X3 needs work.

[sensitive]

I would just like to point out a few minor details about the release of this game. If you would care to look at the back of the box it says "reccomended system requirements:- Windows XP, 1GB ram, p4 2.4GHz or AMD equivalent, 256 3D DX9 card and 2GB disk space.(which Is b**locks, try over 4GB disk space needed).

My system is :- Windows XP (SP2), 1GB pc3200 ram, P4 3.2GHz (HT), 6800GT 256 3D card. Should be fine eh?

The game is unplayable! The best frame rate I can muster is 25fps, and that is standing still looking into space. As soon as more than half a dozen things move in my view I drop to single figures. And I have everything set to minimal detail. Did you read that? MINIMAL DETAIL!

I have turned off all background programs, everything has driver updates including Mobo and Gfx. Have the 1.2 patch installed, reinstalled DX9c and have tried all the setting I can in the game to get better performance.

The game is flawed, really really flawed. And I noticed that it was released before the game mags had printed their review. Is this a coincidence?
Did Egosoft/Deep Silver know there were issues and did a "Boiling Point" on us?
This game has great potential, and as a big fan of the X series I feel let down and more than a little ripped off. I cannot recommend this game to anyone, It is terrible and system requirements are missleading at best.

Oh, and the muppet that tells people to shut down Explorer to play the game wants their ass kicked, it's not a cure, it's a workaround and not acceptable. And as for turning off the hud? How fast am I going? Where are the enemy? Where is my radar? Etc etc etc? Stupid!

Turning off the hud does increase framerates quite substantially, indicating that it IS a Gfx problem and not a processor problem, bu**er all to do with 16000 thing going on in the universe is it!

Fix the damn game before the reviews come out, right now it's going to get about 40% and destroy the reputation that has taken so long and hard to get.

[Mopy]

If you're running with that spec and are getting low fps with all details to low and at 1024x768 I'd think about posting in tech support to see if anyone has any other suggestions.

Your specs own mine (Athlon 2800+ @ 2.08ghz, 128 meg 6600GT, 1 gig of PC2700 RAM) and I'm steady at full details, with AA at 1024x768.

Sure the game is rough on the system, but not that rough. Something else has gotta be wrong there.

Strange goings on indeed.

[Abernathy]

Yup, it's flawed. This is not news. The Egodudes are working their bums off to fix the broken bits from their end, and us users are working ours off to fix our own personal setups - which are all different, there's no one fix that's gonna help everyone!

I found my solution from the Tech support forum - it was the Pixel Shaders V2.0 that my Fx5600 wasn't happy with, but that was just my fix. Your setup is different, so your fix will probably be different too, but there IS one out there!

Please don't throw it out of the pram - yes there are issues, but what's done is done and there's been more than enough moaning about it already. Go find a fix; best place to start would be the tech forum here.

Good luck!

[bennie]

Errm, did you try installing patch 1.2?

I have an AMD 2600+, 1gig of RAM and a radeon 9800pro 128mb and the game runs pretty smoothly....

Also try disabling any background programs like virus scanners and what have you. Also, just for kicks, try upping the detail to medium or high, sometimes this results in a performance increase, strangely enough.

Good luck and don't give up on the game so quickly. Your PC spec should be fine.

-edit- oops, sorry! Didn't see you already tried all that.

[sensitive]

Thanks all, but I tried all that. Been building and modding systems for years now and I'm fairly technically savvy. The problem I have noticed seems to be newer cards like the GeForce 6xxx series.
For some reason I can't post on the tech forum, but only just registered so will figure that out soon, though seems to be many people in the same boat as me and I'm annoyed that the game has been released with so many bugs. I'm sure that the guys are working hard, but the 1.2 patch was 75Mb and was released within days of shipping the game so I think that undue pressure from publishers may be a factor in this.

[Abernathy]

Thanks all, but I tried all that. Been building and modding systems for years now and I'm fairly technically savvy. The problem I have noticed seems to be newer cards like the GeForce 6xxx series.
For some reason I can't post on the tech forum, but only just registered so will figure that out soon, though seems to be many people in the same boat as me and I'm annoyed that the game has been released with so many bugs. I'm sure that the guys are working hard, but the 1.2 patch was 75Mb and was released within days of shipping the game so I think that undue pressure from publishers may be a factor in this.

