Jul 2, 2024

X4: Foundations - belgoray

When one beta finishes, another one starts - here we are again! Following the great reception of the free 7.00 update for X4: Foundations, we're diving straight into preparations for the next update. We look forward to your support in the 7.10 Public Beta, which is now available. You'll find the changelog at the end of this news.

How Do I Take Part in the Public Beta?
Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 7.10 Public 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.

Please share your feedback / bug report in our Public Beta Feedback forum. Before doing so, please make sure you read the Public Beta Rules and Information, which you can find in a sticky thread at the top of that forum.

FAQ on X4: Timelines and the Future of X4

In case you missed it: shortly after the release of the latest expansion, X4: Timelines, we published an extensive FAQ addressing some of your most pressing queries about Timelines. In the FAQ, we list all the rewards you can unlock in Timelines for your X4 sandbox, and explain how the development of X4: Timelines has positively impacted, and will continue to impact, the future of X4. We also provide a brief outlook on our priorities for the next major updates (likely to be numbered 7.50 and 8.00). Feel free to check out the FAQ in our Steam News.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/392160/view/4179984470687918882

Sapporo and Dart Ship Showcase

The 7.10 Public Beta is making some changes to two of our exciting new ships, so we're showcasing them a bit more closely in this news. Both of these ships can be used in your X4 sandbox by playing our latest expansion, X4: Timelines (see FAQ for unlock conditions). Please check the changelog at the end of the news to see the changes made to these ships in 7.10 Public Beta 1.

Sapporo
(originally a sturdy Terran deep-space explorer, later refitted to fill in as a nimble light destroyer and saviour of humanity)

"The Sapporo class was created as a non-combatant exploration vessel to be used to scout out new locations for the Terran to colonise. As the Terraformer conflict ramped up, the Sapporo was quickly redesigned to perform as a mobile command and control centre, able to oversee larger battles and provide a powerful pivot point for any battle. It still maintains several features of its originally planned role, such as its high speed and manoeuvrability."

Dart
(an unreasonably fast racer for the reckless, which pilots with a stronger sense of self-preservation may prefer to keep as a trophy)

"The Dart was initially released as a mail-in kit project, to which an aspiring racer could subscribe and have parts shipped to them periodically. Due to its popularity, the Dart was quickly offered as a ready-to-fly ship, and the project took no new kit customers. It is easy to identify a kit-built Dart from a production one, as the tooling for the rear titanium fins was recreated due to complaints about the fins' shape not fitting that of the rest of the ship. Despite being discontinued, the kits remain remarkably popular, and incomplete kits regularly sell for beyond the price of a production ship."

Modding Support: New Documentation in the X Wiki

We would like to inform X4 modders that we have changed the structure of the "Modding Support" section of our X Wiki. Additionally, four new guides have been added to the wiki:

Community modders have also added new guides to their parts of the Wiki, so be sure to check it out; it will certainly make a modder's heart beat faster!

