Been away but back now. Where is everything?

[apricotslice]

I get the impression X4 is everything Devnet wanted back in X3 days, but they never bothered to fix anything first, or redesign it so the basics worked properly before introducing what people wanted next.

Which is disappointing.

For me, the autopillok was what broke X3AP finally. To find the same thing still there in X4 is truly disappointing. The whole pathfinder code needed to be redesigned from scratch and then core dynamics of things built on top of that.

Oh well. Wait for 3.0 to come out and people to either claim yay or neigh.

[Falcrack]

collectors edition gives you first 2 DLCs for free and there is no any DLC out yet, but after 3.0 patch ego will release a Split DLC

Not exactly "for free" considering you are paying an extra $30 for the collectors edition.

I bought collector's edition for ~$75, it's a bit more than I normally pay for a game, but I wanted to support Egosoft in their continued development of X4.

[Falcrack]

I get the impression X4 is everything Devnet wanted back in X3 days, but they never bothered to fix anything first, or redesign it so the basics worked properly before introducing what people wanted next.

Which is disappointing.

For me, the autopillok was what broke X3AP finally. To find the same thing still there in X4 is truly disappointing. The whole pathfinder code needed to be redesigned from scratch and then core dynamics of things built on top of that.

Oh well. Wait for 3.0 to come out and people to either claim yay or neigh.

The autopilot feature of X4 (where you are sitting down and turn it on to get to your destination) is something I don't use a lot, and is still a bit wonky. What works far better is simply getting out of your chair, and letting the NPC pilot sit down and fly to the destination. NPC pilots work a lot better than the autopilot feature.

[Observe]

Oh well. Wait for 3.0 to come out and people to either claim yay or neigh.

Hi Apricotslice. I'm in a similar position. I have not obtained X4, because the elements that matter to me most, are unfinished and/or broken and the things I like least, continue to persist. Thing is, I see zero evidence that 3.0 will significantly change anything. Nevertheless, I continue to watch progress, in the unrealistic hope that this game will miraculously be transformed into something that at least vaguely represents what I am interested in.

Still, some people seem to like the game as it is. I am happy they are finding enjoyment.

[apricotslice]

Still, some people seem to like the game as it is. I am happy they are finding enjoyment.

The fan who started me off looking at it, was new to the X series with X4. After a short time talking to me on FB, he's now bought the Superbox and is going back to X3R.

Oops.

[spankahontis]

collectors edition gives you first 2 DLCs for free and there is no any DLC out yet, but after 3.0 patch ego will release a Split DLC

Thanks.

I gather from a lot of the reviews the Autopillok is still active.

Is it worth getting the game now? Or should one wait until after the 3.0 patch comes out?

I'd give Rebirth 4.5 a shot, completely a different game from 1.0 and with the CWIR Mod added it's amazing now.

X4 is still too buggy for me personally to get into, the War mechanics is still broken.
Egosoft said they're working on fixing this. But by 3.0? Or later?
It's just not fun to see waring factions that don't war with each other.

[apricotslice]

I'd give Rebirth 4.5 a shot, completely a different game from 1.0 and with the CWIR Mod added it's amazing now.

What put me off originally was the lack of joystick support. Was that ever fixed?

What was the CWIR mod?

[Kadatherion]

Thing is, I see zero evidence that 3.0 will significantly change anything. Nevertheless, I continue to watch progress, in the unrealistic hope that this game will miraculously be transformed into something that at least vaguely represents what I am interested in.

Yeah, it's not been good so far, and neither they have promised anything specific for 3.0/Split that says "ok, they know this must be done". The reason why we are all holding our breath for that is that's going to be the "pre DLC patch". If they add new content with a DLC on top of a completely broken foundation then we'll know they have given up: you don't put more boxes and baubles on a table with its legs broken if you plan to fix them, as they would only make it harder to replace them. So it's pretty much the last chance to see proof that the game will ever reach its potential.

[spankahontis]

I'd give Rebirth 4.5 a shot, completely a different game from 1.0 and with the CWIR Mod added it's amazing now.

What put me off originally was the lack of joystick support. Was that ever fixed?

What was the CWIR mod?

It's the Civil War in Rebirth Mod by Black Rain, it makes the Factions in Rebirth that are at war with each other actually fight each other.
One of the only things I'm annoyed about Rebirth was the supposed wars that are meant to happen but all you see is the odd skirmish and hardly that.
CWIR breaths life back into the games war mechanics.

Fear X4 will just be another repeat of that failed mechanic.

[surferx]

Hi apricotslice. It's been awhile.
My best advice to your question- read the forums. Most posts are going to agree the game is enjoyable now, and improving. I have almost 900 hrs on the latest game I started with update 2.0 and have not had any bug that "breaks the game." I believe anyone saying the game is unplayable at this point is only pushing an agenda, or simply does not get the game. Bugs? yes and everyone has their favorite button to push. Egosoft has shown they are responding as the 2.5 update had a very long list of fixes. However no matter how hard and quickly they work to iron out the remaining bugs it will never be fast enough for some.
Good to see you back on the forum!

