x online

metalvenom · Post by **metalvenom** » Sat, 15. Jul 06, 00:52

i know x online is years away.
but what about lan? maybe a lan code could be implemented. i think the x universe would suit around 5 to 10 players in one lan server not mmor numbers like eve , some 40k players.
thats just crazy lol
just wondering if anyone shared my idea on smaller numbers. i think freelancer is a good example of a good multiplayer space game.
1. its free (no monthly fees)
2. you can play lan or host your own game for the internet

i think that an mmor approach to x3 is a bad idea, especaily with infinity in the works http://fl-tw.com/
but just the option to host a lan game would be brilliant

Jon Tetrino · Post by **Jon Tetrino** » Sat, 15. Jul 06, 00:54

to the right there is a thing called search

int he search there is a section called X:OU or something similar

use it and ull get several tens of posts just like this with similar answers to what ull get here

metalvenom · Post by **metalvenom** » Sat, 15. Jul 06, 01:02

very nice thank you kind sir for the time you took to write that message for me.
besides this isnt a post about when xou is coming out.
im simply suggesting that i think an mmor of xu is bad idea. just wondring if a lan code is possible?
i could not find anything regarding that in the search. maybe there but i havnt got 3 years to scrool through the lot lol

Post by **CBJ** » Sat, 15. Jul 06, 01:27

A LAN version of the game is unlikely for a number of reasons, ranging from technical through financial to gameplay. If you want a more detailed explanation then I'm afraid you'll have to go and have a look through those old threads. Most of them end up talking about the concept of LAN versions as well as the long-planned MMOG.

metalvenom · Post by **metalvenom** » Sat, 15. Jul 06, 01:28

ok thank you for the reply anyway dude:)

mrbadger · Post by **mrbadger** » Sat, 15. Jul 06, 01:57

Multi-player LAN X3 would probably have a fairly limited audience. In my experience it's not that common that people want to play just one game all evening, they want to play several. X3 is an all evening type of game.

Before the lynch-mob arrives, let me elaborate. What makes a good mutli-player game?

People generally like games where they can win or lose after several hours of play. RTS games meet this requirement, whereas FPS games meet it about every 15 minutes.

Getting your mates all playing so you can save up for a new factory probably won't compete with some counterstrike action.

Yes there are the Xenon sectors to attack. However, how long does it take to tool up for a decent Xenon sector attack? Not counting having to get the rep for decent ships you'd need to spend loads of time equipping those ships. It takes me ages even if I already have everything I need. Not exactly a great candidate for an evening of Pizza and fun.

For a game with a co-operative mode (as Supreme Commander will apparently have) you tend to need the other players around in order to play your game, and it would be a very very long multi-player game if you had to do what you do in normal X3. The X series doesn't lend itself to the two or more co-op LAN player scenario as it stands.

That leaves deathmatch style play. I don't think I'd play that. It's end up a silkworm swapping contest.

It's a single player sandbox, one of the best. Not every game works for both single and multi-player modes. One aspect tends to suffer if a game has both. I'd probably stick to single player even if MP was available. If single player was downgraded to work in multi-player co-op I'd probably not play it at all.

Post by **Cycrow** » Sat, 15. Jul 06, 02:14

most of my mates think even rts games last too long.

althou i played a few games of empire earth while i was at uni, and these lasted about 20 hours

Ajy170 · Post by **Ajy170** » Sat, 15. Jul 06, 02:32

I don't think anyone would want to play X3 LAN. I mean you want to play the game all open with 6 of your mates, its just not possibe I don't think to be done in any profitable way. Sure if you told egosoft to sit down and do it, and you were willing to pay them for the extra development time, they could most likely knock something togehter, though it may take a while. But who in there right mind would pay the price tag that would be attached to it?

If you want an online X3 expriance, then i direct you to EVE online.

Torias · Post by **Torias** » Sat, 15. Jul 06, 05:08

mrbadger wrote:Multi-player LAN X3 would probably have a fairly limited audience. In my experience it's not that common that people want to play just one game all evening, they want to play several. X3 is an all evening type of game.

Before the lynch-mob arrives, let me elaborate. What makes a good mutli-player game?

People generally like games where they can win or lose after several hours of play. RTS games meet this requirement, whereas FPS games meet it about every 15 minutes.

Getting your mates all playing so you can save up for a new factory probably won't compete with some counterstrike action.

Yes there are the Xenon sectors to attack. However, how long does it take to tool up for a decent Xenon sector attack? Not counting having to get the rep for decent ships you'd need to spend loads of time equipping those ships. It takes me ages even if I already have everything I need. Not exactly a great candidate for an evening of Pizza and fun.

For a game with a co-operative mode (as Supreme Commander will apparently have) you tend to need the other players around in order to play your game, and it would be a very very long multi-player game if you had to do what you do in normal X3. The X series doesn't lend itself to the two or more co-op LAN player scenario as it stands.

That leaves deathmatch style play. I don't think I'd play that. It's end up a silkworm swapping contest.

It's a single player sandbox, one of the best. Not every game works for both single and multi-player modes. One aspect tends to suffer if a game has both. I'd probably stick to single player even if MP was available. If single player was downgraded to work in multi-player co-op I'd probably not play it at all.

I have to disagree, personally. Simple basis, plenty of people love to play RPGs online (Neverwinter Nights), plenty of people like playing Freelancer multiplayer. Hell, even System Shock 2 takes hours to play through, and it's doubtful you'll ever finish the game in multi, but anytime I had it running my friends who have it and are on jump at the chance to play. (Well until it stopped working but that's another story entirely >_>)

Yeah, sometimes quickie games are what you want, but there is a very large community of gamers out there who consider a nice all-nighter just as fun. And it provides nice opportunities for planned gaming sessions.

