Never played an X game.

[Vandragorax]

I don't do bulk trading in Elite, preferring to run various cargo and passenger missions for credits and materials. This funds my fighters and corvettes that I use to hunt down wanted pirates.

Anything like this in X4? Or is it mostly just trade/empire building? Thanks.

Absolutely, there will be missions of all types just as there were in X3 and X:Rebirth. You can visit any station, or check a sector-wide job board and find anything you like, from running cargo or passengers, to escorting VIPs or fighting known lawbreakers. Provided you have the right kit for the job it's there for your pickings

That's on top of all the sandbox stuff you can just do anytime, like engage with pirates flying about the sectors, or seeing a lucrative trade deal for your nearby freighter to pick up.

The great thing about X games compared to Elite is that you get to command all of your vessels together, there is no need to switch and only have 1 active at a time. The ones you aren't directly flying you control indirectly with commands given to the AI crew aboard.

[sd_jasper]

I don't do bulk trading in Elite, preferring to run various cargo and passenger missions for credits and materials. This funds my fighters and corvettes that I use to hunt down wanted pirates.

Anything like this in X4? Or is it mostly just trade/empire building? Thanks.

Trading in X games is a bit different than in E:D. Stations buy goods they need to produce products they sell. So for example, you can buy "energy cells" from a solar power plant, and transfer them to wheat farm, where you can buy wheat to supply a cattle ranch... Volume is based on how large your ship's cargo is... or how many ships you have coming with you.

But other (NPC) ships are also out there... owned by the factions that run those stations... and they will be buying and selling right along side you. If a station's storage for a particular resource is full, they aren't going to be buying any more (and offer less as it starts to fill up, more as stock gets low). These numbers can change pretty drastically in a short time, (compared to E:D) because a few ships with huge amounts of products got sold in a short amount of time.

There are likely to also be trade "missions" where someone asks for some resource to be supplied and gives a bonus (on top of whatever you get paid for the trade). And there are likely to be combat missions to hunt down pirates, defend stations from Xenon invasions, etc.

If combat is what you want to focus on... it can be just as profitable (of not more so) than trading b/c sometimes pilots will eject out of their ships... letting you claim them. You can then repair those ships and sell them... or get a pilot for them and add them to your "wing". And you can also have pilots off making trades for you while you focus on the combat (or other aspects).

Eventually, you find out that owning a station and having ships assigned to it, is a good way to keep money flowing in... and even though you thought you didn't want to get involved in empire building... you find yourself overseeing the construction of your newest complex from the bridge of your capital ships with a fleet of fighters ready to defend YOUR sector from threats!

... Sorry I got carried away there... that's what X is like.

[wrmiller]

This sounds really cool. Thanks guys!

Come on Nov. 30th...

[Erqco]

This sounds really cool. Thanks guys!

Come on Nov. 30th...

If no one has said it to you yet I will, the learning curve of these games is like a wall, It will take a lot of time to learn how to use the different ships, with different weapons and accessories, different Stations, different races, different wares, a lot of different things interlocked ones with others.
I love Albion Prelude it is my favorite X series game.

[Sandalpocalypse]

x4 might be the first x game that is actually easier to get into; it will have actual map controls and you wont have to memorize menus to issue orders expediently. Here's hoping.

[TemporalAnomaly]

To all those entering the X universe for the first time with X4, I'm sure I'm not the only one here who finds the thought of that bringing on a small smile.

I fell into X3 Reunion completely blind on release, was dumbfounded and overwhelmed at first, the learning cliff and release bugs just added to the mystery. Persistence is your only option, you know you've found your home but struggle to find your feet. Then one day your on the forum arguing about best ships, best loadouts, best way to do certain things... then it's over a decade later, you've clocked 1000's of hours in all the game variants and your watching the days tick by, you need your fix....Nov 30 cant come soon enough...

Regarding the learning cliff, in X Rebirth they did try to make the game easier to get into. All that achieved was upsetting the old schoolers, and the steam kiddies all bailed early on anyway so it was a misstep imho. I imagine X4 will be easier to get into than X3 and earlier games but hopefully not as "dumbed down" as Rebirth appeared to be. (the depth and complexity were there, just took a while to find it)

I did play ED for a while, just got bored with the stagnant/life-less nature of the universe. X may be single player but it "feels" very much alive!

