Where is the campaign/initial story?

[interax]

Hi all,

I'm a returning player from X;BtF/XT/X2/X3. From memory, all of these had a major storyline that you could follow if you wanted.

With X4, it seems that there is nothing in the way of a campaign/story to get you started like the earlier versions of the game had. Whilst I like a sandbox game once i've got into it and have a direction, I need soemthing to take me on a jjourney in the beginning.

I've started with the young gun start. Have I chosen the wrong start point for a campaign type start?

Thanks.

[Alan Phipps]

In your ship, go and scan (Shift-2 mode) some signal leaks (the sparkly ones) on nearby stations. You might get a strange offer.

[interax]

In your ship, go and scan (Shift-2 mode) some signal leaks (the sparkly ones) on nearby stations. You might get a strange offer.

Thanks. Please excuse me if you think I'm being stupid, but is this in the original sector you start in?

[LameFox]

Unless it changed with the last DLC, I think it should work in the territory of any of the core game factions. Whether you started in one or not depends on what gamestart you chose.

[Nanook]

Just a minor correction: X3 Reunion was the last game with such a storyline. X3TC and X3AP did not have a major plotline to follow. There were a lot of smaller 'quests' you could undertake, (same as X4 now has, mostly provided by each of the DLC's.)

Spoiler

Show

The base game gives you a number of these quests. One is to acquire your personal HQ, another to introduce an NPC that subsequently gives you access to the Paranid plotline (and with a later DLC, the Split plotline).

[interax]

Just a minor correction: X3 Reunion was the last game with such a storyline. X3TC and X3AP did not have a major plotline to follow. There were a lot of smaller 'quests' you could undertake, (same as X4 now has, mostly provided by each of the DLC's.)

Spoiler

Show

The base game gives you a number of these quests. One is to acquire your personal HQ, another to introduce an NPC that subsequently gives you access to the Paranid plotline (and with a later DLC, the Split plotline).

TBH, I think this is a great shame as those story based plotlines, whilst completely optional, were a great way to introduce a new player to the game and is what I feel is the biggest missing piece of the current game. It's one thing I'm looking forward to in Starfield.

The other thing that the old games used to have is great support for joysticks, but this seems to be an afterthought in X4.

[BigBANGtheory]

There are a range of missions that tell stories in X4 once you have the DLCs, there is not an over arching story though.

imho what X4 does well is set the player up with multiple different start scenarios and then gives the sandbox for the player to grow in whatever way they choose, what it lacks imho is missions/stories/objectives later in the game. Yes you could do terraforming or simply choose to start a conflict with a faction but there is no real reason to do so other than supressing the Xenon.

[Scoob]

X4 isn't a "you're the hero, here's your path" type game and, I think, is better for it. You can dip in to certain plot lines, supporting certain factions or activities. That said there is a "core" mission chain that binds a lot of the other stuff together. Things that only appear after certain events / milestones etc. There really is rather a lot of stuff to do mission-wise.

That said, I did like the whole XbtF plot, REALLY liked X2 The Threat back when the Kha'ak were SCARY, before the nerf patch. I think with "you're the hero" type plots though there's very much a "I've beaten the game" moment once that final mission is done. Considering X-Games sandbox nature, this is a little odd.

I think the addition of a late-game, player-triggered plot where there's some new big-bad and the player has to leverage ALL their assets to combat it might be cool. I recall Litcubes mod with the more advance Xenon steadily taking sectors and they TOTALLY, UTTERLY and HUMILIATINGLY out-classed anything the Factions could field. Just slowing them down was a huge achievement.

Personally, I'd like to see the Kha'ak come back in force. Having a serious enough threat that the Factions stop their squabbling and actually unite would be dead cool. Some plot line to open a gate to their sectors, leading to all-out war. Stuff like this needed to be opt-in via a mission choice though. I get people who like a more peaceful universe so they can continue to build.

