X3: Where have you been all my life?

D

Dolor

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Messages
308
So I bought the X Superbox during some Steam sale a while back intent on playing them at some point in the future. Eventually, I began and played all of them in succession but bounced off of each one (less than an hour played) for various reasons until X3: TC. I played that for about 2 hours and blew up when I hit a space station and rage-quit.

2 weeks ago, I booted up X3: Albion Prelude, and somehow it just clicked this time. All I can say is that after about 2 weeks of playing, I have 65+ hours in it, and it has climbed to ~#5 on my Steam top-played list. What an amazing game!

The best complement I can give it is that it is like the Mount & Blade SP campaign, but with spaceships. It's spaceship M&B with better graphics, more depth, better mission designs, and more.

The biggest knock against it is that you can't just save anywhere, so I downloaded a mod that allowed me to do that. My opinion is that that is the only way to really play the game.

Recommendations for newcomers:

  • Download the mod for unlimited salvage insurance (save anywhere)
  • Autopilot (Shift-A) is your friend (I use it constantly) and will help you avoid crashes and pilot for you while you do other things - it is sometimes quirky in Albion sectors
  • Use SETA a lot or otherwise travelling in the game can be tediously slow
  • Also, invest in a fast ship to take advantage of quests that require speed - especially assassination quests
  • Invest in a jumpdrive on any ships you tend to pilot frequently - saves a ton of time
  • Ships have specific functions (e.g. transports, explorers, fighters, etc), so make sure you have the right type of ship for the quest you want to do. Easy way to get frustrated is to try to fight without a military ship of some kind

Wishlist for X: Rebirth:

  • Save anywhere feature included (can make it optional)
  • Slighlty extended time limits on quests (+20-50%)
  • Improved interface
  • Improved orders (wish I could set a command to attack any enemy within X km of a base/ship
  • Better optimization - game can chug even on a relatively powerful system

Anyone else like it/play it? It's amazing to me that this game isn't more popular.
 
Last edited:
Looking forward to playing it starting July, after the spring semester. Can't wait!

Thanks for the beginner tips, I'm going to keep them in mind!
 
One thing I forgot to mention... another tip:

  • Ships have specific functions (e.g. transports, explorers, fighters, etc), so make sure you have the right type of ship for the quest you want to do. Easy way to get frustrated is to try to fight without a military ship of some kind.
 
Lack of quick saves was annoying for a game like X3. I didn't like the combat; WWI/2 in space. Seemed confusing to figure out where to go for missions ect.

Is there a mod that enables quick saves with no salvage loss for Terran Conflict? I am considering trying it again.
 
the interface needed a TON of work. I bought X3 (not sure which version) years ago, and i actually broke the disk in half it was so frustrating. The lack of a manual didn't help. I can't read a PDF while playing the #$^@@ game. That and a lack of mouse controls where a mouse made sense, ruined the game for me.
 
Nice, I too have the super box and have been intending to give it some attention for a couple years now...maybe I'll finally get around to it soon
 
Flogger23m said:
Lack of quick saves was annoying for a game like X3. I didn't like the combat; WWI/2 in space. Seemed confusing to figure out where to go for missions ect.

Is there a mod that enables quick saves with no salvage loss for Terran Conflict? I am considering trying it again.
Click to expand...

The versions of X3 are very similar, so my understanding is that the same mod works for all of them (or at least AP and TC). I don't have the link handy, but if you search for X3 and unlimited salvage insurance mod, you should find it within about 5 mins.

I highly recommend it as without save anywhere, the game goes from one of my top 25 all time down to unplayable.
 
I REALLY badly wanted to get into this game but I've tried a few times now and it's really hard to.

Hoping that X:Rebirth will be a little more user-friendly.
 
Flogger23m said:
Seemed confusing to figure out where to go for missions ect.
Click to expand...

Totally, I am done with the tutorial mission and now am just aimlessly floating in space with nfc what to do next. I guess this game is just above my mental capabilities. ;)
 
Thuleman said:
Totally, I am done with the tutorial mission and now am just aimlessly floating in space with nfc what to do next. I guess this game is just above my mental capabilities. ;)
Click to expand...

So, I can only speak for Albion Prelude (I did the Argon Peacekeeper start), but there is almost always a story mission. In the top left corner is a menu item, go to My Missions, and Activate Guidance, and it will show you where to go. If you can't find any quests, pilot through a gate to another system. Some of the stations will have icons over them. Each have meanings:

  • Dollar sign - trade mission
  • Crosshairs - assassination or protection mission
  • Lightbulb - info mission
  • Green blocks - station building mission (need lots of resources to pull off)
The crosshairs quests (particularly protection) are the simplest and most fun to get started with (assassination becomes a blast, but you need to know how to traverse quickly to beat the timer).

