X4: Foundations - Mount and Blade with space-ships. Now with significant Beta update

[Zarniwoop]

Is this worth playing? I just want to trade stuff in space.

Yes.

It's the best "trade stuff in space" game around.

You are correct because it's a low bar. I don't know of any other space sim that can simulate an economy in the same granular way X does. But play the game for a longer play session and the AI just snaps in half. Even if you're just trading and not doing combat stuff. Completely ruining the illusion of that dynamic and reactive world. They still haven't fixed the AI going bad after a certain point in a long running game.

Which part?

The navigation was completely fucked when the game launched, that has been fixed.

Autotraders were kind of messed up but have been vastly improved (and then nerfed so as to be completely worthless)

Combat in system has been massively improved, your ships don't just form a ball and blast each other anymore.

I probably have the longest running game of anyone here, I didn't restart every time a new expansion came out, like a bitch. And I have never noticed anything about the AI "going bad" during the game. Its exactly as good or bad as it was at the start, apart feom things fixed by patches.

 

[Perkel]

AI wasn't broken even at launch. It just tended to lose against Xenon as time went. But that is just dynamic faction system at play and intended feature. For very long sessions Player always was meant to be additive force in combating Xenon.

Sometimes economy stalled for some reason but those were addressed pretty quickly.

Definitely one thing different from most of economy "sims" is that saturation is a thing in this game and your profitable route can go balls when you run enought traders to satisfy production chain. Wehn you start new game it is pretty easy to make money with trading as most of production chains are empty but as game progresses AI finds happy medium and it is hard to make money like at the beggining but at this point you should run your own production chains.

Good example of this is for example Silicon ore. Highly paid and it gets stocked up quickly for good money but once it is stocked up it very slowly is used so you can't run only on it.

Especially when there aren't any wars economy can be atrocious to make good money but those are rare cases.

 

[Joggerino]

What ruined the economy at release was that the shipyard storage gets full and it just cannot receive the needed component to finish building a ship, a backlog forms and slowly the whole economy grinds to a halt. No demand means the prices fall so much that it's impossible to make a profit by trading/producing.

 

[Blake00]

Yet another addon has been announced too.. although this one is a bit more mysterious as it sounds like it involves time travel or simulations or past X game events or something.. I haven't watched the big stream so I'm not sure..

Egosoft unveils X4: Timelines expansion and major 7.00 update to X4: Foundations​

Embark on an unprecedented space odyssey with X4: Timelines, the latest addition to the X4 universe. With a thrilling new storyline which takes place outside of the X4 sandbox, prepare yourself for colossal challenges and unexpected excursions into the depths of the X series lore and history. The extensive new, free 7.00 update will elevate your space experience in X4 with a host of enhancements and new features. We at Egosoft are excited to unveil the upcoming major 7.00 update and our new expansion, X4: Timelines, for our space simulation game X4: Foundations, which just recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. Your support over the years has enabled us to keep working on X4, improving it and creating a game that is very special to us, as it is to many of you. Thank you, to all our players, all the content creators, all the modders, and of course to everybody who has worked on the game over the years. Our previous four expansions have enlarged the X4 sandbox universe and drawn your interest with new factions, ships and storylines. Today we would like to give you a first look at our next, somewhat unusual, expansion for X4. X4: Timelines - A Revolutionary Expansion Please check out our first announcement video for X4: Timelines. In this video we not only show you some of the new content, but also explain what the new structure and the slightly different gameplay loop of X4: Timelines is all about. >> X4: Timelines Reveal Teaser << Embark on an unprecedented space odyssey with X4: Timelines, the latest addition to the X4 universe. Using novel ways to introduce new players to X4's core gameplay mechanics, X4: Timelines will also delight long-serving space adventurers. With a thrilling new storyline which takes place outside of the X4 sandbox, prepare yourself for colossal challenges and unexpected excursions into the depths of the X series lore and history. X4: Timelines is your gateway to uncharted territories and untold stories. Select 'Timelines' from the main menu of X4: Foundations and set forth on an adventure that transcends time and space. Along the way, you can unlock various bonuses for your X4 sandbox universe. MYSTERIOUS NEW STORYLINE In an all-new mysterious storyline, you'll take on the role of Harper Donel, a trader in the border territories, who is not averse to risky deals. A fateful encounter not only changes your short-term plans, but shakes the foundations of your understanding of the universe, and everyone in it. Prepare to be immersed in a tale of intrigue and revelation. IMMERSIVE SCENARIOS AND UNIQUE UNLOCKS Embedded in the new X4: Timelines storyline, you'll find a wide range of scenarios in which you will experience the many different aspects of X4 gameplay. Playing these scenarios will also unlock new missions within the X4: Timelines storyline, and bonuses for your wider X4 sandbox universe - among them reimagined, classic ships from X universe history. X4: Timelines is more than just an expansion; it's a revolution in the X4 universe. Whether you're a seasoned space explorer or a newcomer to the galaxy, this thrilling new chapter promises to captivate you with its blend of mystery, adventure, and strategic gameplay. While the next expansion is strikingly different from its predecessors, one thing remains the same: a substantial free update for X4: Foundations will be released at the same time as the expansion. Update 7.00 will be huge, and the changelog is likely to break our own records once again... In spring 2024, we will be able to go into more detail about 7.00 and, of course, give you access to the public beta for it, as you have come to expect from us. For now, we can give you a few brief glimpses of some 7.00 highlights: Update 7.00 - Elevating Your Space Experience The free 7.00 update will bring a host of enhancements and new features to X4: Foundations: Reimagined Teladi and Argon Capital Ships: Marvel at the overhauled designs of these iconic vessels, adding more depth and intrigue to your space encounters. New sectors and landmarks: Explore fresh, uncharted regions in the X4 universe, expanding your horizons and opportunities. New Xenon Ships: Experience new ships from the X universe main antagonists in a way that will surprise even veteran X4 pilots. External Camera (F2) Overhaul: Experience a fundamentally improved and more intuitive external camera system. Existential Crisis: A new endgame challenge for veterans. Face off against a faction that goes all-out against you. This intense confrontation can be opted out of, for those seeking a more peaceful journey. Continuous Engine Improvements: Enjoy smoother, more stable gameplay with ongoing refinements to the game's engine. Enhanced Button Remapping: Tailor your controls with more flexibility than ever before. Wishlist X4: Timelines today X4: Timelines and 7.00 update will take you on an unforgettable journey through space and time. Prepare to embark on this exciting new voyage in 2024. Stay tuned for more updates, and get ready to redefine your X4 experience!​

