Going to reinstall....X3R Versus X3TC?????

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Pros & Cons?

Graphics / Gameplay / Fun / Economy / etc?

Edit: Also: OOS!!!!!


THANKS ALL

[Snafu_X3]

Menu configuration is a lot easier (ie better UI) in TC than X3R especially for certain things such as CAG auto-naming, although you lose a little bit of customisation detail

TC has a higher cash return for most jobs/trades, leading to a shorter game before you get ships you're happy to play. This may be an advantage or not depending upon your playstyle

TC has lots of plots (including one huuge one), mostly relatively short & optional; X3R has only 2 if you count Bala Gi, but they're a lot longer

IIRC player station complexes are only available in TC & later; X3R & before requires extra ships to do the intermediate ware hauling between player stations

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Menu configuration is a lot easier (ie better UI) in TC than X3R especially for certain things such as CAG auto-naming, although you lose a little bit of customisation detail

TC has a higher cash return for most jobs/trades, leading to a shorter game before you get ships you're happy to play. This may be an advantage or not depending upon your playstyle

TC has lots of plots (including one huuge one), mostly relatively short & optional; X3R has only 2 if you count Bala Gi, but they're a lot longer

IIRC player station complexes are only available in TC & later; X3R & before requires extra ships to do the intermediate ware hauling between player stations

Thanks Situation Normal

[RAVEN.myst]

Hahah - first off, here's someone else who knows what "SNAFU" stands for, apparently

Secondly: Snafu, IIRC station plexing was actually introduced in X3R (I'm not 100% sure, but fairly sure about this). Just FYI. (I would go quickly check it, except that my HDD crashed a couple of months back, and I haven't gotten around to reinstalling everything - X3TC/AP made it on, X3R hasn't. Yet )

OK, as for why I voted X3TC (ie. "on topic")
The reasons that Snafu mentioned (friendlier interface in various dimensions, multitude of plots). Also, I would recommend TC on the grounds of "more" - more sectors (not hugely so, but still, the universe is a bit bigger), more station types (the marine training barracks, the military outposts, all Terran stations, etc.), more factions (the Terrans and their ATF virtual sub-faction), more ships (oh god, so many new ships! ), more ship TYPES (TMs [NB!], M7, M7M, M6+), more game mechanics (ship boarding via marines, for example), more mission types, more weapon types (with a reduction in unnecessary complexity that didn't add anything, ie. the whole alpha/beta/gamma thing - now weapons are more diverse, and identifiable by function and character). I've probably left out a couple of items.

To be fair, here's the flip side of the coin: X3R has a STORY campaign in a truer sense of the word (complete with video sequences and "on-rail" scenes, the latter of which are not to everyone's liking, so a plus OR a minus.) Sadly, the story is rather short, though it has a more satisfying conclusion than any other I've played in the whole X-series (for one thing, it actually DOES conclude! ) I tried to think of other objective recommending factors, but can't come up with any, so I can only offer a subjective "there's a certain indefinable feel to the game that I enjoyed" *shrug*

Neutral observation: X3TC has a somewhat revamped economy, and so certain dynamics that you may be used to in X3R (if applicable) may or may not work in X3TC - for example, I found mining silicon in the early game to be an effective way to launch my own economy in X3R, but in X3TC that "hole" is better plugged by the NPCs, hence that particular opportunity is far less lucrative. However, there are others to discover.

[pixel]

Hahah - first off, here's someone else who knows what "SNAFU" stands for, apparently

Secondly: Snafu, IIRC station plexing was actually introduced in X3R (I'm not 100% sure, but fairly sure about this). Just FYI. (I would go quickly check it, except that my HDD crashed a couple of months back, and I haven't gotten around to reinstalling everything - X3TC/AP made it on, X3R hasn't. Yet )

OK, as for why I voted X3TC (ie. "on topic")
The reasons that Snafu mentioned (friendlier interface in various dimensions, multitude of plots). Also, I would recommend TC on the grounds of "more" - more sectors (not hugely so, but still, the universe is a bit bigger), more station types (the marine training barracks, the military outposts, all Terran stations, etc.), more factions (the Terrans and their ATF virtual sub-faction), more ships (oh god, so many new ships! ), more ship TYPES (TMs [NB!], M7, M7M, M6+), more game mechanics (ship boarding via marines, for example), more mission types, more weapon types (with a reduction in unnecessary complexity that didn't add anything, ie. the whole alpha/beta/gamma thing - now weapons are more diverse, and identifiable by function and character). I've probably left out a couple of items.

