X Rebirth

[NeonSamurai]

That is one of the things I love about Egosoft. They really do support their titles. Plus they often add all kinds of bonuses and other things, that other companies would try to sell as DLC.

I also love how Elite Dangerous is charging more money for beta access. It is normally the other way around. But it could be worse, it could be Star Citizen...

[Skybird]

With version 3.0 in Decembre, there comes a first addon as DLC that will be free for players who had bought X-R before November 1st. The Teladi Outpost will add two completely new sectors and a new storyline (for which I will care as much as for the main quest: not at all, that is ), and must be logged for early order already now however, from the game's Steamshop site, since the subscription must be made before a certain date that already has been moved back (originally the offer ended on Nov. 1st). After that it seems to cost money even for those who bought the game before November.

So if you already own the game, make sure you check that you have the Teladi Outpost early-ordered in your Steam account.

I'm still enjoying my second visit in the X-B universe. It is far more active, there far more events and movements, far more action, raids, battles. The new menu system works still not ideal, but much better than originally, one can work with it. No more repetitive running through the station tunnels.

Oh, and the zombie-looks of the faces are gone as well.

The whole universe interacts far more dynamically than before. And boy, is it running super-smooth now!

Memory may fool me or not, but there is more environment sounds, I think. Unrealistic in space, IknowIknow, but so is thecolourful Blade-Runner-looks of the giant space stations as well. It all adds tremendously to the atmosphere.

New cockpit variations available as well, from fighter pits with extra vision and as little cockpit obstacles as possible, to transporter bridges. Every refit costs coins, however.

[Arclight]

Originally Posted by NeonSamurai

I also love how Elite Dangerous is charging more money for beta access. It is normally the other way around. But it could be worse, it could be Star Citizen...

I'm... confused. SC is actually cheaper, starting at $30,- for the game up to $45,- for alpha & beta access.

At any rate, I'd guess that the extra cost is due to the need to set up the server infrastructure early. Without it those costs would have to be covered by funds that would normally go towards development. Considering they don't have publisher backing, it seems reasonable, though indeed rather counterintuitive.

[Skybird]

Today I got a taste of how much has changed indeed. I flew into a new sector - and stumbled right into a huge space battle between 8 or 9 capital ships by Plutarch and Alliance of Free Worlds. These capital monsters - and their attached fighter wings. If you never have experienced something like that in X-R, then it is hard to describe and even harder to believe. Remember the huge, the really huge battles in later seasons of Babylon-5? It looked like that. Tracers and missiles from here to the horizon, at all vectors. Bombing drones humming by and getting shot down before they could impact. Huge beam weapons by the capitals. The huge ships maneuvering to get alongside their enemies, exchanging kind of broadsides, or trying to get their monster beamers aiming alongside their axis on their enemies. Fighters criss-crossing back and forth everywhere, hushing over the hulls of the big ships, avoiding Flak-laser and trying to get rid of swarms of Hydra missiles in their necks, while firing at other fighters. It was colourful, it was chaotic, it was different from any battle I have seen before. Since the scene was away from a station, the capitals could freely maneuver without getting deadlocked when slamming into station structures.

Later, when Plutarch gained the upper hand, new enemies fell out of the cosmic highway slipstream: a huge number of ultra tough and ultra-fast Reaver fighters engaged Plutarch and unfortunately also me. Then another Plutarch carrier arrived, launching more swarms of missiles, Flak, and fighters. I escaped with burning ship and into the arms of Plutarch fighters who engaged the Reavers while I landed on the flightdeck of a Plutarch carrier seconds before my hull would have collapsed, from there I went to the gate and watched the battle outside. It was breathtaking. Before I escaped the battle, fighters hang in my neck like vampires, I have a relatively good equipped ship and a Nivell-4 drive, but these beasts I have never met before, they had hilarious speed, acceleration, agility and sturdiness. I did nit fight, I fled and desperately tried to stay alive. Nice to see that it was possible to hide between the burning dead hulls of big ships, or break the enemy's lockon by racing into the huge smoke clouds left by big ships that had exploded earlier. No physics, please. Discussing physics is forbidden in this thread.

You may need luck to see such things happening, and they may not happen on that scale too often. But when it happens, don'T play: lean back, watch and enjoy the show. Its breathtaking and shows what the game is capable of and what shine hides under its dusty surface.

The huge final battles in the ending episodes of Babylon-5 - take me by my word.

If needing to estimate how many ships, big and small, were participating, I would dare to say that it were probably around fifty, I would say. I use several mods, to what degree they are responsible for this or not, I cannot say. But all objects, particles, salvos beams, laser shots were on screen as well, plus debris, ejected cargo, rocks...

Frames were not always super-smooth, but always remained absolutely playable. Stuttering means in this context: frames that I felt to be around 30, maybe.

Its nice to see that the various factions now actively wage war against each other, in regions that are close to both of them. Or that they launch surprising raids into the heart of the enemy.

The Xenons I can deal with. But those Reaver fighters - I need better - I do not know what I need. A sixth sense to avoid them, maybe.

After it all was over, space around was a graveyard, and a scene of chaos and destruction. I launched, and went into a good observing posiiton, then monitored how the remaining three Plutarch giants gathered their surviving fighters, maneuvered and charged their jumpdrives. Then they warped away, and I suddenly was alone.

After that furious action the 5 minutes before, that felt strange, I tell you.

[Skybird]

Ah, and just for the record, since it should be clear by now anyway:

I hereby fully recommend the game (in status 2.51).

The criticism of last5 year's release is no longer valid, it has been revamped to a degree I hoped for, and but did not seriously expect. The game is GRRREAT. If they would have released it in this state, they would have triumphed.

Version 3.0 coming in December. Things can only become better, I think.

[Skybird]

The Readme for 3.0 Beta2 is here.

