In most of the outer space games that are out there for virtually any system, very few can actually simulate the physics and real-time effects of the final frontier. Most of the time, you'll have stars swooping by, maybe a little sprinkle of space dust from time to time, but very few games have actually pulled off the effect of being literally "dropped" in space and flying near a planet, watching the sphere grow ever closer. Other games tend to duplicate this effect, but the realism just isn't there. The first time this effect was truly accomplished was when Interplay produced Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. In this, you're based on a bridge simulator battling Klingons, Romulans, and solving intergalactic disputes. This was probably as real as you could get at the time (unless there was another game out there I never got a chance to play), however the effect was lost due to the sometimes graphic lagging and poor resolution. This was also back in the early nineties.
Several weeks ago, I was given a demo copy of a game yet to be finished and put out on the market. Egosoft software was kind enough to send us a copy of X2: The Threat, a new kind of space simulator that also lets you fly to distant parts of the galaxy as well as acquire property. To me, it sounded like a space simulator/space tycoon.
Upon first firing it up, it's obvious that it was just a demo/beta copy. The install was kind of...odd. There was no installshield wizard, but a step-by-step instruction sheet on where to put files from both of the CDs, then run the install program, etc. Nothing that your average "Joe" can't figure out (course it took me on the second try to actually read the directions instead of clicking on random stuff!). After the install, I was praying that my laptop would actually run the program (it's a 1.6 GHz with 256ram. Pretty powerful for when it was purchased). The system specs for the game kind of scared me, but I was confident in my trusty Compaq that it would handle the game data and at least give me a glimpse into this new kind of universe.
Sure enough, my Presario came through...barely, but it came through. The graphics were kind of choppy, so I kept on changing the resolution until I could get a decent picture along with smooth graphics. Unfortunately, all of the nifty effects such as anti-aliasing, shadows, etc, all had to be turned off. Nevertheless, I was still impressed.
X2: The Threat certainly is a new experience. I never played X1, but if it's anything like the sequel, then it must have been good! From what I could see, the graphics engine is unlike anything I've ever witnessed: linear movement combined with details (you know how I love those details!) such as movement thrusters, afterburner exhaust, shockwaves from explosions, space debris, nebulas, soft glows around the planets, ship and station textures...all painstakingly taken into account and blended into the game to give you an incredible feel for space flight. Despite my system specs, I was still blown away at how much they crammed into the game. Since it was a demo though, certain parts of it weren't yet finished: the cinematics had human-like characters that were still in their skeletal form (points of reference, no doubt), the characters that were completed seem to be very...shiny. It's almost as if all of the texture tools and applications weren't applied on the demo, but it is of course just a demo. Some of the graphics were kind of jagged, so it's obvious that the final release will have them cleaned up a bit. The sound was also pretty impressive, being that all of the sound effects were created from scratch (at least, from what I could tell). This was also made for a sound system that utilized 2.1 or even a 5.1 surround sound system, as the sound carries depending on your position. However, as this was a demo, the sound seemed to cut out from time to time, especially when you are in your ship. Sometimes you'll be flying along, and the sound would just turn off (unless there was a "silent running" mode I didn't figure out)!
One thing I found very interesting and well done about this game was the vehicles. In most traditional games, you find a common symmetry in most starships, and some of those starships will often than not have a balance, such as engines on both sides, or weapons on the front and back, etc. I was very surprised when I was running the training simulations, and on the first mission my ship looked like it could tip over! Two engines were situated on the left side, whilst the cockpit was on the right (if you are familiar with Star Wars, think the B-Wing fighter in Return of the Jedi). Then the more traditional style of fighters and ships came into play with the whole balance rule in effect. But, since I didn't get into more of X2 before my computer started giving me issues, I can only assume that Egosoft is trying its hardest to break the mold, and with X2 they aren't just breaking the mold, but making a whole new one.
The style of the game itself is very unique, being that it's not just a traditional "shoot 'em up, space cowboy" theme. It's more of a "shoot 'em, conquer, trade it and figure it out", almost like a role-playing game. Now I'm not a big fan of RPGs, but X2 takes a bit from a few different genres, so it's more than just destroying your enemy or enemies. Since Egosoft blended many different elements into this game, fans of different genres can get into this game and not feel bothered or bored. The game does get specific when it comes to working your ship, such as opening communication, installing and switching weapons as well as upgrades. Procedures, buttons and all sorts of gizmos is something you will have to get used to...think of it like Microsoft Flight Simulator just in outer space!
Kidding. But seriously folks, from what I've seen, Egosoft Software is setting the new standard for how space simulations should be. The final product is sure to blow people away, just add the finishing touches and X2 is sure to be unstoppable.
