Unbihexium arc

The Unbihexium arc (story_unbihexium.xml, 250KB) is the Tides of Avarice main story. Named after Unbihexium (element 126 — a hypothetical superheavy element, symbolic of the rare/valuable resource at stake), the arc is an espionage mission across 3 chapters involving the player’s Sobert cover identity, encounters with a Courier antagonist, a Data Vault retrieval, and a final escort mission.

Script: story_unbihexium.xml
DLC: Tides of Avarice (ego_dlc_mini_02)
Text page: 30255
Chapters: Ch1 (Encounter) → Ch2 (Boso Call + Data Vault) → Ch3 (Dal Call + Final Escort)

Initial setup phase

Before Chapter 1, several setup elements must complete:

Cue	Purpose
`Setup_Locations`	Sector references (7 sectors)
`Setup_DataVault`	Data Vault object placement
`Data_Vault_Seen` (+ `_Complete`)	Track player discovery of Data Vault
`Setup_Characters`	6 character setups
`Setup_Sobert_Fake_Identity`	Player cover identity initialized
`Update_Paranid_Coverfaction` (+ `_Activated`)	Cover-faction relations setup
`Unlock_Sobert_Agent`	Sobert agent capabilities unlocked
`Recruitment_Sobert` + `Placement_Sobert`	Recruit Sobert as agent
`Agents_Unlocked` (+ `_Check`, `_Event`)	Agent system unlock
`Debug_Unlock_Embassy`	DEBUG: skip to embassy unlock
`Check_For_Diplomatic_Mentor_Ending`	Diplomatic mentor ending check

The setup establishes the espionage gameplay framework — cover identity, agent recruitment, diplomatic states.

Chapter 1 — Encounter

Player encounters a mysterious Courier ship + Squadron in combat.

Mission entry: “Hostile Encounter”

Cue: Ch1_Encounter / Ch1_Encounter_Force
In-game name: Encounter with Courier squadron
Path/Chapter: Unbihexium Ch1
Find in game: Active after Tides DLC initialization complete
Prerequisites: DLC ready; Sobert identity setup
What player encounters:
- Mission offer:
  - Ch1_1_Create_Offer — main offer creation (+ _Signal instanced for repeated signals)
  - Ch1_AutoAccept — auto-accept path
  - Ch1_AcceptMission_Signal + Ch1_AcceptMission — manual accept paths
- Objective 1 — Talk + Approach toggling:
  - Ch1_Objective1_Toggle — toggle between talk/approach objectives
  - Ch1_Objective1_Toggle_Talk_Ref (refs ApproachObject_Handler) — talk-objective approach detection
  - Ch1_Objective1_Toggle_Approach_Ref (refs ApproachObject_Handler) — approach-objective detection
  - Ch1_Objective1_Toggle_Talk / _Approach — instantiated per toggle
  - Ch1_Objective_Toggle_Done — toggle completed
- Objective sequence:
  - Ch1_Objective_Fight — combat objective
  - Ch1_Objective_TalkTo — talk objective
  - Ch1_Objective_Find_Relief — find Relief NPC
- Squadron Fight:
  - Ch1_1_SquadronFight — main squadron combat
  - Ch1_1_Create_Stranded_Ship — spawn stranded ship named “Berenice” (page 30255, line 201) — story prop / reward
Where: Tides-specific sector (likely cluster_40 or cluster_41)
NPCs involved: Courier (antagonist), Squadron Leader (combat), Relief (rescue target)
Reward: Encounter resolved; Chapter 2 unlocked
Chains to: Ch2_2_Boso_Call (Chapter 2 entry)
Code reference: story_unbihexium.xml Ch1_Encounter* block

Mod conflict risks — Ch1

❌ Mods that change Outlaw faction hostility affect Courier squadron behavior
❌ Combat-rebalance mods affect squadron fight difficulty
❌ Mods that affect ApproachObject_Handler break objective toggling
⚠ Stranded-ship encounter mods can collide with Ch1_1_Create_Stranded_Ship

Chapter 2 — Boso Call + Data Vault

Boso Ta calls player; player retrieves data from Data Vault.

Mission entry: “Boso Ta’s Call (Ch2)”

Cue: Ch2_2_Boso_Call
In-game name: Boso Ta comm
Path/Chapter: Unbihexium Ch2 (entry)
Find in game: After Ch1 completes
What player encounters:
- Boso Ta initiates comm call
- Mission briefing for Data Vault retrieval
NPCs involved: Boso Ta
Chains to: Ch2_Mission
Code reference: story_unbihexium.xml Ch2_2_Boso_Call

Mission entry: “Data Vault Retrieval + Sobert Conversation”

