What kind of game is the X Series?

Ricochet J · 16 Jan 2007 at 18:21

I remember buying X3, but got told i'd be bored to death so I cancelled it. In the end I purchased Lock On Modern Air combat but didn't end up opening it due to exam revision, so I gave it to a cousin as a preasent.

So i'm going to buy
Lock On
X2
X3

What I want to know is what kind of games are the X games? Are they real time? As in, if you press left on the joystick/analogue control, the ship will go left? And if press throttle or fire, it will go faster and fire lasers or what not?
Or is it as in strategic like an RPG and you have to tell it where to go etc and it will follow your commands but not in real time?
Are there any dogfights and big, huge, mofo ships in here? "Star Wars Star Destroyer-esque"?

I believe it's a graphics whore, so you tell me if my system will be able to hack those threee games on high settings:
- AMD Athlon 64 Winchester 3200+ @ stock
- ATI HIS Excalibur x800xl @ stock, however I can turn the speeds up using the iTurbo software the manufacturers gave
- 2*512mb GeIL Value RAM in dual channal (1gb)
- 160Gb HDD

Any comments will be welcome as this term's exams finish on the 22nd so i'm looking to relax and play a few games.
Thanks!

modo77 · 16 Jan 2007 at 18:30

X3 is an excellent game, and yes its real time. Trigger finger play. Fly anything from small fast fighters, to battleships and carriers.
X2 is the same but with worse graphics

Edit: should also mention you can build massive fleets of ships and stations. Its a very deep game.

Jimi · 16 Jan 2007 at 18:39

Yeah, the X series is very involved, it's got a steap learning curve. I might start playing again actually, I just got Language! off with it 'cause everytime I tried to commandeer a transport ship or pirate ship, they never bailed, so I either had to leave them or destroy them.

DEL 707 · 16 Jan 2007 at 18:55

Neither games are pickup and play, don't expect to know what's going on in the 1st 5 minutes.

Go along to the egosoft forums, they have some good starting guides there, much better then the manuals.

Give this game a little bit of patience and time and it becomes very rewarding, when I was recovering from operation I litterally lost days to it

Azagoth · 16 Jan 2007 at 19:12

Perhaps a perusal of the X3 thread would help you out.

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17487594

Also, just think along the lines of an Elite type game with stunning graphics and the ability to build your own fleet and trading empire.

Lunatic Dreyfus · 16 Jan 2007 at 19:36

Jimi said:
Yeah, the X series is very involved, it's got a steep learning curve. I might start playing again actually, I just ****** off with it 'cause everytime I tried to commandeer a transport ship or pirate ship, they never bailed, so I either had to leave them or destroy them.

Steep... it's ****** vertical!

X2 was hard as nails and left me completely baffled and was soon consigned to the uninstall button. X3 - Reunion was by comparison much easier to get in to though. But that isn't saying much.

If you can break through the initial WTF period there are few more involving and prettier games out there.

As regards to your system, well it may struggle on X3 in "ooh that's pretty" mode. But it's not what you'd call a dogs dinner on the lower settings either.
With regards to X2 and Lock-On, I'll leave that to someone else more knowledgeable.

Azagoth · 16 Jan 2007 at 20:47

All the commands for Lock-On are a bitch to learn. You need at least four hands and a photographic memory to bea able to use them. Each key is used multiple times with SHIFT, CTRL, ALT, SHIFT+CTRL, ALT+SHIFT etc. etc.

That said though, it's a damn fine flight simulator if you're an aviation nut like me. Looks the business on max settings too.

Glaucus · 16 Jan 2007 at 20:55

x2 was awesome, x3 wasn't that much of a learning curve over x2. I just got **** off with it, as to get anywhere you had to either follow the story line, or spend 6 weeks trying to get ratings to buy police licenses. All though the trader was easy and fast to gain. But i wonted shooting.

Is there any plans for x4? I hope there is and I hope its a MMOFPS. Basically exactly the same as x3 (minus the imposable start) but online with real people.

Dj_Jestar · 16 Jan 2007 at 21:13

You might want to try EVE AcidHell.. it is essentially X3 but with players instead of AI. It's not "flight sim" and is point and click, but you'll never get that, due to the technical impossibility of having 1000's of players relaying that amount of data in real time.

Ricochet J · 16 Jan 2007 at 21:47

With X3, i've not seen any real time shots though, looking through the hud and firing away with the crosshair on the screen? :confused:

modo77 · 16 Jan 2007 at 22:07

Ricochet J said:
With X3, i've not seen any real time shots though, looking through the hud and firing away with the crosshair on the screen?

Was that a question?

Edit: http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/sim/x3reunion/screenindex.html?page=1

Ricochet J · 16 Jan 2007 at 22:11

I know i'm asking these wierd questions about gameplay but I absolutely can't STAND those games where you click something, and five minutes later, the thing you clicked on will move etc. Then its the apponants turn.
Stuff like WoW and RPG

modo77 · 16 Jan 2007 at 22:14

yeah its not like that. you fly the ships.

porkrind · 16 Jan 2007 at 22:16

Dj_Jestar said:
You might want to try EVE AcidHell.. it is essentially X3 but with players instead of AI. It's not "flight sim" and is point and click, but you'll never get that, due to the technical impossibility of having 1000's of players relaying that amount of data in real time.

never say never my friend

Jimi · 17 Jan 2007 at 03:00

AcidHell2 said:
x2 was awesome, x3 wasn't that much of a learning curve over x2. I just got **** off with it, as to get anywhere you had to either follow the story line, or spend 6 weeks trying to get ratings to buy police licenses. All though the trader was easy and fast to gain. But i wonted shooting.

Is there any plans for x4? I hope there is and I hope its a MMOFPS. Basically exactly the same as x3 (minus the imposable start) but online with real people.

Don't know about X4 but Infinity: Quest for Earth looks amazing. Supposed to be released end of this year or start of next.

.one. · 17 Jan 2007 at 03:11

lockon rocks big time tis a great game, if you get hold of iron hands tuts you will up and flying in no time well worth a look m8.
as is X3.

Azagoth · 17 Jan 2007 at 04:01

.one. said:
lockon rocks big time tis a great game, if you get hold of iron hands tuts you will up and flying in no time well worth a look m8.
as is X3.

In English?

.one. · 17 Jan 2007 at 04:14

Azagoth said:
In English?

Lock on is a very good game there is a person who calls himself IRONHAND and he knows lockon like the back of his hand and has done some very good tutorials, he is on a very well known lockon forum.
He will teach you to fly and create missions and you will be flying your planes in a very short period of time,i think it would be in your interest if you hunt him down.
Also x3 is a very good game also.

cheeeeeez

Zefan · 17 Jan 2007 at 04:43

Dj_Jestar said:
It's not "flight sim" and is point and click, but you'll never get that, due to the technical impossibility of having 1000's of players relaying that amount of data in real time.

Jump to Lightspeed in Star Wars Galaxies was realtime with no noticeable lag problems. Ran very very smoothly.

MNuTz · 17 Jan 2007 at 08:46

I got X2 as part of a GFX bundle, except it never came with any instructions

Its bloody impossible to play as ive nothing to refer to for controls or help unless i escape and go browsing through the options which is a royal pain in the backside. I keep meaning to try it out properly but never get past the tutorial.

Zefan said:
Jump to Lightspeed in Star Wars Galaxies was realtime with no noticeable lag problems. Ran very very smoothly.

And was complete pap!! the old xwing games are a hell of a lot better and the gfx are absolutely terrible for a modern game!