is it me or X4 modding community is dying?

[BlackRain]

The scripting/coding in X4 is way easier than X3. I don’t see how anyone can say differently. I could understand being more familiar/comfortable though. It may be more difficult to add ships and such though, not sure on that end.

I think that the main issue is that the people who made mods for X3 are just older now, like myself. I have spent some time modding because I may have a bit more free time than others during the summer but soon I will be busy again. I had more time when Rebirth was around because that is many years ago now and things were different for me then. I was even younger obviously when X3 was new and i did a little dabbling then. The point I am trying to make is that those who were willing to mod got older and the younger players don’t seem to be interested in modding and this is a niche game.

I really do wish I could mod. I can install,troubleshoot, ect them all day but, whenever I goto make one. I get all the needed programs make a nice folder and then Im lost. This is for alot of games I play.
I wanted to make a simple mod for this game way back when egosoft released a orange cursor mod and I wanted to take that and give an option for more colors, or a single mod in which you could change from an array of colors. But even what seems like such a simple mod is just ___ Im lost.

Ive been installing mods since the original doom on floppy disks.

It takes quite a bit of studying existing code and trial and error to get started. It is definitely something you have to devote a lot of time to if you are just getting started depending on what you want to do.

[Malakie]

Been wondering this myself.. I modded in X3 series because of the built in language and built in editor etc. X4 is too complicated for me to just sit down and throw something together if I want. Sadly, that is one change I do NOT like about X4 and I firmly believe it is the reason we are seeing a LOT less modding today.

The other problem is modders supporting what they make.. It is irritating as heck for them to put a mod out then abandon it.. Just one example, Custodia Fighter mod.. Nice mod, loved the ship but now it is broken to the point when you try to enter the thing, you get stuck in place and can't move. And not a word from the dev or anyone else that might be able to fix it. And this is just one example.

Because of things like that, people lose interest in playing and playing mods.. And sadly I see that trend already in X4...

[BrummBear02]

Been wondering this myself.. I modded in X3 series because of the built in language and built in editor etc. X4 is too complicated for me to just sit down and throw something together if I want. Sadly, that is one change I do NOT like about X4 and I firmly believe it is the reason we are seeing a LOT less modding today.

The other problem is modders supporting what they make.. It is irritating as heck for them to put a mod out then abandon it.. Just one example, Custodia Fighter mod.. Nice mod, loved the ship but now it is broken to the point when you try to enter the thing, you get stuck in place and can't move. And not a word from the dev or anyone else that might be able to fix it. And this is just one example.

Because of things like that, people lose interest in playing and playing mods.. And sadly I see that trend already in X4...

its also a lot of work to keep mods "updated" im guilty of what you complain about myself. well my ships should still work but i have a half finished update on all of them on my harddrive and get sidetracked soon after i started to work on them again

[Drewgamer]

Been wondering this myself.. I modded in X3 series because of the built in language and built in editor etc. X4 is too complicated for me to just sit down and throw something together if I want. Sadly, that is one change I do NOT like about X4 and I firmly believe it is the reason we are seeing a LOT less modding today.

The other problem is modders supporting what they make.. It is irritating as heck for them to put a mod out then abandon it.. Just one example, Custodia Fighter mod.. Nice mod, loved the ship but now it is broken to the point when you try to enter the thing, you get stuck in place and can't move. And not a word from the dev or anyone else that might be able to fix it. And this is just one example.

Because of things like that, people lose interest in playing and playing mods.. And sadly I see that trend already in X4...

its also a lot of work to keep mods "updated" im guilty of what you complain about myself. well my ships should still work but i have a half finished update on all of them on my harddrive and get sidetracked soon after i started to work on them again

I don't think you're the only one guilty of that
It's rough too when X4 isn't the only game you play. There are many times where I will put the game on the back-burner in favor of another. I tend not to check on my mod very often then.

I do tend to come back for major updates to check out what's new though, so I give it some love then.

[Revolution Rising]

i dont believe its dying, there was a wave of mods when 3.0 released and its just calmed down a bit.
Modders still work on their projects, minor ones were released, major ones are just in development, so there is a gap.

idk X3 had a LOT more scripts for things like mining... there's very little going on here.

I remember a bunch of scripts just for dealing with your inter-empire style logistics.

