Game starts catalog

X4 ships 8 game starts (gs_*.xml). Each is a distinct player-experience: starting sector, starting ship, starting wealth, starting story hooks. This catalog covers what each start does and how mods that touch starts can conflict.

Game starts at a glance

Start ID	Script	Display name	DLC	Theme
Wayward Scion	gs_intro.xml	Wayward Scion	Pirate (x4ep1)	Story-driven default
Young Gun	gs_tutorial.xml	Young Gun	Pirate (x4ep1)	Guided tutorial start
Custodian Errand (Boso Ta)	gs_boso.xml	The Custodian’s Errand (Boso Ta)	Pirate (x4ep1)	Skipper-anchored
Untested Explorer	gs_discover.xml	The Untested Explorer	Pirate (x4ep1)	Explorer-themed
Dedicated Warrior	gs_fight.xml	The Dedicated Warrior	Pirate (x4ep1)	Combat-themed
Unworthy Entrepreneur	gs_trade.xml	The Unworthy Entrepreneur	Pirate (x4ep1)	Trade-themed
Terraforming Scientist	gs_scientist.xml	(Scientist start)	Pirate (x4ep1)	Late-game start with HQ + research
Station Workshop	gs_workshop.xml	Custom Gamestart (Workshop)	Pirate (x4ep1)	Sandbox / station design

Note: All these scripts depend on x4ep1_gamestart_* modules — they require the Pirate DLC despite some being “vanilla-feel” starts. The actual base-game start (pre-DLC) used a slightly different chain.

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Wayward Scion (gs_intro)

The default story start. The “canonical” experience for new players.

What you get

• Pre-uncovered map of 8 sectors:
  • cluster_29_sector001, cluster_29_sector002 (Argon space)
  • cluster_14_sector001 (starting sector)
  • cluster_07_sector001, cluster_08_sector001
  • cluster_34_sector001, cluster_13_sector001, cluster_12_sector001
• Pre-uncovered shipyards / wharfs / trade stations in the above
• HAT broadcast triggered 30 seconds in → opens Diplomacy intro arc

What unlocks

• Diplomacy intro story → embassy research → diplomacy mechanics
• Standard relation tiers (default Argon = friendly)
• Standard generic mission availability

Mod conflict risks

• ⚠ HAT broadcaster needed — mods that disable HAT spawning break the intro
• ⚠ 8 pre-uncovered sectors expected to be Argon-friendly territory — mods that change ownership of these break the “safe start” assumption

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Young Gun (gs_tutorial)

Tutorial-focused start for new players. Heavy guidance.

What you get

• Smaller initial map (3 sectors: cluster_06, cluster_13, cluster_14)
• Heavily-guided early game with tutorial missions
• Starting ship + basic credits

What unlocks

• All Tutorial missions become available
• Story arcs start delayed until tutorials complete

Mod conflict risks

• ⚠ Tutorial overhauls (mods that change controls/UI) confuse the tutorial scripts
• ⚠ Tutorial scripts assume vanilla key bindings — modded bindings show wrong on-screen prompts

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Custodian’s Errand / Boso Ta (gs_boso)

Start named “The Custodian’s Errand” — Boso Ta linked. Themed around Grand Exchange.

What you get

• Initial map covers cluster_01 (Grand Exchange) + cluster_02 + cluster_03
• Starting context: Boso Ta-associated NPC
• Possibly HQ-already-unlocked path

Mod conflict risks

• ❌ Don’t disable Boso Ta — anchored NPC required
• ⚠ HQ-related mods break this start specifically

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Untested Explorer (gs_discover)

Explorer-themed start. Smaller starting bubble, exploration encouraged.

What you get

• Pre-uncovered: cluster_01_sector001, cluster_04_sector002, cluster_06, cluster_13
• Starting ship oriented toward exploration (scanner-equipped)
• Reduced starting credits

Mod conflict risks

• ⚠ Map-overhaul mods break the discovery loop — discovery missions reference specific gates
• ⚠ Scanner-equipment mods that change scanner mechanics affect early gameplay

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Dedicated Warrior (gs_fight)

Combat-focused start. Starting in Paranid-adjacent space, hostile encounters expected.

