The wait is over: the 8.00 Public Beta for X4: Foundations is now live! Also known as the Diplomacy Update, this major free update introduces a brand-new layer of strategic depth. For the first time in X4, diplomacy becomes a true tool in your arsenal. Learn more about the new Diplomacy system, as well as the other major features and improvements in the 8.00 update, in this news post - and dont forget to check out the full changelog below or in our Public Beta Feedback forum. [previewyoutube=9mRevE0_3qg;full][/previewyoutube] [quote]How Do I Take Part in the Public Beta? Every player who owns X4: Foundations has the opportunity to download the new 8.00 Public Beta version. In order to ensure that beta participants are aware of the risks and rules involved, we ask all interested players to visit our forum, where they will find the rules and disclaimers, as well as practical instructions for participating in the beta. Follow this link to our forum - no registration required - to find the relevant information.[/quote]

Introducing Diplomacy - Influence the X Universe Like Never Before

At the core of the 8.00 update for X4: Foundations is the new Diplomacy system, which will make the sandbox and economy simulation elements of X4: Foundations shine in new ways. The Diplomacy system is a deeply integrated new gameplay feature, built around three main components:

Embassy Room - A Convenient Way to Interact

A new embassy facility can be unlocked at your Player Headquarters (PHQ). Once unlocked, this room becomes the hub for your diplomatic endeavours. Here, Diplomats take their seats at a roundtable, offering quick access to faction representatives from across the galaxy.

• Unlockable via research at the PHQ
• Accessible through a new UI tab, alongside Research and Terraforming
• Requires friendly relations to accept faction diplomats
• New Factions and Relations menus to give a better overview

Agents - Specialists in Diplomacy and Espionage

Agents are a new class of hireable NPCs who can be specialised in negotiation or espionage. Once recruited and assigned a ship, agents can be sent on a wide range of diplomatic operations - to negotiate player relations, spy on enemy ships, or even sow chaos from the shadows. Key agent mechanics include:

• Experience system with six ranks, from Recruit to Spymaster
• Specialised missions: improve relations, forge ceasefires, steal blueprints, initiate diplomatic interference, and more
• Resource-driven actions: missions require a mix of credits, influence, and special items such as hacking tools or bribes
• Cooldowns and risks: operations take time and may carry injury or failure risks depending on mission difficulty and agent skill

You start with the ability to control two agents, and can expand this to eight through research and progression.

Diplomatic Interference - Shape Inter-Faction Politics

Perhaps the most game-changing element is that you can now trigger and influence dynamic diplomatic standing between NPC factions. Changes in faction relations can have an extraordinary impact on the galaxy, as alliances, trade partners and supply chains shift. These events are based on real inter-faction relations (ally, neutral, hostile, etc.) and cover scenarios such as:

• Trade disputes
• Cyber attacks
• Suspicions of espionage
• Peace talks
• Territorial claims

As a player, you can:

• Influence the event using an agent to steer the result in your favour
• Enable Protocol Null to sow chaos and trigger periodic inter-faction events
• Do nothing and observe the outcome

Events can lead to shifting alliances, wars, ceasefires, or changes in strategic resource access, making the universe feel more alive and reactive to your decisions.

How can I access the new Diplomacy features and how do I share feedback during the Public Beta?

Once you own your Player Headquarters and have completed the Hatikvah Trade Revolution storyline, Dal Busta will contact you to introduce you to these new opportunities. As with all new gameplay features in past major X4 updates, this marks the first iteration of the new system. During the Public Beta, well closely monitor your feedback, discuss it within the team, and fine-tune individual elements ahead of the full release of the X4: Foundations Diplomacy Update later this year. Please share your feedback / bug report in our Public Beta Feedback forum. Before doing so, please make sure you read the Public Beta Rules and Information, which you can find in a sticky thread at the top of that forum.

