[Proposal/Idea] Mega sectors and outer areas

[vvvvvvvv]

I've spent a lot of time on this game and I feel like it could use more of "outer" areas you could explore. For example, in Elite dangerous we have bubble, and we have the rest of the universe. The bubble has its powerplay thing going on, but if you're bored with it, you can wander off, outside of the bubble.

Entire universe in x4 is like that bubble area. Thoroughly explored, populated with next to no empty spots where you could get away from everybody. Most empty spots will be very quickly grabbed by factions an end up at under someone's control.

So, would be nice to have more of exploration and "vastness" of space sort of feeling. Areas where normal factions do not settle, but you, xenon and khaak can. So it is just you, the void, and the enemies.

Possible approach #1:

* A lot of outer sectors which could be procedural, do not have names and do not count towards explorer achievement. Some of them could also be "unstable". Meaning you dive in to see what's inside, explore, but when you emerge, the gate disconnects, and this area is lost forever. You can't build in unstable sectors and those could hold dormant xenon/khaak or some wrecks.

Possible approach #2:

* Couple of mega-sectors. The biggest sector in the game is Nopileos Fortune 2 which has diameter of about 1400 km. How about a much bigger sector. Let's say. half a million kilometers across, with multiple resource fields (which can be randomized), and perhaps fully 3-dimensional. That would also be a good place to use those paranid travel engines. Again, factions won't touch those for whatever reason.

The goal here is to provide exploration/discovery content AWAY from the bustling normal universe. It would also serve as playground. If there's concern that the player will just flood everything with bases, this could be limited with some sort of "long range communication" beacon which, for example, requires computronium, and so you can only build one (or move the one you have) and settle in a single outer sector.

[Sway Grunt]

Entire universe in x4 is like that bubble area. Thoroughly explored, populated with next to no empty spots where you could get away from everybody. Most empty spots will be very quickly grabbed by factions an end up at under someone's control.

One thing I really liked doing in my recent playthrough was hang out on my defense station in Rhy's Defiance or Matrix #598 after I cleared them out and took control. I was friendly with all the main factions so no one built anything in them, and with only a single, small defense station there was just no traffic at all. Whenever I wanted a break from the bustle of the main sectors I'd just pop over there, it's such a stark difference in vibes to the rest of the universe how quiet and empty it is.

Possible approach #1:

* A lot of outer sectors which could be procedural, do not have names and do not count towards explorer achievement. Some of them could also be "unstable". Meaning you dive in to see what's inside, explore, but when you emerge, the gate disconnects, and this area is lost forever. You can't build in unstable sectors and those could hold dormant xenon/khaak or some wrecks.

I like this idea a lot. If something like this was added to the game I think it'd instantly become my main activity. I don't really like using SETA that much so I have to find stuff to do while waiting on production / construction, and I've had my fill of the mission board by now. Exploring and uncovering the universe map is some of the best times I've had in the X series - it's part of why the first playthrough is special - so more of that feeling would be very welcome.

[Raptor34]

Sounds pointless tbh. I'll rather they have more stuff like Pirate Alley and Xenon Alley.

[Starlight_Corporation]

Regarding mega-sectors, in X3 you had the Aldrin sector for that. Would be neat to see that sector re-imagined for X4, with a giant asteroid/ mini-planet model in the center. Think Aldrin is supposed to be something like a dwarf planet, similar to Ceres, which would fit in a huge X sector (Ceres is about 900 km in diameter). Coupled with the X4 highway system it would make for a great place that stands out & would be great for visuals as well.

[vvvvvvvv]

Sounds

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Use case is outlined in the post. The point is providing a scale instead of galaxy being a grid, plus variant with procedural outer sectors means higher replayability and more difference between runs and actual practical use for exploration.

[Alan Phipps]

The procedural sectors would echo the unfocused jumpdrive sectors from X3:TC/AP where you could perhaps find the Aran as well as loot, enemies, and asteroids, etc. They were decidedly 'unstable' as you describe it.

[vvvvvvvv]

The procedural sectors would echo the unfocused jumpdrive sectors from X3:TC/AP where you could perhaps find the Aran as well as loot, enemies, and asteroids, etc. They were decidedly 'unstable' as you describe it.

I have missed this feature completely, apparently.

The encyclopedia states that the total number of gates is over 10 billion. So wouldn't be strange to find a method to connect to some of those temporarily.

[Raptor34]

Sounds

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Use case is outlined in the post. The point is providing a scale instead of galaxy being a grid, plus variant with procedural outer sectors means higher replayability and more difference between runs and actual practical use for exploration.

