The X Series

[Thorgalaeg]

X3AP always was standalone AFAIK but dont know how they have it at steam. I think you will have to spend 20$ ang get the TC+AP package. There is always a plot in all X games, but you can leave it aside, do whatever you want and retake it anytime. The bonus pack can be downloaded from Egosoft very webpage. Under the "downloads/X3AP/bonus material" section. There is an X-encyclopedia somewhere in Steam, but it is not free as you must purchase first the X:Rebirth collector edition or some crap like that. Maybe you can find it somewhere else...

 

[FriendlyFire]

OK, I have more questions. (Sorry to bother you guys with these.) Is AP an add on or standalone? Is there a plot in TC/AP or is it just sandbox? What is the bonus pack and where do I get it? And lastly, is there anywhere to read the story of the other games?

Well I assumed wrong. Since all the previous games were standalone
Every game comes with single player campaign and sandbox mode
You can read the stories on wiki or just watch the cinematic on youtube.

X3: Albion Prelude is an Add-On to X3: Terran Conflict. Using X3: TC as a basis, many improvements were made to the engine and other areas of the game. To limit its download size X3: AP will share files with X3: TC where it's possible. This means that a complete X3: Terran Conflict installation is needed to be able to install and play X3: Albion Prelude. X3: AP is treated as a separate game, with different folders for savegames, screenshots, control profiles etc. Even after installing X3: Albion Prelude, X3: Terran Conflict is fully playable and moddable. More on Mods below. Due to the major changes between X3: Terran Conflict and X3: Albion Prelude, savegames are not compatible.

Who gets the free version and the discounted versions?
Anyone with a Superbox will be able to download X3: Albion Prelude from Steam for free. Anyone with an X3: Terran Conflict version (this includes bundles like X3: Gold) will be able to buy X3: Albion Prelude for the 'Add-On' price of €9.99. If you have a Non-Steam version of either the Superbox or X3: Terran Conflict, you will have to register it with Steam before.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/12/15/x3-albion-preludes-sumptuous-spacestuff/

 

[ls612]

I'm currently playing Terran Conflict with the Xtended - Terran Conflict Mod. It is IMO the best X mod out there and delivers even more fun than the vanilla sandbox. Fair warning though, it is quite complicated even for X, and may not be for beginners.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Xrebirth

Stupid menu system is ********, beyond the original and far worse then X3 engine.
The sector maps are useless
NPC mini game
Lots of features missing
Bugs and crashes

Eye candy is awesome Performance is not
Better space combat AI is basic
Starter ship is rather nice

 

[Thorgalaeg]

The more i try to play this game the more i hate it. Just uninstalled it. Graphics are the only thing i like about X:Rebirth. But at what cost! All those civilian ships are there for eyecandy purposes only. They all are fake, they do nothing but going around station transporting nothing and doing nothing. The ships you find at highways are also fake. The minigames like the conversation you have with the traders are ********, going around stations stealing stuff from the red boxes to sell them to the guy standing just beside it is ridiculous. Capital ships can be destroyed easily since the beginning, your owned ships cant do anything for themselves. To earn lots of money you only have to go around with the long range scanner picking up random stuff floating in the space. Upgrading your ship does not make any sense either since you can kill anything with the basics... The whole thing does not make sense at all. I stand corrected. It is one of the worst games i have ever played and it is beyond any fix.

 

[Adam7Eight]

Ouch. Another franchise possibly ruined by consolization... which would be a bit ironic.