Ask Bernd *One* Question - The New Thread (See all 3 Sets of Q & A's)

[Jerald]

****UPDATE 01/18/12****

I have compiled all 3 Sets of Questions and Answers for convenience and ease of viewing. SEE BELOW

Hi Everyone..There have been some debate on whether to start a new thread or not to increase our chances of getting Bernd to answer more questions.

So...I created this thread to increase the chances of getting more questions answered.

I'm not creating a contest since we've already had one, and a winner was already announced.

Now that you know that Bernd may answer questions... Please ask some really good ones.

If you have asked a question in the old thread, please do not post it here. This thread is for new questions only.

To avoid duplication, here are the questions Bernd has already answered from the previous thread:

Hello everybody,

here are a few "runners up" and one winner at the end:

What is with all those little ships shown in and around the stations in the screenshots?

They are real ships. Usually they would fly in "ordered" lanes but they can break out of these lanes and navigate through the stations.

Is there any significant vertical axis being used (such as a solar power plant above or below a planet for a clear view of the sun) instead of the usual relatively flat layout were use to?

Thanks to the new highway structures we can indeed create systems and sectors in which the player bridges large distances in relation to the next near planet or moon. These can be in any direction. So the answer is: Yes.

How much has the AI pathfinding (auto-pillock) been improved since TC?

A lot.
Seriously it is a whole different engine and a different implementation especially in all things AI.

The plot is an important part of X:R. Are you forced into a specific role in the plot, or can you play it however you want, e.g. a pirate, hero, fighter or trader? How much is your freedom compromised by the plot?

At the beginning of the game the plot will guide you more than in past games, but the more you play the more freedom you get and then you are soon free to play any role you like.

Will it blend?

We have no plans to include Chuck Norris. So probably: Yes.

Will there be a difference in efficiency of a solar power plant when placing one closer or further away from the sun[, and does this place limitations on building other stations]?

Yes, places to build a station have different resource properties. Sunlight is a good example for this. There are no strict limitations that result from this, but it changes a lot what makes sense to build.

Can we change the player ship's name? (I don't like "Pride of Albion")

Actually it did change already. Pride of Albion was the name under which it was originally playing an important role in a war. Nowadays most people refer to it as the Albion Skunk, because there were some sanitary issues under one of the previous owners.

If X-Rebirth is financially successful for you, will you release an X-Tension analogue with the features that you didn't have the time and budget for?

Hey, the way you ask the question makes it sound bad!

But it is an unfortunate consequence from making a space simulation game in which you want to give people perfect freedom, that there is ALWAYS a long list of more features for the future.

Will there be a secret UFO base?

If I would tell you it wouldnt be secret anymore?

Can we have more then 2 billion credits in our wallets this time?

Yes.

and the winner question is this one:

Did the girl named Suzie finally find her parents?

She was eventually adopted by a friendly Teladi and later married a nice mine worker. On their honeymoon they found a little known system, with the best high yield asteroids you can dream of, called Albion. The whole family moved there, and lived a happy life. Her stepfather even became an important figure in a large mining corporation there. But thats a different story.

So....Who knows we may be lucky the second time around to getting more questions answered.

So....ASK AWAY.


****UPDATE 01/13/12****

Here are the Second Round of Questions Answered by Bernd:

Hello everybody and thank you for being patient. A few more answers today:

What was the main reason behind pushing the release to 2012?

The simple fact that the game is not done yet. Sorry.

Will the physics of ships depend on their size? It would be nice if thats true.

Not sure exactly what you mean with this, as large ships always behaved different from smaller ships. They are of course also in X: Rebirth slower to accelerate and turn. More importantly, the Ai pathing system for Rebirth is very different from the steering used in the older X games. So yes: The size of a ship plays an important role.

Can i change the captains chair into a toilet?

What do you mean, change?
It always was a toilet. Did your player character ever have to go to the toilet before?

Is Rebirth comparable to BTF in that you are rebooting the series and sequels to Rebirth might see more features and improvements?

Yes.

