X3: Reunion - Gold!

[Axyon]

http://www.egosoft.com/x2/forum/viewtopic.php?t=94456&sid=8ad9d4d24c5bfa8234a51d1ceaf3d26f

"Egosoft is today pleased to announce that X3: Reunion, the latest in the exciting space simulation series of X-Universe games has “gone Gold” with release dates to be shortly confirmed by regional publishers. The UK anticipated release date is expected to be confirmed by Deepsilver as 28 October 2005. The German version will follow very soon after.

Speaking from the Egosoft HQ in Würselen, Germany CEO Bernd Lehahn confirmed “X3 marks a genuine and dramatic milestone in our game development. Close on 2 years of hard work have brought us to the point where we are ready to take the space genre onto a whole new level and directly into the mainstream of gaming, and to keep it fresh into the future.”

Egosoft would like to thank our staff, publishers and all the fans who have helped bring us this far, and will continue with us for the future."

I never got into the X-series, but I've been anticipating this for quite a while. A good space explorer/shooter has been needed for a long time now, and this looks to fill that gap very sufficiently. Aside from that, it's bloody gorgeous:

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/3537/x315gw.jpg
http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/5809/x323le.jpg
http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/5070/x330lf.jpg

[Stigmata]

Good god, that game is beautiful.

I am most definitely buying this game... upon reading a few reviews, that is.

[Pixelyzed]

What exactly is it about? Do you literally create gigantic space ships and battle?

[SimonomiS]

Sweet Jesus, just looking at those shots is killing my computer.

-SimonomiS

[hungryduck]

awesome!

[JNightshade]

Oh my god, I just had a visual orgasm.

[Lemonking]

its german btw

[Pixelyzed]

Anyone know of the system requirements?

[StardogChampion]

Forget the damn graphics, is that a windows style GUI I see? The worst thing about X2 was the UI, hopefully they've made it more like Eve Online.

I'm definately getting this now.

[Iced_Eagle]

That looks really cool! :D

I'll be checking out the demo when they release it :) In one of their interviews they say that once the game goes gold, they will work on a demo (but are unsure if it will be out before/after retail release)

[Axyon]

What exactly is it about? Do you literally create gigantic space ships and battle?You can do what you like. Trade, fight, freight... it's pretty much totally open-ended. You don't have to follow the plot if you don't want to. A quote on the site sums it up better than I can:

"There is a living breathing universe waiting for you to fight, barter, steal, pirate, police, trade and build your way through it. Are you up to the challenge to claim the ultimate prize?"

:D

[destrukt]

.. and the game actually let's you do all that, unlike other games were they claim to let you do literally anything you want.

[Axyon]

The devs are showing off a bit on the forums now, heh. One just revealed the scale of some of the ships in the game:

http://www.egosoft.com/games/x3/screenshots/x3_screen_099.jpg

Okay, a little unclear here on how that human compares... now let's take a look at the whole ship:

http://www.egosoft.com/games/x3/screenshots/x3_screen_089.jpg

:)

[Iced_Eagle]

That's friggin huge! :o

Can't wait to play this TBH now... Creative open-ended gameplay = ownage!

It would be so awesome if there was some MP functionality in this... However, by then they would just be making an MMO lol :P

*edit* BTW, I'm going to check out X2... Anyone wanna give me some tips? :)

*edit2* Man... Imagine if you could go inside ships and space stations and such... That would make for some exciting times :D

[TheSomeone]

So it's one of those space trade/fight/buy simulations where you can buy ships and trade stuff and earn money and so on?

[Iced_Eagle]

So it's one of those space trade/fight/buy simulations where you can buy ships and trade stuff and earn money and so on?

Yup, open-ended at that :)

[AmishSlayer]

You said it was a german game. It's gonna be a wide release so it'll be in english right?

Also, can you control the ships yourself or is it just rts style?

[Iced_Eagle]

You said it was a german game. It's gonna be a wide release so it'll be in english right?

Also, can you control the ships yourself or is it just rts style?

It's also going to be in English, you can preorder the English DVD from their store right now.

Yes you control the ships (it's a Newtonian flight system, so that means that a ship will keep moving in its current direction until there is some sort of counter-thrust for it to change directions... You don't need your thrusters all the times like movies show)

[TheSomeone]

Yup, open-ended at that :)

I remember those, I had so much fun with Escape Velocity. I'll definetly check this out.

