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X4: Foundations 7.00 Update and X4: Timelines from Egosoft bring some huge changes to the huge space sim and there's never been a better time to try it out.

The new expansion for starters, X4: Timelines, is something quite different. Designed for new players and veterns alike, Egosoft say it uses "novel ways to introduce new players to X4's core gameplay mechanics" and it introduces a whole new storyline that takes place outside the main X4 sandbox so its properly standalone (but still a DLC) that will give you "colossal challenges and unexpected excursions into the depths of the X series lore and history" and it's an "adventure that transcends time and space"

Check out the DLC trailer:

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On top of that of course is the next major free upgrade, X4: Foundations 7.00. This brings in additional advice for new players, expanded tutorials, improved AI, a FOV slider, TAA support, improved explosions, improved shadows, additional sectors and landmarks, new accessibility options, a customizable radial menu for quick access to actions, a new late-game crisis for advanced players and so much more.

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Overall this all sounds pretty incredible.

Available with Native Linux support on Steam. It's also rated Steam Deck Playable.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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13 comments

RavenWings Jun 21
I´d love to get into X again, but I don´t think I´ll ever find the time other then maybe on the Deck. Anybody tried playing it there for a longer periode of time?

I´ve sank countless hours into the first two games and remember using pretty much my whole keyboard worth of hotkeys, button-combos and macro-keys to manage my trading-empire. I´m sure they´ve modernised and simplified a lot of it, but I still can´t imagine its possible to boil it down to anything handheld-friendly.
Boldos Jun 21
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Thanks for the news.
Instabuy
Boldos Jun 21
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I´d love to get into X again, but I don´t think I´ll ever find the time other then maybe on the Deck. Anybody tried playing it there for a longer periode of time?

I´ve sank countless hours into the first two games and remember using pretty much my whole keyboard worth of hotkeys, button-combos and macro-keys to manage my trading-empire. I´m sure they´ve modernised and simplified a lot of it, but I still can´t imagine its possible to boil it down to anything handheld-friendly.
Yeah, you can/will sink countless hours into X4 too.
I have player so far one huge game, started another some months ago and not looking back.
Some game mechanics are a bit different from old X2/X3, but the graphics are better, the immersion is way more better and way more amazing and the universe is huge too, with countless opportunities to play it the way you like

Definitely recommended... 11/10


Last edited by Boldos on 26 June 2024 at 4:47 pm UTC
mZSq7Fq3qs Jun 21
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I´d love to get into X again, but I don´t think I´ll ever find the time other then maybe on the Deck. Anybody tried playing it there for a longer periode of time?

I´ve sank countless hours into the first two games and remember using pretty much my whole keyboard worth of hotkeys, button-combos and macro-keys to manage my trading-empire. I´m sure they´ve modernised and simplified a lot of it, but I still can´t imagine its possible to boil it down to anything handheld-friendly.

I'll download it and check it out.
grumpytoad Jun 21
I´d love to get into X again, but I don´t think I´ll ever find the time other then maybe on the Deck. Anybody tried playing it there for a longer periode of time?

I did play it for a time on the 'Deck, which works surprisingly well, because you can switch to different modes based on whether you're flying / map-mode / walking about, but I did need to spend a fair bit of time customizing the controls and making shortcuts.

I don't think you can optimize every last detail, because the menu-system is a bit unusable on the Deck, but I don't find X4 that hardcore to have to do that. Maybe creating bases is a no-go, but it was already incredibly clunky even with a mouse and keyboard.
I´d love to get into X again, but I don´t think I´ll ever find the time other then maybe on the Deck. Anybody tried playing it there for a longer periode of time?

I did play it for a time on the 'Deck, which works surprisingly well, because you can switch to different modes based on whether you're flying / map-mode / walking about, but I did need to spend a fair bit of time customizing the controls and making shortcuts.

I don't think you can optimize every last detail, because the menu-system is a bit unusable on the Deck, but I don't find X4 that hardcore to have to do that. Maybe creating bases is a no-go, but it was already incredibly clunky even with a mouse and keyboard.

It's probably worth checking out again as 7.00 specifically targeted better controller controls, including introducing radial menus. A lot of our problems with it on the Deck might well already be resolved.
I've been a huge fan of X since I discovered X3 in 2006 and it completely blew my mind. I do however understand why lots of people don't like it: it takes like 100 hours to get to the "core" gameplay lol.

I think X4 is the best one yet and the improvements have been great, but I do wish they could get some of the more "fun" parts like space combat to feel less terrible. Hopefully some improvements in this update? (downloaded, will get to play this weekend)
mZSq7Fq3qs Jun 22
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I've been a huge fan of X since I discovered X3 in 2006 and it completely blew my mind. I do however understand why lots of people don't like it: it takes like 100 hours to get to the "core" gameplay lol.

I think X4 is the best one yet and the improvements have been great, but I do wish they could get some of the more "fun" parts like space combat to feel less terrible. Hopefully some improvements in this update? (downloaded, will get to play this weekend)

I have no doubt that it is an awesome game... but it is quite jarring to get into :D I have no idea what I am doing. I hope that this will help with my itch to play eve online. I'd play eve online, but who has time for that?
Boldos Jun 22
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I have no doubt that it is an awesome game... but it is quite jarring to get into :D I have no idea what I am doing. I hope that this will help with my itch to play eve online. I'd play eve online, but who has time for that?
Well developers of X4 said it loud and clear that they do not want to babysit new players and serve them everything right under their noses, but instead they want (and expect) players to explore and find out mechanics, things and places on their own.

So although it is understandable that this approach might not work for everyone, it works as designed
Shmerl Jun 23
I tried to get into the game but got quickly bogged down by too many details. I was looking for something similar to Freelancer, with more focus on space exploration and etc. But it felt differently.
starfarer Jun 23
While Gothic is my most favourite game of all time this game, at least for me, may be the best game of all time. At least at the moment, haha.
Right now I am looking for games where the whole world is simulated and it goes on and on even without you doing anything. And this game is exactly that. You can just do nothing and after, admittedly probably several hundreds of hours, you will realise that the Xenon have conquered the whole, known universe. Or they might not have.
Mihnea Jun 24
This is actually quite playable on the Deck, even performance-wise it works surprisingly well. The biggest issue I had (and it's a big one) was with the map, which has buggy controller support. I tried different configurations but even with the touchscreen, it's pretty much impossible to pan the map and select stuff on it. Hopefully with the update they fixed this.
RavenWings Jun 26
Thanks for the feedback, guys! From what I´m reading in your comments, it seems to be playable and enjoyable for the most part on the Steam Deck. If I have to switch to Desktop for some parts of the game (base building), thats fine for me as long as I can play most of it on the Deck.


Last edited by RavenWings on 26 June 2024 at 1:00 pm UTC
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