---
title: Game starts and main-menu backgrounds
summary: What gamestarts.xml and startmenu.xml configure, and where start-specific MD logic begins.
section: galaxy
kind: guide
status: reference
updated: 2026-10-27
tags: ["X4","modding","gamestarts","and","menu"]
sources: ["https://chemodun.github.io/x4/modding-support/anatomy-of-game-data/libraries/gamestarts-xml/","https://chemodun.github.io/x4/modding-support/anatomy-of-game-data/libraries/startmenu-xml/"]
---
## Two different files


`libraries/gamestarts.xml` defines new-game choices: menu entries, player placement and property, universe settings and restrictions. `libraries/startmenu.xml` defines main-menu background scenes. Neither replaces an MD mission script.



Start definitions use `libraries/gamestarts.xsd`. Child-element order matters. The entry image, preview cutscene and intro have different roles; a nice preview does not create a starting ship.



## A learning patch for starting money


Put this patch in your extension's `libraries/gamestarts.xml`:



```xml
<diff>
  <replace sel="/gamestarts/gamestart[@id='wiki_training_start']/player/@money">25000</replace>
</diff>
```



**Prerequisite:** you have already added a complete `wiki_training_start` with a direct `player` child carrying `money`. This is a fictional ID, not a vanilla start.



**Expected:** the definition receives `money="25000"`. It configures initial funds for a new game; the patch does not credit a character in an existing save. A custom start also needs valid location, character, ship and asset references.



## Continue in MD


MD can read the selected start ID as `player.module`. A start-specific introduction must not run in every new game. Check the ID, then world readiness and protection against repeated initialization when loading.



`universe` settings can disable `jobs` and `god`. Missing ships in a tutorial world are not always a quota error. For start-specific datasets inspect [jobs and god](wiki:jobs-and-god).



## Backgrounds and unlocks


Add a scene under `/startmenu/background`; its `cutscene` acts as the key. The scene and assets must exist; a list entry alone is insufficient. Replacing the shared default background can conflict with DLCs and other mods.



`userdata` conditions belong to the player profile and can persist across saves. Test a locked start or background with a separate profile as well as an established one.



## Verification scenario


Open New Game, select the start, begin a new game and independently inspect property. Load an older save separately. For a background, test scene selection in main-menu settings. These examples have not been run in X4; no complete scene assets are distributed. Continue with [logging](wiki:debugging) and [MD persistence](wiki:md-persistence).