[Kyorisu]

I found number two hard to control. I'd better buy a joystick for this one.

[AmishSlayer]

It's also going to be in English, you can preorder the English DVD from their store right now.

Yes you control the ships (it's a Newtonian flight system, so that means that a ship will keep moving in its current direction until there is some sort of counter-thrust for it to change directions... You don't need your thrusters all the times like movies show)

Sounds good to me. Every other space-sim I've played makes you keep throttle up to stay at speed which doesn't make sense :P

I remember those, I had so much fun with Escape Velocity. I'll definetly check this out.

Man, I played EV:Nova a lot a couple years back. It's surprisingly fun.

[Teta_Bonita]

http://www.egosoft.com/games/x/info_en.php
Its a space pirate empire building game, or at least I think it is.... :E

[AmishSlayer]

Something tells me I won't be able to run this on max settings and keep it smooth.

[Gargantou]

I played through and enjoyed X-2, and am looking forward to X-3, but I'd really really like to see a new "Elite", nothing'll ever beat Elite 2/3 for me.
I loved everything, the planet system, etc, it was funny just sitting there waiting and watching the clouds pass by, imagine doing that with a next-gen engine, volymetric clouds etc, everything being simulated, orbits etc, gravity.

[oldagerocker]

mmmm im liking the look of it. May get it, depends on the reviews. i dont like bad UI/controls.

[Shakermaker]

X2 had a great premise, but I didn't like it a lot. The keyboard controls didn't work very well, and it was a bit too hardcore for me. If the reviews are positieve, I am getting it for sure.

[Axyon]

I've been thinking of getting the Saitek x45 or X52 set, and this game might just tip the balance on that decision. Anyone got any other joystick recommendations?

[StardogChampion]

That's friggin huge! :o

Can't wait to play this TBH now... Creative open-ended gameplay = ownage!

It would be so awesome if there was some MP functionality in this... However, by then they would just be making an MMO lol :P

*edit* BTW, I'm going to check out X2... Anyone wanna give me some tips? :)

*edit2* Man... Imagine if you could go inside ships and space stations and such... That would make for some exciting times :D
You could go inside the ships in X2. Except it's only a sectioned off docking area that you got to fly around in.

Tips: Do the story until you get the free cargo ship, then don't touch the story again, because the cutscenes are hilariously bad.

Use an analog joypad or a joystick.

X2 had a great premise, but I didn't like it a lot. The keyboard controls didn't work very well, and it was a bit too hardcore for me. If the reviews are positieve, I am getting it for sure.
It wasn't made for a keyboard... buy some cheap analog controller at least.

[Shakermaker]

It wasn't made for a keyboard... buy some cheap analog controller at least.

Like Axyon I am contemplating on buying a joystick. If I get X3 my balance might be tipped as well.

[Lemonking]

/pets his MS Sidewinder FFB :)

[destrukt]

ms side winder precision pro 2 ftw ! i've had it for about 5 years and still works perfectly; i've just been waiting for the right game to use it with . . .

[Quixoticism]

Those screenshots are making me want to reinstall my copy of Freelancer. Man I love that game. The controls for it are simply amazing and it works wonders with a mouse.
This game will I keep my eyes on.

[StardogChampion]

X is nothing like freelancer. Freelancer is just an average space shooter.

[destrukt]

^ don't say that, you'll start another useless argument : (

.. but, it was basic, but that's why it was so popular, because it was easy, efficient and fun.

[Quixoticism]

I've never played any X games.

The main thing that I liked about Freelancer is the size of the universe. Getting lost in your first nebula makes you feel really small. :D
I was never really into space shooters, mostly because they required a joystick. Freelancer was just different.

[Axyon]

Just ordered a Saitek Cyborg Evo Wireless, so I should be all set now!

[dream431ca]

Is the game strategy action or both?

[Lemonking]

its more action and econemy (sp)

[Shakermaker]

It's about a week old but since it hasn't been posted in this thread:
<3 page preview by Gamespy> (http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/x3-reunion/658338p1.html).

[CyberPitz]

I've never even HEARD of any of the X games...this one looks absolutly gorgeous..I want it. Good thing I got the Microsoft Force Feedback 2.. whew.