I think a "The Threat" DLC as a homage to X2 the Threat would be dead cool... Give us more Kha'ak variations, more Kha'ak stations, more unique sectors etc.

[interax]

X4 isn't a "you're the hero, here's your path" type game and, I think, is better for it. You can dip in to certain plot lines, supporting certain factions or activities. That said there is a "core" mission chain that binds a lot of the other stuff together. Things that only appear after certain events / milestones etc. There really is rather a lot of stuff to do mission-wise.

That said, I did like the whole XbtF plot, REALLY liked X2 The Threat back when the Kha'ak were SCARY, before the nerf patch. I think with "you're the hero" type plots though there's very much a "I've beaten the game" moment once that final mission is done. Considering X-Games sandbox nature, this is a little odd.

I think the addition of a late-game, player-triggered plot where there's some new big-bad and the player has to leverage ALL their assets to combat it might be cool. I recall Litcubes mod with the more advance Xenon steadily taking sectors and they TOTALLY, UTTERLY and HUMILIATINGLY out-classed anything the Factions could field. Just slowing them down was a huge achievement.

Personally, I'd like to see the Kha'ak come back in force. Having a serious enough threat that the Factions stop their squabbling and actually unite would be dead cool. Some plot line to open a gate to their sectors, leading to all-out war. Stuff like this needed to be opt-in via a mission choice though. I get people who like a more peaceful universe so they can continue to build.

I think a "The Threat" DLC as a homage to X2 the Threat would be dead cool... Give us more Kha'ak variations, more Kha'ak stations, more unique sectors etc.

You say there's a 'core mission chain that binds...' So far I've not come across anything that seems to link any missions together. Maybe I'm just being blind, but I can't see anything like a thread to link any of the missions together.

[Scoob]

You say there's a 'core mission chain that binds...' So far I've not come across anything that seems to link any missions together. Maybe I'm just being blind, but I can't see anything like a thread to link any of the missions together.

I'll put it in a spoiler, so you can read it if your choose:

Spoiler

Show

The HQ plot. You get it via scanning for signal leaks, unless you have the new Boron DLC, then flying to a certain sector kicks it off. The HQ, once obtained, triggers things at certain milestones, opening up new mission chains.

[Nanook]

And just to follow up what Scoob said:

Spoiler

Show

After the HQ plot, you can take the Hatikvah plot, which is short, but introduces Dal Busta. After that plot is finished, he moves to the HQ where he makes available both the Paranid and Split plotlines.
If you choose either the Paranid or Split starts, you can play their plotlines without Busta, but not both.
You also don't get the PIO/terraforming plotline without the HQ.
And so on.

And unlike the mostly linear plotlines of past games, the choices you make in the various X4 plotlines has a major effect on how the universe turns out.

[alt3rn1ty]

Hmm, I liked the story from X3 Reunion (dont miss that damned race through the asteroid tunnels though, or was that X2 .. cant remember), but all of the multi-layered missions that having all of the DLC brings I am thinking gives us more story type missions in X4 than any of the previous games.

I have played through them all in my previous long running game, so was able to speed through a lot of it as each new DLC was installed having already amassed billions / Fleets and all the blueprints. But if you have just bought X4, and all of the DLCs, I am pretty sure you have a heck of a lot more to keep you off the streets than ever before.

[Skeeter]

Personally im disappointed there was no main campaign, its only thing i wanted to do as i only used building a few stations and miners etc to fund a better ship to complete the tougher story missions, which was the design back in xbtf. Then in x2, i didnt really play others since i didnt like the docking changes and no cockpits in x3 etc even tho there was mods for the cockpits. X rebirth had the last story campaign tho being in that crap skunk ship (woulda been diff if it was better ship) and hated drone stuff in it and the map was too confusing.

x4 is ok but i never really got into it cos of the no campaign, i tried some of the small plots but its not the same to me.

