Embassy + Xenon Equipment research stubs

The two base-game research arcs story_research_embassy.xml (153 lines) and story_research_xen_equipment.xml (152 lines) are TINY stub scripts — together less than 310 lines. They don’t contain elaborate missions; they’re event listeners that activate other systems via the X4Ep1 Mentor Subscriptions infrastructure.

Embassy research

Script: story_research_embassy.xml (153 lines)
Theme: Activate Embassy Office Room when research unlocks

What the script does

The script has 3 cues total:

Patch_Userdata (instanced, fires on event_game_loaded)
- If ware.research_diplomacy_network.research.unlocked, sets userdata storystate "research_diplomacy_network" = 1
- Save migration for completed research
Start (namespace=this)
- Conditions: md.Setup.Start signaled + main galaxy (xu_ep2_universe_macro)
- Sets debug + character cutscene table
Check_Research_Unlocked (onfail=cancel)
- Waits for md.X4Ep1_Mentor_Subscriptions.UnlockResearch to complete
Research_Unlocked
- When research unlocked, signals md.X4Ep1_Mentor_Subscriptions.Manage_EmbassyOffice_Room
- Cancels self (one-time activation)

What modders need to know

This arc is NOT a chapter-based story. It’s a one-shot activator:

Player completes diplomacy_network research at HQ
    ↓
event_cue_completed md.X4Ep1_Mentor_Subscriptions.UnlockResearch
    ↓
signal md.X4Ep1_Mentor_Subscriptions.Manage_EmbassyOffice_Room
    ↓
Embassy Office Room appears at HQ (managed by Mentor Subscriptions)

The actual Embassy Office Room mechanic lives in md.X4Ep1_Mentor_Subscriptions (Pirate DLC). This script is the trigger glue between base game research and the DLC-provided embassy.

Mod conflict risks — Embassy research

❌ Mods that disable ware.research_diplomacy_network prevent activation
❌ Mods that change md.X4Ep1_Mentor_Subscriptions.Manage_EmbassyOffice_Room affect embassy appearance
⚠ Mods adding bulk research wares must not collide with research_diplomacy_network

Xenon Equipment research

Script: story_research_xen_equipment.xml (152 lines)
Theme: Quantum Data Shard collection + Xenon-equipment research

Key mechanic: Quantum Data Shard

This arc tracks the player collecting a Quantum Data Shard (ware.inv_quantum_data_shard):

<cue name="Quantum_Data_Shard_Collected">
  <conditions>
    <event_inventory_added object="player.entity"/>
    <check_value value="event.param.{ware.inv_quantum_data_shard}?"/>
  </conditions>
  <actions>
    <set_value name="$QuantumDataShard" exact="1"/>
    <write_incoming_message
        title="{30005,14100}"
        text="{30005,14110}"
        source="{30301,101}"
        highpriority="true"/>
  </actions>
</cue>

Mission entry: “Quantum Data Shard Discovery”

Cue: Quantum_Data_Shard_Collected
In-game name: Quantum Data Shard discovered (player inventory message)
Find in game: Player collects inv_quantum_data_shard ware
What player encounters:
- Incoming message arrives:
  - Title text: {30005, 14100}
  - Body text: {30005, 14110}
  - Source text: {30301, 101}
  - High priority notification
- Story state flag $QuantumDataShard = 1 set
Where: Anywhere — player discovers shard from a vault / crate / encounter
Reward: Story progression flag set
Chains to: Research_Unlocked (if research framework ready)

Mission entry: “Research Unlock + Boson Notification”

Cue chain: Check_Research_Unlocked → Research_Unlocked
In-game name: Xenon equipment research available at HQ
What player encounters:
- After research framework ready + Quantum Shard collected
- If player has previously met Boso Ta ($BoronMet?), Boso Ta gets a ShowCharacterBoron cutscene assignment:
```
<set_value name="$CharacterCutsceneTable.{$Boso}" exact="table[$key = 'ShowCharacterBoron']"/>
```
- Research entry at HQ unlocks
- Standard research flow

Mod conflict risks — Xenon Equipment

❌ Mods that disable ware.inv_quantum_data_shard prevent collection trigger
❌ Mods that override event_inventory_added affect detection
❌ Mods that disable Boso Ta affect ShowCharacterBoron cutscene path
⚠ Mods adding bulk inventory items can collide with collection detection logic
⚠ Custom message systems may collide with write_incoming_message

Where to find the Quantum Data Shard

The arc itself doesn’t spawn the shard — it relies on other content (likely vault content, crates, or specific scenario rewards) to place the shard in player inventory. Modders adding equivalent rare-item-detection arcs should follow this pattern.

Combined notes

Both arcs are trigger glue rather than independent stories:

Arc	Trigger	Activates
Embassy research	Research unlocked	Embassy Office Room (in Mentor Subscriptions)
Xenon equipment	Quantum Shard collected	HQ research entry + Boso Boron cutscene

Their tiny size (<160 lines each) reflects this — they’re “glue scripts” connecting events to systems.

Why they exist as separate scripts

Vanilla could have embedded these in larger arcs (Welfare 1 or Diplomacy Intro), but separated them because:

Modular: easier to enable/disable per content
Save-migration-aware: independent Patch_Userdata cues
Conditional: arcs may not fire (e.g., player who doesn’t collect Quantum Shard never triggers Xen Equipment)

For modders adding similar trigger-glue arcs, this is the canonical pattern: tiny dedicated script + event_cue_completed listener + signal_cue to system.

Mission encyclopedia — landscape
Diplomacy Intro — companion arc to Embassy research
Welfare research — companion HQ research arc
Pirate Welfare 2 — uses similar research-glue pattern
Tides of Avarice: Cypher — also uses tiny Research_Unlock pattern

Two tiny scripts demonstrate X4’s “glue script” pattern — minimal code connecting an event to a system. When your mod adds research-triggered content, follow this pattern: small script + event listener + signal to system.