Should X be Multiplayer? (Poll) I wan't to make egosoft see how many people want this

[silentWitness]

Captain Multiplayer Poll on scanners... Deploy the 'NO' torpedoes full spread!!!

FIRE!!!

*BOOM*

Another Universe safe from the Evil Multiplayer gamers...

They can't make the multiplayer game... they haven't made the 'IT' single player game yet... Every step closer to XOL is a step closer to the day when the X series and I must part ways...

The longer it stays single player the better...

Hopefully egosoft'll see the results and act acordingly.

hehe... yes... I couldn't agree more!!! Show them to stick with single player!!!

[soRahms]

rami

And tbh, you can't expect people to guess that when you say "one sector" you mean "one variable sector." In fact, I don't think you meant that, I think you've just added that now, without thinking about it.

Reply: but on a forum I can expect someone to ask or discuss parts of or the post as a whole. I also think this is uncalled for.

Huh? You think its uncalled for for people to discuss what has been said? I don't really get what is meant by that....

(In fact, I don't think you meant that, I think you've just added that now, without thinking about it.)

Not that it matters if I had not thought of it (which I had) its the tone it is written in as if I am some sort of troll.

The tone is only what you read it as. I just put the statement down, there is nothing that implies you are trollish o_O

If infact it is defaulted to the most valuable, or the attacker chooses, or the sector is random or any other way of changing it each time, you have gone straight back to the old problem that is hours and hours of work being destroyed in minutes, or big players bullying smaller ones, or groups of players destroying ones who have achieved more, making your form of online play as useless and unbalanced as the rest....

Reply: Now I see this as somone not used to online play. That is neither good or bad. When one begins an online game things are hard, yes other players are stronger and hours of play can be reversed by a stronger or more experienced player but you learn when to run, when to fight, when to make alliances.

If your being attacked there are other gates where allies or paid muscle can enter to help.

I disagree entirely. It is purely bad. And I'd like to know how many (and what) online games you have played that give you this awe-inspiring insight which I don't have? How many people do you know who would help out another player for some credits, when they could just join in on the destruction and gain more credits? Also, relying on other players in a game like this instantly flaws the whole idea.

FURTHERMORE, how in hell will a player run, together with their factories/complexes, to safety? If someone is attacking you, you have one choice in your system: rely on a friend, or pay someone. Theres only so much you can pay out before you have nothing left.

As I said my op was meant to generate a little discussion it is not THE GAME COMPLETED. Iit may be a waste of time but so is 'what is your best factory' for the 1000th time. Obviously the game can be an open ended sand box but discussion about it must be linear and blinkered.

very sorry, I'll get me coat then

Yes well, to make the journey from random idea to possible online incorperation requires DISCUSSION. Whats the point in posting with "heres my idea" and then leaving it at that? How does that help anyone if it isn't developed, changed and adapted?

The point of criticism is to make you find ways around problems, and improve on them. It's not supposed to make you shun everything everyone else says, and end posts with attempted wit.


Don't let the door hit you on the way out

[bob hope]

i agree with the fact that i never want to see X as a MMO, but i would like to be able to link up with someone to just have something resebling a life in the game instead of the usual lifeless void filled with drones.

Yes no polls are basically pointless, because you will always get the person who wants to put yes but only or maybe, some people are seeing the fact that multiplayer would have to be the whole game, no thats not right, if you want the whole game multiplayer bit then theres EVE and the rest

actually i feel like i am keep typing the same sentences over and over ...... making my brain melt into submission.

But the question is, when you think of multiplayer and mention multiplayer, what exactly do you mean by that, whereas yes/no doesnt cut any mustard at all

[soRahms]

ack I forgot to reply to that other post (again) bob.

I do see what you mean about LAN etc.. But for me and I'm sure many others, there is only one PC in the house capable of running X3, and only one person in the house interested in playing the damn thing

[bob hope]

it may of saved my marriage if the ex-wife could of got into the game and told me to get off the game she wanted company, she was a television watcher, while i would rather read a book, do games workshop models whatever.