3.0 beta 2
• New Feature: Subsystem target cycling.
• New Feature: Dangerous regions that can damage your ship.
• New Feature: Crafting of special items (menu present but feature not yet fully enabled).
• Added new kind of floating crate that must be opened by destroying locks.
• Added new trade and targeting software upgrades for the player ship.
• Added option to enable automatic refuel when ships call player if they are out of fuel.
• Added Patrol Zone order to continuously secure a zone.
• Added encyclopedia page showing station build costs.
• Added automatic zoom between map levels.
• Added new in-game statistics.
• Improved smalltalk gameplay.
• Improved AI turret avoidance.
• Improved AI fuel station selection to reduce queues at the pumps.
• Improved AI attack behaviour on fleets of capital ships.
• Improved positioning of highway advertising signs to avoid traffic.
• Improved price calculation and discount system to make trading viable for a wider range of wares (new base prices to come).
• Improved balancing of police licence prices, bounty rewards and mission rewards.
• Fixed occasional highway-related sound cut-out.
• Fixed builder ship positioning.
• Fixed further cases of production getting stuck when storage for some products is full.
• Fixed attack/defend configuration of Defence Officer not working in some cases.
• Fixed Refuel command being displayed twice in the pilot info.
• Fixed wares being listed as available for resource gathering on ships not capable of mining them.
• Fixed ships with trade orders stuck in following player ship (stuck trades will be completed after current task).
• Fixed capital ships not shooting at some stations.
• Fixed remote controlled missiles not moving if player stops controlling them.
• Fixed ships not finishing planned trade trips in certain situations.
• Fixed ships behaving as though moving while actually standing still.
• Fixed at least one cause of unexpected warping of player ship to a new location.
• Fixed cockpit camera movement not working when loading a savegame.
• Fixed missing voice feedback for some orders.
• Fixed incorrect NPC voice feedback when there are no explicit orders.
• Fixed object positions on map when viewing a different sector.
• Fixed random initial mouse position when mouse cursor activated on platform.
• Fixed target cycling sometimes skipping a target or selecting the wrong one.
• Fixed rare case of current target being lost when cycling targets.
• Fixed repaired surface elements not being targetable.
• Fixed capital ships not showing target elements directly after having been constructed, refueled, or repaired.
• Fixed several other rare problems with target elements.
• Fixed various problems with "re-pinging" of mission targets.
• Fixed various problems with crosshair information display.
• Fixed ability menu not updating if new drone is installed while menu is open.
• Fixed several other minor menu behaviour issues.
• Fixed various causes of the most common causes of crashes, and improved crash reporting.
• Optimisations resulting in performance improvements, especially in busy areas.

---

And since they were not posted but illustrate how many things have been worked on, some of the earlier readmes for the major patch releases:

Version 2.50 (187052) - 2014-10-09

• New Feature: New side-bar based main menu.
• New Feature: External camera view.
• New Feature: Free look in cockpit.
• New Feature: New shipyards for small and medium sized ships.
• Added Drone Hunt generic mission.
• Added Protection Detail generic mission.
• Added Diplomatic Aid mission chain.
• Added respawning of specialists with increasing hire fees.
• Added incoming remotely ordered wares to item trader menu.
• Added auto-refuel setting.
• Added small ship traders.
• Added primary shields to large ships which did not already have them.
• Added "civil war" behaviour between Plutarch and Heart of Albion in Albion.
• Added ability to replace destroyed CVs so that station construction can can continue.
• Added ability to assign ships to other ships of same size or to any large ship.
• Added option to choose between stopping and maintaining speed while in menus.
• Added event monitor display to drone control mode.
• Added target elements for player-owned small ships.
• Added statistic for storage modules hacked.
• Added crash report option with privacy settings.
• Improved event monitor with "picture-in-picture" mode.
• Improved hacking gameplay.
• Improved engine animation and effects.
• Improved ship AI behaviour in numerous situations.
• Improved generation of mission enemies.
• Improved "Assign new superior" command.
• Improved ability menu to show when a drone is unavailable.
• Improved mission target indicator to point always to the closest mission target.
• Improved trade offers menu (shopping list is included in ship cargo).
• Improved docking behaviour of drones.
• Improved build tree menu user experience.
• Improved several mission briefings.
• Improved Open Comm Link menu in legacy main menu.
• Improved scan time for police scanning illegal activities.
• Improved lifetime of containers dropped from cargo bays.
• Improved remote controlled player drones flying back to the player ship.
• Improved rendering of distant objects to reduce flickering slightly.
• Improved Mission Bar so it no longer obstructs menus.
• Improved crash report content to help us find and fix causes of crashes.
• Fixed several plot and other mission issues.
• Fixed player ship cover faction not being reset from Xenon after plot.
• Fixed player ships returned during the plot being inactive.
• Fixed incorrect Player relations with Plutarch.
• Fixed Reiver reputation not being mutual in new games.
• Fixed drones not being able to return to their home base.
• Fixed an issue with station expansions not completing out-of-sector.
• Fixed multiple ship dealers per platform.
• Fixed escort ships disappearing after loading a savegame.
• Fixed a pathing issue for ships flying to stations.
• Fixed an issue with gas collectors not collecting.
• Fixed production module animations being stuck after having been out-of-sector.
• Fixed incorrect AI ship behaviour after having been forced out of a highway.
• Fixed several problems with drone docking.
• Fixed problems with transport drones not picking up containers.
• Fixed drones failing to get a new commander if theirs is destroyed.
• Fixed several mining bugs (resource gathering, movement, searching...).
• Fixed cases of player drones getting lost when you enter a highway.
• Fixed police not detecting illegal cargo in player inventory in many cases.
• Fixed station building not proceeding correctly when not in the player zone.
• Fixed refuel budget menu assuming that the trader has no money.
• Fixed case where build resources are requested for the playership.
• Fixed problem involving disappearing wares.
• Fixed managers pestering the player for money.
• Fixed stuck trade offers and refunded money to all participants.
• Fixed shields not protecting surface elements on several ships in Omicron Lyrae.
• Fixed jumpgates sometimes sending the player to invalid positions.
• Fixed mining drones not picking up asteroids in some cases.
• Fixed ships getting stuck waiting for drones.
• Fixed some ships not shooting at large objects.
• Fixed some trade ships ignoring trade opportunities for extended periods of time.
• Fixed storage calculations for intermediate products that caused storage requirements to be vastly overestimated.
• Fixed exploit allowing repeated instantly-profitable trades on shipyards.
• Fixed temporary loss of faction discounts when temporarily losing reputation.
• Fixed remote transport drones ending up in the player squad.
• Fixed station-to-station trades sometimes ending prematurely.
• Fixed dropped inventory items being picked up again immediately.
• Fixed picked-up objects disappearing due to timeout.
• Fixed several problems associated with hacking gameplay.
• Fixed mining drones being unable to return to some capital ships.
• Fixed Split "Gangrene Chaser" turrets disappearing and allow re-building.
• Fixed upgrade resources being counted twice for building.
• Fixed upgrade level rounding issues resulting in incorrect upgrade counts.
• Fixed ship category in encyclopedia for Hermod, Light Sul and Heavy Sul.
• Fixed inconsistent upgrade counts between encyclopedia and ship dealer.
• Fixed player ship selectable in Assign to Commander conversation.
• Fixed unidentified station modules having a name in the map.
• Fixed being able to remote comm NPCs in the same room.
• Fixed offset mouse position in borderless window mode.
• Fixed mouse confinement when starting the game in borderless window mode.
• Fixed minor button selection bugs in menus.
• Fixed issues with scrolling down in some menu tables.
• Fixed automatically changing selection in map menu.
• Fixed initial button selection in menus not being highlighted.
• Fixed rare cases of hotkey buttons not working.
• Fixed occasional freeze when opening the options menu.
• Fixed cases where the dialog menu was not displayed.
• Fixed mode options being available in the player ship's back room.
• Fixed left mouse clicks not closing ability/interact menus in some cases.
• Fixed double clicks on current target not always opening interact menu.
• Fixed stuck scroll-bar when returning to a previous menu.
• Fixed platform trader menu getting stuck with discounts.
• Fixed various other issues with UI and targeting behaviour.
• Fixed dialog or legacy main menu sometimes not showing buttons as selected.
• Fixed pressing ESC/DEL on loading screen returning to startmenu after loading is done.
• Fixed target cycling not working in highways.
• Fixed targets being lost in some cases.
• Fixed mission targets showing group target elements for ships instead of single ship target elements.
• Fixed certain invisible ship/station components being selectable as target.
• Fixed keyboard navigation selecting options from time to time.
• Fixed input actions and states mapped to axis on joystick 3-8 not working.
• Fixed ability to comm from a remote control drone using the "C" shortcut.
• Fixed stuck shift keys when alt-tabbing or changing window focus.
• Fixed station hints not being shown in non-plot games.
• Fixed mission offer locations being displayed when in a drone.
• Fixed weird camera behaviour when flying relative to moving capital ships.
• Fixed main menu font issue in Chinese and Korean.
• Fixed the boost effect not stopping in some situations.
• Fixed missing Ad Sign text in event monitor.
• Fixed wrongly-scaled buy ship menus on detail monitor.
• Fixed wrong message text when standard drones arrive via remote delivery.
• Fixed subtitles changing too fast for long lines.
• Fixed incorrect English voice lines for a Teladi speaker.
• Fixed excessively bright lights on certain objects.
• Fixed disappearing ice asteroids.
• Fixed missing advertising signs.
• Fixed several of the most common causes of crashes.
• Various optimisations resulting in performance improvements.

