Xciting Stuff: X: Rebirth Pathfinding Dev Diary
Hands up who likes complex space sims? Okay. Now hands up who likes complex German space sims? I thought that would thin you out a bit. The complexiest and Germaniest space sim of them all is the X series. It is a series that's evolved over time into something that actually feels like a place of work, but in an admirable way. Every game I've ever started of X has lulled me into watching the universe trundle along. The Kha'ak might be invading, but if you watched me playing it you'd think the point of the game was to stalk low-level transport ships as they go about their everyday business. Which is why the development diary below had me completely hooked: it shows the game's pathing in action.
So it's exciting, but in a completely unexciting way. Hooray! This is the first real look at the game outside of a few screenshots released a hundred billion years ago. It still has that irradiated glow of a ship bathed in the light of a nearby star. The cockpit has been updated, because I can now read the instruments. What else have they updated? I'm going to have to pick my way through all the other developer diaries that they snuck out without telling single soul.
This particular diary is to show off AI's decision making process when it arrives at a space station. If you can handle it, is here.
X: Rebirth has no release date. Back in 2011 Egosoft said it would be out by the end of the year. They clearly didn't say which year.