Can we see actual gameplay?

[Slashman]

The discount was about $5 USD off the normal CE price. Not much to crow about.

Nobody is crowing about anything. It's a small discount to thank those who choose to do so. Bear in mind that if we offered too big an incentive, then people who don't want to pre-order would be up in arms, accusing us of trying to force them to do so!

How is telling the map size or sector count a spoiler?

Plenty of people like to play this game for the exploration aspect, and don't want to know exactly how many of everything (ships, sectors, whatever) there will be. Of course some of the information may come out before release; it just depends on what the priorities turn out to be.

Openly talk about your product, show confidence in it. When people see your are confident in your product, they are more likely to buy it.

We have talked openly about it, but that doesn't mean we have to disclose every little detail. Aside from the spoiler issue, telling people about details that may still be subject to change is not necessarily the best option. There are plenty of instances where we have talked about something during development or even the design stage, making it abundantly clear that the it's just an idea, plan or the current status, only to have angry people accusing us of "lying" when things didn't turn out exactly as we had talked about. Yes, I know we are not far from release but a) you would be surprised how late in the development cycle some things have to be able to change and b) the closer we get to the release, the less time we have available to prepare releases of information ahead of the game itself.

Well said. Now can we all just wait for release???

[DaMuncha]

You are making far more of this paint mod thing than is necessary. The incentive to pre-order, if you want one, is the discount. The paint mod is just a little bonus; a badge of honour if you like.

As for what it is, I have answered as fully as I can. I'm not going to disclose feature details that haven't been formally announced yet just to secure your pre-order! And obviously you won't get this particular paint mod with the game if you don't pre-order, otherwise it wouldn't be "exclusive" as described in the blurb. The paint mod feature is of course part of the game for everyone, however.

Well that changes everything. The "special version" of the paint "feature" is only available to those who "pre-order" the "Collectors Edition". Thus it gives no "incentive" to "pre-order" the "standard" "Edition" of the game since the "Feature" is present in "all" versions of the "game".

So its basically its "Pre-order now to get a special camo skin for the customization menu of limited edition AK-47"... "Conditions may apply"..."Only available for the first 50 callers"... "May cause bleeding, loss of sight, nausea, head aches, dizziness, insomnia, extreme discomfort, loss of balance, and Choking"... "if symptoms persist please see your doctor"... "Contains small parts, Keep away from children"

[ZombiePotatoSalad]

That is true. While I know nothing of how it is from the developer side, I see everything from the consumer side, especially having been burned before. I have watched all the livestreams and trailers, but those were a year ago. Some things that were only ideas then may be in now, or may not be. All too common, I see developers say "all this and more!" However, come to find out, there is no "and more."


I think I share the same thoughts as many, I don't want this to be "another Rebirth." I didn't really have many problems with the game, it just didn't grip me as much. I don't need an exact number of playable areas, a ballpark estimate will do. That is your choice if you want to give that information or not. I just feel, as a consumer, that it will help. I mean, you already mentioned there will be derelict stations, which is a spoiler itself.


I foresee this becoming one of the top space games, especially against the two others currently out there... well, sort of, in one case. You're also releasing in a time of big names. I ask people if they've heard of X4 Foundations, and they say "X what?" This product deserves to stand out more. The livestreams made me interested. The gameplay trailer had me hooked, and so I purchased.

How about a question that isn't a spoiler: Will there be a more in-depth tutorial, for those who want it? X3 was known for its "learning cliff," and people I suggested the game to, or bought it for couldn't get into it.

[DaMuncha]

Most people I've talked to about X4 Have never played an X game before and dont understand what makes it different from other more popular space games.

When I first played X3 I had no clue what I was doing and gave up untill months later I saw a realy good tutorial series on youtube explaining how to play the game.

[CBJ]

Well that changes everything. The "special version" of the paint "feature" is only available to those who "pre-order" the "Collectors Edition". Thus it gives no "incentive" to "pre-order" the "standard" "Edition" of the game since the "Feature" is present in "all" versions of the "game".

Try again. The incentive to buy the Collectors Edition over the Standard Edition is that it includes 2 expansions, a novel, a soundtrack and an artbook (all digital). The incentive to pre-order the Collectors Edition rather than waiting for release is a small discount and a specific paint mod as a bonus. It's that simple.