To be fair, here's the flip side of the coin: X3R has a STORY campaign in a truer sense of the word (complete with video sequences and "on-rail" scenes, the latter of which are not to everyone's liking, so a plus OR a minus.) Sadly, the story is rather short, though it has a more satisfying conclusion than any other I've played in the whole X-series (for one thing, it actually DOES conclude! ) I tried to think of other objective recommending factors, but can't come up with any, so I can only offer a subjective "there's a certain indefinable feel to the game that I enjoyed" *shrug*

Neutral observation: X3TC has a somewhat revamped economy, and so certain dynamics that you may be used to in X3R (if applicable) may or may not work in X3TC - for example, I found mining silicon in the early game to be an effective way to launch my own economy in X3R, but in X3TC that "hole" is better plugged by the NPCs, hence that particular opportunity is far less lucrative. However, there are others to discover.

Thanks Raven

I believe you are correct that complexes were in X3R, though it has been a few years since I played it.

I've decided to go for X3TC. I don't think I ever really got into it before, but will try one of the alternate starts (IIRC), as I didn't really like the Terran Pilot beginning.

Cheers

[ancienthighway]

The Terran Plot is available in all starts. All CW races start with one version, and Terran starts have an abbreviated version.

If you think you may ever want to play Reunion again, start with it. Once you play TC/AP, it's very difficult to go back to Reunion with it's UI. I've tried.

[RAVEN.myst]

... will try one of the alternate starts (IIRC)...

Ah, there you go, I knew I left out at least one "more of" category - more gamestart scenarios (most of them unlockable.) The same held true for X3R, but there weren't quite as many of them (most made it across into X3TC and thereafter into X3AP)

If you think you may ever want to play Reunion again, start with it. Once you play TC/AP, it's very difficult to go back to Reunion with it's UI. I've tried.

That is a very good point. I recently re-played the whole X-series (yes, starting with X:BtF, and leaving out nothing), and doing it in sequence was great continuity/story-wise, of course (the main point of the exercise for me), but also allowed me to enjoy the gradual improvements of an ever-evolving interface.

Personally, if I had (as I do, in fact) the option to go with both, I would (my own X2 and X3R will eventually get reinstalled, in case I ever feel an itch for their unique pluses, minuses, and quirks)

[Timsup2nothin]

The Terran Plot is available in all starts. All CW races start with one version, and Terran starts have an abbreviated version.

If you think you may ever want to play Reunion again, start with it. Once you play TC/AP, it's very difficult to go back to Reunion with it's UI. I've tried.

This. As a player I am not backward compatible.

[RAVEN.myst]

As a player I am not backward compatible.

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Thanks All!

On a side note, i think I broke something when cleaning up my hard drive, now text in alternate posts is black - which is very hard to read on a greeen backround!!!!?

[RAVEN.myst]

Incidentally, what "Mercenary" is being referenced in your signature? Or is it the old game Mercenary from back in the Commodore-64 days? (That was an excellent game, but I don't remember that quote - I do however remember the 12939, which spells out something when viewed from the other side )

[pixel]

Incidentally, what "Mercenary" is being referenced in your signature? Or is it the old game Mercenary from back in the Commodore-64 days? (That was an excellent game, but I don't remember that quote - I do however remember the 12939, which spells out something when viewed from the other side )

The quote is from a Novel Mercenary wrote,

it can be found ...........

here



[Mercenary is a fellow long time X player, many years back now from the old forums. I do recommend his Trader's Tale books, they're great fun]

[RAVEN.myst]

Ah thanks for that clarification. The reason for my question is that the game I referenced was among the very first games I ever saw delivering 3D graphics (in wire-frame, back then - it was more or less a contemporary of the original Elite) - so as you can see, that's quite an intriguing coincidence

[X2-Illuminatus]

The Terran Plot is available in all starts.

Except for the Aldran Adenturer start. Here you start in Aldrin, when the Terran Conflict Plot is already completed. The start must be unlocked though, either by completing the Terran Conflict Plot or by editing the respective registry entry.

[RAVEN.myst]

The Terran Plot is available in all starts.

Except for the Aldran Adenturer start. Here you start in Aldrin, when the Terran Conflict Plot is already completed. The start must be unlocked though, either by completing the Terran Conflict Plot or by editing the respective registry entry.

The unlock requirement includes reaching fight rank of Crusader (I think about 33% through it, in fact), IIRC. Incidentally, although it doesn't offer the Terran Conflict main plot, it counts this plot as being completed for purposes of other plots' prerequisites.