Ego isn't saying, but yeah, the publishers are definitely being glared at generally. And you're right about the cards - it's weird that a lot of the older systems (and older drivers) seem to produce better results!

Maybe that's the key - why, I dunno - but worth a crack, I reckon! Older drivers?

[gerrythegremlin]

I was chattin on Devnet yesterday and was not surprised to discover that the mods are VERY sensitive about this topic.

Frankly I do not blame the publishers, I blame the culture of high-spec marketing, and Egosoft have been allowing numerous mods and devs to create a clique culture that attacks those who disagree or criticise in other than their preferred directions.

It happens and sometimes it is cleared up, sometimes it is there for all time...

However, given that X2 is still selling, Egosoft should be able to hold out against any publisher pressure. Therefore I look elsewhere for the problems - like inadequate test routines and far be it to me to wonder if the people who put the new system together were reaching a bit...

Well actually that is what I think. Previously I felt that although Egosoft aimed more for the top end, they were losing out on only 20 to 30% of the likely market, but now I think that they have gone a step too far.

Maybe someone baulked at the cost of buying loads of top-end cards and testing the game with them...or maybe they tried the game with the most expensive cards and the least expensive, but left out the middle.

It's a reflection on the drive to bigger better faster, that on this basis the number of people who are let down increases. I have always advocated the slow approach - aim for a lower spec, but put in more substance to this kind of game. High spec is better for simple games that have less to go wrong.

[nomad2k3]

i think they just messed up the pixel shaders somewhere???

seems older cards (pre-6xxx-7xxx) play the game smoothly yet even on monsta setup mine splutters like a tramp on a treadmill,

maybe because older cards use/set to use 1.2 1.4 pixel shaders?

still cod2 should keep me going till they sort it, donr give up egosoft

[Da_Imp]

Although I commend your crusade for justice, I'd like to point out nothing you've mentioned hasn't been stated before.

Because I'm feeling helpful, try rolling back your GFX drivers to 78.xx. Theoretically this should give you a performance boost.

Furthermore, because the search is down, I'll point you to some similar topics discussed earlier:

Betrayed!
Missing Features
Huge complaints thread

[Abernathy]

It all points to older cards/drivers working better than newer ones though, doesn't it? Plus of course AMD folks getting better results than Intel people.

Hmm. Small company, small budget, not enough elbow room to REALLY test against all eventuaities?

Kind of ironic that it's the high-end folks who are reporting the worst results, innit?

[softweir]

It also seems to be nVidia users who have problems. I have yet to see a complaint about performance from ATI users. This sort of problem can be difficult for the developer to sort out, and indeed may be a driver issue that should go back to nVidia for fixing.

Try rolling back to an earlier driver, see if that improves things.

[sensitive]

I'm not on a crusade, I'm letting my feeling be known. The more people that complain about the poor quality of this game the more responsive the developers will be in correcting the fundamental issues it has. If it is left to a few to let the dissapointment be known then not a great deal will be done about it. There are many many people in the situation as myself, it's not just the odd one or two, take a look at the tech forum and see for yourself and the game has only been on the shelf for a short while, imaging what the boards are going to be like in a month or twos time if they havent sorted it out by then?

Rolling back the drivers may help, I have yet to try that, but, and it's a big but, the new drivers for my card are to help with optimization. Rolling back the drivers may mean I have to update them again to play other games and I'm not keen on uninstalling and reinstalling drivers every time I want to play a different game.

I think the only way to get the full potential of this game is to complain and gripe and whine untill it is atleast playable on a medium system with medium detail. I don't think that is unreasonable considering I have PAID for the game, s'not free is it?

I think the ATI/Nvidia issue might be right too, seems far more complaints from GeForce users than anyone else, funny thing is that Nvidia website lists X2 as TWIMTBP but not X3 as yet.
Oh well, off to play F.E.A.R at high detail and 50+fps.....Beautiful!

