We're stepping up the pace now, and are pleased to announce the availability of X4 6.00 Beta 6 today, which brings with it the usual assortment of additions, improvements and fixes. As always, you can find the complete changelog at the end of this news. Please report any issues as usual in our Public Beta Feedback Forum. Thank you for your support during this beta test!

How do I take part in the Public Beta?
Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 6.00 beta version. In order to ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum, where they will find the rules and disclaimers, as well as practical instructions for participating in the beta. Follow this link to our forum (no registration required) to find the relevant information.

Note: If Steam displays an older Beta version rather than "public_beta - 6.00 Beta 6" in the beta drop-down menu, this is just a display error in the Steam client. You can correct this by re-entering the beta password (see forum), but even with the incorrect version displayed in the list, you will still be playing the latest version of the beta if you have selected the public_beta branch.

Gamerant.com recently spoke to Egosoft founder and Managing Director Bernd Lehahn about the X series, Egosoft in general and its current developments. Text interviews are a rarity nowadays, but we do still appreciate them. Which is why we wanted to point it out here. You can find the interview on gamerant.com.

We hope you enjoy reading it!

• Added Civilian and Military channels to Live Stream view (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Added support for PageUp/PageDown in menu dropdowns.
  
• Added search functionality to Controls menu.
  
• Added Cockpit Glass Reflections setting (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Added news banner to Start Menu.
  
  
• Removed weapon group HUD indicators if ship has no weapon slots.
  
  
• Improved Argon Federation and Godrealm starting relations with player in The Untested Explorer and The Accomplished Scientist starts.
  
• Improved Terran Cadet transition into Defenders of Sol mission.
  
• Improved ships fleeing Tide when far from any neutral station.
  
• Improved readability of stars for NPC skills.
  
• Improved sound occlusion in interiors.
  
  
• Fixed missing relation settings for Xenon and Kha'ak in creative Custom Game Starts (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed Custom Gamestart satellite coverage option resulting in excessively distant satellites (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed Terran Cadet gamestart getting Defenders of Sol mission without having completed intro mission.
  
• Fixed signal leak scan activity in Terran Pests mission (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed case of Trade Obstruction mission not starting in Avarice story.
  
• Fixed case of Assemble Fleet mission getting stuck.
  
  
• Fixed player-controlled Builder Ships being shown as available for assignment to construction sites.
  
• Fixed ships with minimal storage capacity failing to pick up all containers when ordered to collect many full containers of wares.
  
• Fixed ships assigned to Mimic commander with default behavior set to Protect Position failing to do so (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed subordinates of subordinates who are docked at commander repeatedly trying to dock when they cannot do so.
  
• Fixed subordinate groups assigned to Position Defence not responding to group commands after loading savegame (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed incorrect station storage capacity predictions from ware reservations.
  
• Fixed ships sometimes getting stuck at 50m/s (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
  
• Fixed progress bars of repeatable terraforming projects not working after first time.
  
• Fixed Ship Information menu not being usable with keyboard or controller under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed ship cockpit reflection probes sometimes showing docking bay features after undocking (new feature in 6.00).
  
  
• Fixed several capital ships being unable to launch subordinates out of launch tubes (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed collision issues in Argon/Terran Wharf (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed Erlking not having collisions on main weapon (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed Elephant bridge clipping into geometry (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed several issues with surface elements of Albatross (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed visual glitch in Albatross bridge (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed Manorina (Gas) paint mod not being applied correctly.
  
• Fixed flickering in Turquoise Sea with open comms.
  
• Fixed Betty and other voice lines sounding muffled (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
  
• Fixed several causes of crashes.

Gamerant.com recently spoke to Egosoft founder and Managing Director Bernd Lehahn about the X series, Egosoft in general and its current developments. Text interviews are a rarity nowadays, but we do still appreciate them. Which is why we wanted to point it out here. You can find the interview on gamerant.com.

We hope you enjoy reading it!

We have a big surprise for you in our next beta update. Up to now in X4, all factions have used the same builder ship model, but this all changes today in the new public beta. Of course this means that the new ships will also be in the release version, as soon as the 6.00 public beta process has finished.

In the 6.00 update for X4, the existing builder ship model for the Paranid and Teladi will be replaced by the following new models:

HERACLES (Paranid XL builder ship)


ALBATROSS (Teladi XL builder ship)


If you own the X4: Split Vendetta and / or X4: Cradle of Humanity expansions, you can also look forward to the following new models:

ELEPHANT (Split XL builder ship)


KYUSHU (Terran XL builder ship)


And while we're in such a good mood, we're also going to give you a first glimpse of the Boron XL builder ship - which will join your game universe as soon as you've purchased the new upcoming X4: Kingdom End expansion. Be sure to add X4: Kingdom End to your Steam wishlist to be automatically notified upon release.

WALRUS (Boron XL builder Ship)


As well as replacing the models, all of their stats have of course been balanced accordingly, so now they really are completely unique builder ships.

We look forward to your feedback on the new builder ships, as well as the other changes in Beta 5 (see full changelog below). Please report any issues as usual in our Public Beta Feedback Forum.

How do I take part in the Public Beta?
Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 6.00 beta version. In order to ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum, where they will find the rules and disclaimers, as well as practical instructions for participating in the beta. Follow this link to our forum (no registration required) to find the relevant information.

Note: If Steam displays an older Beta version rather than "public_beta - 6.00 Beta 5" in the beta drop-down menu, this is just a display error in the Steam client. You can correct this by re-entering the beta password (see forum), but even with the incorrect version displayed in the list, you will still be playing the latest version of the beta if you have selected the public_beta branch.