7.10 Public Beta 1 Changelog

Added Factions and Relations tutorial.
Added travel drive to Dart engines in Open Universe.
Added dedicated weapon groups to Pre-Battle Skirmish Timelines scenario.
Added Docking Computer to A Merchant Mind and Teladi Trading Try-Outs Timelines scenarios.
Added ammo clip visualisation for missile launchers to HUD.
Added Skip Dialog Line option to Controls menu.
Added mouse-over texts when navigating menus with keyboard input.
Added input feedback when Travel Mode not available.
Added Start Timelines button to Timelines menu
Added Mk5 shield generator to Xperimental Shuttle.
Removed signal leak missions in Timelines trading scenarios.
Removed Trade and Go to Ship options in Dock Interactions menu in Timelines Nexus.
Removed Lock Range and Lock Time information from Encyclopedia missile entries where not relevant.
Removed storage allocation warning in Logical Station Overview for trade wares.
Improved Timelines intro cutscene for more immersive experience.
Improved Timelines scenario result screen layout.
Improved rating visualisation for Timelines scenarios.
Improved clarity of Timelines mission descriptions.
Improved sequence of early Timelines scenarios for better first time player experience.
Improved transition between Timelines scenarios by not closing scenario selection menu when returning from scenario unless required by story.
Improved placement of The Recruitment Mission Timelines scenario in Mission Interface to be more immediately noticeable.
Improved The Recruitment Mission Timelines scenario cutscene to show prison guard being affected by Impedence Bubble.
Improved flow and difficulty level of Impeded Extraction Timelines scenario.
Improved finale of Battle of Omicron Lyrae Timelines scenario with special music.
Improved balancing and weapon loadout of Sapporo.
Improved combat movement of capital ships armed only with turrets and fighting very large, slow targets.
Improved combat behavior of fighters when set to attack surface elements when player not present.
Improved combat behavior of fighters armed with guided missiles or torpedos.
Improved lasertower behavior against capital ships.
Improved speed of ships docking on carriers.
Improved mining behavior when player present.
Improved Crew Transfer menu if one or both ships do not have captain.
Improved notification text when travel mode is disrupted by external factors.
Improved unnecessarily cut-off texts in Modifications menu under certain circumstances.
Improved readability of text while moving or rotating in station editor.
Improved visibility of subtitles by making background more opaque.
Improved UI scale range to allow maximum of 1.8.
Improved Terran Meson Stream weapon by adding small gimbal.
Improved engine glow on some missiles.
Improved performance of explosion effects.
Improved low quality shadow option.
Fixed Frontier equipment not being available in Creative Custom Gamestart.
Fixed Escort Position being too far away from HQ if superhighway entry is present in Timelines Epilogue story.
Fixed reward notifications disappearing too quickly after playing certain Timelines missions.
Fixed reputation recovery mechanism in Timelines trading scenarios to allow docking if player accidentally falls below threshold.
Fixed Zeus drifting in second Timelines racing scenario.
Fixed player ship crashing into obstacles in Timelines racing scenario outro cutscene.
Fixed player being able to fly before race starts in Timelines racing scenario.
Fixed non-localised text in Timelines racing scenarios.
Fixed announcer in 17th Getsu Fune Asteroid Smasher Showdown Timelines scenario being unable to count to 50.
Fixed being unable to complete President's End Timelines scenario if Jump Gate selection menu closed by player.
Fixed score in Mine Your Own Business Timelines scenario not taking into account player's surviving ships.
Fixed unreasonably high leader board scores in Teladi Trading Try-Outs Timelines scenario.
Fixed enemy ships shooting at player when docked to trade in Frontline Dealings Timelines scenario.
Fixed Kaori sometimes giving inappropriate reply in The Recruitment Mission Timelines scenario.
Fixed credits not being subtracted from player account when buying Dart in Open Universe.
Fixed clone of Axiom appearing under Personnel Management in prison gamestart.
Fixed extreme reputation change during missions such as VIG storyline resulting in promotion ceremony needing to be performed again.
Fixed war and storyline missions to use new Behemoth and Phoenix ships.
Fixed Boron storyline blocked during BoFu delivery.
Fixed player being able to complete Trading Lessons mission in Avarice story by selling to themselves.
Fixed player wrongly receiving email to search for Boso Ta signal leak with Kingdom End active.
Fixed Scan Ship missions sometimes asking player to scan lasertower.
Fixed Find Resources missions offered by guilds not showing search radius.
Fixed large supply missions being offered with factions that have no trade offers.
Fixed being able to sell ships to Quettanauts faction.
Fixed strange guidance movement for crates dropped during find object missions.
Fixed capital ships in fleets with fleet auxiliary ships going in for repairs while in combat.
Fixed ships spiraling indefinitely when docking at resupply ships.
Fixed ships indefinitely running into station modules.
Fixed ships having travel mode enabled after undocking.
Fixed ships sometimes automatically docking again immediately after undocking under certain circumstances.
Fixed capital ships sometimes not firing at Attack order target.
Fixed shields and turrets on station modules not being shielded initially.
Fixed cargo drops sometimes spawning inside stations.
Fixed promoted subordinates which had Mimic assignment not inheriting old commander's default behavior on commander death.
Fixed NPCs sometimes taking exceptionally long time to appear on Boron dock areas.
Fixed Antigone station modules not being available in Station Design Simulator.
Fixed build modules in Logical Station Overview being in random order.
Fixed different order of turret groups in Ship Configuration menus under certain circumstances.
Fixed repair option in Ship Upgrade menu not being available under certain circumstances.
Fixed attached boarding pods still being listed in property list.
Fixed HUD satellite icons not indicating active status.
Fixed invisible UI when game is paused before loading finishes.
Fixed missing guidance UI when enabling guidance towards superhighway entry gate or unknown jump gate.
Fixed positioning of docking UI in external view.
Fixed target problems when using External Target View on far away objects.
Fixed signal leak indicator position with non-default FOV.
Fixed inconsistent message ticker position while docked.
Fixed ticker messages sometimes disappearing too quickly.
Fixed stuck radial menu under certain circumstances.
Fixed Interact menu revealing undiscovered information about NPCs.
Fixed message about no captain being assigned to nil in Crew Transfer menu.
Fixed left-over crew member entries in Crew Information menu under certain circumstances.
Fixed missing buttons in Crew Transfer menu under certain circumstances.
Fixed incorrect Stop Travel Drive option in Ship Interactions menu under certain circumstances.
Fixed mining equipment warning not working when buying capital mining ships.
Fixed missing menu title in Input Profile menus.
Fixed issues with sliders in trade context menu.
Fixed top level menu playing UI sounds.
Fixed menu artefacts when starting Timelines scenario under certain circumstances.
Fixed cases of wrong save being loaded on quickload or when finishing tutorial.
Fixed unnecessary warning of restart being needed when restoring settings to default.
Fixed not being able to use elevator in Porpoise (Mineral).
Fixed not being able to reach pilot chair in Plutus (Mineral).
Fixed incorrectly oriented turrets on Odachi.
Fixed muzzle effects for beam weapons sometimes outlasting actual beam.
Fixed muzzle effects for beam weapons sometimes remaining active on wrecks.
Fixed ramp of Hydra and Hydra regal flickering erratically when docked.
Fixed various flickering and incorrectly moving animated parts.
Fixed missing wreck geometry for various ships.
Fixed lack of detail on wreck of S Plasma Cannon Mk2.
Fixed swapped azimuth/elevation for Terran S/M weapons.
Fixed floating drinks and disconnected lights in Astrid.
Fixed animation of disgruntled roulette players.
Fixed thin geometry blocking spacesuit dock in Cutlass.
Fixed pilots being unable to walk to rear cabin of Odachi.
Fixed being able to select turrets of Odachi.
Fixed paint mods not affecting entire hull of Odachi.
Fixed some parts of Xperimental Shuttle not being visible in menus.
Fixed floating geometry detail on Colossus E.
Fixed missing geometry and incorrect light colour on bridge of Sapporo.
Fixed missing collision in Argon L bridge.
Fixed missing collision in crew common room.
Fixed rare case of stations not having collisions.
Fixed exitcode 239 error on launch with some AMD graphics cards and newer drivers.
Fixed several causes of crashes.

Jun 21, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions relating to the X4: Timelines release

X4: Foundations - belgoray

Dear X4 players,

Thank you for purchasing X4: Timelines and for sharing your feedback about this new expansion, whether in the form of Steam reviews or in the various comment sections of our communication platforms.

