X3: Terran Conflict 2.0 - The Aldrin Missions
Score: 80% Publisher: Egosoft Developer: Egosoft Media: Download/1 Players: 1 - 8 Genre: Simulation
Introduction: For those of us on Steam, the release of X3: Terran Conflict 2.0 - The Aldrin Missions was virtually unnoticeable. That was, of course, until you read the patch notes. Along with a slew of bug and issue fixes, they added several new missions. For those who have the boxed sets, you needn't panic. You can download the update to 2.0 online, and of course, it contains the new content.
New Content: So what do we see new from X3: Terran Conflict 2.0 - The Aldrin Missions? With the Aldrin Missions, we see further growth of Aldrin and Terran space. There are new opportunities to buy and build Terran factories. A new Terran ship variant also comes into play and Experimental Electro-Magnetic Plasma Cannons get their own fab. You can now build drone factories. Art wise, they have made improvements to station-building cut scenes. From a technical point of view, support for computers using more than 2GB of RAM has also been added.
Issue Fixes: There are lots of fixes in X3: Terran Conflict 2.0 - The Aldrin Missions. Major fixes have been made to Universal Traders. They have been given an incentive to try new business practices. Towing of stations and ships has been improved. Boreas owners may be saddened to learn that OTAS have downgraded the output of the laser generators due to long-term safety concerns. The generator control's firmware will be adjusted remotely.
Value: I found it interesting that X3: Terran Conflict 2.0 - The Aldrin Missions directly thanked the "extensive network of volunteer developers and testers, who have helped to make X3: Terran Conflict 2.0 what it is." The part I took a double take on was "volunteer developers." I am impressed to see games that reach the community development status. There are many other titles that do this, but it warms my heart to see great work provided by the community. What also grabbed me was the statement, "Although we have stated that X3: Terran Conflict marks the conclusion of the X Trilogy of games, it doesn't necessarily mean the end of the X-Universe and you can be assured that we remain committed to supporting our games and our loyal community of fans." This reassures me this game is going to continue to grow even after its storyline conclusion, making it a worthwhile addition.
Integration: The patch and the missions for X3: Terran Conflict 2.0 - The Aldrin Missions fold seamlessly into the game. There is no bright, blinky light that screams I am new, so you have to dig from what you know from experience to know what has been added. I don't know if that is good enough to get the casual player to pick it up post-patch and look into it unless you show them something shiny that screams play me again.
Final Thoughts: You cannot beat free, however. If you own X3: Terran Conflict, then download the 2.0 patch and play again; you will not regret it. If you have never played, this is a good time to pick it up, now that issues have been ironed out and there is more to do.
-WUMPUSJAGGER, GameVortex Communications AKA Bryon Lloyd
Minimum System Requirements: CPU Class Required Pentium 4, Minimum OS Class Required, Windows 98SE, RAM Required 512 MB, DVD-ROM Drive Speed Required 1X, DirectX Version Required DirectX 9.0, Drivers/APIs Supported Direct3D, Hardware TNL, Input Devices Supported Keyboard, Mouse, Other DirectInput devices, 3D Accelerator Required   Test System: Windows XP Pro, 3.2 GHz P4HT CPU, 2 GB Ram, 512 PCIE 16 ATI X1600XT
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