Egosoft founder and CEO Bernd Lehahn was recently interviewed by Captain Collins. The 90 minute interview primarily focused on the forthcoming 6.00 update and the next expansion - X4: Kingdom End, but it also covered a few more general topics and the broader future of the game series. The recording is now available on YouTube, so feel free to have a look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgNb934dUkk

• New Feature: New Construction Vessel designs for Paranid, Teladi, Split and Terran factions.
  
  
• Added Custom Gamestart Editor story states for Tides of Avarice stories.
  
  
• Added ship size information to encyclopedia.
  
• Added station construction menu help information when expanding HQ for storage relevant to research.
  
  
• Removed wares required for terraforming from missing resource section in Ship Configuration menu.
  
  
• Improved behavior of missile-armed fighters attacking stations or capital ships.
  
• Improved cohesion of travelling fleets in low attention.
  
  
• Improved storage type colours in Logical Station Overview to match module design better.
  
• Improved impact and muzzle sounds for various weapons.
  
• Improved reflections on cockpit glass.
  
  
• Fixed game not loading when selecting Yaki Characters in Custom Gamestart Editor (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed ships missing signal that Tide has changed to calm phase.
  
• Fixed excessive numbers of ships wanting to restock equipment at gamestart.
  
• Fixed basic connection modules having incorrect production costs.
  
• Fixed ships that cannot collect lockboxes repeatedly attempting to do so.
  
• Fixed ships refusing to attack disguised ships that were hostile when attack order was given.
  
• Fixed Revisit Known Stations not updating Space if Position changed such that it is no longer in Space.
  
• Fixed player being blamed for environmental damage in player-owned sectors.
  
• Fixed mining nodes on smaller asteroids hovering above surface (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed miners not using non-turret weapons against certain asteroids (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed subordinates assigned to Position Defence sometimes not resuming previous duties when assignment changes (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed sometimes running into invisible wall briefly, immediately after teleporting to new ship.
  
• Fixed issues entering spacesuit from ship that is in relative movement to capital ship.
  
• Fixed sticky bullets continually adding impulse to hit object.
  
• Fixed incorrect direction of impulse added by bullet hits.
  
• Fixed laser towers sometimes slowly drifting away.
  
• Fixed pushing effect of anomalies being incorrect when approaching from certain angles.
  
• Fixed ships sometimes taking much longer to align when player not present due to rotating wrong way.
  
• Fixed ware exchange with player's personal ship failing if more than one item queued for exchange.
  
• Fixed ships exiting accelerators too far forward then turning around before continuing on path (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed player position after getting up from chair (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed landing gear opening and closing continuously inside dock areas (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed ships sometimes getting stuck with 50m/s speed limit (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed signal leaks generated by EMP bombs being unreliably placed (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed duplicate entries in Custom Gamestart Editor blueprint selection.
  
• Fixed hire and work somewhere else menus being available for spacesuits.
  
• Fixed mission targets being repeatedly highlighted under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed missing consumables from details of currently edited ship in Ship Configuration menu under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed minor issues with target monitor relation display (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed stretched checkbox in Ship Configuration menu settings (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed sun shining through certain station modules (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed Chthonios E (Mineral) ship ID not being shown correctly on hull.
  
• Fixed several causes of crashes.

Recently, Egosoft founder and Managing Director Bernd Lehahn was a guest of Captain Collins. The interview lasted about 90 minutes and was mainly about the upcoming update 6.00, the next expansion X4: Kingdom End, but also about some more general topics and further outlooks into the future. The recording is now available on YouTube, so feel free to have a look:

It's that time again - beta update time! Update 6.00 Beta 4 is now available and we are looking forward to your feedback.

🏗️ We encourage all players to participate in the beta and provide feedback on the new features in our Public Beta Feedback forum.

How do I take part in the Public Beta?
Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 6.00 beta version. In order to ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum, where they will find the rules and disclaimers, as well as practical instructions for participating in the beta. Follow this link to our forum (no registration required) to find the relevant information.

🗨️ Just in case you missed our previous announcement: Our Managing Director, Bernd Lehahn, will be appearing as a guest on Friday, February 24 at 2pm CET (1pm UTC / 8am EST / 5am PST), on Captain Collins @ Twitch for an English-language interview / chat. Don't miss out on the chance to hear directly from Bernd about our exciting new developments, and ask your questions in chat! Mark your calendars and set your reminders now!

• Added warning if NPC-owned ships are about to undock with player on board.
  
• Added option to allow player-owned ships to deploy laser towers in response to attack, inspection by police, or pirate harassment.
  
• Added hull bar animation when receiving damage.
  
• Added separate yellow state to engine check light to indicate disabled travel drive (new feature in 6.00).
  
  
• Removed requirement for CPU to include SSE4.1 support (experimental change, may need to be reversed).
  
  
• Improved Scan mission rewards and accuracy of displayed difficulty if target is hostile.
  
  
• Improved collisions inside Terran dock area.
  
  
• Fixed Direct Mouse Steering sometimes reactivating in Flight School after player turned it off.
  
• Fixed laser towers in A Return To Normal Order missions having wrong faction (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed Arcadian Endeavour story not rewarding adequate MIN faction relation if siding with Mellerd.
  
  
• Fixed Rhak Patriarchy not being at war with Argon Federation and Antigone Republic.
  
• Fixed asteroids with extreme yield in Family Nhuut.
  
  
• Fixed stations not taking any explosion damage (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed mass traffic not appearing under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed player-owned ships always undocking without waiting for player if player has never controlled any ship.
  
