Genre: Real Time Strategy (RTS), Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Strategy, Indie
Stardeus
Stardeus "Ship Combat" Major Update
Greetings, Space Travelers!
We are excited to announce the release of the Ship Combat major update! Let's take a look at the noteworthy changes it brings.
A day in the life
At last, the Stardeus Universe won't feel as lonely anymore. You will encounter NPC spaceships that are busy going about their own adventure. You will be able to interact the same way they interact with each other. As a player, you won't get any special treatment. While there will be some scripted story events involving NPC ships, most interactions will happen organically.
Live and Let die
Ship to ship combat was the most requested feature of all time, and it's finally here! All ships (including space stations) canbe attacked. Ships will also be able to attack each other and YOU! It's even possible to fight more than one opponent at once!
Ship combat is inspired by two legendary games - Starsector and FTL. If you've played those, the combat will feel familiar.
Several new ship devices were added to make combat possible:
5 types of weapons (Ballistic, Laser, Missile, Plasma, and Point Defense)
Shield Emitters replace Quantum Barriers and protect the entire ship regardless of placement
Flux Capacitors will charge your DeLorean increase the amount of damage your shields can absorb before overloading
Please, take the Ship Combat tutorial to learn all the new mechanics and complete the new "Make Ship Combat Ready" quest to arm yourself acordingly.
Defeating a ship turns it into a Derelict that you can approach and salvage. The destroyed ship’s surviving loadout may appear as loot.
Ship Interactions
Several types of interactions can happen between ships - either between you and NPCs, or between NPCs themselves:
Hail: Any ship can hail another to initiate a chat and trigger interactions
Attack: A ship can attack another or join an ongoing battle
Give Gift: A ship may offer gifts to improve faction relations
Ask Fuel: A low-fuel ship can request fuel, affecting relationships
Trade: Some ships are open to exchanging goods
Extortion: Pirates may demand ransom under threat of combat
Follow: A ship may tail another out of curiosity or with later intent
Avoid: Threatened ships try to escape and hyperjump away
Ignore: Ships may ignore you, which can be a relief when it’s pirates
Surrender: Only in combat, and not guaranteed to work
Insult: Throw insults and see what happens
Return Beacons
Found a resource rich sector you'd love to revisit? Drop a Return Beacon and make it one hyperjump away! This fast travel system is so good it should probably be illegal.
Warp Drives
Two new engine types make exploration easier. The Warp Drive lets you jump anywhere in your current region. The late-game Alien Warp Drive lets you warp to any region, regardless of distance. Forget hyperlane restrictions.
UI Enhancements
The UI continues to improve. v0.13 introduces locking tooltips and clickable text links to codex entries or object locations. If it's underlined, you can click it.
As always, there'ssoo much more.
You can read the full changelog below.
And, until next time; be safe out there, space cowboy.
The Changelog
v0.13.0 (2025.05.07) - [Major] Populate the universe with NPC ships of other factions - [Major] Add Ship to Ship Combat - [Major] Add various interactions between ships (NPC <-> Player and NPC <-> NPC) - [Feature] Add tutorial: Ship Combat - [Feature] Add Quest: Make Ship Combat Ready - [Feature] Add Ship Weapon: Shredder Cannon (Ballistic type) - [Feature] Add Ship Weapon: Heavy Laser (Laser type) - [Feature] Add Ship Weapon: Rocket Pod (Missile type) - [Feature] Add Ship Weapon: Gauss Striker (Plasma type) - [Feature] Add Ship Weapon: Interceptor Turret (Point Defense type) - [Feature] Add Shield Emitter device for ship shields - [Feature] Add Flux Capacitor device that increases ship flux capacity - [Feature] Make ship weapons attack meteoroids, asteroids and breach capsule - [Feature] Make ship shields defend from micro meteoroids - [Feature] Turn Space Stations into Ship type for them to have ship to ship interactions - [Feature] Add Space Story Event: Pirate Ship Attack - [Feature] Add space story event: Pirate Ship Extortion - [Feature] Add Space Story Event: Law Enforcement Raid - [Feature] Add Space Story Event: Ship Duel - [Feature] Add Space Story Event: Ship asking for fuel - [Feature] Deep Scan will run passively and automatically all the time when available - [Feature] Communicator will require an operator for communicating with other ships - [Feature] Add Winch Range Upgrade that allows reeling in derelicts from any distance - [Feature] Add "Find Resource" suggestion that point out scanning research and functionality - [Feature] Add Return Beacon device, research and Starmap UI for fast-travel to visited locations - [Feature] Destroying a Void Ripper will warp the ship to a random location in the universe - [Feature] Destroying a Void Ripper will spawn 3 Dark Matter - [Feature] Change faction attitude for the victim against the attacker after victim is defeated - [Feature] Change faction attitude for observer NPC ships when a ship is defeated - [Feature] Add Warp Drive research (Tier 4) - [Feature] Add Local Warp Drive that can jump to any sector within the region - [Feature] Add Alien Warp Drive research (Tier 6) - [Feature] Add Horizon Warp Drive that can jump to any distant region - [Feature] Add Notes overlay with a scratchpad for taking in-game notes - [Feature] Add two types of wooden floor tiles - [Feature] Mining an owned resource deposit will make owner's ships in the sector attack the player - [Feature] Space Port will spawn ships to attack the player if there is a need and no ships are around - [Feature] Add