X4 Needs a Nemesis System

[ZombiePotatoSalad]

This wouldn't really work well. XRM for X3 had something that fit more: a bounty system.

+1

More importantly, the bounty system should apply both for the player and AI ships. If a player is able to rack up a bounty on their head, acts of aggression or piracy would have more realistic, tangible effects beyond generalised reputation.

Similar rules as XRM should apply - police licence or equivalent gives you access to a faction's bounty listings (and rewards) with vague 'last seen' locations of said vessels in their space; ideally with a list of their crimes/victims and number of kills. Add to this something like the fabulous LIFE mod's NPC-ships-levelling-through-kills system and the universe suddenly becomes a lot more immersive as high tier bounty targets will be more viable and write their own little stories.

This needs to be a mod now. I wonder if you could also by something akin to the Software Signature Scrambler in order to hide/alter your ID code, to keep bounty hunters off you a while longer.

[pvarn]

As is often repeated many times this is a sandbox game not an adventure game with plots and stories. It was never advertised as an adventure story game so those who expect and want one did not buy the game which was advertised.
In a sandbox game, the player makes the adventure and story. The start up AI factions have some pre-determined relationships which the player can manipulate. The problem with scripted stories added as a layer to an already complex game is all the branches have to be tested with unexpected player actions. This can take a very long time. I'm pretty sure this game is not the adventure game some people want.
-Pv-

[Ormac]

Adding a Nemesis System to the X-Universe does not mean adding a directed story. and turinging the X-Universe in to a linear approved Adventure/Encounter.

The Nemesis System is Openended so it does lend itself to the open ended player directed storytelling that will occur in the X-Universe.

It may be a bit odd just adding in a randomised NPC Generator for non-important NPCs to the X-Universe that gets refreshed peiodically because the X-Universe is a dangerous place

But it could drive some players motivation and creativity during their playthrough to have psuedo-significat NPCs as notorious pirates or opposing corporation employees or owners that the player is aware of at the start of the game.
Argons Most wanted or the 500 Richest List as examples

-- Ormac

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

I suggest trying this on modding forum section. I highly doubt Egosoft would pick this up as they are balls deep with fixing the core game.

I agree - also I feel the OP's suggestion would be a bad fit for the vanilla experience.

The beauty of the vanilla X-games is that they do not constrain the player too much - they are true sandbox games. If you want to be enemies with everyone you can, if you want a peaceful game then on the most part it is possible, if you want something in between then you can have it. What the OP is suggesting would ruin the open ended nature of the vanilla experience.

Specific "challenge" game starts could be a way to give the OP what they seemingly want without ruining the game for others. X3 had such alternative starts, and X4 already has a handful of options so the precedent is there.

[ei8htx]

I think yall need to go back and play X3, with it's quests & campaigns, wars, hidden ships, corporate factions, and multiple pirate factions.

A lot of what's been mentioned here existed in the 3 X3 games. Right now, X4 is a tad bland. It needs some spice, and that's all that's being explored here.

Just because you don't like these features doesn't mean you to have engage them. No one forced you to get the unfocused jump drive and find the Aran, or join the campaign to decimate the Khaak.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

I think yall need to go back and play X3, with it's quests & campaigns, wars, hidden ships, corporate factions, and multiple pirate factions.

A lot of what's been mentioned here existed in the 3 X3 games. Right now, X4 is a tad bland. It needs some spice, and that's all that's being explored here.

Just because you don't like these features doesn't mean you to have engage them. No one forced you to get the unfocused jump drive and find the Aran, or join the campaign to decimate the Khaak.

The kind of ghist of what the OP is describing is nothing like what you are referring to regarding X3.

