NEWS: X-Universe News #30 - X3: Terran Conflict FAQ and Steam

[Al]

Why would they have trouble finding a distributer for such a fine game?

Well they dont have one and I doubt they would intentionally not have stock on the shelves in the US on the day of release

[pgllrdp]

http://www.game.co.uk/ has international shipping if you dont mind paying £4.95 extra that is.

[fud]

Play.com does not have shipping to the U.S available. Egosoft's website has it available for a small fortune...
I would rather die than install steam on one of my computers. I did that once, it was a nightmare and I swore never to have anything to do with them ever again.
Looks like I have to sit this one out. Or wait until it is on E-bay, if that is even legal.

You died?


I've never had a problem with Steam. Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones?

[Sandalpocalypse]

Presumably they ran into multiple delays and obstacles organizing a US distribution deal, and simply decided that a limited US release was preferable to delaying the worldwide release.

It might also be a trial balloon for pure digital distribution methods.

[euclid]

Just read X universe 30

As was the case for all X games, we will release a version without
copy protection at a later point.

Where is the X-BTF no CD patch ??? i can't find it

There is none because both, XBTF and XT, have a different publisher.

Cheers Euclid

[random50]

Any mention of bugs in the German reviews? (No english reviews out there yet, are there?)

I'm definitely buying, but not 'til it's bug free!

[Cycrow]

several ppl already have the game, and there has been a mini reveiw posted in one of the news threads, so you can view it there

[damador]

1.2 patch on game release day wow iam sure that printer fault was misinformation and wasnt true cause of the delay

[Ecthelion]

Why would they have trouble finding a distributer for such a fine game?

Because publishers aren't interested in space sims. Haven't you noticed how there haven't been any non-indie games in the genre in the past 5 years aside from the X series?

Publishers are probably worried about a release like Freespace 2, which was one of the last high-profile space sims (no offense to Egosoft, to whom I would give my firstborn child, but they make games that aren't as mainstream) way back in 1999. Unfortunately, the game sold well below expectations despite critical acclaim.

I'm sure there are other factors as well, but the space sim genre is effectively dead. Thankfully, Egosoft (and a few indie devs) still care about the genre, and have kept the genre from completely disappearing. But it's not surprising that they would have trouble finding a US publisher considering the recent history of the genre. I am fortunate enough to have decent broadband service, so I've already ordered X3:TC on Steam (and I'm going crazy with anticipation for Friday). I understand why non-Broadband fans in the US would feel neglected, but at least you have the ability to order from overseas. Hopefully we'll all have a copy of X3:TC ready to go this weekend.

BTW: Cycrow, I'll understand if you can't answer this because of a NDA or whatever, but are your wonderful guilds incorporated into X3:TC (or adapted somehow, e.g. the game has similar missions to what your guild scripts offered)? If not, I hope you port your scripts - you had a few (Mercenaries and Assassins come to mind) that were among my favorite X3:R scripts.

[travitar]

Stardock's Impulse and X3: Terran Conflict.

That would be a match made in heaven.

[random50]

I'm probably missing something here, but really, how is it a big risk for a US publisher? The majority of the risk goes to the publisher that signs the title *during* development and *has* to effectively pay the developer's wages for a product that might not ever appear, or be so useless sales don't come close to recouping costs. If a US publisher negotiates a royalty only contract for the now completed project, surely their risk is minimal by comparison?

Travitar: I was just thinking that!

[paul1290]

If I understand Steam's mode of operation, its one installation, and the game won't work if the internet is down. Meh.

Who the heck told you that crap?

Steam lets you download games that you've purchased as many times as you want and on as many computers as you want unless there is some kind of 3rd party DRM on the game.

Steam games still work when the internet is down. There used to be a bug where Steam wouldn't start if you couldn't find an internet connection, but that got fixed ages ago. I've play X3: Reunion on Steam without an internet connection numerous times without problems.

[Ecthelion]

Stardock's Impulse and X3: Terran Conflict.

That would be a match made in heaven.

I believe Steam has a far larger user base than Impulse, so that's probably why Steam was chosen as the US distributor.

