X3

[Ethric]

Fighter drones are great for distracting, yes even though they do ca no damage.

[Kalah]

The Hyperion/Reaver combo team really packs a punch.. I just knocked out two Xenon Q ships... at the same time. Yowza.

OK, it's almost 7 a.m. I'm hooked on this game, apparently, and I am badly in need of a holiday (from it).

[Kalah]

OK, that's like the tenth time this has happened: I equipped two Mercurys to work for my two latest factories, and suddenly, one of them is gone. Checking messages, I notice it was destroyed hours ago. No warning. No "one of your ships is under attack" message so I could jump to the rescue. Just... poof. Apparently, this can happen when something very powerful attacks it, causing it to be destroyed almost immediately. Still, I'd like to be told after the fact, dammit. Now I have to buy and equip another Mercury, which will set me back a million... Oh, and I'm gonna put my Medusa to protect one, and I'm buying a Pirate Nova to guard the other. Anything like this happens again, I'm reloading, even if I lose hours of play.

[Ethric]

If something big (or many small) attack so fast and hard that your freighter goes poof with no notice, I doubt one flimsy M3 is going to help. Just means you loose 1m worth of freighter AND 5m worth of fighter.

Use Osprey Vanguards or something as escort for freighter. Heck, use Ospreys AS freighters

...expensive you say? Well, yes.

[Kalah]

I'll keep an eye out for those Ospreys. In the mean time, M3s will have to do. Also, I'm thinking about packing the sector with satellites, and park my Reaver there with the order "Attack all enemies".

I just did another one of those "Xenon invading" missions, and was once again solely responsible for killing the J. Killed 88 Xenon total, giving me a whopping 13 million yummy creditsss.

Right after, I took the mission of killing the Unknown M6 - as I discovered the way to kill those earlier. The key is using fighter drones. The more, the better. I used 17, and only 4 were left after the battle, but both my ships were alive and suffered no hull damage. With a reward of 2,2 million, the cost of the drones (about 70.000 total) was easily worth it.

[Kalah]

So... Just bought myself a TL. And I thought the Reaver was big...

The Split Elephant has better overall stats than any other TL (except for the Terran Asgard, which is off the charts), and I particularly enjoy having a TL with the same maximum speed (131) as the ship I'm sitting in (Hyperion). The only drawback I can see, versus ships like the Orca and the Albatross, is that the Elephant can't use Flak. But still, loaded up with PPCs it can still defend itself, and it's not like I'll be letting this thing travel around unescorted. Until I can get hold of some corvettes, I'm escorting it personally.

I was thinking of what sort of missions I can do with this thing. The first is to haul my HQ to its new home in Paranid Prime, obvisously, but then what? Buy an ore collector and have it suck up an entire asteroid belt whilst the superfreighters shuttle the rocks to surrounding stations? Cruise through the systems, buying every resource I can come across at low prices and keep it in the hold until I find somewhere to sell it at an exorbitant price? I'm sure I'll think of something.

[Ethric]

It's used to transport stations, and possibly as a mobile refueler. Can't do much else. Weaponery is a joke, horrible turret coverage, and shields like a decent corvette BUT a hundred times the surface area, impossible to miss.

[Kalah]

Yeah, will probably keep it in safe sectors, and use the jumpdrive for any long hauls. Should be fun as a reservoir for cheap goods, and if I come across someone desperate, I'll have it in store

But guess what just happened? I went through a gate, and you know what was on the other side? A Xenon Q. With its ass toward me. Que evil laugh. Cut to: Scene of madman at the keyboard, punching the keys "L" and "Ctrl". Que voice from deep down in throat yelling: "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!" Que big explosion. Fade out. Wrap, cut to print. Take lunch.

[Kalah]

I know you're on holiday, E, so since there's mostly the two of us participating here I might be talking to myself... but I just did another Xenon mission and killed (along with 111 fighters) both the J and the K, which gave me 30M. More than I had in the bank.

*doing the booty dance*

[Ethric]

Posting every little successful venture you have in the game seems a mite on the spammish side, if I may say so (and of course, I may).

Didn't bring that game with me, doubt it's all to playable on this laptop.

[Kalah]

Yeah, what was the specs on that again? The video card is probably not good enough. But it works well otherwise, right? You're only supposed to use it for work and watching porn anyway, so...

Heheee... here's another funny quote, considering the circumstances:

"Teladi now turn on you!" .... but he forgot to actually turn... so he ran right into me and exploded.

[MistWeaver]

X³: Terran Conflict is a brand new, stand-alone game set in the universe of X³. It is the culmination of the X trilogy, with a grand finale that takes us all the way back to Earth's own solar system. Gamers can take on the roles of different characters in the X universe, or of a Terran military pilot, and experience a multitude of stories in the largest X universe ever featured - for X³: Terran Conflict will offer more missions than any other X game before. Meanwhile, X³: Terran Conflict will pose questions such as: How has Earth changed in all these years? And how will relations between Earth and its counterparts in the X universe develop?

X³: Terran Conflict is scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2008.

http://www.egosoft.com/games/x3_tc/info_en.php

[Ethric]

Interesting, but will they manage to fill in more content that the XTM did? A tall order to fill, and if not it would hurt the sales. The target audience is, I think, rather small, but well informed.

