Asteroid Bases

[ZombiePotatoSalad]

Seeing this clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6s9sXj ... u.be&t=266 made me think: In engine, would it be possible to make a large enough asteroid into a Player HQ? I don't expect this to be in game at launch, maybe a modder will pick it up, or it could be added later. I just want to know if it is possible, and get opinions on the concept.

In this case, I imagine it would be an asteroid with a station grafted onto it, but it would be awesome if we could go into the asteroid proper, and land our ship in there.


I mean, who doesn't want a base like this as their personal home? An old asteroid mining base, long since abandoned. Isolated and secluded, perfect for one's own... "shady business." I, for one, love the "used future" aesthetic. It makes something look like it had a previous history, perhaps not all good.

(probably not as big as the one pictured, but enough to land an S or M-size ship inside)

http://www.christophehalut.com/uploads/ ... -00006.png


{Images posted directly to the forums should not be greater than 640x480 or 100kb, oversize image now linked - Terre}

[Axeface]

I cant see why not. Unless A. It's not possible to mod the approach/launch path of docks, or make custom ones or B. We can't actually get models in-game (getting that functionality is probably going to take quite a while anyway).
As far as the dock pathing is concerned, that only matters if you want AI to land in it I would assume.
Has anyone seen an internal hanger in the X4 videos/shots we have? All the docks I remember seeing are external.

[Alci]

no.

1) "In engine" all S-M landing pads are on the surface
2) PHQ is an Earth derelict by lore
3) I've never seen a mod capable of full interior modelling (not even with using existing assets, let alone own assets), which leads me to think it's not as easy as NMS base building which puts parts easily together and have really simple editor creating nice bases/freighter interior with minimum effort.

[Axeface]

3) I've never seen a mod capable of full interior modelling (not even with using existing assets, let alone own assets), which leads me to think it's not as easy as NMS base building which puts parts easily together and have really simple editor creating nice bases/freighter interior with minimum effort.

You mean in the X games? Capital ship bridge for Rebirth does exactly this. Its technically possible in X3 too. Even the vanilla X3 trading stations are kind-of interior hangers.

[Alci]

I meant the stations interiors which were very repetitive in vanilla Rebirth and I expected them to be "easily" moddable so modders can do the work for ES, making them feeling unique. But it didn't happen.

[Axeface]

I meant the stations interiors which were very repetitive in vanilla Rebirth and I expected them to be "easily" moddable so modders can do the work for ES, making them feeling unique. But it didn't happen.

Well thats just lack of interest rather than some technical hurdle I'm sure, there are mods with completely new models for rebirth. Only other thing I see as a possible problem even in rebirth is custom collisions, I havent looked into it. Maybe someone else knows more and can shed some more speculative light on the possibilites for X4.

[Tomonor]

1) "In engine" all S-M landing pads are on the surface

Nah.

https://i.imgur.com/98bIw7i.jpg

https://www.egosoft.com/games/x4/screen ... en_034.png

[Axeface]

1) "In engine" all S-M landing pads are on the surface

Nah.

https://i.imgur.com/98bIw7i.jpg

https://www.egosoft.com/games/x4/screen ... en_034.png

Ah I forgot about those ones Those are very big rooms though, we'll have to see how the AI acts inside it to see if we can make something smaller - but that pretty much confirms that an asteroid base dock would be possible though. Hell, the game might already have it.

[Alci]

Ah I forgot about those ones Those are very big rooms though, we'll have to see how the AI acts inside it to see if we can make something smaller - but that pretty much confirms that an asteroid base dock would be possible though. Hell, the game might already have it.

yeah, me too, old X had in-asteroid bases, but they suddenly vanished, I think with X3.

[Sandalpocalypse]

A base dug into an asteroid isn't really compatible with the freeform builder they have. It would need its own 'ant farm' or colonization styled builder which seems like a lot of unnecessary duplication of game systems. Cool if they did it, but they are a small team.

XR has Badlands base which was a pretty decent asteroid base but it was pointless.

