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Roadmap

From Starship Simulator

NOTICE: This page is a Work in Progress as much of the lore/Development for the game is yet to be established.


Last updated based on developer notes from: 25th June 2025 - This roadmap provides an overview of Starship Simulator's planned development milestones, including new features, systems, and major patch cycles as it moves toward Early Access. Each update introduces new gameplay mechanics, ship interior improvements, galactic systems, and quality-of-life enhancements, giving players a clear view of how the simulation is evolving.


High-Level Overview

Following the successful completion of their Kickstarter campaign, Fleetyard's focus is now on increasing the size of their team while working toward the release of Early Access.

Introduction to Early Access Features:

Following our successful Kickstarter, which raised £400k and cleared 4 stretch goals, our focus as a studio is now on developing and polishing the features required to bring the game to a full Alpha state, and by extension paving the way for a public Early Access release.

Our goal with Early Access is to have all major game systems implemented in an alpha state, along with the Magellan Class vessel finished and polished.

Planned Early Access Features

Ship Simulation

  • Every ship system should be fully implemented, with visible, interactive hardware that is physically connected to power and consumables.
  • Every ship system should be able to receive damage and be repaired. The ship interior should also have a full damage model, including grunge/wear over time.
  • The Magellan Class vessel should be finished and reasonably polished, with every interior location having its full set dressing.
  • All tools and hardware required by the crew to perform their duties should be available.
  • All UI screens should be implemented and able to perform their designed functions.
  • Shuttles should be fully implemented, enabling the crew to leave their mothership and travel to other locations.

Galaxy Simulation

Gameplay Mechanics (Roles)

Command:

  • Jobs board implemented and generating tasks to complete.
  • The ability to issue orders to the NPC Crew.
  • The ability to interact with the holo-display for targeting objects, etc.

Science:

  • Jobs board implemented and generating tasks to complete.
  • The ability to use the Sensors console to scan for objects of interest.
  • The ability to send Probes (planned page) to planetary surfaces to retrieve samples.
  • The ability to perform scans on physical objects retrieved from planets.

Engineering:

  • Jobs board implemented and generating tasks to complete.
  • The ability to perform routine Maintenance.
  • The ability to repair damaged hardware.

Tactical:

  • Jobs board implemented and generating tasks to complete.
  • Ability to target individual sub-systems on other vessels.
  • Ability to fire the ship’s main weaponry.
  • Ability to use firearms within the game.
  • The ability to scan for evidence of who committed sabotage.

Medical:

  • Jobs board implemented and generating tasks to complete.
  • The ability to scan players/NPC’s for medical issues.
  • The ability to administer various remedies.
  • The ability to perform surgery using the medical table.

Operations:

  • Jobs board implemented and generating tasks to complete.
  • The ability to pilot ships, Shuttles, and other craft.
  • The ability to move Cargo (planned page) around the ship.

Stewards:

  • Jobs board implemented and generating tasks to complete.
  • Cook meals as the Chef (planned role).
  • Serve drinks in the bar.
  • Clean the environment as the Janitor (planned role).

Passengers:

  • The ability to sabotage equipment aboard the ship.

VR Implementation

  • VR to be implemented using a room-scale approach, with multiple locomotion options and full motion controller support.
  • Every player action should be equalized between First Person and VR, so the feel of gameplay remains consistent regardless of your chosen input method.

Multiplayer

  • Multiplayer should be implemented using a session-based approach, hosted by individual players.
  • A dedicated server client should also be made available.
  • Full host controls should be available in multiplayer, enabling server hosts to kick, brig, ban, and mute unruly guests. These actions should be saved locally based on the target’s SteamID, and remain persistent for as long as the host desires.
  • Add the ability to block people directly from the server list.