64-bit

The system requirements for the game have always stated that it requires a 64-bit version of Windows, and the 64-bit version of the game is now successfully in general use. This is likely to be the last major version for which a 32-bit executable is available.

---

Version 2.20 (184360) - 2014-06-27

• NEW: The 64-bit EXE is now the default. See below for more information.
• Fixed Secret Service missions constantly reminding player to talk to mission actor.
• Fixed campaign progressing unexpectedly when docking at station.
• Fixed player occasionally being in wrong position on platform when loading savegame.
• Fixed trade offers on player ships/stations occasionally not appearing in trade menu.
• Fixed claimed ships not showing up in property menu.
• Fixed ships continuing to move when ordered to wait.
• Fixed trade orders not being executed when ship has been ordered to wait.
• Fixed various cases of drones being unable to dock/return.
• Fixed missing docking bay on Wheat Plantation.
• Fixed missing container storage on Pharma-Spice Farm.
• Fixed missing MK2 weapons after completing plot (you may need to change zones before this kicks in).
• Fixed map not showing player stations.
• Fixed incorrect positions of some elements on map.
• Fixed menu slider controls breaking under certain circumstances.
• Fixed controls no longer working when opening ability menu on a platform.
• Fixed controller A-button not working after having left the cockpit while an interactive notification was displayed.
• Fixed station under construction becoming invisible after Alt-Tab.
• Fixed a leak causing savegames to grow slowly in size over time.
• Fixed several causes of occasional crashes.

---


Version 2.00 (183618) - 2014-05-20

• New Feature: Three new gamestarts, each with a new cockpit configuration.
• New Feature: Rebalanced combat with three difficulty settings.
• New Feature: Additional commands for your ships.
• New Feature: Autopilot can fly your ship while you are busy.
• New Feature: All new highway flight model.
• New Feature: Most tasks can now be performed without landing on stations.
• New Feature: Full screen HUD detail monitor option.
• New Feature: Clicks on event monitor now open relevant menus.
• New Feature: Map/radar on event monitor.
• New Feature: New ships in Omicron Lyrae.
• New Feature: Huge new Xenon ship.
• New Feature: Four new missile types.
• New Feature: Improved graphics for an even more beautiful universe.
• New Feature: New graphics options and presets.
• New Feature: New start menu scene.
• New Feature: New Steam achievements.
• Added support for up to 8 input devices (now even your pet octopus can get the most from the game).
• Added option to buy replacement player ship cockpit layout from certain traders.
• Added shield damage for collisions.
• Improved responsiveness of main menu and dialogs.
• Improved event monitor with more space for important information.
• Improved positioning of interface elements in first person mode.
• Improved production logic now skips products where the station has too much stock.
• Fixed gamepad mode switching on when axis has non-zero value while at rest.
• Fixed problem with wrecked state of ship/station surface elements not always being loaded from savegames correctly.
• Fixed collectable objects not showing a target element.
• Fixed gates not showing a target element.
• Fixed info points not being displayed at drone launch pads.
• Fixed cases where clicking on larger targets didn't work.
• Fixed rare instance of mission objective bar being stuck on screen.
• Fixed text field not being reset when closing and reopening trade menu.
• Fixed problems with overlapping/truncated text on first person event monitor.
• Fixed cases resulting in jumping target elements.
• Fixed incorrect text in certain conversations.
• Fixed icon size in licence encyclopedia entry.
• Fixed distance sorting in trade menu.
• Fixed capital ships becoming invisible when boosting while player is close.
• Fixed cases where build icons were displayed without a builder ship in the player squad.
• Fixed missing trade offers for architects with no money.
• Fixed rare case of missing target elements (usually build locations or player owned cap ships).
• Fixed cases where targeting objects using gamepad/joystick controls did not work correctly.
• Fixed trade restrictions menu getting stuck.
• Fixed several causes of occasional crashes.
• Various optimisations resulting in small performance improvements.

