Julian Dude!" "Ren Otani man! you need to get a haircut".

adding: oh, and my reference was to the huge population of females who like gaming, not just the current numbers playing Egosoft games. After all, is not Egosoft constantly reminding everyone that XRebirth had to be re-invented with NEW players in mind? (obviously not females though).

Man there are tons of female gamers out there. Think;

"Hey girls, check out XRebirth, its just like the Sims, but in outer space, you know, Futurama type of scene? Just instead of doing your own house building and moving furniture around you get to fly this great spaceship, save the universe, and build massive cities, with shopping! .... gotta be good". cha-ching! (cash register sales of XRebirth double over night). "Oh, but wait, your name will be Ren Otani .... and your character will look a bit hairy" ....

oooh my head's gonna expode...

[stilgarpl]

I'd like to remind you...

Player Character != Player.

I've seen a lot of female gamers playing as males (in games like Skyrim or MMORPGs, where you can design your character, so they weren't forced into it) and males playing as females. I do that quite often (in Mass Effect for example - male Shepard was standard, boring macho, while FemShep was much more interesting).

I understand when we can't design our character, because the story is about him/her - like The Witcher or Tomb Raider.

But this game is about building stuff in the universe and blowing stuff up in the same universe. Why lock the character? I think everyone will agree that story in X:Rebirth is just an addition and not the most important part.

Even if they wanted "named" character, they could have called her "Otani" - like Shepard from ME. Everone calls PC Shepard and it doesn't matter if PC is male or female.

[silentWitness]

I think you guys are completely missing the point... I don't want a character that looks like me I want a character that is fleshed out... as in enjoyable to play... Games are interactive stories... if the story is compelling, the puzzles good and the characterisations well portrayed then I'll enjoy it... Truth be known what I dislike intensely is being told what I should like...

The Assassins Creed series has a great story... Saints Row series is fun to play for all the wacky things you can do (though the female boss is funny as hell and I do actually play her)... FPS games are great stress relief but get boring real fast (Bioshock was AMAZING, as was Dishonoured)... I play a huge amount of Freecell because it stimulates my brain... and I have millions of puzzle games (Sam and Max! Woo!)...

Geek is not a gender specific role... Neither is enjoying a good story... or being annoyed at crappy characterisations! I play games to be challenged or entertained... not sure why you play... it seems you play to make believe you're a 2D beefcake the way you're carrying on!

[DaMuncha]

My dad will only play shooters. Cant stand anything else, He gets bored with any sort of story and skips all the cut scenes. Thing is, hes absolutely terrible at them. So he comes over to my flat every weekend and plays Crysis 3 for a few hours and then goes home. I try to show him a few other games he might be interested in that arnt FPS and he literally falls asleep in the chair.

[ThommoHawk]

...snipped...
I play games to be challenged or entertained... not sure why you play... it seems you play to make believe you're a 2D beefcake the way you're carrying on!

^ Excellent! New inspiration for my next ingame character. Thank you! so in the next Egosoft game I will call myself;

**ahem**

Pilot Beefcake

or

Commander Beefcake



or oh, would if I could. I forgot, no I can't. XRebirth ... It'll be wotsisname, Ren whathever....

hear that sound? (Thommohawks head exploded ...)

ah well each to their own and all that ... Ill just have to grit my teeth and play it just the way I'd better like it...

[Shootist]

The Ren Otani name thing is the single biggest indicator as to where this game may be really heading. I will wait to play the game and find out if it really is true that the player cannot name his own character after the plot is done.

Just to remind you, the player's avatar in BTF and Tension and The Threat, had a name. Nothing strange, new or different.

What!?! You can't, or don't know how to, role play something you are not?

[Alci]

The question is not really if female gamers 'can', but rather, are they likely to? Will they want to?

soo.. females can't like playing Bioshock or Deadspace. And I cannot really enjoy Tomb Raider. Because, you know, it would be awkward, right?

I'm not sure why you connecting players and characters to such level.

Also:

1) Sandbox = freedom to name your own character, ship/ships, stations

Sandbox is not equal to freedom. It's about your deeds and their consequences. That's what sandbox means. You do something and it resonates into unscripted world in its own way. Character sex won't change sandbox tag of the system. It's more RP thing.

[Tenlar Scarflame]

Gaming is a boy's club, and it shouldn't be. Any possible way to make the ladies feel more welcome is a positive thing, and allowing us to play as a woman would be an A+ decision.

Especially if she were not modeled with cleavage flying in every direction.

Just saying.

[Ravenhurst]

ridiculous idea to waste dev time because of 5% female gamers and 95% of them don't give a **** if their character is pixel male or pixel female.

Wait if they add male Croft in next Tomb Raider as "option"