NPC Crew

  • The full crew of 200 NPC’s implemented on the Magellan Class vessel, with the ability for players to replace any chosen NPC when starting or joining a game.
  • The ability to fully customise your NPC crew roster when starting a new game, from their names to their visual appearance.
  • The ability to issue commands to NPC crewmembers if you are in the Command department or you are the head of their specific department.
  • The ability for the NPC crew to adhere to shift rotations, and take themselves off to bed at the end of their shift, in addition to performing other actions such as obtaining food and using the bathroom.

Patch Cycle

The following patches are only the publicly shared patch cycle plans by Fleetyard Studios. Unless completed, their features are the subject of change in the future. Some features may be implemented ahead of schedule or delayed until later game versions.

Patch Cycle 0.225.0.0 — The Drake Equation (Complete)

Patch Version 0.225.1.0

Objectives

  1. Remodel the Magellan Class vessel to be more streamlined, more unique, and to include visible FTL hardware.
  2. Significantly improve the Galaxy Generation code, and more specifically add all of the prerequisite code for generating life across the whole galaxy.
  3. Completely overhaul the Sensors interface, with the addition of a new mode for conducting planetary scans, revealing details of any detected life.

New Galaxy Addition

  • 100% - Add Roche Limit calculations to the star system generation code. This will stop planets generating inside stars, and also be used to determine the presence of planetary rings if a moon is generated too close to a planet. Actual moons will come later.
  • 100% - Add the beginnings of the life-generation code. Alien races will begin appearing, although only as text-descriptions for now.
  • 100% - Switch the real stellar data to the Gaia catalogue and extend to 2000ly range.
  • 100% - Add small Kuiper Belt style objects to the game for all star systems.
  • 100% - Add Hill Sphere calculations to the star system generation code.
  • 100% - Add Orbital Period calculations to the star system generation code.
  • 100% - Add Orbital Velocity calculations to the star system generation code.

New Gameplay Addition

  • 100% - Add the ability for players to scan planets for more detailed surface information.
  • 100% - Add the ability to "search ahead" to distant sectors, so courses can be plotted anywhere in the galaxy.
  • 100% - Add floor 'dirt'.
  • 100% - Add Roomba to clean floors.

New Ship Interior Addition

  • 100% - Add planetary scanning output to the Holo Display, which means full 3D holograms of planets on the Bridge.
  • 100% - Add new wall panels.
  • 100% - Recreate VIP Crew corridor structural framework.
  • 100% - Finish the B Deck corridor modelling, including the security desk.
  • 100% - Create new D Deck/E Deck outer corridor/room layout.
  • 100% - Create a working B-F lift.
  • 100% - Create C Deck corridor panelling.
  • 100% - Add the ship's Cat.
  • 100% - Add plants to all deck planters.

Polish / Improvement

  • 100% - Completely overhaul the Sensors console to bring it up to date with current UNOS UI designs.
  • 100% - Rewrite Scanning and Navigation tutorial to work with new sensors UI.
  • 100% - Add Enter/Backspace indicators to Tutorial textbox.
  • 100% - Add the ability to zoom the holo-display properly, and also include coloured banding for habitable zones, etc.
  • 100% - Add new names to credits.
  • 100% - Enable Steam Cloud Saves.
  • 100% - Create new deck maps.

Accessibility

  • 100% - Add Headbob mode to gameplay settings, and make OFF by default.
  • 100% - Add right-click to zoom and to accessibility controls.
  • 100% - Add new crosshair variations to controls settings.

Exterior Ship Model

  • 100% - Create new external hull profile for new ship design.
  • 100% - Increase the vertical spacing between decks to 1m.
  • 100% - Create floor cavities in ship's framework for new floor panelling, for each individual deck. Precursor to the upcoming damage model.

Due to time constraints, the following items will be pushed back to the next patch cycle

  • 50% - Add atmospheric chemicals to the planetary scanning data.
  • 0% - Add atmospheric pressure to the planetary scanning data.
  • 0% - Add ocean chemicals to the planetary scanning data.
  • 10% - Properly calculate atmospheric greenhouse effect and add to planetary scanning data.
  • 0% - Add default ship security code to ship customisation settings.