Once you see a station with an icon, pilot to within 25 km of them, then click on them and select "Comms". Click on the person with the icon and accept the new quest. If it doesn't automatically set to track (small yellow/orange arrows indicate tracking), go to above mentioned menu to activate guidance for it.

Also: Always autopilot when docking with stations or you will crash.
 
Last edited:
Dolor said:
  • Dollar sign - trade mission
  • Crosshairs - assassination or protection mission
  • Lightbulb - info mission
  • Green blocks - station building mission (need lots of resources to pull off)
Click to expand...

For whatever quest you are trying to do, make sure you have the right type of ship. As the Argon Peacekeeper, you start off with a fighter, so I would recommend that start to keep it simple.
 
So it looks like it goes: Reunion, Terran Conflict and Albion Prelude. Is that the order one should attempt to play them? Does order even come into play, or are they expansions? I'm really clueless on the matter.
 
Maplehamwich said:
So it looks like it goes: Reunion, Terran Conflict and Albion Prelude. Is that the order one should attempt to play them? Does order even come into play, or are they expansions? I'm really clueless on the matter.
Click to expand...

I think there is some kind of story to them that progresses through each one, but the fun of the game for me really wasn't the story (kind of like playing Mount & Blade SP for the story). If you think you're likely to bounce off them (I sure did), I would recommend just going to X3: AP to get the best/most recent they have to offer.

On my best playthrough, I did about 10-15 in the progression of story quests, but the fun for me was doing the random side quests that you find at all kinds of stations as you travel. I probably did 100+ quests in all. As you do quests, your reputation with the faction goes up allowing you to do better random quests for more money.

I would do quests to build up some cash and then go buy a better ship, buy and build a space station (need a special ship to do so), set up trade routes, upgrade my ships, all kinds of stuff.

I wouldn't be surprised if the overall story and its quests are even good, but there is so much to the game that I can guarantee I haven't seen a lot of it still after 60 hours in.
 
Question though... I tried the first part of X game, and it started kind of boring with trading goods without autoburner between refinery and space station. Does X3 also starts same way, because I'd love to do more combat mission and less trading :) And it has some combat missions though? pirate hunting, bounties and such?
 
MorgothPl said:
Question though... I tried the first part of X game, and it started kind of boring with trading goods without autoburner between refinery and space station. Does X3 also starts same way, because I'd love to do more combat mission and less trading :) And it has some combat missions though? pirate hunting, bounties and such?
Click to expand...

Absolutely. I can't speak for a lot of the starts, but if you want what you stated, start X3: AP as an Argon Peacekeeper. You start with a pretty decent fighter as your first ship, and you can pretty much immediately start protection and the easier assassination quests. Your second story quest is to go to the front lines to assist in the war IIRC.

Also, I've read that with X3: AP, they increased the cash earned by fighting quests so that it is a very viable way to make money. I can confirm that those are basically the only quests I look for, and I have never been hurting for money (although there's always more to want to buy).
 
MavericK96 said:
Hey Dolor, do you use a joystick or just KB/mouse for this?
Click to expand...

KB/M the whole time. I think it's cool that they added gamepad support, and I've been meaning to try it out on my HTPC with a gamepad (probably would have already if it had cloud saves), but there is honestly a lot going on in the game, and a lot of menus and details to dig into if you play it the way I do.

They actually show the gamepad controls in the loading screens, and it looks like flying, fighting, and piloting may be pretty comfortable, but a lot of the fun for me is the management part of it, tracking what your other ships and stations are doing etc which I would guess is much better/easier with the precision of a mouse.

That being said, if you wanted to play the game as just one big bad mofo fighter that just goes around kicking butt all day (i.e. don't buy anything that needs to be managed), you probably could, and I think it would be pretty fun and a more natural fit for just gamepad controls.

That's really what's cool about the game. Once you "get it" (which took me a while to do honestly), there are any number of ways you can play it.
 
This game is like Eve in that there is a STEEP learning curve compared to most games. Not for the casual gamer. You have to be determined to play in order to get through the gate so to speak. I am still struggling to get started but like a challenge so I will keep trying.

Wading through their website but damn is there a lot of info and mods. Is there a mod for dummies? Some kind of hand holding would be appreciated. At least a reach around.
 
Last edited:
spaceman said:
This game is like Eve in that there is a STEEP learning curve compared to most games. Not for the casual gamer. You have to be determined to play in order to get through the gate so to speak.
Click to expand...

