Creative Mode

Creative mode allows the player to build ships without restrictions such as money or waiting for the Cargo Shuttle to deliver Systems.

Editor

The primary use of creative mode is creating or editing ships using the Editor tab. The editor tab can be accessed by selecting the Editor button found in the bar on the bottom of the screen. Once the editor tab is selected the build grid will appear. The player may then choose between drawing, erasing, or painting.

Queued changes made in the editor tab will not affect the ship until the player clicks on the confirm button on the right side of the Editor bar. The exception to this is Painting which is applied instantaneously. Queued changes can be cleared by selecting the desired tiles with the right mouse button instead of the left. This can not be used to undo changes that have already been confirmed.

Queued changes will only be cleared for the tile type selected. For example, if there are Hull and Floor changes queued and the player right click drags over an area with Hull selected only the queued Hull changes in that area will be cleared.

Draw

Selecting Draw allows the player to draw various types of tiles into the build grid.

Hull

Hull tiles are one of the only tiles that can be placed in empty space (the other being Scaffold tiles). Many Systems can only be placed on hull tiles

Floors

The only way to place floor tiles is by turning existing Hull/Wall tiles into floor by painting over them. Floors must be completely surrounded by Hull/Wall tiles. The game will not allow the player to convert Hull/Wall tiles into floor if the tile is exposed to open space.

Walls

Wall tiles are functionally indistinguishable from Hull tiles except for the way in which they are added. Wall tiles can only be drawn on top of floor tiles, effectively changing the tile back into a Hull tile.

Armour

Armour is painted over the ship's exterior, increasing the Toughness of the tile. Since armour affects the exterior of the ship it can be painted over Hull, Floor, Wall and Habitation tiles.

Habitation

Habitation tiles are painted over the ship's exterior, increasing the number of cabins onboard the ship. A ship generally cannot take on more personnel or passengers than the number of cabins on the ship. In order for habitation tiles to add to the number of cabins it must be part of a contiguous section of habitation tiles with at least one Ladder below it.

Scaffold

Scaffold tiles are tiles which are outside of your ship but can still hold certain Systems. Some Systems which can be placed on Floor tiles can also be placed on Scaffold tiles. There are some systems which can only be placed on scaffolding, for example Solar Panels. Pipes and Cables can travel through scaffold tiles just like Hull and Floor tiles.

Spawn

The spawn button allows the player to add Systems to a ship without having to buy them or wait for a crew member to install it. Once a System is selected from the Spawn window the player may press 'R' to rotate and left click to place the System in a valid location. If a location becomes invalid after a System is placed a warning symbol will appear and the System will cease to function.

Create Ship

The Create Ship button will create an empty ship with a separate build grid from the one previously being edited. The previous ship will continue to exist and can be switched to by selecting it from the Ship list.

Erase

The Erase tab will allow the player to remove confirmed changes for Hull, Wall, Armour, Habitation and Scaffold tiles.

Paint

TBD

Shape options

While the Editor tab is open the player will be presented with the option to Draw, Erase, or Paint in a variety of shapes.

Freehand

While Freehand is selected any tile the cursor passes over while the left mouse button is held will be Drawn, Erased or Painted.

Box Tool

While Box Tool is selected holding the left mouse button will Draw, Erase or Paint in a box with corners located where the player began and ended the mouse drag. Holding right mouse button will clear changes in the affected area.

Oval Tool

While the Oval Tool is selected left click dragging will Draw, Erase or Paint an ellipse that fits within the box dragged by the cursor.

Symmetry

While the editor tab is selected two labels will appear with the word "Symmetry". These labels can be dragged horizontally or vertically to adjust the line of symmetry for future edits of the ship. Symmetry lines can be placed on a half-tile, allowing ships with odd width or height.

Either symmetry line can be enabled by left or right clicking clicking its label. A symmetry line can only be disabled by right clicking the label.

Importing a Ship

While playing Creative Mode two options are added to the pause menu for "Import Friendly" and "Import Hostile". Either of these options allow the player to choose a ship from their saved ship designs or community ships they have subscribed to. The imported ship will have all items and personnel that were present during editing, unlike the fabricate ship option which will only spawn in the body and Systems of the ship.

Importing a Friendly ship will allow the player to control and edit it just like a ship that has been created by other means. Importing a Hostile will spawn in a ship controlled by the AI which will attempt to attack Friendly ships if they are able.