X4: Station Design ContestNote: this contest also runs on the Construction Community forum, on the X4 Subreddit, and on our Discord.
Round #5: Trading Station
Category: Creative
Theme: Create an epic trading hub where all factions are welcome.
Limitations: No limitations; use any module you like!
Dates:
- Contest begins on July 03, 2026
- Submission period ends on 12:00 CEST, July 26, 2026
- Winners will be announced on July 31, 2026
- 1st Place: 10x Mellow Mocha Paintmods, 10x Afterglow Paintmods, 10x Construction Zone Paintmods
- 2nd Place: 5x Mellow Mocha Paintmods, 5x Afterglow Paintmods, 5x Construction Zone Paintmods
- 3rd Place: 3x Mellow Mocha Paintmods, 3x Afterglow Paintmods, 3x Construction Zone Paintmods
- Participation reward: 1x Construction Zone Paintmod
Calling all Architects!The X4 Station Design Contest is back, and we want YOU to design epic space stations!
What's in it for you? Apart from the awesome prizes, your design could be featured on our social media channels, and there’s even a chance we might take inspiration from it for future game content!
About this contestThis contest takes place across several community platforms and runs over multiple rounds.
Each round includes a few weeks long submission period, during which you’ll need to submit screenshots of your station along with its construction plan, followed by a one-week evaluation period.
Winners are announced just before the start of the next round, and prizes are sent out via private message.
You can send your awesome designs to:
- The Egosoft Forum’s X4: Foundations subforum
The Egosoft Forum's Construction Community - The Egosoft Discord's #contests channel
- The r/X4Foundations subreddit
- By email, using the contest@egosoft.com address
Contest categoriesWhen a round starts, we will give a basic idea of what we’d like to see from the participants.
There will be two main categories specified that the participants must follow:
Creative Station: station plans in this category should, simply put, look good. You don't have to worry about functionality - let creativity guide your designs. Note that module clipping in this category is always allowed.
Grounded Station: station plans in this category should be more realistic - think of them as stations you’d want to see the AI build. While aesthetic appeal and creativity is still important here, other important factors may come into play, including:
- Size - defines the amount of modules to be used and/or the plot's size
- Faction - defines what faction-specific modules to be used
- Type - defines what type of station it must be
- Connection - defines if the different station modules must be connected together by their connection points.
- Clipping - defines if module clipping is allowed
- Usage of generic modules - defines if participants can include generic modules, such as pavilions, penthouses, observatories, sensor arrays, and welfare modules.
- Other criteria - defines other requirements, such as usage of DLC modules, usage of interfaction modules, etc.)
Example:
Design a Large Argon Solar Power Plant.- Use base game Argon modules only.
- Do not use Argon modules from X4: Tides of Avarice and X4: Timelines.[/size]
- The modules must be connected.
- Module clipping is not allowed.
- Plot size is 10x10x10.
- Feel free to utilise generic modules.
- Mandatory modules: at least 20x Universal Energy Cell Production modules, at least 1x Pier, at least 1x Universal Dock.
- The design must not contain the Headquarters module.
Creative Station: station plans in this category should, simply put, look good. You don't have to worry about functionality - let creativity guide your designs. Note that module clipping in this category is always allowed.
Grounded Station: station plans in this category should be more realistic - think of them as stations you’d want to see the AI build. While aesthetic appeal and creativity is still important here, other important factors may come into play, including:
🛠 How to participate
- Read the requirements carefully and design your submission accordingly.
- Export your construction plan into a file.
- Take three screenshots of your submission: one form the top, one from the side, and one from an arbitrary angle.
- Present these files, along with your Egosoft account's name in the contest thread. Use the Attachments forum feature to share these files (Guide).
- Alternatively, you can also send your submission to the contest@egosoft.com address.
How to export, find, and upload your stations’ construction plans file:
- While using the in-game station editor, find the “Export construction plan” button on the top of the screen, and press it.
- Enter your EGOSOFT account name into the text field, and press “Export Plan”.
- Exit/minimize (alt-tab) the game and navigate to the following directory:
Code: Select all
Documents\Egosoft\X4\<Your Steam ID>\constructionplan - Find the xml file with your EGOSOFT account name and attach it to your post.
How to take and upload screenshots:
- When piloting a ship, target your station and press F3, or right-click on your station and select “External View”.
- Angle the camera with the numpad keys (4, 8, 6, 2), as they function as arrow keys for the camera.
- Find the Top angle, the Front angle, and an “attractive” angle of your station.
- Take a screenshot using the Alt+PrtScr key combination. Each time you take a screenshot, you must leave/minimize the game, open an image editing software (such as Paint/Paint3D), and paste your screenshot from the clipboard (hotkey: CTRL+V).
- Alternatively, you can use third party softwares that can take screenshots, such as the NVIDIA GeForce Experience app, which directly saves the screenshots into files.
- Save the screenshots to a folder where you can easily find them.
- Attach the screenshots to your post using the Attachments forum feature.
- Select the “Place inline” button next to your uploaded screenshots.
RulesApart from what was already said, there are further rules we want to address:
- By participating, you consent that your station design may be used in-game and for marketing purposes by Egosoft.
- Participants must adhere to the participation criterias for a valid entry.
- Participants must only present one submission per contest.
- All DLC prizes are provided exclusively as Steam codes. As such, they are redeemable only through the Steam platform and cannot be activated on any other service.
- Please refrain from using AI/LLM to enhance, modify or correct your design.
Tips and Tricks
- We strongly recommend using the Station Design Simulator gamemode, because it features all the possible blueprints unlocked, providing you with an advantage right away.
- Another advantage to the Station Design Simulator is that you can build your construction plans instantly by pressing the “Force Construction” button.
- If you're new to building stations in X4, we recommend playing the Station Building tutorial first.
- Have a vision - a complex that's spread out thin, a hunk of machinery packed densely, or an aesthetic shape/form? It will work as long your design is in harmony.
- Modules can be placed in a 3D place - try building vertically too!
- Modules can be rotated - if you want your design to look unique, try turning and rotating the modules!
DisclaimerThis community contest is organized by Egosoft GmbH for owners of X4: Foundations. Certain editions or rounds of the contest may require specific DLCs for technical reasons. Participation is voluntary and open to players aged 16 or older (or with parental consent). No purchase beyond the base game or relevant DLC ownership is necessary. Personal data will be used only for the purpose of contacting winners.
FAQ:
- There are two Station Design Contests on the forum, one in the X4: Foundations forum, and the other in the Construction Community forum. What gives?
-There are certain limitations the general X4: Foundations forum has over the Construction Community forum. For instance, in the Construction Community forum, you can easily add attachments to the posts, which in turn makes the submission posting process a lot easier. Thus, the contest on the forum runs on two separate threads. - Do I need to post in both threads?
-No, choose the thread where you’re the most comfortable in participating and stick with it. - Can I submit my older designs?
-Yes, feel free to. Just remember that the station plan must adhere to the rules (currently free-for-all in the first round), and that you can only post one entry.
(Additional questions may arise as the community brings them up.) - Can I use AI to improve my build?
No, please don't use AI, as it puts other players at a disadvantage who otherwise create their build manually. While AI-improved builds may look great, perfection is not the thing we are going for with these contests.
