New to series, interested in this game

[izanagi00]

ok, I've played multiple Eve Online trials and i really liked that game. only reason i didnt stick with it is because of the darn subscription fee. I also like space simulation games in general. i had gotten Kinetic Void, and while it looks very promising and quite a bit of potential, it is currently in Alpha... or Beta can't remember which. anyways I've looked up things on this, i have a lot of free time and I can be patient when learning a game. (as ive said before, i've managed to get at least the basics of Eve down.) Still, is this game very fun? How many hours can one potenially put into this game?

[Death@Work]

Depends on your own creativity and goal setting :)

When in game plots have been completed, it is all about what you want to with your game, make your own rules of gameplay and stick to them.

X3TC is the game that provides the longest duration in game goals, where X3AP is more limited in Quest regard.
However X3AP provides new/improved functionality and additional nice ships to try.

It is a sandbox game, where you start out in different scenarios, but is only really a starting condition, you will soon be on your own in the game having to seek out missions and plots while you trade, build and fight on the side. Really it is up to you when and what you want to do.

X3TC has the most challenging quest in the series, which is the HUB plot.
This plot can take days or even months to complete if you play the vanilla game, and involves making you create huge station complexes to be able to deliver the requirements.
It can be a bore to do, and frustrating but in the end the accomplishment of having done it is quite good :)

It also contains a relatively long combat plot named Final Fury, which can be challenging depending on your skill and the obtained combat rating in game.

And finally if you do not feel like the game is what you wanted, you have the option to check out the different mods/overhauls of the game which can be installed for a new experience or different gameplay. And if you are really interested you can start doing your own scripting/modding.

To answer your direct question: 100's of hours, ranging to the thousands.

[izanagi00]

.... yeah, i'm definitely getting this. not to mention the thought of making my own complexes sounds very fun.

[data1chi]

I've played some 220+ hours in this game so far. I've my own goals that I'm working to so it's not even a quarter of the total play time i'll have when I'm 'done' with the game. And I'll never be done as I might decide I want to make more goals to work my way to.

[Kyce]

I am a fanatic of these series and of the company. Egosoft somehow manages to convince the community to keep their games up to date. Their support of the community and of their games is unheard of these days. That alone should convince you there is some merit to at least trying this out. However it is not like a lot of games. You do need to spend some time learning it and setting some of your own goals as mentioned above quite well. So it sounds like it may very well be a game for you. I have some 300+ hour into it. Not certain since I got it boxed then "Steamed" it. Just be careful. My wife hates this game because I am in outer space for a very long time everytime I start it up.

[Death@Work]

Opprinnelig skrevet av kyce:

Just be careful. My wife hates this game because I am in outer space for a very long time everytime I start it up.

I agree, my girlf friend also thinks Im sick with the amount of hours I spend of this game :) But then again she gets time to do all her stuff instead of me pestilencing her :P

Atleast you can save and quit this game, back when I played WoW or other games that demands you are there and you cannot leave, now That was a problem for both me and her and other previous ones ;)

[izanagi00]

thankfully I have no girlfriend. while i wouldn't mind one, this game, when i get the steam cash i need to buy it, would probably end up with said girlfriend a bit miffed at least. Still have chores such as taking the dog out to "relieve" himself, and taking out the trash but thats what a pause function is for.

[Death@Work]

Exactly :)

[umad41]

Ive put 6 hours into getting loads of cash and kitting my Discoverer to be a combat ship. Hit combat and it gets destroyed.... Kinda sad but it showed me that bum rushing a Terran Destroyer behind a full salvo of missles isnt the smartest thing to do.

[Death@Work]

Opprinnelig skrevet av umad41:

Ive put 6 hours into getting loads of cash and kitting my Discoverer to be a combat ship. Hit combat and it gets destroyed.... Kinda sad but it showed me that bum rushing a Terran Destroyer behind a full salvo of missles isnt the smartest thing to do.

Lol :D
To be honest, the Discoverer is not really made for doing combat. It is a M5, meaning a scout ship.

