Galaxy settings

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (3.14) of the game.

Galaxy settings

Galaxy Settings are the various changes that the player can make before starting a single player or multiplayer game. These settings can be used to make game sessions shorter or longer, simpler or more complex, as well as to increase the difficulty if desired.

General settings

Gameplay

Gameplay settings affect how difficult the game will be for human players.

Difficulty

The difficulty setting gives the AI bonuses at higher settings and gives human players bonuses at lower settings. Higher difficulty also increases the strength of the endgame crisis. AI vassals of human players receive bonuses as though difficulty were one level lower.

Difficulty	Player empire bonuses	AI empire bonuses	Spaceborne aliens bonuses	Endgame crisis bonuses	Guardian bonuses	Difficulty Adjusted Technology Cost
Civilian	+100% Resources from jobs and stations +100% Naval capacity +20 Stability +100% Trade value +20% First Contact discovery speed −90% Deficit and Revolt situations progress	None	None	None	None
Cadet	+50% Resources from jobs and stations +50% Naval capacity +10 Stability +50% Trade value −50% Deficit and Revolt situations progress	None	None	None	None	+2.5%*tier on Low +5%*tier on Normal +7.5%*tier on High +10%*tier on Extreme
Ensign	None	None	+30% Weapons damage +30% Hull +30% Armor +30% Shields	+90% Weapons damage +90% Hull +90% Armor +90% Shields	+15% Weapons damage +15% Hull +15% Armor +15% Shields	+5%*tier on Low +10%*tier on Normal +15%*tier on High +20%*tier on Extreme
Captain	None	+25% Resources from jobs and stations +15% Naval capacity −10% Ship upkeep −10% Starbase shipyard cost −25% Resettlement cost +5 Stability +25% Trade value Difficulty Adjusted AI Modifiers +25%	+35% Weapons damage +35% Hull +35% Armor +35% Shields	+105% Weapons damage +105% Hull +105% Armor +105% Shields	+17.5% Weapons damage +17.5% Hull +17.5% Armor +17.5% Shields	+7.5%*tier on Low +15%*tier on Normal +22.5%*tier on High +30%*tier on Extreme
Commodore	None	+50% Resources from jobs and stations +30% Naval capacity −20% Ship upkeep −20% Starbase shipyard cost −50% Resettlement cost +10 Stability +50% Trade value Difficulty Adjusted AI Modifiers +50%	+40% Weapons damage +40% Hull +40% Armor +40% Shields	+120% Weapons damage +120% Hull +120% Armor +120% Shields	+20% Weapons damage +20% Hull +20% Armor +20% Shields	+10%*tier on Low +20%*tier on Normal +30%*tier on High +40%*tier on Extreme
Admiral	None	+75% Resources from jobs and stations +45% Naval capacity −30% Ship upkeep −30% Starbase shipyard cost −75% Resettlement cost +15 Stability +75% Trade value Difficulty Adjusted AI Modifiers +75%	+45% Weapons damage +45% Hull +45% Armor +45% Shields	+135% Weapons damage +135% Hull +135% Armor +135% Shields	+22.5% Weapons damage +22.5% Hull +22.5% Armor +22.5% Shields	+12.5%*tier on Low +25%*tier on Normal +37.5%*tier on High +50%*tier on Extreme
Grand Admiral	None	+100% Resources from jobs and stations +60% Naval capacity −40% Ship upkeep −40% Starbase shipyard cost −100% Resettlement cost +20 Stability +100% Trade value Difficulty Adjusted AI Modifiers +100%	+50% Weapons damage +50% Hull +50% Armor +50% Shields	+150% Weapons damage +150% Hull +150% Armor +150% Shields	+25% Weapons damage +25% Hull +25% Armor +25% Shields	+15%*tier on Low +30%*tier on Normal +45%*tier on High +60%*tier on Extreme

In addition, if difficulty is set to Civilian the gameplay will change to provide a less aggressive and disruptive experience:

• AI empires are 5 times less likely to be Fanatic Xenophobe
• Gray Tempest L-Cluster outcome cannot happen
• Gish unique system cannot spawn
• AI empires cannot become Galactic Nemesis
• Ithome Cluster cannot spawn
• Randomly generated empires cannot have the following civics:
  • Genocidal
  • Barbaric Despoilers
  • Criminal Heritage
  • Driven Assimilator

Ironman Mode

Ironman is an optional game mode that restricts the player’s control over their save file, effectively removing the ability to correct mistakes and change decisions made during the course of play. In ironman mode, saving manually is disabled and the game runs on a single save file that gets overwritten every time a significant action is taken. Console commands and even option to open the console are also disabled.

Achievements can only be unlocked in Ironman Mode and only if the checksum is not modified by the presence of gameplay mods.

Galaxy

Galaxy settings decide the map of the game.

Galaxy Size

The Galaxy Size setting controls the number of star systems in the galaxy as well as how many AI Empires, Fallen Empires and Marauder Empires can be generated.