[jamesdehunter]

If you buy on or after release day:

Standard edition = The game

Collector's edition = The game, 2 expansions, art, soundtrack etc

If you pre order:

Standard edition = The game + bonus ship paint mod

Collector's edition = The game, 2 expansions, art, soundtrack etc + bonus ship paint mod


I don't see what's causing the confusion here, but CBJ your patience astounds me

[Alan Phipps]

Sorry James, but I don't think you get the paint mod preorder bonus with the standard edition, just on preorder of the Collectors' Edition. Also don't forget the 7% discount for the CE preorder.

[jamesdehunter]

Right you are, my mistake.

Seems someone made a valid point about there being no incentive to preorder the standard edition then. Unless I'm missing something (else)?

Either way it's potato potahto to me, I'll probably get the collector's edition after release

[Alci]

it includes 2 expansions, a novel, a soundtrack and an artbook (all digital). The incentive to pre-order the Collectors Edition rather than waiting for release is a small discount and a specific paint mod as a bonus.

couldn't we get the novel now? now it's the good time for reading

[ZombiePotatoSalad]

it includes 2 expansions, a novel, a soundtrack and an artbook (all digital). The incentive to pre-order the Collectors Edition rather than waiting for release is a small discount and a specific paint mod as a bonus.

couldn't we get the novel now? now it's the good time for reading

Lol I'll read it in a day or so.

[keno1999]

Hi all, this is my 1st post on the forum, but I'm a long time fan of the X-series.

Just wanted to say that I was a bit surprised that the gameplay trailer didn't have a lot of actual gameplay in it. It just felt like a narrated cinematic montage. Don't get me wrong, I liked it, and I liked hearing how great the game is going to be, but calling it a gameplay trailer is simply inaccurate. It's ok if Egosoft doesn't want to do a actual gameplay trailer, but I think they really shouldn't try to pass a cinematic trailer off as one though.

Full disclosure, my friend at work and I both preordered the CE version today knowing full well that there would likely be bugs but also knowing that Egosoft has a solid reputation for supporting their games for the long run. That fact alone is what leaves me confident enough to preorder, and I am happy to help support this development team.

One bit of advice for the devs though, if you don't have time reserved in the development plan to live steam the major game features this time, that's ok, but you absolutely need to fix that for X5. Honestly, the days of devs not live streaming for their community are over, this is the new normal, so you really need to get with the times on this one, no excuses.

In order to end on a more happy note, I'd like to sincerely thank whoever chose to release this on a Friday! Way to go! I am planning to spend that entire weekend playing the game. I'd also like to send my best regards to all the devs for my many happy hours with X3 and I wish you all a successful launch with X4!

Cheers!

[sd_jasper]

Either you misunderstood what you saw, or you and I have very different definitions of "cinematic trailer". To me a cinematic is like what Blizzard, BioWare, and others do, where the footage is not rendered in-engine, but created (often by an outside studio such as Blur) and often contains action that the player can't perform themselves in game. I HATE this sort of thing, as it always makes me feel like all the "cool stuff" is there, and what I can do as a player is less-cool stuff.

There isn't much I've seen for X4 that I would call this type of cinematic. It's all rendered in engine, and I am going to guess that most of it was done with someone working basically as the player, navigating around in ship or on foot. Now they might have given a ship orders and then taken footage, or watched an NPC ship engage in battle. But all of that is still gameplay that the player could experience in game.

[StoneLegionYT]

How did this go to wanting to see gameplay to whining about ordering the game?

[XD733]

Either you misunderstood what you saw, or you and I have very different definitions of "cinematic trailer". To me a cinematic is like what Blizzard, BioWare, and others do, where the footage is not rendered in-engine, but created (often by an outside studio such as Blur) and often contains action that the player can't perform themselves in game. I HATE this sort of thing, as it always makes me feel like all the "cool stuff" is there, and what I can do as a player is less-cool stuff.

There isn't much I've seen for X4 that I would call this type of cinematic. It's all rendered in engine, and I am going to guess that most of it was done with someone working basically as the player, navigating around in ship or on foot. Now they might have given a ship orders and then taken footage, or watched an NPC ship engage in battle. But all of that is still gameplay that the player could experience in game.

Maybe the disconnect is that it seems like the purpose of a gameplay video is to show actual gameplay and give a sense of what the game will be like.

But what we got, even if it involved some video from a player's view, wasn't really intended to give a sense of what the actual moment-to-moment gameplay would be like.

