What's next from Egosoft?

[sscadmin]

With X3TC supposedly the end of the series what do you think Egosoft will come up with next? I know personally I think overall they make quality software but it definitely alienates a lot of gamers. The X series is definitely a niche market of games that only cater to the hardcore space empire building fan.With the world they already have created they could just speed the gameplay up and make a nice shooter with MP or possibly MMO capabilities. Dumb down the interface a bit and speed the fighting up and they will have a winner, still keep the industry portion but make it more hands off approach so you can worry more on exploration and crushing the enemy :)Just my .02

[Stardreamer]

The impression I got is that Egosoft would be switching to a different genre completely. That's probably just me interpreting what isn't there, but I can see how they might want a break from space games after coding one universe for ten years. Will be interesting to see what they eventually decide to do.

[Pinback]

Bankruptcy No seriously I tend to think of Egosoft as a one trick pony,after all they have spent the last 10 years makeing one game.And I dont think they will move too far away from what they know,hencesome sort of R.T.S set in the x universe may be a good bet for there next game.

[sscadmin]

Bankruptcy... good one Pinback :)Heh I guess you never know it could be true if their next game isn't what fans want. They could actually just stay in the X universe but speed up and dumb down the game a bit and it would attract more people to the X universe. I like the concept of the X series of games its just the game is to slow for me and I start to get bored after a week of playing it. They have the graphics down and the economy isn't bad either. I just think combat needs to be faster.

[Shingen]

If they are smart, they'll develop X into an MMOG like Eve, and keep that running.. a lot of people play the X games, and they would prolly be a stable market for an MMOG version.I hope they do it more like X2 tho, as I prefer X2 to X3 in a lot of different ways. X3 really didn't improve that much over X2, and I like that in X2, we could enter stations and scavange cargo pods in the early part of the game.

[sscadmin]

Shingen wrote:
If they are smart, they'll develop X into an MMOG like Eve, and keep that running.. a lot of people play the X games, and they would prolly be a stable market for an MMOG version.
Doesn't X3/X2 games have a lot of similar aspects? Granted X Series has empire building with building stations, mining and trade routes and you have the whole squad and giving orders etc.. But I think Egosoft wouldn't do that well in this space. Just because of the complexity of there games. X2/3 is not for newbs to space games in general and they tailor to a niche market of gamers.I just don't see the X series bringing in hundreds of thousands of users like EVE does to play online. EgoSoft would have to dumb down the game a little bit to attract newbs to the series. EVE Online also has a marketing engine from hell they have ads everywhere. And you can mention the X series games to people in general and maybe 10% would know of them. Because they haven't been widely advertised. I do want to see something from EgoSoft and would be excited about a MMO but I think they need to stay with the SP/MP experience for right now and try to get a huge hype around there next game and then talk about a MMO. Build that large following you will need to keep a MMO a float. So many of them die off within two years and with EVE, JGE, BP, STO, Taikodom, Miner Wars, and a few others going to be playing in the Space MMO pool it might be wise to stay out for now

[Geraldine]

I have all the X games apart from TC. As to what to do next, perhaps Egosoft should join forces with Frontier Developments and help out with the creation of Elite IV?

[sscadmin]

Geraldine wrote:
perhaps Egosoft should join forces with Frontier Developments and help out with the creation of Elite IV?
They do make some nice ships, put some of EgoSoft's artistic talent on top of Elite's backend should look great.

[Geraldine]

MmmmmmmmmThe more I think about this idea, the more I like it. IF, (and I mean IF) Frontier Developments were to give Egosoft a templet to work with, it could take some pressure off their own developers, and so move forward the eventual release date. As for new ships, I think many fans would love to see Cobras, Kraits , Boas ect with a "X" makeover. Just look at the storm of interest FFE3D has caused. You could not buy such good publicity for a game not even released yet. Yes the pressure on DB must be immense. Poor guy!

[Pinback]

Geraldine wrote:
perhaps Egosoft should join forces with Frontier Developments and help out with the creation of Elite IV?
That would be like teaching you granny to suck eggs. The only thing Egosoft could teach Frontier is how NOT to make a space trading game.Or as I like to say EGOSOFT HOLD IT UP TO THE LIGHT ,NOT AN ORIGINAL IDEA IN SIGHT.

[sscadmin]

Geraldine wrote:
You could not buy such good publicity for a game not even released yet. Yes the pressure on DB must be immense. Poor guy!
Personally they are squandering a perfect opportunity to cash in. With Elite's recent 25yr anniversary and space gaming starting to come back alive they might be late to the dinner table. Personally Infinity: The Quest for Earth will be an amazing game when it is released and it will be Elite and more in my mind. They are doing great things with that game. Do I think Elite 4 should be an MMO? NO it shouldn't it should be an amazing SP game that just totally immerses you in the world that they create. MMO's generally don't have immersion that's why you get bored after a few months. Create a sandbox game that you could play forever but actually have a story that changes on the actions you do in the game.
Geraldine wrote:
EGOSOFT HOLD IT UP TO THE LIGHT ,NOT AN ORIGINAL IDEA IN SIGHT.
hehe a bit harsh on Egosoft aren't we Pinback. I do think they make good game models for stations and ships, I like you would like to see a better system in place for the next X game if possible.