Size	Stars	Max AI empires	Max fallen empires	Recommended crisis strength	Imperial Fiefdom vassals	Max marauder empires	Cosmic Storms size	Cutholoid systems	Voidworms needed for Voidworm Plague
Tiny	200	6	1	0.5x	1	1	60%	5	16
Small	400	12	2	0.75x	2	2	80%	10	32
Medium	600	18	3	1x	3	2	100%	15	48
Large	800	24	4	1.25x	4	3	120%	20	64
Huge	1000	30	5	1.5x	4	3	140%	25	80

Galaxy Shape

There are 10 different types of galaxies available, some of them requiring a minimum galaxy size to be used.

Type	Min Galaxy Size	Description
Eliptical	Tiny	A simple round galaxy of evenly distributed stars.
Spiral (2 Arms)	Tiny	This galaxy has two arms curving out from the galactic core.
Ring	Tiny	A round galaxy with more space around the galactic core.
Barred Spiral	Tiny	This galaxy is split into two thick spiral arms, with only a few connections.
Spiral (3 Arms)	Small	This galaxy has three arms curving out from the galactic core.
Spiral (4 Arms)	Medium	This galaxy has four arms curving out from the galactic core.
Starburst	Medium	Several parallel arms whirl out from the galactic core.
Cartwheel	Medium	Several thin arms create this hybrid between a spiral and a ring galaxy.
Spoked	Medium	This galaxy is split into 'slices' that are mostly separated from one another.
Spiral (6 Arms)	Large	This galaxy has six arms curving out from the galactic core.

Hyperlane Density

The Hyperlane Densitysetting determines number of hyperlanes in the galaxy. Ranges from 0.5x to 2.75x to Full. Full density removes clusters and choke points.

• 

  Hyperlane density 0.5x

• 

  Hyperlane density 2.75x

• 

  Hyperlane density full

Empires

• AI Empires – Determines the number of AI empires that spawn. Max number dependents on galaxy size. Can be set to include a 50% randomization.
• Fallen Empires – Determines the number of Fallen Empires that spawn. Max number dependents on galaxy size.
• Advanced AI Starts – Determines the number of AI empires that will get the following benefits to have a head start:
  • 500 Alloys
  • 200 Influence
  • 1000 Food if not Machine Intelligence
  • 1000 Energy (2000 if Machine Intelligence)
  • 500 Consumer Goods if not Gestalt Consciousness
  • 1000 Minerals (1500 if Gestalt Consciousness)
  • Planetary Unification technology
  • 3–7 extra corvettes
  • 2–5 extra systems with stations built over all deposits
  • 0–3 extra Starport-level starbases
  • Mining or research station over every deposit within borders
  • Guaranteed habitable worlds are colonized and developed

Advanced Settings

Gameplay

• Crisis Type – Determines which one of the endgame crises will appear. If set to All each crisis will be stronger than the previous one.
• Crisis Strength – Determines the additional bonus that endgame crisis ships get. Ranges from Off (no crisis) to 0.25x to 25x. Base crisis ship bonus is multiplied by the number of this slider, square root for midgame crisis (e.g. Great Khan, Gray Goo).

Example, Captain (105%), 2x crisis strength: endgame crisis bonus = $(2)(105\%)=+210\%$; midgame crisis bonus = $({\sqrt {2}})(105\%)=+148\%$

Example, Ensign (90%), 5x crisis strength: endgame crisis bonus = $(5)(90\%)=+450\%$; midgame crisis bonus = $({\sqrt {5}})(90\%)=+201\%$

Example, Commodore (120%), 0.75x crisis strength: endgame crisis bonus = $(0.75)(120\%)=+90\%$; midgame crisis bonus = $(0.75)(120\%)=+90\%$, not ${\sqrt {0.75}}$ because crisis strength $<1$

• Scaling Difficulty – Causes the player or AI empires and spaceborne aliens difficulty bonuses to start at zero and scale up over the course of the game, reaching the bonus defined by difficulty level at the Mid-Game or End-Game year.
• Difficulty Adjusted AI Modifiers – Multiplies empire-wide economic modifiers for AI empires on harder difficulties. Empire-wide economic modifiers includes things such as technologies which increase job output.
• AI Aggressiveness – Determines how likely the AI is to declare war on empires if they have negative attitude as well as how many fleets will it use for offense.
• Logistic Growth Ceiling – Determines the pop growth bonuses when planets are in the middle of their logistic curve. Higher values negatively affect late-game performance. Ranges from 1x (growth is constant) to 2x (double growth).
• Growth Required Scaling – Determines how many growth points are required for new pops to be created. Lower values negatively affect late-game performance. Ranges from 0x (growth is constant) to 1x.
• Technology Cost – Determines the costs of technologies. Does not affect event rewards. Ranges from 0.25x to 5x.
• Tradition Cost – Determines the costs of traditions and ambitions. Does not affect event rewards. Ranges from 0.25x to 5x.
• Difficulty Adjusted Technology Costs – Increases the technology costs on harder difficulties.