Right now I have been looking for a script to replace the station manager stuff (So that I can manually set ore vs silicon etc), but there's nothing

[OneOfMany]

Modders should feel no guilt nor shame for failing to update their mods, and those trying to imply that should be the ones to hang their heads in shame.

[Shuulo]

i dont believe its dying, there was a wave of mods when 3.0 released and its just calmed down a bit.
Modders still work on their projects, minor ones were released, major ones are just in development, so there is a gap.

idk X3 had a LOT more scripts for things like mining... there's very little going on here.

I remember a bunch of scripts just for dealing with your inter-empire style logistics.

Right now I have been looking for a script to replace the station manager stuff (So that I can manually set ore vs silicon etc), but there's nothing

to be honest, i play with heavy modded game, but neither of it changes mining, managers, or trading (except 1-star autotraders). And I never felt handicapped for this, vanilla features are quite good IMO already. And yeah, in X3 i used a ton of mods for this, so from my perspective these parts do not need so heavy modding as in X3, most mods focus on larger things and it takes more time

[Revolution Rising]

I had a much more finely tuned ability to deal with mining in X3.

For instance, I want to be able to dedicate a miner for a station just for ore. I want to do that MYSELF, usually I'd override the station manager with a script... I can find no such script. RandomMine won't do it...

X3 not only did I have a script to do it - I had several scripts by different authors that did this simple thing.

[Buzz2005]

I had a much more finely tuned ability to deal with mining in X3.

For instance, I want to be able to dedicate a miner for a station just for ore. I want to do that MYSELF, usually I'd override the station manager with a script... I can find no such script. RandomMine won't do it...

X3 not only did I have a script to do it - I had several scripts by different authors that did this simple thing.

install this:

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/289

this lets you choose the wares you want station traders to trade and station miners to mine without manager overwriting them

p.s. you need G workaround

[Revolution Rising]

I had a much more finely tuned ability to deal with mining in X3.

For instance, I want to be able to dedicate a miner for a station just for ore. I want to do that MYSELF, usually I'd override the station manager with a script... I can find no such script. RandomMine won't do it...

X3 not only did I have a script to do it - I had several scripts by different authors that did this simple thing.

install this:

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/289

this lets you choose the wares you want station traders to trade and station miners to mine without manager overwriting them

p.s. you need G workaround

Very nice, I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

[Revolution Rising]

I had a much more finely tuned ability to deal with mining in X3.

For instance, I want to be able to dedicate a miner for a station just for ore. I want to do that MYSELF, usually I'd override the station manager with a script... I can find no such script. RandomMine won't do it...

X3 not only did I have a script to do it - I had several scripts by different authors that did this simple thing.

install this:

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/289

this lets you choose the wares you want station traders to trade and station miners to mine without manager overwriting them

p.s. you need G workaround

Exactly what I was after - thanks!

[Malakie]

Modders should feel no guilt nor shame for failing to update their mods, and those trying to imply that should be the ones to hang their heads in shame.

Why? If you are going to make a mod that becomes popular, keeping it up to date in a reasonable manner seems prudent. When I do make mods, missions, etc for games, I always try to keep them up to date especially after major game updates are released for a game I made a mod for.

If a person does not have time to keep things up to date reasonably, then don't make the mod.

While real life happens, I am not talking about those situations.. I am talking about those that create a huge mod that thousands not only use but that actually become so ingrained into the game that removing it breaks your save games and campaigns utterly.

I have had many a game (not just the X series) where I have selected what appeared to be a great mod, installed it, got deep into a campaign for suddenly the author to stop supporting it or even delete it outright from being available.... breaking all that work players did. XCOM 2 mods are a big issue on this one for example..

The point is, if I were to have to stop supporting a mod, I would at least see if anyone else was interested in taking it over to support it for all those using it.

[BlackRain]

Modders should feel no guilt nor shame for failing to update their mods, and those trying to imply that should be the ones to hang their heads in shame.

Why? If you are going to make a mod that becomes popular, keeping it up to date in a reasonable manner seems prudent. When I do make mods, missions, etc for games, I always try to keep them up to date especially after major game updates are released for a game I made a mod for.

If a person does not have time to keep things up to date reasonably, then don't make the mod.

While real life happens, I am not talking about those situations.. I am talking about those that create a huge mod that thousands not only use but that actually become so ingrained into the game that removing it breaks your save games and campaigns utterly.