Storage Capsule loot types: Mini Core, Obey Chip - [Feature] Allow toggling Nanobots compatible job types in Job Matrix UI - [Feature] Add Firewall Chip implant that prevents Hacking and adds Energy Resistance - [Feature] Make Crawler Goo craftable - [Feature] Trap Floors will automatically destroy Eggs when they are placed above them - [Feature] Add "Crawler Combat Alert" toggle in Current Game Settings to ignore crawler combat when farming them - [Balance] Going through a Black Hole will discharge only one Void Ripper - [Balance] Going through a Black Hole will deal some structural damage to the Void Ripper - [Balance] Limit max deep scans per location to 3 - [Balance] Move Extended Scanning to Tier 4 before Telescope - [Balance] Make scanning strength increase linearly (used to be square root) - [Balance] Limit maximum scanning strength to 10 - [Balance] Hyperjump drives will have to charge up before use when in ship to ship combat - [Balance] Radar will not be required to reveal resource deposits when entering a sector - [Balance] Gold and Platinum will be easier to find - [Balance] Deep Scan will allow finding more rare materials in easier difficulty sectors - [Balance] Deep Scan speed will depend on sector difficulty - [Balance] Deep Scan will run much faster for subsequent scans (still limited to max 3) - [Balance] Magnetic storm will increase dust accumulation and particle collector output by 2x - [Balance] Connector Malfunction story event will only happen on Impossible difficulty - [Balance] Increase electric devices per 1Thz CPU from 20 to 25 and make the value tunable - [Balance] Most electronic components will be destroyed if a device containing them gets destroyed - [Balance] Part Storage will be unlocked with Assembly Hub, not Disassembler - [Balance] Reduce frequency of Cooking Incident and Cleaning Incident story events - [Balance] Repairing a damaged device will never take less than 15 minutes of game time - [Balance] Slow down meteoroids by 25-50% when they are part of a larger shower - [Balance] Make meteoroids move 5x faster - [Balance] Reduce Coffee Tree water consumption by 2x - [Balance] Unlock Radar as part of basic tech - [Balance] Refinery, Fabricator, Grinder, Flux Capacitor and Warp Drives will generate heat while operating - [Balance] Destroying a Breach Capsule with ship weapons will spawn the wounded raiders - [Balance] Allow deploying AutoDrill Rigs to deposits without depth - [Balance] Reduce amount of Glass provided at the beginning of Wrecked and Leaving Earth scenarios - [Balance] Resources found via Deep Scan in an owned sector will have 50% chance of being owned - [Balance] Mining a deposit belonging to another faction will have more diverse consequences (breach capsules + ship attacks) - [Balance] Adjust incoming breach capsule speeds - [Balance] Reorganize Space Travel research tree - [Balance] Selling ship sections will be more profitable - [Balance] Biological beings with Obey Chip will be prone to Hacking - [Balance] Don't spawn living grounded raiders when breach capsule is destroyed in space - [Balance] Adjust outcomes of Hacked event - [Balance] Battery Overload event won't happen for bots that are docked, charging or undergoing repairs - [UI/UX] Suggest disabling crawler combat alerts when choosing to clone crawler or egg once per session - [UI/UX] Add "Load Game" menu item to Pause Panel - [UI/UX] Display a warning if no worker is capable of certain task type - [UI/UX] Make research tree paths clickable in tooltips and UI - [UI/UX] Warn if Trade Portal is not available when trying to trade with a hailed ship - [UI/UX] Add link to Trade Portal codex entry in "Trade portal not available" messages - [UI/UX] Add clickable links to space objects when tooltips or popup mention them - [UI/UX] Display class points cost in codex entries of all ship devices - [UI/UX] Shift-clicking devices while a connector is selected will ignore click-drags - [UI/UX] Improve crafting device context menu popup behavior - [UI/UX] Warn about building too many scanners - [UI/UX] Show Scan Strength in Radar / System Scanner codex entries - [UI/UX] Change order of scenario configuration screens to allow modifiers to get configured before space map - [UI/UX] Show Black Hole information when hovering Regions and Sectors in the Starmap - [UI/UX] Make some space object names in tooltips clickable (will focus on the object in the starmap) - [UI/UX] Improve UI panel focus on click behavior - [UI/UX] List incompatible Brains / Cores in Replicator / ML Booth - [UI/UX] Show warning tooltip when trying to load incompatible item into Replicator / ML Booth - [UI/UX] Add more details to Needs stat tooltips - [UI/UX] Add links to entities in entity / being task tooltips - [UI/UX] Mental health effects will track the location of the event - [UI/UX] Show hand cursor when hovering clickable items - [UI/UX] Remove text highlights when hovering clickable text links in favor of hand cursor - [UI/UX] Improve storable being component UI - [UI/UX] Improve disposable component UI - [UI/UX] List sections that will be abandoned when doing a hyperjump - [UI/UX] Display links to objects when hovering clickable texts anywhere in the UI - [UI/UX] Improve camera auto move speed / smoothness when focusing on distant objects - [UI/UX] Enhance Available Tasks UI with better tooltips - [UI/UX] Split Structure category into Floors, Walls and Doors in Build Menu - [UI/UX] Don't show more than 3 tasks in the tooltip when hovering a location with multiple tasks - [UI/UX] Don't show more than 10 items in the tooltip when hovering a location with multiple objects - [UI/UX] Improve Codex > Factions UI to show relationships between NPC factions - [UI/UX] Add "Eject All" button to all storages - [Tech] Upgrade Unity to 6000.0.48f1 - [Tech] Loud sounds (explosions, ship weapons) will affect music volume - [Mods] Add more checks and diagnostics for validating mod upload issues - [Mods] Add mod_debug prepare and mod_debug upload_prepared console commands - [Mods] Fix race condition that would prevent mods from uploading on lower latency network connections - [Misc] Remove Quantum Barrier device and related research - [Misc] Remove Directional Turret device and related research - [Misc] Remove Security Controls device and related research - [Misc] Remove Security overlay - [Bug] Fix workers would try hauling objects to storage when storage was full - [Bug] Fix workers would try hauling dead bodies to surgery / assembly hub while hub was occupied - [Bug] Fix beings would take deadly unsafe paths if the destination was safer (usually warmer) than the start - [Bug] Fix unlocking last research item would not hide the "Research available" notification - [Bug] Fix unloading research would visually corrupt the unloaded research UI element - [Bug] Fix Mining Orders popup could change the orders of the wrong expedition when multiple expeditions were configured - [Bug] Fix space effects would not reset state between different game sessions, causing bugs on save / load - [Bug] Fix changing equipment would not immediately update DPS values in Combat Controls UI - [Bug] Fix enemy combat units could get stuck in outer areas without entrance to the rest of the ship - [Bug] Fix enemies would try to break in through doors that lead to nowhere interesting - [Bug] Fix workers could get stuck for 2 in-game hours waiting for path evaluation when there was no path - [Bug] Fix pressing R would not rotate a tile blueprint if the mouse was moving - [Bug] Fix mass-ordering installing upgrades would not create an upgrade task for devices that had another task pending (e.g. reactor refill) - [Bug] Fix Xenodetectors would be scanning even when switched off - [Bug] Fix grounded beings with "Fight" combat reaction would keep dropping their work if there were unreachable enemy units
The Ship Combat (v0.13) major update is almost ready for public release! We are grateful to everyone who playtested it in the alpha branch. Your feedback and bug reports helped polish all the rough edges, as usual. We’re always listening and taking your feedback into account, even if it might not seem so.
We know some of you didn’t enjoy the Hyperspace update, as it introduced new restrictions to space travel and made survival more difficult. We’ve listened to your feedback. The Ship Combat update will address many of these inconveniences:
Return Beacons will allow you to fast travel to previously visited locations.
Automated deep scanning will “find” (spawn) several new resource deposits in almost every location, making it easier to acquire resources.
Two new types of Warp Drives will let you jump to sectors and regions without using hyperlanes.
NPC ships traveling the universe will make it almost impossible to get stranded, as you can trade with them or even ask for fuel when you’re in trouble.
Other than these inconvenience-fixes we’ve also stacked the update full of balancing changes, various UI fixes and of course, the whole Ship Combat thingy.
We’re now going back to radio silence. (Unless you’re in the discord, of course. We’re active there as usual.)
Early next month everyone will be able to enjoy a new Stardeus universe full of life and adventure, with hundreds of NPC ships traveling about.
See you soon!
// Spajus & Lizz The Community Manager
Ship Combat Open For Testing
Hey everyone!
The Stardeus v0.13 "Ship Combat" major update is almost ready and is now open for public testing. If you'd like to try it and provide feedback, follow these steps to activate it:
Right-click Stardeus in your Steam library.
Choose "Properties."
Select the "Betas" tab.
Choose "v0_13_pre" from the dropdown.
Take the "Ship Combat" tutorial and explore the new Codex entries to learn the ropes.
Discuss the update on Discord in the #v013-ship-combat channel or here on Steam. Bug reports and feedback are greatly appreciated!
The v0.13 update will launch for everyone in a couple of weeks. See you then!
- spajus
Stardeus Modding Enhancements and Guide
Hey, Space Travelers!
Stardeus has received a major modding upgrade—JSON patching.
This method allows modifications to core JSON files without overwriting them. Mods using this approach will be more reliable and compatible with future updates. Even better, multiple mods can patch the same core file, eliminating override issues.
The rest of this update post is a tutorial on how to create your own mods. If you're interested, keep reading! If not, just know that mods support will be even better going forward!
Stardeus Modding Guide
What is JSON
JSON stands for “JavaScript Object Notation”, a human-readable plain text format. If you want to learn more about JSON, here’s a good resource: https://www.w3schools.com/js/js_json_intro.asp
However, JSON is so simple that you can easily understand it just by looking at a few examples.
How Stardeus uses JSON files
In Stardeus, behaviors are defined in C# code, which you can also mod but it requires programming knowledge and significantly more effort.
Content and various parameters are defined in JSON files that the game loads at runtime. To illustrate this, let’s examine a device.
This is a Charge Station. It has various properties and behaviors. The game recognizes the Charge Station because it loads a JSON file that defines it:
You can find this definition in the Core mod*: Definitions/Objects/Devices/ChargeStation.json
* To open the contents of the Core mod, run Stardeus, then Main Menu > Mods > Core Game > Open Directory
This file specifies various properties of the Charge Station, such as the research required to unlock it and, most importantly, a list of Components.
