No Generic Start?

[Snaphaan]

In the Q&A for the next X4 Bernd mentioned he does not want any generic character creation or start. Are we supposed to pick specifically designed characters all the time?

This is not very immersive. I would like to write (through my choices in the game) my own story. I don't want to play the son of some tycoon, or whatever else they plan.

I want to play whoever I am at the moment of release.

[Morkonan]

From only my experience with X3TC, I don't see this as a particular problem. "Starts" generally dictate a limited set of variables and don't necessarily limit a player's options.

You can start off as a Humble Merchant and end up as a Pirate, for instance.

It's a role-playing opportunity and I think it's a nice way to start a "sandbox" game experience. A lot of sandbox games have similar roleplaying mechanics that dictate one's starting equipment, personal stats, resources, faction relations, and the like, so it's not an unusual game mechanic.

[Crimsonraziel]

In the Q&A for the next X4 Bernd mentioned he does not want any generic character creation or start. Are we supposed to pick specifically designed characters all the time?

This is not very immersive. I would like to write (through my choices in the game) my own story. I don't want to play the son of some tycoon, or whatever else they plan.

I want to play whoever I am at the moment of release.

He said there is no character creation, which never was in previous X-Games. I thought he mentioned that they are likely to have something similar to those "custom" Gamestarts from previous titles, which actually mean:
you are: nobody
you start with: Argon Buster + 1000 Cr.
your reputation with factions is: nobody cares
plots: most likely to be not available

[birdtable]

If I remember correctly there were many varied starts even down to only owning a broom sweeping cigarette butts in a bar (slight exaggeration ) ... Maybe you could start as a scientific recluse who has invented a jump drive looking for Boron investors ...

[Snaphaan]

In the Q&A for the next X4 Bernd mentioned he does not want any generic character creation or start. Are we supposed to pick specifically designed characters all the time?

This is not very immersive. I would like to write (through my choices in the game) my own story. I don't want to play the son of some tycoon, or whatever else they plan.

I want to play whoever I am at the moment of release.

He said there is no character creation, which never was in previous X-Games. I thought he mentioned that they are likely to have something similar to those "custom" Gamestarts from previous titles, which actually mean:
you are: nobody
you start with: Argon Buster + 1000 Cr.
your reputation with factions is: nobody cares
plots: most likely to be not available

Seems I misunderstood what he said. Maybe I was confusing the varied story lines he mentioned with different game starts.

[X2-Illuminatus]

No, you were correct. There will be different gamestarts from the perspective of different characters in the X-Universe with their own background story and little specific storylines, and one main plot every gamestart can play.

Relevant questions and answers from the Q&A thread:

Will there be a campaign in X4?
There will be different gamestarts with different personalities and different little storylines for each of them. Additionally, there will be a central plot everyone can play.

In the presentation the question was asked if players could create their own character and the answer was no. However, will players be able to play a "free game" again and start with "nothing"?
Exact gamestarts are still to be decided, but I don't see any particular reason why a really basic start wouldn't be one of the options.

[Crimsonraziel]

In the Q&A for the next X4 Bernd mentioned he does not want any generic character creation or start. Are we supposed to pick specifically designed characters all the time?

This is not very immersive. I would like to write (through my choices in the game) my own story. I don't want to play the son of some tycoon, or whatever else they plan.

I want to play whoever I am at the moment of release.

He said there is no character creation, which never was in previous X-Games. I thought he mentioned that they are likely to have something similar to those "custom" Gamestarts from previous titles, which actually mean:
you are: nobody
you start with: Argon Buster + 1000 Cr.
your reputation with factions is: nobody cares
plots: most likely to be not available

Seems I misunderstood what he said. Maybe I was confusing the varied story lines he mentioned with different game starts.

No, there are multiple gamestarts. And there were multiple gamestarts in previous X-Games. But there never was anything like character creation. If you don't like any of those starts with rudimentary backstory, it's likely there is as gamestart that resembles the "custom" one from previous titles. This one is as basic/blank as possible.

Given the fact that no one can see you, not even you yourself, "YOU" basically boils down to a name and your backstory to starting reputation, assets and availability of some plots. Everything else is up to your imagination.

[A5PECT]

My favorite start from the X3 games was custom.

My only gripe with it was that it gave you an Argon Buster and put you in Argon Prime. While it wasn't conclusive, it did imply that your character was Argon.

Character customization might not make it into the game, but game start customization might be nice. When you create a new game using a custom start it should give you a set a of parameters you can pick different options in (starting sector, race, assets, reputation).

Oh, a neat idea: custom starting options relatively limited at first, but more are unlocked as you achieve certain things in previous playthroughs. For example, discovering Paranid Prime unlocks it as a starting sector option, and gaining enough Paranid reputation lets you choose a Paranid ship as your starter in a new custom game. That would give the player a little incentive to explore and try different playstyles over time.

[Morkonan]

I'd love a good "Custom Start" system.

Imagine the traditional "Warband" starting system. (For those familiar with it.) This mirrors closely a much-beloved "start" system in the old PC Game "Traveler." (From the famed rpg)

So, you start with a series of options, but they're in a sort of "story dialogue" mode. You pick from a variety of options, detailing the background of your character, the experiences and education you may have had, any military experiences, piracy, where you're from, where you're going to start, why you're there in the first place..

This sets up everything, from starting stats, equipment and money to deeper things like reputation with various factions and even the availability of certain side-quests and intrigue that only specific sorts of characters might get.

Of course, with an old game like Warband and even, eventually, with Traveler, one could "optimize" their character and game start however they wished. (It was harder in Traveler, since you could "die" before you even started the game or end up with bad wounds, etc.)

But, if there were enough weighted variables there, with enough "sure" ones to reward and help the player build their game start they way they'd like it, then I could see it being pretty popular.

Want to be a Terran pilot, striking out on his own as a merchant, retired from the Navy with a few contacts still there, just in case you need them? Want to be on somewhat neutral terms with a Pirate faction because you helped them out, once? Want to have some mysterious thing in your past that might come back to haunt you, but not know exactly what that will be or how it will happen?

That's the sort of "Custom Start" mechanic I'd love to see. It'd add a nice roleplaying flavor to one's game and would allow people a lot of variety across different playthroughs.

[birdtable]

Well I have never found the custom starts that game changing other than the first few hours, eventually I end up in Rome and start my main play through.. Tried all starts and none changed this experience, no mid/long term advantage or disadvantage regardless of race or circumstances..... Although I do enjoy the initial struggle from having nothing.

[PowerPC603]

Each gamestart only gives you some starting cash, starter ship(s), perhaps a starter station, and it decides in which sector you start in and what your relations are to the other races.

When you choose Humble Merchant, it doesn't force you to trade-only.
You can still play as a pirate who never trades (except selling your loot).

And as a pirate with a negative reputation towards all the other races to start with, you may choose to try to get your relations to maximum by trading for example, instead of killing everyone on sight.

You decide what you do in the game, not the gamestart you pick because it's a sandbox game.
It's open to do whatever you want to do.
Only the starting options change between gamestarts.