Encounters

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An overview of all known encounter types and where to mod them.

Random Encounters

Spawns in predictable positions based on world seed, similar to asteroids.
Despawns and respawns as players pass them by.

If interacted with, the NPC claim timer will start.

• Player info: Random Encounters
• SBC:
  • SpawnGroup definition (search for "random encounter")
• World settings:
  • EnableEncounters
  • EncounterDensity
  • PiratePCU (NPC PCU)

Cargo Ships

Spawns ships with dampeners off, which attempt to visit trade stations and will run away if approached.

If interacted with, the NPC claim timer will start.

• Player info: Cargo Ships
• SBC:
  • SpawnGroup's <IsCargoShip>
  • GlobalEvent definition with the SpawnCargoShip subtypeId configures timer
• World settings:
  • CargoShipsEnabled
  • PiratePCU (NPC PCU)

The prefabs require one of these:

• an AI Flight block.
• an AI Basic block, must be set to one-way.
• a Remote Control block.
• a Cockpit.

Otherwise the ship will be deleted after it spawns and the SE log will write "Missing cockpit on spawngroup".

Drop Containers

Spawns relatively close to players and marked only for that player.

When there's 2+ players it will have a 5% chance to spawn a strong signal (competitive) instead which has different spawning radius and is seen by everyone.

Despawns after some time (configured in ContainerDropSystem definition) regardless of player interaction.

• Player info: Unknown Signals
• SBC:
  • DropContainer Definition
  • ContainerDropSystem Definition
• World settings:
  • EnableContainerDrops
  • Min/MaxDropContainerRespawnTime
  • PiratePCU (NPC PCU)

The DropContainer definition has filters for where it's allowed to spawn.

If it spawns within a planet influence, it will be spawned above surface depending on the planet's atmosphere presence: 2000m with atmosphere and 10m without atmosphere.

Trade Stations

Safezone-protected stations (without safezone block) that get generated per generated faction when EnableEconomy is first enabled.
These are generated only once per world, therefore planets added after economy was enabled means those planets won't have trade stations.

The actual grids and safezone bubbles will only exist when players are near the generated locations.

Because of the safeone, these are permanent structures and not succeptible to NPC claiming.

• Player info: Trading Outposts & Pirate Trading Outpost
• SBC:
  • FactionType Definition (section Stations)
  • StationsList Definition
• World settings:
  • EnableEconomy
  • StationsDistanceInnerRadius and more

Station types and where they spawn:

• Outpost - on the surface of all planets/moons; these will also prevent ores from spawning within 5km radius.
• Orbit - at the gravity edge of all planets/moons.
• Mining - near asteroids in space; affected by the StationsDistanceInnerRadius world setting.
• Space station - in open space (but not in deep space); affected by the StationsDistanceInnerRadius world setting.
• Deep-space station - affected by the StationsDistanceOuterRadiusStart/End world settings.

The StationsList Definition only has 4, the last 2 listed here are bundled under the SpaceStations SubtypeId there.

Planetary Encounters

Spawn randomly near planet roaming players but not near static grids.
Despawns when players leave proximity but they persist for a while afterwards and can respawn if players come back.

If interacted with, it will no longer be despawned or respawned by the planetary encounters system, and the NPC claim timer will start (which will remove it, unless claimed).

• Player info: Planetary Encounters
• Spawn mechanics: Planetary Encounters - Detailed spawning mechanics
• SBC:
  • SpawnGroup's <IsPlanetaryEncounter>
• World settings:
  • EnablePlanetaryEncounters and more
  • PiratePCU (NPC PCU)

Global Encounters

Encounters marked for all players to see. Has its own separate PCU pool than the other encounters.
Used by The Factorum.

If interacted with, it will no longer be removed by the global encounters system and the NPC claim timer will start (which will remove it, unless claimed).

• Player info: Global Encounters
• SBC:
  • SpawnGroup definition at <IsGlobalEncounter> and more
  • GlobalEncountersGenerator Definition
• World settings:
  • Many GlobalEncounter-prefixed settings, including the cap, dedicated PCU pool and spawn timer.

Pirate Antennas

Spawns other spawngroups around NPC-owned RadioAntennas.

If interacted with, the NPC claim timer will start.

• Player info: SPRT Space Pirates (section Default Pirate Encounters)
• SBC:
  • PirateAntenna Definition
• World settings:
  • PiratePCU (NPC PCU)