I am curious to know more about the possible customisation options within the game and how far it would go.
You mentioned in the released material that I could control every detail of construction for a capital ship, so could I design a hull from a selection of blueprint sections? Could I choose a combination of generators to govern shield/weapon strength, and things like top speed or maneuverability?

A capitalship like a station is built from scratch according to a plan. That plan can allow varyind degrees of freedom. On top of the main blocks that come out of this plan however, the player can then also upgrade many "surface elements", like individual shield generators, turrets or special weapon systems.

QUESTION - Why did you decide to go with the "Trade Lane" idea instead of something easier to implement like say, Eve's inter-solar-system Warp Drive or the micro-jumping of the original Elite?

Jumping would not be a solution to the real problem: With more possibilities to jump, the space is still empty and does not have an interesting structure. Highways bring the majority of NPCs close together and allows for a much more interesting method of traveling while still allowing large systems.

I am not sure whether this has been answered anywhere but I read the OP and everything else I have found on XR.

Will boarding be possible?

yes

My apologies if this has allready been asked

With the new game engine is flight more acade or more newton (vendetta online) like than X3tc

Neither. I do not think newtonian is the opposite of "arcade" anyway.
Btw. there is an article about our flight physics in the new magazine "Play SF" which should be released soon.

Will the player be able to customize their underpants?
Icky

No. Play Skyrim for this.

Honestly I made a account last minute just to ask a Q. Will there be a real FPS style gameplay when u are tlking to crew and walking around inside cap ships? Because description of features in this forums makes it sounds as if it is so while some interveiws and articles make it sounds as if your still the same camera style as in TC. I hope you answer this, for I'm sure you would like to clear this up. If already asked I didnt care to read through every page.

You can walk around on station platforms and inside your playership by moving from one point to another. So YES you can move in real 3D and interact with people, but NO you are not freely moving as in a FPS (also you dont have a gun for that

The thing I want to know the most!...

Will I be able to hire (And talk to face-to-face) Paranid, Teladi, Boron and Split NPCS?
(If they are even in the game! *holds breath*)

Some yes, some no.
Now that was vague deliberately

have u considered using ice and ice fields and ice products as part of the product chain.

Yes. Ice & Water are part of the economy and resource chain.

My second question:
Ars longa, vita brevis. quare?

also applies to

What is your definition of soon ...

There is this wonderful quote in the game which was first attributed to Gene Roddenberry although it is originally from a poem by Delmore Schwartz:

"Time is the fire in which we burn"

[Jerald]

****UPDATED 01/18/12****


Thanks to the Q...I'm adding a 3rd set of Questions and Answers from the German Forum Translated by the Q.

As I created the German thread (based on em3e3s idea / first topic), let me post a translation of the answered questions and answers.

How does the player move on his ship (first person view/third person view)? How many rooms will there be on the ship? Will we be able to leave it, e.g. in the ego perspective over a ramp (i.e. how does the entering of the plattforms work)?

To move you will select a task and move then quickly to the appropriate place. The player will notice everything radically in the first person view (especially in the virtual reality this will be obvious).
Yes you can leave your ship to come in contact with NPCs on plattforms.

Will insults, like "Are you stoned?", "How stupid are you?" and "You fight like a beginner?", be featured again?

(Own comment: The English insults are probably different than the direct translations. But I suppose you understand the question. The Q)

Well, until now we hadn't insults on our "avertised features"-list. But if you want, we can add some specific for you.

Will you be able to control only drones or also other ships with the announced "Virtual Reality Interface"?

What is the difference?
As per our definition it's a drone, if it needs no pilots, which is the case, if it can be remote-controlled. If you hear drones, please don't think only of the little things in previous X-Games. Of course, most of them are rather small, as they have to be started from other ships. But that doesn't always have to be the case.

I would like to know, if the mouse control of TC (especially in fight situations) is still used / will be optimised?

There will be also a mouse control like in X3TC. Of course the game is very different and that's why the control not comparable. But the principles of controlling with the cursor are similar.

Will you be able to build stations without an architect?

No.

Will there be a detailed printed manual/handbook as in previous X-Games?

That depends on the kind of edition. The first edition of the "boxed" versions always had a printed manual until now. While the final decision is made by the publisher, I don't know a reason, why this should change.

