Research Abandoned Ships + Timelines Epilogue
Two Timelines arcs sit outside the Hub-and-spoke structure:
- Research: Abandoned Ships — HQ research unlocking 5 ships
- Epilogue — post-Timelines closure arc with RaceShip Handover
Research: Abandoned Ships
Section titled “Research: Abandoned Ships”Script: story_research_abandoned_ships.xml (43KB)
DLC: Timelines
This is an HQ research arc that follows a per-ship pattern — each of 5 abandoned ships has its own:
- Setup cue
- Claimed event
- Research cue (referencing the shared
Research_Unlocklibrary)
The 5 abandoned ships
Section titled “The 5 abandoned ships”| Ship | Setup cue | Claimed cue | Research ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cutlass | Cutlass_Setup | Cutlass_Claimed | Cutlass_Reasearch (ref Research_Unlock) |
| Odachi | Odachi_Setup | Odachi_Claimed (v2) | Odachi_Reasearch (ref Research_Unlock) |
| Sapporo | Sapporo_Setup (v2) | Sapporo_Claimed (v6) | Sapporo_Reasearch (ref Research_Unlock) |
| Elite Sport | Elite_Sport_Setup | Elite_Sport_Claimed (v2) | Elite_Sport_Reasearch (ref Research_Unlock) |
| Kestrel Sport | Kestrel_Sport_Setup | Kestrel_Sport_Claimed (v2) | Kestrel_Sport_Reasearch (ref Research_Unlock) |
Vanilla typo (confirmed): All five cues are named _Reasearch (note: “Reasearch” — same typo as Cypher research arc). Modders referencing these cues must use the misspelled form.
Per-ship pattern
Section titled “Per-ship pattern”<Ship>_Setup → <Ship>_Claimed → <Ship>_ReasearchEach ship follows the same lifecycle:
- Setup registers the abandoned ship’s existence + location
- Claimed fires when the player claims the ship
- Reasearch (via
Research_Unlocklibrary) gates research at HQ to unlock the ship’s blueprint / equipment
Ship names + categorization
Section titled “Ship names + categorization”Based on the macro names:
| Ship | Class hint | Likely real-world inspiration |
|---|---|---|
| Cutlass | Sword name | Argon family ship |
| Odachi | Long Japanese sword | Yaki / Terran ship |
| Sapporo | Japanese city | Yaki / Terran-Japanese themed |
| Elite Sport | Sport class | High-performance racer |
| Kestrel Sport | Kestrel = falcon, sport | High-performance racer |
The presence of two “Sport” variants (Elite Sport + Kestrel Sport) suggests these are linked to Timelines Race scenarios — race winners may receive these ships.
Mission entry: “Cutlass Research”
Section titled “Mission entry: “Cutlass Research””- Cue chain:
Cutlass_Setup→ (claim event) →Cutlass_Reasearch - In-game name: Cutlass abandoned ship research
- Find in game: HQ research menu (after Cutlass claimed)
- What player encounters:
- Player encounters abandoned Cutlass somewhere (specific sector per setup)
- Claims it (boarding or salvage)
- Returns to HQ
- Research entry unlocks
- Standard research timer
- Reward: Cutlass blueprint / capability unlock
- Chains to: HQ research framework
(Same pattern for Odachi, Sapporo, Elite Sport, Kestrel Sport.)
