Game Options

When starting a new game, a player can choose various options to their liking. Changing some options could disable difficulty-related achievements, and you'll see notification about this.

Scenario

Currently, there are three scenarios in the base game, distinguished by starting year; the 2022 scenario, the 2026 scenario, and the 2070 scenario. Dark Skies DLC adds two additional scenarios; the 2003 scenario and Broken Earth scenario.

The 2026 scenario is the default setting. Human factions start with no significant technological advancements. The political, economic and demographic situation is modelled on available real-world data of year 2026. Tutorial is available for this scenario.

The 2022 scenario was the default setting when the game was in early access. It has same starting technologies with 2026 scenario. The political, economic and demographic situation is modelled on available real-world data of year 2022. Tutorial is available for this scenario.

The 2070 scenario offers a form of accelerated start, with some key research already completed, factions already having a small spaceship fleet, and some habitats constructed on and around some celestial bodies. The global situation has been updated based on a mix of data projections, game lore, and poetic license. Tutorial is disabled for this scenario.

The 2003 scenario's political, economic and demographic situation is modelled on available real-world data of year 2003. Factions start with various penalties which can be fixed by researching technologies or projects. Also, global techs of 'normal' game is only accessible after researching expensive roadblock techs. But there's additional projects for alternative early progression.

Broken Earth scenario starts on year 2112, with the premise of global nuclear war on year 1962. Humanity has suffered major setback - no nation has nuclear arsenal or space program, and global population is only about 5.38 billion. Various rule chance is applied to this scenario, and each faction has unique faction project which grants very distinct bonuses.

Solar system

Decides how many stellar bodies and Lagrange points will appear in the game. This option may change Global Mine Productivity Rate too, which affects the amount of space resources deposit in mining sites.

• Full Solar system - 373 stellar bodies, 91 Lagrange points, 100% Global Mine Productivity Rate
• Medium Solar system - 240 stellar bodies, 71 Lagrange points, 100% Global Mine Productivity Rate
• Light Solar system - 114 stellar bodies, 53 Lagrange points, 130% Global Mine Productivity Rate
• Minimum Solar system - 71 stellar bodies, 2 Lagrange points, 210% Global Mine Productivity Rate

Factions

Decides the number of factions in the game. The default option includes all 8 factions (7 Human factions and The Aliens). Removing a faction increases base cap of the control points by 50.

The minimal number of factions is 3: which will spawn The Aliens, The Resistance and The Servants. The Initiative, Project Exodus, The Academy, Humanity First, and The Protectorate is added by increasing the number of factions, in that order.

Game Difficulty

Chooses the difficulty of the game, which changes various things like AI bonus and alien behaviors.

• 1 = Forgiving
• 2 = Normal
• 3 = Veteran
• 4 = Brutal

Higher Difficulties increase the Control Point and Mission Control bonuses the Human AI receives, makes it easier for the AI to carry out missions while making it harder for the Player. Human AIs will also contribute much less to global techs except when they expect to be the primary contributor (and hence control the next selection) in which case they will aggressively seek to control the slot.

It also makes the Aliens missions easier to achieve, increases the number of mines the Aliens can have, increases the Alien exotics income (while reducing how much you can salvage), and reduces shipbuilding costs for all AI factions. It also increases the rate at which both Human and Alien AIs come to hate the player. (more details on the diplomacy page)

When playing as The Servants, the Aliens have inverted difficulty settings. For example, on Brutal difficulty for The Servants, the Aliens behave the same as on Forgiving difficulty for other Factions.

Start Game Buttons

You may start the game without changing advanced options.

Start Long Campaign

Start the game with basic game settings.

Start Accelerated Campaign

Start the game with some changes for more fast-paced game.

• Research Rate: 200%
• Alien Progression Rate: 200%
• Global Mine Productivity Rate: Double of the base amount set by Solar system setting
• National Investment Rate: 200%

Customize Campaign

You may change various options to your liking.

Starting Councilor Profession

You may choose the profession of your starting Councilor(s). Or you may remove a starting councilor or both and get 30 influence for each missing councilor instead.

Variable Project Unlocks

Projects have unlock chance and you may fail to unlock some projects. Turned on by default.

