X3: Terran Conflict Hits Steam On Linux

[EoD_]

But why is X3:TC categorized as Stratedy?

All the newer games of the X-series have a huge strategy part. I would say more than 50% of the game belong to that category, but I don't know why it's solely categorized as Strategy.

[timon37]

All the newer games of the X-series have a huge strategy part. I would say more than 50% of the game belong to that category, but I don't know why it's solely categorized as Strategy.

Ironically neither do I;p

[smitty3268]

It doesn't even do that particularly well. The game had potential but every part of it felt unfinished. It didn't help that Microsoft treated it like an unwanted child either.

Yeah, I rather enjoyed Freelancer, but it definitely felt like a game that had been half completed when Microsoft decided to stop further development.

Not that it was buggy, but there was a lot of unrealized potential there where you could see the game wanted to go but never got filled in.

[gilboa]

Before I begin, I'm own LGP's X2 and X3/XTM and currently playing (a heavily modified) X3TC/XRM via Wine/Steam.
Now....

YES! YES! YES! YES! *

A general comment:
X-series are a *very* open games. On one hand you can completely modify more-or-less every aspect of the game using total conversions such as XTM and XRM (Google X3TC XRM / XRM), on the other you can install a huge array of small scripts / mods that change certain aspects of the game.
E.g.
On X3 I use XRM as the main conversions, but I also use scripts that modify the AI targeting (!) system, jump engine, AI fleet management (how the different races respond to enemy incursion), economy tweaks, etc, etc, etc making each and every game unique.
Beyond that, X-series has a very active community (Most of it revolves around the Egosoft forum) - questions are usually answered within the hour or so.
On the down side, games tend to be loooooong (my current game started a year ago and I'm accumulated ~300 playing hours) and building an empire takes a lot of planning and patience.

I wonder if X3:AP will be next. I doubt that I'll need it **, but I'll buy it just to support Egosoft's Linux effort.

- Gilboa
* To be honest, Wine/Steam worked very well, and reproducing the same setup under Linux/Steam will be, err, interesting, but well worth the effort. (Wonder if I will actually see a performance improvement).
** Given severe time restraints, if I restart a game now, I'll finish it in 2018...

[Yfrwlf]

I think Steam is the only option now, or ever on linux, but i'm not sure there is any DRM at all anymore.

Don't forget The Pirate Bay for those who don't want to or can't afford to donate the money they are requesting.

I don't think I'm going to donate to this one for the following reasons:

1. No demo.
2. I don't feel like downloading the full game from TPB or a friend or whatever just to demo it.
3. $16 for a 5 year old game?
4. Just looks like a space flight sim with complicated menus and options, and in-game videos around the net don't help show me anything otherwise, so it looks really boring. For games with complex gameplay that looks boring but is fun, a demo would, again, be really helpful.

[gilboa]

Don't forget The Pirate Bay for those who don't want to or can't afford to donate the money they are requesting.

I don't think I'm going to donate to this one for the following reasons:

1. No demo.
2. I don't feel like downloading the full game from TPB or a friend or whatever just to demo it.
3. $16 for a 5 year old game?
4. Just looks like a space flight sim with complicated menus and options, and in-game videos around the net don't help show me anything otherwise, so it looks really boring. For games with complex gameplay that looks boring but is fun, a demo would, again, be really helpful.

While I do agree that a demo is helpful, the rest of your arguments most or less means "I have a list of good (actually, lame) excuses for stealing someone else's work (and screwing Linux gaming in the process)".

- Gilboa

[RussianNeuroMancer]

While I do agree that a demo is helpful, the rest of your arguments most or less means "I have a list of good (actually, lame) excuses for stealing someone else's work (and screwing Linux gaming in the process)".

While I mostly agree with you (Yfrwlf just looking for excuse) I want to correct you: it's not stealing, it's illegal usage of intellectual property. Technically X3 illegal usage and (for example) illegal usage of GPL source code is same thing.

[gilboa]

While I mostly agree with you (Yfrwlf just looking for excuse) I want to correct you: it's not stealing, it's illegal usage of intellectual property. Technically X3 illegal usage and (for example) illegal usage of GPL source code is same thing.

I say tomato, you say...

Beyond that, this is the first time I hear about Egosoft stealing GPL code, and I can't seem to find anything using Google. Can you post a link?
(EDIT: Re-reading you post, I may have misinterpreted your post, I assume it was a mere example?)

- Gilboa

[Guest]

3. $16 for a 5 year old game?

This. I bought yesterday X Anthology which comes with: X: Beyond The Frontier, X: Tension, X2: The Threat, X3: Reunion and X3: Terran Conflict for equivalent of 10$. They're DRM free and there's no Steam key, so I'm playing via Wine. I've only played in X3: TC and it's a great game. I wish it to be a little more user friendly, though.

[RussianNeuroMancer]

I assume it was a mere example?

Right.

for limit