More about the 8.00 update

NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation Support - A Performance Gamechanger

Were excited to bring NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation to X4: Foundations, offering a major performance boost for players with supported hardware. DLSS frame generation can generate additional frames, doubling or even quadrupling your current frame rate, especially in situations where the game is limited by CPU speed. X4: Foundations is unusually dependent on the CPU, because it simulates the entire universe in addition to performing AI and physics calculations. Whether you're commanding a fleet in the middle of a massive battle or overseeing your interstellar trade empire, Frame Generation can dramatically improve the fluidity of your experience, especially at higher resolutions or on modern high-refresh displays. If you're using a GeForce RTX 40 Series GPU, youll now benefit from DLSS 3, which introduces Frame Generation alongside NVIDIAs AI-powered Super Resolution. For players on RTX 50 Series GPUs, were also preparing for DLSS 4, which brings Multi Frame Generation (generating multiple additional frames per rendered frame), as well as improved Super Resolution - all powered by NVIDIAs fifth-generation Tensor Cores. To enable Frame Generation in X4, simply turn on NVIDIA DLSS in the graphics settings. On supported hardware, Frame Generation will be activated automatically.

Map Layout

Among many UI improvements, one of the most visible is a change in the layout of the X4 universe map. Sectors are now grouped differently for better readability of the map.

New Connection Modules

Did you ever want to have a nice clean corner on your station, or to neatly top-off a vertical structure? What about a T-Shaped connector? Or maybe you were missing a curved piece to be able to build your dream station. We are happy to announce that in the 8.00 update, Argon architects have shared their blueprints for 5 new connection modules, opening up brand new possibilities for station design aficionados. Let your creativity fly, and if you feel like sharing your station plans then pay a visit to the Construction Community in our forums.

Bem-vindos! Portuguese Voice-Over Support Arrives

With the 8.00 update, were proud to introduce Portuguese voice-overs to X4: Foundations for the very first time. This marks an exciting step forward in making the X universe more accessible to even more players around the world. If you're a Portuguese speaker, wed love to hear your thoughts on this new addition. Please share your impressions and feedback in our Public Beta Feedback forum and help us make the Portuguese version the best it can be!

What's next?

As with previous major updates, development doesnt stop with the start of the Public Beta. This feedback phase is an essential part of the process, and were committed to refining the update further - guided by both our own ideas and, just as importantly, your insights. We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences in the Public Beta Feedback forum, and help us shape the final version of the update together. Thanks for your support - and best of luck forging alliances, brokering peace, or, well... stirring the pot.

X4 8.00 Public Beta 1 Changelog:

New Feature: Diplomacy!

New Feature: DLSS Frame Generation.

New Feature: Brazilian Portuguese localised voice support.

Added boost and travel drive speed to Object Info menu.

Added inventory item groups to Encyclopedia menu.

Added estimated resource costs for research.

Added themed ware tabs to Crafting menu.

Added input mapping for Map Pan/Rotation Switch to Controls menu.

Added option to limit frame rate.

Added options to use faction colours instead of relations for objects on HUD and/or Gravidar.

Added go-slow zones around ship dock areas to improve docking procedure.

Added more characters to ship cleaning roster on dock areas.

Added more Argon connection module variety for station construction.

Added parallax occlusion mapping to more surfaces.

Changed position of Faction Cover button in Ship Interactions menu.

Changed visibility of all crafting recipes at Crafting Benches.

Changed location of Faction and Relations information to Diplomacy menu.

Removed Make War not Peace mission after Paranid Civil War story, unless already started.

Improved A Heart for Pirates mission by showing guidance to remaining Xenon earlier.

Improved Operation Hyena mission of Covert Operations by adding additional objective step.

Improved speed of L-ships docking on auxiliary ships.

Improved docking speed of cargo drones.

Improved railgun weapon accuracy against moving targets.

Improved ships fleeing by leaving sector.

Improved behavior of Argon, Terran and Teladi characters sitting at terminals.

Improved feedback when unable to attack due to fire authorisation override.

Improved feedback for ships unable to follow mimic assignment.

Improved hull breaching for marines claiming abandoned ships.

Improved map layout and presentation for better navigation and readability.

