Operations manual
Subsector build specification
Sample specification
YAML
2-space indentation
type: STANDARDtype: STANDARD
unusualChance: 4
defaultSI: 2
populated:
type: full
allegiance: Im
minTechLevel: 2
maxTechLevel: 10
minPopulationCode: 3
maxPopulationCode: 12
exclude:
- x: 1
y: 1
- x: 2
y: 3
required:
- x: 4
y: 7
name: Muir Station
primary:
type: G2
class: V
companion:
type: M7
class: V
close:
type: M9
class: V
near:
type: M9
class: V
far:
type: K8
class: V
bodies:
- uwp: X301000-0
- uwp: terrestrial
orbit: habitable
- uwp: ''
- uwp: Small Gas Giant
systems:
- x: 1
y: 6
- x: 8
y: 6
name: Waypoint Echo
primary:
type: K4
class: V
- x: 8
y: 8
name: Kallin
counts:
density: 18
gasGiants: 1
planetoidBelts: 1
terrestrialPlanets: 3
mainWorld:
uwp: B773769-C
Reference
The build specification is YAML. Use 2-space indentation. Unknown keys are rejected.
Precedence
- If systems is present and non-empty, the generator places systems only in those hexes. In this mode, exclude, required, and density type are ignored.
- required may include full system definitions (not just coordinates).
- populated is top-level and applies globally. It is not part of a system entry.
Top-level properties
- type (required)
- Subsector star density profile. Controls the per-hex probability that a star system is placed when not using systems.
- DENSE – 60%
- STANDARD – 50%
- MODERATE – 40%
- LOW – 30%
- SPARSE – 20%
- MINIMAL – 10%
- RIFT – 3%
- RIFT_FADE – 2%
- DEEP_RIFT – 1%
- EMPTY – 0%
- unusualChance
- Percentage chance (0–100) that an ‘unusual’ result overrides normal generation for a system.
- defaultSI
- Default survey index (0–12) applied when a system does not specify one.
- populated
- Global population constraint used by the generator. This is a top-level key.
- type – layout preset for how populated worlds are distributed (full, hard-horizontal, hard-vertical, split-horizontal, split-vertical)
- allegiance – default allegiance code. See allegiances.
- minTechLevel, maxTechLevel – constraints for generated tech level.
- minPopulationCode, maxPopulationCode – constraints for generated population code (0–16).
- exclude
- List of subsector hex coordinates (x: 1–8, y: 1–10) where the generator must not place a star system. Ignored when systems is present.
- required
- List of systems that must always exist. Entries may be coordinates only, or a full system definition. Ignored when systems is present.
- systems
- Explicit list of systems. If present and non-empty, the generator places systems only in these hexes.
Options
Example: type: STANDARD
Example behaviour
When systems is set, only those hexes get systems. Nothing else does.
System definition (entries in required/systems)
- x, y (required)
- Hex coordinates for the system (x: 1–8, y: 1–10).
- name
- Optional name for the system entry.
- primary
- Optional star definition for the system. See star definition below.
- counts
- Optional orbital body counts for the system. See counts definition below.
- surveyIndex
- Survey index (0–12). Controls the level of detail generated for orbital bodies.
- allegiance
- Allegiance code for the system. See allegiances.
- bases
- Array of base facility codes present in the system. See bases.
- known
- Boolean. When true, marks the system as a known/charted system.
- populated
- Optional population constraints for this system. Uses the same structure as the top-level populated key.
Counts definition
- density
- Orbital body density modifier (0–30). When specified, the generator determines the number of terrestrial planets, planetoid belts, and gas giants automatically. Rules on density can be found in Book 3 – Referee's Handbook.
- terrestrialPlanets
- Explicit count of terrestrial planets (0–20).
- planetoidBelts
- Explicit count of planetoid belts (0–20).
- gasGiants
- Explicit count of gas giants (0–20).
- mainWorld
- Optional main world definition. See orbital bodies for structure.
Requirements
Counts must specify either density alone, or all three of terrestrialPlanets, planetoidBelts, and gasGiants. The mainWorld field is optional in both cases.
Star definition
- type (required)
- Spectral type in the form OBAFGKM + 0..9, for example G2.
- BD – Brown Dwarf
- D – White Dwarf
- BH – Black Hole
- PSR – Pulsar
- NS – Neutron Star
- class (conditionally required)
- Luminosity class. Required unless type is a special type.
- Ia – Luminous supergiant
- Ib – Less luminous supergiant
- II – Bright giant
- III – Giant
- IV – Subgiant
- V – Main sequence
- VI – Subdwarf
- giant – Gas giant star
- companion
- Optional companion star (another star definition).
- close
- Optional star in close orbit (another star definition). See World Builder's Handbook, page 27 for the orbit ranges.
- near
- Optional star in near orbit (another star definition). See World Builder's Handbook, page 27 for the orbit ranges.
- far
- Optional star in far orbit (another star definition). See World Builder's Handbook, page 27 for the orbit ranges.
- bodies
- Optional list of orbital bodies for this star. See orbital bodies below.
Special types
Special types do not require a class.
Options
Orbital bodies
- uwp (required)
- UWP code (e.g. X674000-0), a known label (terrestrial, small gas giant, gas giant, large gas giant, super earth), or empty (uwp: 'empty') to indicate no orbital body at that position.
- orbit
- Optional orbit placement label. Must be one of inner, warm, hzco, cold, outer, or habitable. Only one body per star may specify an orbit label.
- name
- Optional name for the orbital body.
- mainWorld
- Boolean. When true, designates this body as the main world.
REFERENCE 0421RD