Future Idea—Frontier Sectors & Improved Patrols

[Teladi CEO]

Sorry if this was posted before!

1) Frontier Sectors:

Currently in X4, without DLC we have a few sectors that could classify as “frontier”. Turquoise Sea, Frontiers Edge, Hewa’s Twin. They aren’t many in number, and don’t feel “borderlands”, few of them actually are even owned. I think X4 needs a real frontier that feels like it’s lawless and untamed. Currently even if it’s a “frontier” it feels more like a sleepy town than the Wild West.

To do this, I think they need to be several sectors away from core territories, and needs to have tons of dangers. Electromagnetic storms, radiation, Xenon, pirates, Split. But at a great reward, these new sectors could be rich in resources (something that 4.00 mining changes would be a great match for). Not only would this improve the feel of the gameplay experience, it would make in game economical and logical sense. It gives factions room to expand and border states for wars to take place in, this would allow one Argon loss to not cost them their capital world.

2) With frontier sectors they would need an overhaul of patrols. Currently patrols in X4 feel off, you don’t feel their protection, few sectors feel safe. I think patrols need to be stepped up, so when you enter Hatikvah Choice, or Open Market you feel safe. This would also help differentiate between frontier, core and (a mixed sector).

Entering a core system, and instantly feeling the protection (or fear) of a Paranid destroyer patrolling the gate, then seeing another protecting a cluster of stations would not only make it seem cooler, but builds upon the THINK aspect of X4. You can’t just go into Argon Prime and rob from the shipyard, your going to get blasted away, now you have to cause a distraction that causes the destroyer to leave before you can rob it.

[dtpsprt]

These "frontier" sectors you mention most obviously were not meant to be "frontier" for long as, at least, two expansions were planned from the beginning. Putting more of them on the map will just make the map bigger, the need for ships bigger and therefore the game slower (in fps) and for what? These sectors might persuade some players to not invest into DLC's, so you are actually asking Egosoft to go against their economic interests (since these sectors would be at the "core game" they would also be for free for those who already have the game as an update)!!! Of course the mining "tweaking" was not planned so any number of "problems" can arise now that it has been implemented...

The "Improved Patrols" are nothing more than what everybody is (practically) shouting about: better AI... so it shouldn't be "an idea" but a "complaint and demand" (like us ranters often do).

[Teladi CEO]

These "frontier" sectors you mention most obviously were not meant to be "frontier" for long as, at least, two expansions were planned from the beginning. Putting more of them on the map will just make the map bigger, the need for ships bigger and therefore the game slower (in fps) and for what? These sectors might persuade some players to not invest into DLC's, so you are actually asking Egosoft to go against their economic interests (since these sectors would be at the "core game" they would also be for free for those who already have the game as an update)!!! Of course the mining "tweaking" was not planned so any number of "problems" can arise now that it has been implemented...

The "Improved Patrols" are nothing more than what everybody is (practically) shouting about: better AI... so it shouldn't be "an idea" but a "complaint and demand" (like us ranters often do).

I disagree (respectfully), I think adding new sectors won’t make people quit buying dlcs. The main reason people but DLC is for the addition of a new race, ships and their accompanying sectors. These sectors really wouldn’t hurt the game either, they are frontier that means they aren’t going to have many ships, stations or anything else attached to them. Sure, as the game progresses and they populate it would slow down, but the danger of these sectors would definitely make that pace into a crawl.

I tend not to read the rants, so I’m not up to date on all the various complaints.