We are pleased to note that the free 7.00 update for X4: Foundations has been well received, and we continue to believe in our strategy of improving and expanding the base game with large, free updates. Your purchase of expansions supports us in this endeavour.

In response to the feedback on X4: Timelines, we've selected a few frequently asked questions that we would like to respond to here.

Q: Enough with the secrecy! What does Timelines bring to my X4 sandbox/my X4 open universe?

Each Timelines mission description indicates whether it unlocks something, and explains what you need to do to obtain it (this just involves completing the mission with at least a 1-star rating). It also tells you where in the sandbox you'll find the unlocked ships or sectors, so that you can head over to your current Open Universe game and grab them.

In addition to mission-specific unlocks, there's also a significant additional reward when you complete the story in the Timelines Facility. To complete this story, you'll need to talk to characters (the ones in yellow clothing), witness story scenes, and explore the Facility separately from the missions.

The sandbox content can also be unlocked through custom game starts. The "budgeted" custom game start requires you to have completed the Timelines story at least once, similar to other story-based unlocks in previous X4 expansions. The "creative" custom gamestart, which marks your game as modified, gives you access to all of the unlocks even without completing the story.

Below is the much-requested complete list of specific items that you can be rewarded with in your X4 sandbox as part of X4: Timelines:

Ships

S Ships:

Elite Sport (a well balanced racing ship) + limited ship and equipment blueprint research + paint mod - unlocked by nodus "Asteroid Dash"
Theseus Sport (this heavy beast is fast on the straight, furious in the corners) + limited ship and equipment blueprint research + paint mod - unlocked by nodus "Station Circuit"
Kestrel Sport (this racer keeps going when other racers do not finish) + limited ship and equipment blueprint research + paint mod - unlocked by nodus "Spaceport Stride"
Dart (an unreasonably fast racer for the reckless, which pilots with a stronger sense of self-preservation may prefer to keep as a trophy) + limited blueprint + paint mod - unlocked by X4: Timelines storyline
Cutlass (this dependable, classic Terran fighter takes you all the way back to 2146) + ship and equipment blueprint research + paint mod - unlocked by nodus "Signal Strength"
X-perimental Shuttle (they don't make 'em like that anymore) + limited blueprint + paint mod - unlocked by X4: Timelines storyline
Xenon F (with 4 guns, this heavy fighter is twice as scary as any previous small Xenon ship) + paint mod - unlocked by nodus "Impeded Extraction"

M Ships:

Odachi (an uncompromising but beautiful ship that set the bar for Terran corvettes for centuries to come) + ship and equipment blueprint research + paint mod - unlocked by the graph 6 terminus "Flight of the Dragonfyre"
Xenon B (this barbarian among corvettes sacrifices shields and turrets to go all-in on powerful, fixed guns) + paint mod - unlocked by the graph 2 terminus "Attack on Antigone"

L Ships:

Sapporo (originally a sturdy Terran deep-space explorer, later refit to fill in as a nimble light destroyer and saviour of humanity) + ship and equipment blueprint research + paint mod - unlocked by the graph 6 terminus "Flight of the Dragonfyre"
Xenon H (compared to its slightly larger siblings in the K class, this destroyer has noticeably better turret coverage leaving it with virtually no unprotected angles - this is your chance to claim and own an historic Xenon capital ship!) + paint mod - unlocked by the graph 1 terminus "The Fade"

Systems

Hatikvah's Faith (unlocked by graph 3 terminus "Brennan's Trial")
Nopileos' Memorial (unlocked by graph 3 terminus "Brennan's Trial")
Matrix #101 (unlocked by graph 3 terminus "Brennan's Trial")
President's End (unlocked by graph 4 terminus "President's End")
Mitsuno’s Revelation (unlocked by X4: Timelines storyline)
Mitsuno’s Defiance (unlocked by X4: Timelines storyline)
Mitsuno’s Sacrifice (unlocked by X4: Timelines storyline)

Points of Interest

SCA Free Port, a special trader that has a chance to sell wares that are otherwise only available from drops (Nopileos' Memorial)
Xenon M0 wreck (Matrix #101)
Kha'ak Obliterator wreck, with Memento Mori station (President's End)

Faction

QUE – The Quettanauts make their home in Mitsuno’s systems, and trade using a new barter-based economy mechanic. They are at war with Xenon, Kha'ak, SCA and Yaki.

Q: Is X4: Timelines really just a series of unrelated missions with leaderboards?

X4: Timelines tells a new overarching story that progresses through its missions. However, it also requires you to explore the Facility and interact with NPCs, or sometimes overhear conversations between NPCs, between or after missions. We very much encourage you to do this!

Completing the overarching story in X4: Timelines also unlocks an epilogue to that story. You'll find this epilogue in your regular X4 sandbox game, and your aquatic friend Boso Ta will assist you here if you cannot find the start of the epilogue yourself. Playing this epilogue in the X4 sandbox unlocks, among other things, the X-perimental Shuttle and Dart ships.

Q: What is there to do in X4: Timelines that is interesting for seasoned X4 players?

Missions in X4: Timelines offer gameplay activities and risky situations that players might typically not experience, or not even know about, in their open-universe game. The available scenarios also provide a "quick fix" of X4 for players who may not always have time to play a lengthy session, or to worry about the impact of what they do on their Open Universe savegame. This makes them great for experimenting and improving skills, and can even serve as additional tutorials for core X4 gameplay activities.

Q: Why is X4: Timelines so difficult?

There seems to be some confusion about the difficulty levels and the resulting star ratings when completing a Nodus. Achieving 2 or 3 stars is already a good result. It is never mandatory to earn 5 stars. While a 5-star rating is possible, it is sometimes very challenging or requires a unique trick or strategy. You do NOT need 5-star results anywhere to progress in the game or unlock anything!

