Nanook wrote: ↑Fri, 1. Nov 24, 15:40
Semantics, my dear fellow forum goer.

It's actually a combination of both, otherwise Egosoft wouldn't be constantly adjusting the game's mechanics due to unforeseen results with such issues as pilot AI, reputation loss, etc. And to a new player, the difference is irrelevant, since it's a game that can be hard to get into. Making it more complicated (and complex) won't make it any easier for those players, and that's my whole point.
The system is too simplistic to handle varied situations: capital ships can't use their main weapons effectively, fighters can't distinguish between accidental and hostile fire, and NPCs lack any real tactical or strategic capabilities.
The difficulty in getting into the game stems from poor design choices, including insufficient instructions and a poorly designed UI.
X4 is an FPS/RTS/SIM hybrid. While the FPS interface is standard and functional, the RTS/SIM interface(map view) is overly complicated and unconventional. Egosoft might be aiming for a unique style, but it ends up being very user-unfriendly.