Welcome to the X-Universe and the best value gaming experience on this planet!

[eMYNOCK]

Never played an x game, so you missed x3 too, owwww, that hurts

i am sorry but i gently disagree...

The OP has the luck that he won't miss features from X3 and previous titles because he's not aware that they even existed...

The OP has a very blank page to fill and that grants him the ability to see the entire franchise with fresh eyes.

And before anyone wants to discuss XR vs X3 in here.. lets keep that case closed... this salty discussion has no business to do in here.

@OP

Welcome to the X Universe Family.

[wrmiller]

If no one has said it to you yet I will, the learning curve of these games is like a wall, It will take a lot of time to learn how to use the different ships, with different weapons and accessories, different Stations, different races, different wares, a lot of different things interlocked ones with others.
I love Albion Prelude it is my favorite X series game.

Try learning how to play ED without touching the internet or the players manual. I did. Spent three months fumbling around before any of it started to make sense.

Then I discovered the ED forum, and life got easier. Sorta.

[Alci]

Try learning how to play ED without touching the internet or the players manual. I did. Spent three months fumbling around before any of it started to make sense.

but Elite just needs few hours. I've spend first 16hrs in training missions, mostly setting and getting used to controls, until I was sure to handle the ship well enough to not get killed by myself and off you go.

Elite is not overwhelming, just hard to handle the ship first. But training missions are enough to know how to fly without crashing, get used to controls, docking/undocking safely, traveling and fighting. Just like getting car license. It doesn't make you good or even decent driver, just driver enough to not crash first car you meet.

And you find out the rest slowly. Elite UI is very clean, 2 dimensional lists of everything important, display left, right and chat and nothing else, and no useless SC-like texture-based cockpit with non functional elements keeping me wonder "does it show something or is it just for feeling I'm flying 1960 airplane, in space, for some reason". It's not like you find guardians just by accident or need to know the last thing about mining before you get anything. You discover them on your own one by one and it guided me intuitively to need for mining lasers, prospectors, refinery and collector limpets. You need very little to start with anything and then you master it with time, that's how it should be.

As for guys on YT showing how lost they are in Elite but never even touched training missions so they are raging they can't jump with weapons out or get shot because they don't ask for docking permissions... that's why they are "YT guys" to me.

Latest X3's are overwhelming. There are too much things blinking at once and crucial commands are buried in random window opened from some submenu you don't even know it existed. And it even might not exist there because you don't have proper software on your ship yet. And once bought it appears, so once explored menu (and remembering it's not there so you don't look again) suddenly has more commands.

If you bought some trading ware you might struggle to know what factory actually consumes it and if you randomly find one they most likely have full stock and not buying any more. I'm glad I started with the very first X game where it was much more clear and clean so I could create a production map, but that is much harder to do in X3 with its not so good map.

These things are a lot easier and less clunkier in Rebirth and further improved in X4. So it's good not be bothered with the old ones now IMO.

[RodentofDoom]

You won't need to know about the old plot-lines from previous games in the series.
X4 will bring it's own for you to unravel.

Whilst the lore is nice to know, it isn't super critical either, if you don't know it you don't miss out on anything.

But a quick breakdown of the lore follows
- An ancient race builds the gates
- Earth develops AGI
- AGI goes rogue
- Earth is cut off
- Earth develops a prototype Jump Drive
- Aliens are found (Boron, Teladi, Split & Paranid) that are mostly friendly
- AGI comes back again
- A new Alien species attacks (Khaak)
- Earth is rediscovered
- Earth declares war on everyone
- More AGI
- The Ancient race shuts down the gate network
- A mining company turns evil
- More AGI again

hope that helps

[Honved]

If no one has said it to you yet I will, the learning curve of these games is like a wall, It will take a lot of time to learn how to use the different ships, with different weapons and accessories, different Stations, different races, different wares, a lot of different things interlocked ones with others.
I love Albion Prelude it is my favorite X series game.

