The X3 Online / Multiplayer FAQ

[irR4tiOn4L]

X3 lan with a couple of friends right after the begining...
1:'where are you guys?'
2:'OL'
1:'AP'
3:'Hatikvahs Faith, 50% hull dmg, swamped by M5'
4:'xenon coresect...dead'
...
5:'Jupiter, EVAing to Commonwealth'

No SETA?
sounds interesting

Rubbish. Start off in the same sector and itd be great fun.

Development work is really what it comes down to

[SinisterDeath]

It would be very interesting to have this in mmo format, or at least online-lan play with friends. Only way to compinsate for lack of S.E.T.A is to boost all the speeds, or make the zones smaller.. Specially in an mmo setting. People are impatient and don't like traveling for more then 5 minutes... Course the game would naturally de-evolve into GTA lets cause havoc... But thats what a bounty hunter system is for!

Does it make me a bad person, that I want to create a lan game, team up with one of my friends, and cap his ship and sell it?

[irR4tiOn4L]

Does it make me a bad person, that I want to create a lan game, team up with one of my friends, and cap his ship and sell it?

Yes. You are a VERY bad man as a result!

[DeadlyDarkness]

A little off topic, but if you want to play company of heroes over a LAN, simply disable your internet/wireless, then start the game up with the disc in the drive, and get to the main menu. The game will do a CD check instead of an online check. Then minimise and activate your radio again. do this for the other computers and you can play.

This also works for other games, like Neverwinter Nights.

[Cycrow]

I know X3 isn't a multiplayer built game, but what if you released X3 Online as an expansion. You have to buy X3 than the online expansion to play it More happy players more money in the pocket

this could be very risky.

what if u spend a million to develop the expansion and only 5 ppl actually buy it.

theres no guarantee that lots of ppl will buy an expansion purely for a lan mod.

It would be very interesting to have this in mmo format, or at least online-lan play with friends. Only way to compinsate for lack of S.E.T.A is to boost all the speeds, or make the zones smaller.. Specially in an mmo setting. People are impatient and don't like traveling for more then 5 minutes... Course the game would naturally de-evolve into GTA lets cause havoc... But thats what a bounty hunter system is for!

the issue of SETA always comes up. However its not just a massive problem, but it just illistrate game changes that need to be make. SETA is just one of many things that need to change, althou SETA is one of the easier changes

[SinisterDeath]

the issue of SETA always comes up. However its not just a massive problem, but it just illistrate game changes that need to be make. SETA is just one of many things that need to change, althou SETA is one of the easier changes

Aye, like dieing. it works in a single player game, you can load when you die... multiplayer though, that kinda hard-core thing would just... suck. They'd basically have to have an SWG clone system going... and some kinda credit penalty on death.

[irR4tiOn4L]

the issue of SETA always comes up. However its not just a massive problem, but it just illistrate game changes that need to be make. SETA is just one of many things that need to change, althou SETA is one of the easier changes

Aye, like dieing. it works in a single player game, you can load when you die... multiplayer though, that kinda hard-core thing would just... suck. They'd basically have to have an SWG clone system going... and some kinda credit penalty on death.

Actually thats easy enough; 'salvage insurance' saves your ship and its cargo and when you die its automatically reloaded. This could be extended to IS ships or even general assets without too much difficulty


Look, you guys are missing the Elephant in the room; Netcode. Anything else is just a footnote in terms of work that must be devoted

[Son of Hermes]

I really do understand how hard it would be to create an X3 multiplayer, and I do sympathize with the folks who are dead set against mmo/MP games because they seem to be so previlent, however, I am one of those people who really enjoy space flight sims, and especially if I can get online and run protection for my friend (who lives down the street) while he makes cargo runs, I like the idea of factions or guilds or whatever you want to call it, the pooling of money and resources, and things like that. I am myself a pretty good combat sim pilot, and my friend has the head for business. Just think it would be fun to be able to play together and make more fun.