Currently i am spending so much time on the forums because its got more life than X3, killing the rinse repeat pirates gets boring, hunting for missions gets boring, plus i am waiting for the patch and then the update to DDRS once i have both then i may continue playing again

[Sixhitter]

rami
The tone is only what you read it as. I just put the statement down, there is nothing that implies you are trollish o_O

reply: most of your reply has a tone i.e

'The point of criticism is to make you find ways around problems, and improve on them. It's not supposed to make you shun everything everyone else says, and end posts with attempted wit. '

but maybe its just me


rami
I disagree entirely. It is purely bad. And I'd like to know how many (and what) online games you have played that give you this awe-inspiring insight which I don't have? How many people do you know who would help out another player for some credits, when they could just join in on the destruction and gain more credits? Also, relying on other players in a game like this instantly flaws the whole idea.

reply: The whole list of games online? well I'll give a few examples.

Falcon AF here they not only train u (large investment of their time for free) they include you in their game no matter how bad a pilot u r.

ditto for lock on

Ultima online on many occassions I was helped when inexperienced with both help and gold.

Even battlefield with its leet players, when u find a good clan the game/co-operation is the thing that keeps u coming back.

Is that enough experience

rami
FURTHERMORE, how in hell will a player run, together with their factories/complexes, to safety? If someone is attacking you, you have one choice in your system: rely on a friend, or pay someone. Theres only so much you can pay out before you have nothing left.

reply:
like I said maybe u havnt had much experience of or luck in multiplayer games.

U run as in keep your losses to a minimum if you cant fight, the pirate would prolly only have a time limit. You choose the ground you fight on if you choose to fight.

The friends you choose to help may cost you nothing more than the agreement to help them when they are attacked. The saying loads of little ones can beat one good one springs to mind.

Yes you could go broke, so what start again


rami
Yes well, to make the journey from random idea to possible online incorperation requires DISCUSSION. Whats the point in posting with "heres my idea" and then leaving it at that? How does that help anyone if it isn't developed, changed and adapted?

reply:
First my op has been buried in a poll which is unfair to the original poster of this thread and limits the amount of replies my post will recieve. Second, there is not much chance of discussion when someone posts wont work no need to say more.


rami
The point of criticism is to make you find ways around problems, and improve on them. It's not supposed to make you shun everything everyone else says, and end posts with attempted wit.

reply
yes but there is constructive criticism and negative comments.

I am not saying X4 should be online, stuff the single player. I just suggested a thread to chat about either online content or an online game in the genre. X is a great game it would be great to play a version of it with friends and or real people

Very sorry if my attempt at the end of my posts in an attempt to keep things light and friendly irritates you but I'm sure its better than your attempt at sarcasm. IMO of course

[fiksal]

Captain Multiplayer Poll on scanners... Deploy the 'NO' torpedoes full spread!!!
FIRE!!!
*BOOM*

You can never destroy us

They can't make the multiplayer game...

Are you against anything 'multiplayer'?

Never played anything with your friends?

[Nanook]

i agree with the fact that i never want to see X as a MMO, but i would like to be able to link up with someone to just have something resebling a life in the game instead of the usual lifeless void filled with drones.

Yes no polls are basically pointless, because you will always get the person who wants to put yes but only or maybe, some people are seeing the fact that multiplayer would have to be the whole game, no thats not right, ......

Actually, they're more right than you think. Let's take just one little aspect of the game, SETA. With even two players, you'd have to eliminate SETA. As a result, you'd have to increase ship speeds dramatically. And to keep pace, all weapons would have to be adjusted, sped up and given longer ranges, else they simply wouldn't work. And then the combat AI wouldn't work right, so that would have to be drastically changed, again. And as a result of much faster freighters, you'd have to adjust factory production times, speeding them up a lot. But that would mean money would be made a whole lot faster, requiring some sort of balances to be made. Not only that, but navigation AI would have to somehow be altered to avoid collisions due to the higher ship speeds, or collision detection would have to be eliminated altogether, as in EVE Online. And it just keeps going, simply because there's no SETA. And SETA is only one of a multitude of issues that would have to be addressed.

