Independent evaluation
By Paul Mallinson
For THQ
21st June 1999

INTRODUCTION

X: Beyond The Frontier is a strange beast indeed, and a pleasant surprise coming from a software company known predominantly for its console-based video games.

Going on face value X will probably be viewed as nothing more than a space combat sim by the lowest common denominator. This will probably work to the game's advantage because some people will buy the game on the strength of this initial (but incorrect) impression. When they eventually discover how complex and in-depth the trading system is they will either become hooked by the game's capitalist sensibilities, or bored by the initial lack of action.

More observant gamesplayers, or the majority who cotton on to the concept of X (ie. Those who realise it is more of a trading game than a combat game), will undoubtedly be very excited at the prospect of a contemporary version of Elite - primarily because it's been so long since we've seen this kind of resource management sci-fi epic on the PC.

X is based on an already proven concept, and although the trend at the moment seems to be with space combat simulators there is almost certainly room in the marketplace for an updated version of Elite.

As space trading games go X is excellent, but by no means perfect. After some days of intensive play my conclusion was that with a bit more time and effort invested into the game - addressing the issues concerning general in-game travel time (see points listed below in Gameplay) - THQ could be looking at a AAA game. As it stands, X is a compelling and relatively original entry into the space sim marketplace and one that should do very well at review.

If I were reviewing X as a freelance journalist based on what I had seen so far I would award a score of around 80 per cent (discounting all the bugs encountered, of course). As I said before (and will say again below), if the developers can find a way of cutting down the amount of time it takes getting from A to B the review scores will be higher. Having said that, I reckon more people will buy this game on the strength of the demo than on magazine reviews.

TARGET MARKET

X: Beyond the Frontier is going to appeal to fans of Elite and Elite-style trading games such as Privateer and The Darkening. This kind of person is into sci-fi in a big way, understands basic economics, and - quite frankly - loves the idea of making shitloads of money and spending it on high tech equipment. Gamesplayers who like trading games in general - not necessarily space trading games - are all potential targets.

Whoever's going to play this game properly will have to have a lot of spare time on their hands. Young, male, single, prefers playing computer games to watching TV, smokes a lot of grass… The kind of person who likes the idea of accumulating wealth, but is incapable of it in the real world, will warm to the concept of X.

This game will not appeal to those who like a quick blast before nipping down the pub, or those trying to maintain a long term relationship with someone who doesn't like computer games.

The demo that is going out onto Internet, and onto magazine cover discs, is going to be important to the success of the final product because although X is a relatively unknown title next to the X-Wing Alliances and Quake IIIs of this world it does have a lot going for it and the game possesses a fairly high degree of addictiveness. These qualities are easier to identify when playing the game itself, rather than simply reading what someone has written about it in a magazine preview/review. If you sit someone down in front of the full game, cold, it's going to take them a lot of time to appreciate the game's subtleties, so the developers have done right to split the demo into two parts - trading and combat.

So far, I haven't seen a huge amount of preview coverage in the specialist press, but what there has been should be valuable enough - all people need to know is that X is an addictive space trading game with great graphics and a believable atmosphere.

GAMEPLAY

A. Features I like about the game:

A1. Graphically X is excellent. The dark, subtle lighting makes you feel as though you're floating around in deep space and the planets in particular are fantastically textured. A sense of scale is also very well implemented.

A2. Loading and saving is very quick - essential in a game of this sort. Why not add the facility to include your own notes to your saved games? This does make it easier to manage them.

A3. The process of trading and making money is very addictive, but is held back somewhat by too many cut scenes (see point B7).

A4. I like the way, when you apply turbo, the sound and vision distorts to give the impression of intense gravitational forces. At times I did actually feel as though my head was being pushed into the back of the seat. On the downside of this, though, it is a bind having to hold down the turbo button for a prolonged period of time (see point B3).

A5. Market prices change as you play - a nice little touch that should be mentioned in the documentation.

