"Unfocussed Jump Drive Sector" DLC

[mr.WHO]

Hey Egosoft - since we are running out of ideas for DLCs and mini-DLCs are not exactly that exiting, I'm yet again pitching the idea of X4 analog of X3 Unfocussed Jump Drive secotor.


Lore:

You encounter a group of scientist working on unstable Gate.

The gate randomly connect and disconnect to Randomly generated sectors (sectors outside of existing X4 network).


At first Scientist can give you only inform you when the gate activates and a rought estimate on how long it will stay connected.
You can use that time to explore RNG sector and do plot missions, but if gate shut when you're there you die and all your asset there are destroyed.

By doing the plot missions you'll be able to:
1 - increase the timer accuracy (up to real time update)
2 - incease the connection time
3 - increase the connection pool (a chain of sectors, instead of one sector, longer chain, the chain would be limited to max 5 sectors).
4 - initiate "hard reset" (disconnect/destroy generated sector chain at will)
5 - stabilise the gate (stop the timer to keep the sector chain you want - but you can still initiate "reset" and re-roll, if you get bored of that chain).


This would be great expansion of X3 UJD sector feature and add limited randomly generated space.
The type and content of RNG sectors could be expanded with updated and DLCs (e.g. if you have Split DLC you could roll sectors with Split assets and factions).

[Alan Phipps]

A little bit like this suggestion and discussion.

[flywlyx]

I find it hard to believe they’ve run out of DLC ideas—just open the Workshop and you’ll find plenty of suggestions for DLCs, mini-DLCs, and improvements. Virtually every system in X4 still feels like it’s in an early, unrefined stage—I can't think of a single one that could be considered truly polished.

While I don’t personally dislike these random encounters, if the Timeline had been released in this form, it probably wouldn’t have been the mess it is now—but that ship sailed long ago. I think X4 would benefit more from adding meaningful content to the existing sectors rather than expanding the map with new ones. At this point, Egosoft really needs to refocus on the main game and explore its existing systems more deeply.

[LameFox]

It would be nice to see something of the sort in an exploration focused expansion someday. I mean, I also want them to expand exploration in existing areas, but jumping into temporary-space might be a good solution for things they can't easily drop into places that have a permanent presence on the map.

[vvvvvvvv]

A little bit like this suggestion and discussion.

Yup. That's my thread. Glad to see I'm not the only one looking for this sort of stuff.

[Pesanur]

I'm prefer is they center into finishing things in what we already have.

For example, the Teladi are still missing the E variants for the Condor and the Stork (mainly because of the missing bridge section on the old models), also the Paranind still don't have new design for S, M and XL shields, neither for the M turrets.

Also the game need for more guild missions. If you unified the Paranid, your lost their war missions, so how about having guild missions for the Trinity. Or war missions if you put them in war with another faction.

Factions like the Hatikvah, the Alliance of the Word and the Ministry of Finance can also make a good use of guild missions to make easier to rise reputation with them.

Another thing is that the game have the blueprints for the B, F, H and Raven, but without mods, we only can have them in the creative start.

Edit: I'm forgot about it, Argons/Antigones and Vigors/Riptides are still missing new models for their builders.

[oddgit]

I agree with more guild and faction missions. I always hoped the Yaki would become a power similar to SCA or HAT or Tempest.
Why isnt there Aargon vs Split war missions, or Boron vs Split.
X3AP seemed to have a more alive feeling universe, it had the stock and commodities markets, large corporations like OTAS with their own really nice ships, NVMC and a few other with unique headquarters models. I really dug pirate alley too.
it would be pretty cool if the AI could create another "player" a small faction with the same constraints as the player(not unlimited money) starts small with one ship and minimal funds and that one grows and becomes a power.

[Raptor34]

I don't see the point of having more chaff flying around. As VIG has shown, we need less, not more of these.
What we need is less pointless dumb shit flying around and more complex AI for the stuff that exists.

[LameFox]

Isn't that the point of this sort of thing? If it's generated as you access it then they can expand exploration without all of the content therein needing to be flying around all the time.

[Raptor34]

Isn't that the point of this sort of thing? If it's generated as you access it then they can expand exploration without all of the content therein needing to be flying around all the time.

I probably should have quoted. But I'm talking about all the currently small factions elevated thing the 2 posts before me were talking about.

[Crimsonraziel]

I find it hard to believe they’ve run out of DLC ideas—just open the Workshop and you’ll find plenty of suggestions for DLCs, mini-DLCs, and improvements. Virtually every system in X4 still feels like it’s in an early, unrefined stage—I can't think of a single one that could be considered truly polished.

How is this supposed to be addressed by a DLC (mini or not)? Yeah sure, have them polish everything, but that's patch 8.5/9/10 or whatever, not a DLC. "fixed content" instead of "new content" sounds like a terrible marketing idea.

[Crimsonraziel]

I'm prefer is they center into finishing things in what we already have.

For example, the Teladi are still missing the E variants for the Condor and the Stork (mainly because of the missing bridge section on the old models), also the Paranind still don't have new design for S, M and XL shields, neither for the M turrets.
[...]
Edit: I'm forgot about it, Argons/Antigones and Vigors/Riptides are still missing new models for their builders.

I could do without E variants. To get rid of the Vaguard/Sentinel distinction I'd welcome the E, but I don't see any need for an actual redesign. ARG/ANT/HAT-Argons and VIG/RIP-Argons using the same builder is a non-issue to me, too.