 

[NwNgger]

Is this worth playing? I just want to trade stuff in space.

Yes.

It's the best "trade stuff in space" game around.

You are correct because it's a low bar. I don't know of any other space sim that can simulate an economy in the same granular way X does. But play the game for a longer play session and the AI just snaps in half. Even if you're just trading and not doing combat stuff. Completely ruining the illusion of that dynamic and reactive world. They still haven't fixed the AI going bad after a certain point in a long running game.

Which part?

The navigation was completely fucked when the game launched, that has been fixed.

Autotraders were kind of messed up but have been vastly improved (and then nerfed so as to be completely worthless)

Combat in system has been massively improved, your ships don't just form a ball and blast each other anymore.

I probably have the longest running game of anyone here, I didn't restart every time a new expansion came out, like a bitch. And I have never noticed anything about the AI "going bad" during the game. Its exactly as good or bad as it was at the start, apart feom things fixed by patches.

I played the game last time midway through 2023. I got about 2 IRL days into the game before I ran into an issue of my ships crashing into each other or space stations. Especially when ordering multiple ships to dock at player owned structures. And having weird pathfinding issues that eventually caused a game crash. I still feel the game struggles with having a large amount of ships on screen. That's always when I had the most amount of problems. No mods. Just the DLCs.

 

[Perkel]

20 years of X games and 5 year anniversary of X4.

 

[Jonathan "Zee Nekomimi]

20 years of decline.

 

[NwNgger]

20 years of decline.

X1 was a good start. I don't remember it being nearly as janky as the later X games. But it has been a while since I've played it and I was a small child when I did so my memory might be off.

 

[adddeed]

XBTF was a great start, i played it back in 1999. Feels like a space adventure, but has no remote control of your assets. X-Tension really fleshed it out and had all the basic features that would remain in the series like remote trading, flyable ships, missions, getting out of your ship etc.
X2 is my favorite. Introduced some new features like turrets, nebulae, flying inside stations, bulletin board missions, real time shadows (sadly removed in X3), real second monitor support for additional information. Very comfy game to play, and i love that its all keyboard interface and i dont need to touch the mouse.
X3 reunion got bigger and prettier but lost the immersion of X2.
X-Rebirth i really like, best sector design (space feels like space not a box with gates), best ship design, best capital ship combat, introduced station walking, highways and bunch of other things. My favorite after X2.
X4 kind of lost a lot of good things from Rebirth, as devs got scared of the backlash and went back to a more X3 approach to the game. Its a decent game.

 

[Chippy]

Currently playing X3: Litcube's Universe Star Wars Mod. So far. Edit: See below

This is the first time I've played this mod, and if I wrote a review 100s of hours in, I doubt I'd ever get around to it. AP came out 13 years ago, and I still haven't finished it.

In short: this mod un-spasticates the German logic of the vanilla game. It makes it fun. It puts all the Star Wars ships in there. It adds interesting & QOL modifications. Things make sense now. Ships that outclass you are actually dangerous. Busy work has been cut down (like advanced satalites cover almost a whole sector). Dumbfuckery has been fixed (ships don't smash into each other). It has Star Wars music. It's easy to install and you only need this and no other mods.

