The Galaxy
The Stardrift universe is a pre-generated galaxy of over 100,000 star systems laid out across a 2D coordinate plane. All systems exist from the moment the game launched — they're waiting to be discovered and claimed.
Scale & Layout
The galaxy follows a realistic distribution:
- Galactic core — densely packed systems clustered near (0, 0)
- Spiral arms — 8 distinct clusters of 800–2,000 systems each, spread outward in a Gaussian distribution
- Outer rim — sparse systems at greater distances; rarer star types appear more frequently here
Distance between any two systems is measured in light-years using standard Euclidean distance from their coordinates.
Sol Nexus
Sol Nexus sits at the galactic origin (0, 0) — the center of the universe. It's the game's official hub, pre-configured with:
- A Yellow Dwarf star
- 5 curated planets (Scorched, Rocky, Temperate, Gas Giant, Ice World)
- 1 asteroid belt
- Resource rating: 6/10
All new players spawn here. Think of it as the main trade hub and social center of the galaxy.
Naming Convention
Systems in Stardrift follow a catalog designation scheme inspired by real-world astronomical surveys. Every system is assigned an identifier from the Stardrift Catalog (SD) — a sequential-style number that represents its entry in the galactic survey.
Format: SD {number} (e.g., SD 84712, SD 4019, SD 531046)
Planets and asteroid belts within a system inherit the system name and append a Roman numeral:
| Object | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| System | SD {number} | SD 84712 |
| Planet | SD {number} {roman} | SD 84712 III |
| Asteroid belt | SD {number} Belt | SD 84712 Belt |
| Multiple belts | SD {number} Belt {roman} | SD 84712 Belt II |
The hub system Sol Nexus is the one exception — it keeps its proper name as the galactic origin point.
Players can rename systems, planets, and belts they control. The SD designation serves as the default "survey name" for unclaimed or newly discovered space.
Discovering the Galaxy
Systems appear in /map once they're within range of your current location. The map shows up to 15 systems within 50 light-years. Enrolled systems show their name, star type, resource rating, and owning guild. Unenrolled systems show up as unclaimed space — they're real systems with real coordinates waiting for someone to claim them.
Coordinates & Navigation
Every system has a fixed (x, y) coordinate in light-year units. These coordinates determine:
- Distance (and therefore travel time and fuel cost) between systems
- What appears on your local star map
- Relative position in the galactic geography
Galactic "north," "south," etc. have no in-game meaning — navigation is purely by coordinates and distance.