---


Patch 1.30 - 2014-04-15

Localisations for text relating to the new Joystick Deadzone option are not yet included. These will be added as soon as possible.

• New Feature: Steam Workshop support.
• Improved support for joysticks and multiple input devices.
• Improved mining behaviour for all sizes of ships.
• Improved trade ship behaviour to favour profitable, non-empty runs.
• Improved station scan mode which no longer highlights objects that are not relevant.
• Improved attack and evasive maneuvers and AI.
• Improved flight pathing during normal flight, when following other ships, and when docking.
• Improved collector drone flight behaviour near large objects.
• Improved map handling of ship command hierarchies.
• Improved trade menu, including text search, sorting and colours.
• Improved appearance of small ships flying in lanes around stations.
• Enabled comm/info interactions with player property that is more than 10 km away.
• Added missions relating to the upkeep of ships and stations.
• Added new ship types to DeVries.
• Added list of platform NPCs to station menu (only available if you're in the same zone).
• Added more information and command hierarchy to player property menu.
• Added information to encyclopedia about stations/ships that can be built.
• Added option to stop displaying steering mode message.
• Fixed missing manager comm option.
• Fixed wrong mouse-steering mode being entered in some cases incorrectly when leaving a menu.
• Fixed several other incorrect or inconvenient menu behaviours.
• Fixed calculations for gathering certain resources out-of-sector.
• Fixed player being sent to NPCs on ships or on hostile stations when asking for directions.
• Fixed some objects left in construction state after building finished (still at least one rare case remaining).
• Fixed trade missions not completing if the station storage was full, notably the food trade plot mission.
• Fixed trade ships not stopping their current order after clearing their shopping list.
• Fixed trade orders for selling items using ships in player squad.
• Fixed ships blocking docking bays after having docking interrupted.
• Fixed incorrect docking icons under certain circumstances.
• Fixed not being able to unlock skills of defence officers on platforms.
• Fixed displayed total counts of stored units.
• Fixed drones that should have a commander appearing in property owned menu.
• Fixed destroyed drones not being properly removed from drone storage.
• Fixed incorrect ship position after leaving a highway with a menu open.
• Fixed stations creating trade offers with higher value than it can afford.
• Fixed building and production remaining paused after modules having been hacked.
• Fixed ships assigned to stations being incorrectly assigned mining jobs.
• Fixed outdated trade offer information appearing on event monitor.
• Fixed trade ships assigned to player stations sometimes not updating their range.
• Fixed object menu not restoring after closing station trade offers.
• Fixed production menu information not updating correctly.
• Fixed production showing very long production times in certain cases.
• Fixed production stalling due to stations filling up with intermediate wares.
• Fixed several pathfinding problems, which should prevent ships from flying through stations.
• Fixed ships equiping drones or ammo getting stuck in the shipyard.
• Fixed problem that could cause following ships to get stuck when the target changes zones.
• Fixed most cases of dropped containers being stuck inside each other (can still happen occasionally).
• Fixed architect destroying drones in storage without adding them to the station.
• Fixed issue with parking ships when manager (stations) or pilot (construction vessel) are not present.
• Fixed trade ships waiting too long for a free parking location when intended trade is no longer possible.
• Fixed calculation of required funds when trading with other player property.
• Fixed pilot not being placed on ship's platform.
• Fixed ships trying to go to the same coordinates by default.
• Fixed mining for medium size ships.
• Fixed incorrect mining order for ships which can't transport the mining wares.
• Fixed blocked trades involving discounts if there is only enough money for the discounted amount not the full amount.
• Fixed built ships not leaving the shipyard after shipyard construction module has been destroyed and subsequently repaired.
• Fixed several other cases of ships getting stuck, not moving when they should.
• Fixed owner of fuel station in Gemstone Manufacture.
• Fixed incorrect lasers being used by medium ice collector ships.
• Fixed problem with accuracy of time data in savegames with long play time.
• Fixed rotation of construction ships after flying to build location.
• Fixed visual glitch on map when targeting/entering/leaving highways.
• Fixed animation problem with highways in games with long play time.
• Fixed stalls when entering highways in savegames that have been saved/loaded many times.
• Fixed another cause of the game stalling for a short time.
• Fixed crash when loading certain savegames.
• Fixed several causes of apparently random crashes.
• Various optimisations resulting in performance improvements.
• Significant performance improvements on some AMD graphics cards, particularly R9.

---

Patch 1.25 - 2014-02-26

Russian and French localisations of texts that are new to patch 1.25 are not yet included. These will be added as soon as possible.

