More map generation properties should to be exposed in setup.

[Pancakelord]

Here's an example of what i've changed for Nebulae:

    num_nebulas    = 12 #10
    nebula_size = 180 #60
    nebula_min_dist = 50 #200
    #=vanilla value for Huge galaxy

You can influence the number, size and (random) closeness of nebulae, In the above example I've ended up with a galaxy absolutely packed with nebulae in the south and eastern sections. Exposing this as a set of variables would let people increase (or disable it! as nebulae can be annoying with low intel) nebulae in their galaxies.

Other interesting properties include:

max_hyperlane_distance = 75 #50

Which lets you get some monstrously long lanes in some generations (usually on ring or 4 arm galaxies, when overall density is reduced). There are also some properties for the #HL connections within a constellation (e.g. the clump of stars you start in) and for cluster spacing (a large chunk of stars, ~1/6 the galaxy) and intra-arm gaps, but I'm not sure quite how they work - yet.

core_radius_perc = 0.25 # Core radius is 30% of the galaxy radius
num_stars_core_perc = 0 # Number of stars in core

Which look at filling in the core, or shrinking it.

Slightly separate - a single player-only setting could be based on the distance trigger (stellaris can measure the distance to the core/rim of the galaxy in % terms) to let players always spawn, say 0% (near the core) 50% (near the middle) or 90% (near the rim) of the galaxy, or at a random distance from the core (as is now). This could probably work in MP too, if handled right, though I've read the game does have a few quirks when initially creating nations in map-gen.

Can this all be done with modding? yes. but it's quite a hassle, and it'd be nice to have more randomisable properties - such as the

1. option to force all starting planets (excl homeworlds) to be continental, gaian, or some other planet type
2. influence the spawn rates of certain planets (so whilst you might have the game set to 1x habitable worlds, you could then make it more likely for wet worlds to appear, vs other types on game start), or
3. influence the relative starting power/size of advanced empires and FEs (so some could block off more of the map, others could be one-system powerhouses) - this is currently handled via scripts I think.
4. Sliders for The number of orbital deposits in the galaxy (making Energy / mineral / "science" / Trade / strategic deposits more or less common - either all in one slider, or all independently, with a random toggle too, so some galaxies could be rife with orbital mineral and trade deposits, but no energy ones)
   1. And the size of each deposit (so size 1 -2 is more common, or less common than 2-3 or 4-5 etc)
   2. Or checkboxes to only spawn deposits of X resource inside / outside of nebulae or nearer /further from the galactic core (Some of this should be possible by hooking in to cluster logic, as resources worked like this in older versions, with zro only appearing in nebulae).
5. Sliders for The relative weights of energy, mineral and food deposits on planets (similar logic to above - some galaxies could be food starved, naturally, forcing you to adapt)
6. This could all be set either on a "galaxy-wide basis" or on a "Per-arm" basis (if using 2 / 4 arm galaxies) - though the galaxy setup UI would need an overhaul for this, with expandable menus - so one arm could be food rich, the other could be science rich, for example.
   1. All empires could have a setting to spawn in just one or the other arm too(sort of like clustered starts, but less murky).

There is a lot of potential for variety and interesting scenarios with the galaxy generator, but it's all locked away in hard-coded scripts that reduce most games to feeling homogenous or "samey", galactically/geographically speaking.

 

[Roboduck3000]

@grekulf @MrFreake_PDX Is this something the Custodian team might do? I would love more randomizable sliders.

 

[HFY]

I'd love to see an Advanced Options tab in game setup which has all this expert-level stuff available for configuration.

Not on the main setup screen, though -- game has to be simple enough that I can play it while tired and drunk -- but a secondary (and tertiary) tab for more detailed configuration would be great.

 

[OldEnt]

This would be wholesome, would make galaxies much more varied without much effort from players.

 

[fourteenfour]

We have needed a galaxy generation tab for a long time partially to allow for better balancing in multiplayer games but overall to improve the feel of the galaxy.

• Ability to disable select ascension perks
• Even distribution of empires, currently we have cluster and random.
  • I use a mod to force this; clustered starts
• Distribution settings of random or distributed for dig sites
• Age of galaxy
  • young would have hotter stars (blues) but stars with planets would tend to have more food than mineral tiles
  • average age would see the most even spread
  • old would tend to end of life stars (reds), less life, and more minerals
• Toggle off each type of space monster
• Toggle pirates, we can already toggle caravan
• Toggle enclaves
• Toggle of certain event chains
• More galaxy shapes, would not mind a blob common to older 4x games

 

[Archon87]

How about an irregular galaxy shape? One that is not symmetrical and balanced, but some weird blob of stars in no discernible pattern, perhaps even without a core?

 

[Aepdneds]

How about an irregular galaxy shape? One that is not symmetrical and balanced, but some weird blob of stars in no discernible pattern, perhaps even without a core?

A long gone race tried to utilize the gravitational energy of the black hole in the centre of the galaxy, not knowingor ignoring that they were destroying the force which held the galaxy together.

 

[HFY]

Additionally, it would be a phenomenal boon to mod authors -- and players who use mods -- if the Setup screen had a tab for mod options, with sub-tabs for mods which ask to let themselves be configured.

Saving these options between games would improve the player's experience significantly.

So when y'all add the Advanced Options tab, do one for mods too.

 

[Basileus777]

A long gone race tried to utilize the gravitational energy of the black hole in the centre of the galaxy, not knowingor ignoring that they were destroying the force which held the galaxy together.

Black holes don't hold galaxies together, dark matter does.

 

[Aepdneds]

Black holes don't hold galaxies together, dark matter does.

I just looked into it and there are both galaxies without massive center black holes and galaxies without dark matter, but non known galaxies where both is missing. So it seems that the established theories are missing a big junk

Mystery of Galaxy's Missing Dark Matter Deepens

When astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope uncovered an oddball galaxy that looked like it didn’t have much dark matter, some thought the finding was hard to believe and looked for a simpler explanation. Dark matter, after all, is the invisible glue that makes up the bulk of the...

www.nasa.gov

 

[MrFreake_PDX]

moved to the suggestions forums

 

[Ninjamestari]

They should add that stuff to some sort of "advanced options", you don't want to overwhelm new players with too many choices from the get go. Have those advanced options neatly hidden away under some "advanced settings" sub-menu and you're good.

 

[HFY]

Black holes don't hold galaxies together, dark matter does.

But we can only mine Dark Matter from black holes.

(Mostly.)

​

 

[Reedstilt]

Age of galaxy

• young would have hotter stars (blues) but stars with planets would tend to have more food than mineral tiles
• average age would see the most even spread
• old would tend to end of life stars (reds), less life, and more minerals

I've been wanting a Galaxy Age setting for a while. For young galaxies, I was also picturing fewer stellar remnants (neutron stars, pulsars, black holes, white dwarfs) but you could get some exotic stars, like a gigantic Quasi-Star here and there. Anomalies that would produce the Remnants First Contact Event are a lot rarer as well. Ruined Megastructures and Fallen Empires are more limited (getting a 0.X multiplier based on how young the galaxy is). Conversely, in an older galaxy, stellar remnants are more common, along with M and K type stars. Exotic stars of an truly ancient galaxy might include blue and black dwarf, iron stars, and frozen stars (sub-red dwarfs capable of fusion with a surface temperature around 0 °C). Remnant Anomalies would be more common, as would Ruined Megastructures and Fallen Empires.

I've been torn how whether primitive civilizations and pre-sapient life should be more common in one era or another. Perhaps pre-sapients would be more common in earlier eras and primitive civilizations would be more common in the middle eras, with both dropping off in later eras.