Also the game need for more guild missions. If you unified the Paranid, your lost their war missions, so how about having guild missions for the Trinity. Or war missions if you put them in war with another faction.

Factions like the Hatikvah, the Alliance of the Word and the Ministry of Finance can also make a good use of guild missions to make easier to rise reputation with them.

I see the point, but I'd would argue this isn't material for a DLC but rather patch stuff. Could be even adressed with the diplomacy update, maybe, probably ...

Another thing is that the game have the blueprints for the B, F, H and Raven, but without mods, we only can have them in the creative start.

Haven't started a new game since then ... no blueprints for PE/SE?

[flywlyx]

How is this supposed to be addressed by a DLC (mini or not)? Yeah sure, have them polish everything, but that's patch 8.5/9/10 or whatever, not a DLC. "fixed content" instead of "new content" sounds like a terrible marketing idea.

TOA is a great example: the core improvements are part of the main game, but the DLC is what really unlocks the full potential of the new mechanics. Similarly, if they update the guild system and minor faction/cooperation mechanics—while keeping the existing guilds in the base game—the DLC could expand on this by introducing additional mini-factions or corporations along with their ships. That approach makes perfect sense, and I doubt many players would object.

Haven't started a new game since then ... no blueprints for PE/SE?

It exists, but you can't access it in the vanilla game—at least not for now.

[Raptor34]

Another thing is that the game have the blueprints for the B, F, H and Raven, but without mods, we only can have them in the creative start.

Haven't started a new game since then ... no blueprints for PE/SE?

There are. But they aren't exactly in a state where it feels actually intended for player use.
For example, the ships uses ore/silicon like the Xenon do and do not have normal recipes. That is fine. Except the equipment uses normal ship materials without an ore/silicon recipe so you can't go roleplaying as Xenon.

Personally I wouldn't take what's in custom starts seriously, so to speak. After all, putting aside just giving yourself multiple Erlkings, you can already unintentionally get two of them if you mark the quest as complete and also mark the Erlking power core research as complete since that allows you to build one.
And the less said about how you can set relations to whatever you want the better.

Frankly the odd thing out about custom starts is the opposite where you still cannot start with Astrids or Hydra Regals. They are still quest locked for some reason.

[Pesanur]

Frankly the odd thing out about custom starts is the opposite where you still cannot start with Astrids or Hydra Regals. They are still quest locked for some reason.

Neither the Kuraokami and the Moyera in the Budgeted start. , but this is a different discussion of the one of the thread.

[vvvvvvvv]

Frankly the odd thing out about custom starts is the opposite where you still cannot start with Astrids or Hydra Regals. They are still quest locked for some reason.

You will start with Hydra Regal if you set Boron questline to "complete". No astrid, though.

[Raptor34]

Frankly the odd thing out about custom starts is the opposite where you still cannot start with Astrids or Hydra Regals. They are still quest locked for some reason.

You will start with Hydra Regal if you set Boron questline to "complete". No astrid, though.

Right, they did change that.
But I was thinking of like BPs and being able to at least start with multiple. The latter at least, since I'm not sure if they even have material costs.

[vvvvvvvv]

Frankly the odd thing out about custom starts is the opposite where you still cannot start with Astrids or Hydra Regals. They are still quest locked for some reason.

You will start with Hydra Regal if you set Boron questline to "complete". No astrid, though.

Right, they did change that.
But I was thinking of like BPs and being able to at least start with multiple. The latter at least, since I'm not sure if they even have material costs.

I believe both regal and astrid have some flag which prevents them from ever being acquired by the player as blueprints. As in they don't have blueprints. I'm not *sure* about Regal, but that's definitely the case with astrid. Xenon ships can be built with "ship reverse engineering" mod, but the mod will just eat astrid. They do have costs, I think you can see those in encyclopedia.

[Raptor34]

You will start with Hydra Regal if you set Boron questline to "complete". No astrid, though.

Right, they did change that.
But I was thinking of like BPs and being able to at least start with multiple. The latter at least, since I'm not sure if they even have material costs.

I believe both regal and astrid have some flag which prevents them from ever being acquired by the player as blueprints. As in they don't have blueprints. I'm not *sure* about Regal, but that's definitely the case with astrid. Xenon ships can be built with "ship reverse engineering" mod, but the mod will just eat astrid. They do have costs, I think you can see those in encyclopedia.

Seems odd they'll even have such a flag. Thinking about it it's probably a remnant of X3 where you might have been able to RE ships. Otoh, ToA is so deep into the game's lifecycle that it's odd they even bother putting that flag on it.
Hint for future content perhaps.

[flywlyx]

I believe both regal and astrid have some flag which prevents them from ever being acquired by the player as blueprints. As in they don't have blueprints. I'm not *sure* about Regal, but that's definitely the case with astrid. Xenon ships can be built with "ship reverse engineering" mod, but the mod will just eat astrid. They do have costs, I think you can see those in encyclopedia.

Only the Erlking and Yasur have special mechanisms preventing them from being built via simple modification of the ware file. Astrid and the Xenon Branch 9 ships don’t — simply modifying the ware files and adding the playerbp flag is enough to make them available.

Seems odd they'll even have such a flag.

It prevents players from obtaining special blueprints, such as those for trade station modules. Otherwise, faction representatives will sell players whatever they have.