Each Component block provides a specific function. Many of these components appear in other device definitions, but the ChargeStation component is what makes this device unique. Removing this component block would strip the Charge Station of its ability to recharge robots.
If you wanted the Charge Station to work twice as fast, you could change the ChargePerHour property from 25.0 to 50.0. However, modifying the Core mod directly means your changes would be overwritten when the game updates. In this guide, we’ll learn how to create mods that edit JSON files without altering the Core mod itself.
Beyond object definitions, Stardeus includes many other JSON files for configuring different aspects of the game. Tunable parameters, story events, species configurations, body parts, inventory items, character traits—even UI colors—are all defined in JSON and fully moddable.
Creating a Mod
The easiest way to create a new mod is to grab a copy of the empty mod here: https://github.com/kodolinija/stardeus-mod-empty
Download the project as a zip file, extract it in the user mods folder*, rename the extracted folder to match your mod name (I like using the kebab-case when naming folders).
* User mods folder is located next to the Saves folder. You can open it from Stardeus: Main Menu > Mods > About Mods > Open User Mods Directory
Then open the TODO.md file and go through the checklist: - [ ] Update ModInfo.json - [ ] Create your own ModCover.jpg - [ ] Delete unnecessary directories
Run Stardeus and check if your empty mod appears in the Main Menu > Mods list. If it does, you're ready to start modding!
Changing Existing Behaviors and Parameters
Previously, modifying a JSON file required copying the entire file into your mod just to change a few lines. The game would then load the modded version instead of the original. The main problem with this method was that when the Core mod updated, the copied JSON file could become outdated or broken. This often caused older mods to stop working or, worse, silently break parts of the game.
The new approach—JSON patching—solves this issue. Here’s how it works:
Mods define patches.
Patches target specific core JSON files.
A patch contains a list of operations to modify the targeted JSON.
Operations can add, remove, or replace parts of the original JSON.
This method is based on the RFC 6902 standard, with custom extensions for advanced querying. It’s simpler than it sounds—you’ll see examples soon.
JSON patching support was added in v0.12.17 and I believe this will be a game-changer for modding.
Let’s say we want to mod the Charge Station to double its charging speed. We need to create a patch file inside the Patches directory of the mod. We’ll name it ChargeStation_2xSpeed.json to reflect its purpose.
- target: The path to the JSON file inside the Core mod directory that we want to patch. - operations: An array containing one or more operation blocks. - op: The type of operation. In this case, replace. Valid types are add, replace, and remove. - path: A query specifying which element of the original JSON file to modify. It may look complex, but it’s straightforward once broken down. - value: The new value replacing the existing one. Here, we’re changing ChargePerHour from 25.0 to 50.0 to double the charging speed.
Now, let’s analyze the path step by step:
- /Components → Refers to the "Components" key in the original JSON, which contains a list of component blocks. - /Components[Component=ChargeStation] → Filters this list to find the block where "Component" is set to "ChargeStation". - /Properties → Refers to the "Properties" key within that block, which contains a list of component properties. - /Properties[Key=ChargePerHour] → Filters the "Properties" list to find the block where "Key" is "ChargePerHour". - /Float → Refers to the "Float" key inside that block, which holds the value we want to change.
Since Float is the key that contains the charging speed, this is the final part of the path.
OK, I admit it still looks a bit scary here. But the good news is that it’s the most complex path example I could come up with. If you understand this one, you’re going to be unstoppable!
Now, what happens when the game loads your mod with this patch? Next to the user Mods directory, a Patched directory will be created. If you look inside, you should find the patched ChargeStation.json file that looks something like this:
More examples of how to write various JSON patches can be found here: https://github.com/kodolinija/stardeus-mod-template/tree/master/Patches
Adding New Content via JSON Files
To add new content, you’ll need to create new JSON files rather than patches. Place these files in the corresponding directories of your mod inside Definitions or Config. Check the Core mod for examples.
When creating new definitions, you can mix and match existing components and add new graphics for your devices. Explore the mod template project and check out these YouTube video tutorials for examples:
If you want to write your own C# mods or understand how certain components work, you can explore the Reference Source Code that comes with the Core mod.
It’s not the complete source code, but it contains about 80% of the game’s codebase. Everything relevant to modding should be there. Unlike decompiled code, it includes comments, and constants are not replaced with literal values, making it much easier to read.
For the remaining 20%, you can decompile and explore the game DLL files using dnSpy or similar tools.
Join the Modding Community
Join the Stardeus Discord Server and visit #stardeus-modding channel to discuss with other modders and get help.
And I will be happy to personally answer any modding related questions there, or here on Steam Forums.
Happy modding! - spajus
Stardeus "Hyperspace" Major Update
Greetings, Space Travelers!
Welcome to the Stardeus "Hyperspace" (v0.12) update! This update brings a massive package of new mechanics, content, and balance improvements. It's the perfect time to start a new run!
This update has been available as a public beta since early December and has been thoroughly tested and polished. Many suggestions and changes from early adopters have been implemented - thank you to everyone who participated in the beta test! If you would like to join in on giving feedback on future updates make sure to join the discord in the links below!