It's probably the best Space sim for Star Wars on the PC. Only one thing it needs: Salvage Command Suite which has to be installed manually because the plugin manager isn't compatible with LU. If you're a newbie you need it to sell ships with engine tuning to make the game playable. SCS V.5 on the way.

I put this in the X4 thread as X4 is still a bit pricey and the Star Wars modder says it needs all expansions to play it on that game.

Edit: Unfortunately 50 or so hours in and the game is too unstable to recommend. It hangs, crashes, and slows more than the initial release of the Star Wars mod. I'm on a beefy system for it as well with 12GB video card, 32GB ram, AMD 5700 CPU and a mid grade SSD. It might be the salvage command suite I installed, but that mod didn't overwrite anything. So mileage may vary.

 

[Perkel]

7.0 beta released. Huge changes:




FUCKING TAA, lol. After year upon years they arrived in 2015.

Rework of Teladi and Argon capital ships was sorely needed. I hope in next patch they will rework argon smaller ships because they look like fucking shitboxes.

Also proper keybinding with multikey support. Fucking waited for this years. Back in X3 days i could map X3 to pad and I was actually faster in various UI on pad than on K

 

[Zarniwoop]

Holy shit the game looks completely different.

It's been zoomerized, all the colours are bright neon, like Blade Runner advertising boards or 1980's movie intro sequences.

And, as with every major update, the Xenons got a massive boost in aggressiveness.

 

[Kouvo]

I'm just glad you can turn that shit off, the thing with the glow. For a second I thought I was playing oblivion, or didn't have my glasses on when I saw it.

 

[ropetight]

I'm just glad you can turn that shit off, the thing with the glow. For a second I thought I was playing oblivion, or didn't have my glasses on when I saw it.

Hate that neon nebula-soup that is forced as the look of the space games, series and movies recently.
Nu-Trek is especially full of that shit.
You can't see any darkness at all from all things they are starting to render in space just because they can.

 

[Zewp]

Anyone ever tried playing this with a controller?

Got a surgery coming up and I'm going to have to spend a few days not being able to sit upright while recovering. I'm wondering if it's viable to stream it to play on a controller from the couch while streaming it to the TV using Moonlight. I already expect dogfights to be bad on controller, but how is it for late-game empire management and the like?

 

[Zarniwoop]

Anyone ever tried playing this with a controller?

Got a surgery coming up and I'm going to have to spend a few days not being able to sit upright while recovering. I'm wondering if it's viable to stream it to play on a controller from the couch while streaming it to the TV using Moonlight. I already expect dogfights to be bad on controller, but how is it for late-game empire management and the like?

I have, with an xbawx series whatever controller.

It sucks. There's a reason why Stillbirth was so incredibly dumbed down - it was the only way to make it work without a keyboard.

Depends where you are in the game I guess, if you're mostly managing spreadsheets and watching number go up, it's fine. If you're actually trying to fly ships yourself, just don't.

 

[Perkel]

Anyone ever tried playing this with a controller?

Got a surgery coming up and I'm going to have to spend a few days not being able to sit upright while recovering. I'm wondering if it's viable to stream it to play on a controller from the couch while streaming it to the TV using Moonlight. I already expect dogfights to be bad on controller, but how is it for late-game empire management and the like?

Doable but it's not really good game for controler as there is strategy part to it.
Personally i play it with dual joysticks and k+m.

Weirdly X3 was better game with controler than X4.

 

[Zewp]

Ah, damn. So pretty much what I expected. Thanks both of you!

 

[deuxhero]

Zewp
One of 7.0's new features is improved controller support. No idea how much of an improvement that is. Still, X4 at its core is very menu loving so I wouldn't think it would ever be more than "OK" with a controller.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Kind of interesting considering No Man's Sky has really good controller support, and it has some crazy features.

 

[deuxhero]

X4 is as much an empire management RTS as a space piloting game.

 

[adddeed]

Id even say mid-late game you can probably play it as strictly RTS/4X, controlling everything from the map.

 

[Perkel]

Id even say mid-late game you can probably play it as strictly RTS/4X, controlling everything from the map.

you can do that mostly from start if you want. Just get AI pilot and let it fly for you.

 

[Stokowski]

They keep wanting to make the map bigger and presentation shinier, rather than making the combat, trade, and pathfinding algorithms smarter and gui more functional.

Idiots.

 

[pickmeister]

They keep wanting to make the map bigger and presentation shinier, rather than making the combat, trade, and pathfinding algorithms smarter and gui more functional.

Idiots.

That's because it works to increase sales in the short term.

Look at Total War Warhammer as a great example. They don't fix the fundamental problems with the game. Just slap more shit on the already sizeable pile of other shit and normies suck on that corporate cock, swallow, and say thank you.