How to edit objects in Universe Sandbox 2

In this guide, you will learn how to edit .UBOX files, which store data for objects. by editing these files, you can change everything about the object, or if you have the skill, create your own.

Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: This guide is only for people who know what they are doing. ALWAYS make a backup of the user objects folder (normally at C:\Users\<User Name>\Documents\Universe Sandbox ²\Bodies), unless you want to lose it.

Locating and opening .UBOX files

Locating the Bodies Folder

Before you can edit the files, you need to find them.
On Windows, the user objects folder is at C:\Users\<User Name>\Documents\Bodies, but it can also be found by clicking an object in-game, going to the Actions tab, and clicking on 'Open Bodies Folder'.

Opening a .UBOX file

Opening a ubox file is pretty simple: simply change the file type from UBOX to ZIP, and then extract the .ZIP file to a folder.

There should be 3 files inside: body.json, thumbnail.png, and version.ini.
body.json contains the body data (which is what we we will be editing), thumbnail.png is what the body appears like in the spawn menu (this has no effect on what it looks like when placed), and version.ini is, well, the version.

Editing

Now that you have found the files you need, you can now edit them. Open body.json.
you can now edit all the options inside. Some notable features are: changing atmosphere color (AtmosphereColor tag), vegetation, (VegetationMapSource tag), and rotation lock ("LockRotation").
there's many more interesting properties that you can do things with (like making a gas giant with the texture of the moon, making Venus have a purple atmosphere, making the sun shine green, or anything you can thing of really).

[Mr_Stinkies]

also this guide works for simulations

[Mr_Stinkies]

does rotation lock still work?

[Twiaktzlud]

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This is me in early 2024 for no reason.

[Twiaktzlud]

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[Twiaktzlud]

loll

[InnoVAtioN]

how do you gat it

[Dienikes 1016]

I would like to add in CITIES and SIGNS OF POPULATION to the skins. Would that be done with this method?

[2dogplc]

yes

[CINATITSMR]

"Make venus have a purple atmosphere"
IS THAT A KSP REFERENCE?

[PythonGuy]

You should have told me how to change Ubox to zip