Now, let's take a look at some of the most noteworthy parts of this major update.
New Space Travel Mechanics
The biggest change is how the Stardeus universe is structured. It now has three layers:
Universe layer: Contains a cluster of regions.
Region layer: Contains a cluster of sectors. Each sector has something worth exploring.
Sector layer: Contains the objects within the sector (planets, asteroids, etc.).
Regions and sectors have difficulty levels. You'll want to start your run in an easy region and work your way up to explore the more challenging ones as you progress.
The difficulty level of your current location affects a variety of factors, including the resources you can find and the random events that may occur.
Most regions are interconnected with Hyperjump Relays. However, some of the more difficult regions lack these relays and will only be accessible once you obtain FTL drives.
Space Events overhaul
A major change in the new space system addresses a key point of player feedback: nobody liked being hit by asteroids or meteoroids out of nowhere. From now on these events only occur during travel.
However, there will still be dangerous sectors where threats like meteoroids are persistent but in most parts of space you can rest easy. Once you get your force fields up and running, you can start explore the dangerous areas on your own terms with minimal risk.
Smaller Ships
Starting scenarios will now produce smaller ships. The game has been reengineered and rebalanced to encourage keeping your ship compact and sleek. You can still go big by setting ship size up to 3x in the new game modifiers, but I wouldn't recommend doing so on your first run of v0.12.
Order Queue Support for All Crafting Devices
This has been one of the most requested features since day one, and now it's finally here - and it’s fantastic! If you're unsure what this means - you can now queue crafting orders on devices, so you don't have to go back and forth and change what's needed from a single device! Although we both can agree it should have been implemented sooner... better late than never! This feature pairs perfectly with smaller ships and should also be a great quality of life for bigger ships too!
Nanobots and Auto-Repair
Build Nanobot hives and the swarm will perform simple tasks, such as repairs, construction or device clearing anywhere within their reach. Your robots can finally chill out like they deserve. Except for the cleaning Bot, even Nanobots won't touch those disgusting grimy floors. Sorry.
That also comes with a new Auto-Repair feature. Unlock a tech and anything that gets damaged will automatically create a Repair task for the nanobots.
Start a New Game with an Existing Ship
You can now start a new game using any existing ship! This means you can design an amazing ship in Sandbox Mode or download one created by someone else and start a new game with it.
There are plenty of options for managing existing resources, crew, money, the universe, and more. You can choose to keep, remove, or regenerate each individual aspect. You can even break your ship into pieces to recreate the classic "Wrecked" scenario.
Share and Download Ships in Steam Workshop
Since you can start a new game with any ship, why not share your creations with the community? In v0.12, you can! A few ships uploaded by our playtesters are already available. Just subscribe to them in the Steam Workshop, and you'll find them in the Ships section of the Main Menu the next time you start the game.
Here's a video explaining how to share ships and start a new game with an existing ship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sByIJkEj9Mk
Diseases and Immunity
In other words, Space Diarrhea is back, baby!—and now it's properly transferable. But don’t worry, your colonists can gain immunity and recover with some bed rest... unless they get food poisoning.
On a more serious note, the diseases and immunity system is a great addition for more variety in gameplay. Younger beings gain immunity faster than older ones, so relying on a 99-year-old guru with brand-new body parts from a raider donor might not be the flawless strategy you hoped for.
10 New Quests
These new quests will assist you on your journey to colonize the planet. There’s even a post-endgame quest for those who want to keep exploring!
Basic Technology Pre-unlocked
You will no longer need to unlock basic survival tech through research in the early game—unless you choose to. A new "Basic Tech" game modifier has been added, which defaults to "Unlocked" but can be changed to "Locked" or "Randomized."
New Scenario: No Robots
This scenario isn’t for the faint of heart. Manage a fully functional small spaceship operated by only a handful of fragile humans. With no relentless robotic workers to carry out your orders, how long can you survive the chaos?
New Tutorials
Stardeus now features nearly a dozen tutorials. We highly recommend going through them, even if you're a veteran player. For example, did you know you can connect devices without dragging the mouse by using Shift + click? Or that you can select any floor tile with Ctrl + click? You would if you completed the Advanced Controls tutorial!
Enhancements to Combat AI
The Combat AI has been fine-tuned, resulting in noticeably improved fighting behavior in this update. Don’t forget to check out the new Combat tutorial as well!
Mini Turrets
Perfect for when you want a simple but effective way to deal with a swarm of raiders without getting overly creative.
Prevent Fire and Explosions with Fuse Upgrades
Devices equipped with Fuse upgrades will blow the fuse instead of catching fire or exploding if they malfunction. Take that, RNGesus!
Codex Overhaul
The Codex has been refreshed, along with many in-game descriptions that were outdated due to changes in mechanics over the past couple of years of Early Access.
Tons of New Content and Balance Changes
There’s so much more! Check out the full changelog below for an extensive list. However, with so many small changes and enhancements, not everything made it into the changelog. You’ll have to play the game to discover them all!
