X (game series)
Encyclopedia
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.
, Nopileos, Yoshiko and Hüter der Tore (The Keeper of the Gates). Farnham's Legend is available in English
.
Over the course of the 21st century, mankind experimented with wormhole
technology and successfully built jumpgate
s 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 star 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, led 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. 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.
platform consists of three base games and two stand alone expansions
named X-Tension and X³: Terran Conflict
. A plot can be undertaken in all games except X-Tension where the player takes part in missions to unfold events.
.
Sectors typically orbit planet
s, within a star system
. Most contain game resources such as asteroid
s 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 import
ed, export
ed and trade
d 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 50 km in some sectors to over 200 km in others. The exact position of the gates is unpredictable and 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: The Threat and X³: Reunion. It is only possible to fly into planet atmospheres, though this will result in the ship's destruction.
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 more conventional interstellar science to be sure.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
space trading and combat simulator series created by German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Developer Egosoft
Egosoft
Egosoft is a computer game developer founded in 1988 and based in Würselen, Germany. It became a commercial company in 1990. Its first products were for the Amiga, but it later became a PC game developer....
. 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.
Story
The fiction behind the X series is provided in the games themselves and in four novels by series fictional writer Helge Kautz: Farnham's LegendFarnham's Legend
Farnham's Legend is a science fiction novel set in the imaginary universe created for the X Computer Game Series. It was written in German by Helge T. Kautz, and has been translated into English by Steve Miller and Andreas Fuchs. Published by Egosoft in 2005, it contains 349 pages.-Characters:Each...
, Nopileos, Yoshiko and Hüter der Tore (The Keeper of the Gates). Farnham's Legend is available in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Over the course of the 21st century, mankind experimented with wormhole
Wormhole
In physics, a wormhole is a hypothetical topological feature of spacetime that would be, fundamentally, a "shortcut" through spacetime. For a simple visual explanation of a wormhole, consider spacetime visualized as a two-dimensional surface. If this surface is folded along a third dimension, it...
technology and successfully built jumpgate
Jumpgate
In science fiction, a jump gate is a fictional device able to create a wormhole or portal, allowing fast travel between two points in space...
s in space between Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
and Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
paving the way for the colonization of the solar system and interstellar transport. A jumpgate was shuttled to Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...
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 star 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
Terraforming
Terraforming of a planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to those of Earth, in order to make it habitable by terrestrial organisms.The term is sometimes used more generally as a...
planets into habitable worlds. The Terraformers were self-replicating spacecraft, governed by a simple artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
. 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
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
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, led 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. 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.
Individual Games
The series, which was launched in 1999 on the WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
platform consists of three base games and two stand alone expansions
Expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
named X-Tension and X³: Terran Conflict
X³: Terran Conflict
X³: Terran Conflict , is a space trading and combat simulator from German developer Egosoft and is the culmination of their X series of computer games. Described as a stand alone game, based on X3: Reunion, it boasts new plot lines, features and assets...
. A plot can be undertaken in all games except X-Tension where the player takes part in missions to unfold events.
| Name | Date Released | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| X: Beyond the Frontier X: Beyond the Frontier X-Tension was released as an expansion to X:BTF; however, many gamers and reviewers consider it more a "sequel" than an "add-on". It follows on after the story in X: BTF, with "the evil Xenon vanquished" and the player "still stranded light years from home." The player once again takes control of... |
July 1, 1999 | Windows Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal... |
| X-Tension | June 1, 2000 | Windows |
| X²: The Threat X²: The Threat X²: The Threat is a computer game developed by Egosoft for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. It is part of the X Computer Game Series. It was released in 2003 and is a sequel to X: Beyond the Frontier... |
December 3, 2003 | Linux Linux Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds... , Mac OS X Mac OS X Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems... , Windows |
| X³: Reunion X³: Reunion X³: Reunion is a single-player space trading and combat game developed by Egosoft and published by Deep Silver. It is the third installment in the X universe adventure video game series and the sequel to X²: The Threat , which in turn followed X: Beyond the Frontier... |
October 28, 2005 | Linux, Mac OS X, Windows |
| X³: Terran Conflict X³: Terran Conflict X³: Terran Conflict , is a space trading and combat simulator from German developer Egosoft and is the culmination of their X series of computer games. Described as a stand alone game, based on X3: Reunion, it boasts new plot lines, features and assets... |
October 16, 2008 | Mac OS X, Windows |
| X Rebirth X Rebirth X Rebirth is a single-player space trading and combat game being developed by Egosoft, published by Deep Silver. It is the fifth installment in the X universe adventure video game series, following X³: Terran Conflict , as the new sequel to the last game title... |
Q1, 2012 | Windows |
X-Gold
X-Gold is a double pack of X: Beyond the Frontier and X-Tension. It was released in September 2000 in English, followed by the German version in 2001. The pack included the two games on a single CD, along with X-Tensions manual. It has since been re-released as a budget game in 2004.X³-Gold
X³-Gold is a double pack of X³: Reunion, X³: Terran Conflict and an X³: Terran Conflict soundtrack CD. It was released on April 9, 2009 in Germany and several other EU states, with X³: Reunion 2.5 and X³: Terran Conflict 2.0. X³-Gold was released on November 12, 2009 for UK and American markets.X-Superbox
X-Superbox is a collectors edition of the X-Series, containing all 5 games, bonus content and a printed encyclopedia of the X-Universe by author Helge Kautz. Egosoft, using their forum community, gathered a range of fan-made content for inclusion in the X-Superbox. Updated versions of X: Beyond the Frontier and X-Tension were made especially for the X-Superbox and were made available for testing on the Egosoft forums. X³: Terran Conflict, the latest X-Series release, also receives an update with new content in the X-Superbox. The X-Superbox was officially announced on August 16, 2010 and was released on October 8, 2010.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 of "discovered" sectors has increased in each game; from 54, in X: Beyond the Frontier, to over 200 in X³: Terran Conflict, including the re-discovered Sol SystemSolar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
.
Sectors typically orbit planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
s, within a star system
Star system
A star system or stellar system is a small number of stars which orbit each other, bound by gravitational attraction. A large number of stars bound by gravitation is generally called a star cluster or galaxy, although, broadly speaking, they are also star systems.-Binary star systems:A stellar...
. Most contain game resources such as asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
s of silicon
Silicon
Silicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. A tetravalent metalloid, it is less reactive than its chemical analog carbon, the nonmetal directly above it in the periodic table, but more reactive than germanium, the metalloid directly below it in the table...
or ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
, 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
Indigenous (ecology)
In biogeography, a species is defined as native to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention. Every natural organism has its own natural range of distribution in which it is regarded as native...
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 import
Import
The term import is derived from the conceptual meaning as to bring in the goods and services into the port of a country. The buyer of such goods and services is referred to an "importer" who is based in the country of import whereas the overseas based seller is referred to as an "exporter". Thus...
ed, export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
ed and trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
d 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
Ecliptic
The ecliptic is the plane of the earth's orbit around the sun. In more accurate terms, it is the intersection of the celestial sphere with the ecliptic plane, which is the geometric plane containing the mean orbit of the Earth around the Sun...
". 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 50 km in some sectors to over 200 km in others. The exact position of the gates is unpredictable and 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: The Threat and X³: Reunion. It is only possible to fly into planet atmospheres, though this will result in the ship's destruction.
It is possible that all sectors in the X-Universe are in the Milky Way
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
. 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 more conventional interstellar science to be sure.