Yes. Absolutely. This game is not some 30 minute throwaway indie platformer by any means. The purpose of this thread is only to tell people that I've been to the mountaintop, and it is amazing if you can deal with all the jank to get there ;).

That is why I think comparing it to Mount & Blade is so apt. Both games have a bunch of jank to get through (bad interfaces, tons of depth but no real guidance to speak of, unforgiving, etc), but there's an amazing experience to be had in both that is really pretty unique to these types of games.
 
http://roguey.co.uk/x3/mod/

You do have load up some mods for X3... mission mods are the bare minimum, they add so many more missions. People have added ships, other economy features.. the game is epic.

Disclaimer : As with other mods, some mods wont wreak you existing saved game files, for others, you need to start a fresh game for them to take effect. One of the most fun ones is the derelict ships and the hacking v2 program (which i never got to work properly).
 
It only lists X3 Reunion. Not sure if that will work with the current version.
 
I dont think mods are necessary compatible with the different expansions, but they are typically easy to port. I think most of them get ported to the latest game shortly after it comes out.

I bought AP the day it came out, but still haven't played it. So I can't speak to that. Having said that, I found Terran Conflict was WAY more inviting to new players, than X3:R was. The interface seemed more intuitive. And if you start the human story line start, there is plenty to do as a combat pilot, and the story missions were pretty easy to find/complete. I always got lost chasing the ship after it jumps in X3:R. Story isn't great, but it's passable filler for a fun game.

Modding is where this game gets crazy. I hope X: Rebirth takes a hint from the mods that make give the game world a life of on it's own, with wars and diplomacy between different factions happening on it's own in the background.
 
I really like the X series. Way back I found a retail box version of X: Beyond the Frontier in a clearance bin for $3. I had actually tried the demo of the game previously and was intrigued by the concept. Best three bucks I've ever spent. Since then I've logged many, many hours with the X series. Very immersive and really captures the experience of an independent spacer looking to advance and survive in whichever ways you see fit.

So it looks like it goes: Reunion, Terran Conflict and Albion Prelude. Is that the order one should attempt to play them? Does order even come into play, or are they expansions? I'm really clueless on the matter.
Click to expand...

I'll second the advice to go straight to Albion Prelude (AP). If you really wanted a storyline, I'd probably suggest playing through the storyline of X2: The Threat (older, but charming imo - demo is out there for it) and then into X3: Reunion. Terran Conflict (TC) is mostly a sandbox - one that I've enjoyed considerably, I'll admit. I should note that I haven't played AP yet, as I still have a nice campaign going in TC using the Xtended 2.0 mod, but the improvements they've made in AP are pretty nice I hear.
 
Okay... you made me buy it :) got the pack of Terran Conflict and Alien Prelude for 20 euro from steam. Also downloaded that reccomended earlier mod... in 2 hours when I finish downloading AP, I'll see if I fell victim to the exaggeration, or is the game really great :D

Now... where did I put my old joystick, lol :)
 
Did you really need unlimited saves when the stock game lets you buy 500 salvage insurance for a measly 3000 credits each (and missions are probably paying 5 million + each by now)


btw i love x3
 
MaDSpartus said:
Did you really need unlimited saves when the stock game lets you buy 500 salvage insurance for a measly 3000 credits each (and missions are probably paying 5 million + each by now)


btw i love x3
Click to expand...

I needed it yes. I may be a very cautious gamer, but I save before I do about anything. I have such precious little time for gaming that when I do it, the last thing I want to do is have to redo a big section of the game just because of wasted save time.

May not be as big a deal for others, but crucial for me.
 
MavericK96 said:
Just re-installed Albion Prelude...figure I will just go for the latest and greatest, not too interested in the story.

Is this the mod you used Dolor?

http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=265487

Also, this mod sounds interesting:

http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=304158
Click to expand...

I'm at work, so I can't check the site, but anything that provides unlimited salvage insurance should do the trick. That way you can save often and wherever.

The mod I downloaded was pretty comprehensive in the sense that it seemed to be some kind of developer tool. Playing around with that was actually a decent amount of fun as well.
 
I'm having a real problem trying to get started in this game. I chose the Argon Peacekeeper and started trying to do the initial quest. Halfway to the waypoint I start getting attacked by pirates, which for some reason I have no backup or anything and there are like 5 of them. Manage to take out two before they kill me, but even with the "unlimited salvage insurance" mod I am unable to save unless docked at a station. So I've tried restarting a few times now and just keep getting owned. WTF are you supposed to do?
 