The Changelog
v0.12.0 (2025.01.23) - [Major] Add support for Diseases and Immunity - [Major] Change the structure of the Universe to use a graph of Space Regions and Sectors - [Major] Change the space flight mechanics to use fuel and hyperjumps to travel between locations - [Major] Some space Sectors will have permanent Space Effects (Dust Storm, Asteroids, etc) - [Major] Add nanobots that can perform simple tasks like construction, demolition, repairs - [Major] Allow creating multiple orders for most production devices - [Major] Add Steam Workshop integration for sharing space ships - [Major] Allow starting a new game with a ship from any save file - [Feature] Add consumable Fuse upgrade to prevent device malfunction side effects like fire or explosions - [Feature] Add support for separate Work Spot, Input Port and Output Port for all devices - [Feature] Allow rotating ship sections an derelicts clockwise / counterclockwise with help of Maneuvering Controllers - [Feature] Add Mini Turret device - [Feature] Add Auto Repair research node - [Feature] Replace large Stasis Arrays with several smaller ones - [Feature] Add Online Shop to allow ordering delivery of basic materials in any location - [Feature] Allow building / relocating objects above debris and dead bodies (auto-move them away) - [Feature] Add 10 new quests - [Feature] Add new scan target: Space Station - [Feature] Add "Deep Scan" that can detect new resources in sectors with planets and asteroid fields - [Feature] Add story event: Cooking Accident - [Feature] Add story event: Fight - [Feature] Add story event: Hacked - [Feature] Add story event: Hyperdrive Failure - [Feature] Add space event: Artillery Fungus - [Feature] Add disease: Space Diarrhea - [Feature] Add food poisoning mechanics - [Feature] Add new scenario: No Robots (difficult!) - [Feature] Add Tutorial: Space Travel - [Feature] Add Tutorial: Body Parts - [Feature] Add Tutorial: Combat Tactics - [Feature] Add ability to install Speed Upgrade into Repair Station - [Feature] Add smaller storage unit (2x2) - [Feature] Add new materials: Phasium, Edenium, Aerolith, Hydronium, Terranite - [Feature] Add new craftables: Fusion Cell, Heavy Fusion Cell - [Feature] Add a mysterious Dark Portal - [Feature] Colonists will be able to enjoy the view through glass floors - [Feature] Attempt to restore device connections after repairing / rebuilding a connector or a device - [Feature] Add dedicated Trade Portal - [Feature] Add "Mining Output" modifier (new game + in-game) - [Feature] Add Extended Scanning research (Tier 5) - [Feature] Obey Chip can now be found in Anomaly locations (after day 120) - [Feature] Add "Recenter Ship" button to Ship Controls - [Feature] Automatically recenter the ship when attempting to do a hyperjump or fly when ship is in no-fly zone - [Feature] Add Remote Mining research node (Tier 3) - [Feature] Add Beam Drill device that can mine resource deposits from your ship - [Feature] Add Chaos story generator - [Feature] Add "Basic Tech" new game modifier that allows locking / randomizing basic tech - [Balance] Space events (Asteroids, Raids, Capsules etc) will only happen when entering specific sectors - [Balance] Add multiple big enhancements to Combat AI - [Balance] Adjust severity and frequency of many story events - [Balance] Remove ship computer neural network fragmentation / defragmentation mechanic - [Balance] Start with less colonists in Stasis Arrays - [Balance] Accessing the Starmap will not require functional Bridge Controls - [Balance] Reduce storage capacity for many storages (materials will not be as abundant) - [Balance] Adjust starting resource amounts - [Balance] Starting ships will not generate with high tier reinforced floors / walls - [Balance] Generate smaller starting ships - [Balance] Ship engines will not heat up empty vacuum - [Balance] Move Teleporter to higher tier - [Balance] Crafting a Handgun will no longer require Platinum Ingot - [Balance] Fire will self-extinguish 3x faster without oxygen - [Balance] Explosions will have less chemical fuel to feed the fire - [Balance] Construction failure in unoxygenated environment will not cause fire (except through explosion) - [Balance] Reduce trader stock amounts to encourage mining and production on ship - [Balance] Move Memory Modules into higher research tiers - [Balance] Change trading supply / demand impact on player's trades to prevent money exploits - [Balance] Damaged floor collapse will only affect current area (unless the floor supports a wall) - [Balance] Increase Elysium electricity production from 5kW to 25kW per colonist - [Balance] Dark Matter will now be a rare mineable resource - [Balance] Ice deposits will no longer have depth and won't get exhausted - [Balance] Remove Probes - [Balance] Pre-unlock most of Tier 1 tech in all scenarios, including Wrecked - [Balance] Increase Ship Computer built-in disk storage from 32 to 64 Exabytes - [Balance] Increase Quantum Ship Computer built-in disk storage from 64 to 96 Exabytes - [Balance] Add new game modifier: "Research Cost" - [Balance] Losing one essential organ / body part when there is a backup will not incapacitate the being - [Balance] Increase output of plates when smelting most raw ores - [Balance] Make ambush / extortion signals and expedition events less frequent - [Balance] Make extortion ransom less expensive - [Balance] Make Random story generator less random / brutal - [Balance] Increase combat stats for Orbotron - [Balance] Crawlers won't burst from infected colonists upon their death in Peaceful difficulty level - [Balance] Inflicting moderate or greater wounds on body parts will reduce their quality - [Balance] Inner doors will have low oxygen / heat exchange resistance even when closed - [Balance] Inner walls will have low heat exchange resistance - [Balance] Large planter will have 4 