Updated for version 4.10
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.
Custom Start Metrics
TODO: There is some better name than the above for this section, but I'm too tired to figure it out.
Money
| Variable | Explanation | Score per | Limit | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
base_budget | Base budget | 300 000 Cr | 300 000 Cr | 1 |
money_builtmodule_production | Has production modules | 500 000 Cr | 6 500 000 Cr | 13 |
money_builtmodule_pier | Has pier modules | 600 000 Cr | 4 200 000 Cr | 7 |
money_builtmodule_dock | Has dock modules | 80 000 Cr | 1 680 000 Cr | 21 |
money_builtmodule_luxurydock | Has a luxury dock module | 150 000 Cr | 150 000 Cr | 1 |
money_builtmodule_storage_s_m | Has S and M storage modules | 90 000 Cr | 810 000 Cr | 9 |
money_builtmodule_storage_l | Has L storage modules | 150 000 Cr | 1 050 000 Cr | 7 |
money_builtmodule_buildmodule_s | Has S ship build modules | 21 000 000 Cr | 21 000 000 Cr | 1 |
money_tradeamount_100k | Sold > 100k worth of goods at once | 20 000 Cr | 1 400 000 Cr | 70 |
money_tradeamount_1mil | Sold > 1mil worth of goods at once | 200 000 Cr | 7 000 000 Cr | 35 |
money_boughtship_m | Bought an M ship | 400 000 Cr | 5 200 000 Cr | 13 |
money_boughtship_l | Bought an L ship | 1 800 000 Cr | 12 600 000 Cr | 7 |
money_boughtship_xl | Bought an XL ship | 20 000 000 Cr | 20 000 000 Cr | 1 |
money_boughtship_carrier | Bought a carrier | 27 000 000 Cr | 27 000 000 Cr | 1 |
money_boughtship_supply | Bought a supply ship | 25 000 000 Cr | 25 000 000 Cr | 1 |
| Sum | 133 890 000 Cr | |||
Knowledge
| Variable | Explanation | Score per | Limit | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
base_budget | Base budget | 5 000 | 5 000 | 1 |
known_lockbox_normal | Opened a normal lockbox | 500 | 30 000 | 60 |
| known_lockbox_rare | Opened a rare lockbox | 500 | 30 000 | 60 |
| known_aqueduct | Target an aqueduct | 2 000 | 2 000 | 1 |
| known_khaak_hive | Target a Kha'ak Hive | 3 000 | 3 000 | 1 |
| known_sector | Enter a new sector | 200 | 39 000 | 195 (As of CoH and SV v4.10) |
| known_sector_xenon | Enter a Xenon sector | 2 000 | 2 000 | 1 |
| known_datavault | Target a Data Vault | 3 000 | 3 000 | 1 |
| known_timeline_unlock | Unlock a timeline entry | 1000 | 30 000 | 30 |
| Sum | 144 000 | |||
Personnel
| Variable | Explanation | Score per | Limit | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| base_budget | Base Budget | 1 000 | 1 000 | 1 |
| people_pilot_2star | Promoted a 2 star pilot to 3 stars with a seminar | 500 | 25 000 | 50 |
| people_pilot_3star | Promoted a 3 star pilot to 4 stars with a seminar | 2 500 | 75 000 | 30 |
| people_pilot_4star | Promoted a 4 star pilot to 5 stars with a seminar | 5 000 | 100 000 | 20 |
| people_manager_2star | Promoted a 2 star manager to 3 stars with a seminar | 500 | 25 000 | 50 |
| people_manager_3star | Promoted a 3 star manager to 4 stars with a seminar | 2 500 | 75 000 | 30 |
| people_manager_4star | Promoted a 4 star manager to 5 stars with a seminar | 5 000 | 100 000 | 20 |
| people_pilot_4star_onload | Has a 4 star pilot | 1 500 | 30 000 | 20 |
| people_pilot_5star_onload | Has a 5 star pilot | 3 000 | 60 000 | 20 |
| people_manager_4star_onload | Has a 4 star manager | 1 500 | 30 000 | 20 |
| people_manager_5star_onload | Has a 5 star manager | 3 000 | 60 000 | 20 |
| people_crew_count | Total number of crew | 20 | 60 000 | 3000 |
| Sum | 641 000 | |||
TODO:
- Change: In Money Has S and M storage modules → Has S or M storage modules?
- Where are the variables stored and how exactly are they updated?
userdata.xml contains all variables needed for a budgeted game start, but some personnel budget-related ones are named *_onload with the comment Crew status, checked on loading,
Test by starting the game and screenshotting the budget screen. Then load a saved game and compare the values.