What we know about X-Rebirth [Updated 09/09/11]

[perkint]

I think it was, but I can't remember where (and could be lying anyway!).

Didn't want to sound critical - thanks for (repeatedly) digging out the links

Tim

[Moonrat]

A quick translation (con mucho ayuda from Chrome)...

Rebirth sends players on a unique journey through infinite space to leave their mark on the great, rich and spacious setting of the X universe. The hero is immersed into the story through their fight against an evil alliance and ends up witnessing rapid and emerging changes happening in the universe. The key elements of previous installments of the X franchise were Fight, Trade, Build and Think and these remain intact and updated but it also now adds a fifth feature to the gameplay: Exploration.

The player can choose their own path through the game and can become anything from a Space Pirate to the greatest businessman of the Universe.

Features :

Universe X : The X Universe has been expanding over 15 years and is now one of science fiction's most rich and deep universes. With dozens and dozens of ships and space stations, and various detailed alien races and a dense story that keeps the player very involved during the evolving game play.

Choose your space career : Players can freely decide where and how to make their space career. They may choose to become a Rogue Space Pirate aboard his spaceship, a businessman interested only in money, a tireless explorer or even a clever strategist with an army at his disposal. X Rebirth, offers all this and more.

Replay : The sheer depth and magnitude of X Rebirth, offers players many different options and possibilities for development, enabling them to enjoy the game for hundreds of hours. Control all aspects of the game and unlocking all the features will be an arduous task, even for more experienced players.

PC X-Rebirth Price € 37.95 (Amazon has this at £34-99 in real money )
Date Approx: 01/11/2011 (now 2012??)

[Merroc]

From their facebook:

http://www.cgsociety.org/index.php/CGSF ... lex_preuss

[TTD]

Interesting read

I remember D-Paint

Yes I am that old

P-Paint from Cloanto was even easier for me, and has been updated over the years.

I used to collect pictures created in both programs.
There were some very talented computer artists,as indeed there are now.

I just never dedicated the time and effort to go very far in that field.....Maybe when I retire I might take that route.

[shireknight]

Whoa release date 1/11/11 that's like one month away -is that reliable?

[perkint]

Whoa release date 1/11/11 that's like one month away -is that reliable?

Nope - release date is now 2012 (according to Egosofts video from Gamescon) but not confirmed as to when next year...

Tim

[Moonrat]

Nope... A recent set of vids from a Games Conference had 2012 clearly emblazoned on the screen. Nothing more precise than next year tho'... sorry.

EDIT: Someone beat me to it... damn these young gamers!

[shireknight]

Oh hell

[perkint]

EDIT: Someone beat me to it... damn these young gamers!

Young gamers? I ain't that young and (unfortunately) don't get that much time for gaming!

Tim

[Skeeter]

Sorry if its been posted before but i cant recall seeing this one and it came out on the 18th Aug.

Anyhow if it hasnt popped on here then heres the link.

http://www.spaziogames.it/recensioni_vi ... birth.aspx

Can be a little tricky getting translation to work without it going back to the general xrebirth page on their site and not translate the article.

Heres a translation:

Cologne - If there's one thing missing in today's international gaming is the good old game of spaceships. And if there is a platform on which the genre may find a new light that is the PC. To this must have thought Egosoft pulling out of the cryogenic chambers his series symbol, that X has already given so much satisfaction to the public away from the PC and that '99 is going to do the same with this new X Rebirth. We already had the opportunity to see the first trailer and talk with Bernd Lehahn exclusively reveal the title on the occasion of the last FedCon, and now we're back in Germany we still have a chance to talk with the CEO of the company, which has updated progress on the ambitious objectives and that the title is prefixed.

