If you had to choose one thing for X4...

[silentWitness]

Now do I get one free?


Slightly back on topic, I'd love to see the aliens (and the humans) un-muppetized. Of course you gotta love those raisin-headed Split, but they shouldn't make you giggle, they should make you flee in terror.

Sure! But first you need to do a Flash one... with the music and everything!!!

The Split do! They make you flee in Tewor! hehe...

[DMM]

Ok I know no one knows for shure but I really hope that X4 is an expansion that I can add to my current game rather than a whole new game.Just when I get comfortable with a game and start having fun BAM the sequel is out.I have spent to much time on x3 to just throw it all away cause I gotta install a whole new version.Sigh...

[DMM]

[quote so a well scripted and acted plot is probably the only thing that'll tempt me to buy another X game.]

Sounds like you need a game thats holds your hand the whole way through.Open ended is prefered by some however I suggest mario cart or something for you.[/quote]

[Cycrow]

....

personally, i think it would be best to not have a single main plot, but to have lots of mini plots, especialyl for an open ended game.

them mini plots could be triggered at certain points. So sya you get to a high notority with argon, you could then be called into action with a small plot helping out the argon in same way.

this would mean you have something to actually aim for, as you wont be able to get all thep lot at the start of the game.

another one could require you to actually use a large fleet, etc.

[Brandon123s]

I love the idea of Modular Stations... but in the way of this:

You buy a blank "Complex" of various sizes (1-10 or S/M/L/XL/XXL+) and depending on the size you can add on a number of station parts... Make the small ones have like five nodes and certain nodes you can place certain class objects. Weapon and Inventory could be one class.. Production could be another of various sizes (GPPC takes a large production spot... yet alpha ire could take a small one)... docking/upgrade/repair bay could be another.

*Modular Ships would also rock.. Way too many ways that could go from 'standard' upgrades, to 'custom' made randomly generated items... used parts etc. Could go so far with it... but would take alot of work to make the graphics engine keep up, and to keep the texture sizes down.

*Making the economy more complex is a nice idea, but without modular stations its just not fun.

*Planets would be useless eyecandy. Besides, its supposed to be relatively difficult to land on a planet, you need a dropship. But maybe they could add the functionality for you to buy a special TL dropship and sell wares on the surface for a bit of a profit. Any graphical representation would have to be too limited to be worth it unless the only real change was planets.

*Bigger sectors? Nah, takes too long to get around already. Faster engines just mean fights are harder to do.

*More sectors? Maybe randomly generated universe could be a nice addition for freeplay. But just putting in new sectors wouldn't really be an upgrade in my eyes. Maybe a new race or a half dozen new races... (ie, another Large section of universe that is only linked to the current one through a few unknown sectors, or through another gate near earth.)

*Factions and Corporations? Okay I guess, but its hard enough to get rank up for ships, but all these reputations to raise for just quests or certain mods of ships? That would take forever...



I dunno. I guess Modular Stations is just something i'd really love above all else. I hate how complexes are implemented now, just seems like a last minute addition. Modular is the best way. I swear!

[esd]

Can one have an approximate indicator as to when X4 may show it's face please..........pretty please.

Sure. "At some point in the future, maybe". Afterall, there's been no official confirmation that there will be an X4 at all.

[R.Styles]

well, the final patch for x3 is due before the end of the year. I'd imagine they'd start soon afterwards. However, It won't be out for a while, just yet.

[esd]

well, the final patch for x3 is due before the end of the year. I'd imagine they'd start soon afterwards. However, It won't be out for a while, just yet.

Well from what they've said, it looks like they'll be making an expansion rather than a sequel, next. What they'll do after that is unclear.

[mrbadger]

Well from what they've said, it looks like they'll be making an expansion rather than a sequel, next. What they'll do after that is unclear.

I doubt they'd be foolish enough to stop after the expansion pack.

They have an active and interested community. This translates to assured sales of an X iteration.

However it would be equally foolish to announce X4 at this stage, since that would give rise to people beleiving it was taking too long.

[ScorpiusX]

Right I voted for modular stations/ships but what I'd really like isn't listed

I'd like to see alot more commands such as fleet commands (i know these have been added by the scripters ie Anarkis carrier commands), but surely a game where you can build a fleet needs these, small patrols need commands too such as add ship to patrol, assign wingman (add a wingman to say a UT and have it refuel when necessary), a better interface for OOS battles. I'm sure that if i looked through all the posts on the forums these could be found somewhere but if there was one thing I could have in X4 (or the Xpansion for X3 for that matter) this would be it.

ScorpiusX

[Cycrow]

patrols are already available, and you can always add ships to a patrol.

you just set the patrol leader to patrol either a sector or a set of sectors, then any other ships youcan assign to the patrol

[silentWitness]

You buy a blank "Complex" of various sizes (1-10 or S/M/L/XL/XXL+) and depending on the size you can add on a number of station parts... Make the small ones have like five nodes and certain nodes you can place certain class objects. Weapon and Inventory could be one class.. Production could be another of various sizes (GPPC takes a large production spot... yet alpha ire could take a small one)... docking/upgrade/repair bay could be another.

Hmm... That's way too restrictive for my taste... the whole point of it being modular is that it can become a sprawl... The modules could have sizes but I think the base complex should have no restrictions...

*Modular Ships would also rock.. Way too many ways that could go from 'standard' upgrades, to 'custom' made randomly generated items... used parts etc. Could go so far with it... but would take alot of work to make the graphics engine keep up, and to keep the texture sizes down.

