Starbound
Starbound

Ship Customization & Decoration

Customize your Starbound ship. Learn to expand your vessel's layout and decorate its interior interior spaces, making your mobile base unique.

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Ship Customization & Decoration

Your ship in Starbound isn't just a means of interstellar travel; it's your personal home, mobile base, and a canvas for your creativity. you'll unlock more options to expand and personalize your vessel, making it truly your own. This section will guide you through the process of upgrading your ship's layout and decorating its interior.

Ship Expansion: Unlocking More Space

Initially, your ship will be quite cramped. To gain more room for crafting stations, storage, and decorative flair, you'll need to upgrade your ship. This process is tied directly to your progression through the main questline and the acquisition of specific items.

  • Ship Upgrade Modules: These are the primary currency for expanding your ship. You'll primarily obtain them by completing main story quests given by SAIL and the various quest-givers at the Outpost. Keep an eye out for side quests as well, as some may reward these valuable modules.
  • License Requirements: Each ship upgrade tier requires a specific Ship License. These licenses are granted automatically upon completing certain main story missions, usually after defeating a boss. For example, defeating the Erchius Mining Facility boss will grant you your first license, allowing for a small expansion.
  • Upgrading Process: Once you have both the required Ship Upgrade Modules and the corresponding Ship License, interact with SAIL on your ship. Select the "Upgrade Ship" option. You'll see a preview of the new layout and the cost in modules. Confirm the upgrade, and your ship will instantly expand, often adding new rooms, platforms, and sometimes even a second deck!
  • Early Game Tip: Prioritize ship upgrades! More space means more room for essential crafting stations like the Inventor's Table, Anvil, and Farming Table, making your adventures much more efficient.

Interior Decoration: Making Your Ship a Home

Once you have the space, it's time to make your ship feel like home. Starbound offers an incredible array of furniture, blocks, and decorative items to suit any aesthetic.

Acquiring Decoration Items

There are numerous ways to gather items for your ship:

  • Crafting: Many basic and themed furniture sets can be crafted at the Inventor's Table, Architect's Table, or even the Spinning Wheel for fabrics. Look for blueprints in chests, as quest rewards, or by scanning new objects.
  • Purchasing: The Outpost is a hub for vendors selling furniture, blocks, and decorative items.
    • Frogg Furnishings: Located in the Outpost, this shop sells a rotating stock of themed furniture, often tied to specific racial styles or biomes. Check back frequently!
    • Infinity Express: While primarily for tech and consumables, they sometimes stock unique decorative items or blocks.
    • Other Vendors: Keep an eye out for traveling merchants on planets or in player-built colonies; they often have rare or unique items.
  • Looting & Scanning: Explore planets thoroughly! Break open chests, raid dungeons, and dismantle abandoned structures. Many items can be picked up directly. Remember to use your Matter Manipulator's scan mode on new objects; this can unlock crafting recipes at your Inventor's Table or Architect's Table.
  • Colony Deeds: Establishing colonies on planets and attracting tenants can be a fantastic way to acquire specific themed items. Tenants will often pay rent in pixels and sometimes offer unique items or quests.
Placement and Design Tips
  • Background Walls: Don't forget your background! Use different background blocks (e.g., Ship Panels, Wooden Planks, Stone Blocks) to create distinct rooms and textures. You can place background walls by selecting them in your hotbar and clicking on the background layer.
  • Lighting: Proper lighting is crucial for atmosphere and functionality. Experiment with different light sources like Fluorescent Lights, Lanterns, Candles, or even Neon Tubes to set the mood.
  • Functional vs. Aesthetic: While it's fun to decorate, ensure you have space for essential crafting stations, storage containers (Storage Lockers are a staple), and a comfortable bed for resting.
  • Themes: Consider a theme for your ship! Do you want a high-tech lab, a cozy cabin, a bustling marketplace, or a minimalist modern design? Sticking to a theme can help guide your decoration choices.
  • Wiring: For advanced decorators, the Wiring Tool (crafted at the Inventor's Table) allows you to connect switches, sensors, and logic gates to lights, doors, and other interactive objects, creating dynamic and functional spaces.
  • Ship AI Customization: While not strictly decoration, you can change your ship's AI (SAIL) appearance and voice by finding AI Chips in various dungeons and quest rewards. This adds another layer of personalization to your vessel.

With a little effort and creativity, your Starbound ship can transform from a simple transport into a truly unique and personalized home among the stars.