Overview
Custom Game Starts were introduced in the 4.10 update and allow for greater flexibility in getting into X4. Custom game starts can be broken down into two types: Budgeted and Creative Custom gamestarts with the former allowing players to create a start with a few restrictions and will not incur a modified tag. The latter is, as its name implies, far more creative and unrestricted but will incur a modified tag (preventing online functionality). If players are running mods they will not be able to access the budgeted custom game start and will instead have to play through one of the starting scenarios or the creative custom start.
Budgeted Custom Game Starts
Budgeted Custom Game Starts require the player to load an existing unmodified save before becoming functional, this requirement is based on the need for the budget limits to be calculated on game progress. Budget areas include:
- Budget
- Knowledge
- Reputation
- Personnel
- Research and Plot outcomes
How the budgets are calculated and how to optimise them is outlined below
Creative Custom Game Starts
Creative Custom Gamestarts do not require the player to load an existing save and players can experiment from the outset. Creative custom game starts permit the creation of a game start in the exact same way as a budgeted one but without any of the budgetary restrictions (although the player still has a 10,000,000Cr limit). The player also has full control over which plots and research items are completed even if they have not been completed in an un-modified game. Additionally, the player can adjust their faction relations with otherwise locked factions like the Xenon, Kha'ak and Scale Plate Pact (although this can often have unintended and undesirable consequences). Finally, players can choose whether or not they want highways enabled or disabled and can enable and disable local and ring highways separately.