Dev Diary #2 - Introduction to Space Station Designer - Part II

Welcome to the second Dev Diary entry of 'Space Station Designer'. In the previous entry, we gave an overview of the game and covered the 'Campaign' mode. In this article, we'll cover the rest of the game modes, including modding support.

The 'Sandbox' and 'Free Builder' Game Modes

As we mentioned in our previous diary entry, the game features a 'Campaign', a 'Sandbox', and a 'Free Builder' mode. The 'Sandbox' mode is very similar to the 'Campaign'. The main difference is that the 'Sandbox' mode doesn't feature any 'Campaign Objectives'. Instead, it provides a set of 20+ contracts uniquely tailored for the mechanics available in 'Phase I'. This game mode is ideal for players who have already mastered the basics of the game and prefer an experience with the same mechanics available in the 'Campaign' mode and the freedom to accept the contracts they are interested in.

Lastly, the 'Free Builder' is completely unrelated to the first two. This mode provides a blank canvas for you to assemble a station using an unlimited number and variety of modules. The game starts with a single Core Module orbiting around the Earth.

The slots located in the lower part of the screen can be freely filled with all modules available throughout the game, including those that belong to Phases II and III.

The game even allows you to select resupply spacecraft, so that you can also include them as part of your designs.

Unlike the other two game modes, in the 'Free Builder' mode there is no goal. Think of it as playing with LEGOs and putting things together in whichever way you want. The game provides a stats bar on the left-hand side of the screen so that you can see some basic information about your design but, other than that, you're free to explore and try out new ideas, such as massive stations like the one below. This station in particular could benefit from some adjustments to its 'orbit' and 'attitude' control…

Modding Support

'Space Station Designer' ships with nearly 200 unique modules, which provide a wide range of options across a large number of categories such as 'Command & Control', 'Electricity', 'Cooling', and 'Commercial Services'. That being said, we understand that when it comes to space station modules, there's room for a nearly infinite amount of ideas, including the addition of historical modules/resupply spacecraft. To address this need, the game already includes modding support. You can find more information here, including our official modding guide.

Conclusion

The last two entries provided an introduction to 'Space Station Designer'. Stay tuned for upcoming entries, where we'll be covering the details of some of the mechanics available in Phase I.

As always, please don't hesitate to contact us via the Steam forums if you have any feedback or questions. And, if you're interested in giving us early feedback, consider signing up for the closed beta here.

--Ignacio, Mauricio, and Nicolas (Polar Motion)

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https://store.steampowered.com/app/1447650/Space_Station_Designer/