I'm confused. I thought this was a simulator game? Why the fk is there SO MUCH story stuff being shoved in my face? I Do not care about some ♥♥♥♥♥ story. How do I just play the sandbox???

[COWABUNGA]

title

[Meme Turtle]

The best option is creative start with major story missions complete to the desired outcome.

[COWABUNGA]

Originally posted by Meme Turtle:

The best option is creative start with major story missions complete to the desired outcome.

I'm afraid if I do something like that it'll be like playing Skyrim with all the faction quests completed and having all of the unique armor and weapon available to you, as well as having every NPC knowing who you are and referencing all the storylines you've "completed." Does that make sense? I just wanna be some nobody and build myself up, on my own, without any pre-scripted story forcing itself into "my" story.

[Geist]

Playing the stories is optional, you can ignore them.

[🎮 PalkoVvodets 🔑]

Originally posted by COWABUNGA:

I'm afraid if I do something like that it'll be like playing Skyrim with all the faction quests completed and having all of the unique armor and weapon available to you, as well as having every NPC knowing who you are and referencing all the storylines you've "completed." Does that make sense? I just wanna be some nobody and build myself up, on my own, without any pre-scripted story forcing itself into "my" story.

X4 isn't RPG. After plot completion universe gets collective amnesia (not like 99.9% of NPC interested in you during those plots as well). Don't worry, you're still nobody and nothing even with completed plots. The only thing what matters is your money pocket and other property in possession.
Few named characters are aware of your existence. But thats it.

[COWABUNGA]

Originally posted by Geist:

Playing the stories is optional, you can ignore them.

Right, but when I start creative does it auto-complete all of the story and I suffer the problems listed in my previous comment?

[COWABUNGA]

Originally posted by 🎮 PalkoVvodets 🔑:

Originally posted by COWABUNGA:

I'm afraid if I do something like that it'll be like playing Skyrim with all the faction quests completed and having all of the unique armor and weapon available to you, as well as having every NPC knowing who you are and referencing all the storylines you've "completed." Does that make sense? I just wanna be some nobody and build myself up, on my own, without any pre-scripted story forcing itself into "my" story.

X4 isn't RPG. After plot completion universe gets collective amnesia (not like 99.9% of NPC interested in you during those plots as well). Don't worry, you're still nobody and nothing even with completed plots. The only thing what matters is your money pocket and other property in possession.
Few named characters are aware of your existence. But thats it.

Okay good.

[Gimbutz]

Originally posted by COWABUNGA:

title

Stories don't force themselves on you. They may wave at you, so you're aware of their existence, but unless you play a start with the Guided or Assisted flag, you can ignore everything.

[Uraael]

X has never been pure simulator. Sandbox may be the meat and potatoes but the meal has always come with lashings of story gravy. It's an essential ingredient.

And none of it is ever shoved in your face. You don't want it? Don't take the missions.

[Donauwelle]

Originally posted by Uraael:

And none of it is ever shoved in your face. You don't want it? Don't take the missions.

Originally posted by Gimbutz:

Stories don't force themselves on you.

No research and Shipmodifications without PHQ.
HELLO THERE - insert Boso screatching
also no 11 Ships, 7 Sectors and 1 Faction in Sandbox without Timeline completation right?
*or M0d1fi3d tag excluding you from Multiverse

[Gimbutz]

Originally posted by Donauwelle:

No research and Shipmodifications without PHQ.
HELLO THERE - insert Boso screatching
also no 11 Ships, 7 Sectors and 1 Faction in Sandbox without Timeline completation right?
*or M0d1fi3d tag excluding you from Multiverse

Naturally stories have rewards. But like the research feature, they're entirely optional to your enjoyment of the game, if you're a hardcore sandbox player like the OP.

If they'd like to introduce these rewards to their pure sandbox game, they can make use of the creative custom start.

[Geist]

Originally posted by Donauwelle:

Originally posted by Uraael:

And none of it is ever shoved in your face. You don't want it? Don't take the missions.

Originally posted by Gimbutz:

Stories don't force themselves on you.

No research and Shipmodifications without PHQ.
HELLO THERE - insert Boso screatching
also no 11 Ships, 7 Sectors and 1 Faction in Sandbox without Timeline completation right?
*or M0d1fi3d tag excluding you from Multiverse

You can also ask for a savefile that has unlocked the storie ends load it once. Save and exit. After that you have access to the stuff in Budgeted start too without the modified tag.