A ship of Legos
Our presentation begins with a video celebrating the series, which starts in the 1999, the year of the first issue, and retraces the history of the brand, reaching up to X3 Terran Conflict , released last title, which still enjoys the support of the home developer (last update dates back two months ago) and the active community. And it is to have more freedom of movement, both in terms of narrative and game design industry, the German company decided to make a fresh start to the series, set several decades after the events of X3 , the device that has allowed to untie the storyline, giving way for beginners to approach problems without the title, and to introduce new technologies.
That on which the development team has focused particularly, and which is rotated in fact the entire material mostratoci preview, is the obsessive attention to detail, in fact poured over every aspect of the game. Every bus, every drone, every mother ship is not a simple polygon object, but is the result of several elements that together make up a ship with a thousand facets, whether an ecosystem to survive in space.
For example: every vessel of a certain size, and specifically the mother ships, are defended by a number of really important defense towers, each of which has its shield and its shield generator. Each of these towers is in turn positioned individually, and is obviously well detailed and animated, well suited to specific tasks. In this fighting between rival spaceships earn a whole other dimension: we will no longer be considered, in fact, our only enemy as a giant lens, but rather as a multitude of small sensitive areas, each of which has specific defenses . When planning an attack will have to study it in detail, choosing targets carefully, and not indiscriminately, because our every action will have an inevitable consequence: to aim the engine might be the fastest way to knock down your opponent, but not disarm the turrets first defense could cost us dear in terms of damage. Go to the assault of a mother ship becomes an opponent's basted on several levels, each of which is closely linked to the previous one. Obviously does not live alone achievements: leading feature of the series is in fact the absolute freedom to the player, who cut off a universe in which it left its mark, be it a war monger or a skilled tradesman, rather than magnate ' mining industry. Always in fact X mining has made ​​the lion's share, together with the trade itself, in the enrichment of the player, who can now count on others to retrieve items of lost asteroids as well as the two have always been present in ' Egosoft universe. To emphasize the importance of there are also some images were shown (and a short video) to be implemented in various forms of spacecraft able to refine the metals, so that they can then trade easily. Besides the impressive graphical detail, even the animations are fluid and seemed different, though of course will then contextualized within our ship. There will also be small mining drones that we can guide ourselves, with which delve into the darkest spaces, and we find the rock type most useful for our purposes.

A new interface
One thing the developers are very focused, and on which Bernd Lehahn, rightly stresses, is the decision by Egosoft to redesign from scratch looks so complex and controversial as the graphical interface. While it is true that having all the controls and the possible interactions at your menu is comfortable, it is equally indisputable that might discourage newcomers to the series and, in the long run, the excessive presence of menu text may become too invasive . Redesigned Interface said: useful things to know are now always at your eye on the cabin of our ship, through the display of the dashboard, thus giving us a glance the state of our ship immediately. To give orders but to the rest of our fleet will be enough in communicating with our officers and workers, making the gaming experience, consistent and smooth, and not just increasing our role in the identification. Our ship of departure, which moreover has an important role in the story is not specified, will be the only one we actually live, with the exception of course of those drones to undermine and spy, to discover the useful features of its opponents.

Economically and space travel
Another highlight of the gameplay the series has always been the macroeconomic system in the known universe. Learn the complex rules of the market and changing them at will, has always been a favorite way for users to get rich, and in this new iteration of the series will certainly not focus on the economic consequences of our every gesture. If in fact each other by trading ships and races to try to get rich as possible, it is still possible to attack repeatedly sending a particular commodity to decrease its presence in the market, perhaps in order to alzarne the price and then sell us. The universe we live is nothing but a gigantic infrastructure created by developers with predefined rules and behaviors that will create a dynamic and constantly changing world.
In addition to the construction of ships and there is also another aspect that has undergone a major facelift: space travel. In a universe as large as that of Terran Conflict travel had become a problem, and the ploy of change in the laws during travel time has shown the side especially at the level of performance. On this basis Egosoft to change the very structure of the universe, transforming it from a number of areas connected to each other by particular routes to a single immense space, which will of course still present Jumpgate, the motor of history, but will be joined by the Tube, a highway star in which the speed will be increased exponentially, allowing us to cover huge distances in a short time. The input in these highways will be totally free, because we can get in and out at will, and, thanks to a kind of autopilot, will serve as a rallying point for any newcomer to our team.
Video Game Review X REBIRTH written ALEZAMPA
Final Remarks
I do not hide, after giving a first look at X Rebirth in Dusseldorf, chat with Bernd Lehahn and the material shown left us impressed. Egosoft's decision to give a fresh start to the saga, while still maintaining solid links with what has been narrated in our opinion will prove successful, as well as changes to the system interface and upgrade ships. If all the promises will be kept the title has all the credentials to give new life to a genre in danger of extinction, also has a strong technical sector of absolute thickness. There was even announced a release date, but after this meeting, the wait has definitely increased in intensity.