• Fixed SETA being cancelled when pilot activates travel mode while player is seated passenger.
  
• Fixed exaggerated speed change when colliding with moving objects at low relative speed.
  
• Fixed steering being slowed down when in relative movement to ship in travel mode.
  
• Fixed AI captain taking over boarding ship after player launched further pods sending more marines to target.
  
• Fixed subordinates assigned to intercept not engaging targets if all subordinates are in internal storage.
  
• Fixed subordinates stopping moving when player gets close enough to see them.
  
• Fixed commanders performing Protect Position as default behaviour cancelling order when subordinate's assignment changes (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed command to Stop Position Defence remaining if subordinate group assigned to Position Defence is empty and Stop Position Defence is selected (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed military and mining ships sometimes being built without weapons and shields if wharf/shipyard is low on resources.
  
• Fixed Split Raptors sometimes being built with no turrets or shields.
  
• Fixed ships idling potentially indefinitely in ring highway.
  
  
• Fixed Live Stream and External View being available for mass traffic and ships in internal storage.
  
• Fixed missing buttons when changing trade ware filter in Map.
  
• Fixed dialog tooltips being wrongly positioned and missing background.
  
• Fixed duplicated mouse-over texts for ware reservations.
  
  
• Fixed speed restriction zone in Teladi dock area not covering all docks.
  
• Fixed location of casino room in certain dock areas causing visible clipping.
  
• Fixed invisible wall in Stork cockpit preventing you from accessing pilot console.
  
  
• Fixed door of Elite not being affected by paint mods.
  
• Fixed occasional flickering of subtitles when multiple pilots speak over comm channels.
  
• Fixed missing or flickering reflections under certain circumstances (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed issues with reflections on glass surfaces (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed issues with shadows on glass surfaces.
  
  
• Fixed several causes of crashes.

Space adventurers, traders, warriors, explorers - watch out for the new 6.00 Beta 3, which is now available! The team has been working on a number of areas to further improve your experience, as we continue on the road to the release of 6.00 and X4: Kingdom End. Please check out the complete changelog at the end of this news to see what has been changed in 6.00 Beta 3.

🎥 As we had mentioned in our 6.00 Public Beta kick off news back in January, we have lots more ideas on how to refine and improve the new Live Stream camera mode which is being introduced in 6.00. You'll be able to see some of these changes - such as the addition of faction channels that get unlocked by reaching friend status with a faction - for yourself in Beta 3. You can also now also access faction channel live streams through faction representatives or station owners, open the map in Live Stream camera mode, and switch between objects and sectors. There are plenty more changes to find, so hit F6 in your game and try it out!

🗨️ Just in case you missed our previous announcement: Our Managing Director, Bernd Lehahn, will be appearing as a guest on two live streams this month to give you some more insights into 6.00 and X4: Kingdom End. First, join Bernd on February 13 at 7pm CET (6pm UTC / 1pm EST / 10am PST) in the Gamestar "Find Your Next Game" show for a German-language show. Then, on February 24 at 2pm CET (1pm UTC / 8am EST / 5am PST), tune in to Captain Collins on Twitch for an English-language show with Bernd. Don't miss out on the chance to hear directly from Bernd about these exciting new developments, and ask your questions in chat! Mark your calendars and set your reminders now!

🏗️ We encourage all players to participate in the beta and provide feedback on the new features in our Public Beta Feedback forum.

How do I take part in the Public Beta?
Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 6.00 beta version. In order to ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum, where they will find the rules and disclaimers, as well as practical instructions for participating in the beta. Follow this link to our forum (no registration required) to find the relevant information.

• Added engine check light to indicate reduced engine functionality to HUD.
  
• Added ability to change position of Position Defence markers vertically (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Removed Vigor Syndicate food delivery missions as transporting food is illegal in their space.
  
• Improved Live Stream feature (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Improved Deliver Inventory missions by adding option to deliver all matching items at once.
  
• Improved Build Station missions by diversifying requirements for defence platforms.
  
• Improved positioning of ship-claiming signal leaks (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Improved reliability of travel through gates and accelerators (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Improved detection of mission race checkpoints. (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Improved naming of stations with wide range of different types of production module (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Improved approach of boarding ships before launching pods.
  
• Improved container magnet making pickups much more reliable.
  
• Improved explicit command Attack Surface Elements by preventing ships ever firing at target's hull intentionally.
  
• Fixed player custom gamestart stations losing any special names defined in their construction plans.
  
• Fixed mission offer which cannot be accepted for Trade Obstruction mission of Avarice story.
  
• Fixed Build Station missions asking for ship-building modules (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed Dr. Rick Feynman aborting remote call by disallowing calling during item delivery in Double Assistant mission of Pioneer Terraforming story.
  
• Fixed various issues with Torus riddle during Torus Aeternal mission of Pioneer Terraforming story.
  
• Fixed Terran military ships remaining hostile after completing Terran Pests mission by reaching Torus in Pioneer Terraforming story.
  
• Fixed Ace's ship remaining invulnerable after Arcadian Endeavour story completed.
  
• Fixed station ownership not also transferring blueprints in Avarice Story.
  
• Fixed build station mission rewards sometimes being up to 64 credits short.
  
• Fixed turret compatibility problems with mining ships (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed falling through floor of moving elevators (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed permanent loss of spacesuit controls after undocking from certain ships (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed ships becoming insubstantial after having once docked (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed several cases of collisions not working correctly (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed getting stuck in floor after using airlock (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed boarding pods sometimes holding just short of target hull but not actually attaching (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed duplicating deployables when picking them back up (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed being unable to get out of Split Jaguar when playing as Paranid (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed getting stuck in command consoles on capital ship bridges (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed resetting aim assist option to default always turning it off on next start.
  