M5 : Scout - can kill other M5's, but is really used to explore sectors quickly, scan asteroids and do some missions where speed is required.
M4 : Interceptor - depending on the ship model and your skill you can take down M3/M4/M5. Its primary function is ussually patrolling/escorting ships. These ships make a good starting point for combat.
M3 : Fighter class, can kill M5/M4/M3/M6/M8. With this ship you can really start to do a lot of combat, and depending on ship model and skill you can handle most types of situations. Make sure to get one with a rear turret for missiledefence.
M6 : Corvette, can kill M5/M4/M3/M6/M7/M8. Most types a pretty slow, but there are a few out there which makes a great personal ship to fly, like the Springblossom (speed!), Hyperion Vanguard (can dock 2 M5/M4/M3) and a few of the advanced models.
M7 : Frigate class, there are several versions, some made for Missile support or boarding capitals, other more the classic frigate with turrets. Only a few of them are worth flying yourself.
Missile frigates can kill any ship in the game, but dont get to close to enemy capitals.
Regular frigates can kill some capitals if you are good at dodging their fire and manage your speed. Otherwise they ussually excel in killing fighters.
M8 : Bomber class, used to destroy stations or enemy capitals. They are fragile and should not get close to anything that can shoot at it.
M1 : Carrier, can kills most ships in the game with a little skill, but is truly not a combat capital ship. Its role is support, carrying your fighters close to a battle and letting them at it.
One of the best at combat, is the Teladi M1 as it can mount Gauss cannons and has huge shields. But also sloooow and imo ugly :)
M2 : Destroyer class, Best at tearing up M6/M7/M1/M2's, but can also take care of fighters depending on your gun layout. Typically forward and side guns are for enemy capitals, up, down and the back is ussually dedicated gunslots to take care of fighters.

[ifandbut]

I dont understand the whole "M" class rateing. It is not based on size, or combat ability. What is it based on?

[derek.cochrane]

For a partial answer see Death@Works reply plus you have to realise that the different races place different emphasis on different abilities. The Split place speed as the most important ability, The Teladi on cargo space, the Boron on Shielding the Paranid on firepower. But do not get hung up on all this, decide what the ship you want has to do for you, does it have to fight and defend a lot? Is it to carry lots of cargo? Then once you have an idea look at what is available through the Encyclopedia under ships. I always find that speed is good (gets you out of trouble and allows shields to regenerate). Different races also have different weapons so their ships only take certain weapons, again decide what you want. I know this is not a definative answer but hope it helps a bit. Come back whit what you ship you think you want and maybe we can give pointers.

[Elleron]

Opprinnelig skrevet av ifandbut:

I dont understand the whole "M" class rateing. It is not based on size, or combat ability. What is it based on?

The M-class desigantes a military ship, as opposed to the T-class transports. Unfortunately the numbers date back to the original game where they were "lower is bigger." (M1-M5) Later games added new models which got the next available numbers and are out of order. (M6-M8)

In Terran Conflict there are also "plus" or "heavy" versions of some classes, which cost significantly more and have heavier shields or weapons. For example the Terran Cutlass has two turrents and one more shield than the other Terran M3, the Scimitar. It also costs twice as much.

Grouped by size the ship classes are:

M3, M4, M5 - Fighter size, can dock with ships and stations
M6, M8, TS, TP, TM - Medium size, can dock with any station
M1, M2, M7, TL - Capital size, can only dock at docks (eq docks, shipyards, headquarters, etc)

[Artemis3]

Opprinnelig skrevet av derek.cochrane:

For a partial answer see Death@Works reply plus you have to realise that the different races place different emphasis on different abilities. The Split place speed as the most important ability, The Teladi on cargo space, the Boron on Shielding the Paranid on firepower.

But then there is the Kestrel, the fastest, and not Split :)

[derek.cochrane]

RE Kestral yea it is 3.5 km/s faster than Enhanced Jaguar. There apears to exceptions to just about every rule. Thing is you will have preferences to weapons, speed and sheilding so have to pick the best choice that suits your prference. For me I cannot over look the Springblossom, it is fast (360 km/s) heavily sheilded (3 x 200 MJ) and with 6 matter/anti-matter launchers + 2 Starbust shockwave cannons up front heavily armed. Yes there are faster ships, heavier armed and sheilded but for me this is the best balanced ship. Again it is a matter of choice.

[markdb92]

well the springblossom is a god sin. its the best personal ship out there. your safe from fighters mosty. can outrun capitals as you need to command your other ships to take them out. can easy kill m7s in it. M3s are too slow to be a threat. can kill the annoying m5s and m4s which tend to catch up to you.