[Tomonor]

Asteroid bases/Ore-Silicon mines are now considered as 'Mining colonies' canonically.

X Rebirth had a few of them, but they were unique space stations that could not be rebuilt or copied.

It is also canon now that mining usually happens via mining ships and their drones, and the rocks are then processed in metalwork yards.

As for Mining colonies in X4, I'm pretty sure it won't be happening. However, it wouldn't be impossible to pull off with the engine.

[Zetoss]

I'd absolutely love being able to hide a base inside an asteroid, not really for any purpose other than "it looks way cool".

Putting a bit of a slant on it, instead of burrowing, maybe it would be possible to build certain modules (pirate?) that can be covered with rocks that are then fused together to create something that works both as armor and camouflage? This armor could aditionally deplete from being shot but be renewed with mining drones. This idea might end up being just as difficult to implement as a proper "burrow" type though, not gonna hold my breath but could be a fun thing for a DLC. Would also let NPCs build hidden bases, that everyone will still know about in no time but hey it looks cool.

Can barely wait to see the game, a lot of these speculations and ideas are hard to put in context without knowing what's already in the game and what's not...

[ZombiePotatoSalad]

I'd absolutely love being able to hide a base inside an asteroid, not really for any purpose other than "it looks way cool".

Putting a bit of a slant on it, instead of burrowing, maybe it would be possible to build certain modules (pirate?) that can be covered with rocks that are then fused together to create something that works both as armor and camouflage? This armor could aditionally deplete from being shot but be renewed with mining drones. This idea might end up being just as difficult to implement as a proper "burrow" type though, not gonna hold my breath but could be a fun thing for a DLC. Would also let NPCs build hidden bases, that everyone will still know about in no time but hey it looks cool.

Can barely wait to see the game, a lot of these speculations and ideas are hard to put in context without knowing what's already in the game and what's not...

I agree. This would also make for epic NPC pirate bases. This would also make sense from a lore standpoint:

In X3AP, they had mobile bases that stuck out. They often floated in open space. Easy to spot and easy to hit. They also had quite a sizable tract of space as their territory, with easy access to high-traffic areas. However, with the Gate Network shutting down, they were stuck in whatever systems they were in, with whatever assets were in-system. That includes any law enforcement. This makes the Mobile Pirate Base untenable, as it's still easy to spot. Yes, it can move, but it can no longer jump. This would lead to the pirates going "underground," both metaphorically and literally. Concealing their operations within asteroids would allow them to hide more effectively, especially within asteroid fields. Capital ships could not be brought through them, and small fighters would not have the power to punch through all that rock and armor.

[Central]

how about something like that:

https://www.egosoft.com/games/x_rebirth ... en_028.jpg

[ZaldronTheSage]

This is so strange, I was just thinking about this the other day wanting to be a space pirate my first play through...

[bl3ek]

1) "In engine" all S-M landing pads are on the surface

Nah.

https://i.imgur.com/98bIw7i.jpg

https://www.egosoft.com/games/x4/screen ... en_034.png

Nice, I'd not see the first image.

[Axeface]

A base dug into an asteroid isn't really compatible with the freeform builder they have. It would need its own 'ant farm' or colonization styled builder which seems like a lot of unnecessary duplication of game systems. Cool if they did it, but they are a small team.

XR has Badlands base which was a pretty decent asteroid base but it was pointless.

Could be possible to place the nodes in a way that allow you to build around the asteroid though. Or it could just be its own station like in Rebirth.

[Sao t'Lp]

how about something like that:

https://www.egosoft.com/games/x_rebirth ... en_028.jpg

[X4 OT] I was wondering, can I find that station in XR? [/X4 OT] <[OT] Yes you can, the clues are in the game and name at the top of the picture. AP[/OT]>

[ZombiePotatoSalad]

how about something like that:

https://www.egosoft.com/games/x_rebirth ... en_028.jpg

That would work as well.

[AC_Black]

This is so strange, I was just thinking about this the other day wanting to be a space pirate my first play through...

LOL Never crossed my mind until NOW Thanks !!!! hummmmm