[Falcrack]

Some people are never satisfied. Unfortunately, the way I see it, some folks are very actively trashing this game (unfairly IMO), and this drives away potential customers, and makes it more difficult for Egosoft to deliver the future content that we hope for. Their constant negative harping on the game in no way helps it get better, it in fact increases the odds that the game will not reach its full potential.

[apricotslice]

Some people are never satisfied.

True. But there is a difference between them and those of us who've been around since X2 or before, and seen the same issues never fixed.

What really bugged me was they fixed the autopillok issue in the last patch for X2, and then X3R came out without it, and it's never been re-fixed since.

For me it comes down to game breaking issues. I've played the games for so long now, all the mundane stuff is just boring. So exploring in X4 might occupy me for a while, but the ultimate expression of the game has always been carriers full of fighters launching to control a sector. And until the autopillok issue is solved, all that does is have your fleet go boom banging against each other. The frustration factor is huge.

So what I'm getting is, for people who enjoy starting from scratch, the game is playable.

But for those who want a serious endgame, it's not.

It appears Egosoft keep rebuilding the beginning, but have never delivered the endgame they promised.

For me, I started modding to bypass the endless new game restart boredom. I'll put up with it in a new game as long as the endgame is there, but it apparently still isn't.

And as a person who HATES losing a single ship without sufficient cause, the autopillok is a game breaker.

It's not about never being satisfied. It's about waiting 15 years for what was originally promised, and it still isn't here because they cant or wont fix the one flaw which makes a proper end game possible.

[Buzz2005]

For me it comes down to game breaking issues. I've played the games for so long now, all the mundane stuff is just boring. So exploring in X4 might occupy me for a while, but the ultimate expression of the game has always been carriers full of fighters launching to control a sector. And until the autopillok issue is solved, all that does is have your fleet go boom banging against each other. The frustration factor is huge.

This is not a problem in x4, you can launch 40 fighters from a carrier none are going to bounce of each other, they are going to launch from the tubes 5 at a time and it looks very good

Fighters in general are not bad at all attacking, L ships are they do stupid maneuvers and sometimes go so close that they clip trough

If you micromanage your fleet you can do anything, if you leave the to themselves they are not that organized amd thats the problem

what your thinking is the x3 non existing autopillok, there are no problems like that
its the lack of options, and bad AI organizations of fleets

but you can always pause the game and manage everything yourself

[apricotslice]

but you can always pause the game and manage everything yourself

Now that I didn't know.

[radcapricorn]

No need to fear that the autopilot would crash something, because...

• Removed hull damage on collisions until the auto pilot has learned to fly around things!

That's from changelog, at version 1.20. Just shows how much actual testing the so called "testing team" and Egosoft themselves have done.

That said, it doesn't preclude the AI doing other stupid things like charging a horde of enemies with a single fighter.

[Kadatherion]

So what I'm getting is, for people who enjoy starting from scratch, the game is playable.

But for those who want a serious endgame, it's not.

It appears Egosoft keep rebuilding the beginning, but have never delivered the endgame they promised.

Precisely this. But as it's being said, the suicidal autopillock isn't much of an issue anymore. It may take you HOURS to have your fighters redock at you after you've launched them (and you better not move, since the follow task is broken), as pathfinding is still terrible, but in that department has gotten better. Buuuut... fleet/squadron management is either non existent or tasks and AI behaviour is currently so dumb and nonsensical you won't get much out of it. It's been another one of the most common complaints since day 1 that has yet to see any major improvement.

[zazie]

In favour of the Devs and the game you have to admit that you might find "workarounds" for most of the issues the game still has. As an example: In my experience you can pretty well micro-manage a "fleet" if you group your ships by naming them group- or taskwise and adress them directly using Shift-LMB on the map and ordering them what to do next.

On the lack of How-to's or written guides: this might be caused (at least partially) by the decisions of the Devs to apply considerable changes in the game-mechanics from patch to patch. I was considering writing a "Beginner's guide to X4-Trading"; but as the trading-concept of the game is far from consistent it is impossible from a player's perspective to deduct the game's immanent mechanics.

As an example: The behavior of those traders working for the Manager of a player-owned Station has drastically been changed just by taking away the possibility that the player could decide how far such a trader could operate in the X4-Universe. I am a long time backer of Egosoft. But I am still not able to understand what strange sense of humour a small DevTeam must have that they take away to their [small] player-base those rare opportunities when the player could take strategical and operational decisions.

[apricotslice]

But I am still not able to understand what strange sense of humour a small DevTeam must have that they take away to their [small] player-base those rare opportunities when the player could take strategical and operational decisions.

Egosoft do have a long tradition of nerfing anything which works. So if they perceive the player has too much advantage by limiting what station ships do, they'll remove it in the next patch. Or the next game version.

[apricotslice]

Just for the record, I bit the bullet and bought X4.

[apricotslice]

I am seriously disliking the mouse interface for flying. Total joke, and the ship just wont stay still.

My old Saitek joystick doesn't work. No calibration ability for a different joystick.

Is it worth investing in 1 of the 3 joystick systems in the profile section of settings?