X4: Please teach me how to do it better. Thanks

[Korok]

Hello

I am not a complete noob and I watched a lot of YouTube videos and researched more than for other games with Dr Prof Google to understand X4.

But X4 is so big and has so many functions that I still learn new things even after 100+ hours.

But there is still stuff I just don't get ... so before getting more frustrated, I will ask here.
I am sure there are solutions and ways to do it, that are better then how I currently handle it.

First, I want to mention that I would like to try to not use Mods for X4.
For a game like this with so many hours in one save game, I really don't want to mess up my save. Like a mod not working anymore after a new patch.
I stopped playing for 10 Months and continued now. It would have been frustrating to not have been able to continue after so much player progress and to restart from scratch.
Also, I would like to get some achievements in Steam.

So I hope there are ways in the vanilla version that I just did not find till now.

#1 (Answered)
I can't remember all the system names (I have all DLCs so the current full star System).
Now for example, there is the mention of the System "Leap of Faith". Because of a message, system notification, quest text or a YouTube video mentioned it... how do I find its location?
If I zoom out too much on the star map view, then the names disappear. If I am close enough so that they are displayed, I am then also too close to search the entire galaxy for the name, as I only see a few of the systems in this close up view.
I tried printing the map out, but it's really small on A4 paper, and late at night in a dimly lit room, you can't read anything.
I put a jpg version of the map on my tablet, I zoom in and out, swipe left and right -> then I get frustrated if I don't find it quickly. In the end, I will find it, but it is a pain.

There has to be a better, more easy way that I just missed because I was being a fool.
My first guess was using the search function in the Map View, but the system names do not trigger.
I don't want to waste more time with searching with the JPG version of the star map as there has to be an easy way build into the game.
How do you guys find a system you're searching for on the map, or did you all memorize them.

#2
If I have a station, I know I can restrict the subordinates of that station where they can fly (create a system list) with a rule.
Is there a way to make a restriction for my miners to only collect in this one sector, but at the same time allowing my traders to expand to more systems.
I also attached a scrap factory to my complex.... They also fly 3-4 systems away. I would like to restrict them to the stations sector and one next door, but that would kill my trade ships.
Most YT Videos I see are 3+ Years old, and they use some workarounds as they complain about the stupid managers at the station.
I hope that there are some improvements after so much time, that I just still did not find.
(That's my wishful thinking speaking)

#3
Is there a way to just group ships together.
I know I can create fleets, but the options I can give new ships joining are only stuff like "Follow, copy, defend..."
I sent some cheap ships to station HQs from other factions and used them as teleport receivers and named them like TER HQ Rep.
I chose one commander and added all others to him with "Follow". I wanted to clean up my list of ships not in a Fleet.
Many hours later, by mistake, I sent the commander somewhere else ( I wanted so select another ship that was docked at the same station).
And then all the other ships followed! The Game did what it should do in this case...
Sending them back (and finding the correct station with faction representatives) would have taken more time than a reload of my last save.
So I lost some progress. I now removed the captain from the Fleet Commander ship, so that never happens again. But now I have that red ! that is an eyesore in the ship list and the map.
I would like to just group them with no commands. Same for some other ships. Like Auto Traders. Put them in a fleet, but without a fleet commander and no instructions.
Is that somehow possible, or how do you do it?


#4
Blueprints and station Modules.
What's the easiest way to see if I already own a station module blueprint?
There are so many clicks needed to check in the In Game Wiki Page in the category blueprints.
So that I can make sure not to try to steal a blueprint from a module I already own, I have to check that again and again, and each time it's so uselessly troublesome.
I know I can also see what I own from the list of blueprints from a faction representative. But that does not help if I am in front of a station where I want to steal from.

Also, this is not about the blueprint but normal station scanning. Is there an option to increase the color to see what module you still need to scan?
I know that they are tinted a little white if not scanned and with a light color after I scanned them. But in many cases, I can't see the difference. So I would like to increase the coloring strength.

I am sure there a mods out there that can handle both, but they would surely flag my save as modified.


#5
Can you cancel an upgrade? If I dock at a repair station or shipyard and make some changes, sometimes they can't do it because they don't have all the parts.
I then have to send some freight ships to buy the stuff they are missing and bring it in.
For one, I can't see exactly what's missing for my own order, so I have to bring all the missing parts the shipyard currently needs ...
And second, it would be faster to just fly somewhere else. But all I see is a message "This ship has open modifications to complete" (My game is not in English, so I am not sure how exactly the English message is, sorry).
But I don't see a cancel button to discard it after I had completed the purchase....


Lastly. This is more of a question, if you guys have ever heard anything, about whether there are plans to speed up the construction of stations. Like appointing more than one constructor to one station. I know this is not possible now. But was there any info from EgoSoft that they plan to speed that up? If you want to build a megafactory that is all in one, that will take forever.
I see no fun in creating the build plan and then starting Sinza and going to bed, as it will take hours even with Sinza.