[finnen78]

Very interesting reading.
Although... some elements i have already played in an MMO. Well... instead of S.E.T.A. u could use jumpdrive... instead of jumping from sector to sector... u coul jump from place to place in the sector. but as i said... all this trading & building and fighting has already been realized, and i played this MMO quite some time... i just got bored of it because when u reached some sectors there where always some a-hole there with a trigger happy finger and sometimes u couldnt even do what ya fancy in a "safe" sector either.

well... of course... the game im talking about is EVE. if i would compare these 2 games... id still go for X3 on the build think fight explore note. but on the other hand EVE has this massive universe... u could travel it for a week and still not be in every sector. but make sure ur armed to the teeth, not just NPC's wana kill u there. and some do nothing but PK wich can be anoying. biggest anoyance are the "gate campers" shoot u as soon as u get in system, they dont give u time to even react to them. on that note... i never got to see any of the places they advertised or ride the all the best ships.

In X3... only the Xenon seem to point ur guns & shoot at u as soon as u get in system, but at least if u got enough shields & armor u got time to scram before they get to close or get to many lucky shots. and u can always come back if u got enough credits

so... my final vote is.. GO X-UNIVERSE!! Wouldnt want it any other way than it is.

[Requiemfang]

LOL EVE... only problem I ever found was... the combat system is too... well... uneventful... point at your target click your target then press the key you have all your turrets on and watch your ship blast away... EVE isn't for those who like fast paced, on the edge of your seat battles. This game on the other hand is for that type of player. Best game I could describe that is similar to X3 is Vendetta Online... only difference is... I don't think you can build your own stations and such. It would be interesting to say the least though to see a MMO version of the X-Universe come out... already has killer graphics, has the player base willing to support it. Though they'd have to update the graphics system a bit though... in the terms of CPU's. That's the only issue I've heard about with X3

[NavaCorp]

Best game I could describe that is similar to X3 is Vendetta Online... only difference is... I don't think you can build your own stations and such.

Reading what is written in the news for the patches 1.8.116/1.8.117/1.8.120/1.8.125, it seems that the players can conquer some stations.

http://www.vendetta-online.com/h/news.html

The developers of Vendetta Online are a very small company too (4 people), so there's hope for Egosoft to make their online game.

http://www.vendetta-online.com/h/faq_general.html#who

[k9z56t]

Fixing death issue isn't that hard. Create ship captains like marines. It should have stats affecting their performance. When u get your ship destroyed only that captain would die.

@ Of topic : By the way i don't understans how our character flies ships like M1 alone without personel except marines. In m opinion we need to train crew to fly ships like that.

[daimond]

Planets to land on? Make it First Person Perspective, it would be massive, 'Walk onto ship, get into cockpit, fly ship. Land on planet, get out of ship, shoot things. Board Capital Ship, shoot baddies, head for bridge, take over ship.' Mmmmmm, oh yeh!

[KWAiRT]

I love the scale of EVE. I only wish X3 was on that kind of scale. Would also be nice to have 64 player dedicated server software like Freelancer with server side player files.

Let the server do the work for the clients to have fun in their sandbox universe. To hell with an MMO which would only mean more performance issues, network issues, and farmers. I would much rather have a giant sandbox mode like Freelancer with dedicated multiplayer support for public and private servers/communities alike.

[jardail]

Personally I wouldn't want it in an MMO format, it would destroy the game and it's fun rather quickly.

But adding the ability to have a client/server app so that people could team up and play on a network would be great. Even over the internet.

I have a few people who also play the game that are interested in having that kind of functionality.

For those that don't wish to play it, it wouldn't be forced. But for those of us who would like to have LAN or Internet connection ability, it would be a nice to have option.

[SmackinJuice]

Only reason i'm creating this thread, despite all the hate of online. Is that i think it should be looked differently then other games online.

I think people should stop thinking of online as another MMO, or just random online environment.

Online would be GREAT with friends YOU KNOW.

Online shouldn't be just a join someone random universe. You would set up say up to 4 players tops, you all jump on, host creates a room; everyone gets invited in with IP address or whatever (friend invite with steam!).


