Sector Slots
A sector slot is a single development site on a stellar object. Each slot holds one sector, and the number and class of an object's slots set the hard limit on how much a player can build there and how productive that development can become.
Overview
Every stellar object that can be developed is divided into a fixed set of sector slots. A slot is the unit of buildable space: an object with eight slots can hold up to eight sectors, one per slot. Two properties define an object's slots — the slot count (how many it has) and the slot class of each one (how good it is).
Slots are set when a stellar object is first discovered. They are never constructed, unlocked, expanded, or removed during play. They are an innate property of the object, fixed for the life of the game.
Slot Count
The slot count is the total number of sectors a stellar object can ever hold. It is fixed at discovery and never changes.
Slot count depends on the type of stellar object:
| Stellar object | Slot count |
|---|---|
| Planet | Highest of any type. The default site for large-scale development. |
| Moon | Fewer than a planet, more than an asteroid belt. |
| Asteroid belt | Very few. |
| Star | None. Cannot host sectors. |
| Black hole | None. Cannot host sectors. |
Slot Class
Every slot has a class that sets the ceiling of development in it. Class governs how far a sector in the slot can develop, not which type of sector can be placed. A sector in a higher-class slot can reach a higher output than the same sector in a lower-class slot.
| Class | Description |
|---|---|
| Prime | The highest quality. Supports the most productive sectors. Rare on most stellar object types. |
| Standard | A reliable, middle-grade slot. The backbone of most developed stellar objects. |
| Marginal | A low-quality slot, common on moons and asteroid belts. Development is possible but limited. |
A slot's class is fixed at discovery and cannot be raised, lowered, or moved. Planets tend toward standard and marginal slots, with prime slots uncommon.
Usage
- View the count and class of every slot on a stellar object in its object detail screen.
- Place one sector in any open slot, up to the object's slot count.
Limits and restrictions
- A slot holds at most one sector at a time.
- The number of sectors on a stellar object can never exceed its slot count.
- A stellar object has at most one main sector. The main sector occupies a single slot, and only one slot on the object can be the main sector's location.
- Slot count and slot class cannot be increased, reduced, or relocated by any action.
- Stars and black holes have no slots and cannot host sectors.
Interactions with other systems
Slot count and class are assigned when the world is generated, so a stellar object's development ceiling is decided before a player ever reaches it. A planet with many slots offers flexible, broad development, while an asteroid belt with very few slots forces a choice between competing uses of its limited space.