Stellar Objects
An overview of all stellar object types under consideration and how they fit into the system hierarchy.
Goal
Define a set of stellar object types that makes each orbital system feel distinct — economically, strategically, and visually — without overcomplicating the underlying model.
Core Problem
Too few object types makes systems feel interchangeable. Too many makes world generation and player understanding harder to manage. The type model must support meaningful economic asymmetry while staying readable.
System Hierarchy
Stellar objects are arranged in three layers within an orbital system:
System
├── Center (always present — one star cluster, black hole, neutron star, or pulsar)
├── Primary Orbiters (orbit the center — planets, asteroid belts)
│ └── Secondary Orbiters (orbit a specific primary — moons)
└── Transient Objects (not world-generated — created through gameplay events, non-claimable)
├── Stations (player-built infrastructure)
└── Debris Fields (created by destruction — harvestable, not claimable, deplete over time)
Stations are not stellar objects. They appear on the system map and serve as fleet destinations, but they are player infrastructure, not world-generated bodies.
Object Types by Layer
Center
| Type | Notes |
|---|---|
| Star | Default center. All star subtypes are visual and lore only. Binary and triple configurations are a cosmetic property of the center cluster. |
| Black Hole | No habitable zone. Future exotic resource potential. |
| Neutron Star | Extreme environment. Future exotic resource potential. |
| Pulsar | Rotating neutron star. Highly radioactive. Future exotic resource potential. |
Primary Orbiters
| Type | Notes |
|---|---|
| Planet | The primary economic body type. Most sector slots. Subtypes are visual only. Gas giant subtype is not surface-accessible. |
| Asteroid Belt | Distributed field. Few slots, potentially high occurrence on a narrow resource. |
Secondary Orbiters
| Type | Notes |
|---|---|
| Moon | Orbits a specific planet. Moderate slots. Subtypes are visual only. |
Transient Objects
Not part of the permanent world structure. Created through gameplay events. Appear on the system map and serve as fleet destinations, but cannot be claimed.
| Type | Notes |
|---|---|
| Station | Player-built. Always orbits a specific stellar object. Fleet destination. |
| Debris Field | Created when infrastructure or stellar objects are destroyed. Harvestable. Depletes over time. Not claimable. |
Minimal Test Set
For the initial test implementation, the following types are included:
| Type | Layer | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Star | Center | Required — every system needs a center anchor |
| Planet (Rocky) | Primary | Primary Structural Materials source |
| Planet (Gas Giant) | Primary | Primary Volatiles source — orbital only |
| Asteroid Belt | Primary | Secondary Structural Materials — slot vs. occurrence trade-off |
| Moon (Ice) | Secondary | Secondary Volatiles — makes gas giant moons strategically relevant |
All other types are defined in their own idea pages but excluded from the initial implementation.
Open Questions
- Should the center layer ever be empty — a system with no star or gravitational anchor?
- Should binary and triple star configurations eventually carry any gameplay difference, or remain permanently lore-only?
- What is the maximum number of primary orbiters a system can have?
- Should secondary orbiters be limited per primary (e.g. a planet can have at most N moons)?