X4: Hyperion Pack & Flight Model Update - A New Era Begins!

[Gregory]

Pilots, the wait is over! Today marks another major milestone for X4: Foundations with the release of:

The Flight Model Update - A complete overhaul of ship flight dynamics, making every manoeuvre smoother, more responsive, and more immersive than ever before.

The X4: Hyperion Pack - A new DLC introducing the legendary Hyperion Expeditionary Ship, a new gamestart, a new sector, and more.

The free 7.50 update further improves and enhances X4: Foundations, making it more dynamic and immersive than ever before. And for those who want to support the continued development of X4, purchasing the X4: Hyperion Pack helps us push forward with our ambitious plans for the future - even as we're on our way to X4's 7th anniversary in November!

Let's dive into the details.

X4: Foundations Flight Model Update + X4: Hyperion Pack Launch Trailer Major Update Out Now!

Fly Like Never Before - The Flight Model Update

The Flight Model Update revolutionises the way you pilot ships in X4: Foundations, featuring extensive changes to ship handling, and balance. Every ship feels smoother, more responsive, and more immersive than ever before.

What's Changed?

• Overhauled Flight Physics - Ship control and flight pathing have been completely revamped, making movement more natural and precise.
• Boost Mechanic Revamp - Boosting now has its own dedicated energy pool, allowing for more strategic manoeuvring during combat and travel.
• Enhanced Gravidar Display - Improved readability and functionality provides better situational awareness for navigation and combat.
• New Behaviour Inspection Mode - A new tool to analyse and adjust ship behaviours, giving you the ability to diagnose and solve problems with the ships in your fleet.
• Velocity Indicator - A visual speed display aids with precise navigation and in dogfights.
• Wide Area Sensor Array Module - A new radar station module enhances detection capabilities, expanding your strategic awareness.
• Graphical Enhancements - Major improvements to the graphics engine, including DLSS and FSR 3 support, making space more visually stunning.
• Ship Rebalancing - Every ship in the game has been rebalanced, with refined engine, thruster, and component interactions.
• New Sectors - Additional connections to Terran and Boron space, opening up fresh trade routes and exploration opportunities.
• Economy Adjustments - Improvements to trade dynamics and resource flow, enhancing the in-game economy.

For the Deep Dive Enthusiasts…
For those who want a deep-dive into the numbers behind these flight model changes, John Pritchett has provided an in-depth breakdown of the mathematical principles and calculations that drive this update. John's document provides information about the model, shows what makes it unique relative to other flight models, and provides examples of how the model is being used in X4. If you want to explore the mathematics behind the new flight model, you can check out his detailed and highly technical document on the subject here (.pdf, 12MB).

As a reminder, in case you haven't seen our news back when the Public Beta for this update started, we partnered with John Pritchett, a former Senior Physics Programmer from the Star Citizen development team, to rework ship handling for this Flight Model Update.

hyperion_dlc_cover_01_small.jpg

X4: Hyperion Pack - Command a Legend
Alongside the Flight Model Update, we are proud to launch the X4: Hyperion Pack, a brand-new Mini DLC that introduces the legendary Hyperion Expeditionary Ship to X4: Foundations.

What's in the X4: Hyperion Pack?
The Hyperion Expeditionary Ship - A legendary ship, reborn in X4
New mission chain - Earn the Hyperion through an exciting, story-driven experience
New gamestart - Jump straight into the action aboard the Hyperion
New sector - Uncharted space awaits your exploration
New music - Fresh tracks to enrich your X4 soundtrack

Why the Hyperion?
Veteran X players will remember the Hyperion from X3: Reunion's Bala Gi Missions, where it quickly became one of the most beloved ships in the franchise. Now, it's back with a brand-new classification - the Expeditionary class.

Fast, agile, and powerful
Six main gun mounts & M-sized turrets
L-class shielding & engines for durability and speed
Increased Hull Missile capacity
Small docking bay for three S-class ships (repair & resupply capability)

The Hyperion is the perfect ship for those who love high-speed combat and deep-space adventuring, providing a great deal of flexibility. It's not just a ship; it's a statement.