I have had many a game (not just the X series) where I have selected what appeared to be a great mod, installed it, got deep into a campaign for suddenly the author to stop supporting it or even delete it outright from being available.... breaking all that work players did. XCOM 2 mods are a big issue on this one for example..

The point is, if I were to have to stop supporting a mod, I would at least see if anyone else was interested in taking it over to support it for all those using it.

I disagree. Modders don't owe anyone anything. Your own philosophy about modding for your own creations is fine. If you feel that way, then by all means go ahead and carry out your principles. Modders make things for fun or as a hobby or for a variety of reasons and if they no longer wish to work on something, that is their choice. They have no obligation to finish anything, update anything, etc. Also, they do not need to give permission for someone else to use their work or continue it if they don't wish to. Saying they should feel guilty or some sort of obligation is absolute nonsense and saying that they shouldn't make something just because they eventually stop working on it is also ridiculous. When you decide to use a mod, you are choosing to take the risks that go with it and you have only yourself to blame if something gets messed up.

[Axeface]

Modders should feel no guilt nor shame for failing to update their mods, and those trying to imply that should be the ones to hang their heads in shame.

Why? If you are going to make a mod that becomes popular, keeping it up to date in a reasonable manner seems prudent. When I do make mods, missions, etc for games, I always try to keep them up to date especially after major game updates are released for a game I made a mod for.

If a person does not have time to keep things up to date reasonably, then don't make the mod.

While real life happens, I am not talking about those situations.. I am talking about those that create a huge mod that thousands not only use but that actually become so ingrained into the game that removing it breaks your save games and campaigns utterly.

I have had many a game (not just the X series) where I have selected what appeared to be a great mod, installed it, got deep into a campaign for suddenly the author to stop supporting it or even delete it outright from being available.... breaking all that work players did. XCOM 2 mods are a big issue on this one for example..

The point is, if I were to have to stop supporting a mod, I would at least see if anyone else was interested in taking it over to support it for all those using it.

That point of view is so incredibly strange.

[killerog]

Yeah that's just odd.

Back when x3 was out I was in college doing 3 days a week so I had plenty of time in between that going out to mod. The fact that I then could no longer support mods that much once I started uni, means that for the 3/4 years before I shouldn't of made a single mod??

About this game, to me it's the lack of easy to use tools for creating new models, to a decent quality so they do not look out of place in the game that's so far kept me to the edges. With me now working 5 days a week, doing up a house and generally being some sort of an adult, who's now somehow in his 30s I would still love to do some 3D stuff for this game, just getting stuff into it has to be easy, just like it was for X3 in the end, simply due to time constraints.

[Malakie]

Modders should feel no guilt nor shame for failing to update their mods, and those trying to imply that should be the ones to hang their heads in shame.

Why? If you are going to make a mod that becomes popular, keeping it up to date in a reasonable manner seems prudent. When I do make mods, missions, etc for games, I always try to keep them up to date especially after major game updates are released for a game I made a mod for.

If a person does not have time to keep things up to date reasonably, then don't make the mod.

While real life happens, I am not talking about those situations.. I am talking about those that create a huge mod that thousands not only use but that actually become so ingrained into the game that removing it breaks your save games and campaigns utterly.

I have had many a game (not just the X series) where I have selected what appeared to be a great mod, installed it, got deep into a campaign for suddenly the author to stop supporting it or even delete it outright from being available.... breaking all that work players did. XCOM 2 mods are a big issue on this one for example..

The point is, if I were to have to stop supporting a mod, I would at least see if anyone else was interested in taking it over to support it for all those using it.

I disagree. Modders don't owe anyone anything. Your own philosophy about modding for your own creations is fine. If you feel that way, then by all means go ahead and carry out your principles. Modders make things for fun or as a hobby or for a variety of reasons and if they no longer wish to work on something, that is their choice. They have no obligation to finish anything, update anything, etc. Also, they do not need to give permission for someone else to use their work or continue it if they don't wish to. Saying they should feel guilty or some sort of obligation is absolute nonsense and saying that they shouldn't make something just because they eventually stop working on it is also ridiculous. When you decide to use a mod, you are choosing to take the risks that go with it and you have only yourself to blame if something gets messed up.

I never said they did.. I said it is irritating that so many modders start something they never finish and leave players hanging. But I guess that's the way life is now.

[Revolution Rising]

I had a much more finely tuned ability to deal with mining in X3.