[linolafett]

#1: Just use the map search. Not sure when you last used it, but in 7.00 and later you can start typing sector names, it will then start listing possible hits - you select one of them.
It will then lowlight all sectors and keep only the searched for highlighted.

[G315t]

#1: Just use the map search. Not sure when you last used it, but in 7.00 and later you can start typing sector names, it will then start listing possible hits - you select one of them.
It will then lowlight all sectors and keep only the searched for highlighted.

I still need to test what exactly is happening next weekend before I can make a proper report, but since you mentioned the filter.
So far I had several instances in 7.1 of using the filter, that forced me to close and then re-open the map, to be able to change my selection from one ship to another after using (and then removing) a manual filter.
For example I filtered to only show "ANT" stations and ships. Or only show me "refineries" because I wanted to place satellites on them, and after I was done and wanted to switch to a different ship, it refused to change the ship when clicking in the ship overview. After closing and reopening the map switching ships was working again.

[Korok]

#1: Just use the map search. Not sure when you last used it, but in 7.00 and later you can start typing sector names, it will then start listing possible hits - you select one of them.
It will then lowlight all sectors and keep only the searched for highlighted.

OK that works.
If I type it and then select the suggestion it will highlight the sector.
If I only write part of the name and dont click the selection, then nothing happens.
I cant remember if it always gave a selection to choose, or if this is new. But my question #1 is solved now. Thanks.

[db48x]

You could easily find all of these by searching the forum; they are all common questions and the answers don’t change much over the years.

#2 Is there a way to make a restriction for my miners to only collect in this one sector, but at the same time allowing my traders to expand to more systems.

Yes, you can apply a Sector Travel, Sector Activity, or Trade Restriction blacklist to any ship. Go to the ship information and look for the Individual Instructions tab.

#3 Is there a way to just group ships together.

No.

#4 What's the easiest way to see if I already own a station module blueprint?

Check the encyclopedia, check the station editor, or flip the problem on its head. Just don’t go around stealing blueprints for station modules until it is time to build a station that needs that specific module. For example, if you need more Quantum Tubes then build a Quantum Tube factory. You find out as you plan the station that you don't have the module. So you build a framework, start construction, then go steal the blueprint, and then finally edit the station to include the actual production modules. If you find that you cannot plan the construction with confidence because you are unsure of the shape of the production module (some of them are pretty weird), then you can obviously steal it before beginning construction. As an alternative, you can save and return the to the main menu, then start a new game in the Station Design Simulator. There you can create a station using any modules, export the plan, then go back to your regular game and import it.

#5 Can you cancel an upgrade?

It’s been a while since I did this, but I think you can just right click on the ship and choose to cancel it. Or maybe just cancel their orders.

But was there any info from EgoSoft that they plan to speed that up? If you want to build a megafactory that is all in one, that will take forever.

No. Just don't build megafactories; they’re always a bad idea. As you already know, they take forever to build; the game will be over by then. But even if you did build one, you would just be back here asking how to increase the frame rate. You can search for past answers to that question to find out how well it usually goes. Never build megafactories.

[thomasbkdk]

I'm unsure how you prioritize between avoiding mods to risk corrupting save games vs the 'modified' tag.
I just want to mention that many mods related to the ui or game handling does not alter the save game and so don't influence the ability to load the savegame. They will however give the modified tag.

This is an example of a mod that really helps, but i'm not afraid it will ruin my save game.
Also, i don't care about the modified tag.

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations ... escription

[adeine]

#3
Is there a way to just group ships together.
I know I can create fleets, but the options I can give new ships joining are only stuff like "Follow, copy, defend..."
I sent some cheap ships to station HQs from other factions and used them as teleport receivers and named them like TER HQ Rep.
I chose one commander and added all others to him with "Follow". I wanted to clean up my list of ships not in a Fleet.
Many hours later, by mistake, I sent the commander somewhere else ( I wanted so select another ship that was docked at the same station).
And then all the other ships followed! The Game did what it should do in this case...
Sending them back (and finding the correct station with faction representatives) would have taken more time than a reload of my last save.
So I lost some progress. I now removed the captain from the Fleet Commander ship, so that never happens again. But now I have that red ! that is an eyesore in the ship list and the map.
I would like to just group them with no commands. Same for some other ships. Like Auto Traders. Put them in a fleet, but without a fleet commander and no instructions.
Is that somehow possible, or how do you do it?

There is not, but a kind of hacky way to help a little is give ships you'd like to group a common prefix in their name. They'll end up grouped together in the property list, making them easier to find (in the list and also via map filter) and select together.

[Erqco]

Lastly. This is more of a question, if you guys have ever heard anything, about whether there are plans to speed up the construction of stations. Like appointing more than one constructor to one station. I know this is not possible now. But was there any info from EgoSoft that they plan to speed that up? If you want to build a megafactory that is all in one, that will take forever.
I see no fun in creating the build plan and then starting Sinza and going to bed, as it will take hours even with Sinza.

It is an artificial limit to build, it makes the game slow. If you were able to build faster the factories will eat your CPU. Build multiple small factories is the solution..... I do love huge factories.