mobile mining not working yet !

[HCFC]

Bugger it

Mining is one of the best ways to make money. It would be very very disappointing if this was not included in a patch or bonus pack.

You just knew this was going to happen - this forum has gone from mad anticipation and loads of 'will it work' expectant and enthusiastic posts to 'oh no it dont,' this dont work, found a bug,' and so on.

On this one I have to agree that it is poor not to have included it.

You guys at Ego must have expected the recent attitude change, youve even got some very old and established and well respected posters nagging about bugs and problems.

I hope you can sort them out I really do because this is an excellent game and it deserves to shine like 1.4 X2 with all the extras and more.

So keep at it guys and dont get disheartened. In the end we'll be back to the good comments, the comparisons, the mini guides, the best this best that polls, the my whats it kick arse posts.

Just make sure Mobile mining makes it back where it belongs - as a part of this dynamic and creative universe

[heg0b0]

Bugger it

So keep at it guys and dont get disheartened. In the end we'll be back to the good comments, the comparisons, the mini guides, the best this best that polls, the my whats it kick arse posts.

Just make sure Mobile mining makes it back where it belongs - as a part of this dynamic and creative universe

Hear hear !!

I totally agree to that.

[DaphydTheBard]

I think everyone needs to calm down and be patient

I've got my own set of gripes with X3 at the moment, the main one being that it's virtually unplayable on my rig but just remember how much cool stuff came out for X2 in the months after it's release and how much it improved the game.

Just hang in there guys, give it a few months, and X3 will be everything we've dreamed it would be.

[JayJay]

Hopefully mining is in the next patch

Decisions about what makes the final game are not as simple as choosing what is "good". It is about time constraints, difficulties and dependencies, risks of problems. All kinds of things which only the developers and those making decisions about these things know enough about in detail.

Yap, thats hard. I program a lot (also sometimes professional) and I know the problems. So EGOSOFT keep working, X3 is a good work even if its not finished yet!

[Winterkind]

Hm, I am suprised. I know the software business a bit and I have this perspective:

There is a feature of which the software vendor *must* assume that customers will expect it to be in (=mining). Why? Because it was an essential feature in the earlier release.

This feature is explicitly described in the manual.

The software does all it can to pretend that this feature is supported.

But then - it does not.

All of the above can happen. So what possible actions can the vendor take to not seriously harm customer relationships and trust? I could think of:
- state it clearly in the "readme.txt"
- state it clearly in the official forums (=here)
- define a timeline for correction

*That* I call professional behaviour. And I see none of it here. That is the part that deeply disappoints me - not the fact that a feature is missing. Don't want to speak for anyone else but my trust is harmed.

[bendyspex]

I agree with winterkind. Why put it in the manual and the game if you are unsure whether it will be included.
I was looking forward to finally having enough money to get my own factory, then a little fleet of ships. But after spending 400k on getting a mining ship all kitted up, and then finding out it is useless, it kind of makes it a bit pointless now . Gues I'll have to take my anger out on some pirates .

[Atkara]

Read 3 or 4 posts up !


This feature hasnt been implented yet !

Oops! Sry, they weren't there when I started writing a reply... or at least I think they weren't...

Anyways, my COPY arrived today, so it's only a matter of minutes till I register and start exploring

[CBJ]

There is a feature of which the software vendor *must* assume that customers will expect it to be in (=mining). Why? Because it was an essential feature in the earlier release.

No, it was a feature in a previous game. That's not the same thing.

This feature is explicitly described in the manual.

Unfortunately the manual went to print before the final feature list was determined. This is very frustrating, but we would have had just as many complaints if it missed out features that were in the game as if it described features that were not.

The software does all it can to pretend that this feature is supported.

It doesn't "pretend" anything. I already explained why the equipment is available.

All of the above can happen. So what possible actions can the vendor take to not seriously harm customer relationships and trust? I could think of:
- state it clearly in the "readme.txt"
- state it clearly in the official forums (=here)
- define a timeline for correction

It would be unprofessional to do all those things before the appropriate decisions on time, priorties and dependencies and so on that I mentioned above had been made about what features may be added and when. The result would be endless complaints about not sticking to what had been promised. When the information is available you will hear about it.

[Vikinger]

Iam also utterly dissapointed in this.

I thought by making X3 they should add more features to thos allready existing in the game serie.

But it have been a lot of sacrifice just to make the game look better.

I prefer to have content in a game or els i could go to a vernisage and look at picuters and painting instead if i only wanted eye candy.

