How do you want your X2

[CanadianBrit]

Manual would be nice, say a small one that fits in a DVD style case. Also a button map/reference card would be handy.

But you know what would be nice? Inside the box, a small preprinted card from Egosoft (for forum users only) saying thanx for the support and personalised for us forum users

[Goldo]

just like a christmas roast

complete with all the trimmings

[Boggit]

Just a plain brown wrapper with an X2 disk in it will do

[Mercenary]

Go with most of the others here, CD plus a basic get you started manual. I'm guessing the intro will explain "why your here" type of thing.

No pointers as to what's in the game, just the basics, i.e. pressing this button does this.

Perhaps a little bit of a history story included for new gamers so they're not completely out in the cold if they come to this forum.

Ummm, oh yes a good story is always welcome..

[Lorien]

Even though I ticked option 4, I'd take option 1 if it meant I could get to play it any earlier than scheduled...

[Maniacal Maestro]

Small DVD style, or small box with a manual telling you how to install (obviously), and how to get started. I don't know how much of a tutorial is going to be in-game, but that should really determine what needs to be in the manual. If the tutorial tells you how to control the ship a'la XBTF, then all I really need is a quick reference pad telling me the keys. One thing I would like is a map of sectors, and who controls them (perhaps with a known sectors listed, and jumpgates to "the unknown" at the edges), indicating shipyards and equipment docks. This is the sort of thing that would really help new players get started - knowing where to go for basic equipment and upgrades, as well as who controls what. It wouldn't give away everything, but would be enough for you to find your way around, and these things as pretty maps are always cool.
Perhaps some sort of Elite II style Gazeteer giving background information on the races too, their products, and the like. We don't want to know everything, but X could be frustrating trying to get into. Whatever's in the box should take some of that frustration out, and that means helping them get around and finding the interesting stuff. A list of available products, with some of the basics of what makes what as well?
Just some random thoughts.

MM

[crunn]

Balders Gate 2 style would be good.

- DVD case, manual, reference card.

- (6 months later re-released as "collectors edition") Silly sized big box, manual, reference card, hints'n'tips, walkthru manual, expansion pack, t-shirt, embroidered handkerchief, huge wall size maps, huge wall size posters, "the making of" disk, bronze figures of the characters, demo disk of Ice Wind Dale 2, and some other stuff.

[WIRK]

i almost never read any manuals
an i never really cared about the fancy boxes
they look nice but di i really need them - NO
i just need the CD
put it in the paper slim and send it to me in a letter

[N.aqil1]

aaaah, who would want a map of the whole new x2 universe, as well as it being too wide that you will have to walk 5 metres to see the other side of the HUUUUGE universe on it. Dont u guys also think that it will spoil our surprise of knowing what new sectors it will contain?

IMO, i think that the game itself along with the normal manual would be good (as well as a poster). As well as some kind of slip inside, like the things you find on cereal packs telling about all sorts of merchandise being sold about the product .I.E, t-shirts, keyrings, MORE posters and even models of our favourite ships.

This is great enough without anything else you are not willing to have with the X2....

[CanadianBrit]

When I read this poll the first thing that came to mind was the way I got Elite for the Commodore 64.
A nice box including a manual with quite some humor, a refference card and a short novella wich I must have read for a hundred times.
I wouldn't mind at all getting X2 the threat comming to me that way

Cheers,
Dutchman

I remember that for the amiga version as well. And yeah I must have read it a dozen times, in fact I still have that somewhere..... (plods off searching)

That would be a nice touch.


And someone else said something as well. If it requires more than one cd put it on a dvd, along with pdf novella and manual. Just a reference card in the box.

[Mudkest]

Annyone here has alpha centauri? It has some neat stuff in the manual that doesn't really have annything to do with the game(not directly annyway). A few nice knowledge stuff about galileos, stars etc(like what type of star alpha centauri really is, some stuff bout the gravity on the planet circling it, the size, how long a day lasts there etc etc), stuff about stars in general etc.

I think something like taht in the manual would be neat

*Seizewell energy-cells, the ONLY glow in the dark*

-M

[Maniacal Maestro]

aaaah, who would want a map of the whole new x2 universe, as well as it being too wide that you will have to walk 5 metres to see the other side of the HUUUUGE universe on it. Dont u guys also think that it will spoil our surprise of knowing what new sectors it will contain?

Well, that was my point - you don't need all of them. You can simply put in the "known" universe, with gates leading to "unknown" at the edges. I mean, the map wouldn't have to be big - all the info I've suggested is on various different maps you can find on CJ's site (sorry, the link isn't to hand), some even in excel spreadsheet form. My point is, when you start, it's so difficult to find your way around, a map of what's known you could refer to while you're flying (which can be difficult even with the in-game map) would be helpful, especially if it allowed you to find equipment docks and the like for repairs easily in the early stages of the game.
It's good for newbies.

MM

[Deleted User]

bump

[Steel]

WOW!

114 votes so far.

Cheers everyone.



Steel

[CT3]

i want the whole party version of it!!!

[emehlman]

Personally, I want the whole shebang... the poster, the quick reference card (free in all sectors but Teladi space), and the only problem with that is that i want it NOW!!

So... here's what ES could do:

1) Offer the game as a download. Even if it were CD sized I would download it, no problem.
2) When you buy it, Egosoft then send you the pack with the cd, novella, whateva. You must insert the CD within a month of starting to play (or say, 2 days of game-time) to Activate the game (or something like that).

This way:

* ES gets a bunch of money on day one
- not having to wait around to get a publishers' cheque
* We get the game on day one
- since most players will want to start a couple of times (to settle in) so the restriction on game time until Activation shouldn't be a problem in the event that the cd is held up in shipping
* In the event that games limited to 2 days play time were "spread around", would that be such a bad thing?
- If it looks like a demo, walks like a demo and smells like a demo....? It would build reputation for the game...

The only thing needed to be done would be:
- get a high capacity d/l service
- add the Activation code to the XT loader (if it is in X2...)...

and we all get to kiss goodbye to the spring in a dark room, smoking argon whiskey (there should be brands!!), and drinking our spaceweed


ESM