I think i do remember seeing the bottom writers comment before but i cant be sure if its the same.

Also that artist from ES had a article about him but it has been updated with more pictures since it first went up.

Here are some of the new x rebirth pics.

http://www.cgsociety.org/stories/2011_0 ... reen01.jpg
http://www.cgsociety.org/stories/2011_0 ... reen02.jpg
http://www.cgsociety.org/stories/2011_0 ... reen04.jpg
http://www.cgsociety.org/stories/2011_0 ... reen05.jpg

[perkint]

Hmm - the one thing I find very interesting in that, which has been suggested before (but not stated) is "transforming it from a number of areas connected to each other by particular routes to a single immense space". So you can use your jump gates or trade lanes/highways, but you can also (if you really wish) traverse the whole universe using traditional (slow) travel?

I like the sound of that and I can believe that since it's been hinted at a few times...

Tim

[Skeeter]

http://www.everyeye.it/pc/articoli/x-re ... rima_14964

New article but i dont think it reveals much but i post it here for summary sake.

[Moonrat]

Apologies if I've (or Chrome) have mangled any of this but here is an approximated translation...

Among the many legends that make the possessor of a useful and suitable for PC gaming proud, there is X. Established by the Teutonic will of Egosoft and consisting of five releases, it gives the possibility to its user the real experience of a spaceship captain that must choose either the way of trade or war, as they fulfill a series of missions to progress a narrative over time during the game. A true force that drives the continuous MMO PVP, the last release, ' X ³: Terran Conflict was released in 2008, and it continues to be supported by both the community and developers, as shown by the latest update just a couple of months ago.

In spite of the life that still permeates the third major official release, Egosoft has clearly thought it was high time for a new episode. More than just a rebadge, X-Rebirth , as the name suggests, is part of the increasingly popular trend, which is called rebooting.

X-Rebirth, represents a kind of rebirth for the brand, but it does not intend to overturn much of the canon of the series. However, this does not mean that the changes will not constitute a revolution, which could make the fans happy, right?

The need that drove Egosoft to face this new challenge is basically two fold: to increase the degree of the spectacular in their game and make it both more accessible to potential newcomers. Indeed, there is already a race keeping up with the new standards imposed in part to games like Call of Duty, always ready to electrify the gamer with tons of explosions, and the other of the phenomenon of Wii and DS which have significantly expanded the market.

The first change concerns the plot. Although the details are shrouded in deep mystery, we know that the story is set several decades after X ³: Terran Conflict. This will not only offer the obvious possibility of redrawing the political and economic relations within the universe of the series, but also represent an opportunity to introduce a range of new technologies. Furthermore, although the identity of the character you play is unknown at this time, each player starts with a single mother ship, and it's the same for everyone. Although you can not control others, progressing in the adventure, as you go, you can customize it and strengthen it piece by piece.

It is this which is the first big news of X-Rebirth. In the past it was possible to treat in a rather summary fashion the various elements of your ships, now you can indulge in a much more intensive and manic development of each individual constituent. You can decide the position and function of each defense tower you are going to install. Purposefully evaluating installations such as the existence of the ship 's equipment or upgrades. Choose from time to time which stations to use for refinement, taking into account raw materials that are being trading at that time.