Although i can understand why it could be hard to implant the minning function whit thos new asteroids there is BUT. They should have told us about it. And not have the items ingame and also been writen it in the manual.

This is one of the games features, just like been able to trade, buy ships, build stations etc.

I do enjoy the game and it runs smooth as silk on my computer but right now it just dont feel so fun to play the game.

I dont know if i will spend severly hours on the game to find out next thing they have removed from the game.


Well enough of my rant , and i think i have stated my mind in this issue.

Just hope they take this serious and implant it to the game again.

[The Rook]

Ok, now im confused.. in a game that is just X2 with a polished grafix system with major reused things from X2.... .. that really makes no sence.. also.. WHY put in the option to purchase mobile mining equipment?

The answer to that is very simple. The facility to buy an object is in the game anyway. It takes no effort at all to include a particular object in the list of things you can buy; in fact it takes more effort to remove it. The actual mobile mining itself is a lot more complex. What appears to have happened is that the mining didn't make the final game but the ability to buy the equipment wasn't removed to take account of this.

Decisions about what makes the final game are not as simple as choosing what is "good". It is about time constraints, difficulties and dependencies, risks of problems. All kinds of things which only the developers and those making decisions about these things know enough about in detail. I could spend all day on this, but I think the people posting in Tech Support would probably prefer it if I went back and helped them out.

Anyway, yes, I agree, mobile mining is an important feature, and like you I sincerely hope it makes a return in a future patch.

Sorry CBJ I have to disagree with you (or whoever gave you this information), removing/disabling an item on a list should not be so problematic unless the feature was very sloppily implemented to begin with. There are many ways it could be achieved, one example would be to remove the mining lazer ability from any "ship class" derivatives that have mining enabled. This shouldn't require a major code rewrite with properly OO code, and it would be easy to switch back on in future patches. It would also mean that the equipment could still be available for purchase.

Leaving the feature semi-implemented on release was grossly unprofessional of Egosoft from a programming point of view.

Anyway, like you (and everyone else it seems) I hope the feature returns. I wasted much time improving my credibility with the Teladi to get my mining Vulture. This is probably my biggest gripe with the game so far, on the whole I like what Egosoft have done with X3.

Fingers crossed.

[DT]

Wow.....

This game is getting worse by the day it seems, more and more stuff in the game seems to be broken. ( Main plot, fps eating hud and now mobile mining)
When you think about it, you could actually make a game out of all the broken and cut features.

Guess Egosoft can't advertise with " where every object has a purpose" like on the back of the X2 box anymore
Now I'm sure I'll buy it when its fully patched. (By then it'll probably be a bargain-bin game )

[Chestnut Stallion]

Yea lol. the game is allready droping in price.. It will soon be a bargin bin.. I fell sorry for all the people who bought X3 at the high price.. give it a month or two and we'll see where it goes..


I guess egosoft really pulled a "fast one" with us...

[CBJ]

Sorry CBJ I have to disagree with you (or whoever gave you this information), removing/disabling an item on a list should not be so problematic unless the feature was very sloppily implemented to begin with.

I didn't say it was problematic. I said it took time. I didn't even say how much time, just that it was a non-zero amount. I also explained all the other factors that are involved in deciding what to do and what not to do.

Leaving the feature semi-implemented on release was grossly unprofessional of Egosoft from a programming point of view.

Grossly unprofessional? That's a bit strong. I can think of one or two things that were done with the time that were slightly more important than removing a harmless piece of equipment.

I guess egosoft really pulled a "fast one" with us...

I have given you answers that are as clear and honest as I can. If you still this is an elaborate con to part you from your money, then there is probably nothing I can do or say to convince you otherwise. Sorry.

I have now spent as much time as I can afford to spend posting in this thread. I've explained as much as I can, and given as much information as I can. Time to go and sort out other issues.

[The Rook]

I didn't say it was problematic. I said it took time. I didn't even say how much time, just that it was a non-zero amount. I also explained all the other factors that are involved in deciding what to do and what not to do.

Well I can’t comment on that, so I will take your word for it. But the fact that it took more time than Egosoft had available has made it problematic, and we both know it didn't require much time.

Grossly unprofessional? That's a bit strong. I can think of one or two things that were done with the time that were slightly more important than removing a harmless piece of equipment.

Harmless piece of equipment? Hardly. I (and many others) wasted much time on this redundant feature. Unfortunately what you have said perfectly illustrates that X3 (like its predecessors) was released prematurely. Especially, if as you suggest there were so much more critical concerns so late in the development cycle.