My 2 cents. Anyone have change for a dime? ^_^

ISammael · Post by **ISammael** » Sat, 15. Jul 06, 05:23

mrbadger wrote: People generally like games where they can win or lose after several hours of play. RTS games meet this requirement, whereas FPS games meet it about every 15 minutes.

Or every 15 seconds, like most of my CS games tended to be with mates in college...

metalvenom · Post by **metalvenom** » Sat, 15. Jul 06, 17:47

i agree with torias.
a deathmatch in x3 is just silly but like freelancer a presistant small number of players is a great idea. freelancer is in many ways the same as x3 apart from the fleet building parts and others but down the simple line their similar.

an mmor approach to x is insane. say 10 people or clans enage in a battle, that would be something like 500 to 2000 ships in battle at once. crazy.
so it looks like egosoft will have to work around that by limiting the number of ships in one scrim. which makes not an x game but an eve knock off
a much smaller player count per server is whats needed and mmor is not that is it.
a multiplayer option to host your own dedicated presitant server for max of 16 players is the best bet in my opinion.
egosoft could start letting dedicated servers like battlefield2 so its always on.

to Ajy170 .
i have played eve for a while now but gave it up as there are to many stupid idiot players and corps just waiting to crush you just for being in their sector passing through for a trade run.
eve was good at first but the thought of just flying around in your one ship till your training to pilot a better one was up was just bored me. i mean 2 to 3 moths on one skill is crazy.
the thought of playing x3 in multiplayer is great. alliance with a friend send a fleet of patrol ships to help his mammoth deliver a factory etc is somthing would appel to me and others greatly.
you ay it will be a very very long multiplayer game. well the single player really has no end( unless you destry everything) so if your going to spend hours in a very much uneventfull singleplayer game why not join a server a compete against 16 other people try to make there mark in the universe?
would bring a whole new game to x3 dont you think? the player vs AI is always going to get boring and at times dead easy. but being able to barter or declare war with another real player is somthing x3 could do and maybe bring a whole set of players to the game.

lol sorry for the long post just thought id get my say in:)
thanks for reading:)

shifty lookin spoon · Post by **shifty lookin spoon** » Sun, 16. Jul 06, 00:04

There is an approach noone has considered yet... although it would be different to say the least. You could have a none graphic Version of X3 (everything would be done through the sector maps). The game would be running 24/7 but standing orders could be left to ships. More sectors could be added or greatly enlarged to addapt to so many people in the universe.

It wouldnt be the kind of game you couldnt straight play for a day as much as you can X3, but an hour on an hour off could easily be done (micro managing for capping could still be a good way to make an extra credit or two hundred thousand)

Also the workload for egosoft wouldnt be as much as development of a whole new X - no graphics to fit in, just calculations on a server.

Its X man, but not as we know it...

(/\)arped · Post by **(/\)arped** » Sun, 16. Jul 06, 00:41

Shifty Looking Spoon, that's an idea that's been used before online. Can't remember the name now, but it as an internet game based on trading/some combat that was done mainly through menu screens and updated every hour.

Ashes of Angels! I think that was the name (Just came to me)

it was good but I'm not sure if it would be the way for X to go. It might alienate a large majority of the users. (Anyone that doesn't go for the fleetbuilding/stattion management)

Jon Tetrino · Post by **Jon Tetrino** » Sun, 16. Jul 06, 00:51

metalvenom wrote:very nice thank you kind sir for the time you took to write that message for me.
besides this isnt a post about when xou is coming out.
im simply suggesting that i think an mmor of xu is bad idea. just wondring if a lan code is possible?
i could not find anything regarding that in the search. maybe there but i havnt got 3 years to scrool through the lot lol

No problem, its just that I knew the fact that CBJ ended up telling you in the end anyway

What shifty seems to be suggesting is not a menu system but more of the OOS system and universe maps on a grand scale, everything seen and done using them.

However I am sure that will lose the appeal very quickly, as OOS all the sectors look the same just with a slightly different scaling and factory/gate layout.

And IMHO FL and X3 are only similar in that they are in space...

shifty lookin spoon · Post by **shifty lookin spoon** » Sun, 16. Jul 06, 00:53

Well then in the words of the geeky professor from the Simpsons:

'To make an invention simply find out something that people need that doesnt exist and make it... or find an alternative use for something thats already been made and rename it'

(/\)arped wrote: Ashes of Angels! I think that was the name (Just came to me)(Anyone that doesn't go for the fleetbuilding/stattion management)

Ashes of Angels renamed -> X3ishness

I think we'd all end up playing it in the end! Hell ego might even be able to make some money off adverts on the site. What with it being an online game you might get alot more users than the current X3 community (standing orders mean you don't HAVE to be online 24/7)

All i ask in return for my idea is a lil laptop that can play the newest X game whenever one comes out!!! Id never complain about flights again!!!

JONO51 · Post by **JONO51** » Thu, 27. Jul 06, 18:43

how about a game with 4 teams of 8. its RTS using a view in sectors, then when there is a battle you jump toit to control a ship, like a normal x game, uif a person leaves a computer controlled thong takes his/her place. if you defeat a team then they go into a chat room type thing to talk with other teams etc. that way there is a mixture of combat and strategy.

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