How is Timelines content supposed to be introduced into the main game? (Custom Start)

[Scoob]

Hey all,

Obviously Timelines is a separate experience but it unlocks stuff in an existing or new game. I did most of the Timelines stuff, but not all. So, when starting a new game, I simply used the Custom Start option to unlock everything as if I had completed Timelines. I was pretty close to unlocking everything, but just wanted to play the main game universe and not spend another day or two unlocking the actual fun stuff. So, various new sectors were available to me right away, and a few new derelict ships that I discovered over time. All good. However, later on, things started getting a bit weird...

It all started when I created my first Wharf (S/M Ship Fabrication Bay) and I was surprised that it wanted a LOT more wares, despite being set to Closed-Loop (Hull Parts, Claytronics and Energy Cells Only). This was because it already had a load of extra blueprints unlocked. I had the Racing ships, a Cutlass, the new Corvette all able to be built, alongside the various Frontier ship modules, and some weapons. This confused me as, checking at my HQ, I'd done NONE of the research for any of these new ships. So, I was granted the BPs for all these new ships and modules right from the start, despite the HQ's Research interface showing I'm yet to research them.

Later on I expanded the station into a basic Shipyard (L Ship Fabrication Bay) and there was the new Timelines Destroyer ready to be built, but missing some modules, so I couldn't actually construct one. Again, I've done no research, but this ship doesn't appear in the HQ's list anyway, so maybe it's separate.

If I "learnt" how to build these new ships because I'd found them (the derelicts) that'd be one thing, but I certainly hadn't found all of them at the time of building that first Wharf, but there they were. I've still not found the new Timelines Destroyer.

So, how is this supposed to work? I'd assume that Finding a derelict version should trigger a research option to be able to build it, but that's not how it actually worked. I'd have assumed that after researching a Ship, I'd then need to research the Frontier modules to build them, and unlock any weapons they need (purchase BP or research) but none of that was needed. It was simply build a Wharf, have all BP's available right away. There's little gameplay and no progression here, just a "here's everything" which is a bit jarring.

Now, I also have a game I started in v7.0 Beta that's 100% vanilla, so this was a game-in-progress when Timelines was added. I've legitimately done most of the Timelines stuff and have gotten messages about new sectors and derelict ships in that game. However, I've not found any of them yet. In this save, there's NO ship research at the HQ, no Frontier modules, no demand for resources outside of the Closed-Loop recipe etc.

My assumption is that the fresh custom start Unlock option for Timelines content goes a bit too far! I read on these forums that it simply unlocks the new content as if you'd completed the various things in Timelines. However, that's NOT what it seems to do! It unlocks new sectors, sure, and adds in the new derelict ships, which is great. However, it also seems to break all related research, ship and module unlocks. The HQ presents things like they still need to be researched, yet the game has ALL ship and modules BP's already unlocked. This is less than ideal obviously.

I'd suggest that what the "Timelines Situation" option unlocks in the Custom Game Editor be less. Currently the "Default" option unlocks only what the player has legitimately unlocked via Timelines gameplay. While the "Quettanaut" option that I selected unlocks all sectors (good) all new Derelicts (Good) but also all new BPs WITHOUT the need for research (Bad). I don't know what the "Grandmother" option does, but she's teleported away in my game now, leaving a nice prize behind, so I can guess.

We need an option that unlocks all of the new Timelines content in a new save, but DOESN'T remove the subsequent research gameplay options. Sure, I can still research the Cutlass, the Racing ships, the new Corvette etc. but I already have the tech available. The ship hull research should only, ideally, be made available upon the discovery of the Derelict.

Unfortunately, introducing the Timelines content in one huge lump like this, really detracts from the gameplay of the main game universe. I wish I could save-edit or something to REMOVE the items I've NOT yet researched.

I applaud Egosoft for giving us an option to access the Timelines content in our main games without going through Timelines - this saved the DLC for me. However, to then throw EVERYTHING at the player from the start, totally eliminating ANY game progression is really bad. Hopefully this can be fixed.

[Scoob]

Update: it looks like a mod might be upsetting things in my Modified Game. I need to double-check things in a 100% vanilla Custom Start game to confirm, and see which things are Mod-related and which things are not.

[vvvvvvvv]

Hey all,

Obviously Timelines is a separate experience but it unlocks stuff in an existing or new game. I did most of the Timelines stuff, but not all. So, when starting a new game, I simply used the Custom Start option to unlock everything as if I had completed Timelines. I was pretty close to unlocking everything, but just wanted to play the main game universe and not spend another day or two unlocking the actual fun stuff. So, various new sectors were available to me right away, and a few new derelict ships that I discovered over time. All good. However, later on, things started getting a bit weird...

Timelines are supposed to be introduced to main game at "Quettanauts"(one before last) state and not "Grandmother"(the last one) which you probably picked. You would get mission upon unlocking Mitsuno sector. Not a whole lot of them.

All the ships you were supposed to find and claim first, except Xperimental Shuttle and one more racing ship. You'd get those two ships through QUE missions.

[Scoob]

Timelines are supposed to be introduced to main game at "Quettanauts"(one before last) state and not "Grandmother"(the last one) which you probably picked. You would get mission upon unlocking Mitsuno sector. Not a whole lot of them.

All the ships you were supposed to find and claim first, except Xperimental Shuttle and one more racing ship. You'd get those two ships through QUE missions.

I picked "Quettanauts", but it turns out a Mod (VRO) unlocks ALL Timelines Blueprints automatically, apparently the more vocal of the player base demanded it. I'm assuming this is what caused much of the weirdness as, testing in my totally vanilla save, I don't see the same thing. That wasn't a custom start with Timelines stuff enabled though.

I'm just going to do the research anyway, but in the future - if VRO still forces this - I'll try to manually delete those parts of the mod first.