makeshift toilet slots instead of 1 - [Balance] When Wrecked scenario is started without robots, ensure one full space suit spawns near humans - [Balance] Colonists without a space suit will not attempt to equip a space helmet unless ordered - [Balance] Adjust starting resources in all scenarios - [Balance] Reduce electricity cost for enabling Advanced Life Support in Stasis Arrays - [Balance] Increase delay between possibility of repeating "Construction Disaster" event by 2x - [Balance] Increase Biowaste to Water output from 1:1 to 1:2 - [Balance] Small Solar Panel and many other lower tier devices will not require Plastic - [Balance] Increase Petroleum output from Crude Oil from 1 to 2 - [Balance] Removing infected organs from biological beings will drop their quality 0% - [Balance] Allow increasing Heater output up to 70 degrees Celsius, 200 degrees with Asimov's Override - [UI/UX] Add information about landing zone size expectations - [UI/UX] Overhaul Codex UI and contents - [UI/UX] Add images to some Codex > Operations Manual entries - [UI/UX] Warn about micro meteoroids before the first strike hits - [UI/UX] Warn about unstable stasis arrays - [UI/UX] Make device, being, object names clickable in Log and Fanfare messages - [UI/UX] Make [123:234] coordinates clickable in Log and in Fanfare messages - [UI/UX] Flash new event notifications - [UI/UX] Don't show new quest dialog popups until quest is accepted through notification or quests UI - [UI/UX] Show more data about a fire when hovering a burning object - [UI/UX] Update multiple outdated descriptions and codex entries - [UI/UX] Show external link icon next to all buttons that open a browser page when clicked - [UI/UX] Organize load game panel to reduce clutter - [UI/UX] Add shortcut to toggle Direct Control for selected beings (G) - [UI/UX] Make space object icons behind the ship in game view interactive - [UI/UX] ESC will close dialogs without choice - [UI/UX] Add compatibility information to body part tooltips - [UI/UX] Clicking a Datoid in Research node cost will focus on the node that unlocks that Datoid - [UI/UX] Make Fanfare messages easier to read - [UI/UX] Improve tutorial guidelines readability by showing non-actionable guidelines as grey - [UI/UX] Split Basic Controls tutorial into 3 smaller ones - [UI/UX] Improve scrollable UI behavior - [UI/UX] Improve expedition crew choice view - [UI/UX] Copy configuration will now work with heaters / coolers - [UI/UX] Add list of all research items to the Research Tree - [UI/UX] When a device explodes after taking damage, log the device name and location - [UI/UX] Display object cover values in codex entries - [UI/UX] Always show Cover values in the Environment (Alt) tooltip - [UI/UX] Sort body parts by Quality instead of Condition * Quality - [UI/UX] Warn about abandoning derelict ship upon flight - [UI/UX] Improve scroll speed in dropdown menus - [UI/UX] Automatically resize dropdown menus to utilize available space - [UI/UX] Mark infected organs with green skull - [UI/UX] Add infected label to tooltips of infected organs - [Tech] Improve auto save logic - [Tech] Make being animations smoother at displays with > 100FPS (with option) - [Tech] Improve small ship (especially derelict) generation algorithm - [Tech] Add way to change in-game and global settings via "settings" console command - [Tech] Add hidden global setting to allow loading incompatible saves: "settings set_global allow.old.saves true" - [Performance] Reduce max allowed map size for new games from 640x640 to 448x448 - [Performance] Eliminate stutter caused by tasks in unreachable areas - [Performance] Optimize AI performance - [Graphics] Make planets look more detailed - [Graphics] Add gentle vignette effect - [Bug] Fix multiple AI (both regular and combat) behavior bugs - [Bug] Fix relocating a storage on top of itself or in sandbox mode would eject all contents - [Bug] Fix destroying a locked door or a door with custom permissions would apply door effects for an auto-rebuild ghost - [Bug] Fix cloned body parts would show incorrect quality until stored or used - [Bug] Fix electricity deficit would be applied to all devices instead of only ones that failed to draw power - [Bug] Fix Stasis Pod landing could result in graphics glitches - [Bug] Fix active teleporter could teleport into a switched off teleporter - [Bug] Fix ship generation could end up failing to ensure presence of important objects (Shuttle, Particle Collector, etc.)
The Stardeus v0.12 major update is almost ready and is now open for public testing. If you'd like to try it and provide feedback, follow these steps to activate it:
Right-click Stardeus in your Steam library.
Choose "Properties."
Select the "Betas" tab.
Choose "v0_12_pre" from the dropdown.
There are a few new tutorials, but the "Space Travel" tutorial is especially recommended.
Discuss the update on Discord in the #stardeus-v012 channel or here on Steam. Bug reports and feedback are greatly appreciated!
To expedite development of the next major update, v0.11 will no longer receive updates. Any bug fixes will go directly to v0.12. The v0.12 update will launch for everyone early next year. See you then!
- spajus
Halloween Update
Greetings, Space Travelers!
It's that time of year when the void between stars gets just a little spookier! Our latest update brings you the most essential research in intergalactic history: Halloween Decorations. Outfit your colony with ghastly and or spoopy (not poopy) things that might stir up your fellow colonists to a scare! Oh, and don't forget our stylish new coffins! Nothing says home like a final resting place <3
For our botanically inclined captains, we've added pumpkins to your planters and a new culinary delight: Pumpkin Soup! Serve it to your crew to keep their bones warm while they wander through your ghostly halls... (bOooOoo...)