All the changes that would have to go into making a fair multiplayer experience would essentially require a new game that only vaguely resembles the one we're now playing. Which means that either single player would suffer and those who wanted a quality SP game wouldn't buy it, or development time would have to be basically doubled (making 2 quality games instead of one), meaning cutting in half the profits for Egosoft. You do the math.

If you're so bored with the single player experience in X3, then might I suggest you take a break and play some other game that does multiplayer. There are more than enough of those style games around. Personally, I would hate to see the X games watered down by multiplayer. There need to be a few games that focus on just the single player experience. Any time spent doing the multiplayer jig is time not spent improving the single player game. Surely you don't think the game is perfect from a single player aspect, now do you?

[Sixhitter]

why do you have to speed everything up? Couldnt you make the online sectors smaller?

The idea is to interact with other palyers. Maybe online your fleets would be smaller even down to just a squad or one ship. That single ship would be upgradable.

Yes multi would be different to single but I see that many things in X could be converted to make a good and unique multiplayer game.

Why would the profits be halved by producing two games? I would have thought the more good products you have to offer the stonger your business becomes, that would be why you build more than one type of factory

[soRahms]

To build two factories costs twice the set up fee.


Making X4 will, undoubtedly, cost a heck of a lot of money. However, it will cost a lot less than making a brand-spanking new game, due to half of it already existing in X3.

Making X online would be making a new game, and hence would cost much more than making another single player. And all that to please 20% of the fanbase....

[Sixhitter]

So U think ego or any games makers use their own money to create a game?

I thought that the funding in part or entirity comes from the distributers which is why they have so much say in release dates wether the game is ready or not X3 release being an example.

I'm sure that if Ego came up with a good multiplayer version they would get the funding.

20% in this poll as Bob says to a yes or no answer is not a true market research tool and I would guess many players not intrested in single play may show intrest and may even bring new players to both online and offline play. Just a guess



I would like to pose a question to you. If ego produced a multiplayer version of X then U would not buy it?

added: rami
Making X4 will, undoubtedly, cost a heck of a lot of money. However, it will cost a lot less than making a brand-spanking new game, due to half of it already existing in X3.

the same argument can be made for the multiplayer version

[The Rogue Trader]

Besides, theres a large group of traders here that have formed or once formed an alliance for protective reasons (in case XOU ever appeared) that are also better than most in a fighter too.

Me included.

Giskard

OMG NATO in space. LMAO

D.


BIG NO. Just cause I'm scared of Giskard and company in M1 Fleets.

[soRahms]

So U think ego or any games makers use their own money to create a game?

I thought that the funding in part or entirity comes from the distributers which is why they have so much say in release dates wether the game is ready or not X3 release being an example.

I'm sure that if Ego came up with a good multiplayer version they would get the funding.

OK let me get this right....you think they make the game, using leprechaun gold or something...and then sell it to the developer? They need to develop the whole thing, and it has already been said that it would cost an insane amount. ALSO, it has been said in this thread (I think by CBJ) that they could not get developer funding for a project this big...

20% in this poll as Bob says to a yes or no answer is not a true market research tool and I would guess many players not intrested in single play may show intrest and may even bring new players to both online and offline play. Just a guess

Granted it would bring new ones, but would it bring as many as it got rid of? And if it did, would it be worth trading the current fans for new "omg liek online!!111" players?

I would like to pose a question to you. If ego produced a multiplayer version of X then U would not buy it?

I probably would buy it, as it would contain a single player mode. And I wouldn't be willing to pay more than £15 for it.

[Sixhitter]

rami I am fairly sure that games are taken to distributers in concept form and then are funded in part or full by them.

I think despite what CBJ says if the concept was good, market research favourable and the games makers capable the funding would be there.

Why would you loose players? I dont see the reasoning for that.

Why would a multiplayer version also contain single player content? It may but that is not a given but maybe Bobs poll could have shown that.

[soRahms]

rami I am fairly sure that games are taken to distributers in concept form and then are funded in part or full by them.

The concept isn't exactly brand new and original, and so something that would require ALL THIS would not be so favourable. Also, to sort out all the problems with the concept would require time and money.

I think despite what CBJ says if the concept was good, market research favourable and the games makers capable the funding would be there.