This is an understatement, if anything: the "curve" will very likely appear disturbingly similar to a brick wall at first. Your initial experience may be one of frustration, because you don't have a clue about what is POSSIBLE, and have no idea what tools are needed for the various options available, or where to get them. I'm sure that X4 will be different enough from X3 that even the old timers will need to relearn several things and discover a few new ones before they can take advantage of all of the options open to the player. The forum here is a good place to get ideas and hints if you get stuck, and MOST of us here don't bite.

Depending on your chosen start, you may have a relatively weak but combat-ready ship, or an unarmed freighter and barely any starting capital to buy commodities to resell. From what we've been told, we won't be restricted nearly as much as in X:Rebirth, which only allowed the player to pilot the one "jack of all trades" ship, and locked most of the sandbox content behind the initial tutorial/plot. It will most likely include a variety of very different starting situations to suit multiple playing styles, as did the previous X3 series.

[Vandragorax]

Personally I wouldn't say the X games have a "brick wall of a learning curve". The game mechanics aren't rocket science Most of it's very familiar to people who have played other video games before, as you might imagine.

However, I would say that the series requires a certain amount of self-betterment, and willingness to learn by trying things out and experimenting. The game will not hold your hand like a lot of other modern games do, nor will it guide you through a series of steps to accomplish things in the game - and so rather than a learning curve I'd probably describe it more as being "thrown in at the deep end when you can't yet swim". One has to figure out how to doggy paddle and not inhale the water, then gradually our skill gets better until we can eventually butterfly stroke our way down the entire length of the pool without thinking about it

The learning part is easy, it's having the patience and the drive to actually do the learning that takes a certain mindset. I think a lot of players might give up on the X series after a couple of hours just because they feel as though they didn't achieve anything, even though in reality they achieved a lot of learning and self-betterment which would translate into the next play session being a lot more lucrative.

[wrmiller]

The forum here is a good place to get ideas and hints if you get stuck, and MOST of us here don't bite.

This is good to know, thanks.

I have over 3800 hours, in just under two years, in that other game. I never did the tutorials, nor read the manual. Just played the game and kept trying to figure stuff out. Once I discovered the forum I started doing better.

If this game gets a bit frustrating at times, I can always go back to flying my other spaceships for a bit. And reading the forum here to sort myself out. It will just take some time. Being old(er) and retired has some (few?) advantages.

[Hector0x]

Just a little heads up. The game will lure you into switching from joystick to mouse and keyboard at some point. Of course this also depends on your playstyle and wether you invest your cash in many ships and stations. But when the playership gets less and less nimble and the assets you have to manage more numerous, it becomes a pain with joystick, controller, or hotas.

[wrmiller]

Just a little heads up. The game will lure you into switching from joystick to mouse and keyboard at some point. Of course this also depends on your playstyle and wether you invest your cash in many ships and stations. But when the playership gets less and less nimble and the assets you have to manage more numerous, it becomes a pain with joystick, controller, or hotas.

Thanks, I will keep that in mind.

I currently use a Thrustmaster HOTAS and VKB pedals for flying all my ships. But I have a mouse and keyboard between them that I use when I'm in stations and manipulating screens/pulldowns.

[csaba]

If no one has said it to you yet I will, the learning curve of these games is like a wall, It will take a lot of time to learn how to use the different ships, with different weapons and accessories, different Stations, different races, different wares, a lot of different things interlocked ones with others.
I love Albion Prelude it is my favorite X series game.

This is an understatement, if anything: the "curve" will very likely appear disturbingly similar to a brick wall at first. Your initial experience may be one of frustration, because you don't have a clue about what is POSSIBLE, and have no idea what tools are needed for the various options available, or where to get them. I'm sure that X4 will be different enough from X3 that even the old timers will need to relearn several things and discover a few new ones before they can take advantage of all of the options open to the player. The forum here is a good place to get ideas and hints if you get stuck, and MOST of us here don't bite.

