X4: Foundations is a space trading game, and it does not give you a goal to chase at the start. The galaxy keeps running whether you act or not, so the first thing you decide is what to do with the one ship you start with. Early on, you fly between sectors and scan for stations, resources and opportunities, because you need to know what is worth your time before you spend anything. From there, you take missions, trade, mine or fight to earn credits and build reputation with the factions that own the space around you, because reputation with each faction is what opens up its better ships, equipment and blueprints.
Credits let you buy ships, and a ship with a crew can keep working even when you are not flying it. You order it from the map to trade, mine or fight while you explore or do other things, so your income keeps coming in while you are busy elsewhere. Later, you can buy blueprints and build your own stations out of modules that join the galaxy's production chains, where what one station makes becomes what another station needs.
The longer goal is to grow an empire. Along the way, you use fleets, research at your Player Headquarters and diplomacy to widen your reach and influence the conflicts between factions. The early goal is smaller but just as useful: get a few ships earning without you, so your time is free for the bigger projects.
- Developer
- Egosoft
- Publisher
- Egosoft
- Release
- Worldwide: 2018-11-30
- Platforms
- Windows, Linux
Game data
Ships
Ships are central to X4: Foundations, from small fighters and couriers to huge carriers and battleships. They come in four sizes, and each size and role suits a different job, from hauling and mining to fleet combat and station building. Some ships are bought from faction yards, some are built by the player, and others are taken by boarding or earned as mission rewards. The ship that suits you depends on what you want to do and how far you've got in the game.
Weapons and Turrets
Weapons and turrets are the guns, missile launchers and mining tools that arm ships in X4: Foundations. Primary guns are aimed by the pilot, while turrets track targets on their own under rules the player sets. They come in sizes from small to extra large, and each ship's hull decides what it can carry.
Shields
Shields absorb damage before it reaches a ship's hull in X4: Foundations, and they come in S, M, L and XL sizes that must match a ship's mounts. Each one is judged by its capacity, recharge rate and delay, and the maker, mark and line all change those numbers. Standard shields are chosen in a ship's loadout at a Wharf or Equipment Dock or built at a player-owned Wharf or Equipment Dock, while racing shields suit specific racing hulls.
X4 Controls
| Action | Desktop |
|---|---|
| Open the map | M |
| Open the interaction menu | F |
| Travel drive | Shift + 1 |
| Short-range scan | Shift + 2 |
| Long-range scan | Shift + 3 |
| Boost | Tab |
| Fire primary weapons | Space |
X4 gameplay tips
Scan every station you dock at. Make a habit of orbiting each station in short-range scan mode (Shift + 2). Station modules with faults glow, and scanning them can reveal a discount, a hidden trade offer or sometimes a module blueprint. Blueprints alone can be worth thousands, and the scan costs you nothing.
Buy a Medium freighter and hire a captain before a better fighter. A fighter only earns while you are flying it, but a freighter set to AutoTrade keeps trading while you take missions, explore or build. Pilot skill matters too, since a low-skill captain trades poorly and does not range far, so pay attention to the captain you hire.
Compare trade offers before you buy or sell. Prices rise and fall with local supply and demand, so the same ware can be cheaper at one station than at the next. Use the trade filter on the map to see who is buying and selling a ware and at what price, then place a Satellite over the sectors you trade in, since it keeps their prices in view.
Pick one faction and climb its reputation first. Around +10 reputation unlocks that faction's military ships and equipment, and around +20 opens up its capital ships, advanced station modules and building licenses. Climbing that ladder for several factions means doing the work several times over, so choose one faction to start with.
Check who owns a ship or sector before you open fire. Reputation drops much faster than it climbs, and shooting one police ship in anger can close a faction's whole territory to you for hours of play. Check who owns the target first, and hold your fire until you know.
Wait to build a station until your income can feed it. A station needs blueprints, build resources, modules, workforce and a steady supply of intermediate wares. If you start before you can supply all of that, you are left with an expensive, half-finished structure that uses up credits and makes nothing.