Additionally, the story of the Timelines Facility revolves around the enigmatic "higher-ups" and their intentions. They send you on missions (Nodus) that are "technically unwinnable". These might be historically significant moments where different outcomes were possible, and while you CAN make a difference, your side may still ultimately fail. The "higher-ups" assign the score, after all. By following the story, talking to NPCs in the Facility in between playing the missions, you will ultimately learn more about the intentions of the "higher-ups".

Finally, there are secretly "hacked" scenarios with special connections to each other that initially seem impossible to complete with multiple stars. Only later will you discover other factors that can help you achieve a higher score even in these scenarios.

Q: How has the development of X4: Timelines and the 7.00 update contributed to the overall improvement of the Open Universe experience in X4?

The endless possibilities and permutations of the Open Universe are still at the core of X4. Improving that experience is , of course, an ever-ongoing effort. However, watching various different types of players hammer away at specific, repeatable, isolated gameplay loops in Timelines scenarios helps us tremendously with improving those aspects of the game.

The development of Timelines has encouraged us to place more focus on the second-to-second and minute-to-minute gameplay than ever before. The myriad of fixes and refinements to sound and visuals, missiles, turrets, AI navigation and docking, the camera, and many, many other systems will add value to the game that will be of great benefit to all players.

The vastness of space can be scary. It is dear to our hearts that Timelines and the 7.00 update help to make the first couple of hours a little less daunting for new X4 players, while at the same time making space more vast and scary for our increasing number of X4 veterans.

Q: Is this where you’ll be taking X4 in the future?

Put simply, no, this is not the direction in which we're planning to take the game more generally.

We see plenty of positive feedback about our massive, free 7.00 update. While recognizing the criticism of the Timelines structure, we would like to point out that the one would not exist without the other. These are two sides of the same development process; all the development effort that we put into creating one also improves the other. Yes, the main structure of the X4: Timelines story takes place outside the sandbox, but the effort employed to deliver that also adds directly to your open universe experience and existing pre-7.00 savegames (see list above). As a side-note to this, we also believe that, as with many of the improvements we make to the base game, X4: Timelines has the potential to become an interesting playground for future modding opportunities.

So, with 7.00 and X4: Timelines finally released, we are now keen to discuss with our community how future X4 updates and/or expansions will return to the model of having more of their content take place in the Open Universe. We are confident that our choice to continue making base game updates available for free, and only to charge for new content such as ships, sectors and missions, will allow us to carry on providing the best value for new and veteran players alike.

On that note, we'd like to tease with you a little preview that we hadn't originally plan to discuss publicly yet, but have decided that we should share with you under the circumstances! We are currently in the early planning stages for the next major steps in the evolution of X4, in the form of versions 7.50 and 8.00 (please note that the actual version numbers used here are just placeholders at this point).

Over the past few years, the proportion of our players who enjoy "4X" games, and who have discovered us through that genre, has increased significantly. As a result, several key points on our list of improvements for versions 7.50 and 8.00 are designed to enhance the ability to initiate and control large battles, with a focus on the AI to support that (which is, by the way, something that can also be conveniently developed and tested in some of the more advanced X4: Timelines missions). It’s still too early to go into detail, but rest assured that we will be continuing to work on X4, and that the journey doesn’t end with version 7.00!

Q: I'm experiencing UI issues and/or crashes with X4: Timelines. What should I do?

If you're having this kind of problem, then please start by making sure that you deactivate any third party mods that you may have previously installed. Many mods will need to be updated to be compatible with version 7.00, and you will need to wait for the authors of those mods to indicate that that has been done before installing them alongside the latest version of the game.

After disabling mods, run a full file verification using the Steam/GOG tools to make sure there are no "leftover" mod files, and avoid loading saves that were made while the mods were active. In most cases this will solve any issues you're currently experiencing.

Jun 20, 2024

X4: Foundations 7.00 Update and X4: Timelines now available

X4: Foundations - belgoray

Egosoft is excited to celebrate the release of the highly anticipated, major 7.00 update for X4: Foundations, along with the brand new expansion, X4: Timelines. These updates bring a wealth of new content and enhancements to the acclaimed space simulation sandbox game, offering both veteran players and newcomers an enriched gaming experience.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2700340/X4_Timelines/

Introducing X4: Timelines

IMMERSIVE SCENARIOS AND UNIQUE UNLOCKS

Embedded in a new X4: Timelines storyline, you'll find a wide range of scenarios in which you will experience the many different aspects of X4 gameplay. Playing these scenarios will also unlock new missions within the X4: Timelines storyline, and bonuses for your wider X4 sandbox universe - among them reimagined, classic ships from X universe history.

MYSTERIOUS NEW STORYLINE

You'll take on the role of Harper Donel, a trader in the border territories, who is not averse to risky deals. A fateful encounter not only changes your short-term plans, but shakes the foundations of your understanding of the universe, and everyone in it. Prepare to be immersed in a tale of intrigue and revelation.

X4: Timelines is more than just an expansion; it's a revolution in the X4 universe. Whether you're a seasoned space explorer or a newcomer to the galaxy, this thrilling new chapter promises to captivate you with its blend of mystery, adventure, and strategic gameplay.

Update 7.00 - Elevating Your Space Experience

(Please check out the complete changelog in our forum.)

With the latest update to X4: Foundations, players are invited to experience the most comprehensive evolution of the game yet, with enhancements spanning content, gameplay mechanics, usability, accessibility, and technical performance. This new chapter introduces a series of transformative updates and features designed to deepen the immersive experience of exploring the vast reaches of space, engaging in dynamic encounters, and navigating the intricate economies and political landscapes of the X4 universe.

