Ship building guide — layouts, power & hyperspace
A disciplined hull separates living spaces from fumes, routes boarders into killzones, and feeds factories steady power — everything below assumes Ship Mode, though stations reuse the same room DNA.
The four-zone mindset
Treat every expansion like zoning codes: industry aft, crew amidships, farms nearby for morale walks, combat choke points forward. Mixed zoning invites toxin spills into bedrooms or pirates pouring straight into mess halls.
| Zone | Facilities | Placement rule |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial | Refineries, fabricators, recycler, workshop | Aft seal + isolated vents. |
| Living | Bunks, kitchen, medbay, labs, recreation | Central quiet wedge. |
| Agriculture | Grow beds, algae backup, water | Touches living ring for fast hauling. |
| Combat | Airlocks, turret lanes, armories | Forward choke corridors. |
Power routing
Low-capacity grids
Bunks, lights, small consoles auto-pull low-capacity power across contiguous floors. If warnings persist, bridge tile gaps or park a generator closer — the grid path matters more than sheer wattage.
High-capacity grids
Refineries, fabricators, and turrets demand explicit high-capacity cabling from Large Power Nodes. Treat nodes like substations: generator → node → hungry machines.
Solar vs fuel
- Solar is silent mood-friendly power near stars.
- Fuel generators laugh at dark sectors but vibrate — park them away from sleepers.
- Battery banks cushion spikes when multiple industries cycle.
Room layouts that scale
Sleep pods
Two-bed rooms seal faster, stay quieter, and dodge overlapping mood penalties. Never stack beds against Hyperdrives or main engines — vibration murders sleep scores.
Recreation hubs
Stack sofas, tables, bookshelves, jukeboxes once research unlocks them — recreation bonuses stack inside one sealed common room.
Industrial isolation checklist
- Solid walls on every refinery face.
- Airlock transitions, not open arches.
- Dedicated CO₂ scrubbing inside the hazard wing.
- Vents dumping outside, never into crew corridors.
- Routine atmosphere overlays after big changes.
Hyperspace checklist
- Hyperdrive coverage for ship mass (~1,600 per drive).
- Engine blocks + helm + staffed navigation console.
- Hyperfuel buffers sized for planned hops.
- Pressurized bridge workflow — vacuum stalls plotting.
Cut unnecessary hull mass before blaming drives: idle warehouses and cosmetic corridors still tax every jump. Advanced solar easing generator load indirectly preserves Hyperfuel too.
Defense-first routing
Funnel boarders through a single L-shaped corridor with overlapping gun arcs and optional sentry turrets on the bend. Human defenders outperform automated guns cost-for-cost on primary breaches — automate side doors only.
Shield research buys reaction time during fleet fights; pair shield consoles with competent Shielding crew whenever turrets spin up.
When to expand
- ~5 crew: 8–12 practical rooms.
- 8–10 crew: duplicate labs, widen industry, enrich recreation.
- 12–15 crew: dual logistics chains, maybe fighters.
- 15+ crew: second Hyperdrive tier planning and capital layouts.
Related guides
Beginners Guide
Opening priorities if you're new.
Crew Management
Morale reactions to noise & layout.
Combat Guide
Turn corridors into defensive lanes.
Research Tree
Unlock upgrades referenced above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prevent gas leaks in my industrial area?
Build solid walls (not just hull tiles) around your Chemical Refinery and Energy Refinery, then install airlocks at all entry points. These facilities produce toxic gases as byproducts — without sealed rooms, toxic gases spread throughout the ship and harm your crew.
How many power generators do I need?
Start with 1 generator and 2 solar panels. Each time a new industry facility shows a power shortage warning (flickering icon), add another generator or solar panel. Use Large Power Nodes to distribute high-capacity power to all industry facilities and turrets.
What is the best ship layout for beginners?
Use a linear layout: crew quarters at the center, industrial area at the rear, a defensive choke corridor at the front. Keep all grow beds near the crew quarters to minimize walking time. The industrial zone must be fully sealed and separated by an airlock.
How does the Hyperdrive mass limit work?
A single Hyperdrive can handle up to 1,600 mass units. As your ship grows, you will need to add more Hyperdrives to maintain jump capability. Reduce non-essential storage and wall tiles to keep mass down in early game.
Do solar panels work far from stars?
Solar panel efficiency decreases the further you are from a star. In deep space or dark nebula sectors, solar panels produce very little power. Always have at least one fuel-burning generator as a backup for these situations.