[ccap16]

I have to say this is the worst launch of a game I have ever seen.
Granted it is a Euro import and I realize you guys over there deal with this stuff all the time with US import games.
The distributor should be driven out of business for screwing up multiple times. The game itself is unplayable for many that did get it, whether due to low frame rates, compatibility issues or Starforce.

X3 showed alot of potential, but it seems an unfinished game was released early and they used a turtle to deliver them.

[Alfred Bester]

This is so pointless...someone delete/lock this message please

[Da_Imp]

I have to say this is the worst launch of a game I have ever seen. ...

Let me refresh your memory:

Master of Orion 3
Black and White (All of em)
Fable (Lack of content, big time, and let down on expectations)
Elite sequels (Which were far worse afaik, at least frontier was)
Battlefield 2
Dawn Of War (It was playable but you'd box yourself in really quickly due to the unit meshes)
Rome: Total War
Starwars Battlefront
Starwars Force Commander (relatively unplayable out of the box)

I could go oooon and oooooooon. But I wont

Thank the heavens mods are finally merging topics!

[Ubik]

This is so pointless...someone delete/lock this message please

Why?

He is just stating his opinion. While not ofending anyone he is entitled to express it.

I can only remember a game who played worse out of the box than this game. It was Battlecruiser 3000AD... I see many names thrown around in this thread, played through many of those titles and never had issues similar to those experienced after playing X3 without patch 1.2 (out of the box).

Considering their good record I am pretty sure the devs will solve most of the technical issues with the game (1.2 was a BIG step in that direction), they will probably add some functinalities and add a few stuff too. What we cannot hope is for the gameplay to be improved, which is a pity as it keeps almost the same since X-Tension (6 years ago).

[thrangar]

Hes on fire quick someone bring up the trucks

[sensitive]

As this is a free country, and a free forum I have every right to complain when I feel let down. If you dislike the posts then dont read them alfred. If you have X3 and it runs great then tell everyone what your secret is rather than make off hand comments without educated or informed input.
If your complaint is about the number of complaints about the game performance, then deleting/locking this message would be counter productive. Developers want feedback, even if it is bad. How are they going to fix games and prevent issues in the future without it?
It would be interesting though to see what ratio of ATI to Nvidia performance issues there are. And to see if AMD/Intel have a different aspect too.

[childofbhaal]

I have to say this is the worst launch of a game I have ever seen. ...

Let me refresh your memory:

Master of Orion 3
Black and White (All of em)
Fable (Lack of content, big time, and let down on expectations)
Elite sequels (Which were far worse afaik, at least frontier was)
Battlefield 2
Dawn Of War (It was playable but you'd box yourself in really quickly due to the unit meshes)
Rome: Total War
Starwars Battlefront
Starwars Force Commander (relatively unplayable out of the box)

I could go oooon and oooooooon. But I wont

Thank the heavens mods are finally merging topics!

Whoa, whoa, lets go over a bit.
MOO3 - Never played it, but as much as EVERYONE complained about it, and how it failed as an X4 game, I didn't see much complaining over bugs. However Like I said, I haven't played it so I won't commet.

B&W - Both games were QUITE complete when they came out. And I had loads of fun with B&W1. Reasonable amounts with B&W2.

Fable - I should slap you for saying this game had a bad launch. Maybe its because I didn't go into the hype. I tend not to read too much or get excited about games. So I had the advantage over those who were expecting the next-generation RPG. Not only was fable 100% complete (I am playing TLC and the only problem I have with it is a nVidia driver problem and odd target switching.) And the game was fun. An 8 game, through and through. I had more problems with RTW that with this.

Elite - Never played. I know, i know.

Battlefield 2 - This game, you have a point. It was really lacking in the Optimization level, but not as much as I have heard about X3. My system can play BF2 v1.0 at full detail. With a few glitchs, but smoothly (I mean 60Fps+ smooth.)

Dawn Of War - What the hell are you talking about? DoW was one of the best games released at its time (its quarter I mean). The game was complete. True, it needed some balancing for multiplayer, but what RTS DOESN'T?