Why would you loose players? I dont see the reasoning for that.

Despite the fact that 80% of the community would not like to see an online feature?

Why would a multiplayer version also contain single player content? It may but that is not a given but maybe Bobs poll could have shown that.

If the game was purely online, then that would be completely changing the game. If the next game has online, it would most likely be a small, optional add-on to the SP.

[Sixhitter]

rami 80% of the community that voted in a yes or no poll.

As in the real world there are many more players than the X community. Maybe now is a great time to produce online X, neither you or I could know the answer to that so that is a bogus argument.

I agree that at first the online content maybe small addon to the sp as Ego dips its feet into the market so what.

An addon would probably be unsatisfactory as a multiplayer experience but why would a dedicated online X be completely different. Yes diferent but if the essence of X was maintained ie explore, trade, fight and think why is that such a bad thing?

does someone else in the universe thinking scare you that much?

[Nanook]

rami I am fairly sure that games are taken to distributers in concept form and then are funded in part or full by them.......

Then you know nothing about how Egosoft works. In point of fact, X2 didn't even have a publisher until development was practically finished.** Now, X3 may have gotten some initial funding from the various publishers, but also notice how short the development time was, and the host of bugs that were shipped with the initial release. Besides, X3 was originally going to be an expansion for X2, which means that most of the development was already done prior to getting any publisher assistance. Finally, I think Egosoft wishes to keep creative control over their games and this is only possible if they also have financial control.


**Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the original game in the series, X-BTF, was also self-funded by proceeds from previous games Egosoft produced (yes, there was an Egosoft before the X series).

[esd]

If ego produced a multiplayer version of X then U would not buy it?

I would not buy it. It wouldn't be the game I know, for the reasons Nanook has illustrated.

[Tuxu]

I tought about the recent monthes in the game industry and an idea came to me.

I saw the game in pics and videos and if I remember correctly in both X2 and X3 there are commercial signs within the game. so...

Imagine that instead of constantly updating a copy protection drivers as you update the game (which is with out connection to this game giving me the warm feeling of helping a KGB agent in distress) we could join in to a server for free, get the game for free and egosoft could make a fortune just from running adds on our in-game space factory and trade stations, the money would go to the developer and in game the players owning the stations would get game money.

X universe is an ever expending universe. Think of the possibilities if X3 was applied like that and was given free of charge.
TENS OF THOUSENDS user would join it just for it's quallity, rich gameplay and the fact that this chunk of heaven is FREE.

EGOSOFT could split the systems to servers by rate of bussines or traffic conducting And merge game space with server space, We could withness the birth of free quallity gaming revolution, led by one of the highly esteamed gamers comunities.
It may be sound big and un-realistic, if it does sound like that to you, the reader as it first seemed to me, it's because we are use to judge our serrounding with notions of past age, when air conditioning was somthing out of this world and sattilites were something only a millitry could have.
Tecnologically, servers update rates can support gaming experience with "Soja-Cola" or some other kind of cola turning around a pole above[relativly above, it's space...] the entrance to an "Argnu beaf factory" or a space dock, all it takes is couple of megas download routine which could be hardcoded into the game exe or such.
The thing that frustrates is that those sign already stand there, Why not to use them and do what they meant for? Of course I wouldn't want to see adds in a bought game, but if it came free and the adds are part of the game and not slowing it down, WHO CARES!

[Sixhitter]

well I stand corrected then (possibly). I brought X2 and X3 at release and the blame for their early and buggy release states was implied to be the fault of the publishers as was the responsabilty of the problems encountered by starforce protection which seemed to me to indicate alot of investment from outside and not a game maker that had full control of its product.

I still find this no reason not to have a discussion on how a multiplayer version may work.

It seems the discussion on Elite 4 and wether it will be made or remain vapour ware is ok on a forum for X sp but disscusion of what a multiplayer version of X may be or what it would add is not

UOX was conceived when the internet was mainly dial up so the time was wrong. Now with high speed broadband maybe the time is right maybe not.

added
Tuxu

BF2142 already has advertising in game so your idea is not that out of the box so you may be flying in a cola can M1 in x4 yet lol.