→ Then going into testing phase for Demo Update

Patch Cycle 0.226.0.0 — VR (In Progress)

Patch Version 0.226.1.0

For live updates, please see the Trello page.

Objectives

  • Gameplay: VR
  • Galaxy: White Dwarfs
  • Ship: Finish Corridor Ceilings
  • Polish: Graphics Settings

VR

  • Main Menu:
    • Replace the 2D Menu with a 3D equivalent
    • Create a new spectator pawn
    • VR Menu Interaction
    • Create a new Planet Flyby Sequence
    • Update Menu shaders to work in VR
    • Add VR Hands
    • Improve how the main menu fades between pages
  • Loading Screen:
    • Create new spectator pawn
    • Give spawning control to the player controller
    • Replace 2Dloading screen with a live ship construction
    • Add lighting and space environment for the ship construction
  • Character Spawning:
    • Add VR Boolean to game instance
    • Spawn a relevant character based on VR boolean
    • Remove Player Starts and replace with proper vector locations
    • Ensure that spawned characters have the right customisation
    • Ensure that spawned characters go to the brig if needed
    • Configure Steam to add VR flag to launch options, and have this read by game instance
  • Locomotion Methods:
    • Add full IK body rig for VR
    • Add Arm Swing locomotion
    • Add keyboard and mouse locomotion
    • Add teleport locomotion
    • Add gamepad locomotion
    • Ensure VR pawn can navigate stairs and ride the lift
  • UI Interaction:
    • Add widget interaction components to VR fingers
    • Make sure dragging sliders works,
    • Make sure holding a button down works.
  • Prop Interaction:
    • Add physics handle to VR hands
    • Add network replication to VR physics handle
  • Multiplayer:
    • Make it all work!!

New Galaxy Addition

  • Add White Dwarfs:
    • Conduct research on White Dwarf distribution and determine per-region population numbers.
    • Add White Dwarf specific Mass>Radius code to the Galaxy-Gen, reflecting their degenerate state.
    • Add White Dwarf specific Age>Temperature code to the Galaxy-Gen.
  • Add White Dwarf generation to the System-Gen
  • Create a White Dwarf actor

New Ship Interior Addition

  • B Deck:
    • Fix VIP Lounge entrance corridor ceiling.
    • Model ceiling panels for the Security Desk outer section.
    • Model ceiling panel for the stairwells.
    • Model proper light fixtures for the planters.
    • Model ceiling panel for the Stateroom planters.
    • Model ceiling panel for the Stateroom doorways.
    • Model ceiling panel for the planters (Curve Section)
    • Model ceiling panel for the planters (Angled Bit)
    • Model ceiling panel for the planters (Stair Surround)
  • C Deck:
    • Model planter ceiling panel (Curved Section)
    • Model planter ceiling panel (T Section)
    • Model planter ceiling panel (Straight Section)
    • Model planter ceiling panel (Stair Surround)
    • Model proper light fixtures for the planters.
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 1 (Corridor T)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 1/2 (Straight)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 1 (6-Seg Curve)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 2 (Corridor X)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 2 (7-Seg Curve)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 2 (7-Seg Curve Bulkhead)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 2 (Corridor T)
  • D/E Decks:
    • Model planter ceiling panel (Curved Section)
    • Model planter ceiling panel (T Section)
    • Model planter ceiling panel (Straight Section)
    • Model planter ceiling panel (Stair Surround)
    • Model proper light fixtures for the planters.
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 1 (Corridor T)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 1/2 (Straight)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 1 (6-Seg Curve)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 2 (Corridor X)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 2 (7-Seg Curve)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 2 (7-Seg Curve Bulkhead)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 2 (Corridor T)
  • F Deck:
    • Model planter ceiling panel (Curved Section)
    • Model planter ceiling panel (T Section)
    • Model planter ceiling panel (Straight Section)
    • Model planter ceiling panel (Stair Surround)
    • Model proper light fixtures for the planters.
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 1 (Corridor T)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 1/2 (Straight)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 1 (6-Seg Curve)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 2 (Corridor X)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 2 (7-Seg Curve)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 2 (7-Seg Curve Bulkhead)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 2 (Corridor T)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 3 (Corridor T)
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 3 (Maintenance Hatch)
    • Move the maintenance tunnel lights into their correct positions
  • G Deck:
    • Model new ceiling panel for Ring 1 (Maintenance Hatch)