FTR in X2/X3 the main plot bits were on the most part unavoidable due to the consequences of NOT doing them (or leaving them too long). You could defer them to a degree but in the main they were unavoidable, they were however worth doing for the rewards and were more early/mid game content than end-game content (X3 really did not have any late/end-game vanilla content). The Aran hunt was a pure easter egg thing really (completely avoidable), but it was a ship reused in X3:TC/X3:AP from the XTM mod for X3:R. Similarly, the X-Shuttle and Hyperion Vanguard were unique mission rewards from quite late patches for X3:R IIRC.

X4 relative to X-Rebirth as it stands is roughly comparable to X2 v. X-BTF, the only unique ship at the moment is the Minotaur Raider which roughly maps to the Pirate Ship in X2. Depending on what Egosoft have planned for the promised two major expansions/DLC we may get one or two unique ships as either claimable/boardable Easter Eggs or mission rewards as part of one or both of them. Personally, I do not think it is required nor necessary. We may see the return of the Albion Skunk in some form for example - probably not done in exactly the same way though (maybe as a 6-gun Corvette for the Argons?). I would not bet on there being more than one or two additions like this (if any at all).

What the OP is asking for is more appropriate for modding material than the vanilla game IMO.

[RodentofDoom]

There used to be a mod for one of the earlier games in the series.

It created 3-5 factions that developed independently of the main factions.
You could go to war with them, trade with them, they even placed stations and built mini-empires.

iirc was part of the Artificial Life system.

[NightmareNight91]

I suspect the topic creator is suggesting the introduction of player like companies which the player has to compete against. These are not the existing factions or logic, but rather separate entities much like the player.

For more immersion they could be based on the other available starts, each with their own set of goals. So as to not ruin the sand box nature of the game, they could be given very basic instructions and limitations just to be more of a back drop rather than enemies out to kill you.

For example the Paranid start character could set up a PAR, or even HOP, orientated empire and focus on fighting in the wars for a side. The young gun would act as a mercenary and attack pirate bases, xenon, fight in the war, fight the paranoid guy, etc. The explorer would focus on xenon and operate/construct several remote bases and defence platforms as well as a small mining fleet and some raw material factories. The teladi focuses on trade and factories, mostly in teladi space with the odd ships sent to help fight back the Xenon in teladi space or shoot up pirates which raid their traders.

Of course these are just high level ideas, actual behaviour could be more complex and their interaction with the player could change based on what the player does. For example the Paranid would hate/attack the player if the player attacks the Paranid faction they support. The young gun might be hired to attack the player by pirates if the player attacks too many pirates. The explorer might devote significant resources to stopping Xenon incursions that get too deep. The Teladi might supply which ever side of the HOP/PAR war that is losing, and get angry with the player if the player sets up similar factories near to theirs or significantly pirates their stuff.

Unlike factions which use a reputation metric to determine likes and dislikes, these agents could use a more Civilization style like/dislike modifier system. This could allow them to swing from friend to foe with the player and back very fast, rather than always being friendly/foe like the system encourages with the major factions.

1000x this. It would make the universe feel so much less bland.

[Socratatus]

Since X4 doesn't really have a story to speak of. It would go a long way to adding life to the game if Egosoft implemented something similar to what "Shadow of Mordor" and "Shadow of War" had. The nemesis system these games had wouldn't fit exactly in X4. But some hierarchy of named characters, that the player could ally and make enemies with, would add some life to the game.

You`ve been playing Shadow of Mordor too much. Now you want it in everythin.

It would take a heluva lot of work adding the mechanic required to make it as good as in that game.

[Shepp]

You`ve been playing Shadow of Mordor too much. Now you want it in everythin.

It would take a heluva lot of work adding the mechanic required to make it as good as in that game.

I don't want it in everything. Just this game that is a huge sandbox but doesn't really have any meaningful characters or interaction between them. I get that Egosoft wanted to go the more dynamic route and opted to not really have a scripted story. That is fine but right now all any character exist to do is wander around stations, get hired, and fly ships. Even if they added something similar to what "Mount and Blade Warband" had. Taleworlds got an incredible amount of depth and mileage from the basic system of static lords riding around the map.