Galaxy

• Habitable Worlds – Increases or decreases the chance of planets being habitable. Ranges from 0.25x to 5x.
• Pre-FTL Civilizations and Pre-Sapient Species – Increases or decreases the chance of Pre-FTL species spawning. Ranges from Off to 0.25x to 5x.
• Empire Placement – Determines whether empires will be placed in clusters to increase the likelihood that you'll have some neighbors or placed at random.
• Advanced Neighbors – Determines whether advanced AI empires can spawn next to human players or not.
• Abandoned Gateways – Determines number of abandoned gateways in the galaxy. Ranges from 0× (no gateways) to 5x.
• Wormhole Pairs – Determines number of wormhole pairs in the galaxy. Ranges from 0x (no wormholes except the one leading to the Sealed System) to 5x. Does not affect event-generated wormholes.
• Guaranteed Habitable Worlds – Creates a number of habitable planets of the same class as the homeworld close to every empire's starting system. Can be set to 0, 1 or 2. Some origins disable or modify the guaranteed habitable worlds.

Game Length

Game Length determine the duration of Early-Game, Mid-Game and End-Game.

• Victory Year – Determines when the empire with the highest score is declared winner. Setting it to max disables victory. Can only be set after the End-Game Start Year

Mid-Game Start Year

Can only be set before the End-Game Start Year and with a lower limit of 2225. After the mid-game start year the following events will take place:

• Ancient Mining Drones and Crystalline Entities can expand
• Pre-FTL civilizations advance through the ages twice as fast
• Fleet Maneuvers event can trigger
• Fallen empires offer better gifts
• Spectral Wraith can emerge from the germinating pulsar
• AI rebellions can take place
• Marauder mercenary fleets become available
• Marauder empires can become The Horde
• AI empires discover L-Gate clues faster
• Enigmatic Cache can emerge from a gateway or L-gate
• Ancient Tomb archaeology site can appear
• The Crystalline Empire enclave can spawn
• The On the Shoulders of Giants event chain starts
• The Kaleidoscope situation can start
• The Cost of Freedom event chain starts
• The Fear of the Dark event chain starts
• Ithome cluster empire can open their wormhole
• Astral rifts can spawn
• New astral scars can spawn
• Nexus storms can spawn
• The Storm Frenzy event chain can start
• The Voidworm Plague can take place
• Primal Calling empires receive a first contact with all unknown space fauna
• Celestial Chart relic can discover treasure troves for empires without the Treasure Hunters origin

End-game Start Year

Can only be set after the Mid-Game Start Year and with an upper limit of 3000. After the end-game start year the following events will take place:

• Endgame crises can trigger
• Fallen Empires can awaken
• The Bemat Thalassocracy can appear
• Fewer random espionage events happen
• War in Heaven can occur after awakening of at least 2 Fallen Empires
• Marauder empires can no longer become The Horde
• AI empires discover L-gate clues faster
• The Voidworm Plague can no longer take place

DLC

DLC settings are only available if certain DLCs are enabled.

• Marauder Empires – The max number of marauder empires that can spawn. Can be set to include a 50% randomization.
• L-Gates – Determines whether the L-Gates will spawn.
• Caravaneers – Determines whether the Caravaneers will spawn.
• Xeno-Compatibility – Determines whether the Xeno-Compatibility ascension perk can be picked.
• Storm Chance: Early-Game – Determines the spawn chance of cosmic storms during early-game. Ranges from Off to 0.1x to 10x.
• Storm Chance: Mid-Game – Determines the spawn chance of cosmic storms during mid-game. Ranges from Off to 0.1x to 10x.
• Storm Chance: End-Game – Determines the spawn chance of cosmic storms during end-game. Ranges from Off to 0.1x to 10x.
• Storm Maximum: Early-Game – Determines the maximum number of cosmic storms that can can appear during early-game. Ranges from 1 to 20.
• Storm Maximum: Mid-Game – Determines the maximum number of cosmic storms that can can appear during mid-game. Ranges from 1 to 20.
• Storm Maximum: End-Game – Determines the maximum number of cosmic storms that can can appear during end-game. Ranges from 1 to 20.
• Storm Cooldown – Determines the number of years between each cosmic storm spawn chance. Ranges from 0 to 5. The base chance is randomly between 1 and 2 years for normal storms and a minimum of 20 years for nexus storms. Both the minimum and maximum time are affected.
• Voidworms – Determines how fast Voidworms spread. Ranges from 0x to 3x. 0x also disables their starting system.
• Cutholoids – Determines how many Cutholoid systems will be present in the galaxy. Ranges from 0x (no Cutholoids) to 3x. Does not affect the respawn rate.

References

Stellaris

Community

Communities • Jargon