Explorer Start - Can't find PHQ

[Nailezs]

Hey guys,

Total newb here.

I've been playing for about 10 hours now and I haven't found any storyline or plot to follow besides some trade line quests. I've read about the "phq", so I'm trying to start that.

I'm having a ton of difficulty finding the phq start. As an explorer, I'm fairly certain that I started at the ALI Paranid Shipyard in Sacred Relic. I've been scanning that shipyard for almost two hours with zero luck. I've tried saving and reloading, using the tutorial, toggling my scanner, going to another station and coming back, nothing works.

At this point I'm really frustrated. This feature is *not* fun.

Am I doing something wrong? Is there something else I can try? Is there a way for me to force the phq to start?

Thanks!

[Afro Luigi]

Are you using the scanning system? Or looking for data leaks?

The PHQ plot is started from a Data Leak, which looks like a little sparkler effect in the scan mode, you will near a static noise when you get near.

Get close to that and your ship will automatically decrypt it, if a Boron (fish looking species) starts talking to you, you have found the PHQ plotline.

[Nailezs]

I'm using the "scan mode", shift+2.

IDK how looking for data leaks differs ?

[Afro Luigi]

Data Leaks spawn randomly on stations, you might have to fly to a different station if you have looked all over the one you are at.

Using Scan Mode will highlight the sparkler effect making it easier to see, it does not effect how audible the static is.

[Nailezs]

I've gotten a blueprint or two, but that's it...

[Afro Luigi]

You shouldn't be getting blueprints without the necessary research which is done at the PHQ, are you playing a modded game?

Either way, keep working on it, you'll eventually get the Boron. You can always take a break and do some missions or go crystal mining for a break.

[Nailezs]

I just tried the https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1782011032&searchtext= mod to find all the leaks and still nothing. I've gone thru 2 stations.

The mod above is the only one I'm using.

Edit: I've gone thru 6 stations and haven't found a single communication

[Chris]

You're looking for a yellow "static" looking ball, floating off the side of a station module (modules tend to only have 1 or 2 places where leaks spawn, so you'll soon figure out where to look).
Note: this is *not* the red pulsing orb.

You can listen for static to help you figure out where it's located.
The very first one that you find will be the one that starts the PHQ mission, and the ownership of the sector where you start will play a minor role later in the quest line
The unoccupied corvette that spawns later in the mission will be based on the faction controlling the sector where you started the mission

[Nailezs]

So, it turns out that my save-game was bugged. There were clues to this - I was getting blueprints from data leaks, which Afro Luigi said I shouldn't be, and I have the achievement for building my first station piece - which I never did.

I started a new game and everything works now. I'm a little disappointed, but once I isntalled popular mods like VRO and saw that my saves get lost anyway, I didn't care anymore :)