Rome: Total War - Again, what the hell are you talking about. Again, RTS and balanacing.

Starwars Battlefront - Never played

Starwars Force Commander - Never played

Sorry, X3 seems to be in terrible conditions. All those games you mentioned could have used a pick me up at launch, but out of the box they were PLAYABLE. Some of them don't even NEED to be patched. Its would have helped, but you could live without it.

X3 on the other hand seems incomplete. I mean when Some one with a system like mine, but slightly above, is having problems, I tend to worry (System with problem: 4400+[Mine:4600+], 7800GTX SLI, 2[Mine:1] gigs).

YOu seemed to be calling those games bad launch because they did not deliver according to the level of HYPE. That aside even, they were all quite GOOD launchs, technically speaking. X3 seems to the axis of terrible bad launchs. Its not Egosofts fault (entirely. Devs ALWAYS take soem of the blame.) But it has to be said, this launch was pitful. At least they are working their asses of to finish the game.

No offence intended but how the hell did you come up with THOSES games as having worse launchs? Good logic and sense, that list does not make.

[Da_Imp]

Whoa, whoa, lets go over a bit.
MOO3 - Never played it, but as much as EVERYONE complained about it, and how it failed as an X4 game, I didn't see much complaining over bugs. Howeverm Like I said, I haven't played it so I won't commet.

B&W - Both games were QUITE complete when they came out. And I had loads of funf with B&W1. Reasonable amounts with B&W2.

Elite - Never played. I know, i know.

Battlefield 2 - This game, you have a point. It was really lacking in the Optimization level, but not as much as I have heard about X3. My system can play BF2 v1.0 at full detail. With a few glitchs, but smoothly (I mean 60Fps+ smooth.)

Dawn Of War - What the hell are you talking about? DoW was one of the best games released at its time (its quarter I mean). The game was complete. True, it needed some balancing for multiplayer, but what RTS DOESN'T?

Rome: Total War - Again, what the hell are you talking about. Again, RTS and balanacing.

Starwars Battlefront - Never played

Starwars Force Commander - Never played

Sorry, X3 seems to be in terrible conditions. All those games you mentioned could have used a pick me up at launch, but out of the box they were PLAYABLE. Some of them don't even NEED to be patched. Its would have helped, but you could live without it.

X3 on the other hand seems incomplete. I mean when SOme one with a system like mine, but slightly above, is having problems, I tend to worry (System with problem: 4400+[Mine:4600+], 7800GTX SLI, 2[Mine:1] gigs).

No offence intended but how the hell did you come up with THOSES games as having worse launchs? Good logic and sense, that list does not make.

I never said they were in the same condition as X3. They did have issues however, and all I wanted to show is there's a trend in the gaming industry, mainly not delivering polished products. I should've elaborated on that point, my mistake.

MOO3 didn't match up to the expectations. Furthermore, there were a LOT of bugs in the initial release. Trust me on this one, I followed it intensely It was certainly more of a mess than X3.

B&W: As you said, they were quite complete, but not 100%. Especially B&W2 which needed an immediate patch, which broke backwards compatibility and introduced a few serious other CTD's some users were experiencing, including myself. Not as bad as X3, it wasn't a complete product either. As I recall correctly, they promised multiplayer as well, and declared rather late it wouldn't make the release.

Dawn of War had some serious bugs on release as well, just to mention the Direct Connect bug, which is still present which prevents two people behind a router to direct connect to a host in most cases. Even the expansion didn't fix this. Further more it had, and with the expansion, has again, a few meshing issues. If you built a lot of turrets next to eachother, your units couldnt more around them although there was enough space between them. This was horribly frustrating. It didn't kill the game though, although the Direct Connect issue ruined a lot of fun for me.

Rome - Total War: Added this because it gave me problems on release, and a few other users on the forum named it as an example as well.

Again, all Im pointing out is a trend. Which is worrying. But X3 certainly isn't the worst release ever. Frontier: First Encounters (Elite) bypassed X3 by far. And internet wasn't as wide spread back then, so support was even worse.

And Master of Orion 3... Well. It's a thing best forgotten. Shame though it had so much potential..,.