People say its a sandbox, it was never that at the start it was open ended game meaning u can play after the plot etc but it was a normal game just with alot of options but the main campaign was the main reason to play, the other stuff stations etc were just a way to fund better ship and upgrades for to deal with the missions as they got harder. Dunno why they bothered with a real economy i never wanted that but the way the forums go on i see why they moved to a more true sandbox style, which is unfortunate as i never saw the games like that at all, i saw em as story games but open ended if u wanted to play past the story. Oh and i dont touch them missions without voice overs or scripted events i.e most of the job missions, as no interest in grinding fluff.

Steam might say i got 100 hours on x4 but most of that is booting up after patches testing performance and then waiting for next patch etc till it got better or to see if there was more story/campaign added but ah well.

Got new pc so performance is ok now in x4 but i dunno if i would do a proper play of x4 it depends how long the story content can be played if its a "done in a few hrs" job worth or "20 hours worth of scripted mission job". I might try to do them plots with voice acting and scripted events but after that id probs not play after.

Thats me anyhow, from playing xbtf and x2 for a few thousand hours (done all the station stuff in x2 which i dont care to repeat again) tried x3, didnt try addons but bought em through a pack i think, then x rebirth but got bored half way through and couldnt stand the map any longer, then x4 which was better than rebirth but lacked the campaign from rebirth. I had hoped one of the free dlcs promised in x4 package i bought would be a full campaign but when that passed.

If you dont mind the no main 20 hr+ campaign missing then u might enjoy x4 more than i did.

[interax]

So, last night I spent over an hour trying to start the player HQ quest/mission. I tried following the Ship Modes tutorial through to it's end and got nothing. I thought 'sod it' after about 90 minutes and then lets just try something else. What's the worst that could happen, I could actually start following a plot line that might introduce me to some new things and I might start enjoying myself.

Spoiler

Show

Somehow, in my offered missions list, I found The Alliance Invitation mission (I think I was offered that when scanning a data leak ages ago), so I accepted that. Whilst travelling to the destination, on entering a particular sector, Boso Ta sent me greetings invited me to meet them on the Mystery Station and basically offered me a the Mystery Station which I assume is my starting player HQ, but there was no reason for this or any plot line to follow or explanation of what the player HQ is and why I need it.

Has the background for the player HQ been removed from the game in an update?

I've purchased all DLCs and they are all active in the options and am currently on the public beta channel (6.20 Beta 5) due to an issue with the AMD Adrenalin drivers that now has a workaround that's in 6.10 HF1, but I have been told not to drop out of the public Beta until 6.20 is fully released otherwise my save games could be lost.

Do I need to restart the Young Gun start with KE disabled to actually get the player HQ quest? I think I've read somewhere that KE enables some starts that wouldn't normally be available until you've reached the player HQ point and makes some other changes. I've spent almost 6 hours of play time since I started the Young Gun scenario and that's after misunderstanding that the tutorial starts are not actual starts, completing the flight school and not realising that I had completed the scenario and that was it.

TBH, whilst I am not afraid of a steep learning curve, X4 feels like it's mostly aimed at existing players, with very little help/introduction for new players. A beginners guide should be front and centre when you first open the game. Experienced players can dismiss this very quickly, but new players shouldn't have to go searching for how to start. Ideally a linear plotline that introduces basic concepts and options for you to follow before sending you out into the universe to explore/fight/build would be a massive help to new players. Perhaps EGOSOFT could try watching a new player who has never played any of the X games for their first couple of hours to see where these things are missing and what can be improved for the new player experience. I know I'm not the only person to have said that the new player experience is unintuitive etc. So far, according to STEAM, my play time is 27.8 hours and I don't feel like I've got anywhere. According to my save game, I've played for about 6 hours since my Young Gun start. Surely I should start feeling like I'm making some progress by now.

[CBJ]

People say its a sandbox, it was never that at the start it was open ended game meaning u can play after the plot etc but it was a normal game just with alot of options but the main campaign was the main reason to play, the other stuff stations etc were just a way to fund better ship and upgrades for to deal with the missions as they got harder. Dunno why they bothered with a real economy i never wanted that but the way the forums go on i see why they moved to a more true sandbox style, which is unfortunate as i never saw the games like that at all, i saw em as story games but open ended if u wanted to play past the story.