Spoiler
OR when host creates a room, it will give him a 10 digit code with letters/numbers. he then passes that code out to his friends and they type it into a a spot when they click on join game. Of course host can kick players just in case someone randomly types letters in there all day lol.

This would take out the frustration of figuring out your ip address for people with routers that make the process confusing.
Spoiler


Online would also have it's own set of starts, that would be different from single play.

Say a start with 1 of each race, with roughly same version of each ship for that race and 5000 credits each. There could be options to adjust the amount of credits at the start.

This universe will only now be playable is those same 4 people join again and load the game from the universe save.

That's why for the most part it would only be up to 4, and most people will just be doing this with 1 friend as it would be easier to have the same time frames together.

The best part? Each computer can now take up 1/4 the universe in what goes on in OOS (or configure who takes what amount of load in case someone has waaaay uber computer).

The game would play completely normal, just like singleplayer. Just you have your best friends picking up missions, and you helping them. Then you can divide the credits among each other.

There would never be just joining random games, or any universe that's already started (unless the fans wanted it enough). You create a universe together, you do everything together. If one player can't make it, then you can't play that universe! So yes, you will need multiple universes going to play with all your friends, and if no one is around? play singleplayer!

As for how to do SETA, Well there will be a new window open, this window will be movable and scalable in size. it would also show 4 black seta icons. When someone wants to use their seta they would press their button and it would show up to everyone. If everyone clicks on to have seta (as in everyone is ready to just travel) then it would be in use.

Again, this would be best to only play online with GOOD friends you know, to enrich the game play. Imagine flying with your best friend both crusing in M5 racing asteroid fields, you could create so many new games to have fun with in this sandbox.

Or going at war with REAL PLAYERS, imagine having M2, M1, 50 fighters, M6, M7, M8 all going at it in 1 sector, not with the dumb ai; but with a real human player! billions of credits in warfare!!!! ZOMG!!!

Also because it would play exactly like the single player, it would just require the coding of allowing 4 players into the universe alone. It may require just 1 host (and not split the loads among all 4 players); it might be laggy for a bit until patches; it may be buggy too.

But there is an enjoyment that comes with playing with your friends, that's why games like minecraft, and terria are so popular. People enjoy playing with friends! but people HATE playing with strangers (some people like it, most people you enjoy singleplayer > multiplayer don't).


Anyhow, just something to think about. A lot of people hate change, you see it in every games sequal, third, fourth release. There are a lot of fans that hate seeing things change (don't even go to the diablo 3 forum; omg have you heard? auction system that involves real money; you could make money just playing hardcore diablo 3 now!).

But in the end, a lot of changes end up for the better and fans enjoy it. I say when it comes to options, more the better. But if by adding in any kind of online would ruin the singeplayer; then NAY. But if adding it was just another option, just another way to play the game.

Then YAY. If you don't want it don't use it. but for the rest, and sooo many more people who buy games based on multiplayer. This would mean more money for egosoft, and more money for them means better X games with funding.

I'd love to jump into X rebirth, and the first thing it asks me is if i'm a casual player, or a hardcore player Very Happy

Casuals $$$$

[Nanook]

Only reason i'm creating this thread, despite all the hate of online. Is that i think it should be looked differently then other games online.....

If you checked out almost any of the links in the first post in this thread, you'd see that what you're talking about has been discussed ad nauseum, and that your 'idea' is hardly new, nor has it been ignored. And if you read some of those threads, you'd see why Egosoft doesn't do it, i.e., economic reasons. I suggest you browse through a number of those threads.

[Virtualaughing]

I'm glad this topic isn't locked yet so i have the opportunity to say, that is mindblowning how many ppl wish to play this game in MP

War for resources that i would like to see.
Who has the sillicon will rule the galaxy

[delray]

I don't really care for EVE-style multiplayer where a crowd of kids get to grief a fairly small universe. But a co-op server like in Minecraft with a few friends would be a great idea.

[Nathancros]

I don't really care for EVE-style multiplayer where a crowd of kids get to grief a fairly small universe. But a co-op server like in Minecraft with a few friends would be a great idea.

agreed, hence why ive been playing minecraft for over a year now