Base game arcs (non-Paranid)
The base game ships 7 story arcs total. The largest is the Paranid Civil War (covered in its own Paranid Civil War section). The other 6 are documented here:
At a glance
Section titled “At a glance”| Arc | Script | LoC | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welfare research (Welfare 1) | story_research_welfare_1.xml | 2,112 | HQ research with race time trial — unlocks Welfare module |
| Diplomacy Intro | story_diplomacy_intro.xml | 9,693 | HAT/Hatikvah-driven introduction to Embassy + Diplomacy system (11 parts) |
| Embassy + Xenon Equipment research | story_research_embassy.xml + story_research_xen_equipment.xml | 153 + 152 | Trigger-glue scripts activating Mentor Subscriptions + Quantum Shard system |
| Buccaneers + Ventures | story_buccaneers.xml + story_ventures.xml | 540 + 499 | Ambient encounter systems with NPC commentary trio |
Total base game story content (excluding Paranid): ~13,000 lines
Theme classification
Section titled “Theme classification”| Arc | Type |
|---|---|
| Paranid Civil War | Major plot arc (chapter-based, 2 paths) |
| Welfare 1 research | HQ research arc |
| Diplomacy Intro | Multi-part introduction (parts 1-11) |
| Embassy research | Trigger-glue stub |
| Xenon Equipment research | Trigger-glue stub |
| Buccaneers | Ambient encounter system |
| Ventures | Ambient + lifecycle system |
The base game has diverse architectural patterns for arcs — major chapter arc, HQ research, multi-part intro, glue stubs, ambient encounter systems. Modders can use any as a template.
Cross-arc connections
Section titled “Cross-arc connections”- Welfare 1 unlocks → Pirate Welfare 2 (Gambling Hall) via Mentor Subscriptions
- Diplomacy Intro → Embassy research (one-shot activation when research unlocks)
- Buccaneers flagship → Story arcs catalog mentions Helianthus (page 20101 line 120901)
Mod conflict risks (base game-wide)
Section titled “Mod conflict risks (base game-wide)”Common patterns:
- ❌ Mods that disable persistent characters (Reen, Kat, Cline, Betty, Boso Ta, Dal Busta) break multiple arcs
- ❌ Mods that disable HQ research break Welfare 1 + Embassy + Xenon Equipment
- ❌ Mods that affect police-scan mechanics affect Diplomacy Intro
- ❌ Mods that disable Buccaneer / Ventures factions break ambient arcs
- ⚠ Custom game starts must hook into
Pt_1_Call_Initial_Delayfor Diplomacy Intro
Related
Section titled “Related”- Mission encyclopedia — landscape
- Paranid Civil War — base game’s other arc
- Story arcs catalog — high-level overview
- Game starts catalog — which starts hook which arcs
The base game has a more architecturally diverse set of arcs than any single DLC — chapter, research, multi-part intro, glue stubs, ambient. Each pattern is a useful template for modders adding their own arcs.