This mod adds stations called “Arkships” in to the game.
Arkships at the cost of some credits can move freely through hyperspace on request of the captain.
Warning: The mod currently has some performance issues. I am currently reworking the mod in to a new mod, in which all of those should be resolved, however, there wont be a fix to the current version of this mod. If you are on lower-mid end hardware, you are likely to expierence performance issues.
Download V1.4 (Last Update: 30.8.22)
Requires LazyLib
The mod is safe to add in the middle of a save.
Changelog
What are they?
Arkships are basicly portable storage systems and outposts. They allow you, for a cost, to transport Resources quickly and conveniently through the sector.
They do not interact with the games economy and you can not install industries on them, but instead they use activateable Compartments which grand them some functionality.
How to get them
At the beginning of the game, or if loading in to a save with the mod for the first time, you will aqquire the “Mysterious Receiver” ability.
It guides you towards the Derelict Arkship, that generates somewhere within the sector. Once you lay claim to it, you will be able to use the Arkship yourself.
If you want to skip the exploration part, you can use some of the cheats below.
Compartments
Compartments add functionality to the Arkship. Each Compartment adds Monthly Maintenance costs to the Station.
You can freely enable and disable them whenever you visit the Arkship.
The current list of Compartments are:
-> Storage Compartment – Allows Storing Wares, Items, Weapons and Ships in the Arkship, and makes it possible to transport them through the Hyperspace
-> Assembly Compartment – Crafts Supplies over time, and stores them in a special container in the Arkship. Can be bought in the same way as Colony Stockpiles.
-> Siphon Compartment – Siphons Fuel from the nearby Star, and stores it in the Arkship. Can be bought in the same way as Colony Stockpiles.
Costs
When you warp with an Arkship, it will cost some credits to pay for the Supplies required for the jump.
The cost increases over the distances covored, with it reaching a near maximum of 400.000 Credits if you were to move it from one corner of the sector to the corner on the opposite site.
Each active Compartment adds monthly maintenance costs to the ship. By deactivating a Compartment, you can avoid those costs, but loose their Benefits until you reactivate them.
Activating the Storage Compartment costs 100.000 Credits per month, having the Siphon Compartment active on top of the Storage Compartment would cost 150.000 Credits monthly.
Frequently asked questions
A list of frequently asked questions, please check this before commenting below.
Credits
-> Industrial Evolution/SirHartley – For inspiring me to make this mod & giving me ideas on how to make it.
-> Cann – Suggested the “Arkships” name.
-> The Derelict Arkship now spawns if you load a save for the first time with the mod (Allowing the mod to be added mid-save without using cheats)
-> The Derelict Arkship now has some [REDACTED] Defenses that you have to fight to aquire it
How about converting it to be a “Support Platform” when you invade/bombard/conquer planets that are heavily defended?
1. Tow the Arkship into the system.
2. Leave it somewhere at the fringe of the system.
3. Destroy enemy Orbital Station.
4. Call in Arkship and the onboard personal with its supplies will aid you in raids/bombardments/invasions. (Maybe some integration with Nerxerlin?)
I also suggest a Low-/Mid-/Hightech version of the Arkship so every faction could have one.
Personally I’m not fond of the idea to have a massive untouchable storage on demand.
But the mechanic and fundamental concept could even find use in the base game even if in a more abstract manner, as far as i think.
The idea or rather the mechanic your mod has is quite appealing.
How about converting it to be a “Support Platform” when you invade/bombard/conquer planets that are heavily defended?1. Tow the Arkship into the system.
2. Leave it somewhere at the fringe of the system.
3. Destroy enemy Orbital Station.
4. Call in Arkship and the onboard personal with its supplies will aid you in raids/bombardments/invasions. (Maybe some integration with Nerxerlin?)I also suggest a Low-/Mid-/Hightech version of the Arkship so every faction could have one.
Personally I’m not fond of the idea to have a massive untouchable storage on demand.
But the mechanic and fundamental concept could even find use in the base game even if in a more abstract manner, as far as i think.