• New Feature: Player-owned ships and stations can now be renamed.
• New Feature: Smalltalk reward allowing you to receive trade offer updates for a station remotely.
• Added logbook entries for refuelling, trade and building.
• Added call from manager when a station is low on credits.
• Added ship name when player gets a call requiring a response from a player owned ship.
• Fixed a cause of occasional crashes when loading savegame.
• Fixed a cause of occasional crashes during large battles.
• Fixed several other causes of occasional crashes.
• Fixed another cause of the game hanging after Alt-Tab.
• Added prices for small ships so that these can now be sold.
• Cargo value is now taken into account when selling a ship; you get roughly half it's value.
• Fixed price calculations for intermediate wares.
• Fixed two causes of disappearing ships and one of ships ending up in strange places.
• Fixed certain station elements being rotated incorrectly after loading a savegame.
• Fixed problem with random station elements being built and preventing further building.
• Fixed problem with small ships preventing building.
• Fixed problem with drones not being able to dock at certain mining ships.
• Fixed incorrect container amount being dropped from cargo drones.
• Fixed another issue with cargo collection.
• Fixed buy offers for more wares than can be stored.
• Fixed player being able to start multiple boarding operations on the same ship.
• Fixed abort button for boarding operations.
• Fixed info and comm options for externally docked ships.
• Fixed issue with operational range settings resulting in ships looking for trades in the wrong places.
• Improved station-owned mining ship AI to prevent station from filling with more resources than it wants.
• Improved shooting logic for NPC ships (more improvements to come).
• Fixed a problem resulting in inactive patrol ships.
• Fixed a problem with NPC beam weapons not firing correctly.
• Fixed tag darts occasionally tagging something other than their intended target.
• Added inter-system traders to DeVries.
• Fixed station scan mode remaining active when it shouldn't.
• Fixed rare case resulting in missing info points and dock icons.
• Fixed subordinate count in orders menu.
• Fixed incorrect trade status in ship menu.
• Fixed "+" button not working in map menu under certain circumstances.
• Fixed sold ships and collected drones being displayed as destroyed in the logbook.
• Added missing descriptions for systems to encyclopedia.
• Improved rewards after successful smalltalk on platforms, including trade subscriptions.
• Improved dialog structure to find people on platforms.
• Fixed missing architect on plot builder ship.
• Fixed player being sent to a hostile NPC when asking for directions.
• Fixed ships not in player squad requesting player input when out of fuel.
• Fixed visual flicker when returning to the cockpit from a platform.
• Fixed location of visor/glasses on certain NPCs.
• Fixed missing physics data when loading a savegame.
• Added graphics settings for SSAO, Glow and Distortion.
• Fixed incorrect display of certain options in graphics menu.
• Fixed incorrect resolutions when changing displays in borderless mode.
• Improved stability of job system and patch code with modified games.
• Added support for catalog files in mods.
• Added Korean localisation (text only).
• Added Spanish localisation (text only, incomplete but included to enable feedback to translators).
• Further optimisations resulting in small performance improvements, particularly on lower-end graphics hardware.

---


Patch 1.24 - 2014-02-04

Includes changes from Patch 1.23 that was not released outside the Beta process.

• New feature: Manual target control with keys for target nearest crosshair, closest enemy and next/previous target. Further improvements planned.
• New feature: Logbook system covering non-plot missions, player ships, discounts/commissions and game tips. Logging of a wider range of events planned.
• Added shipyard to Gemstone Manufacture.
• Added escort fighters to some capital ships.
• Increased Pirate, Reiver and Xenon activity for more action.
• Increased yields for mining regions in DeVries and Maelstrom.
• Fixed error causing map to suddenly close under certain circumstances.
• Fixed more causes of being teleported into the middle of nowhere on loading a savegame.
• Fixed cases where destroying a ship could result in the target element not getting removed.
• Improved update frequency of target elements.
• Fixed cargo collection mode.
• Fixed mining ships collecting ware containers.
• Fixed builder ships not being able to trade with stations reliably.
• Fixed one problem with building restarting when player not present (another build issue remains).
• Added filtering by station/ship in trade offer menu.
• Added Hire option with negative response for certain NPCs.
• Prevented certain plot ships from being sold.
• Fixed problem with timing of money transfer to/from manager.
• Added means for NPCs to return to player ship from assignments.
• Fixed marines not showing up in player ship units.
• Fixed builder ship menu not updating player account.
• Fixed negative total yield amounts for asteroid fields.
• Fixed more inconsistencies in weapon counts.
• Fixed drone count calculation for ship trader.
• Fixed several issues with active mission/guidance info being disabled.
• Fixed missing/incorrect highway names in mission objectives.
• Fixed assigning a ship to a station without a manager.
• Removed "taglauncher" from encyclopedia.
• Removed civilian factions from encyclopedia.
• Fixed several encyclopedia layout issues.
• Fixed several issues with build/repair drones.
• Fixed incorrect cargo prediction based on shopping list data under certain circumstances.
• Fixed trade menus not keeping track of selected ship in some cases.
• Added default "protect" behaviour for ships in your squad.
• Improved capital ship fight behaviour.
• Fixed problem with ships not attacking.
• Fixed enemies not attacking correct target in certain circumstances.
• Fixed another cause of jumping ships ending up in invalid positions.
• Fixed player ship sometimes being in the wrong place after undocking.
• Fixed problem with engineer sometimes being paid twice for player ship repairs.
• Fixed incorrect player engine price calculation.
• Fixed incorrect weapon counts in ship menu.
• Ships working for a station no longer sell wares to their homebase (goods just transferred, no money involved).
• Shipyards and fuel stations should no longer run out of resources (may take a while to take effect).
• Fixed cargo drones bumping into hull of mining ships and blocking trade.
• Reduced likelihood of mining ships transferring more minerals to a station than it wants.
• Added hotkey for docking (Shift-D by default).
• Fixed welder drones appearing in property menu.
• Fixed "keycode NNN" appearing in Options menu.
• Fixed problem remapping keys used in Detail Monitor (C, I and G)
• Changed resource cost for ship-building in Omicron Lyrae
• Changed ships available for construction in DeVries
• Fixed URV Wharf module in Integrative URV Forge not producing drones
• Fixed scan sound being replayed for something that has already been scanned.
• Fixed scan highlighting not being properly removed when leaving cockpit.
• Fixed trade missions not completing.
• Fixed problem resulting in player getting stuck in Canteran air ducts.
• Fixed floating crate on Albion platform interior.
• Fixed floating ad signs and incorrect traffic at DeVries wheat station.
• Fixed DeVries shipyard interior orientation.
• Fixed lights in prison being too dark.
• Fixed bench obstructing hangar entrance of DeVries repair platform.
• Fixed NPC stuck in locker on DeVries repair dock.
• Fixed not being able to take cases out of cardboard boxes.
• Improved Russian localisation.
• Improved support for Chinese text.
• Fixed another problem with borderless window mode on certain hardware.
• Fixed freeze and memory-related crash caused by ships shooting excessively under certain circumstances.
• Fixed several more causes of crashes.
• More small performance improvements.