I don't really see what kind of "exploration" we'll be getting. Sounds like NMS with millions of planets tbh.
And considering the type of game, I don't see what kind of replayability this gives either.

[vvvvvvvv]

I don't really see

The explanation is already provided in the first post.

The point is to have something different between runs, and more space to work with.

[Targ Collective]

These are all good ideas, but come with development costs and computer resource costs if they are to be implemented.

One of the options, as you have identified, is a procedural approach where you have your core area which is always simulated and then peripheral areas that are only simulated while you are in them and are transient. Unstable gates are a poor lore choice; there's nothing to keep the gate from destabilising before you return except because it would strand you. Possibly an Unfocussed Jumpdrive - maybe even one built into the HQ, which will try and return to your pocket of the Universe when you've done whatever you are out there for. You'd be able to take a station and some fleet presence with you that way.

Mega sectors carry a different problem - they would increase the journey times significantly. There are people all over the world who only play X4 for one or two hours weekdays and only if they run out of homework to do first. They might get three or four hours on the weekend, but their time is limited.

Working adults might have even less time, depending on working hours and whether they can get in the 'zone' after the day's work - they might be too tired or frazzled to game at all.

X4 has been designed to benefit from extended gameplay times, and SETA can get more value for the time, but the game is perfectly playable for those who don't have a lot of time to spend in game.

Mega sectors would complicate that. They'd need to be navigable, and every mega sector gameplay loop would need to be achievable in half an hour, and quarter of an hour would be an even better ballpark. If you've watched the trailer for Diplomacy - you absolutely should, it's a well designed video - then you'll have seen the 'Yes, you do have time' section. Mega sectors would both need to have reasonable resource requirements and reasonable gameplay times. All of that is solvable! It's just tricky to solve, it would require a lot of thought.

There is, sadly, another reason. You can get stranded at the edge of the sectors if you go too far, because the return trip will take as long as to get out there. If you have decent Teleport tech and some assets to anchor you, you can teleport back. Or you'll have to wait to return. Currently 'deep space' is the Kha'ak Installations which you can get to, if you know where they are, in ten minutes or less. I think some procedural content for deep at the edge of the sectors would be awesome, but needs to be gated somehow behind Teleport tech. Boso Ta could reel you in if you go too far, perhaps.

[vvvvvvvv]

Mega sectors carry a different problem - they would increase the journey times significantly.

The request is not "make sectors bigger", but "add mega sectors". New ones. You do not have to go there.

Regarding time concerns, the game absolutely is not designed for limited playtime, and the biggest time sink is station construction. Trade is also a very slow.

For AI controlled L ships, large sectors are better, because those ships come at full stop at the gates.

[Targ Collective]

If these Mega Sectors are persistent universe instead of procedural then the game will have to emulate everything and have the resources to do so whether you are there or not. Low awareness still costs processing power. I agree that the game is not designed around short term play, but it is designed to accommodate time-scarce gameplay as an option and these sectors shouldn't crowd that out. In fact Boso Ta in a tutorial outright tells you that you can use SETA to speed station construction.

All these problems are solvable! But making this work is more complicated than just posing the goal, which is why I'm working through some of the problems that might need to be solved to make this work.

[Raptor34]

I've come to the idea that option 1, of sorts is a good idea.

I'm imagining adding a gate of sorts you can build at the HQ, and it'll basically work like how UFJD used to work, but rather than bringing only one ship and whatever is docked on it, you can bring whatever you want instead.
And of course rather than being completely random, you should be able to set parameters, the more parameters the more it costs to activate the gate and the longer it takes.

What I'm actually thinking of is that you can connect to hostile Xenon/Khaak sectors and basically get fights on demand, a sort of arena actually. And since these are temporary areas you can cut off at will, you don't have to bother balancing them too much. Like why not see what a pack of Khaak Ravagers can do?

Or for the economic side, you can set for finding areas with high concentrations of resources you want.

Though I'll make it that teleporting your HQ will shut down the gate. Or more precisely, you need to shutdown the gate before you can teleport. And also make it so that there is a countdown timer for shutting down the gate too, so if you connect somewhere you better be ready. Maybe make the AI in these temp sectors more aggressive. Like imagine leaving your HQ somewhere like Argon Prime, opening a gate and a whole bunch of Ravagers come flying out. And now you need to defend yourself for awhile while you desperately try to close the gate.

[vvvvvvvv]

What I'm actually thinking of is that you can connect to hostile Xenon/Khaak sectors and basically get fights on demand, a sort of arena actually. And since these are temporary areas you can cut off at will, you don't have to bother balancing them too much. Like why not see what a pack of Khaak Ravagers can do?

Yup, pretty much one of the ways to go about it.