Mod conflict risks — Abandoned Ships
Section titled “Mod conflict risks — Abandoned Ships”- ❌ Mods that change abandoned ship macros affect all 5 ships
- ❌ Mods that disable HQ research break the entire arc
- ❌ Mods that change ship-claim mechanics affect Claimed events
- ⚠ Mods adding more abandoned ships can collide with these 5
- ⚠ Race scenario mods may interfere with Elite Sport / Kestrel Sport delivery
Code references — Research
Section titled “Code references — Research”| Concern | Cue |
|---|---|
| Per-ship pattern | <Ship>_Setup → <Ship>_Claimed → <Ship>_Reasearch |
| Research library ref | Research_Unlock (shared across all 5) |
| Vanilla typo | Reasearch (NOT Research) — modders must match the typo |
Epilogue
Section titled “Epilogue”Script: story_timelines_epilogue.xml (246KB)
DLC: Timelines
MDScript version: 3
The Timelines Epilogue is a post-completion arc — fires after player completes Timelines content, handling:
- Boso Ta unlock at HQ
- Race ship handover
- Gate openings
- Save migration patches
Setup phase
Section titled “Setup phase”| Cue | Purpose |
|---|---|
Setup_Remember_Boso_HQ_Check | Verify Boso Ta state at HQ |
Activate_Story_InitialDelay (60s polling) | Initial delay before activation |
Patch_Userdata (instanced) | Save migration patch |
Race Ship Handover
Section titled “Race Ship Handover”| Cue | Purpose |
|---|---|
RaceShip_Handover (v2) | Hand over a race-winning ship to player |
This connects to the abandoned ships research arc — race winners receive Elite Sport / Kestrel Sport / similar via this cue.
Debug Skipper system
Section titled “Debug Skipper system”The Epilogue has a comprehensive Debug Skipper system for testing:
| Cue | Purpose |
|---|---|
Debug_Skipper | Skipper system root |
Debug_Skipper_Spawn (instanced) | Spawn Skipper |
Debug_Skipper_Disconnect (instanced) | Disconnect Skipper |
Debug_Skipper_Conversation_Start (instanced) | Begin conversation |
Debug_Skipper_Conversation_Main (instanced) | Main conversation menu |
Debug_Skipper_Unlock_Boso (instanced) | DEBUG: Unlock Boso Ta at HQ |
Debug_Skipper_Open_Gates (instanced) | DEBUG: Open gates |
The DEBUG cues let vanilla developers test the Boso unlock + gate opening sequence without playing through Timelines content.
Mission entries
Section titled “Mission entries”Specific per-mission entries for the Epilogue are extensive — the arc is 246KB. Key milestones:
- InitialDelay — 60-second activation timer
- Boso Ta check + unlock at HQ
- Gate openings for additional access
- Race ship handover (if applicable)
- Final dialogue + cleanup
Mod conflict risks — Epilogue
Section titled “Mod conflict risks — Epilogue”- ❌ Mods that change Boso Ta’s HQ presence break unlock check
- ❌ Mods that override gate-opening mechanics affect post-Timelines accessibility
- ❌ Mods that change race ship reward mechanics break handover
- ⚠ Save-migration mods may collide with
Patch_Userdata
Code references — Epilogue
Section titled “Code references — Epilogue”| Concern | Cue |
|---|---|
| Boso HQ check | Setup_Remember_Boso_HQ_Check |
| Initial delay | Activate_Story_InitialDelay (60s) |
| Race ship handover | RaceShip_Handover (v2) |
| Save patch | Patch_Userdata (instanced) |
| Debug Boso unlock | Debug_Skipper_Unlock_Boso |
| Debug gate opening | Debug_Skipper_Open_Gates |
Cross-arc connections
Section titled “Cross-arc connections”- Race scenarios (in scenarios catalog) → race-winning unlocks Race Ship Handover in Epilogue
- Research arc → unlocks Elite Sport / Kestrel Sport → tied to Race Ship Handover
- Epilogue → unlocks Boso Ta at HQ (cross-DLC: Boso also features in Cradle of Humanity content)
- Epilogue gate openings → may affect access to other DLC sectors
Related
Section titled “Related”- Timelines arcs overview
- Scenario Hub — orchestrator
- Scenarios catalog — 20+ scenarios (including Race)
- Boss + epic scenarios — boss battles + Refugees
- Wiki: DLC handling — Timelines required
- Tides of Avarice → Cypher — also uses
_Reasearchtypo pattern
The Abandoned Ships research arc + Epilogue close out Timelines content. Note the vanilla typo Reasearch — modders must match it exactly when referencing these cues.