[mbv]

The big problem with this game has clealry been quality control. I never buy that, sadly all too common now, developer sob story about how terribly pressured they were and how much more they would have liked to have put in.........yeah, yeah....YAWN This thing was porked out of the box with its poor optimization, dreadful quality videos, wacked out lip synch on videos (how the hell did quality control miss that one then! ), a single player storyline that is broken in at least two places now (one a major game killer at the end) and now we find mobile mining and everything associated with it is messed up too.

Its about time gamers stood up for themselves and fought this appalling and ever increasing catalogue of games that are released before they are properly finished. The gaming industry needs a kick up the butt at the moment as it has got far too complacent, as have the gamers themselves when it comes to complaining about this. I don't understand the attitude of gamers who come in here with grievances, get fobbed off by the usual developer rhetoric, and then shrug and say "oh well, it'll be OK in a few months after a few more patches, ho hum" Thats nonsense and you are letting yourself down by falling for the usual develoepr excuses.

I am new to the X games and X3 was what I hoped would be a great introduction to the series. Sadly, while I am one of the fortunate who can play it with decent frame rates and marvel at the wonderful graphics, the quality of the product is sub-standard in my opinion and should never have been released in this state. Its no good telling me it will be OK after some patch somewhere in the future. I want a complete game I can play now, not in a few months time when the features we should already have out of the box are supposedly fixed. I expect this game will end up on my shelf with all the other recent broken releases within a month because I will become bored with it. If a gamers faith in a product is broken on the day of release it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth and I am clearly not the only one here who feels cheated by poor quality control and the aggressive profit margins of developers and publishers.

Shame on you Egosoft for letting this product leave your hands in this state and for being the publishers poodle once more.

[Lazerath]

Okay.. I am now officially done gripe'n about this that and the other thing.

Point in fact. X3 should be a fantastic game (I am still getting it on Saturday). Once they release the next few patches it will most likely make all of us happy.

2nd Point, Everyone here now knows that X3 was published as an Unfinished game. Don't even bother argueing that its not because it is. Many things Missing from the game, plots broken, features missing, re-use of old stuff from X2 (YES CBJ I WOULD have prefered to see NEW content added and have the games publish date put off for a few more months to have a FINISHED copy of the game that did not re-uses the same stuff from X2. I want to know that when I pay $50.00 for a game that I am getting something new, not new/used).

I don't dislike Egosoft or any of its employees. Infact I think they are great peeps and have a great product on their hands. However I do HOPE that when it comes time to release the next game in the series (if they do) that it is sent out 100% done to the publishers not 95% done. I don't care if you egosoft d00ders have to beat the publisher over the head with a wet noodle to keep their hands off your work. Don't release a game that is not finished in the future. Or many of your fans just may not come back for round 4.

[heg0b0]

Unfortunately what you have said perfectly illustrates that X3 (like its predecessors) was released prematurely. Especially, if as you suggest there were so much more critical concerns so late in the development cycle.

Have to agree with you on this , how ever nothing we can do about it now.. but hope for the best.

One thing which is a growing concern to me is the gamers industry's mentality towards its customers. This isnt the first time something is released which isnt near completion. Its a shame people have to pay so much money for something that isnt done.

Come to think of it , its kinda like the stockmarket .. it can go well , it can turn out bad. Any which way its a gamble what to buy..

Egosoft has a good name for customer support , but personally they are walking on the edge now. And the next comming weeks will defenately determine their upcomming future on the games market. As customers dont forget easilly when they have been scammed. Remember Battlecruiser 2000AD ?

Speaking of which .. the current state of x3 kinda gives me a deja vu !

[nobloodyname]

I thought I'd try a little asteroid mining this evening. Bought a mobile mining device but I can't mount it in my Mercury (one of the starting ships). I assume this is because it's classed as a laser and it isn't listed on the possible laser section for my Mercury?

If this is so, and I know deep down it is!, what's the minimum ship class to install one?

Cheers!

[Neonin]

The mobile mining laser, as far as I know, only fits on the Paranid Demeter and Teladi Vulture ships.

Mining is currently broken however, so save your money for something else till it gets fixed in a patch.

[heg0b0]

Point in fact. X3 should be a fantastic game (I am still getting it on Saturday). Once they release the next few patches it will most likely make all of us happy.

I have been playing this game since the release date and despite its current state you are wrong about one thing !

It isnt : X3 should be a fantastic game
It is : X3 is a fantastic game

It can be a whole lot better tho !!!

Seriously , despite all the negatives i can still actually recommend buying it. But Egosoft has some work to do !!!