MavericK96 said:
I'm having a real problem trying to get started in this game. I chose the Argon Peacekeeper and started trying to do the initial quest. Halfway to the waypoint I start getting attacked by pirates, which for some reason I have no backup or anything and there are like 5 of them. Manage to take out two before they kill me, but even with the "unlimited salvage insurance" mod I am unable to save unless docked at a station. So I've tried restarting a few times now and just keep getting owned. WTF are you supposed to do?
Click to expand...

I just started the game a few days ago. If you are playing X3: TC these are some things I've noticed.

I found a mod that gives salvage insurance, but you have to open a cheat menu and turn it on for it to work. That may be your problem with that.

Since the game is a sandbox it will give you any quest at any time. Make sure you check how difficult it says the quest is. At the start you should really only try the very easy, or easy quests until you get a better or more ships.

Starting as the humble merchant is the easiest way to start. Trading gets you a crazy amount of money. After you get some money you can just buy a nice fighter and automate your trading.

My game did not have a keybind to see your missions...It took be forever to find out how to change which mission I'm on if I accepted a few. Look in the keybinds and make one.

Always check the missions that have the "Credit" sign. Sometimes people will be selling ships for super cheap. I bought a ship for 90,000 credits, repaired it and sold it for 1,300,000.
 
Thanks for the info. Playing Albion Prelude but it should be the same concept as Terran Conflict.

I'll have to check out the cheat menu thing, I don't remember seeing one in the options but the mod clearly isn't working.

Maybe I'll try being a merchant first. It just struck me as odd that the very first mission they throw you into seems unwinnable without any sort of AI backup (of which there was none when I kept getting killed).
 
So I've been trying to get going in this. Watched some little tutorial videos on how to get started, and so I started as the Humble Merchant (gives you two ships at the start), sold the big ship and used the money to trick out the Discoverer (smaller fast ship that you start with). Now just trying to find missions I can do...no weapons yet so I can't do assassinations, but I'm finding it hard to find do-able missions, like the ones where you find a ship and return it. Most of the missions want you to carry a bunch of freight or build a space station.

Is there any way to see what resources are being sold at what stations without being in the sector?
 
MavericK96 said:
...sold the big ship and used the money to trick out the Discoverer (smaller fast ship that you start with)... Now just trying to find missions I can do...no weapons yet so I can't do assassinations, but I'm finding it hard to find do-able missions, like the ones where you find a ship and return it...
Click to expand...

If it were me I probably would have kept the freighter (TS transport ship). There's some transport/cargo run missions that are pretty common, pay well, and tend to be easy enough. Generally you'd look for missions where they want you to run Cartography Chips, Luxury Foodstuffs, Medical Equipment, and so on. Even a smaller, basic TS class ship can run those sort of goods with ease. Get a jump drive and a docking computer to greatly accelerate the process. Earning some credits this way can set up a foundation that lets you transition into a good fighting ship or greater economic pursuits.

Missions that are good for an m5 discoverer will be somewhat harder to come by, as you've seen. Also, the ship won't be very capable in a fight even fully upgraded. The m5's just aren't really built for combat. Good for quick recon, personal and auto exploration, speedrun taxi missions, and so forth.

As for seeing station resources while out of sector, having a satellite in system or a cheap, beat up ship docked at a station can give you that option.
 
I gave up on finishing my TC Hub a while back. I was doing fairly well, but the resources required to fully restore the hub were quite substantial, and managing the fleets and complexes required were not my personal idea of "fun". At least not with the provided interface.

But I love X3. That one quest was just a little too much. I usually like cruising around in a loaded M6 (yes a Hype, although the skiron's not bad). M6's are where it's at imho. You get the big-ship features, with small-ship piloting and combat.

I may have to go ahead and install AP, it's just been sitting in my steam library looking lonely...
 
MavericK96 said:
So I've been trying to get going in this. Watched some little tutorial videos on how to get started, and so I started as the Humble Merchant (gives you two ships at the start), sold the big ship and used the money to trick out the Discoverer (smaller fast ship that you start with). Now just trying to find missions I can do...no weapons yet so I can't do assassinations, but I'm finding it hard to find do-able missions, like the ones where you find a ship and return it. Most of the missions want you to carry a bunch of freight or build a space station.

Is there any way to see what resources are being sold at what stations without being in the sector?
Click to expand...

You may want to go find one of the abandoned ships and use one of those instead of the starting ship. You can look on the wiki for a list of ownerless ships, there are a few M3's that are easy to get and don't require you to go through hostile zones.

You can always set you other ship to be your wingman if you don't want to sell it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top