I hope this translation is a little bit better than the one from that Google guy.

[perkint]

Is there something similar to IS and OOS rules?

Tim

[delray]

What was the main reason behind pushing the release to 2012?

[rujikin]

What was the main reason behind pushing the release to 2012?

Really? Lets see... UN-Foreseen bugs, longer than expected development times for a part of it, trying to cram a new feature in. Pick one.

My question: How will you improve wingman/fleet command in X-Rebirth. It was rather clunky and difficult in X3.

Also: Have you fixed the wingman bug where you dock with a station and all your wingmen go on a suicide run right into the side of the station your docking at?

[pjknibbs]

You might want to edit your OP to include the questions Bernd already answered in the other thread, Jerald--just to prevent some duplication of effort.

[Jerald]

You might want to edit your OP to include the questions Bernd already answered in the other thread, Jerald--just to prevent some duplication of effort.

Thanks pjknibbs, I just edited it.

Everyone...please read the top of the thread for all the questions Bernd has already answered to avoid duplication. Thanks.

[imperium3]

Can you tell us anything about the new weapons in XR? We haven't heard anything about them yet.

[Deeparth]

Will the physics of ships depend on their size? It would be nice if thats true.

[Advent1s]

Can i change the captains chair into a toilet?

[Jerald]

Can i change the captains chair into a toilet?

.....Seriously.

[MegAres]

Tell us about indoor Pride of Albion(what room there is on board and will any of them are entertaining for long long jouneys), and whether they exist on the capital ships?

Sorry if my bad English funny

[Alee Enn]

Is Rebirth comparable to BTF in that you are rebooting the series and sequels to Rebirth might see more features and improvements?

[MegAres]

Please, anybody! Ask about multi-player cooperation - not full, but like ingame chat, trade resources and minigames(play online card etc.)

[Alee Enn]

Please, anybody! Ask about multi-player cooperation - not full, but like ingame chat, trade resources and minigames(play online card etc.)

why don't you ask then? (that's not a question for Bernd, btw)

[MegAres]

Ask Bernd *One* Question

[Coupaholic]

I am curious to know more about the possible customisation options within the game and how far it would go.

You mentioned in the released material that I could control every detail of construction for a capital ship, so could I design a hull from a selection of blueprint sections? Could I choose a combination of generators to govern shield/weapon strength, and things like top speed or maneuverability?

And the player ship, how much choice would there be in upgrades and add-ons? would it be the same selection from everyone or can you get unique upgrades depending on the source?

I have tons more questions...but that'll do for now.

[Advent1s]

Can i change the captains chair into a toilet?

.....Seriously.

Its a valid question for a vessel called the "Albion Skunk"...

[Eriru Drourojj]

Hi Bernd,

Could you please tell us if known at this point in development, what method of delivery will be used to distribute XR?
i.e. standalone disc/with or without code to register on steam like terran conflict or physical medium with steam integration/steam only

Thank you for reading our questions

[perkint]

Is Rebirth comparable to BTF in that you are rebooting the series and sequels to Rebirth might see more features and improvements?

Pretty much already been asked and answered:

If X-Rebirth is financially successful for you, will you release an X-Tension analogue with the features that you didn't have the time and budget for?

Hey, the way you ask the question makes it sound bad!

But it is an unfortunate consequence from making a space simulation game in which you want to give people perfect freedom, that there is ALWAYS a long list of more features for the future

Could you please tell us if known at this point in development, what method of delivery will be used to distribute XR?
i.e. standalone disc/with or without code to register on steam like terran conflict or physical medium with steam integration/steam only

Again - pretty much been answered...

Steam is not the only way to BUY the game! You can buy the game in a box in a store or even with many other online retailers. Steam is only used for activation afterwards [and patching]

I'd like to ask - the playership can be changed - is this at a fixed series of points through the plot, or is the ship simply customisable at any time (and can those customisations be changed)?

By that I mean are there certain points in the plot that say, "You can do this one change to your ship or skip it" or are the changes more "you want to increase cargo this time or fire power?". And can you change it back!

Tim