X (game series)

"X" is a science fiction space trading and combat simulator series created by German Developer Egosoft. The series is set in the X Universe where several races populate a number of worlds connected by jumpgates. The games feature free roaming gameplay with trading, combat, empire building and missions; leading to the series' phrase "Trade, Fight, Build, Think".

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The fiction behind the X series is provided in the games themselves and in three novels: "Farnham’s Legend", "Nopileos" and "Yoshiko" [ [http://www.egosoft.com/shop/default.asp?cat=12 Egosoft Shop] ] . "Farnham's Legend" is available in English.

Over the course of the 21st century, mankind experimented with wormhole technology and successfully built jumpgates in space between Earth and Mars paving the way for the colonization of the solar system and interstellar transport. A jumpgate was shuttled to Alpha Centauri in an attempt to claim a foothold in interstellar space. Even before the gate left the solar system scientists discovered that many objects classified as black holes showed the characteristics of artificial wormholes. There were alien jumpgates which the human constructed gates could connect to. The Terrans had discovered the X Universe, a seemingly uninhabited collection of solar systems connected by a vast network of large, bi-directional jumpgates.

Puzzled by the lack of intelligent life within this network but driven by their curiosity and the urge to colonise the new worlds the Terrans ventured into the X Universe intent on expanding their territory. Terraforming machines were created and dispatched to terraform planets into habitable worlds. The Terraformers were self-replicating spacecraft, governed by a simple artificial intelligence. During a software update several flaws were introduced into the Terraformer fleet and distributed between them causing a radical change in behaviour. The Terraformers replicated and attempted to re-terraform colonised planets, causing the planets to lose their ability to support human life. In an attempt to halt the Terraformers the Terrans became embroiled in a war with their creations. No colony was able to defend against the attacks and mankind was pushed back to the Sol System where the Terraformers launched an attempt to destroy all life forms and terraform all of the inner planets.

In a daring attempt to save the solar system, a group of ships, lead by Nathan R. Gunne, lured the Terraformers through the gate into the X Universe. The Earth gate was then destroyed, trapping the Terraformers in the X Universe and cutting Earth off from the rest of the network.

The X-series is set more than 750 years after these events [http://argonopedia.ppcis.org/histmenu Argonopedia History Page] ] . A single Terraformer craft appears in the solar system using an apparently experimental gateless jumpdrive. The Terrans reverse engineer the device. In its maiden flight, the X-Shuttle, piloted by test pilot Kyle Brennan, is accidentally transported into the X Universe. Unlike before, this part of the network is inhabited by several space faring alien races and the descendants of Nathan R. Gunne's fleet. The Terraformers are attempting to get to Earth and Kyle must stop them.

The X Series

The series, which was launched in 1999 on the Windows platform consists of three base games and a stand alone expansion named . A plot can be undertaken in all games except "X-Tension" where the player takes part in missions to unfold events.

X: Beyond the Frontier (1999)

"X: Beyond the Frontier" aka "X:BTF", was the first game in the X series.The story is set in 2912, centered around Kyle Brennan, a human test pilot from Earth, who is flung into the unknown X Universe when his advanced ‘’X-Perimental’’ jumpship malfunctions during the initial test. He finds himself stranded, surrounded by alien ships in a seemingly busy and commercial part of space. His arrival has alerted a destructive machine race, the Xenon to the existence of Earth. During his search for a way home, he finds historical links to Earth and a horrible truth about the Xenon.

X-Tension (2000)

aka "X-T", was a stand alone expansion pack for "". It was technically a new game based on "X:BTF" as it was not savegame compatible due to the vast changes. A prologue explains events centuries before and weeks after "X: Beyond the Frontier". While "X-Tension" did not have a story line, many missions were added as well as "The Perseus Mission" in version 2 which was a series of missions.

X-Gold (2001)

"X-Gold" was a double pack of "X: Beyond the Frontier" and "X-Tension".

X²: The Threat (2003)

"X²: The Threat" aka "X²" is the sequel to "X: Beyond the Frontier" and "X-Tension", set in 2934. Julian Brennan, son of Kyle Brennan from Earth is saved the fate of a penal colony when an Argon Federation capital ship enlists him for help. Julian, who has been raised by Pirates most of his life, finds that his father has gone missing, just as a dangerous new enemy, the Kha'ak, have started to invade the X Universe. With many of the allied alien forces buckling under the pressure of this new foe, it is up to Julian and his friends to find his father, the only person who may know what the Kha’ak want.

X³: Reunion (2005)

"X³: Reunion" aka "X³" is the sequel to ; set a few months afterwards, it deals with the continuation of the Kha'ak invasion.

X³: Terran Conflict (2008)

"X³: Terran Conflict" aka "X³TC" was announced on the third of February 2008. In the initial press release it was described as a stand-alone game based in the X³ universe and is to be the grand finale of the X series. It is scheduled for release on October 17th 2008.

The X Universe

The fictional X-Universe is a collection of sectors connected by two-way jumpgates. The total number of sectors is unknown, but the number ‘discovered’ sectors has increased in each game; from 54, in "X: Beyond the Frontier", to 159 in "X³: Reunion", including the re-discovered Sol System.

Sectors typically orbit planets, within a star system. Most contain game resources such as asteroids of silicon or ore, and many contain inhabitable planets. Each sector contains up to four jumpgates, in a North, East, South, West pattern. Each sector is named by the organisation that controls it.

Notable sectors include: Argon Federation home-sector, “Argon Prime”; Boron Kingdom home-sector “Kingdom End”, Teladi Company headquarters “Seizewell”; Split Dynasty home-sector “Family Pride”; and Paranid Empire home world “Paranid Prime”. The Xenon home-sector has never been discovered.

Most sectors are controlled by one X-Universe race, and will contain only stations economically indigenous to that race. For example, "Atreus’ Clouds" is a Boron sector, containing only Boron stations. Here the player can buy special Boron weaponry and equipment that is unavailable from other races. Boron stations sell Boron trade products, and they often want to buy the trade products of other races. Such products can be imported/exported and traded by the player for profit. This compels the player to explore the sectors of the different races to discover the most useful upgrades, and most profitable trade routes.

For convenience, most stations and facilities are located in the space between the jumpgates, known as the ‘ecliptic plane’. However, each sector is unbounded, and the player may travel in any direction almost indefinitely. Beyond the main area of a sector is mostly empty void, though official X material, as well as in-game messages and missions hint at lost ships, secret stations, and other treasures and dangers lurking in remote areas.

In games to "X²: The Threat", X-Universe sectors are of uniform size, and gates are usually centre-North, South, East and West of the ecliptic plane. In "X³: Reunion" sectors became much more varied. The distances between gates varies between 50km in some sectors to over 200km in others. The exact position of the gates is unpredictable; gates are generally harder to find.

It is not possible to fly to planets in game. Planet based activity is only possible in plot-related events of "X²" and "X³". In these games it is also possible to fly into planet atmospheres, though this will result in the ship's destruction.

Where is the X Universe?

It is possible that all sectors in the X-Universe are in the Milky Way. With gate technology, some sectors which are distant in the gate system could be cosmically close together. Conversely, sectors near to each other in the jumpgate grid could be physically far apart. Due to the ease of use of the jumpgate system, most races have not progressed far enough in interstellar science to be sure.

Featured Races

The X Universe features several sentient species, some of which are yet to be seen in the games themselves.

References