• Fixed player weapon fire converging too soon when using mouse to aim at own ship in external view.
  
• Fixed modifying multi-ship selection in Property Owned menu with Ctrl key not working under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed missing space background reflections on certain docking areas (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed missing icon for salvage in radius order.
  
• Fixed menu crash in Custom Gamestart Editor under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed several causes of crashes.

Attention, pilots! Get ready for more insight into our upcoming expansion X4: Kingdom End and the massive free 6.00 update. Our Managing Director, Bernd Lehahn, will be appearing as a guest on two live streams this month to give you all the details.

First, join Bernd on February 13 at 7pm CET (6pm UTC / 1pm EST / 10am PST) in the Gamestar "Find Your Next Game" show for a German-language show. Then, on February 24 at 2pm CET (1pm UTC / 8am EST / 5am PST), tune in to Captain Collins on Twitch for an English-language show with Bernd.

Don't miss out on the chance to hear directly from Bernd about these exciting new developments, and ask your questions in chat! Mark your calendars and set your reminders now!

Haven't heard about 6.00 yet? Be sure to check out our news on the 6.00 public beta launch. There you can find out what our new physics engine and our heavily improved graphics engine in 6.00 are all about.

Live Interview / Chat with Egosoft Managing Director Bernd Lehahn about X4 6.00 and X4: Kingdom End
(German) February 13, 2023, 7pm CET at https://www.twitch.tv/monstersandexplosions
(English) February 24, 2023, 2pm CET at https://www.twitch.tv/captaincollins

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1990040/X4_Kingdom_End/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbfez5ljdE4

One week on from the start of the 6.00 public beta (see news) and we are back already with a new beta version. Please check out the complete changelog at the end of this news to see what has been changed in 6.00 Beta 2. We would also like to re-share the XLOG video featuring Egosoft founder and Managing Director Bernd, who gives you a closer look at some of the interesting topics surrounding 6.00.

We encourage all players to participate in the beta and provide feedback on the new features in our Public Beta Feedback forum.

Thank you for your support during the beta and please enjoy X4: Foundations!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbfez5ljdE4

How do I take part in the Public Beta?
Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 6.00 beta version. In order to ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum, where they will find the rules and disclaimers, as well as practical instructions for participating in the beta. Follow this link to our forum (no registration required) to find the relevant information.

• Added player relation details to Encyclopedia faction entries.
  
• Added tooltips explaining Allies, Enemies and Hostiles lists in Encyclopedia.
  
• Added tooltips with relation name to Faction and Relations menu.
  
• Added Optimal Workforce information to Build Module Encyclopedia entries.
  
• Added information about claiming sector ownership to station module Encyclopedia entries.
  
  
• Improved signal and data leaks on stations to be in more varied locations.
  
• Improved approach to target in preparation for launching boarding pods.
  
• Improved HUD visualisation when enemies enter weapon range.
  
  
• Fixed subordinates assigned to Position Defence sometimes getting multiple Attack In Range orders at once (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed ships frequently attempting to fly through stations (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed capital ship pilots sometimes disappearing after player teleports away (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed defence drones not launching when set to Escort (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed capital ships getting thrown out of travel mode when colliding with asteroids (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
  
• Fixed autopilot not being able to navigate towards unknown mission location when mission guidance towards target is available.
  
• Fixed subordinates assigned to mimic auto-trader setting anchor to commander location when initiating search for trades.
  
• Fixed Self-destruct command not working on deployables when invoked in first-person view.
  
• Fixed relief pilots sometimes not retaking control when requested.
  
  
• Fixed sorting by Sector in Property Owned (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed missing relation perks text for factions with +30 relations (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed Station Configuration menu and Logical Station Overview showing different or combined station information when opened (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed dropdown for changing existing subordinate groups' assignments causing groups to merge if another group already has same assignment.
  
• Fixed dialog option highlight dot sometimes overlapping text.
  
  
• Fixed certain large stations partially missing collisions (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed spacesuit being too large for collision purposes (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed scrap processor being too large for collision purposes (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed welder NPCs not finding positions from which to work (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
  
• Fixed player being unable to buy ships (Linux only, problem introduced in 6.00).
  
  
• Fixed reflection probes not working under certain circumstances (new feature in 6.00).
  
• Fixed artefacts from "god rays" in certain cutscenes (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
  
• Fixed shadows disappearing under certain circumstances.
  
  
• Fixed missing Erlking L turrets sounds.
  
• Fixed missing environment sounds after loading station design simulator.
  
  
• Fixed menu crash in Station Configuration menu during Unknown Structure mission (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed menu crash in Logical Station Overview menu under certain circumstances.
  
  
• Fixed physics-related freeze (problem introduced in 6.00).
  
• Fixed several causes of crashes.

Egosoft Managing Director Bernd Lehahn is here to give you a brief overview of the fundamental changes and improvements in the recently launched X4: Foundations 6.00 Public Beta and the further plans for the year. Learn more about X TECH 5, the gameplay improvements in our latest Public Beta and find the full changelog in our previous news 👀 The 4K gameplay scenes in the background are from beta versions of X4: Foundations 6.00 and X4: Kingdom End, which are both still in development.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1990040/X4_Kingdom_End/

How do I take part in the Public Beta?
Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 6.00 beta version. In order to ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum, where they will find the rules and disclaimers, as well as practical instructions for participating in the beta. Follow this link to our forum (no registration required) to find the relevant information.