A Wide Range of New Content

The universe of X4: Foundations grows more intricate and vibrant with the introduction of reimagined Teladi and Argon Capital Ships. These iconic vessels have been meticulously overhauled, featuring designs that add a new layer of depth and intrigue to space encounters. As commanders take the helm of these majestic ships, they'll find each battle and exploration endeavour imbued with a renewed sense of awe and strategy.

The expansion of the universe also introduces players to new sectors and landmarks, beckoning them to venture into previously uncharted regions. These fresh discoveries promise to expand horizons and opportunities, offering new adventures and mysteries waiting to be unraveled. Complementing this expansion is the introduction of race-specific managers' offices, providing a unique cultural insight into the various factions populating the universe, and allowing players to further personalise their spacefaring experience. See the cosmos like never before with the new Observation Deck module, offering breathtaking views of the universe from the comfort of your space station.

New and Redesigned Xenon Ships

The 7.00 update will introduce several new ships to the universe, and we want to highlight a very special addition. We're thrilled to reveal the awe-inspiring, redesigned Xenon models PE and SE, which will gradually replace their previous models (P and S) in the open universe, just as the redesigned capital ships did back in 5.00.

Equally exciting is the debut of several Terraformer ships. These ships delve into the legacy of X: Beyond the Frontier (1999) to celebrate this year's 25th anniversary of the X series. These new models, reminiscent of their predecessors, can be encountered in the open universe. Get ready to explore these unique designs!

Flyable Xenon Ships for the First Time in X4

Hold on to your pilot seats, because there's more! With the 7.00 update, we are enabling you to actually fly selected Xenon ships. Both the redesigned Xenon models (PE, SE) and the new Terraformer models introduced in 7.00 can be boarded and flown, just like any other ship in your X4 fleet. Get on board to discover how they've been adapted for you to take control, offering a whole new perspective on the X universe.

Gameplay Innovations

In addition to all this new content, the 7.00 update also includes significant gameplay enhancements, such as the introduction of the "Existential Crisis" endgame challenge for veterans. This daunting confrontation pits players against a faction that spares no effort in its aggression, offering a thrilling new dimension of strategy and resilience.

A fundamentally improved and more intuitive external camera system also debuts, enhancing the way players view, and more importantly, interact with the universe, almost making it feel like a new game. Alongside this, AI improvements across the board make for a more dynamic and realistic universe. Ships now utilise Travel Mode more effectively, enter and exit it with greater consistency, and exhibit improved navigation through jump gates and in combat situations. These enhancements are complemented by reworked and expanded tutorials, ensuring both new and veteran players can fully engage with, and understand, the depth of the game's mechanics.

Usability and Accessibility Focus

With an emphasis on making the game more accessible and enjoyable for all, this update introduces enhanced button remapping and ready-made control profiles to match your steering needs in space. It also provides an FOV slider and new options for colour-blind players with customisable UI colours. Additionally, the update brings audio and text feedback for various actions to further assist players in understanding the game dynamics and making informed decisions. Furthermore, a reduced speed mode has been introduced for those who find the pace of the action a bit too hectic, allowing for a more controlled and leisurely gameplay experience. These features are designed to offer players the flexibility to tailor their gameplay experience to their preferences and needs.

The introduction of Visual Enhancement Goggles that let you zoom in on the action, along with a customisable radial menu for quick access to in-game actions, and reworked shaders in scan mode, further enriches player interaction and immersion. These improvements ensure players have the tools they need to navigate the complexities of space warfare and exploration with confidence.

Technical Advancements

At the core of the update are the significant technical enhancements made to the XTECH 5 Engine, delivering smoother and more stable gameplay. Players will notice the difference these improvements make, among them the temporal anti-aliasing that brings crisp visuals and the enhanced shadows that add depth and realism to the universe.

Updated Bundles

With the release of X4: Timelines, the X4: Community of Planets bundles on Steam have been updated to include the new expansion. Existing players can take advantage of the "complete your bundle" feature on Steam to receive a discount when purchasing X4: Timelines.

>> X4: Community of Planets Edition
>> X4: Community of Planets Collector's Edition

A Special Thank You to Our Community

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our dedicated players for their unwavering support over the years, and especially during the beta tests that have helped us enormously in the run-up to this day. Without you, none of this would be possible. We hope that you enjoy what we've been working very hard on over the past year, and can't wait to read your feedback. X4 is stronger than ever, and we couldn't be more excited to have reached this milestone. Your passion and commitment inspire us every day, and we are immensely grateful to have such a fantastic community.

7.00 Changelog

(This is an excerpt. Please check out the complete changelog in our forum.)