[Leafcutter]

Add brand new cockpits (optional of course) in their next patch lol.I personally don't care as I have finished with the game for now, but so many poeple seem to whinge about that.CheersLeafcutter.

[Geraldine]

Well I've gone and done it, I just bought X3 Gold (with TC) from Amazon, now I am left with 2 redundant copy's of X3; the original X3 and 2.0 Well at least I have them all now.And Pinback, I said in my post that IF Frontier Developments GAVE Egosoft a TEMPLATE to work with. All I was suggesting was that they could take some of the modelling and artwork duties from the Frontier guys to free them up for other aspects of the game and so hopefully speeding up that ever elusive realise date. Overall control of the project would (and should) remain with Mr Braben himself. I guess my patience for Elite IV is starting to wear a bit thin after all this time, anyways with regard to the X games, you are correct Pinback, there is little to be found in the way of new ideas, but who knows what Egosoft could learn from the experience? Might do them some good to learn from the man who started it all.

[Pinback]

There are some nice ship/station designs in the X games some of which was done by Tobias Richter.[url]http://www.thelightworks.com/[/url] may remember him from his Amiga days when he made a lot Star Trek 3D slide shows.If Frontier needs any help this is someone they should contact

[Geraldine]

Hi PinbackSo that's who designed some of the ships! That will teach me to check the credits more carefully in the future. Tobias also made a Star Trek shareware game for the Miggy too, still have it someplace in my collection. Glad to see he went on to bigger things. That's got me thinking, another guy I recall from those days was Allister Brimble. He made some wonderful music for lots of different games like Dungeon Master II and Subwar 2050. I loved those games. Wonder what happened to him? I must suggest him on the Elite IV music thread on the Frontier forum.EDIT: Just had a quick look at his past work WOW!http://www.exotica.org.uk/mediawiki/index.php?title=Special:Modland&title=Special%3AModland&md=search&aut=Allister+Brimble&autx=1&pg=1

[Pinback]

Geraldine wrote:
another guy I recall from those days was Allister Brimble. He made some wonderful music for lots of different games like Dungeon Master II and Subwar 2050.
Now thats a name ive not heard of in long time,must download some of his tunes.

[SuperG]

I realy hope they stick to this genre.And make new IP but then better.And don't make something for console. Like a X'ish game but then consolised gameplay.CockpitsI do apreciate them wenn the where in. But there are large UI and gameplay flaws. So I would see a more finished and polished game. Then some icing on the cake wenn UI and gameplay are partly broken.But from a independed dev studio. Doing there own thing on a tight budged. Bugs and unfinished feel of such feature rich game are more part of reasonable expectation.So the chance off a new advanced Multitreaded and Mplay ready game engine is maybe a bit high. But I can dream and hope for it.Some point who needs attention.* AI It's more baby sitting every unit in your empire and even command simple task for nobrainer responses as if your dealing with dodo's. This genre and especialy the fleet part are depending on decent and in depth AI.* UIAll avaible gameplay styles fully implemented. including efficently UI interface. For capital ship and fleet command and pure economics play UT and fab's. * Ships classesI got the impression that lot of it is hardcoded. And that makes modding and adding new classes dificult. Also i don't like strick class rules. In reallife only Physics and real limitation rulez. The thing I like about X3 is the capping and boarding feature. That should be worked out even further.

[sscadmin]

SuperG wrote:
* AIIt's more baby sitting every unit in your empire and even command simple task for nobrainer responses as if your dealing with dodo's. This genre and especialy the fleet part are depending on decent and in depth AI.
I know I would like to do less managing and more fighting and exploring personally so a smarter AI would do this game some justice. X series games would be great for me if they just speed up the combat just a bit. And Egosoft makes a graphically pleasing game I would like to be able to really explore in this game instead of manage resources and quests. What X series needs is a procedurally generated universe to make it infinite

[Geraldine]

Darkone wrote:
What X series needs is a procedurally generated universe to make it infinite
This comes back to my earlier point. Egosoft could learn a lot from David Braben, if they "helped out" in the development of Elite IV. Has any other game managed to do a procedurally generated universe besides the Elite series? Mind you, there was that cheeky ad Egosoft ran for X2 which might have offended David Braben, so maybe not :(Only one game can make the claim to 21st Century Elite and that game will (hopefully) be Elite IV

[sscadmin]

Geraldine wrote:
Has any other game managed to do a procedurally generated universe besides the Elite series?
It's not out yet but Infinity: Quest for Earth is using procedurally generated universe and it is amazing looking. It will generate the universe, planets (type, terrain), npc traffic, anomalies. I think personally Infinity is the hardcore space gamers game.