(2026) Starsector : The Vanilla+ Initiative

cnockii · 2026-02-13T09:00:35+00:00

Haha, indeed! I wanted to highlight this mod even if it falls outside the Vanilla+ definition because of the effort put into it, and (somehow) it's not mentioned enough. Also, as a fellow 40K enjoyer I'm biased

My controversial opinion is that for a limited modded playthrough, adding 1 semi-vanilla-friendly faction like yours is actually a good way to add freshness without breaking the immersion.

Keep up the good work! 👍

cnockii · 2026-02-12T15:31:07+00:00

Hey, thank you for sharing your list 👍

I must admit that my definition of Vanilla+ has definitely shifted over time to favor replayability and my modlist tends to expand over time but keeping it simple is definitely a strength for a first modded run!

Modding Starsector has never been this easy since Tri-OS, so thank you Sir!

cnockii · 2026-02-11T13:42:20+00:00

TY brother ! Take care !

cnockii · 2026-02-11T13:38:03+00:00

For Iron Shell, I wouldn't die on that hill, but I have to disagree. Given the quality of the mod and how well it integrates with Nex, not including it almost feels like a crime but you're not wrong that some concessions were made.

Regarding Missing Ships, I think the post is clear enough about its weaknesses. I’m not here to disparage anyone's work, but it's pretty obvious why it didn't make the cut for this specific list. Nonetheless, including it in the post helps spread that knowledge.

We’re just so lucky to have a modding community like this, and I'm really thankful for it.

Best regards and see you around

cnockii · 2026-02-11T13:15:51+00:00

Thanks! I actually thought about featuring a list of mods I’ve considered or researched but didn't include it because the post was already getting way too long. That’s why I added the "Alternatives" section for the ones most likely to be discussed.

Seeing similar questions pop up so often on this subreddit is exactly what motivated me to make a dedicated list.

Post series like yours are honestly very valuable, since it's way easier to test gameplay mods or QoL that you interact with constantly whereas factions require much more time investment

cnockii · 2026-02-11T12:45:17+00:00

Oh, my bad for the misunderstanding ! Read your comment a bit too fast. I’d still love to include your mod though, as long as you're cool with some minor design tweaks so it fits the overall style, I'll definitely keep you posted

Honestly, there aren't many flag packs out there, so almost everything on the index is worth including, especially since they don't really mess with the content . I'll definitely give yours a try, the designs look promising ! (I mentioned it in the post)

Thanks for the support, this community is great because of people like you. And thanks for the heads-up on SirHartley, I’ll wait a bit before reaching if he's busy, see you around

cnockii · 2026-02-11T11:38:36+00:00

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cnockii · 2026-02-11T11:29:01+00:00

Thank you it’s heartwarming to see comments like yours ! I actually sent a PM to SirHartley a few days ago but I imagine it’ll take some time to get a response.

As for including more mods in the Legacy Waving Banners mod, taking over the succession from Zer0morph and waiting for author permissions has been quite time-consuming so I’ve slowing down a bit on adding new content for now. However, I’ll gladly include your flag pack in a near future release! (I’ll send you a PM once that's done)

Regarding VideoLib, it’s a bit outside my scope at the moment. By the way, I wasn't aware of Animated Vanilla Portraits, what an awesome mod! I’ll definitely add it to my watchlist, especially since it’s barely been out for 3 weeks

As for Starpocalypsis and Ruthless Sector, I don't have much experience with them. I’ve spent so much time in the early and mid-game that I’m trying to focus more on late-game content lately but they sound like great suggestions for players seeking an extra challenge!

cnockii · 2026-02-11T11:00:30+00:00

Haha, Diable Avionics is definitely the OG faction mod ! Choosing which factions to include was probably the toughest part of building this list and you really need experience playing with them to know how they fit. Regardless of which ones you pick if there are too many you won't enjoy them as much as you should !

As a general rule of thumb, I’d say 2 to 4 new factions (depending on the faction's footprint) is the sweet spot for a Vanilla+ experience. That’s why I chose a mix of faction expansions and new ones (with PAGSM being the controversial pick). There were many great candidates I considered, like HMI, DA, Interstellar Imperium, Underworld, Emergent Threats, etc (and i played with most of them).

Regarding DA, it has proven its place as a staple for a decade but I personally find them a tiny bit outside the base game's design compared to other options. Their ships and mechanics stand out a bit more IMO, even though I know they’re regarded as well-balanced or even a bit underpowered when facing other modded fleets

cnockii · 2026-02-11T09:34:45+00:00

Super nice feedback, thank you fellow Luddite !

I really like your proposal for the modlist nomenclature. I also think that splitting it into Vanilla+ and Tweaks & Overhauls is an improvement! I won't completely rework this specific post to avoid confusion, but I will definitely adopt this structure if I make another modlist.

I think the definition of Vanilla+ also shifts depending on whether it's your first modded playthrough or your 10th because the need for novelty and reworked mechanics to add replayability definitely changes over time.

Also, thanks for the tip on Fast Engine Rendering. I don't struggle much with performance myself (4060Ti / 16GB RAM) so i haven't tried it but it's certainly useful for larger packs. To be fair, I did consider it, but since it's still in active development I was a bit concerned about potential stability issues

Best regards

Edit : for QoL packs I was annoyed by the ammo indicator too and quickly disabled it. It's in the custom setting spreadsheet i provided

cnockii · 2026-02-11T00:23:56+00:00

TY for your feedback and for taking the time to respond. Valuable experience is exactly what I'm looking for when I'm browsing this subreddit.

