Strange New Worlds
1.2.5 compatible
STRANGE NEW WORLDS in a major overhaul of the way planets function in Stellaris from colonization to resources produced to land management. This mod is not save game compatible; a new game must be started for it to take effect.
UPDATE 7/31/16:
*New Starting System added–more will be added over the new few days.
UPDATE 8/21/16:
*Races will now longer spawn on asteroids of barren planets.
*Resources are now realistic while maintaining game balance, based upon my mod “Resource Redux.” Stars will produce energy and sometimes physics research depending on type, stellar objects like black holes, pulsars, neutron stars, and the like will produce physics research and sometimes dark matter. Gas giants will produce a small amount of energy and sometimes engineering research or terraforming materials depending on type and ringed gas giants may produce minerals. Asteroids produce minerals and sometimes engineering research in amounts depending on type.
*Gas Giants are now subdivided into four categories: Gas and Ice giants, either of which may be ringed or un-ringed. Each variation has its own unique resource characteristics. Ice giants have new models.
*All habitable worlds may be colonized from the start of the game. Colonization technologies now increase the habitability rating for that class of planet and allow the unlocking of terrain clearing technologies unique to that planet type.
*Habitability Classes have been narrowed. Continental planets now treat all other classes as secondary, Ocean and Tropical are a single primary group, as are Arctic and Tundra, and Desert and Arid. Continental species have greater versatility since all terrain types exist on their home worlds but they pay for this with a narrower ideal range.
*Scripts that ensured ideal planets were close to the player’s starting system have been disabled since there is now more early-game versatility in colonization.
*Asteroids now come in three classifications: Carbonaceous, Silicaceous, and Metallic; each with their own resource characteristics. Silicaceous and Metallic asteroids may be colonized after a technology unlock.
*A new edict, “Land Reclamation” is available after a technology unlock that allows players (and the AI) to increase any planet’s sizes by 1 tile every six months at a cost in Influence and a temporary happiness penalty; as per my mod “Land Reclamation.” The Influence cost ensures that this is an event to be reserved for important planets and not something you can simply do all the time, all over the place. While it is enabled for the AI I have kept an eye out and if they use it they do so sparingly. The Land Reclamation edict is not available on colonized asteroids.
*Starting systems like Sol and Deneb have been updated to include new planet classes and the Sol system has been expanded to include more moons and asteroids.
*Habitable worlds are slightly less common (-25%).
*6 new Planet Modifiers added.
*Planet Modifiers are now 50% more common.
*Cold Barren worlds are now called "Vacuum Worlds" to distinguish them from standard barren worlds which have atmospheres.
FUTURE PLANS:
*More New starting systems.
*Expand terraforming to include uninhabitable worlds such as Barren, Toxic, and Frozen classes.
*Add new types of planet modifiers.
*Add events like xeno-plagues that may be countered by long-term habitation or technology unlocks like medical nanobot transfusions or genetic engineering.
SUGGESTIONS WELCOME.
COLLECTION: This mod, and others I made to work with it, can be downloaded together in my "Overlord" collection: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=712692484
REPLACED FILES:
*common/deposits/ 00_deposits.txt
*common/planet_classes/00_planet_classes.txt
*common/solar_system_initializers/empire_initializers.txt
*common/solar_system_initializers/prescripted_species_systems.txt
*common/traits/00_habitability_traits.txt
*common/tile_blockers/00_tile_blockers.txt
Hope you enjoy the mod and please don’t forget to rate! If you have any issues, feel free to post them here as I check messages frequently and am always happy to help.