A6. I like the way you can move around while the menus are up. For example: you can scroll through your saved games while moving around, or changing your velocity in-game.

A7. You can buy your own factories/foundries/forges/facilities?! Wow. This is a desirable aim. You would hope that personal outposts can be customised by the player.

A8. The simplistic nature of the controls and HUD is welcomed. Overall the handling of the craft, and the inertia it creates, is pretty much spot on.

A9. The way the game's designers have incorporated the training section into the storyline is commendable. One thing I will say about it, though, is that: if this experiment is history in the making, why aren't there more space vehicles around watching? More ships - more movement - more activity? The accompanying speech is excellent - especially when the instructor starts cursing the day you were born.

B. A few suggestions that could make 'X' more enjoyable to play:

B1. Overall, the developers should work on cutting down the amount of time the player spends getting from A to B (how about an autopilot function that takes you to the nearest requested trading post?). Not only that, but they should also make it quicker and easier for the player to identify targets floating in space (maybe provide an in-box system map with the game, showing all the different factories and structures of the earlier sectors?).

B2. It would be worth considering the inclusion of more than one docking bay door on some of the larger space platforms. A lot of time is spent (stroke, wasted) repositioning yourself when approaching to dock. I kept feeling that I was always approaching the docking bay from the wrong side and, on the odd occasion, even had difficulty locating the landing lights themselves (because they were obscured by the structure). Maybe extending the length of the lights, or making them brighter (therefore easier to see at a distance) will eradicate this problem?

B3. Instead of, or as well as, holding down the turbo button to apply extra thrust there should be a 'turbo on/off' switch for long distance travel. For example, you could hit Tab and turbo is applied until you hit Tab again. This should save wear and tear on the player's fingers.

B4. I'm not convinced that the current 'target lock' distance is right. Identifying each and every target in a system is incredibly time consuming because you have to get up really close before you get a lock on. Is there an upgrade that increases target lock distance? There should be, and it should be relatively cheap (maybe even an incremental add-on, similar to the shield system?). I did get a bit bored flying from structure to structure, trying to find out what was what.

B5. Not sure if this is a bug or not, but if you lock onto a target and send out a camera (F3 in the version I played), jumping back into the cockpit seems to cancel the order. Shouldn't you be able to jump between cockpit and camera until you order the camera to return?

B6. The game still feels a little empty - in terms of space traffic. Apart from the odd fly-by you do end up wondering where everyone is lurking. If this is some big, interstellar trading system then where are all the other traders? I encountered roughly ten other trading craft in over two days of solid play. The first couple of systems you encounter, at least, should be busier than they are at present. Maybe avoid having other traders trying to dock at the same time as you (to avoid collisions), but the presence of other craft (police units zipping by with lights flashing, massive freighters passing by, construction vehicles building new factories, et cetera) will undoubtedly enhance the feeling of a universe teeming with intelligent life.

B7. There should be an option to disable the docking cut sequences, or you should see them only once (per outpost class). After a while, watching those yellow arms come down and attach to your ship gets very tedious.

B8. I never came across any truly massive asteroids or structures (apart from the planet that looked like Saturn). Are there any in the game? There should be. How about some humongous asteroids that you can fly through, or a dense belt of smaller asteroids that hide a secret? Or a Death Star. Sorry (you know what I mean though?)

B9. More force feedback is required when applying turbo (and, yes, the 'bodybuilder' setting is too much).

B10. If your hard drive starts chugging when attempting to dock, nine times out of ten you end up crashing. Very frustrating. What causes this?

B11. With regard to the 'look around' viewing hat - there should be a way of turning 'lookspring' on/off.

B12. The navigational map (and the ID lettering on each object on the map) is a tad confusing. In this instance, the lack of a manual didn't help.

B13. North, South, East and West in space?!

Thanks to THQ for permission to reprint this previously confidential document. Bo.