A little text below. I thought I would do this kinda thing for X-News (and for you on here), so let me know what you think. Also, BurnIt! has asked me to write something describing the plot of X2 for the next edition of X-News, so I best get that done
Also my inbox has got various requests from websites etc that I need to get back to and one last thing, the Sci-Fi channel (Sky or cable) have asked for information. They want to run a slot on X2. Btw: Did you know that Bernd already did a spot on Giga TV in Germany? There is pictures of it somewhere (i'll have to dig them out).
Cheers,
Steel
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I fire up the icon, a quick double click and the familiar loading window opens, but this time the X2 logo appears on the screen. The wording of “The Threat” is in German, but that’s because this is a recent Beta build and such details are not important yet.
I un-tick the “Use Settings” box and a brief delay (a few seconds) and the menu appears on the screen. Behind the backdrop of the menu text is a space scene, but not a static picture, it’s alive with a space station (looks like a shipyard to me) in the foreground and the tumbling movement of asteroids in the void. I can see a ship in the distance, the trails from its engines leaving a fading glow like the movement of a light sabre as it makes its way on some unknown journey.
The ship looks big; a need to jump into a cockpit and skim its surface encroaches itself on my mind. I can see what looks like a radar structure rotating on the vessel as it glides along and the blinking of navigation lights and then it’s gone, out of my field of view. The sweet feeling of anticipation is rising; it’s time to see for myself.
I select the menu and a series of pictures greets me (the loading screen) and then I am in, the familiar feeling of a cockpit surrounding me as I glance at the instrument panel. A few displays look immediately recognisable, shields, lasers, speed and so on, together with type of missile selected and the new hull damage indicator. It’s certainly different, but instantly familiar. I feel at home.
My right hand wraps itself around the handle of my flight stick and the anticipation level notches another bar. The earlier Alpha code I played around with didn’t have support for joystick and it may be a personal preference, but how I missed that immersion! Manoeuvring my ship with the mouse feels like driving a car with power steering that is too light and doesn’t seem to give the feedback to the driver. I am sure you know what I mean and when the rodent gets pushed off the mat in the heat of battle……..
Little pushes of the stick, left, right, up and down and the view moves around smoothly. I can’t wait any longer, I pull the trigger and the twin lasers spurt out a quick salvo into the blackness. The cockpit lights as the energy bolts stream away and I realise I had better stop playing with the weapons systems until I know where I am and who and what is around me.
I press a few buttons and the image of my craft is superimposed on the screen before me with its statistics and capabilities outlined alongside. The view of space is still there beyond me. I like that, I can keep my eye on the local happenings while I divulge the information about the ship.
Argon Nova. That’s the name of the ship. It’s a relatively small craft with four protruding lengths that house the offensive systems. I want a closer inspection, so I exit the computer system and launch an external camera droid. The ship looks magnificent; starlight bounces of its metallic hull as I dart around it. A reflective glare from the cockpit flashes as I sweep around its body.
Wait! There appears to be another cockpit like structure on the rear of the ship. I switch back to my internal view and into the rear seat. A laser turret! My movement on the stick is now pushing the rear-mounted weapon back and forth as the ship stays where I left it. A squeeze of the trigger and the lower power, but faster firing laser, shoots out a stream of fire. I sweep the stick around making gleeful patterns and I can hear Han Solo shouting, “Good shot kid!” in my mind. The pirates are going to be in for a little surprise with this baby!
Then as I settle back into my flight seat and push the stick to the right, the screen is filled with the beautiful view of the planet, Argon Prime. I can see the landmass below the swirling clouds and the faint glow of the outer atmosphere on the edge of the globe. Before me is the large bulk of what looks like a station, navigation and warning likes flickering. I point my ship towards the dark mass and engage the thrusters. The ship begins to accelerate towards the unknown structure and I catch a glimpse on my radar of an approaching ship……..
Beta Test part 2 can be found here: http://www.egosoft.com/x2/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3924
hehe.
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