For instance, I want to be able to dedicate a miner for a station just for ore. I want to do that MYSELF, usually I'd override the station manager with a script... I can find no such script. RandomMine won't do it...

X3 not only did I have a script to do it - I had several scripts by different authors that did this simple thing.

install this:

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/289

this lets you choose the wares you want station traders to trade and station miners to mine without manager overwriting them

p.s. you need G workaround

Just on the topic of not updating mods, this wasn't actually updated and now just removes all the mineral designations you give it

[Buzz2005]

it works, just assign wares again, when you add wares first time it removes all but doing it again works, if you just remove stuff from the list that automatically gets added when you assign there is no problems

[BigGreenThugs]

TLDR: Love the game. I would create mods if I knew how. Ideas listed below.

I'm a huge fan of this game. I play with mods. It started with quality of life mods like MassMoveMarines (https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/170)
then moved into some others. I play with a lot of the mods by iforgotmysocks (https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations ... user+files)
My main issue is I can't mod. I have very little experience with scripting/coding and looking at the XML files are a bit daunting. I have successfully edited other mods but the mod authors did the heavy lifting. I have actually looked at the tutorials and started to some reading into but It just confused me more. I feel like I'm missing a key piece of information that may make all the rest of the info click.
I have Ideas that I would love to see implemented but lack the skill.
Here is an example. iforgotmysocks has a mod called Recycle Ships and Stations (https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/72). I love this mod. It allows play where you do not have to befriend any faction (to a point.) One of the main things it does is turning existing ships back into ship parts and includes a station module to do so. This gave me an idea: what if this recycle module could be used to process the "Junk fields" that exist in certain areas like the one in Silent Witness XII. I believe that to make this work that you would first have to create a new mineable resource. Then make the "junk fields" mineable. Probably via a new class of mining ship or "Salvager". Maybe with a new set of weapons and storage (including station modules) that are salvage specific. Can this be done? I believe so. Can I do it? No.

I think the Behemoth could work better as a fighter delivery platform than a "Destroyer". It has 4 Small docks and could unload 40 small ships rather quickly. Maybe it could repair the fighters it carries like a carrier does. Also more medium turrets. Also I'm sure this can be done just not by me.

I'd like a context menu option on the map screen to order one of my ships to claim an abandoned one.
I'd like a medium size mining ship with a small dock.
I'd like small size turrets (back of the Balaur on the top between the vertical fins seems made for this)
I'd like a ship that was made specifically for boarding. Maybe the Cobra was made for this
I'd like to have a trader assigned to a resupply ship that would trade for the resupply ship automatically.
I'd like a point defense system that can actually shoot down missiles. Or an ECM suite that can disrupt them. (not a missile/torpedo fan)
I think NPC ships should bail sometimes when they are fighting each other
I'd LOVE to able to rotate station modules on more than one axis.

I guess if I could mod, I have ideas that I'd like to see implemented.

[StopBanningMe7_III]

Modders should feel no guilt nor shame for failing to update their mods, and those trying to imply that should be the ones to hang their heads in shame.

Why? If you are going to make a mod that becomes popular, keeping it up to date in a reasonable manner seems prudent. When I do make mods, missions, etc for games, I always try to keep them up to date especially after major game updates are released for a game I made a mod for.

If a person does not have time to keep things up to date reasonably, then don't make the mod.

While real life happens, I am not talking about those situations.. I am talking about those that create a huge mod that thousands not only use but that actually become so ingrained into the game that removing it breaks your save games and campaigns utterly.

I have had many a game (not just the X series) where I have selected what appeared to be a great mod, installed it, got deep into a campaign for suddenly the author to stop supporting it or even delete it outright from being available.... breaking all that work players did. XCOM 2 mods are a big issue on this one for example..

The point is, if I were to have to stop supporting a mod, I would at least see if anyone else was interested in taking it over to support it for all those using it.

No offence, sir, but this post is so asinine that I interpreted it as a troll post at first. You've since implied otherwise. Astonishing.

I owe you nothing. If I make a mod in my spare time that turns out well, I might share it with the community. I might do my best to respond to criticism or bugs. I might even maintain it. Or I might not. If it breaks your game, I'm sorry, but tough. I have every right to say "stop crying and fix it yourself". I have every right to ignore you. Your sense of entitlement is mind boggling.