New Feature: Reimagined Teladi and Argon capital ships.
New Feature: Redesigned Xenon PE and SE ships.
New Feature: Flyable Xenon ships (selected ships only).
New Feature: Historic Terraformer ships.
New Feature: Observation Deck module for stations.
New Feature: Additional sectors and landmarks.
New Feature: Race-specific managers' offices.
New Feature: Improved AI.
New Feature: Reworked, improved and expanded tutorials.
New Feature: Late-game crisis for advanced players.
New Feature: Customisable radial menu for quick access to actions.
New Feature: Extended input mapping options.
New Feature: Enhanced external camera system.
New Feature: Visual Enhancement Goggles.
New Feature: Improved explosion effects.
New Feature: FOV slider.
New Feature: TAA support.
New Feature: Enhanced shadows.
New Feature: New accessibility options.
Added advice message for first-time players.
Added gamestart recommendations for new players.
Added Wayward Scion gamestart.
Added guidance to new HQ location when player scans old HQ plot signal leak with Kingdom End active.
Added more skilled marines to newly created Terran Asgard ships.
Added option to override ware baskets of subordinates with trade assignments.
Added indication of critical wares to AutoTrade default behaviour.
Added possibility to skip conversation lines in interactive dialogues with Space key.
Added option to choose default camera when piloting ships.
Added possibility to customise external camera position per ship model.
Added means to rescue people who are stranded in space suits, with options for player to request rescue.
Added crew bailing out of player-owned ships that are destroyed.
Added player character to list of things Live Stream camera can showcase.
Added auto-targeting of next hostile or next surface element on destruction of current target.
Added target type identification voice feedback for surface elements.
Added visual effect when hovering over HUD target elements.
Added icons to Data Vaults to indicate unlock progress.
Added icon on Map for orphaned build storages with wares to sell.
Added option to select order sector parameter by clicking on Map.
Added cover status information to message ticker.
Added player character portraits to New Game menu.
Added weapon and turret range of ships to Object Information menu.
Added wrecked equipment in Object Loadout menu.
Added full equipment and module names to mouse-over texts in Ship and Station Configuration menus.
Added number of available missiles or bombs in Ship Interactions and Ship Loadout menus.
Added new weapon modes and renamed some old weapon modes for clarity.
Added faction filter to Station Configuration menu shuffle function.
Added lock range, lock time and resilience against countermeasures to missiles in Encyclopedia.
Added link to Encyclopedia in Ship Information menu, and in Module context menu in Station Build menu.
Added full module names to search in Station Build menu.
Added visual hint to indicate which categories contain searched items in Station Build menu.
Added checks for missing equipment blueprints to construction plan selection in Station Build menu.
Added confirmation dialog when deleting Construction Plans.
Added separate default options for Global Standing Orders for military ships.
Added option to disable transform gizmo in Station Build menu.
Added ability to show external target view for ships in highways.
Added ability to move orders immediately to start/end of order queue in Object Behaviour menu.
Added information about automatically calculated buy amount to Station Overview resource boxes.
Added fleet and sector names to Map menu searches, and provided suggestion box.
Added skip buttons to sliders in menus to immediately set them to their limit.
Added ticker history to Logbook.
Added ability to select options in dropdowns by typing.
Added mouse-over texts explaining mission difficulties.
Added Interact menu of station or ship when interacting with surface elements.
Added Deposit Inventory order for multiple selected ships.
Added reset buttons to Global Standing Orders menu.
Added option to mark Build Storages as hostile.
Added mission arrow to HUD for multiple mission targets that are close together.
Added shield bar animation when receiving damage or boosting.
Added wiggle animation to hull and shield bar when being attacked.
Added visualisation for projected weapon heat after next shot.
Added up-arrow button above tab icons to close top level menu and hide icons.
Added warning about removing unavailable equipment when applying presets in Ship Configuration menu.
Added warnings about missing military or mining equipment to Ship Configuration menu.
Added warning when removing last controller input from certain important menu navigation controls.
Added support for customisation of keyboard modifiers and remapping of Shift and Ctrl keys.
Added feedback for input actions.
Added Numpad-5 as an additional input to reset map view.
Added wider range of ready-made input profiles.
Added new default profiles for various joysticks.
Added new default controller profile.
Added option to delete input profiles.
Added Menu Width Scale option to adjust menu widths in, e.g. multi-monitor setups.
Added HUD scaling.
Added docking UI in external view.
Added glow option for UI.
Added colour-blind options to accessibility settings.
Added Reduced Speed Mode accessibility option.
Added flickering of lights in rooms when ship or station is taking heavy damage.
Added low shadow quality setting.
Added more achievements.
Changed placement of station target elements to be in visual center of stations.
Changed appearance of mission targets that are relative to objects.
Changed target speed display to use more appropriate units.
Changed option to reset Global Standing Order responses for all ships to be on dedicated button.
Changed Object List and Property Owned menus to show stations under construction in same way as station entries.
Changed order of Dock Areas in station elevator menu to prioritise current location and ship dealerships.
Changed Map menu trade ware and storage type filter from being persistent per player/account to being persistent per save.
Changed discovered Data Vault icons to remain on Map even outside of live view.
Changed Laser Towers to show up as "ping" on map after long range scan.
Changed messages in ticker to no longer disappear while game is paused.
Changed faction colours to be more distinct.
Changed colour of collectable HUD elements that cannot currently be collected.
Changed hull bar colour in Map and radar from green to white to match HUD representation.
Changed missile reload bar to animate from full to empty.
Changed white flash effect when opening menu to more subtle colour.
Changed SSAO quality settings and added Ultra option.
Removed chance for fighters to deploy mines in dogfights.
Removed names of landmarks from target element.
Removed interaction icons for NPCs that are not current target.
Removed option to minimize Map menu.
Removed mouse HUD mode.
Improved ending of Combat Scenario to be less confusing.
Improved Hatikvah mission objective to indicate requirement to place 2 explosive charges during station sabotage section.