---


Some smaller ones there were before, but I skip them, they came very early after release.



One cannot say that they have been lazy over this year.

[NeonSamurai]

Originally Posted by Arclight

I'm... confused. SC is actually cheaper, starting at $30,- for the game up to $45,- for alpha & beta access.

That is for the cheapest (crapiest) ship though (and just one ship). Throw in nicer ships, insurance, etc and you are talking a whole lot of money.

[Dowly]

You can still buy the other ships in-game. SC's model isn't like that of Rise of Flight or DCS.

[Arclight]

It's a fair point currently though, I guess. If you want the fancier ones in your hangar or in Arena Commander then yes, you'll have to pay for them. I'd say it's just marketing though; as noted all of these ships will be in-game, no real money nescesary beyond purchasing the game. Insurance costs and such will be negligable, making the LTI and free hangar costs that came as a bonus for early backers a rather minor perk.


-
Wasn't expecting a turn around in opinion on Rebirth yet to be honest. Guess it's back on the watch list.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Arclight

Wasn't expecting a turn around in opinion on Rebirth yet to be honest. Guess it's back on the watch list.

Don'T get me wrong, I do not say it already is flawless and perfect, obviously there are still some bugs, else they would not need to release another patch, but the bugs are such that now they do not seriously hamper the fun to play, are no showstoppers (at least I haven't experienced them), and nothing that springs into your eye at first glance, like it was one year ago. I would compare it the armA series, for example. It never has been perfect, it always lived with bugs, namely in the terrible AI. But that did ot stop those interested in the game's focus to enjoy it.

X-R now compares to a game that sees a more or less solid first release. Which shows that they released it ONE YEAR TOO EARLY.

For fans of space shooters and traders: enjoy it. All others: Check and examine. I personally have a very good time with it. Now worth the money I paid. Running a mining ship now, seeing it manouvering by itself, lasering asteroids, drones collecting it, and then shuttling it back to the station. Or that battleship two days ago: after the battle, with smoke and fires blasting from several wounds into space, swarms of astronauts and drones got launched and started to work on the hull.

I think X-R competes even better with other such titles if you sooner or later realise that the others also boil their tea with water only.

[Arclight]

Well I'm not running off to get it right now, but it seems to be getting to the point where it's worth considering again.

With regards to being released too early: the damn thing was already in development for 7 years when it was released. They probably reached a point where they either had to release it or drop it. It's holding with their tradition at least; all their games I've played got rather a lot better over time. Rebirth seems to have had a particularly rough start, but with them rebuilding the thing from the ground up it was somewhat to be expected.

[NeonSamurai]

Originally Posted by Dowly

You can still buy the other ships in-game. SC's model isn't like that of Rise of Flight or DCS.

Originally Posted by Arclight

It's a fair point currently though, I guess. If you want the fancier ones in your hangar or in Arena Commander then yes, you'll have to pay for them. I'd say it's just marketing though; as noted all of these ships will be in-game, no real money nescesary beyond purchasing the game. Insurance costs and such will be negligable, making the LTI and free hangar costs that came as a bonus for early backers a rather minor perk.

We will see though, as if the prices stick for ships after release, how bad would the grind be to acquire a 100USD ship, let alone half the ships in the game (which if purchased would cost over a thousand dollars easily).


As for XR, I will probably pick it up once I am working again, as I have always been a big fan of the X series and Egosoft. I just hope they learn from all of this and never go with a single ship concept again. One of the biggest draws in the X Series was the ability to physically pilot any ship you wanted.

[Skybird]

I so far never felt the one-player-ship-concept stopping me from having fun with this one. What I would prefer is to have the fleet management system (the way you buy or order the building of ships and must provide resources) simplified, not in idea, but regarding the ergonomy of the interface. It is not a very accessible process, and anything but self-explanatory. Same is true for building your own space stations. Intuitive is something different, there still is room for substantial improvement in the interface.

The new side bar menu for the most works quite well on other aspects, on the other hand. Just the buttons could be increased, its all a bit small and tiny. Trading runs smooth now, and it is a relief that as long as you do not sell on the black market or want your ship systems being altered you do not need to board stations anymore. What they must learn however is that their mechanics should not sit in bars or any random place of the station, but should be expected to hang around in the hangar. Why do they have those repair facilities, if not for that purpose? - All in all the new menus are a big improvement already. There is space for more.

The look of the highways has been changed, although in practical gameplay it makes not much a difference.

In general with the going for an X64 exe, the game runs smoother and looks better. It still has that Blade Runner look, and is very colourful (sometimes even tooo much so). Those space stations still are impressive, they leave their dull Elite counterparts in the dust, imo. Ship designs also are showing plenty of imagination and often visual beauty.

Explosion and weapon effects however sometimes remind a bit too much of old school FX from several years ago, they are not up to date. No wonder when considering that they are working on this game since 8 years now.

[Skybird]

Version 3.0 has been released two days ago, along with free addon (for old customers) of "The Teladi Outpost".

Quite some changes:



Readme 3.0

Egosoft is delighted to announce the release of the

X Rebirth 3.0

update along with a new DLC,

The Teladi Outpost

. The DLC is available free to players who download it before 15th December.

Highlights of the 3.0 release include:

• Interactive holomap.
• Ability to build stations in Empty Space.
• Dangerous regions that can damage your ship.
• Crafting of special items.
• New non-plot mission chains.
• Employee training to improve skills.
• Ware exchange between player ships and stations.
• Subsystem target cycling.