[Kalah]

Having played X3 for many many hours now, I have one question.... what the hell is a buckzoid!?

[Kalah]

Playing a bit again... I've longed for the moment when I'm in such a powerful ship I can travel straight through a series of Pirate (or worse, Xenon) sectors and just kill everything in my path. I keep trying to go through a section of 4 pirate sectors in my Hyperion prototype M7, backed up by a couple of Reavers and Custodians. Still, I have to simply withdraw after a while... the pirates are simply too many. I'm still waiting for the über ship that will allow me to go all the way through....

[Kalah]

XTM really rocks on a 42" plasma screen...

I've been so active with this game and in the game's community that I was offered a position as moderator support in the XTM forum...

My realm of influence is expanding... eeeexcellent.

[Gekneldeland]

I'm kinda junping in here from the sideline:

But this game is taking up dust in my cupboard because I got bored and very irretated. I want to gve it a chance again but I need to know some things:

Why is everything in the game so stretched out (time). I mean, checking ou the scenery of the universe was alright for the first week of play but then it got so boring I started reading Raymond E. Feist's Magician again while I was traveling from sector to sector (10x is WAY too slow).

Also, building a space station really is a drag. I mean just placing maneuvering and getting it to run sucks. It takes ages and millions and then does'nt make any money.

The only way to make money is with 25 or more Universal traders. Thats how I did it. But I want to build a station. Also, you have to search for everything.

You know, the fact is the game can be played like Patrician (terrific trade game) or Space Rangers and the 3D is there when I want to check things out in 1st person, or fight a few pirates etc. In three hours or maybe more I could be well on my way and really start playing.

This game wastes precious time of your life and it gives you very little. I have to admit that it hooked me the first couple a weeks. I was lost from social society Only after a while did I note that it's gameplay is wrong and awkward.

Why all the graphics and slow gameplay? It only interferes with the real game or tries to make you think you're working for results. You're not, your (or at least I am) snoring your way to the next sector, the next station, the next upgrade and the next space battle.

Don't get me wrong, the game could be great. I love the size, the feel and especially the music. Very atmospheric. The graphics are terrific but why? I could get going in Patrician after three to four hours gameplay, but why do I need weeks for the same results and 70% boredom (reading and waiting) and 30% playing?

Do I need a expansion? I have all the patches. Maybe a mod, just to let the gametime go faster - 30X or more.

Mmmm, maybe I should rather pass the game on to someone who likes this sorta thing.

Sorry to all the harcore fans for this critique. It's just my personal experience. A lotta people love the game.

(Even Eve Online has gotton disastrously biased to a few ingame companies that are mastered by a few developers themselves - how's that for messed up gameplay. You will always be a pawn or nobody and only something if you hook up to one of these BIG players. So,... same as X3, endless gameplay for nothing because some developer decided to incognito hand out Big Ships with Big Guns to certain 'friends', and you, my little noob Eve player, are paying for this...litteraly )

this last part did not make too much sense, but some Eve players will know what I am talking about

[Ethric]

X3 isn't really a game suitable to rush about in.And there are other ways to make money than by UT's. Personally I don't like them, they are too automated and feels cheap. But you really have to explore the game, and if you then give up/decide it's not for you, well, then I guess it isn't. I find it fun, and take it really slow, because when I get too much stuff going on, I get bored.

But yes, there are a lot of awkvardness in the controls of some things. Somewhat improved in Terran Conflict though.

And it's entirely possible to enjoy EVE without being part of the old and mighty. Unless of course you want all the shinies asap; then feel free to blame BoB on your way back to WoW

[Kalah]

I want to gve it a chance again but I need to know some things:

The first thing you need to know, is the way to this forum. You need this forum, trust me. The game is so full of stuff you'll never find without it. Especially when you use the Extended Mod (XTM). This active map is also incredibly useful; it shows you practically everything in the game (it's not 100% updated re the stations, but it's close).

Why is everything in the game so stretched out (time).

I've got two words for you: Jump Drive.

Also, building a space station really is a drag. I mean just placing maneuvering and getting it to run sucks. It takes ages and millions and then does'nt make any money.

I can give you loads of tips there; it took me quite a while to learn as well, but when I mastered it, I even managed to build huge complexes. The main thing you need if you want lots of stations, is your own TL. Hiring ships and travelling through the verse just takes too long. Get a TL, install a jump drive and all the other equipment, get a transport and use it as a supply ship for the TL. Then you can buy a station where you want to, jump directly to the sector you want to place it in, and then drop the station.

Do I need a expansion?

You need the Extended mod. It adds lots of ships and sectors and other stuff. It's insanely good.

[Gekneldeland]

@Kalah. Thanks for the link (your right, that forum is a must-know) and tips... I feel a bit stupid now about some of my complaints...

and OMG! That extended mod is incredible!!! Communities sometimes REALLY surprise me (Reason why I cannot turn to consoles). It's like Freespace 2 - incredible add-ons (Babylon for example) and huge modification to the graphics that made this one of my favourite space combat sims - I love the mutliplayer and scale of the battles.

Aaaanyway. I can't wait to try this out.