Get the X4: Hyperion Pack now on Steam!

Purchasing this DLC helps support the ongoing development of X4: Foundations - with many more updates planned for the future!

What's Next for X4?
With the Flight Model Update and the X4: Hyperion Pack now in your hands, it's time to look ahead at what's next for X4: Foundations. Our development roadmap is packed with exciting features, and here's what you can expect in the near future:

Diplomacy Update (Late 2025)
Prepare to engage in the intricate web of interstellar politics with our upcoming Diplomacy Update. This free base game expansion will introduce, among other things:

• Diplomatic Headquarters - A new facility where faction representatives convene, offering strategic options.
• Agent Missions - Deploy agents on independent missions to achieve diplomatic goals in the X universe.

This update will allow you to negotiate alliances, manipulate enemies, and engage in deep strategic gameplay on a whole new level.

Exploration Update (2026)
Uncharted territories await! The Exploration Update expands the horizons of X4: Foundations, featuring, among other things:

• New Anomalies - Discover mysterious anomalies leading to hidden sectors filled with unique secrets and challenges.
• Enhanced Scanning Mechanics - Improved Long-Range Scanner capabilities make deep-space exploration more rewarding.
• Diverse Missions - A variety of new exploration-focused missions, rewarding curiosity and risk-taking.

This update caters to players who love the thrill of discovering the unknown, adding new layers of depth and adventure to the game.

Please check out our full Roadmap news from November 2024 for more details.

Thank You!
We hope you enjoy the new content coming your way today and as always, we appreciate your feedback as we shape the future of X4: Foundations together. Thank you for your support on this epic adventure that has taken us to a new X4 record of nearly 11,000 average daily active players in 2024 - wow!

Fly safe!

[Skeeter]

Lol i wondered why the flight model update topic wasnt pinned, it was just releasing the thing. I picked my timing to check forums after a long pause well lol.

And yep 14gig patch out now. Will have a try.

Hmm 6 quid for a ship mini dlc, bit much imo, if it sold alot i woulda thought ud make ur money back and then some with a price of 2.99 max. But ah well. Dont need it so. Hopefully one day it will be earnable ingame for free in the future and not pay locked all the time.

Still waiting for my full save the universe campaign tho.

[LameFox]

Can't actually buy the DLC/soundtrack right now as steam is giving me "an unexpected error occurred". Filed a ticket with them and I guess I'll try tomorrow, it's late here anyway.

[mr.WHO]

I Agree, it's a bit too pricy and unlike previously, we didn't get much of a free update models - e.g. only the new radar station module (and I guess no unique model for Terrans?).

I'd be less keen to complain, if would get some of those along free update:
- Condor E
- Stork E, Nomad E
- Gannascus CV model update (COME ON EGOSOFT, don't discriminate Tides of Avarice owners)
- Mammoth E (lets finally get rid of old Mammoth model attrocity from the face of galaxy)
- E variants (pilotable) of Xenon K and Xenon I
- (optionally, later, since there is too many of those) Argon Freighters E variants
- Large turret model update to Argon and Teladi (liek you did with Paranid Large turrets)

[Skeeter]

Was the afterburner/turbo boost audio changed, it sounds nice and weighty now. Unless its just cos i got some new headphones im using now. Still sounds nice.

[chew-ie]

Was the afterburner/turbo boost audio changed, it sounds nice and weighty now. Unless its just cos i got some new headphones im using now. Still sounds nice.

Yes.