It think you might be in a bit of a minority in regard to your view of the game's focus here, Skeeter. Even way back in X-BTF, the story was mainly a way to introduce you to the game universe, and XT was pretty much nothing but a sandbox with no story at all to speak of. Subsequent games have been a mix, with X2 being perhaps the most story-focused, and most of the rest consisting of a number of smaller storylines that you could follow at various points during an otherwise sandbox-based experience. The real economy, on the other hand, has always been one of the core features of the series, and one of its "unique selling points".

[Skeeter]

I probably am.

I am grateful they did add more scripted missions tho with voice over work for em compared to when it was first released.

[interax]

Spoiler

Show

Somehow, in my offered missions list, I found The Alliance Invitation mission (I think I was offered that when scanning a data leak ages ago), so I accepted that. Whilst travelling to the destination, on entering a particular sector, Boso Ta sent me greetings invited me to meet them on the Mystery Station and basically offered me a the Mystery Station which I assume is my starting player HQ, but there was no reason for this or any plot line to follow or explanation of what the player HQ is and why I need it.

Has the background for the player HQ been removed from the game in an update?

So I thought lets just try re-starting Young Gun and going straight to the player HQ entry point and I got the same outcome. It looks like the detailed storyline/quest for the player HQ has been pulled out. I think I've started the KE storyline as I've joined up with the people investigating the unknown gate in the same system as the player HQ. I have a feeling I might have triggered that one a bit early, but I'm now on the other side of the gate and am following it through. This is more the type of story line I was thinking of and looking for just to introduce the elements of the game to me.

[Skeeter]

Terran cadet start might be better its more guided as young gun is more sandbox than other starts i thought since the only start is the phq stuff if u can find the beeping thing which sometimes can be tricky if u ignore it at the start.

[Gimbutz]

Spoiler

Show

Somehow, in my offered missions list, I found The Alliance Invitation mission (I think I was offered that when scanning a data leak ages ago), so I accepted that. Whilst travelling to the destination, on entering a particular sector, Boso Ta sent me greetings invited me to meet them on the Mystery Station and basically offered me a the Mystery Station which I assume is my starting player HQ, but there was no reason for this or any plot line to follow or explanation of what the player HQ is and why I need it.

Has the background for the player HQ been removed from the game in an update?

So I thought lets just try re-starting Young Gun and going straight to the player HQ entry point and I got the same outcome. It looks like the detailed storyline/quest for the player HQ has been pulled out. I think I've started the KE storyline as I've joined up with the people investigating the unknown gate in the same system as the player HQ. I have a feeling I might have triggered that one a bit early, but I'm now on the other side of the gate and am following it through. This is more the type of story line I was thinking of and looking for just to introduce the elements of the game to me.

With KE activated, the Alliance Invitation does indeed replace the original HQ plot as the "campaign" that ties all other plots together. That original HQ plot was less and less well received as more DLC released, for a number of reasons, such as (1) it being difficult to find for new players and (2) the percieved jump in difficulty when you have to position a ship with Antimatter Cells, both of which you have to find and buy yourself, and then build a station module to progress, which made many players pause the plot and not experience the other plots that it unlocks.

[interax]

With KE activated, the Alliance Invitation does indeed replace the original HQ plot as the "campaign" that ties all other plots together. That original HQ plot was less and less well received as more DLC released, for a number of reasons, such as (1) it being difficult to find for new players and (2) the percieved jump in difficulty when you have to position a ship with Antimatter Cells, both of which you have to find and buy yourself, and then build a station module to progress, which made many players pause the plot and not experience the other plots that it unlocks.

Ah, now I understand. That makes a lot more sense and explains why I've been getting so confused looking for a quest/campaign that doesn't exist any more. Thanks for explaining that. I'll carry on from where I am and see where I get to.