Polish / Improvement

  • Add potato mode to graphics options
  • Add Low, medium, high presets
  • Add greater control over GPU load
  • Make it so the settings can scroll to fit on more options
  • Update settings UI to Current Standard

Patch Cycle 0.227.0.0 — Bridge NPCs (In Progress)

Patch Version 0.227.1.0

For live updates, please see the Trello page.

Objectives

  • Gameplay: Bridge NPCS
  • Galaxy: Neutron Stars
  • Ship: Bridge Interior Progression
  • Polish: Controller Support & Keybinds

New Galaxy Addition

  • Implement Neutron Stars

New Gameplay Addition

  • Implement the Ability to Spawn Science and Helm NPCs
  • Add the Ability to Issue Basic Commands to Bridge NPCs
  • Add the Ability to Interact Physically with the Holo Display

New Ship Interior Addition

  • Build Holo-Display Hardware
  • Remodel the Bridge Ceiling Window
  • Move the Bridge Window Controls to an Environment Controls Station in the alcove.
  • Remove the Beam from windows
  • Add Missing Consoles
  • Add Placeholder UI to Tactical Console
  • Add Placeholder UI to Defense Console
  • Add Placeholder UI to Engineering Consoles
  • Add Placeholder UI to Environmental Controls Console
  • Add Placeholder UI to Internal Security Console
  • Add Placeholder UI to Communications Console

Polish / Improvement

  • Keybinds
  • SteamDeck compatability

→ Go into final testing for demo update #3

Patch Cycle 0.228.0.0 — Sublight Engines (Planned)

Patch Version 0.228.1.0

For live updates, please see the Trello page.

Objectives

  • Gameplay: - Sublight Engines
  • Galaxy: - Wormholes
  • Ship: - New Helm UI + RCS/Engines
  • Polish: - Updated Tutorial & HOTAS Support

New Galaxy Addition

  • Add Wormholes

New Gameplay Addition

  • Add Sublight Controls to the Game
  • Add Short Range Scanning Mode to the Sensors.

New Ship Interior Addition

  • RCS/Engines
  • Updated Helm UI

Polish / Improvement

  • Add the Ability to list star Systems in Nested Tree Format
  • Add the Sublight Engine and RCS Thruster to the Electrical System
  • Add Off-Screen Target Arrows on the Helm to find your Target
  • HOTAS
  • Updated Tutorial
  • Add collisions to Galaxy

Exterior Ship Model

  • Continue working on the exterior ship model.

Patch Cycle 0.229.0.0 — Star System Designer Tool (Planned)

Patch Version 0.229.1.0

For live updates, please see the Trello page.

Objectives

  • Gameplay: Star System Designer Tool
  • Galaxy: Moons & Planetary Chemicals
  • Ship: TBC
  • Polish: TBC

Patch Cycle 0.230.0.0 — Comms Station (Planned)

Patch Version 0.230.1.0

For live updates, please see the Trello page.

Objectives

  • Gameplay: Comms Station
  • Galaxy: Non FTL Civilisation
  • Ship: Crew Roster & NPC Crew
  • Polish: Improved Character Customisation

Patch Cycle 0.231.0.0 — Probes (Planned)

Patch Version 0.231.1.0

For live updates, please see the Trello page.

Objectives

  • Gameplay: Probes
  • Galaxy: Surface POI's
  • Ship: Probe Facility
  • Polish: TBC
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