x2 the threat and freelancer

[mcjomar]

okay so x2source is down, i figured i'd follow the link and come here. need a bit of info.

 

okay question one: when is x3 reunion coming out. release dates anyone?

 

two: who here playes either of these games fully and has news about either or the getonit forums.

 

three: chat at will. ideas thoughs POVs, and anything else but on topic. its my first post/ topic here and id like to stay outta trouble for a while.

 

anyway. all replies welcome (okay most, spams are debatable).

 

 

the flight and plot of freelancer is better, but the gameplay and amount of stuff you can have in x2 is a notch above. (although i agree with opinions about "shiny graphics" and slow gameplay. still both are good games and i like to have empires and stuff (x2) but the better combat and plotline in freelancer makes that one a good choice too. (sorry to fellow x2 fans but the physics, combat system, and plotline (including character graphics) is miles better in freelancer. trading isn't tho). okay thats the shortened version (i think).

 

thanx in advance.

[Zniky]

RELEASE DATE: Q3 2005.

Seems to be scheduled for release in october 05.

[mcjomar]

thanx.

 

ok october 5th. thats a bonus. from the system requirements looks like i just fit in.

anyway, how would you compare the two games?

or just ideas on x2 in the x2 thread.

 

nice to hear other opinions once in a while. :)

[Zniky]

Dont really play space sims myself, just something about them that makes me never get involved with the story. Maybe because of the lack of cutscenes or interaction, dont know.

 

Did play Freelancer some though, but didnt really get involved with the story so didnt play it far. :/

[mcjomar]

well if you continue the story, that at least improves. imo though, the missions are a bit repetitive. where in x2 they're a bit more varied. i see your point but with freelancer they did give you a good story line. the first few bits are a little bit boring but it does eventually pick up. its a conspiracy story with action and adventure basically. online is good though. as far as i know.

x2 story line does leave something to be desired.

havent tried star wars galaxies yet.

 

best one out of those i know for the story is freelancer

[Dark0ne]

Taken from a previous post..

 

To me, Freelancer was so much better -- combat was better, the missions weren't, but X2 just plain sucked. I didn't like the "everything's shiney" look in X2, the voice acting was TERRIBLE and the economy that was meant to be the biggest selling point was the most flawed part of the game, with the only really worthwhile money maker being Solar Power Plants.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing if X3 can improve and the very large short-falls of X2.

 

I loved Freelancer. Completed it twice and found all the secret sectors and the best guns. X2 I couldn't get into, it's was boring, repetetive play with terrible combat and no incentive to carry on.

[mcjomar]

okay dark one. i see your point. the story is bad, the combat is bad, the graphics are good but not good enough... theres a line, get in it. suffice it to say those are all salient (for the grammatically challenged of you that means "good" in this case)

points. but i find the trading building and thinking components of the game, more engaging.

the trading is good. the bbs is good. the amounts of ships you can own is better. in freelancer you only have one ship. in x2 you are still only one man, but you can have an empire of stations and ships and you arent restricted in types of missions. not just a few different styles of combat. there are reams of combat missions, all slightly different as you progress through the game. and there are actually trading missions of loads of different types, transport missions, and touring missions.

 

so much more scope than freelancer. and a bigger (yes it is) universe.

 

but the fighting, combat, physics and story line in x2 let the game down. this is where freelancer picks up. both have their advantages and disadvantages. more variety and you can own an empire in x2. but improved physics,combat, and graphics for freelancer, as well as the plot.

 

there much to be done to improve both but i really dont have the time to list it all in this post.

[Switch]

I have to agree with Dark0ne really. I see your point mcjomar, but there is such a thing as too much depth. I don't like having to wrack my brain constantly, worry if this cargo's gunna make it past fleets of enemy ships, worry about paying this off and keeping that maintained in order to do this etc etc etc. I had to strike up a list of things to do sometimes and even then I got confused. Not to mention it's quite slow to get things done. I just don't find it that fun. Freelancer was simple, yes, but it was fun. :D The storyline wasn't half bad either.

 

I haven't really read up on X3, I probably will once it's out.

[mcjomar]

well. as has been said. october 5th. apparently. hope so.

 

anyway. i find the easiest way to make the moolah is to set targets.

e.g. the best way to start off is with a wheat farm in The Wall.

 

they don't have one there and need one to provide a resource that they dont have.

so that means easy money (or credits). after that just look in each sector for a station that is required for one resource or another that they just don't have. and make sure it is easy to maintain within that sector. buy low grade dolphins to start off with. cheap but the best cargo space. slow yes but useful.

 

all you have to do is automate every thing and leave it running. it will make money with no effort from you required. that just leaves you to fly about and have fun. blowing things up (if you can) or trading with an autopilot (if your lazy, like me). do missions to increase account size fast. assasination missions are the best and for any combat mission i use the nova.

 

thats the basics i use. it allows me to enjoy the game without over complicating things and i can make targets to aim for whenever i want to buy something, e.g. i need to save up 2-3 million credits to buy an L class nova. for example.

 

the enjoyment of x2 is the open endedness. it allows you to do what you want in that universe without too many guidelines.

i quite agree as i have already said, on the "shiny" graphics thing.

the way the humans move in the video sequences IS rather ridiculous, and the physics of the combat could be improved. "combat on rails" is a quote from FACTS.net that i remember.

 

yes it would be nice to speed things up in x2. that i understand. the idea of zooming around in combat, ducking and dodging ships weaving and cutting engines once in a while to flip and boost in an unexpected direction. all of that.

 

but thats why freelancer is better there. x2 has the advantage in size and capability.

 

the movies, combat, graphics, physics, and combat isn't great in x2 (prolly a slight understatement there but hey, whatever) but it's scope and size, not to mention capabilities for an empire are so much better that it brings it out on an even keel. if the freelancer designers got together with the designers of the x2 series they would be able to improve on both sreies AND come up with a new game that wipes the floor with any other space sim. but they are in competition so that wont happen for a long time. so in the meantime i just try to enjoy the seperate aspects of each of the games.

 

but like i said, thats my 2 cents.

my advice would be to search any game for something you might enjoy. if you still cant enjoy it. then sell the flippin thing for some moolah and find a new game. no point in having somthing you cant enjoy.

 

ahh whatever. still good to see a little healthy debate without the flaming. keep it up guys.

[Dark0ne]

The size of the universe really doesn't have much to do with it. People need only remember Daggerfall, which was absolutely huge. The game is still boring by modern gaming standards.

 

Freelancer's universe was definately big enough. If the universe is too big then players simply get bored when they find themselves doing stupid transport missions from one side of the universe to the other.