Improved strength of Xenon fleet in Mutually Assured Destruction mission.
Improved Find Resources mission to have more variation and to take into account new resource regions.
Improved station selection for Gride's delivery station in Paranid story.
Improved scanning mission to verify that opposing faction matches that given in briefing.
Improved mission to track ship to abort if target was destroyed before accepting mission offer.
Improved balancing of mineral and gas region yields across whole map.
Improved balancing of drop rates, types and amounts for ships and lockboxes.
Improved balancing of seminar prices to match equivalent NPC hiring fees.
Improved balancing of stellar output across all systems to match stars and locations.
Improved balancing of storage volume for S and M storage modules.
Improved ware allocation for wharfs, shipyards and equipment docks.
Improved quantity and locations of Xenon Defence Stations (in new games only).
Improved fleet composition of Terran Protectorate.
Improved spacesuit manoeuvrability.
Improved character appearance when moving and performing certain activities.
Improved mission guidance and NPC pathfinding in large walkable areas.
Improved presentation of NPCs greeting passers-by in certain situations.
Improved behaviour of collisions between capital and S/M sized ships.
Improved tolerance of turret friendly fire between player and non-player factions.
Improved friendly fire handling between non-player factions.
Improved flee behaviour of S or M ships under attack by capital ships or stations.
Improved boarding pod launch velocity.
Improved accuracy of weapon aim prediction.
Improved auto-aim targeting on engines, shields and turrets.
Improved docking of spacesuits on S and M sized ships.
Improved behaviour of missiles targeting stations.
Improved flight behaviour of guided missiles and accuracy against certain targets.
Improved missile hit detection.
Improved docking guidance.
Improved precision of target guidance in space.
Improved automatic collision avoidance for player ship when near moving objects.
Improved AI flight by not interrupting travel mode due to small course changes.
Improved AI flight while moving to jump gates.
Improved capital ship movement when approaching and exiting gates, accelerators and highways.
Improved capital ship combat movement against large targets.
Improved ships unnecessarily dropping out of travel drive when flying in formation.
Improved boosting without flight assist to no longer set throttle to zero.
Improved undocking behaviour of S/M ships on stations such as Teladi Trading Station.
Improved high speed carrier undocking.
Improved combat behaviour of missile-armed fighters attacking large targets.
Improved combat approach for capital ships attacking very large, very slow or immobile targets.
Improved some cases where weapons fire with no chance of hitting target.
Improved turret behaviour to allow slow heavy-hitting turrets to target smaller/faster enemies if there are no more suitable targets.
Improved boost usage of ships in fleets that are traversing jump gate to attack.
Improved capital ships approaching gates prior to sector transition.
Improved fleet gate traversal to sectors with hazardous regions.
Improved manoeuvring capability of tugs while towing scrap cubes or wrecks.
Improved ships with very low strafe speeds flown by very bad pilots sometimes appearing not to move at all.
Improved long-distance movement to moving objects.
Improved gate transition for very long NPC ships.
Improved ships with mining orders avoiding asteroids they are not currently targeting.
Improved free traders finding trades when operating over multiple sectors.
Improved miner decision-making involving mining in distant sectors which are contested by hostile factions.
Improved manual mining order for solid resources.
Improved manual mining order when cargo is already full.
Improved reliability of capital ships getting supplies.
Improved reliability of construction ships building stations in owned faction space.
Improved repair and resupply for ships with repeating orders.
Improved repair and resupply by allowing player-owned ships to use player-owned equipment docks, wharfs and shipyards.
Improved damage calculations for certain weapons when player not nearby.
Improved response to being boarded.
Improved price balancing for several MK2 weapons.
Improved voice feedback for repeated target selection.
Improved fighter pursuit of very fast, large targets.
Improved fighter pursuit of targets when player not nearby.
Improved Flee order, particularly when fleeing from ships attacking head-on.
Improved Flee behaviour when fleeing ship was moving rapidly to distant destination prior to fleeing.
Improved drone launching and recovery at ships with launch tubes.
Improved behaviour of NPC ships regaining lost subordinates.
Improved reliability of carrier-based fleet subordinates.
Improved subordinates with Mimic to inherit commander's default behaviour when promoted if commander is destroyed.
Improved fight-or-flight decision making for subordinates in fleet with Carrier or Fleet Auxiliary Ship in combat.
Improved stations set to sell excess resources in logical overview to no longer reduce automatic buy amount.
Improved station-based trader handling of ware shortages.
Improved redistribution of NPC military ships from long-standing quiet areas to potentially troubled ones.
Improved delivery of scrap to processing modules.
Improved order to deploy satellites to show radar range of satellite before deployment.
Improved messages for stations reporting friendly ships being attacked close to station.
Improved relation penalty on issuing attack order so that penalty is removed if attack order is cancelled before shooting has started.
Improved station deconstruction by transferring remaining cargo to build storage.
Improved Station Design Simulator environment.
Improved Live Stream view target selection logic.
Improved ticker message when picking up crates or asteroid chunks.
Improved selectability of small target elements in HUD.
Improved look and feel of mouse interactions in space and on radar.
Improved map zoom level range to allow it to show whole map.
Improved visuals of communication channel video feed.
Improved display of effective countermeasure resilience for missiles in encyclopedia.
Improved Controls settings menu layout.
Improved mapping of mouse buttons and mouse movement with Shift/Ctrl modifiers.
Improved support for joysticks with more than 32 buttons (up to 64 buttons per device supported).
Improved colours of exclusion zones and building lot bounds in station design menu.
Improved conflicting controls popup when remapping is not possible.
Improved range of control mapping options.
Improved support for DualShock and DualSense controllers.
Improved performance of Player Info menu under certain circumstances.
Improved black beard for human characters.
Improved cockpit visuals for Irukandji.
Improved historical accuracy of broken Terran jump gate model.
Improved presentation of loadout editor for Boron ships.
Improved structure of Options menu.
