Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
63 of 64 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best space trading/RPG/Combat game out there today., 17 Oct 2008
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
I am playing the game on a quad core intel (6600 iirc), 8800GT 512mb, 4gb ram, vist64.
I have played all the X games, so this is certainly from a long time fan of the X Universe, but please don't think I am being biased.
Update: I have now played the game for around 15 hours so below is my full review.
Performance & Graphics, 8/10. An real improvement on X3R but not a leap.
The game is running on my PC at 8x AA, 8x AF, high shaders and textures, glow enabled, 1280x1024 (limits of my LCD). It runs great. Very smooth, with the only slow down so far being in a couple of sectors with lots of asteroids and Anti aliasing objects, and also occasionally in some big fights (i.e. when I am attacking around 20 to 30 ships or more). The graphics engine has been optimised from X3 Reunion to run quicker and use less resources.
The quality of the picture is basically the same as in X3R. Do not expect a massive improvement. Overall it is a noticeable improvement, which is pretty good considering the engine is the same. The new ship models and weapon types look great and are refreshingly different to what we know from previous X games.
Sound, 9/10, music and sounds all improved, great new sector music. The Terran sector music rocks!
Interface & Missions, 8.5/10, great new interface, missions much clearer, random missions easy to find but can be hard to do at the beginning.
The whole interface is very slick and easy to use. Movement in the game itself takes a while getting use to the mouse movement, but it is very good and easy to use, like freelancer. New controls have to be got used to and generally I would say they are very good.
An in game encylopedia has been added that is very exhaustive and contains very helpful info and stats, a great addition for new and old players alike.
The mission help system is SO MUCH better, much easier to figure out what you are supposed to do. You get pointers where to go, which to you hardcore players might seem easy, but it makes the whole game so much more approachable.
The random missions you can get by comming a station within 20km, very easy, just look for lightbulbs or cash signs or target reticules to identify the different mission types, a target icon is assasination/fighting, cash/lightbulbs are delivering something or recaptuting ships or scanning for illegal cargo etc.
A nice touch is that the random missions have pictures and explanatory text, before you decide to accept or not. a bit like Eve Online.
The only gripe I have is that the missions are generally aimed way above the starter player, so that basically in the first couple of hours you will be lucky to find a mission you can actually do. This is a problem that X3 had. I am not interested in doing missions when I have got loads of money and ships, I want missions when I have no money and a rubbish ship. The missions are marked easy, normal, hard, very hard, as a guide to how well you can do them. Apparently some missions are bugged, but I have not encountered these (there are a lot of different mission types to do!).
Pros:
Great new models and weapons. Really liking the multiple warhead missiles!
Graphics running very streamlined, less of a power hog than X3R
Great interface throughout
Great in game encyclopedia
Mission objectives clear
Random missions easy to get and find
Storyline so far (as terran pilot) seems pretty good
Very nice music in the new sectors, great soundtracks
Cons
Graphics not really different, nice new models and better running on my system, some effects better.
Some small niggles with the interface, such as clicking on a station to comm it will (rarely) instead select a nearby ship, this is a small issue
Need more missions for starter players
Some silly missions that seem far too hard even though marked as 'easy' or bugged.
so, yeah, overall I'm very happy. I can see myself playing the plotlines through with interest, just a bit disappointed to see so many slick improvements to the game throughout that the random missions are a bit flawed.
Summary: a very slick update of X3R with some really nice touches and a whole new story to explore. Be aware that the learning curve is steep on this game if you have never played an X-universe game before, but not as steep as with previous games, and the online commmunity at the Egosoft forums is genuinely helpful and friendly (check it out at []).
Update 2: A hotfix 1.2.1 has been released by Egosoft to address some bugs people have been experiencing. A patch, 1.3, is being worked on to improve the game further (i.e. not just bug fixes!). I have to say that historically Egosoft have always been excellent at providing game improvements and expansions for free and X3:TC looks to be no different.
Update 3: A new patch 1.3 is now available, both for the DVD version and for the Steam version. The patch notes are quite long, a lot of fixes to performance, fixes to missions and also some improved stuff (like more info on the encyclopedia).
|
|
|
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Like playing it for the first time, 22 Oct 2008
Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars
this game is so radically different from X3 Reunion it's like playing it for the first time. like all X universe games, it's a highly complex trading/fighting space sim where you can build your own factories and assemble an armada
here is a list of the changes.
1. new mission system: no longer do you have to flick through the BBS, instead you can see who has missions for you by one of four icons.
2. more ships: aswell as terran ships, there are also many new ship classes, M8 (Bomber), M7 (Frigates), M7M (Missile Frigates), M4+, M3+, TM (Transporter with bays for ships)
3. Side bar: instead of the menu system in X3 reunion, they have new menu system that consistes of a easy accesible sidebar that you can click on with your mouse or keyboard commands.
4. Freelancer controls: if you remember freelancer, the way you move your ship and shoot is almost exactly the same
5. terrans: last time in Reunion, a gate to earth was created, you can now browse the solar system
6. multiple plotlines: I wont comment on any specifics so I don't ruin the plot, but there's multiple campains that you can play.
7. Cooperations: aswell as terracorp, there are several other cooperations in this game, you can also make your own HQ
8. What, no Brennan: that's right, you don't play as a Brennan in this game, there are many gamestarts which can be unlocked so you can play as any race you like (presuming you've unlocked it first)
9. I want that M1: you can capture large capital ships, this is a fantastic feature that makes capuring ships that bit more fun and intresting
10. Wings: you can now group your fleet into wings, which allows greater control over your fleet.
as for the graphics, it's ok, not a vast improvement from X3 R, and still only DX9.
those are the main changes, now for the cons
many missions are bugged, impossable at times, and in some cases, over validated. some of the campain missions need workarounds to contiune, it needs more testing so I give it four stars instead of five. other than that I can find no fault with an otherwise perfect game.
verdict: wait afew months for more patches to be released, 1.2 is already available (was actually available before the game was out, which in my opinion is not a good sign), but if I didn't preorder this I would have waited for 1.3
Edit: 1.3 has now been released, and can be downloaded from the egosoft website, several plot fixes along with a large amount of other fixes and additions have been implemented.
|
|
|
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not for those who aren't paitent., 27 Nov 2008
Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars
I'm an elite veteran, & have also played X-BTF & various flight sims. So in this respect I am not a novice gamer.
So, lets start with my first impressions of X3:TC.
The learning curve is like a brick wall. I played for three hours & felt like I was going nowhere in the game I got to a point in the plot line where I could go no further. I almost gave up.
I then decided to explore & try different things. I discovered capturing ships (woooo) & loads of different mission types. After some head scratching - I've sorted an independent trader to run about making money while I explore & blow things up. Jump-drives help enormously with the wait time between sectors & travelling. . . .
The game is massive, there is so much to do. I'm glad I persevered through the learning curve and now feel as if I'm actually progressing.
Good points:
- Very immersive
- Massive Game play potential- although you probabily won't want to replay from scratch.
- Pretty
- Guns, big guns.
Bad points:
- Vertical learning curve.
- Bugged missions
- Random deaths by autopilot errors.
- Slow (at times)
On the whole I'm really enjoying the game.
If you, like some of the other reviewers have given up - I suggest you give it another shot. Pop into the official game forums for hints, tips & maps.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
