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[Darenkel]

Apparently there was a mod back in v0.62 (called "Vacuum") which allowed people to build their own space stations.

My questions are:
1. Why hasn't anyone done this since v0.62? (I'm not accusing anyone of being lazy or whatnot, I'm just curious.)
2. Is there some limitation in the API that just doesn't let us mod stations to our heart's content?
3. If #2 isn't a problem, how far could a person go with this sort of mod?
   For example:
   A. Build Station
   B. Level Station
   C. Build modules on Station
   D. Real-time production/refining
   E. Ship/Weapon crafting
   F. Crew/Defend station
   G. Maintenance Requirements (Food for crew/marines, Creds to pay said crew/marines, materials to maintain station integrity, etc.)

[celestis]

Some items from (3) have been implemented. You can produce stuff with Omnifactory and used to be able to do it in Uomoz Sector before it went down.
As for the rest, I guess no one has done that because we still have a blank vanilla "Industry" skill set: this means that we most likely will be able to do all this in upcoming vanilla versions.
Making something that complex now as a mod will mean completely throwing it away when vanilla introduces the same (or better, most likely) stuff (such changes have no chance to be compatible and will require the mod overhaul). This has already happened for example with bounties and faction warfare (partly), so no one is eager to repeat that again.
All above is IMHO, perhaps there are more reasons.

[kazi]

Yeah the slate gets wiped pretty clean every time vanilla updates. Although mods usually have some pretty cutting-edge stuff, it's very hard to port between versions. 0.65 -> 0.7 wasn't that bad as far as updates go, but 0.62 -> 0.65 broke nearly everything. It was really difficult to get 0.62 code working after the update, and Vacuum was a huge mod with tons of stuff.

Adding code to allow the player to add stations in-game is rather easy, the trick is actually integrating it into the game in a meaningful way and getting it to play nice with everything that already exists.

[Histidine]

Also I expect doing the GUI within a mod would be a huge headache.

[Darenkel]

So, should I try to make a faction first to cut my teeth on modding the game?

I mean, realistically, does anyone know how long it will be before player built stations will be part of vanilla? Because I have yet to find any sort of roadmap related to that topic.

[celestis]

It was about a year between 0.65 and 0.7, and we don't even know if this will come in next version, so don't expect it to be in the nearest future.
As for making a faction mod, it is pretty easy and good for learning how things work.