Once our recently announced new X4 expansion, X4: Kingdom End, is ready to be released later this year, it will be accompanied by the most extensive set of improvements to X4: Foundations since the game's original release back in 2018. These major technical changes to the game call for a lot of testing - so please join our 6.00 Public Beta!

How do I take part in the Public Beta?
Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 6.00 beta version. In order to ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum, where they will find the rules and disclaimers, as well as practical instructions for participating in the beta. Follow this link to our forum (no registration required) to find the relevant information.

Our past games X Beyond the Frontier, X3: Reunion, X Rebirth and the original 1.00 release of X4: Foundations marked the biggest milestones in the development of our very own X series engine. With the upcoming release of X4: Foundations 6.00, we're taking the next step and introducing X TECH 5.

While integrating the next generation of our graphics engine with several big visual improvements (details below), as well as a new, more powerful physics engine with performance and feature improvements, we're also maintaining savegame compatibility for X4.

We would like to give you a first impression of some of the highlights of X TECH 5 that are in the first Public Beta of 6.00. We are still working on additional features that may be added in later public beta releases. We will talk about those additional features in due course.

Experience the thrill of space more than ever before in X4: Foundations, with the integration of Jolt Physics into X TECH 5. Whether you're navigating an asteroid field, docking at a space station, or engaging in combat, Jolt Physics adds a new level of realism and immersion to every moment of gameplay. You'll feel the full force of acceleration and deceleration as you pilot your ship, and every collision will have a tangible impact. In addition to enhancing the overall gameplay experience, the integration of Jolt Physics also brings about performance and feature improvements to X TECH 5, which you'll find listed in the full 6.00 Public Beta 1 changelog at the end of this news.

A big part of what makes us very proud of the upcoming 6.00 Update to X4: Foundations is the radical improvements included in our graphics engine. Here are some of the highlights from this area of development:

🪐 Improved lighting
The main goal with the new lighting engine in X TECH 5 is to improve natural-looking sunlight in space. More vibrant colours, higher intensity suns, and a wider range of interesting lighting moods. X TECH 5 gives us many new tools to achieve this. Reflection probes greatly improve lighting situations inside cockpits, bridges and on stations, and seamlessly integrates with the screen space reflections introduced in a previous version of X4. You will also note that the shadow-casting in X TECH 5 has massively improved (new "ultra" option for shadows in the graphics settings). This greatly helps in producing more realistic visuals at greater distances.

🪐 Introduction of parallax occlusion mapping
With the inclusion of parallax occlusion mapping, X TECH 5 features a technique that allows us to add extra detail and depth to surfaces in the game. This is achieved by using a special type of texture that encodes information about the height and shape of a surface, which is then used to create the illusion of 3D depth and detail. As a player, you can expect to see a noticeable improvement in the realism and immersion of surfaces in the game, as parallax occlusion mapping allows us to add subtle details and depth that were not previously possible.



Apart from the serious technological improvements, we have of course also added gameplay refinements and new features in Update 6.00. Please take a look at the complete changelog for version 6.00 Public Beta 1 at the end of this news. Today, we would like to put the spotlight on the following two highlights:

🪐 Position Defence
The new Position Defence feature in Update 6.00 allows players to have a single carrier-led fleet defend multiple locations while maintaining its streamlined support structure. Individual subordinate groups within the fleet can be assigned to protect specific locations, and will patrol the area until they need to return to the carrier for repairs or resupply. Additionally, these subordinate groups can be set to support other groups in the fleet if they come into contact with threats. This allows for flexible and dynamic defence of multiple locations with a single fleet. We can't wait for you to try out this new feature and see how it enhances your gameplay experience.

🪐 Live Stream camera mode
Live Stream is a brand-new camera mode in X4: Foundations that brings you closer to the action. Once activated, by hitting F6, Live Stream mode allows you to watch interesting events and scenes unfold in your game in real-time. Whether it's an epic space battle, a bustling space station, or a beautiful nebula, this new mode has you covered. One of the best things about Live Stream mode is that it automatically switches between scenes, so you never have to worry about missing out on the action. You can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show, as our new camera mode takes you on a tour of the most interesting moments in your game.



We have lots more ideas on how to refine and improve this new camera mode further, and we will keep working on it during the 6.00 Public Beta phase and beyond. But please do try it out in its current form, and share your feedback with us.

We encourage all players to participate in the beta and provide feedback on the new features in our Public Beta Feedback forum. This is just the start of the 6.00 Public Beta for X4: Foundations. The beta will be updated regularly over the next few weeks, so keep an eye on our news channels to avoid missing anything.

We can't wait for you to try out all the new content in Update 6.00 and look forward to hearing your thoughts.

📢 Note to the modding community
As mentioned in our survey summary a few months ago, X4 modders are super important to us and we are very grateful for their work. While we can't go into too much detail on this topic today, we wanted to at least briefly mention that we are working on some new modding tools for X4 and will also be improving the information available to modders in the future. For example, we plan to provide a modding equivalent to the X4 update changelog. As soon as the tools can be tested, we will inform you separately about this, and provide you with further details.

Enjoy a long-awaited reunion with the Boron in X4: Kingdom End, the fourth expansion for X4: Foundations, which completes the collection of the main factions in the X Universe. Discover the unique Boron ships, and fly them through distinctive systems, on a journey of discovery. Visit fascinating places, uncover old secrets and make new acquaintances. Embark on an immersive new chapter of X4!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWfQ6fHsMQA
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1990040/X4_Kingdom_End/

• New Feature: Updated graphics engine, with Parallax Occlusion Mapping, Reflection Probes, enhanced lighting, improved shadows, and more.
  