The Teladi Outpost DLC introduces a whole Teladi-controlled system containing two new sectors and over a dozen zones of interest, along with new Teladi and pirate factions, and various new Teladi ships, stations and weapon types.

Be sure to also check out our new

http://youtu.be/K75uEQV1YMwl video overview

, and also our

X Rebirth 3.0 features explained

guide.

Readme Teladi Outpost

Faster Playing
Abort cutscenes
All cutscenes can now be aborted by pressing escape (e.g getting out of the Albion Skunk).

Running
To run on platforms double tap the “walk” button (w by default).

Exploration and Rare Items
Rare items: Complete redesign of all items found in the universe. Many new rare items were added including some that can be used for special missions.

Lockboxes: Objects are now found in different types of “lockboxes”. To open these containers, the player has to first shoot locks without damaging the container.


Crafting: Some items can be used in crafting. Once you find one craftable item, the inventory menu will show the other missing items and the product that you can build out of it. Read the objects’ encyclopedia entries for hints of what unique missions and activities can be unlocked with these objects.

Gifts and Bribing (Unlocking Rewards on Platforms)










Gifts: After a successful smalltalk conversation on a platform, not only do people (NPCs) offer valuable rewards, such as the option to update your trade computer with live trade offer updates from this station permanently (2.0: Trade agents), but you can now also give them a gift to play an extended conversation and unlock special rewards. Several gifts can be crafted from rare items. Among the rewards are:

• Virtual seminars (—> Skill improvements)
• Long term discounts

Station Sabotage (New Hack Panels)
Hacking on platforms:
A range of new control panels and security terminals on stations allow
you to skilfully sabotage all areas of station operation on your opponents space station:

Sabotage station defence: Successfully sabotaging station defence systems can give you a limited period of time in which a station is weaker or even defenceless. This requires a security decryption system, which can be crafted in your inventory once you found all of its components.

Sabotaging Station Repair: Successfully sabotaging a station's repair facility will greatly increase the time the crew needs to rebuild the station after an attack. You need a temporary local security ID to access this terminal, which can be crafted from items sometimes found on platforms.

Hack trade offers: Hacking into a trade terminal can be used to gain illegal long-term discounts or commissions. You need a temporary local security ID to access this terminal, which can be crafted from items sometimes found on platforms.

Sabotaging Production: Successfully sabotaging a station's production will cripple it for a long period of time. You need a temporary local security ID to access this terminal, which can be crafted from items sometimes found on platforms.

Blocking station security: Successfully sabotaging station security will increase the time for stealing containers after hacking. This requires a security decryption system, which can be crafted in your inventory once you found all of its components.


Stealing Goods from Stations (Improved Trojan ROV)


First preparation:
Before you start your career as a thief, you should have several security decryption systems.

• Step 1: Identify target station: Decide which station to rob. A successful robbery needs a target that has valuable goods.
• Step 2: Identify target storage module: Where does the station store its most valuable goods? Scan the station and look inside all storage modules to choose the one with the most valuable goods, or those you need yourself.
• Optional preparation: Consider disabling the station security before starting to hack the storage. This is not necessary but reduces your risk. (—> Station sabotage / Blocking station security).
• Optional preparation: Make sure one of your trade ships, capable of transporting the wares you want to steal, is very close nearby (consider a move to my position command) and has a large amount of Cargo URVs to pick up the stolen goods as fast as possible!
• Step 4: Approach the selected storage module and launch the Trojan ROV. Once you are remotely controlling the ROV, avoid security ships at all cost. Fly to the info point of your selected storage module, click on it and select the “hack” action.
• Step 5: Fly to the target points shown now as mission targets and hack them by selecting the hack action. You will have to succeed in the very fast minigame by pressing the button when the scan line is near the peak of the curve.
• Step 6: Once the progress bar reaches 100% you will receive the message “hack successful”. You will then see that the station has triggered its alarms and raised its security level.
• Step 7: If you choose the right target, you now will find lots of free floating ware container in the area around the station.
• Optional preparation: Land on a platform and find the station defence control panel to disable all station turrets for a short period of time. You will need a security decryption system for this step.
• Step 8: You can switch to cargo collect mode and tag containers so your freighter can pick them up. The moment you claim the first container, you reveal your identity and intention to the station and station security will retaliate for your actions. If you disabled station defence systems, you have to be quick or you risk that your freighter being attacked. However, the reward can be more than worth the risk.

Skill Improvements
Virtual seminars: You can now improve the skill set of your workers (NPCs) in relevant categories (those in bold) by giving them virtual seminars. These seminars can be acquired from experienced NPCs by giving them crafted gifts. You can give a virtual seminar to an NPC either by
visiting them personally or, in the case of active pilots in your ships, remotely when
talking to them (COMM from NPC details menu)

Improving your NPCs: Levelling up your workers' skills can now improve important features of
the game. Examples:

• Managers: Will work more efficiently and increase station productivity
• Engineers: Will repair stations or ships faster.
• Boarding Commander: Will lead teams more effectively in fights and thereby increase boarding chances.
• Pilots: Will learn more advanced flight techniques and improve at mining.
• Defence officer: Improved tactics for better results in fighting with your capital ships.
• Specialists: Will increase their effect on station productivity even further.

Boarding
Promoting marines: Marines are now promoted through successful boarding operations. Look to board weaker targets first to train your marines. With a full compliment of marines (50) and with some of them promoted to Veteran or even Elite status, you will be able to take on increasingly stronger ships. With these changes, only Recruit marines are available to acquire at Recruiting Officers.


Educate the Marine Officer: Further improve your chances in boarding by educating your Marine Officer with virtual seminars (—> Skill improvements). The Marine Officer will also gain experience after a successful boarding operation.

Marine losses: Marines can now be lost on boarding operations, even those which are ultimately successful. Increase your chances of zero casualties by training your marines.

