OXM: Universe FAQ
Q: What is it?
A: OXM: Universe is an evolutionary, episodic game available
exclusively on the Official Xbox
Magazine (US) game disc. It’s developed by Go
Fever and OXM. The first instance of the game appears on the April 2007 OXM
game disc (Disc #69) and every disc thereafter.
Q: “Evolutionary, episodic”? Can I have that without the
marketing hype, please?
A: The game develops as time goes on. It’s not set in stone;
things can and will happen from month to month that will change the course of
the game, what you can do in it, and things like that. It’s a progressive
development project, so each month its development is ongoing. And we want you
to be part of that development -- see a little later on in the FAQ for how you
can get involved.
Q: What’s the backstory?
A: The Dagur solar system exists. You get to find out what’s
in it -- and out of it.
Q: How do I play?
A: Just put in the OXM Game Disc. You’ll notice that the
background of the standard disc interface is now an animated 3D solar system. Head
to "OXM Universe" on the menu to build probes, manage your space program, and
explore your discoveries. Everything’s explained on the disc itself, but you
will also find some helpful overview information on page 8 of the April 2007
issue of OXM (GRAW 2 cover).
Q: How much does it cost to play?
A: Nothing. There are no fees beyond what you already pay
for a subscription or newsstand issue. This is just a part of Official Xbox
Magazine and there is no additional cost. Thank you for being a customer.
Q: Do I have to play?
A: Of course not. Your OXM points will still work as they
always have; amass enough per disc and you’ll still unlock gamerpics, videos,
and other goodies, per usual. The core rewards-for-points structure of the OXM
Game Disc doesn’t change. However, if you do choose to play OXMU, you will gain
access to more bonus content, above and beyond what is available from the
regular sections of the disc.
Q: Will I get Achievements from playing OXMU?
A: Best we can say is “hopefully.” It’s not yet determined.
We are really hoping to add this functionality, but it’s currently still being
developed, and we are awaiting Microsoft’s approval. It’s certainly something
we want to do, though, and if it’s something you want too, speak up.
Q: Does the game use Xbox Live? Can I interact with any
other players?
A: Not at the moment. At launch, OXMU is not a multiplayer game and does not currently use Live, so
if you’re an OXM customer without broadband, don’t worry -- you aren’t missing
out. However, OXMU is a progressive development project, and we would like to
integrate it with Live at some point in the future. It won’t be until 2008 at
the earliest, in part because we want to see how the game develops and what the
players think. We are open to suggestions. Will there be a space battle mode?
Who knows? We have plenty of thoughts on this but we also want to hear what you
have to say once you start exploring.
Q: Why can’t I visit anywhere but Hoenir at the start?
A: Because you got some learnin’ to do. When you start, the
space program has just begun, and the inaugural mission, featuring the Xenon I
probe, is just about ready to launch. To get you started, the first mission on
disc 69 is preset: You’re going to build a probe to explore the planet Hoenir.
What you find when you get there will remain a secret. So like many games, your
first mission teaches you the rules and mechanics of the game. After that,
you’ll have more freedom, and probes will be easier and quicker to build.
Q: If I explore a planet once, do I have anything to gain by
revisiting it again later? Could I find more stuff?
A: When a probe reaches a planet, it will fall into orbit.
Each month, a re-scan of the planet by that probe might reveal something new.
You won't have to send any more probes to that planet, but you will want to
check up on them from time to time to see what’s new in their area of the
universe.
Q: What kinds of things will I find on planets?
A: One of the reasons for exploring the universe is to find
out if we’re alone. You might find data or objects that seem worthless now but
might turn out to be crucial later. You might also find objects that, when
analyzed by your engineers, unlocks Xbox 360 content, like gamerpics or demos
or themes or what have you. So you can find both things that benefit your
Universe game as well as your 360 in general.
Q: Will planets always be populated? Is there a chance I could send a probe to
a planet and find that it's empty?
A: That’s always a possibility. Who knows what’s out there and what isn’t? Such
is the risk of exploration. But even if you find an empty planet, every object you
find will reveal some information. Maybe it’s just statistics about the
planet's atmosphere, temperature readings or the content of its core; maybe it
means something else later on.
Q: Do I have to sit there and wait while my engineers
research new tech?
A: Nope. You can back out of the OXM Universe section and
check out other stuff on the disc while they toil away. Come back later and
check to see what progress they’ve made.
Q: What’s the difference between OXM “points” and OXMU
“credits”?
A: When you play OXMU, you’re awarded Universe credits for
your OXM points. The OXM points don’t go away, but the credits are spent as you
hire engineers and buy equipment for your space journeys. The game tracks how
many credits you’ve earned overall, as well as how many you have to spend at
any given time.
Q: Where did all my OXM points go? I could have explored
every planet immediately if I had my old stash!
A: The slate was wiped clean when OXM Universe launched.
Everybody’s starting fresh. This was necessary, since the original plan -- to
redeem OXM Points for Gamerscore points -- did not work out. So now that we
have a new focus, we have a new start.
Q: What if I start playing OXM Universe on a later disc? Can
I go back to older discs to earn points? How can I catch up?
A: You can start playing with any disc starting with the April 2007 issue, disc
69. Here's a scenario: If your first disc is OXM 70, you can start playing from
the beginning with that disc, but you will only get as far as you can with the
points you earn. That means your points will max out at 1000 and you will
either have to wait for next disc to earn more points, or you'll have to get
your hands on a copy of OXM 69 and earn your points to fill the gap and catch
up.
Q: Where is all this headed?
A: The Universe is going to expand in 2008. Smart amateur
astronauts will use 2007 to prepare for 2008’s journeys.
Q: Where do I go if I have questions about OXM Universe?
A: The forums is your best bet, but if you have very
specific questions of feedback that you want to go straight to the development
team, drop an email to OXMU@officialxboxmagazine.com and they’ll get it.
We will take all comments and suggestions seriously, and
everything is subject to change; your ideas for OXM Universe very well may wind
up on a disc a few issues later. We honestly want OXMU to be a collaboration
project between OXM and its readers. If you care enough to offer your ideas and
suggestions, consider yourself to be a part of the development team. OXM
Universe only gets better with your involvement.
Dan Amrich, KOXM co-host and Retrologist Emeritus
New free shows every Friday at http://oxmpodcast.podbean.com