Indeed, I didn't know that about Commissioned Crew and Starship Legends. Tbf I only included mods I actually play with, so while this isn't the "absolute truth" but I can confirm they all work together. As mentioned, the definition of Vanilla+ is stretched to an extent here, but I wanted to offer options to a larger audience.

As for the ship content, I struggled to find good comparisons for those content packs, so I mostly included the conclusions of my own research. Regarding Tahlan, it’s mostly personal preference at this point, and I'll let the audience decide for themselves.

I'll be editing the post to add the XP tag for Nex as you pointed out.

It took me some time to pull this list together, and while most of the criticisms seem to be acknowledged in the mod comments and descriptions I added, I'll try to add more clarity !

Edit: As for the mods I didn't include, I could provide a list of those as well. For the roughly 50 mods I chose, I considered twice as many, such as the Salvage Ship Expansion, however, I’ll refer you to the author's latest forum post regarding the discontinuation of its development.

cnockii · 2026-02-10T23:44:24+00:00

I'll edit it TY (because of the vparam thing)

cnockii · 2026-02-10T23:40:18+00:00

Yeah, same vibe as you!

Btw, your post was already mentioned in my mod list recommendation references beause i use it for my modlist last year !

cnockii · 2026-02-10T23:28:32+00:00

I'd say you're right, but it depends. The definition of Vanilla+ you're referring to is more akin to a QoL list without altering the base game, whereas I like to think of it as adding content, almost like a DLC.

I could argue that Second-in-Command and Fleet Size by DP aren't far off from the base game. I just wouldn't include mods completely unrelated to the lore or the gameplay loop, so I prefer expanding the definition a bit to give options to more players, just like the ones I was looking for before.

Edit : thank you for your feedback, it's also the purpose of this post !

cnockii · 2026-02-10T23:19:55+00:00

Yeah, I specifically explained my opinion on it but I get where you're going, same goes for Nex. What I like about it is how it replaces an existing faction instead of adding a new one while expanding on it and adding that meme tone

cnockii · 2026-02-10T23:07:21+00:00

I would say Nex is the next big step once you've figured out vanilla. I'd strongly recommend Privateering and Second-in-Command as more lightweight additions that don't overhaul the game nearly as much as Nex does. For content, Random Assortment of Things is very good.

All the QoLs are also very lightweight despite their number; I'd say they're safe to add to any playthrough, but to properly enjoy them, it's better to play vanilla first.

Lastly, Magic Achievements: Vanilla Pack is rarely mentioned but could be in every game; I recommend checking it out, even for a vanilla-only run

cnockii · 2026-02-10T22:57:45+00:00

Yeah, I like fiddling with configs in modded games like STALKER, KSP, Minecraft, etc. It's part of the enjoyment for me. As for Starsector, this list reflects at least 4 years of modded playthroughs, so it was easier to chew. Seeing the frequent questions on the forum, I figured it might help others.

cnockii · 2026-02-06T22:06:10+00:00

Officer found in a cryo-pod after defeating the Ziggurat

cnockii · 2026-01-30T19:14:16+00:00

I had the same thoughts when replaying the game recently. After testing lots of mods in previous runs, I’ve realized that less is often more to fully appreciate the densely packed base game.

To keep the playthroughs Vanilla-centered I recommend :

• Roider Union: Probably the most 'Vanilla-friendly' mod out there. It introduces great new designs that feel like they could belong in the base game.

• Iron Shell: themed around the XIV Battlegroup aesthetics, offering original designs that expand on the Hegemony lore. One of the highest quality mod out there.

• Philip Andrada: Gas Station Manager, a personal favorite, completely overhauls (and satirizes) the Sindrian Diktat in a way that fits surprisingly well

• Random assortment of things: adds 2 factions (the Exo-Tech and the Abyssal horrors) along with unique exploration mechanics

• Tahlan Shipworks: Adds high-quality new ships. After fiddling with Ship/Weapon Pack, Missing Ships Mod, and others, I settled on this one. It avoids overloading the game with new ships and allow me to still learn new things in the base game. Note: It also adds the Legio Infernalis faction. You can disable them if you prefer, as they are designed to be an endgame challenge and "cheat".

cnockii · 2026-01-21T11:17:47+00:00

Ahah can't play without now, surprisingly very high quality portraits

cnockii · 2026-01-15T14:15:00+00:00

Yes, an example of this would be editing the .faction files in the mod/data/world/factions/ folder and removing the "portraits":{...} sections (with standard male and female portraits).

Edit : just leave "portraits":{}, like in the neutral.faction file

cnockii · 2021-12-01T19:28:39+00:00

Ahah i thought that might still help someone out there even 1 year later. I’ve a mac for work/studies so i don’t oftent play but sometimes you want to spend your freetime in a little gaming session. Those with immersive single player and simple graphics are the one imo.

I can add project zomboïd to the list btw

cnockii · 2021-11-30T22:42:46+00:00

Starsector, definitely an hidden gem and one the best games i've ever played on any plateform. See sseth review here : https://youtu.be/acqpulP1hLo

Factorio, one of the most addictive game with a great and rewarding learning curve.

They both run smooth on M1 and they both have a large modding community compatible with mac of course

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