The degree of in-game support promised is really high, which not only allows you to create the ship of your dreams, but it will also make every battle unique. Before each clash in fact, you can send different spy drones, to get an idea of the enemy vessel. Then, you'll have a way to plan an attack that takes into account the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent. Unfortunately there was little shown to us, but the developers have assured us that the battles will not only be very tactical, but also incredibly adrenaline filled where your skills will also count with the controls and the speed with which you make your decisions.

The gameplay decisions you have to take within X-Rebirth introduce a feature that will help both experienced players, streamlining the procedure of being burdened with necessary interactions, and novices, helping them with many issues and situations. In fact, in this new release, you will be constantly monitored and supported by a number of officers and petty officers who will operate in an autonomous way with a whole series of tasks, and you will only be asked on the really important matters. Their introduction translates into a heavy redesign of the game interface which will be less invasive and more focused on just a few items to keep your eye constantly on.

Of course, this help can be turned off at any moment, but given the complexity of the game, leaving some routine tasks to a few non-commissioned officers will undoubtedly be a commodity to which few will give up.

Once again, the gamer who wants to can create real trade routes, enriching himself by extracting minerals from asteroids, with refining contained within his vessel and then selling them. Also in this area you can rely on a series of drones, which will automatically perform these tasks for you, but if you want you can also carry out these various procedures first hand. Not only that, but by mixing diplomacy and targeted attacks one may also decide to choose to increase the price of a particular resource at that time you are producing. From this point of view, in short, X-Rebirth promises a wide range of different choices and actions.

Closing this piece on the latest announcement, there is a new system related to space travel. Next to the ubiquitous jumpgates, this time there will be real interstellar highways that once taken, will allow you to move at a considerable speed.

From a graphical point of view we feel able to comment this. So far, in fact, Egosoft has only released and showed a few pictures and a video is not representative of actual performance of the graphics engine of the title. What we have seen, however, bodes well.

X-Rebirth seems to have everything in order to further improve the game. The changes announced in fact, make it difficult for the aficionados to turn up their noses, while the amount of promised assistance could bring something to the novices frightened by the interface which was always so chaotic and full of complexity to understand.

Unfortunately, we currently have heard a lot but seen almost nothing, it is way too early to be optimistic. Anyway, stay with us and as soon as possible we will give you news about the new X-Rebirth.

[TTD]

we currently have heard a lot but seen almost nothing,

And there is the problem.

We are just scratching at the edges.

[Skeeter]

http://www.gamereactor.eu/news/8936/GRT ... interview/

New interview es just linked to on the main page about 1 min ago..

[A5PECT]

Not much new information from that interview, except maybe that Bernd knows that fans are disgruntled with some of the proposed gameplay changes.

The only new tidbit is that there are remote-controlled torpedoes, some kind of stealth drones ("invisible drones" as Bernd calls them), and that navigating station geometry is not only important in combat, but also in exploring and scanning NPC properties.

[rwhiteruff]

I don't know why but that video helped allay some of my concern just a little bit. Not all of it, but it mollified. I think because it's obvious that Bernd is aware of some of the existing fanbase's concerns (though he does take a shot, calling them quite conservative ) and he seems earnest in the idea that these controversial changes had to be made for the greater glory of the game.

I'm not 100% convinced that he's right, but I'm a little less nervous. Still on a wait-and-see stance, here.

[Moonrat]

Listening to Bernd's interview I predict that the co-pilot's name is BETTI and she is "a part of the ship".

Now where's my edible hat...?

[Skeeter]

http://www.egosoft.com/x/xnews/201109_1_44News.html

New x Newsletter out.

[Skeeter]

Can a moderator move this topic perhaps (if all agree of course) to the new x rebirth section?