What you get

• Pre-uncovered: cluster_09, cluster_10, cluster_11 (Paranid Monument!), cluster_18, cluster_19
• Combat-oriented starting ship
• Possibly anti-Paranid relations

Mod conflict risks

• ❌ Paranid Monument (cluster_11) referenced — story_paranid.xml uses this; combat start places player there → arc-interaction risk
• ⚠ Combat-rebalance mods that nerf player damage make this start frustrating

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Unworthy Entrepreneur (gs_trade)

Trade-focused start. Starting in Teladi territory.

What you get

• Pre-uncovered: cluster_19, cluster_20, cluster_42, cluster_43
• Trade-oriented starting ship (cargo capacity)
• Starting credits higher than other starts

Mod conflict risks

• ⚠ Economy mods affect this start most — trade-themed gameplay relies on vanilla ware prices
• ⚠ Teladi-relation mods change the starting environment

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Terraforming Scientist (gs_scientist)

Late-game start with HQ already unlocked + terraforming research progress.

What you get

• Pre-unlocked HQ
• Starting research progress (welfare module, possibly more)
• Likely starting credits + advanced ship
• All starting research feeds into Terraforming catalog

Mod conflict risks

• ❌ Terraforming-rebalance mods break this start severely — pre-progressed state assumes vanilla resource costs
• ❌ HQ-replacement mods incompatible — start expects vanilla HQ macro
• ⚠ Research-tree mods cause initial-research state to be malformed

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Station Workshop (gs_workshop)

Sandbox start for station-design experimentation. “Welcome to your office. Here you can plan and design your station layouts.”

What you get

• Station design plot pre-allocated
• “Plan Build” option available immediately on map
• Likely high starting credits / infinite cargo for design iteration
• Map covers stage-design relevant areas

Mod conflict risks

• ⚠ Station building mods affect this start most — sandbox premise relies on vanilla module catalog
• ⚠ Module diff’ing mods change what’s available in build menu

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Common start-mod conflicts

Custom start mods (most common)

Modders often add new game starts. Vanilla pattern:

<cue name="Start" module="my_mod_gamestart_X">
    <conditions>
        <event_cue_signalled cue="md.Setup.GameStart"/>
    </conditions>
    <actions>
        <!-- Uncover map -->
        <run_actions ref="md.LIB_Generic.UncoverMap_SectorsAndGates">...</run_actions>
        <!-- Spawn starting ship -->
        <!-- Set starting credits -->
        <!-- Hook into specific story arcs OR skip them -->
    </actions>
</cue>

Critical: gamestart.storystate.story_paranid_uni_* flags (see Story arcs catalog) control which story arcs activate. Custom starts must set these flags to control story behavior.

Mid-game start mods

Some mods give “skip to mid-game” starts. These need to:

1. Set HQ as already-unlocked (matching gs_scientist pattern)
2. Set research progress accordingly
3. Set faction relations to reflect mid-game state
4. Possibly mark some story arcs already-complete

Half-done states confuse subsequent story progression.

Faction-rebalance mods

If your mod changes initial faction relations galaxy-wide, every game start is affected. Test each:

• Does Wayward Scion still feel “balanced”?
• Does Dedicated Warrior still have combat targets?
• Does Trade still have viable routes?

Don’t assume one good test covers all.

Code references

Concern	File
Game start canonical pattern	gs_intro.xml (Wayward Scion)
Map uncovering	md.LIB_Generic.UncoverMap_SectorsAndGates (called from every gs_)
Story state flags	gamestart.storystate.story_*
Start hook to story	gs_intro.xml:30-50 (HAT broadcast trigger)
Mid-game state setup	gs_scientist.xml (HQ + research preload)

Related

• Vanilla content index — landscape
• Story arcs catalog — what each start unlocks
• Terraforming catalog — gs_scientist preload
• Tutorial missions (technical) — gs_tutorial integration
• Wiki: DLC handling — all starts are x4ep1 modules

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Game starts are the player’s first impression. A mod that breaks vanilla starts loses the player in the first 5 minutes — when frustration tolerance is lowest.