Unbiased Poll about The Pride of Albion vs multiple ships - Part 1

[Nanook]

...
Why, we fail to understand that plot unlocking upgrades, doesn't mean you get all available upgrades for a component. Linear means that you get presented with all available components, that can be upgraded in the Skunk during the plot, but it is up to you, which components you choose to upgrade. It is a common, even standard game mechanic in many games, and offers a good grade of customization...

And none of those games have sandbox, free-roaming styles of gameplay like all of the previous X games did. This kind of upgrading does not lend itself well to gameplay longevity or replayability. You go through the linear upgrade process a few times and the game becomes too predictable, and hence, potentially boring. It gives the illusion of freedom, but actually severly limits it, at least compared to the freedom to which we've become accustomed in past games.

[wwdragon]

...
Why, we fail to understand that plot unlocking upgrades, doesn't mean you get all available upgrades for a component. Linear means that you get presented with all available components, that can be upgraded in the Skunk during the plot, but it is up to you, which components you choose to upgrade. It is a common, even standard game mechanic in many games, and offers a good grade of customization...

And none of those games have sandbox, free-roaming styles of gameplay like all of the previous X games did. This kind of upgrading does not lend itself well to gameplay longevity or replayability. You go through the linear upgrade process a few times and the game becomes too predictable, and hence, potentially boring. It gives the illusion of freedom, but actually severly limits it, at least compared to the freedom to which we've become accustomed in past games.

You are right on This worries me as well.

I am also concerned about the universe gameplay not being open ended.
From what I understand, the universe opens up as the plot progresses; this is the opposite of the current X games, where I can just boot off whenever I want.
I do this a lot with some plots, since missions get boring with all the deliver X number of goods here (Hub!).

[Night Nord]

Nobody tries to say, that one player ship is bad for sandbox. It's just not as bad as you say. It's not death to the series and the spirit. And it's obviously not permanent as some other people assume. It was already told and partially confirmed by EgoSoft representatives that making player ship is tedious process requiring a lot of time. And it was never said, that it's a set-in-stone major design decision, so there is no reason to believe that there will never be many player ships. Just not on release.

[wwdragon]

Nobody tries to say, that one player ship is bad for sandbox. It's just not as bad as you say. It's not death to the series and the spirit. And it's obviously not permanent as some other people assume. It was already told and partially confirmed by EgoSoft representatives that making player ship is tedious process requiring a lot of time. And it was never said, that it's a set-in-stone major design decision, so there is no reason to believe that there will never be many player ships. Just not on release.

I'm not assuming one ship will ruin the game.

I do dislike the one ship only thing. I understand that they are fully implementing the inside of it and your npc crew; Of course This will take lots of dev time.
I don't think this was needed; I think the older style cockpits could've probably been done in the same time, allowing multiple ships with just hud windows when the npcs are talking.
I like the X3 way of doing it just fine.

[Santi]

And none of those games have sandbox, free-roaming styles of gameplay like all of the previous X games did. This kind of upgrading does not lend itself well to gameplay longevity or replayability. You go through the linear upgrade process a few times and the game becomes too predictable, and hence, potentially boring. It gives the illusion of freedom, but actually severly limits it, at least compared to the freedom to which we've become accustomed in past games.

Doing the plot everytime you wan to start a new game is case to worry, of course a well placed savegame sorts out that problem and will allow you to start in full sandbox mode.

The upgrading system after that, is the same as the current games, dictated by money and relations to races.

[the-danzorz]

As far as i know and what has been said. SOME upgrades are unlocked by the plot, but not all. As the plot introduces you into the new mechanics of the game, it only unlocks some of the upgrades. Never read that the plot unlocks all upgrades.

[Slashman]

Capital ships have several sizes in Rebirth, except the big ones, the Skunk is able to take small/medium capital ships by Bernd words. In Rebirth Capital ships can be either military or civilian.

Before I even address the other points in your post, where did Bernd say that the Skunk will take on capital ships? Is that recent? Because I can't remember him ever stating that. Maybe I missed it.

[Santi]

GamesCom interview:

Bernd:
It isn't that simple, as I said, the player ship is more complex - alone the fact that it has drones, and these drones again can do special tasks, this includes indirectly the boarding of capital ships later. But you won't fully defeat a capital ship just with your player ship, you don't have enough firepower, but the boarding can also be lead form your ship.

Question:
But you can at least shoot it incapacitate, disable all weapons and shields of the capital ship?

Bernd:
That is a question of balancing - certainly not the biggest, but much larger ones absolutely, you surely want some sense of achievement, not only have to defeat the weaker ones. Of course you will also be able to defeat large ships, but not the biggest, and everything else is a matter of balancing.