[Raptor34]

I like how the cockpit directly connects to the docking bay so we have an uninterrupted journey towards it.
Though considering it's lore, it's a little disappointing that we don't have a lounge or something within the ship, preferably one with a view of the outside too. All things considered, it's actually a very cramped ship, but the lore mentions it was used for diplomacy so it's a little odd.
It's nice how it has that crafting bench right behind the pilot's seat. Though now it makes me wish we have a ship mod bench too. I can imagine that being able to mod yourself and your docked ships would be nice.
Also it feels like the hitbox of the elevator controls is a little iffy. Seems to need more precision than I would like.
But coming back to the interior design. I feel that too much time is wasted on the stuff you cannot interact with, like look at the landing bay for instance, you have that engine/reactor thingy at the back, it's big and nice but it's also a lot of empty space basically that you cannot interact with. Interact with in this case meaning walk around it. I wish that design time was instead spent on a lounge in the vein of the Astrid instead. Or a command center style thing with a view of space. As is I mentioned previously that it's pretty cramped. I wish you went back to the Sapporo/H design where you have this obvious space at the bottom for you to stand in when not actively flying the ship. Well, here you do have the "flight control" desk for you to sit at so perhaps it's just a different design philosophy since that position is where the Sapporo would have it's standing position.

Also apparently while it can repair your fighters(?) it doesn't auto dock. But oh well.

Missile capacity seems small though. Like okay, for the ship size it's fairly big, but I was expecting more. And honestly with it's turret placement, I don't know if it's actually a good idea to load missile turrets on it.
I wish we can still load missiles on it through the shipyard interface though, that way I can use that 240 capacity to reload my fighters. As is I wish we had some doubled up turrets or something. Like to give an example, currently we have 2 sets of turrets bottom, one set left and the other right. So for symmetry and also to ensure my bottom is covered, I wouldn't use missile turrets there. Now if it's instead a set front and a set back then I would use one of those as missile turrets. And for the top it's one set middle forward and another set back near the engines. It seems a little too far away from each other to make me comfortable putting missiles there. Basically if we had like 2 sets but next to each other, then I would give up one set for missiles.

[mr.WHO]

Is it correct there is no initial screen and main menu for Hyperion?

I still get the Timelines ones and I don't see Hyperion in menu selection (but I see DLC enabled on extensions menu).

[CBJ]

Is it correct there is no initial screen and main menu for Hyperion?

Yes.

[Raptor34]

Actually speaking of the initial screen. I noticed that when loading the new Hyperion start that the subtitles runs faster than the voiceover.
Also after it's all over, there is this short span of time where it just shows the background but there is no VO and no subs. I thought it bugged out for a moment but apparently it's just... waiting. I hesitate to say processing because I see no reason it should be. Seems like there are timing issues there.

In English if that matters.

[Buck]

So you have to start a new game to get it show up ?

[CBJ]

Not quite sure what "it" is referring to in your sentence, but you don't have to start a new game.

[chew-ie]

Still no GOG release *sigh*

[Lord Khadgar]

It has been unlocked on Steam for about an hour... But it's still not available on GOG. Please and thank you.

[Buck]

It would be nice if you would tell people where its at
I paid for it
The file is in the game
Where do I find it ?

[CBJ]

Where what is? You still haven't said! If you mean the Hyperion then there is a short introductory story.

[CBJ]

It has been unlocked on Steam for about an hour... But it's still not available on GOG. Please and thank you.

With Steam we can do everything ourselves, and so can guarantee the timing. With GOG they still have to do some things manually themselves, which can result in a short delay.

[Lord Khadgar]

It has been unlocked on Steam for about an hour... But it's still not available on GOG. Please and thank you.

With Steam we can do everything ourselves, and so can guarantee the timing. With GOG they still have to do some things manually themselves, which can result in a short delay.

I see. Thanks for letting me know.

[Scoob]

Hi,

The Hyperion Pack isn't available to purchase yet in GoG Galaxy, still showing as "Coming soon", is there a set time it's due to become available? Is it different between regions perhaps?

[Scoob]

With Steam we can do everything ourselves, and so can guarantee the timing. With GOG they still have to do some things manually themselves, which can result in a short delay.

Saw this after I posted... I'll wait and check again later.