[Space Sim] X3: Reunion

[LoS-NutzholzWolf]

Here is the sequal to X2: The Threat. It was going to be the expansion pack but so much was being added they decided to make it a stand alone game. If you thought the Universe in X2 was big, take a look at the following screenshot:

http://www.egosoft.com/games/x3/screenshots/x3_screen_080.jpg

In that picture is a M3 class Heavy Fighter in the foreground and a M2 Battleship behind and below. Further in the back ground is a space station, along with a planet and moon.

Here is another good shot:

http://www.egosoft.com/games/x3/screenshots/x3_screen_062.jpg

In this one you have the same M3 Heavy Fighter sitting above a Solar Array that is attached to a Solar Power Plant along with other arrays. To give you more of a head ach, they claim that this is only the "Medium" sized SPP.

For more screenshots: http://www.x2thethreat.com/x2/forum/viewtopic.php?t=87897&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=b9a658657e0c969a6001eee6435b7983

Tha game is set to come out between now and the end of the year, they are keeping a tight lip about when but they assure people it is coming out. There is no multiplayer in the game. It does allow you to define what your character is following along games such as Elite, Privateer, FreeLancer.

[Raiyven]

that is very, very nice. i haven't played X2 myself, but you've gotten me interested in the franchise :)

[Variable]

Wow, those shots are looking a hell of a lot better than X2, and I remember drooling when that came out. I clearly recall telling my friends to download the benchmark/non-playable demo of X2 when it was still being developed and all of us raving about the engine and the details and the scale, claiming that a game with all the aspects that demo showed off coudln't possibly exist...

We were glad to be proven wrong, but X2 was somewhat lacking. NPC models obviously weren't their priority, making me wish they'd stuck with the Privateer-style torso only detailing. The plot was forgettable. Basically X2 was a sandbox you could easily lose yourself in for hours on end.

My hope for X3 is an improved menu system, an improved NPC interaction/plotline, and just a touch more life in the universe.

[LoS-NutzholzWolf]

By my understanding you got your wish for X3.

The menu systems takes advantage of submenues and mouse interfaces. The NPC's now build stations to compete against your stations, have not heard about how NPC's react to you yet. The plot line is said to be longer and more character driven instead of story driven. It has been said that every thing you do actually changes how to stroy unfolds, but if that is true is yet to be seen. The gates will no longer be in the predictable positions they have been, they will now be in variouse places that appear more natural.

Beyond that they are being tight lipped for the most part. There are tid-bits of info floating around but no one is confirming. Another thing, a preview that was done recently said that you had a choice of a couple of character to play beyond that of Jullian. One of which was a Teladi Smuggler.

I have only been playing X2 for a few months and only got into it because Gambit posted about it on the Xmen forum. So I am glad I can get more people interested in it. Also you should know they have been developing a MMOG called X-Online. They have been really tight lipped on that and have been working on it for a couple of years now. I have enjoyed the game on single player a lot, still have not completed the story in X2, so I am thrilled with the idea of playing in a Universe with my friends when X-Online finally comes out.

[LoS-NutzholzWolf]

Just saw this on the Egosoft website:

Sunday 16th October 2005

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.

http://www.x2thethreat.com/community/news_en.php

[Gambit]

http://www.thzclan.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[LoS-NutzholzWolf]

Here is a quote from the news section again:
BASINGSTOKE, ENGLAND (OCTOBER 17TH 2005) – DEEP SILVER and EGOSOFT are excited to finally announce that X³: REUNION has gone GOLD and will be blasting to players PC’s from the 28th October 2005

The sequel to the award-winning PC title X²: The Threat; X³: Reunion is an in-depth space simulation that thrusts players into an epic battle for control of the universe. The latest in graphics technology and a multi-purpose interface allow the player to fight, barter, pirate, police, steal and trade their way to domination. Featuring a real dynamically interactive AI and economic model, NPC pilots will help or hinder players on the way to salvation for the universe.



“In X³: Reunion, the universe has been developed with complete input from the fan community. A multitude of new missions, countless hidden items to find and unlock, NPCs to barter, trade and compete in factory building make for a challenged unparallel in the space simulation genre. The addition of new worlds, alien races and a plot that will keep you playing into long into the early hours, X³ propels space gaming back to the forefront of the gaming world in a way not seen since Elite was first released,” said Bernd Lehan, CEO EGOSOFT Studios. “With a unique open-ended style of game play, X³ is everything to all players: an action combat adventure, a trading simulation and a factory-building challenge, the player will think their way through the ultimate challenge in 21st century gaming.”



Features for X³: Reunion Include:

* Revolutionary in-house DirectX 9 engine, featuring the latest in graphical technology. Full use of the entire range of pixel shader technology is used to create realistic reflections
* Defeat your enemies through combat or commerce, blockades and building. Compete against traders who learn and improve as the game progresses
* Multi-functional user interface, offering complete user-defined control by mouse, keyboard, game pad or joystick of the unique X universe physics with controlled semi-Newtonian drifting
* Over 200 main game models designed in incredible detail and over 10,000 independent active objects interacting in the same real time environment as the player
* Additional content added post-release, including new missions, models, AI updates and new 3D content
* Vast factories in different sizes and constructs, spanning tens of kilometers in length built by NPCs and player alike

Here is a picture to really get the scale of things, there is a person in a space suit at the engines of the battle ship class vessel:

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

To further expand the perspective, those engines belong to this ship:

http://www.x2thethreat.com/games/x3/screenshots/x3_screen_086.jpg