Cue: Ch2_2_Data_Vault + Ch2_1_Conversation (+ Sobert variant)
In-game name: Retrieve from Data Vault — talk to contacts using Sobert identity
Path/Chapter: Unbihexium Ch2 (main)
Find in game: After Boso call
What player encounters:
- Relief Ship setup: Ch2_Relief_Ship / Ch2_Relief_Ship_Force
- Conversation chain:
  - Ch2_Conversation_Started — conversation begins
  - Ch2_Conversation_Start (instanced) — start per session
  - Ch2_Conversation_Intro_Choices (instanced) — player choices
  - Ch2_Conversation_Sobert (instanced) — Sobert identity dialog branch
  - Ch2_Conversation_Sobert_Complete — Sobert path complete
- Data Vault retrieval:
  - Ch2_2_Data_Vault — main vault interaction
  - Ch2_2_Dal_Call — Dal Busta secondary call during vault
Return phase:
- Ch2_3_Return — return to home
- Ch2_3_Await_Call — wait for next call
- Ch2_3_Call_Return (1s interval) — return-call polling
- Ch2_3_Call_Escort — escort follow-up
- Ch2_3_Order_MoveTo — move-to order
- Ch2_3_Call_Idle_Chatter — idle chatter during travel
  - Ch2_3_Dal_Call — Dal Busta cue during chatter
  - Ch2_3_Boso_Call_Unbi — Boso “Unbihexium” callout
- Approach stranded ships:
  - Ch2_3_ApproachingStranded_1_Ref (refs ApproachObject_Handler)
  - Ch2_3_ApproachingStranded_2_Ref (refs ApproachObject_Handler)
Where: Data Vault location + Sobert contacts
NPCs involved: Boso Ta, Dal Busta, Sobert contacts, Relief, Courier (dismissed at end via Ch2_Dismiss_CourierActor)
Reward: Data acquired; Chapter 3 unlocked
Chains to: Ch3_Final_Escort
Code reference: story_unbihexium.xml Ch2_* block

Mod conflict risks — Ch2

❌ Mods that change Data Vault macro break vault interaction
❌ Mods that disable conversations affect Sobert dialog branches
⚠ Cover-faction interference breaks Sobert path

Chapter 3 — Dal Call + Final Escort

Final chapter: escort mission with Sobert + Relief, climactic encounter.

Mission entry: “Dal Call + Final Escort”

Cue: Ch3_2_Dal_Call → Ch3_Final_Escort (+ _Force)
In-game name: Final escort + climax
Path/Chapter: Unbihexium Ch3 (climax)
Find in game: After Ch2 complete
What player encounters:
- Dal Busta call to start Ch3
- Final Escort mission (Ch3_Mission):
  - Ch3_1_SobertReliefShip_Cutscenes — Sobert + Relief ship cutscenes
  - Ch3_1_Create_SpaceSuit — spacesuit EVA segment
- Combat / escort climax
Where: Final mission sectors (likely Tides-specific)
NPCs involved: Dal Busta, Sobert, Relief, climactic enemies
Reward: Arc complete; Sobert as permanent agent; Embassy unlocked
Chains to: End of arc → unlocks Cypher_Claimed event in Cypher research arc
Code reference: story_unbihexium.xml Ch3_* block

Mod conflict risks — Ch3

❌ Mods that disable spacesuit EVA break Ch3 spacesuit segment
❌ Mods that change agent unlock paths affect Sobert permanence

Arc completion summary

A completed Unbihexium arc yields:

Sobert as permanent agent for player diplomacy
Embassy unlocked (precursor to Kingdom End embassy system)
Diplomatic Mentor ending triggered (mentor recognition)
Faction state advances for cover-faction-related arcs
Story state set; Cypher_Claimed event eligible to fire
Cypher research arc becomes available

Code references

Concern	Cue
Setup characters	`Setup_Characters` block
Sobert cover identity	`Setup_Sobert_Fake_Identity`
Agent unlock	`Unlock_Sobert_Agent`, `Agents_Unlocked`
Ch1 Encounter	`Ch1_Encounter*`
Ch1 Objective toggle	`Ch1_Objective1_Toggle*`
Ch1 Squadron fight	`Ch1_1_SquadronFight`
Ch2 Boso call	`Ch2_2_Boso_Call`
Ch2 Data Vault	`Ch2_2_Data_Vault`
Ch2 Sobert conversation	`Ch2_Conversation_Sobert*`
Ch2 Return + chatter	`Ch2_3_*` block
Ch3 Dal call	`Ch3_2_Dal_Call`
Ch3 Final escort	`Ch3_Final_Escort*`
Ch3 Spacesuit segment	`Ch3_1_Create_SpaceSuit`

Tides arcs overview
Cypher research — research follow-up after Unbihexium claimed
Mission encyclopedia — landscape

Unbihexium is X4’s first espionage-narrative arc with cover identities, fake-faction relations, and agent recruitment. Your mod’s interference with diplomacy mechanics, cover factions, or Sobert agent system breaks the 3-chapter mission chain.