[Fineus]

Well... this sure snuck up pretty sneakily... and so close to Christmas!

X3: Albion Prelude released on December 15th 2011 is the new game of the epic X space simulation series: http://www.Albion-Prelude.com

TRADE - FIGHT - BUILD - THINK
Total freedom in a realistically simulated universe.

A Bridge Between the Old and New X Universe
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X3: Albion Prelude plays in a time between the old and the new X Universe. It shows a universe in flux, and prepares players for things to come. The old X Universe is passing; a new X Universe is about to be created.

War!
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The X universe is undergoing a period of massive change. What started as a conflict of interest between the Earth and the races of the X Universe has now escalated into a full scale war. Play a part in a war scenario bigger than anything the X Universe has ever seen before!
 
Corporations Compete for Control of the Future
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With the war as a backdrop, corporations are vying for power and are driving the X Universe in a new direction. A technological breakthrough will soon allow massive accelerators, forming highways in space and allowing the economy to expand on an unprecedented scale. Highways, a key feature of X Rebirth, are not yet ready, but you can see them being built and participate in the power struggles around the construction of much larger self sustaining economies.

Features Overview
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 - A new plot throws you into the power struggle between corporations at a time of war.
 - More than 30 new ships and stations
 - New Stock Exchange feature allows advanced investment strategies
 - Improved graphics quality setting for high end machines
 - Improved UI introducing charts to visualize economic developments
 - Support for head tracking

Looks to be something like what Crysis Warhead was to Crysis then... with developments made to the graphics and UI, various refinements and further storyline. They sure kept it under wraps pretty well (unless my head has been stuck in the sand?) but I have my fingers crossed that this will prove to be what X3 should have been (at least for me - who couldn't spend the time to get my head around the interface..)

[Belisarius]

I didn't see that coming either and I was working for that company until a few months ago

Anyway, it's just an addon, so using the same engine as X3:TC and thus the new plot will be generated as generic as it was in TC, so I don't expect that much from it. Though, I already have the superbox and will test it.

[TrashMan]

According ot the trailer...the daughter of Helena Kho apprently blew up the Earth ring? WTFF?????

TERRORISM!!!!!

I'm defiantely taking the side of the Terrans on this one.

[Belisarius]

Well, unfortunately the last novel of the X Universe wasn't released in english, so you can't know that this terroristic act was an act to break the terran imperialism that hovered like a damocles sword over the entire X Universe and all its races that were completely overwhelmed by the sheer power the terrans had over them. So from my point of view the terrans deserved a shot in the balls like this.

[TrashMan]

Yes, because destroying a gigagntic space station/ring that is a commercial and vicilian hub, and by raining debris on cities and civilians, you are TOTALY doing a honorable act or warfare...

EMh..I dunno why I complain. X3 writing was alawas horrible. I really should have seen this coming.

[Belisarius]

The torus wasn't a civilian station. It was the last defense ring for earth. Remember the overpowered guns that shot you into pieces in no time when you left the vector in front of it.

[Ghostavo]

I fail to see how destroying a purely defensive installation will help "break terran imperialism". I also fail to see how it's somehow an offense to be overpowered compared to other races.

[Ravenholme]

I think it was more of a "Back off" statement to the Terrans. Definitely not the most well-advised course of action, though.

Wellp, I'm guessing the Sohnen shut down the gate network at the end, telling everyone to STFU, sit down and don't talk to each other anymore.

[Belisarius]

Not the Sohnen, but the Ancients. And yes, it was them. At least book-wise.

[Grizzly]

For me, it begs the question now: Why would Saya Kho do this (the trailer says she did...)? I've played the series from X2 upwards, and AFAIK, Saya Kho is the daughter of the CEO of TerraCorp, which was founded to get the Terrans back into the galaxy in the first place.

[Ravenholme]

For me, it begs the question now: Why would Saya Kho do this (the trailer says she did...)? I've played the series from X2 upwards, and AFAIK, Saya Kho is the daughter of the CEO of TerraCorp, which was founded to get the Terrans back into the galaxy in the first place.