If turned off, projects have 100% unlock chance and will be available to be researched, eventually.

Show Triggered Projects

Turning on this setting will cause any project that fails its unlock chance roll for the player faction to show up in a different color in the tech tree, allowing the player to know which projects they have failed to unlock. Turned off by default.

Fellow Citizen Councilor

If selected, your first councilor's home nation will be decided by your PC's regional settings.

Cinematic Combat Movement

Combat thrust multiplier is a pure bonus if this option is turned on. If turned off, a ship spends more delta-V to accelerate faster than its cruise acceleration. Turned on by default.

Add Alien Invasion Fleet

The aliens start with several Assault Carriers and some ships to escort them.

Starting Nation Group

Player's faction starts with full control of a set of nation(s). If activated, every faction starts with additional control point(CP) cap. List of options in 2022, 2026 and 2003 scenarios:

• United States of America
• China
• France, Germany
• Russia+ : Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia
• Taiwan, Japan+ : Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan
• United Kingdom+ : Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom
• Egypt, Türkiye+ : Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye
• Brazil+ : Argentina, Brazil, Mexico
• Ethiopia, Nigeria+ : Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa
• India+ : India, Indonesia

2070 and Broken Earth scenarios have different options.

Other factions Receive Group

Each Human AI faction starts with full control of random nation group. Disabled by default and can only be enabled when the Starting Nation Group option is enabled.

Base Control Point Capacity

Decides the number of control point(CP) cap each faction starts with, which decides how many nations you can control before triggering over the CP cap penalty.

AI bonus Control Point Cap

Decides how much CP cap AI factions will receive, in addition to the base CP cap.

Bonus Mission Control

Decides how much bonus Mission Control(MC) cap each faction starts with, which decides how many space assets you can control before triggering the penalty.

AI Bonus Mission Control

Decides how much MC cap AI factions will receive, in addition to the base MC cap and bonus MC.

Research Rate

Decides the cost of technologies and projects. 200% Research rate means half cost for every tech and projects.

Alien Progression Rate

Decides how fast the Aliens get access to more advanced technologies.

See Aliens#Alien_Progression_Rate for details.

Global Mine Productivity Rate

Decides the amount of space resources deposit in mining sites.

Mining Rate

Decides the amount of space resources mined from deposits for certain faction(s).

• Player Mining Rate
• Human AI Mining Rate
• Alien Mining Rate

Hab Building Speed

Decides the building speed of hab modules for certain faction(s). This only affects actual time spent on construction, and does not affect time spent on moving resources with boost.

• Player Hab Building Speed
• Human Hab Building Speed
• Alien Hab Building Speed

Ship Building Speed

Decides the building speed of spaceships for certain faction(s). This only affects actual time spent on construction, and does not affect time spent on moving resources with boost.

• Player Building Speed
• Human Ship Building Speed
• Alien Ship Building Speed

National Investment Rate

Decides the value of Investment Points(IP) required to finish nation priorities, which is used to develop or exploit nations. 200% national investment rate means only the half amount of IP is required to finish nation priorities. Also, the cost of direct investment is multiplied by this option's value. For example, the cost of direct investment on 200% national investment rate is double.

Average Monthly Events

Decides how many events will happen per month.

Select Active Factions

You can manually choose active factions in the game. The Aliens, The Resistance and The Servants cannot be deactivated.

Deactivating a faction increases the Base Control Point Capacity by 50 and disables difficulty-related achievements. If you readjust the Base Control Point Capacity to default value, difficulty-related achievements will be enabled.

Your Faction Names

You can customize name of your faction.

• Faction Name
• Faction Adjective
• Faction Leader Title
• Faction Fleet Name
• Small Ship names: Choose the list of names used for your tier-1 ships.
• Medium Ship names: Choose the list of names used for your tier-2 ships.
• Large Ship names: Choose the list of names used for your tier-3 ships.
• Hab Names: Choose the list of names used for your stations and bases.

Long Campaign Defaults

Change various options to the default settings of Long Campaign. Difficulty-related achievements will be enabled with this setting.

Accelerated Defaults

Change various options to the default settings of Accelerated Campaign. Difficulty-related achievements will be enabled with this setting.

Start Custom Campaign

Start the game with chosen options.