[Space Sim] The Next Thing From Egosoft

[TimberWolf]

Up until recently the next thing coming out of Egosoft (the makers of the X-series of games) has been refereed to as "The Next Big Thing" or TNBT. They had swore that they were starting from scratch and that they have been working on it since 2007. They also said they were going away from the X-Universe as they had completed the story they wanted to tell.

Well, on the 20th they opened their mouths and spoke what many people have been dying to find out, what the TNBT was.

Introducing:

X-Rebirth

http://www.egosoft.com/games/x_rebirth/info_en.php

From what I've read the developers didn't start off trying to make another X game, but once they got the foundation laid they saw that what they had still fits with what made them what they were. But they did change things to make it a whole new game but still keep the rich history of the previous games.

The Concept:

This game takes place thousands of years after X3-Terran Conflict. The races have basically merged together, which can be seen in the short trailer they have posted on the above link. But something has happened and the gate network has shutdown. All the worlds are now separated. The Paranid have started calculating the location of all the previous sectors and trying to reestablish contact via messenger drones.

Overall feeling:

Looks like they took a lot of cues from Freelancer in making each sector bigger by using trade lane like systems. Also it looks like they have set the bar very high with graphics. Also watching the video you can see how some of the ships of cues from the various races, even so much as all the stations seem like Terran due to size but have splashes of Teladi and Argon on them. Also it appears something resembling Terraformers/Xenon still exists but in a different way than before. Will have to see what the story is they are going to tell with the game and how it is setup. Not sure I'm willing to get it when it comes out as I'm still trying to beat X3-TC.

[XMEN Gambit]

From what I've read the developers didn't start off trying to make another X game, but once they got the foundation laid they saw that what they had still fits with what made them what they were. But they did change things to make it a whole new game but still keep the rich history of the previous games.

They wrote themselves creatively into a corner. Stuck in a rut. If they want to go in a new direction, they need to hire someone new and put them in charge of the game design

This game takes place thousands of years after X3-Terran Conflict.

I suspect thousands of years in a high-tech multiracial confederation which includes humans would produce a lot more changes than are visible. Unless there was a collapse back to savagery in there somewhere.

Not sure I'm willing to get it when it comes out as I'm still trying to beat X3-TC.

Heh. Yep. But thanks for the heads up!