Terrans turned out to have morphed into xenophobic nazis who want to impose their ideals on the universe at large? Something of a problem when iirc, a lot of the proof points towards the Xenon actually becoming self-aware/a proper race in their own right (Managing to negotiate a ceasefire with the Paranid, at least in lore terms)

[Belisarius]

For me, it begs the question now: Why would Saya Kho do this (the trailer says she did...)? I've played the series from X2 upwards, and AFAIK, Saya Kho is the daughter of the CEO of TerraCorp, which was founded to get the Terrans back into the galaxy in the first place.

Nope, she's not the daughter of Kyle W. Brennan, but of Elena Kho. Elena grew up on earth and ever since she stranded in the X Universe wanted to return. But Saya grew up in the X Universe and her father is an unknown Argon. It never got said who he really was. Thus, she had her heart bound to the X Universe and, though joined the ATF, wanted to protect 'her universe' from the Terrans and so destroyed the Torus.

[Mikes]

I fail to see how destroying a purely defensive installation will help "break terran imperialism". I also fail to see how it's somehow an offense to be overpowered compared to other races.

It's big and shiny.... it had to go boom!!! ... also, Saya is not a Terrorist because she is one of the good guys and the good guys can't be terrorists, can they now, huh!



Dunno what you are wondering about ... I find it a splendid example of how Egosoft has always handled writing

[Ravenholme]

I fail to see how destroying a purely defensive installation will help "break terran imperialism". I also fail to see how it's somehow an offense to be overpowered compared to other races.

It's big and shiny.... it had to go boom!!! ... also, Saya is not a Terrorist because she is one of the good guys and the good guys can't be terrorists, can they now, huh!



Dunno what you are wondering about ... I find it a splendid example of how Egosoft has always handled writing

Torus was also a shipyard facility and major military stockpile. I'm pretty sure Saya is considered a terrorist, I just think her terrorism can be seen as justified for everyone who isn't Terran, as it gives them a snowball's hope in hell of resisting the Terran menace.

[TrashMan]

Meh...the plot is horrible as always.

Showering civilians with debris is not justified. To think I actually used to like that psycho...

Also, Terrans are not xenophobic natzis.
They keep their borders closed, but that's about it. (at least in the game that's how they are)

[Ravenholme]

Meh...the plot is horrible as always.

Showering civilians with debris is not justified. To think I actually used to like that psycho...

Also, Terrans are not xenophobic natzis.
They keep their borders closed, but that's about it. (at least in the game that's how they are)

A case of game mechanics rather than actual plot. I mean, the ingame plots are all about a shadow war between the Terrans and the rest of the Universe, with the Terrans technically violating the observed borders in the USC plotline (You know, the part where you commit a raid on the sector dedicated to the build up for Operation Final Fury, amongst others)

[TrashMan]

And you got missions you can do for other sides where they try to sabotage/steal stuff from the Terrans.

It's clear from the start Terrans don't trust anyone, and it's also clears other don't like that and repeateldy try to get into terran space to spy on them.

[Grizzly]

Meh...the plot is horrible as always.

Showering civilians with debris is not justified. To think I actually used to like that psycho...

Also, Terrans are not xenophobic natzis.
They keep their borders closed, but that's about it. (at least in the game that's how they are)

Ocasionally, you can find a lone terran patrol flying aorund in race space. They give you missions to blow up random trade convoys.

[TrashMan]

Everyone gives you random quest to blow up random trade convoys. Even when they make no sense or are impossible ( I once got a mission from a pirate to blow up a teladi convoy in terran space at hte very start of hte game. No acess to those systems yet).

Terran patrols in non-terran space are actually a bug/glitch.

[Grizzly]

The thing is, they only give you quests to blow up random trade convoys of their enemies. Argons will always target Paranid convoys, Split will always target Boron, and pirates will target everyone. As will the terrans, apperently.