Everything takes a lot of work... but this would be amazing! Also to being in the economy you could have these parts constructed by factories... so the Shipyard only constructs the chassis then buys in the parts... you'd need to be able to save profiles of ships so you could easily buy your favourite loadouts and designs over and over...

Dark Star One and Gal Civ 2 are good examples that this works and won't pose a performance problem!!!

*Bigger sectors? Nah, takes too long to get around already. Faster engines just mean fights are harder to do.

System wide sectors would work very well with a slip stream drive style engine... One of the few things that Freelancer did well... We don't really have enough going on in sectors but more space might help!

*Factions and Corporations? Okay I guess, but its hard enough to get rank up for ships, but all these reputations to raise for just quests or certain mods of ships? That would take forever...

Another thing that was done well in Freelancer, and with the dynamics of X could become quite special, Need food? well the Agro Corp wants to sell it to you... They send you a contract to supply 10,000 units of food per week for 25,000 credits but the local space farm is willing to supply 12,000 for 23,900 do you go with a contract? Whose? Is it safe to? If you go for the better deal will a trade war ensue...

You factory is selling top grade weapons... The Argon Military contacts you to supply 200 PPCs for them a week, they'll pay you well... Do you accept? Do you worry about being targeted by pirate groups? Meanwhile another contract comes in, the local pirate cartel the Black Sun pirates want you to supply them with HEPTs... They'll pay well and provide you and your transports immunity but if you're caught there could be dire consequences with the central government......

[Warenwolf]

Good thread you started silentWitness.

My absolute favourite is adding factions to the Universe. The way the game is now, it is too easy to become Horror of the Known Universe in one week playing time.

If our actions made us enemies or friends to someone it would be far more intresting gaming expeeriance.
Lets say I open up few Teladinium factories in Paranid space (which in fact I did in X2). Teladi MineralExplotation Inc. corporation dosn't like it and send me a warning first:
"10 percent of your profitsss go to usss, sssso the profitssss can flow equally!"
If you refuse, the undercover war errupts, with them sending assassination after you and your possessions. If you accept you became "incorporated" in MineralExploartion Inc. and are given better prices at certain stations. Of course the last option is not liked by "Argon Patriotic League" and Federation's Morality Party so they make troubles


The above scenario is of course very simplistic and many people will come with better ideas, however it an example of what I wish more of in X-Universe. Space is too calm... I like wars. I like chaos. Deep inside me a Split is hiding...


When it comes to planetary landings I don't see what they will add to the game... If it is implemented as it was in freelancer then OK.

[ZaphodBeeblebrox]

My number one:

Whole new intuitive User Interface, designed to command small enterprises to huge fleets.

My number two:

Whole new universe, with proper solar systems. Make exploration fun again.

My number three: Ooops sorry greedy me.

More life, better NPC's.

[esd]

Whole new universe, with proper solar systems.

Wouldn't be an X-game then though, would it? It'd be a bit like saying that a Startrek game shouldn't be set in the Startrek universe.

[mrbadger]

Whole new universe, with proper solar systems.

Wouldn't be an X-game then though, would it? It'd be a bit like saying that a Startrek game shouldn't be set in the Startrek universe.

well, no, but still, a load of new area's to explore would be good.

[esd]

well, no, but still, a load of new area's to explore would be good.

Can't disagree with that, I just don't get people that want to change where the X-games happen, because they're the X-games because of where they happen.

[silentWitness]

well, no, but still, a load of new area's to explore would be good.

Can't disagree with that, I just don't get people that want to change where the X-games happen, because they're the X-games because of where they happen.

That's a misconception... Most people want it to take place in the same Universe but want a lot more between the gates... With some kind of slip stream or cruise drive the journey would take a similar time but we could have more 'natural' environments... One thing that I think we all agree worked very well in Freelancer even if it was a bit hammy...

[esd]

That's a misconception... Most people want it to take place in the same Universe

He specifically stated another universe, so it's not a misconception on my part, more you're mis-understanding my reply

Whole new universe

One thing that I think we all agree worked very well in Freelancer even if it was a bit hammy...

Nope, didn't like it's implimentation one bit. Everything with the same top-speed in cruise (hell, all the time!) was just rediculous. If you have to have that sort of point-to-point mega-turbo, accelleration should depend on mass, any top speed imposed should depend on maximum power outputs (we don't have to stay too close to r/l physics here) of the individual vessels, and you certainly shouldn't be able to steer - I think it should be an autopilot straight-line point-to-point drive, if anything.

Though frankly, I love gates, and I love the fiction behind them. Rats in a maze. In fact my favourite bit of Freelancer was the design of the gates' 3D models.

[mrbadger]

My idea of a great new addition, sectors wise would be for a load of new sectors to the north west, above Boron space, and a lot more to the east, behind those inactive gates.

If we had around 50 new sectors, grouped into area's to explore, that would be fantastic. Also the ability to navigate normally into khaak space, and to have the Xenon home sectors available too.

The game hints at the Xenon becoming more sentient, so finally being able to trade with them might be fun. Right now all we have are scattered Xenon sectors, which isn't fun. Perhaps the khaak might be nice at some point, but I doubt it.

At the very least, having the terrans as a proper race with ships that weren't so utterly powerful, and their own part of the map.

Most of all I'd like to have happen again what happened to me in X2. Namely getting hopelessly lost after travelling away from Argon space for a couple of hours. That rocked.