[Donauwelle]

The Sandbox storys are quite Railroaded to fit a Sandbox tbh.
Pirate, SPL/TER and generally most "non friendly explorer/merchant" playstyles kinda interfere sooner or later with the limited outcomes and ways to derail.
Usually your given 2-3 Choices during a Quest for a different outcome - Fin
The ways to get to the Choices are basicly full railroad + Freeroam cuz muh in sandbox

Patriarch-start-SPL or TER with Arg-war-choice doing BOR Quests to unlock the BOR-ARG alliance to get more fighting going on be like "am i stupid?"
Would be nice if you.... would think quests thru from all perspective.
Not only "Help" unlocking the gate or be the lit choosen one for the queen
but also do some deceiving stuff cuz ur a SPL and you hate Borons (but want the war)


So even if i dislike the WAY the Storys play out (just not enough de-railing / different outcomes / replayabillity) id enjoy if you would.... go nuts and "make it so"
I guess thats not gonna happen soooo

Originally posted by Gimbutz:

Naturally stories have rewards. But like the research feature, they're entirely optional to your enjoyment of the game, if you're a hardcore sandbox player like the OP.

If they'd like to introduce these rewards to their pure sandbox game, they can make use of the creative custom start.

Suggestions for Future Story-rewards without forcing anyone to do them (even if passively),

-Variants of ships like the Hydra-regal with the regular version beeing available without any Story (excluding rep gain)

-More Showcase rewards for the PHQ (could be coupled with more "Reason" to visit PHQ other then "This is my chair, its mine, there are others...")

-More Paintjobs cuz easy to make and somehow ppl like them

-Special NPCs to use just like "what was his name" from TERIYAKI plot (Mb some more voicelines for later use as co-pilot

-More Ship Computer Voices (most fun part of Terraforming plot was the Edgy AI computer mocking the Torus, worst part of the questline was loosing it at the end but getting to keep the ship with gen Betty-voice)


Other suggestions

-Remove Modified Tag from Custom-Game (keep it for actual Mods) cuz its not that hard even in young gun to quick-grind-some piracy and steal a asgard, not to mention those with 7Year old saves so Multi Balance is done anyways....
Why bother with custom-Starts and Mark it with
"nope even if Multiverse is comming back / get full release, its not for you because you dont like our Storys / are full de-railing the game we want you to play"

[COWABUNGA]

Originally posted by Gimbutz:

Originally posted by Donauwelle:

No research and Shipmodifications without PHQ.
HELLO THERE - insert Boso screatching
also no 11 Ships, 7 Sectors and 1 Faction in Sandbox without Timeline completation right?
*or M0d1fi3d tag excluding you from Multiverse

Naturally stories have rewards. But like the research feature, they're entirely optional to your enjoyment of the game, if you're a hardcore sandbox player like the OP.

If they'd like to introduce these rewards to their pure sandbox game, they can make use of the creative custom start.

I've already dropped the game because of this stupid system. I just want all of the content unlocked, without having to grind a story, and at the same time I don't want a dumb ""HQ"" given to me. I don't want some perceived idea that my character has met a thousand important characters and has completed all of these crazy world-changing events. I just want to be a random guy in the universe and work my way up. Like how you can start in MnB:Warband and eventually can become the vassal of a King, then maybe even a king yourself. In X4 it seems they want you to pick a pre-made start and go through all of these stories where for some inexplicable reason you're the deciding factor in massive galaxy-wide conflicts and political decisions. It's absurd. Even if you don't choose the pre-made start, and instead choose the "creative" sandbox mode, you're still forced to select the outcome of all these stupid ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ story missions that affect the galaxy in ways I don't even understand, and I DONT want to play the story missions to find out how they will affect the universe and I DON'T want to play without all of the content. It's a lose-lose and it's bad game design.

[Bozz 💀]

What the devs say is not true, the stories are forced on you.
I mean if for exemple you buy the Boron DLC you have to do the story in order to bring them into your universe and for doing this you have to do the Hatvikla plot and get the HQ.

If you use the custom game to make them join the universe you still get 16M credits reward for basically doing nothing.

If this ♥♥♥♥ ain't forced on the player I don't know what is.

Also the split plot has to be done unless you wan't xenons to swarm the whole eastern corner where the free families are.
Over time they always take over because ZYA can't hold it all together.

I mean some are not forced but you sure better do them

[Donauwelle]

Originally posted by Bozz 💀:

What the devs say is not true, the stories are forced on you.

Yeah, maybe thats just me Coping but the last few paragraphs of last statement regarding timelines reads different to me...
Devs still stick to the usuall "play modified" they are used to but i hope they gonna have a sit-in and ask themselfes how much railroaded quests a Sandbox can endure without the player feeling railroaded into certain playstyles or excluded due to playstyles the devs dont consider/want/like/whatever...