Saw X3 - Reuninon for cheap on Steam. Been putting off buying it until now, because the CD/DVD version is bundled with the Starforce malware/trojan thing they pass off as copy protection. The steam version however, is clean.

It's a great game - complex, detailed, pretty graphics, advanced economy - and you get to build your own space stations, factories and fleets! For old Elite/Frontier/Privateer etc. fans, I think you'll like it. I do wish they had finished the damn thing before pushing it out the door though... There's no tutorial, and the manual is basicly just a listing of key mappings. Found some great help on the forums though - going to be playing this one for a while.

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http://www.futt.org/

I tried to play it but it was too complex for me to get into in the short time I had before I left the country.

This game is absolutly incredible!!! It is so detailed it's like living another life! The economy is fantastic and the whole game is just so well thought out, I can't think of anything about it that's half done.

It's bad points are that it is hard to pick up! it is just so complex, once you get into it it's so straight forward, but it's a sharp learning curve and I'd say that most people won't go through it tbh.

The other bad point and this is the reason I don't/can't play it anymore is because you can't just dabble in this game. It's a case of getting into the game and not getting out for at least 3 hours.

It nearly destroyed my life at uni though :/ i used to keep it running over night to get money and spend all day playing. it's just so ridiculously absorbing.

I've never seen a game like it. If you have the time it is absolutly incredible!

Gutted I bought this but my PC wasn't powerful enough to deal with it. Love Elite, love X-Reunion and Beyond the Frontier. Want to play Reunion

The "not finished" comment was with regards to exactly that - the least they could do for a game this complex is whip together a basic tutorial. The learning curve would be a lot less steep if you could at least get to learn basic flight, important keys, the interface and some other very fundamental concepts in a simple tutorial mode.

Even the manual is utterly useless in that regard. X3 in many ways feels like just an expansion to X2 - it's more or less assumed that you are familiar with the game interface and mechanics.

That being said - it is an awsome game!

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http://www.futt.org/

yes, you're right. i almost stopped playing after a couple of weeks, i was so infuriated by how impossible it was i was going mad! but i knew how good it would be if only i could learn how it worked.

and you're right, the manual is pretty rubbish too :/ although once i picked up the basics all of a sudden the manual became very useful and obvious.

i think it must have been written by someone familiar with the game thinking it was clear and obvious.

But yes, once you know how it works it's arguably one of the best games ever. it's just so insanely deep and complex!!!!