Depending on your chosen start, you may have a relatively weak but combat-ready ship, or an unarmed freighter and barely any starting capital to buy commodities to resell. From what we've been told, we won't be restricted nearly as much as in X:Rebirth, which only allowed the player to pilot the one "jack of all trades" ship, and locked most of the sandbox content behind the initial tutorial/plot. It will most likely include a variety of very different starting situations to suit multiple playing styles, as did the previous X3 series.

Here is my "screenshot" of the day:

https://imageshack.com/i/pnE5IyVkj

[StormMagi]

If no one has said it to you yet I will, the learning curve of these games is like a wall, It will take a lot of time to learn how to use the different ships, with different weapons and accessories, different Stations, different races, different wares, a lot of different things interlocked ones with others.
I love Albion Prelude it is my favorite X series game.

This is an understatement, if anything: the "curve" will very likely appear disturbingly similar to a brick wall at first. Your initial experience may be one of frustration, because you don't have a clue about what is POSSIBLE, and have no idea what tools are needed for the various options available, or where to get them. I'm sure that X4 will be different enough from X3 that even the old timers will need to relearn several things and discover a few new ones before they can take advantage of all of the options open to the player. The forum here is a good place to get ideas and hints if you get stuck, and MOST of us here don't bite.

Depending on your chosen start, you may have a relatively weak but combat-ready ship, or an unarmed freighter and barely any starting capital to buy commodities to resell. From what we've been told, we won't be restricted nearly as much as in X:Rebirth, which only allowed the player to pilot the one "jack of all trades" ship, and locked most of the sandbox content behind the initial tutorial/plot. It will most likely include a variety of very different starting situations to suit multiple playing styles, as did the previous X3 series.

Here is my "screenshot" of the day:

https://imageshack.com/i/pnE5IyVkj

Nah, that would be EVE Online, X is pretty intuitive for figuring things out. The best thing about X games though, the mods that come out, new ships, trading methods, ai tweaks, total conversions.... They are a great way to spice up a second start or and some flavor to a current game.

[jasonbarron]

You won't need to know about the old plot-lines from previous games in the series.
X4 will bring it's own for you to unravel.

Whilst the lore is nice to know, it isn't super critical either, if you don't know it you don't miss out on anything.

But a quick breakdown of the lore follows
- An ancient race builds the gates
- Earth develops AGI
- AGI goes rogue
- Earth is cut off
- Earth develops a prototype Jump Drive
- Aliens are found (Boron, Teladi, Split & Paranid) that are mostly friendly
- AGI comes back again
- A new Alien species attacks (Khaak)
- Earth is rediscovered
- Earth declares war on everyone
- More AGI
- The Ancient race shuts down the gate network
- A mining company turns evil
- More AGI again

hope that helps

Shut up, Betty!

[StormMagi]

You won't need to know about the old plot-lines from previous games in the series.
X4 will bring it's own for you to unravel.

Whilst the lore is nice to know, it isn't super critical either, if you don't know it you don't miss out on anything.

But a quick breakdown of the lore follows
- An ancient race builds the gates
- Earth develops AGI
- AGI goes rogue
- Earth is cut off
- Earth develops a prototype Jump Drive
- Aliens are found (Boron, Teladi, Split & Paranid) that are mostly friendly
- AGI comes back again
- A new Alien species attacks (Khaak)
- Earth is rediscovered
- Earth declares war on everyone
- More AGI
- The Ancient race shuts down the gate network
- A mining company turns evil
- More AGI again

hope that helps

Shut up, Betty!

Betty when you least expect it:
Your response: "Betty I am trying to dodge incoming fire, I don't care when the enemy fighter was made or what it's serial number is!"

[Drain Bamaged]

I'd say the game explains nothing but the basics. At least that is how any x game before it was, however that is it's charm.

Glad to hear it. If a game has to teach you anything BUT the basics, it isn't designed correctly. Games should be intuitive and designed elegantly.

First post here. I'm also new to the X Universe with X4 on my Steam wish-list. Spent thousands of hours in Elite: Dangerous, but I'm spending less and less time there. Foundations looks like a decent product with a lot of solid features. Done a lot of reading on it and I see potential.

Looking forward to meeting you all in the big black.