• New Feature: Jolt Physics engine.
  
• New Feature: Live Stream camera mode.
  
• New Feature: Position Defence for carrier-led fleets.
  
  
• Added new bombardment assignment for subordinates.
  
• Added command to order ships to attack surface elements on designated targets.
  
• Added Salvage at Position and Deliver Salvage commands for use with repeat orders.
  
• Added self-destruct command for player-owned satellites, resource probes, nav beacons, lasertowers and mines.
  
• Added detection and penalty for theft from station build storage.
  
• Added more gamestart information, indicating whether they are Tutorial, Guided, Assisted or Sandbox, and adjusted order.
  
• Added option to edit Buccaneer relations in Custom Gamestart Editor under certain circumstances.
  
• Added player HQ to Station Design Simulator.
  
• Added Supervised Mining missions.
  
• Added Kha'ak-specific Destroy Station missions.
  
• Added extra Signal Leak missions for factions foreign to station owner, allowing player to earn reputation for Vigor Syndicate at Teladi stations and for Fallen Families at Free Families stations.
  
• Added hint for missing research to Equipment Mod Workbench menu.
  
• Added button to force station build to complete instantly in Station Design Simulator.
  
• Added visual hint for destroyed ships in Transaction Log menus.
  
• Added links to Object Information and Object Transaction Log from entries in Transaction Log.
  
• Added hint about trade entries in Transaction Log to Logbook.
  
• Added order descriptions to Interact and New Order context menus.
  
• Added mappable hotkeys for deploying objects such as Satellites and Laser Towers.
  
• Added mappable hotkeys for giving and aborting player squad attack order.
  
• Added option to hold Shift while dragging on map to move orders vertically.
  
• Added transform gizmo to station editor.
  
• Added double-click on module in Station Build menu to focus camera on module.
  
• Added shortcut to Manage Plots menu to console in Station Design Simulator
  
• Added surface elements of environment object to Next/Previous Target selection.
  
• Added options to pre-configure blacklists and fire authorisation overrides when building ships.
  
• Added descriptions to many items in Encyclopedia.
  
• Added information about long range scanner range and scan area to Encyclopedia.
  
• Added distinction between enemies and hostiles to Encyclopedia faction entries.
  
• Added distinction between friendly and allied relations to target monitor.
  
• Added more relation perks to Factions and Relations menu.
  
• Added option to ignore cargo space reservations when setting up trade loops.
  
• Added option to exchange captains when transferring crew.
  
• Added possibility to override faction logo per fleet.
  
• Added modified hint to Continue Game option in Start menu.
  
• Added mission highlight to transporter room button and other elements.
  
• Added some landmark stations to Encyclopedia.
  
• Added mission arrow towards platform guidance if not on screen.
  
• Added animation when selecting target.
  
• Added several new achievements.
  
• Added new ultra shadow quality option.
  
• Removed logbook entries for received surplus and completed trades.
  
• Removed "transparent" border around fullscreen menus.
  
• Removed info boxes for ships on map.
  
• Removed venture inventory tab from spacesuit upgrades.
  
• Removed option to turn off save compression (note: with recent improvements to saving this option is no longer advisable for normal users but remains available to modders in a different form).
  
• Improved balancing of some Terraforming projects by making them resilient against setbacks from events such as quakes.
  
• Improved Find Resources missions by adding guidance sphere and increasing reward according to how many Resource Probes player will probably need.
  
• Improved room variety for certain missions.
  
• Improved Give Seminar conversation choice.
  
• Improved placement of data leaks to claim abandoned ships.
  
• Improved dock position tolerance when flying capital ship without docking computer.
  
• Improved undocking behaviour in certain dock areas.
  
• Improved presentation when sharing transporter room with NPCs.
  
• Improved Zyarth economy to counter it being overrun by Xenon (affects new games only).
  
• Improved faction defence station loadout selection when responding to aggression.
  
• Improved fighter combat movement against large targets.
  
• Improved coordination within fleets during attack.
  
• Improved behavior of ships fleeing from attacks.
  
• Improved MoveWait fleet behavior immediately before performing attack.
  
• Improved combat behavior of ships in fleet with carrier or fleet auxiliary ship.
  
• Improved carrier behavior in combat if all fighter subordinates are on detached assignment.
  
• Improved police response to EMP bombs being lobbed at policed stations.
  
• Improved handling for attempting ware exchange where transport drones are needed but unavailable.
  
• Improved amounts sold by free traders and miners when only selling, particularly across multiple sectors.
  
• Improved missile damage and ammo consumption simulation when player not present.
  
• Improved capital ships using forward-mounted guns in combat when player not present.
  
• Improved reliability of attack subordinates engaging commander's target.
  
• Improved resupply behavior to allow ships that have loadout level of 0 to automatically get repairs as needed.
  
• Improved decision-making for when commanders recall subordinates upon receiving move order.
  
• Improved responsiveness of attack subordinates when commander attacks new target.
  
• Improved collection of multiple drops in same area by multiple ships.
  
• Improved matching of corridors to rooms on Argon stations.
  
• Improved pilot chair in Terran ships.
  
• Improved transporter room visuals.
  
• Improved notification and logbook entry for player-owned ships and stations being destroyed.
  
• Improved presentation of out-of-stock items in Ship Upgrade menu.
  
• Improved estimated arrival time of incoming deliveries.
  
• Improved ship upgrade by allowing multiple ships with equipment from another race to be upgraded if all ships share same equipment.
  