Boarding resistance: Capital ships now display a 'Boarding resistance' value in their info menu. The resistance will affect how effective your marines are and how many casualties you may suffer. The more expensive and upgraded the ship, the higher the resistance. Lower it by destroying surface elements and damaging the hull. Of course, the more damaged the ship is, the less it will be worth.

Boarding missions: Throughout a boarding operation your Marine Officer may suggest targets to be hacked or destroyed to help aid their progress. Fail these tasks and you risk more Marine casualties.

Missions
Chain missions: Occasionally you will see this new mission offer type. These are groups of missions offered by various factions. They do not just give you the usual mission reward, but often promise a special reward at the end of the chain. Some unique discounts and unlocks are only available through these new missions.

Many new missions: The set of missions offered on stations has been improved. If you enjoy playing missions, you can accept many missions at the same time and try to play them simultaneously. This is especially useful when multiple missions send you in the same direction. Be careful however when missions introduce time restrictions. Losing the mission may cost you some reputation.

Map Improvements
Mouse interface: The map system has been greatly improved to allow more interactive control.

• SELECT objects directly in the map with a left mouse click.
• PAN the map by holding down the left mouse button and dragging the map around.
• ZOOM by using the mouse wheel, including changing the logical level of the map (e.g system to sector to zone).
• ROTATE map by holding down the right mouse button and moving the mouse at the same
• time.

Trade Improvements


Trading with non squad ships: All your ships that are not currently assigned to a superior (e.g: They are working for a manager to supply a station or are part of a squad protecting another ship), will now be selectable in the TRADE MENU. This means you have now two options to manage your trade ships:

• Ships that are part of your squad will execute trade orders and try to fly to your current location as soon as they are done.
• Ships that are not in your squad will execute trade orders and remain in their last zone after they are done.

Set your own prices: The managers of your factories now have the new option to “Manage trade offer prices”. This can overwrite the default automatic price choice, which is based on the stations current storage of resources and products.

Ware exchange: It is now possible to order to transfer wares directly between all of your property. This always starts with a ship in your squad. From the conversation with the pilot or captain, you will find the“Transfer wares” option in the “New order” section. In the following step, you can select any other object to transfer wares TO or FROM. This also includes wares that are not available as trade offers, allowing you to get resources out of a station again, or even move drones from one station to another. The ship will of course have to fly to the other station, or in the case of two ships exchanging wares directly, have to meet somewhere in space. Capital ships will then exchange wares using their cargo vessel drones, while small ships have to pick up the wares as containers floating in space.

Trade computer MK2 and MK3: These extensions now improve your trade computer's memory. This means that all your trade ships will have a longer command queue. With the trade computer MK2, for example, you can assign 5 orders to each of your trade ships. The trade computer extension is not cheap and therefore reserved for expert traders.

Commanding Squadrons

Broadcast commands to entire squad: The property owned menu now has a new“Broadcast” button when you select your own Albion Skunk. This will allow you to select orders that can be sent to all ships currently in your squad at the same time! (All that appear if you click on the “plus” symbol of the Albion Skunk.


Attack command: An “Attack” action was added to the interact menu of many targetable objects, such as ships and info points of stations. This action replaces the “Hail” action in many places, which is still available through the C hotkey and in the info menu by selecting the NPC you want to talk to. Giving this “attack” order behaves exactly like giving a BROADCAST command from the property owned menu, selecting “Attack object” under new commands and selecting this same object from the map. Note that in both cases, your order is sent to all the ships in your squad that can fight, not matter where they currently are. If you want to exclude ships, you can remove them from your squad and still use them for trading or alternatively you can —> form squads. (next point)

Creating sub squads: To make controlling large amounts of ships easier, you should consider organising them into groups. Instead of commanding each ship individually, you will only deal with the “boss” and all ships assigned to him will follow his command.

Withdraw command: One of the new commands available from the “ORDERS” group in conversations with your pilots or captains is the simple order to withdraw from battles. This could be especially important when trying to sabotage stations and steal their goods without ending up in all-out open war.

New Weapon Types and Ship Upgrades
Pulsed Maser Mk3 
: This is the Teladi take on the popular Pulsed Maser. It fires from alternating barrels and at a lower fire rate than the regular masers, but the projectiles stick to the target and continue giving off energy for some time.

Heavy Laser Mk1: 
The Heavy Laser Mk1 is a powerful beam weapon that delivers enough energy to damage ships. However, it is still an improved version of the Mk2 Mining Laser and as such also makes for an effective mining tool.

Particle Repeater Mk3
: The Particle Repeater Mk3 has a longer reach and does more damage, but comes at the cost of a slightly reduced fire rate.

Constrictor Missile: 
This unguided missile is used by security forces and pirates, disabling the boost capabilities of all known engines and stranding ships for easier looting and boarding.

Engine Mk5 Upgrades
: All engine variants can be upgraded to Mk5 versions - if you manage to find the components that are needed for this, and complete the "Treasure Hunt" crafting mission centred around the "Rare Engine".


Building Stations
Build spots in empty space have been added. This now allows you to start construction anywhere in empty space, no matter if you just leave a local highway in the middle of nowhere or simply boost far out of a normal zone. This works like with any normal build spot. Once you have a construction vessel with architect in your squad, the HUD will show build spots. Select the one you want to use and select the “Build here” action, then follow the instructions in the conversation with your architect.

Switching between automatic and manual management of building and trading. Both architects and managers can be freely switched from a mode where you manually execute every necessary transport and trade operation to a fully automatic mode, where you just give the NPC the money and they order all required resources for you. To do this, just switch the “Only trade with OWN faction” option in the NPC's info menu and add or remove funds to the NPC's budget. An architect with a budget and permission to trade with all factions will build the station you ordered completely or until he runs out of money. Money left after building will always remain on their account and you can move it back to your own account any time. You can now also exclude individual factions from potential trading partners for architects and managers.

[Skybird]

When science meets fiction:

Pulsed Maser Mk3 
: This is the Teladi take on the popular Pulsed Maser. It fires from alternating barrels and at a lower fire rate than the regular masers, but the projectiles stick to the target and continue giving off energy for some time.

Beam weapon. Firing projectiles.