TLDR: Seasonal halloween update with some cosmetics & pumpkin stew! We're working on a big "normal" update too, and are thankful for your patience in the meanwhile!
Changelog:
v0.11.23 (2024.10.23) - [Content] Add Research: Halloween Decorations - [Content] Add item: Jack-o'-lantern (4 versions) - [Content] Add item: Decorative Skull (3 versions) - [Content] Add item: Ghost Statue - [Content] Add item: Decorative Coffin (2 versions) - [Content] Add item: Tomb Stone (3 versions) - [Content] Add plant: Pumpkin - [Content] Add meal: Pumpkin Soup - [Feature] Give small sanity debuff for sleeping in an uncomfortable temporary spot (e.g sofa) - [Tech] Increase max lights from 10240 to 20480 in larger maps - [Bug] Fix beings could try to use a temporary sleeping spot that was already in use - [Bug] Fix being information panel could display negative age - [Bug] Fix maneuvering controllers may not work when they are adjacent to angular floors - [Bug] Removed herobrine
There's been a bit of radio silence, so it’s time to lift the curtain and show what's coming in the next major update.
The focus of the update will be space travel and space-related story events. The current space travel mechanics are undergoing a significant rewrite. Here are some of the changes:
Space will be divided into Regions and Sectors with varying difficulty and content.
Space travel will happen through instant hyperspace jumps between linked locations.
Fuel will be required to perform these hyperjumps.
Space-related story events, such as Asteroids, Meteoroid Showers, Dust Storms, etc., will be tied to specific locations rather than appearing randomly. You’ll be able to prepare, manage risk, and encounter these events on your own terms.
These changes will have a large ripple effect on overall gameplay and will require significant rebalancing and thorough playtesting. As always, your ideas and suggestions are welcome!
I'll be asking for the help of brave adventurers willing to try this update before everyone else. The update is halfway there - stay tuned for more news!
Your feedback has been heard, and with the recent update, teleporters should work properly again! Several other pathfinding related bugs have also been fixed.
However, there's a catch. A choice needs to be made between having good performance on large ships with dozens or hundreds of beings and accurate pathfinding through the teleporter network.
If performance issues occur after v0.11.19, pause the game, go to Settings > Current Game Settings, and disable "Optimize Pathfinding for Teleporters."
Here’s a quick rant and explanation of why ultra-fast pathfinding and accurate paths through teleporters can't both be achieved at the same time:
Full changelog for v0.11.19:
- [Performance] Split pathfinding algorithm to support both fast pathfinding and accurate teleporter use - [Performance] Add "Optimize Pathfinding for Teleporters" setting in "Current Game Settings" (on by default) - [UI/UX] Show suggestion to build a Repair Station when one is not available - [Bug] Fix workers could block work spots for others while doing certain tasks - [Bug] Fix damaged workers silently dropping tasks when Repair Station was not available - [Bug] Fix fast pathfinding could find a longer path if a teleporter was along the direct route to goal - [Bug] Fix fast pathfinding could fail to find the path if excessive amounts of iterations were required - [Bug] Fix Trade UI could execute the trade with inconsistent item quantities if search filter was used and cleared mid adjustment - [Bug] Fix Cleaning Bots would start cleaning floors mid combat - [Bug] Fix Cleaning Bots unable to use attack methods provided by equipped weapons - [Bug] Fix relocating ML Booth or Replicator would destroy loaded brains / cores - [Bug] Fix entering skill levels with keyboard in ML Booth would not apply the value - [Bug] Fix robots in biological bodies unable to use beds, toilets, showers
Post-Bioverse Updates - An Overview
Hey, everyone!
It's been a little over a week since we released the Bioverse update, and we hope you've been enjoying it! As you can imagine, we've kept busy since the release, and thought a brief overview of what's happened since would be neat to share!
New Features
Twitch Integration: In addition to tools allowing the streamer to handle the queue from an in-game menu, additional commands were added for viewers! Job Matrix: This long-requested feature (pictured below) was added just yesterday! Now it's much easier to see at a glance what skills are available amongst all the beings on your ship!
Balancing Updates
Numerous adjustments for balance have been implemented in the last week and a half, including:
Animals being able to open doors that aren't connected to the grid, as well as being able to sleep more soundly in noisier environments
Giving the player a warning that an egg has appeared on the ship when at or below certain difficulty levels
Economic adjustments, such as increasing the odds of certain items appearing in traders' inventories
Enabling additional violations of Asimov's Laws of Robotics when certain conditions are met
UI/UX (User Interface and Experience) Improvements
Many improvements and updates to the game's UI have also been made, including the removal of redundant interface elements, improved in-game notifications for the Twitch integration feature, and improved scrollbars in menus and lists.
Bug Fixes
Thanks to reports from players, numerous bugs have been found, logged and fixed, with even more fixes on the way! If you find anything that seems odd or broken, make sure to submit a bug report so we can look into it!
And more!
If you'd like to see a full list of the changes made since the update, and hang out with fellow players, please come join our community Discord!