I'm probably missing something here, but really, how is it a big risk for a US publisher? The majority of the risk goes to the publisher that signs the title *during* development and *has* to effectively pay the developer's wages for a product that might not ever appear, or be so useless sales don't come close to recouping costs. If a US publisher negotiates a royalty only contract for the now completed project, surely their risk is minimal by comparison?

Perhaps it's not about risk as much as it's about interest. US publishers are interested in genres that sell like hotcakes, and the space sim genre doesn't meet that requirement.

[Danya Turrel]

I don't feel neglected. I feel fortunate that the European gaming companies release games in English (among other languages) so I can play them once I manage to purchase a copy.

It seems my native gaming companies are focusing mostly on console gaming, a platform which I find fails to stimulate my brain enough to be of interest. Space Rangers, X, Sword of the Stars BoB (and Anno series - not space though) are all fabulous games from Europe. In fact, it seems many of the European game developers see their work as more of craft than an enterprise. If you have any idea what a dissapointment EA's SPORE has been then you know what I mean.

D

[Cycrow]

BTW: Cycrow, I'll understand if you can't answer this because of a NDA or whatever, but are your wonderful guilds incorporated into X3:TC (or adapted somehow, e.g. the game has similar missions to what your guild scripts offered)? If not, I hope you port your scripts - you had a few (Mercenaries and Assassins come to mind) that were among my favorite X3:R scripts.

well i can tell you this, i never did any missions in TC, i was doing other things.

but i do plan to port, or rewrite some of my old scripts into TC eventually so im sure some of the guilds will be included in that

[mufflink]

Hi Cycrow,

While you are around, is the Logitech G15 lcd supported? Loved your applet for Reunion.

Regards,
Mufflink.

[Cycrow]

Hi Cycrow,

While you are around, is the Logitech G15 lcd supported? Loved your applet for Reunion.

Regards,
Mufflink.

not yet, but like my other scripts, i will get it released for TC too

[g04tn4d0]

Welp, I've done my part and ordered a copy off of Steam just now. A year or so from now when EgoSoft releases a non-protected executable, I'll buy it again on DVD and re-install, just like I did with X3. I'll also do my part to tell as many of my friends about X3TC as I can. Gotta get EgoSoft some money for all their hard work!

[tanner1ie]

I live in Ireland and the main site i go to for online shopping is Play.com, the price you see is generally the price you pay, no vat or postage added to orders in Ireland or the UK. Terran Conflict is currently 25 euros. If they add postage for other countries it should be clearly displayed.
While Play.com are usually the best choice they only really stock Irish/Uk releases.
So when Play fail me, Amazon.co.uk is my next best bet as they stock worldwide releases but add postage to orders outside the UK, then put vat on them but if there's something you really want it's only a few euros extra (Pounds actually as they don't convert to euros ).
For example, i got Missy Higgins second album 18 months ago while she's only just brought it out in the US and the European release will probably take another 6 months.
The last place i've gone shopping is Amazon.com, only for a few cds so far as DVDs and PS2 games are region coded and i've never been that stuck looking for PS3 and PC games.
I've gotten things quite cheap from them as they don't add postage or vat, so if something is 10 dollars i get it for 7 euros .
(And display the final bill in euros)
So far i've had no problem ordering and receiving items off them.
However this is only true of items sold by Amazon.com, anything sold by Amazon traders (or Play traders) depends on their willingness to send something overseas, if they agree they'll add a small amount of postage.
I've bought 3 cds straight from Amazon.com, 1 from a trader, while another refused to post to Ireland (I evenyually got that CD from CD Baby, what funny e-mails they send you ).
Luckily for US buyers Terran Conflict is being sold by Play.com and Amazon.co.uk direct, not by traders.
Therefore you're best bet is to try place an order and see if it's accepted, if it is they'll soon tell you if there's any postage added.
^ Hope this helps.

[Ecthelion]

but i do plan to port, or rewrite some of my old scripts into TC eventually so im sure some of the guilds will be included in that

Great! You'll probably get around to it by the time I get bored with TC's vanilla missions. From the way things look, TC has a lot more to offer in the way of missions, so it will probably stay interesting longer.