What are galaxy sectors?

[Giant Space Hamster]

Trying to parse the new game settings. What are sectors and how do they influence the game?

[Xcorps]

They are regions of space tied together by single points of entry. Each sector is connected to one or more than one, some may require travelling through a different sector. They work very well if you want chokepoint gameplay. It's awesome. Love it.

If it's not your thing set sectors to 1 in game creation.

[Giant Space Hamster]

How does this interact with the "galaxy size" setting? I created a medium and a large galaxy with the same sector setting "a few" and the area cordoned off that I start in for the large galaxy is significantly smaller than the medium galaxy one. I'm just really confused about how these settings influence each other and the overall galaxy layout.

[Xcorps]

All they are is regions of space that are seperated and require ships to move across the lanes. Think of them as walled in areas that require you to pass through a gate.

That's it. They don't do anything like Stellaris.

[Giant Space Hamster]

But why is my sector smaller in a large galaxy than in a medium galaxy?

[Old-Spider]

Sectors sizes are random. The size can be different each game you play.

[Xcorps]

Because that's how the map generated. Part of your expansion will be into other sectors. The size of the sector is really just geography.

[Giant Space Hamster]

Then what does Galaxy Size mean when making a new game? If sector count is determined by the sector setting, and the size of each sector is random, what does galaxy size change?

[Frogboy]

Galaxy size means the total map size which affects how many sectors can be squeezed into the space.

So if you picked a huge galaxy with only 1 sector, you'd get a really really big sector.

Pick a huge galaxy with lots of sectors and you'll get lots of smaller sectors.

[Xcorps]

So a galaxy is a map of all the stars in the galaxy. A sector is a map of all the stars that are on one particular side of a subspace gate.

A big galaxy will have a lot of stars. A lot of sectors in that galaxy means a higher number of and a wider variety of subspace lanes, meaning fewer stars per sector. Setting it to few sectors in that same galaxy means there will be fewer subspace lanes and lesser sector variety and more stars per sector.

[sg1darkcalling]

Oh I like that. I would have never thought of that. You could create one big massive map with only one sector that way. Thtst would make for an interesting game! and change how the dynamics plays out

[Giant Space Hamster]

So sector sizes are not random? Or they are random but the total size of all sectors is determined by galaxy size? I'm just really confused since my large galaxy has a smaller sector than the medium galaxy i made, but they should have the same number of sectors because that setting is unchanged. Or does the same setting for sector count result in a different number of sectors based on galaxy size?

[Xcorps]

Originally posted by Giant Space Hamster:

So sector sizes are not random? Or they are random but the total size of all sectors is determined by galaxy size? I'm just really confused since my large galaxy has a smaller sector than the medium galaxy i made, but they should have the same number of sectors because that setting is unchanged. Or does the same setting for sector count result in a different number of sectors based on galaxy size?

Did you use the console to look at the full galaxy map? You can't see all the sectors without revealing.

[Xcorps]

Originally posted by sg1darkcalling:

Oh I like that. I would have never thought of that. You could create one big massive map with only one sector that way. Thtst would make for an interesting game! and change how the dynamics plays out

That was the default for GC II and III. I played both, but more GCII. No chokepoints does change the flow of ship production and makes you reliant on scanner power. I used to build 128 scanner power ships for border monitoring. You have to account for crisis response in a different way if you aren't sure where the next doomstack is coming from.

[Giant Space Hamster]

Originally posted by Xcorps:

Did you use the console to look at the full galaxy map? You can't see all the sectors without revealing.

No, I wasn't aware that was something I could do. That's why I'm asking here.

I'm still confused...if the size of sectors is random, then doesn't the resulting size of each when generated combined with the number of sectors determine the galaxy size? What does the galaxy size setting actually do?

It feels like you could make a single sector large galaxy that results in a smaller area than a single sector medium galaxy because the sector size is random. That feels wrong, That certainly doesn't line up with how the settings would be chosen by the player when making a new game.

[Xcorps]

I'm still confused...if the size of sectors is random, then doesn't the resulting size of each when generated combined with the number of sectors determine the galaxy size? What does the galaxy size setting actually do?

The other way around. Sector size is subject to galaxy size.

It feels like you could make a single sector large galaxy that results in a smaller area than a single sector medium galaxy because the sector size is random. That feels wrong, That certainly doesn't line up with how the settings would be chosen by the player when making a new game.

I'm confused what your expectations are.

Sectors are a region of space inside the galaxy. The galaxy map spawns the stars, then wraps sectors around them.


Large galaxy:

x number of stars. Let's say it's 300.

1 sector =x number of stars, or 300.

2 sectors = 1 sector of 150 and one sector of 150. Or 140/160.

3 sectors = 1 sector with 50, 1 sector with 50, 1 sector with 200. Or whatever the spread is.