Wild Space 3

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Author: PrettyAverage

Last revision: 14 Jul, 2021 at 12:41 UTC (1)

File size: 93.33 MB

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Description:

tldr; adds uncolonisable space to make the galaxy feel bigger and allow more movement and exploration.

Updated to 3.03. 2.8 version available here

Changes from 2.8:

  • Integrate Wild Space: Control (Fortresses / gateways / techs etc);
  • graphics update;
  • small empty core for easier compatibility.

Summary

The purpose of this mod is to make galactic geography matter. It:

  • adds “wild space” systems that cannot be colonised, which fill most nebulae and parts of galactic core;
  • adds differential hyperlane density between "wild" and "normal" space;
  • links areas of wild space to the core via wormhole;
  • adds new galaxy maps that dramatically increases the proportion of systems that are within a nebula;
  • adds larger map sizes, which should perform better because of this mod.

By doing so it prevents the entire map from being locked down by empire borders by the end of the early game, increasing manoeuvrability and extending the exploration phase of the game. It also reduces the number of habitable planets and should increase performance (whilst not changing the density of planets as determined by standard settings).

Vanilla friendly and should be compatible with all mods that don’t effect galaxy generation. Real Space and Gigastructures compatibility is built in.

Wild Space Mods


“Wild” or “neutral” space

Adds systems without any central star which I’ve called “wild space”. Stellaris will only allow you to build a star base on top of a star. Removing that star makes the system un-colonisable and permanently neutral. ‘Wild space’ systems have some relatively violent nebula visuals. If you have Annatar’s absolutely beautiful Real Space mod activated the in system effects will be a mix of his and Vanilla. If not, the visuals will be entirely based on Vanilla nebula effects.

These systems should fill most of the space within any nebulae that are generated except for: the areas immediately surrounding empires; Fallen empires; marauders; special systems etc. With the appropriate submods, they’ll also fill the core (see here and parts of the galactic rim (to be updated).

That means that large tracts of space will remain traversable and impossible to lock down throughout the game. The size of those zones is determined principally by the size of the nebula and the number and positioning of empires. On the standard Vanilla galaxy sizes the nebulae are very small. On the maps added by this mod the size of those nebulae are massively increased and wild space will fill an appreciable proportion of the map.

The exact scale of wild space on the "Wild Space" maps is random. The systems will / should not spawn within two jumps of any empire homeworld. So if you play with high numbers of empires, and particularly if these empires are spread relatively evenly, the amount of wild space will fall significantly.

Exploration

Vanilla Stellaris exploration ends when all of the systems are gobbled up. This tends to happen quickly. Preventing this from happening naturally increases the length of the exploration phase and makes it much, much harder for you to be shut out of other areas of the map.

I’ve also changed a few standard Vanilla systems to only appear in a nebula and have added a few special systems as ‘islands’ that should only appear in the middle of wild space. These systems are colonisable and tend to either be rich or include rewards.

Performance

Graphically, the systems are probably a little bit more demanding than Vanilla nebulae. Low graphics version available from mod menu.

Otherwise, it shouldn’t have any impact on game speed. Given that it will reduce the amount of colonisable space and planets at any given galaxy size it should have a mildly positive impact.

Maps

Maps are labelled as either "Wild Space" or, and for the larger maps – only, "Linked Nebulae". Wild Space maps have a relatively smaller number of larger nebulae which will be distributed more or less uniformly around the Galaxy map. Linked Nebulae maps generate far more, smaller nebulae which are distributed randomly and will often connected with each other. That leads to, in my view, much more interesting and varied geography. Linked nebulae works better for the custom maps larger than ‘Huge’. It doesn’t work quit so well on smaller maps, though is also available on ‘Huge’.

New sizes are:

  • Massive – 1250 stars
  • Enormous – 1500 stars
  • Humongous – 2000 stars
  • Mammoth – 2500 stars
  • Gargantuan – 3000 stars

Warning: Wild Space does help with performance on any given galaxy. But larger galaxies are still slower.

Compatibility

Overwrites:

  • crisis.199
  • crisis.12
  • crisis.17
  • crisis.120
  • crisis.1000
  • ancrel.9999
  • Various Camera / Graphics defines, MAX_EXPANSION_DISTANCE and EXPANSION_COST_DISTANCE

Load order: below Real Space / anything modifying crisis events is the only thing that should matter. Below anything modifying galaxy map graphics (particularly borders), otherwise you’ll have issues with disappearing borders and flags.

Download
Revisions:

Old revisions of this mod are available below. Click the link to download.