[sd_jasper]

Maybe the disconnect is that it seems like the purpose of a gameplay video is to show actual gameplay and give a sense of what the game will be like.

But what we got, even if it involved some video from a player's view, wasn't really intended to give a sense of what the actual moment-to-moment gameplay would be like.

Ah, that makes sense. Maybe the distinction should be something like "gameplay demonstration" vs "gameplay overview" (which is what we got).

[spacecoyote99]

I cite again, the example of Spacebase DF-9. I backed it because the premise was interesting: a space game styled after Dwarf Fortress. Some time later, the devs abandoned it, and cited a very weak reason. They then had the gall to start a Kickstarter campaign to make Psychonauts 2. The community had a mixed reaction of laughing at them, and insulting them.

You backed an unfinished product by a (mostly) unknown developer that ended up turning their back on the game. That's terrible and they should be denounced, fully agreed.

Egosoft has a long, long history of supporting their games for an unreasonable number of years after release. This is why I feel 100% confident about my preorder.

[ZombiePotatoSalad]

I cite again, the example of Spacebase DF-9. I backed it because the premise was interesting: a space game styled after Dwarf Fortress. Some time later, the devs abandoned it, and cited a very weak reason. They then had the gall to start a Kickstarter campaign to make Psychonauts 2. The community had a mixed reaction of laughing at them, and insulting them.

You backed an unfinished product by a (mostly) unknown developer that ended up turning their back on the game. That's terrible and they should be denounced, fully agreed.

Egosoft has a long, long history of supporting their games for an unreasonable number of years after release. This is why I feel 100% confident about my preorder.

Yeah, but you can see where my trepidation comes from.

I know Egosoft has a history of delivering and being all-around solid developers. They even helped one of my favorite Youtubers, Willfe, when YouTube was giving him grief. I was already hooked from what I saw in the trailer. Yes, I'd love to see more, not only to tide me over until release, but to confirm what was in the trailer is what we will get, rather than stuff taken out of context. I bought No Man's Sky back when it first launched, and you know how that went.

Also, the Q&A is a year out of date, and consists of many non-answers. Isn't it time for a new one, since things have changed since then?

[Falcrack]

Also, the Q&A is a year out of date, and consists of many non-answers. Isn't it time for a new one, since things have changed since then?

In addition, many many relevant questions have been asked since that Q&A which have gone 100% unanswered to this point.

[ZombiePotatoSalad]

Also, the Q&A is a year out of date, and consists of many non-answers. Isn't it time for a new one, since things have changed since then?

In addition, many many relevant questions have been asked since that Q&A which have gone 100% unanswered to this point.

Agreed. All I'd like to see is a small segment of gameplay with live commentary, warts and all. If something breaks, so it goes. No game is perfect, especially at launch. I'd be happy just seeing some mining, trading, flying in space, whatever. None of those are spoilers any more than what we've already seen.

[reanor]

Also, the Q&A is a year out of date, and consists of many non-answers. Isn't it time for a new one, since things have changed since then?

In addition, many many relevant questions have been asked since that Q&A which have gone 100% unanswered to this point.

Agreed. All I'd like to see is a small segment of gameplay with live commentary, warts and all. If something breaks, so it goes. No game is perfect, especially at launch. I'd be happy just seeing some mining, trading, flying in space, whatever. None of those are spoilers any more than what we've already seen.

You are probably referring to the Star Citizen open development, where you can see things crash every time they do CitizenCon. Egosoft is not doing open development, it's closed door development and we get to see only what they want us to get to see. Now, the above posters mentioned that Egosoft has a good reputation on delivering the game, but we also know that they have a reputation on releasing very buggy games. The bugs followed them pretty much since the days of X1. They did always end up polishing and fixing majority of the bugs, even though in some cases it took years (hello XR), but eventually they did do make every game playable and enjoyable. I am not an advocate for releasing buggy and unfinished game, but we are all ready for the next X game installment. From what I understand, they are working hard to test it right now and get it as polished as possible, before the release on 11/30. I hope it almost goes smoother than previous releases, but again, since its a closed development, unlike Star Citizen, we won't get to see the game play in process of breaking and freezing, that won't help them at all. Also, if you go their YouTube channel, there are some early WIP videos, where they demonstrate game mechanics. I think one of the videos showed them building stations etc.