Improved reflections in glass on outside of ships.

Improved Laser Tower MK2 visuals.

Improved collision shapes of Magnetar and Rattlesnake.

Fixed missing Bilateral ships when The Queendom Returned story state set in custom gamestart.

Fixed The High Road mission getting stuck on Drive away the remaining Kha'ak objective.

Fixed Operation Draco activating again if delivery station was destroyed after mission was completed.

Fixed Criminal story not progressing under certain circumstances if station is destroyed in Blueprint Data Theft mission.

Fixed turrets of Woodworm Scrubs not opening fire on Mellerd's destroyer in The Past a Prison mission of Criminal story.

Fixed lockboxes in Defenders of Sol mission sometimes not containing mission items.

Fixed black market items being available for purchase before finishing mission to unlock local Black Market.

Fixed Call and Response mission of Timelines Epilogue sometimes activating even though Epilogue was completed.

Fixed Empyrean Curs story not progressing if certain character lines skipped in Tangling with the Teladi mission conversation.

Fixed Dal's introductory cutscene and Kaori's HQ examination cutscene triggering at same time.

Fixed Long Range Scanner help text in Terran Cadet starting mission staying on screen forever under specific circumstances.

Fixed boarding operation missions remaining after aborting order to board ship.

Fixed more cases of Lost Ship Replacement losing ship assignments in various cases.

Fixed automatically replaced fleet ships not having crew and being unable to reassign full consignment.

Fixed capital ships sometimes not doing damage to stations when player not present.

Fixed combat subordinates set to Docked sometimes launching to engage their commander's target.

Fixed unreliable first person interactions on stations after leaving superhighway.

Fixed cases of not being able to interact with calls from player-owned ships under attack.

Fixed rare cases of small ships attempting to fly through capital ship engines.

Fixed capital ship subordinates not moving towards fleet leader after loading savegame.

Fixed automatic dock request for player ship on undocking after loading savegame.

Fixed some ships not trying to dock when fleeing Tide in Avarice.

Fixed ships remaining unresponsive to attacks while waiting for Tide in Avarice to finish.

Fixed spacesuits reporting finding lockboxes and abandoned ships.

Fixed XS docks on stations not opening up hatch.

Fixed cargo containers being picked up by drones far away.

Fixed cargo drones flying aimlessly around ship they launched from.

Fixed charging weapons not firing final shot if charging caused overheat.

Fixed station-based traders not trading when working with wares in shortage that are not in their manual ware baskets.

Fixed map fog of war being uncovered by any station player is on.

Fixed scrolling through construction plan in Station Build menu with Page Up/Down.

Fixed Direct Mouse Steering controls being able to be mapped to controller inputs.

Fixed Automatic Resupply of Subordinates and station-wide module loadout settings not being independent.

Fixed positive SETA message appearing when mode not available.

Fixed activating VE goggles zooming too far after starting or stopping control while zoomed in.

Fixed VE goggles zoom sometimes resetting while walking.

Fixed undock animation replaying for defence unit undocking.

Fixed missing outlines of flowchart nodes under certain circumstances.

Fixed stuck Target Monitor interaction overlay.

Fixed certain mission objectives being incorrectly positioned on map.

Fixed engines becoming louder when opening map while flying backwards.

Fixed weapon in/out-of-range sounds while HUD is not visible.

Fixed never-ending boost rumble after leaving spacesuit.

Fixed ship headlights not turning off when docked.

Fixed missing lights on Behemoth E exterior hull.

Fixed lights on outside of Irukandji appearing in wrong position.

Fixed wreck of antimatter cells production partially appearing in solid colour.

Fixed broken jumpgate in Mars using wrong visuals.

Fixed fire extinguishers in transporter room looking like something you can interact with.

Fixed rare case of chair falling over in Kestrel when being used by Paranid pilot.

Fixed being able to clip into Xenon K hull.

Fixed lens flares not being visible while in spacesuit.

Fixed several causes of crashes.

[ 2025-07-08 12:47:40 CET ] [ Original post ]