• Improved factory icons to indicate produced ware.
  
• Improved Options menu by making it full-screen.
  
• Improved messages in message ticker and logbook for attacked or destroyed player property.
  
• Improved control mode messages to be informative rather than commanding.
  
• Improved visuals when showing in-game scenes on target monitor.
  
• Improved visibility by decreasing brightness of window dirt at border of cockpit glass.
  
• Improved high and ultra graphics presets to include screen space reflections (change only applied when reselecting preset).
  
• Improved deadzone in default input profiles for gamepads by reducing it from 50% to 10%.
  
• Improved game startup time, and time for loading and saving savegames.
  
• Fixed selected stories in Custom Gamestart Editor depending on Headquarters and Staff story state not resetting when removing HQ story.
  
• Fixed being able to destroy missile drop in Flight School tutorial.
  
• Fixed being able to assign pilots to certain plot ships which should have been restricted.
  
• Fixed problems with Escape Plan mission if it occurs in Grand Exchange I.
  
• Fixed Welfare Module research mission Casino station being invulnerable before mission starts.
  
• Fixed Transport Passenger mission spawning passenger in brig.
  
• Fixed Hack Panel missions asking player to hack panel that has already been hacked.
  
• Fixed Hack Panel missions targeting station belonging to same faction that is offering mission.
  
• Fixed A Pirate's Trail mission getting stuck if Wolfish Heart is destroyed in one shot, or during initial dialog.
  
• Fixed wrong mission objective if target ship gets destroyed early during Seem Valuable mission of Split story.
  
• Fixed Guard placement in Antigone Station corridor during Covert Operations story.
  
• Fixed player Cover ship being owned by Argon during Zyarth's Coffin mission of Split story.
  
• Fixed story not progressing if station to which wares should be delivered is destroyed during Zyarth's Coffin mission of Split story.
  
• Fixed important wreck in Flight School tutorial being destructible.
  
• Fixed conversation stalling during build segment of Advanced Scenario.
  
• Fixed missing hints and menu highlighting in Terran version of HQ dock construction mission.
  
• Fixed Dagobas Lahubasis Yorilos III trying to escape into own ship while talking to him on bridge during Trade Obstruction mission of Avarice story.
  
• Fixed not being able to complete Avarice story race with L-sized ship.
  
• Fixed Manager's Office displaying wrong trophy after completing Arcadian Endeavour story.
  
• Fixed From the Ashes mission getting stuck if Duke's Haven gets destroyed before player can deliver manager.
  
• Fixed Geometric Owl attacking random Xenon in The Void instead of staying put to allow players to dock during Second Assistant mission of Pioneer Terraforming story.
  
• Fixed ship delivery missions not updating which ships to transfer after first recognised ships are removed from delivery area.
  
• Fixed several issues with Scale Plate subscription missions.
  
• Fixed timers for supply factory missions getting stuck at zero.
  
• Fixed some missions having excessively long time limits.
  
• Fixed stations belonging to civilian faction offering missions.
  
• Fixed not being able to dock at Keepsafe after it is rebuilt.
  
• Fixed relations between Vigor Syndicate and Ministry of Finance to be actively hostile.
  
• Fixed certain major stations and factories sometimes not spawning on gamestart.
  
• Fixed some stations unintentionally spawning in hazardous regions.
  
• Fixed Yaki ships sometimes not having weapons.
  
• Fixed generated loadouts in some shipyards/wharfs/equipment docks not matching available equipment.
  
• Fixed subordinate traders sometimes buying from homebase and selling right back to it.
  
• Fixed research storage targets exceeding research ware requirements under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed being able to activate travel mode in ship without flight assist software.
  
• Fixed ships sometimes firing at empty space when attacking large target.
  
• Fixed multiple beam weapons attacking same target not draining shields as quickly as expected.
  
• Fixed lockboxes standing still after saving and loading.
  
• Fixed ships with repair drones sometimes not repairing at expected speed.
  
• Fixed ships that are about to dock or are executing trades in Avarice ignoring Tide warning.
  
• Fixed case that could result in station-based miners failing to execute assignment.
  
• Fixed traders sometimes not finding valid trades when operating in only one space.
  
• Fixed ships sometimes trading with build storage of destroyed stations.
  
• Fixed station trade subordinates selling station trade wares to factions prohibited by associated trade rules.
  
• Fixed player sometimes being blamed for objects destroyed by hazardous regions.
  
• Fixed player-owned subordinates and capital ships sometimes traversing unexplored sectors when moving between sectors.
  
• Fixed ships trying to resupply at stations or ships they cannot dock at.
  
• Fixed ships belonging to some factions failing to restock deployables and ammo.
  
• Fixed ware exchange stalling if exchange partners are already parked when ware exchange order begins.
  
• Fixed attacking ships sometimes overshooting target on initial approach.
  
• Fixed ships sometimes ignoring collisions when interrupted while docking.
  
• Fixed non-capital ships with subordinates that are not moving with commander needlessly attempting to synchronize movements to fleet at gate transitions.
  
• Fixed defence subordinates sometimes losing track of ships in fleet that are not subordinates of immediate commander.
  
• Fixed case that could prevent capital ships dealing with fleet auxiliary ships which are attached to fleets.
  
• Fixed ships attacking capital ships or stations not using all active weapons when weapons are activated while already in combat.
  
• Fixed capital ships intentionally destroying targets that they were directed to disable while assisting boarding operation
  
• Fixed capital ships tending to maintain distance beyond turret range when directed to support boarding operation by destroying surface elements.
  