I dont think im ever going to make it participate or support in combat related things, its strong enough in the thing it is already doing, and what its doing right now is more so in the image of what i also
want it to do. As with most mods that add a rather player-supporting system, this mod isnt going to be for everyone, but i know that it satisfies the needs for some players well enough with how it currently functions. (I immidiatly got multiple people telling me how they now dont need to use their cheats for inventory moving anymore lol)
In the “lore” i made, as limited and basic as it is, the Arkship is a Pre-Domain Age object, so giving it a Low/Mid/Hightech variant doesnt make to much sense. Mostly using the Hightech model since i found it the most appropiate for what it is, might be giving it a recolor at one point though atleast.
i know that it satisfies the needs for some players well enough with how it currently functions. (I immidiatly got multiple people telling me how they now dont need to use their cheats for inventory moving anymore lol)
Industrial Revolution features Courier Ports to move large inventories from planet A to B, somewhat.
But your mod got me some ideas. .. guess not gonna sleep for a while now.
What about a Refinery section? Not as an industry, but something that turns deposited/stored ores and transplutonic ores into metals and transplutonic metals.
it’s a stretch, but what about a similar idea to the refinery, but it converts food into lobsters or something? Basically, a way to turn low value high volume finds like food and turn it into a smaller amount of higher value goods. but again, not as an Industry, just a way to handle high salvage amounts.
I have no idea how difficult it would be, especially since the Arkship is flagged as being a different faction from Player, but what about adding sections that grant the same buffs as Stable Point Objects? Stability, sensor range, burn levels. It’d provide a buff to friendly/player fleets in the same system, and make it worthwhile to consider leaving at home if you aren’t using it for some reason.
What about a Refinery section? Not as an industry, but something that turns deposited/stored ores and transplutonic ores into metals and transplutonic metals.
it’s a stretch, but what about a similar idea to the refinery, but it converts food into lobsters or something? Basically, a way to turn low value high volume finds like food and turn it into a smaller amount of higher value goods. but again, not as an Industry, just a way to handle high salvage amounts.
I thought about making it give certain system wide effects, but im not sure if i want to implement them yet.
I think the current production of Supplies and Fuel is mostly enough, though maybe il think about a compartment that can convert some items in to their processed variants in the future.
-> Arkships can now Warp towards Active Gates and take the player along with them. The option appears when you dock at the Arkship, aslong as you activated the gates.
–> Warping like this costs 40% more credits than the usual Arkship call, with the benefit being mobility for the player.
-> Compartment settings now only show the relevant dialogue option (i.e only shows the activate option if the compartment is currently deactivated)
-> Arkships now play a short sound when warping in.
Sir, I want to translate this mod into Chinese and update it to the Chinese Starsector Forum(https://fossic.org), can you allow?
I dont have an issue with it. Just make sure to credit me on the mods page and provide a link to this Forum Page of the mod.
Though im still frequently updating it currently, so you may wanna wait a few days until im more done with the mods content.
Due to some changes, the game will likely crash if you upgrade from an old save and open the Fuel Siphon/Supplies Inventory.
To fix this, you can simply deactivate and reactivate the two Compartments.
-> The Arkship now leaves some Thruster Trails behind when moving.
-> Siphon/Assembly Maintenance cost is reduced, but taking the materials out now requires you to pay for them like with Colony Stockpiles.
-> Newly generated Arkships now have the Spaceport Industry on them, so that it counts as a “dock” for specific Hullmods. (Wont effect saves with already generated Arkships)
-> Fixed an issue where Monthly Costs didnt apply if you didnt interact with the Arkship in a month.
-> Fixed a small issue where a value used the letter “l” instead of the number “1” (Thank Starsector for somehow not crashing from this)
Doing the salvage would pop up a message that says it found nothing of interest, then delete the arkship. There’s no skill on my bar to call the arkship or anything, it’s just gone.
If I choose to ignore the salvage, it’ll just start up another encounter with the guards once I interact with the arkship again.