Special Project modding

Version

Please help with verifying or updating older sections of this article. At least some were last verified for version 3.1.

This article is for the PC version of Stellaris only.

The special project game data can be found in these files/folders: common/special_projects

Special Projects file structure

The file consists of a series of special_project = {} entries.

special_project properties

Name	Description	Values	Required	Example
key	The ID of the project, it is used in events and also in the localisation file (description is expected as e.g. "MYMOD_EXAMPLE_1_PROJECT_DESC").	String	Yes	key = "MYMOD_EXAMPLE_1_PROJECT"
event_chain	An associated event chain.	ID of an existing Event chain	No	event_chain = "mymod_example_event_chain"
picture	A picture for the project.	String	No	picture = GFX_evt_alien_nature
sound	Does this project have a specific sound?	yes/no	No	sound = no
icon	An icon to show on the left in the event log tree.	String	No	icon = "gfx/interface/icons/situation_log/situation_log_quest.dds"
cost	Science point cost of the project (must be '0' if using days_to_research).	Integer	No	cost = 560
days_to_research	How many days it will take to complete this project. Either cost or days_to_research must be defined.	Integer	No	days = 180
tech_department	Which department will handle this.	physics_technology, society_technology, engineering_technology	Yes	tech_department = physics_technology
same_option_group_as	If it is a sub-project of another	special_project ID	No	same_option_group_as = { KETLING_PROJECT_1 }
AI_wait_days	AI will wait for the amount of days specified. Works like normal AI weight fields, with factor/add/weight. Country scope, FROM is creation scope	weight integer, modifier_rule fields	No	AI_wait_days = { weight = 80 modifier = { factor = 0.5 has_ethic = ethic_fanatic_militarist } }
timelimit	In how many days will this project fail, triggering the on_fail statement.	Integer, -1 for unlimited	No	timelimit = 100
location	Does this project have a specific location?	yes/no	No	location = no
event_scope	The scope in which the statements run.	ship_event, planet_event	Yes	event_scope = planet_event
requirements	Conditions needed to start the project.[more]	Conditions	No	requirements = { shipclass_science_ship = 1 leader = scientist skill > 1 }
abort_trigger	Ongoing project will be canceled if this trigger returns true this = country (project owner) from = event scope (planet or ship, MIGHT NOT EXIST) fromfrom = project creation scope (usually equals location)	Conditions	No	abort_trigger = { NOT = { exists = fromfrom } }
on_start	Statements to run when the project starts. this = event scope (ship or planet) from = project creation scope (usually equals location)	Statements	No	on_start = { owner = { set_country_flag = started_x_project } }
on_success / on_progress_25/50/75	Statements to run when the project is complete. this = event scope (ship or planet) from = project creation scope (usually equals location)	Statements	Yes	on_success = { owner = { country_event = { id = mymod.event.1 } } } on_success = { ship_event = { id = mymod.anomaly.1 } }
on_cancel	Statement fires if the abort trigger returns true this = country (project owner) from = event scope (planet or ship, MIGHT NOT EXIST) fromfrom = project creation scope (usually equals location)	Statements	No	on_cancel = {}
on_fail	Statements to run when the project fails. this = country (project owner) from = project creation scope (usually equals location)	Statements	No	on_fail = { #times out owner = { country_event = { id = federations3.2129 } } }

requirements

Requirements use condition-like syntax, but they have their own set of commands. They do not support AND and OR commands.

Name	Description	Values	Required	Example
leader	The type of leader needed at location.	scientist, admiral, general, ruler, governor	No	leader = scientist
skill	The skill level of the leader.	Integer	No	skill > 2
has_trait	The leader must have this trait	Leader trait ID	No	has_trait = leader_trait_expertise_voidcraft
shipclass_military	The number of military ships required.	Integer	No	shipclass_military = 1
shipclass_constructor	The number of constructor ships required	Integer	No	shipclass_constructor = 1
shipclass_science_ship	The number of science ships required	Integer	No	shipclass_science_ship = 1
shipclass_colonizer	The number of colonizers required	Integer	No	shipclass_colonizer = 1
shipclass_transport	The number of transport ships required	Integer	No	shipclass_transport = 1
assault_armies	The number of assault armies required	Integer	No	assault_armies = 1
defense_armies	The number of defense armies required	Integer	No	defense_armies = 2
research_station	Is a research station required at location?	yes	No	research_station = yes
mining_station	Is a mining station required at location?	yes	No	mining_station= yes
observation_station	Is an observation station required at location?	yes	No	observation_station = yes
fleet_power	If shipclass_military the power of the fleet required	Integer	No	fleet_power > 999999
is_founder_species	Does owner has to be a founder species?	yes	No	is_founder_species = yes

Example

requirements = {
	shipclass_science_ship = 1
	leader = scientist
	skill > 2
}

Usage

Once you have a special project defined, you can start it in an event by using the enable_special_project command. The command has three parameters:

Name	Description	Example
name	The key of the special project.	name = "MYMOD_EXAMPLE_1_PROJECT"
location	The location where the event takes place, for events with no location, it’s usually set to the capital.	capital_scope = { enable_special_project = { name = "MYMOD_EXAMPLE_1_PROJECT" location = this owner = root } }
owner	The country which will have this project enabled.	owner = root

Example

	enable_special_project = {
		name = "MYMOD_EXAMPLE_1_PROJECT"
		location = this
		owner = root
	}

There is also the abort_special_project command to end a special project, it is used like:

	abort_special_project = {
		type = MYMOD_EXAMPLE_1_PROJECT
		location = capital_scope
	}

The country is inferred from the location parameter.

A trigger example: has_special_project = CAPTURE_QUEEN

Localisation

The localisation entries depend on the key property. The key is used for title and key_DESC is used for description.

Example

MYMOD_EXAMPLE_1_PROJECT:0 "Example title"
MYMOD_EXAMPLE_1_PROJECT_DESC:0 "Example description"

Modding

Pops	Jobs • Factions

Leaders

Leaders • Leader traits

Species

Species • Species traits

Land Warfare

Armies • Bombardment stance