• Fixed subordinates not docking if immediate commander is explicitly ordered to dock at carrier that is in command hierarchy.
  
• Fixed case that could result in commanders ordering subordinates to dock indefinitely.
  
• Fixed subordinates of subordinates of carriers undocking when carrier subordinate formation is changed via carrier.
  
• Fixed ships with looped orders repeatedly trying to dock at now-destroyed destinations.
  
• Fixed ships attacking attackers when going in for repairs or ammo.
  
• Fixed fleeing ships erroneously concluding that second flee attempt was successful.
  
• Fixed boarding pods becoming inactive when sent to abandoned ships when assigned marine was in transit.
  
• Fixed illegal activities such as hitting stations with EMP bombs not triggering police response.
  
• Fixed police ships sometimes attacking own faction's ships if those ships interrupt investigation.
  
• Fixed ships in formation that are not subordinates doing no combat damage when player not present.
  
• Fixed dismantled objects sometimes remaining in space much longer than they should.
  
• Fixed wrecks being auto-selected when not flying salvage ships.
  
• Fixed salvage subordinates not updating ranges after commander station's manager is replaced.
  
• Fixed salvagers finding unknown wrecks.
  
• Fixed salvage-related activities not contributing to skill gain.
  
• Fixed pilots sometimes getting stuck when replacing another pilot.
  
• Fixed difficulty docking manually when Collision Avoidance option is active.
  
• Fixed Split flak turret bullets not exploding.
  
• Fixed force effects of anomalies and some other objects not working.
  
• Fixed small wrecks stuck in capital ship geometry interfering with player controls.
  
• Fixed wrecks disappearing while being dismantled if player leaves area.
  
• Fixed stuck doors or non-interactable buttons and panels on platforms after loading save.
  
• Fixed non-interactable airlock after loading save.
  
• Fixed invalid airlock state if cycled too quickly.
  
• Fixed NPCs sometimes standing within objects on dock areas.
  
• Fixed gamestart description texts being cut off under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed price and discount/commission information sometimes being incorrect in trade context menu.
  
• Fixed maximum number of docked ships in Object Information menu.
  
• Fixed missing timers on chain missions in Mission Manager menus.
  
• Fixed station construction plan changes sometimes being lost when applied.
  
• Fixed missing warning about changes to station construction plans when closing any menu opened from Station Build menu.
  
• Fixed Long Range Scanner not seeing stations with Protectyon Shield Generator module.
  
• Fixed station plots in Xenon space showing licence costs before placement.
  
• Fixed boarding menu allowing selection of arriving marines.
  
• Fixed crew on destroyed ships being listed in Personnel Management menu.
  
• Fixed missing ticker message when player unlocks new Timeline entry.
  
• Fixed missing/mismatching data in target monitor under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed terraforming projects showing wrong cooldown when they were never started before.
  
• Fixed ware descriptions in trader menus not updating under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed scrolling in menus when mouse is over certain parts of screen.
  
• Fixed selected object icon not appearing on Map when zoomed out.
  
• Fixed wrecks of civilian ships being hidden on Map if civilian ships are not shown but wrecks are.
  
• Fixed player sector not appearing on map if using space suit after hitching ride to unknown sector.
  
• Fixed dropdown to change assignment of all subordinates in subordinate group failing to do so.
  
• Fixed menu crash in station storage list under certain circumstances.
  
• Fixed icons of recyclables being visible in fog of war.
  
• Fixed mines dropped by trapped lockboxes not showing as red in UI.
  
• Fixed Spacesuit Engines not showing hologram visuals in Encyclopedia.
  
• Fixed Terran names for maintenance and fabrication bays in Encyclopedia.
  
• Fixed potential damage to objects in universe from missiles that explode in Encyclopedia view.
  
• Fixed suggestions for keyboard and mouse buttons being displayed in some cases when only playing with controller or joystick.
  
• Fixed workers leaving lights on when production modules are inactive.
  
• Fixed distinction between enemy and hostile factions in Faction and Relations menu.
  
• Fixed colour of target monitor relation for neutral objects.
  
• Fixed inconsistent information about gate and accelerator destinations in both HUD and ship computer voice.
  
• Fixed voice playback in Timeline getting interrupted by other voices.
  
• Fixed beam weapon sounds being considered "ambient" instead of "effects" for sound volumes.
  
• Fixed bright line appearing in some shadows.
  
• Fixed engine jet "flames" not animating correctly for several XS ships.
  
• Fixed game having wrong resolution after choosing 1280x720 or similar small resolutions in fullscreen mode.
  
• Fixed custom gamestart cutscenes sometimes being distorted.
  
• Fixed looking in wrong direction when teleporting to Alligator (Liquid).
  
• Fixed being able to fall off dock area of Phoenix.
  
• Fixed Zeus docking position being too close to pier.
  
• Fixed Zeus E XS dock being out of position.
  
• Fixed Osaka missing some detail.
  
• Fixed Terran L container storage having incorrect collisions container modules.
  
• Fixed missing wreck for Atlas E resupplier.
  
• Fixed Hokkaido (Mineral) internal rooms clipping through geometry.
  
• Fixed mirrored ship ID on Prometheus.
  
• Fixed gap on dockarea of Erlking.
  
• Fixed paintmods being applied to surfaces they should not be used on.
  
• Fixed custom logos with upper-case letters in filename not being loaded in Linux version.
  
• Fixed performance stutter when approaching highly populated docks.
  
• Fixed noticeable freeze when closing station editor for very large stations.
  
• Fixed rare freeze during startup.
  
• Fixed several causes of crashes.