While first denies that player ship can defeat a capital ship, although you can board it, with the question of disabling capital ships, he agrees that while not the bigger ones, you can defeat some capital ships. The energy transporter was a "medium" capital ship.

[Blue Wraith]

Obviously more features (flying more types of ships) is more desirable. However, in practice, I find that I mainly hang out in one ship (my overtuned Hyperion) while commanding the other ships. I typically only switch ships when I need to for some special purpose.

I am hoping you realize that none of the previous X3 ships will make a return in Rebirth. It's a new universe and the old rules are kind of out the door.

The point of my statement was (for the purposes of the poll) that I already play like they are describing the player ship mechanic in Rebirth. So one player ship is not really going to hurt my feelings so long as it has decent capability. The Hyperion is just an example of the ship I use for my "player ship" in X3 and why.

[Nanook]

....
The point of my statement was (for the purposes of the poll) that I already play like they are describing the player ship mechanic in Rebirth. So one player ship is not really going to hurt my feelings so long as it has decent capability...

A one-size-fits-all approach is emminently bad for an open-ended sandbox-style game. So having one playership, and it's always the same ship, is fine for a few but bad for most. You were able to play past X games the way you wanted to, in a single ship. You had that choice. In Rebirth, the majority of us who prefer multiple ships won't be able to play the way we like, with lot's of ship choices.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

I only just noticed this game on Steam (and at what seems to me a good price), and it got me thinking if some of the one-upgradable-ship mechanics are going to be similar in X-Rebirth.

[Geek]

Not really.
I own this game, there are several ships (all fighters) you can fly.

Upgrading is done in a very different manner compared to XR.
In SRU a ship is a bunch of stats that you improve in several ways, including pilot skills.
Some upgrades can be bought (up to a limit per ship), some can be crafted from minerals.
Weapons upgrades are also a different story since there are different damage/defense types.

[Flybye]

Like so many others, I have an open mind for Rebirth. I am very excited about its release and am looking forward to it. But the Skunk single philopshy still eats away at me.

I've been having my fun with the xperimental shuttle before giving it in. Using it to explore, deploy my first station, etc. Yeah I've been in my "command" ship for a few weeks. Having the Skunk would be no big deal.

But I've been looking forward to buying the Fenrir, maxing it out, hunting for speed crates and making it my speed death machine. Can that compare with my current "command ship?" Of course not.

I just can't wrap my brain around not being able to change my ship to submerge myself in a totally different setting. Yeah I'll spend days even weeks doing logistics in my command ship, but eventually I NEED to get in my fighter and do some serious pounding and look good doing it.

Even if the Skunk can transform itself from command ship to an M3 type monster, it still just a Skunk underneath. I really can't see myself using drones to fight all of my battles for me, and I love getting the feel of a new ship under my seat.

Has anything changed recently where we can fly other ships, or as far as we know the Skunk is still it?

[Dr2i]

[Privata]

the single ship is just an ''interface''
the stunk seems to be the interface , and the main menu in game. and all that.
its the playership the one for the main things like travel.
you can give orders to big ships (I dont think you can remote control the big ones)
but you can remote control drones (drones dont have to be small some of them might be like m3, m4s (I dont know Im just gessing)

so you can (I think) control other ships just they wont have anny cockpit (via remot control)

[Flybye]

Ah I didn't know about the remote controlling in that sense. But one makes you wonder would you be less careful flying? I mean being in the heat of the battle would be far different than sitting comfortably in your padded seat in another sector or a few hundred KMs away. "Eh it's okay if my ship is destroyed as I'm all nice and fluffy far away" as opposed to "OMG OMG OMG i don't want to get my ship destroyed and risk getting run over in my space suit."

[Santi]

It will depend in the situation or mission, is not the same going out for a spin in a drone, that taking out that blasted laser turret that is frying all the Skunk systems.

I personally love the idea of drones and what they offer in terms of new gameplay.

[Alan Phipps]

Ok, I watched for an original take on this but since we are now going down familiar paths, Flybye's thread can merge with the big thread.

[Nanook]

Ah I didn't know about the remote controlling in that sense....

Just to clarify, there is no controlling any other ships by remote control other than the drones. The only 'remote control' we get over our other ships in the game is via NPC dialogs, i.e., giving orders to the captains of those ships.

[nemesis1982]

@Nanook: Is that a factual statement or an interpretation of the current info? (Could you mention sources if it's an interpretation?)

Since I'm curious to know about the control of ships you have no direct control over. I can't think of a way of control through textual commands which is efficient. So I hope ego has found a way if what you say is correct.

On Topic. I don't care about 1 or multiple ships as long as what is chosen in implemented correctly and does not feel limiting. Did not vote since the answers are to limited...