Improved visuals for Thermal Disintegrator bullets.
Improved rendering distance of Kha'ak Defence Platform.
Improved Kha'ak muzzle effect timing and appearance when viewed from far away.
Improved detail on wall of Terran 4M10S Luxury Dock Area.
Improved data leak visuals.
Improved appearance of stardust effect.
Improved lighting in Station and Ship Loadout menus.
Improved flickering of object lights when transitioning between functional and non-functional.
Improved UI colour differentiation between Realm of the Trinity and Kha'ak factions.
Improved clarity of icons representing obstructed enemies.
Improved icons for various ship types.
Improved visuals for scan mode.
Improved visibility of mining nodes on nearby asteroids.
Improved consistency of glow with different anti-aliasing and upscaling modes.
Improved readability of weapon heat bar on bright backgrounds.
Fixed some pirates not being active in Kingdom End expansion sectors when gate opens.
Fixed missing default paint theme when at high reputation with Queendom of Boron.
Fixed Leda We being placed in same spot as Boron marine in The High Road mission.
Fixed Godrealm of the Paranid and Holy Order of the Pontifex being present in some Split sectors after Paranid unification.
Fixed Boron story sometimes getting stuck if Boron Shipyard is destroyed.
Fixed A Matter of the Utmost Gravity mission getting stuck if conversation with Kromancketslat's lieutenant is interrupted by opening Map.
Fixed Trinity faction not able to rebuild wharfs, shipyards and other major stations.
Fixed stereo audio issues in some cutscenes of Boron story.
Fixed incorrect countdown in Casino welfare module research time trial.
Fixed E model Paranid capital ships not being used in Paranid story.
Fixed Covert Operations story sometimes getting stuck between Buy Plot and Build Station phases in Operation Hyena.
Fixed HQ-related achievements not being unlocked in some storylines.
Fixed speech being cut short in Rescue Ship generic mission.
Fixed being unable to dock due to reputation loss if player attacks Gride's ship when it loses cover during Paranid story.
Fixed cipher ship vulnerability in Paranid story.
Fixed Gride talking about toolbox when the Paranid story already progressed past that stage.
Fixed story missions requesting player to deliver resources becoming blocked under certain circumstances.
Fixed passenger transport mission sometimes asking to pick up passenger from invalid location.
Fixed Dal Busta not being available to talk to continue Hatikvah story.
Fixed hidden mission objectives getting prominent target elements under certain circumstances.
Fixed potential freeze during Blazing the Trail mission.
Fixed stuck data heist mission of Covert Operations story.
Fixed items spawned from container in Find Object mission disappearing when player flies away.
Fixed Trade Subscription mission characters sometimes appearing behind counter in trade corner.
Fixed being unable to complete Northriver story if enemy with Teladi because basic engine research cannot be completed.
Fixed Ace just responding with same sentence when spoken to in High-Tech Hold-Up mission of Criminal story.
Fixed Ace talking when scanning ship after heist part of Criminal storyline already completed.
Fixed damage fields in Torus Aeternal.
Fixed mission-only module blueprints being unlocked in Station Design Simulator.
Fixed missing animations when selecting New Game under certain circumstances.
Fixed autopilot being active after teleporting to ship.
Fixed characters speaking to player sometimes looking in wrong direction.
Fixed NPCs facing wrong way when using transporter rooms in shops on dock areas.
Fixed reassigned pilots getting stuck leaving Boron ships when player not present.
Fixed ships not using travel mode when ordered to attack target in distant sector.
Fixed several situations where ships could fly through station or carrier while docking.
Fixed dock assignment and ship hologram persisting when stopping control.
Fixed various issues with retrieving ships from internal storage.
Fixed various issues with player docking requests.
Fixed NPC subordinates sometimes docking indefinitely.
Fixed some pilots finding it hard to land on Boron Wharfs.
Fixed Mk2 Laser Towers getting stuck in docking bay on launch.
Fixed player-owned police ships continuing to police old sector after player loses control of all sectors.
Fixed free traders sometimes not finding trades, particularly when only working with one ware.
Fixed ships sometimes reporting failed trade orders despite successfully completing trade.
Fixed capital ships sometimes repeatedly trying to trade with stations they cannot dock at.
Fixed frigates, destroyers, and battleships sometimes not launching defence drones when they should.
Fixed transport drones on player's personal capital ship not collecting drops when set to do so.
Fixed frigate-based defence drones sometimes escorting their frigate indefinitely rather than engaging hostiles.
Fixed ships tending to repeatedly switch targets if faced with multiple small targets in close proximity to one another.
Fixed non-capital ships in combat tending to always prefer to target individual ships rather than capital ships or stations.
Fixed NPC ships sometimes unintentionally initiating hostilities against neutral or friendly ships or stations.
Fixed ships performing queued Coordinate Attack orders trying to attack wrecked targets.
Fixed participants in Coordinated Attack pursuing targets to adjacent sectors.
Fixed Attack orders sometimes generating failure messages even if order resulted from automated behaviour.
Fixed fleet subordinates sometimes no longer following commander after commander's pilot having been changed.
Fixed attack subordinates sometimes getting distracted by other targets far from their commander.
Fixed attack subordinates attacking targets other than their commander's without provocation.
Fixed disproportionately large number of Xenon miners getting destroyed outside Xenon space.
Fixed infiltration phase of boarding taking longer with higher-skilled marines.
Fixed ships attacking targets that are being boarded by non-hostile faction.
Fixed ships that are unable to inflict damage potentially deciding to fight in response to attack.
Fixed turrets not shooting at station modules (especially Kha'ak) unless set to Attack my current enemy.
Fixed capital mining ships not firing on asteroids with some turret or drone configurations.
Fixed weapons aiming at target sometimes moving erratically when target is lost.
Fixed capital ships sometimes approaching too closely in combat.
Fixed excessive travel-drive dropouts for small/medium ships during dogfights.
Fixed ships re-engaging in combat after being ordered to disengage or being given a move order.
Fixed Coordinate Attack including subordinate groups that have been set to Docked.
Fixed ships sometimes not considering other ships in front of them and therefore not slowing down.
Fixed ships sometimes spiraling around carriers while trying to dock when player not nearby.
Fixed ships sometimes flying backwards in Travel Mode after changing current orders.
... Please check out the complete changelog in our forum.