The HUB
The HUB, or "Habitat and Utility Base", is the heart of the factory and the first build-able structure in-game. Initially only containing a Craft Bench and the HUB Terminal, it can be upgraded as the pioneer progresses along the Milestones in Tier 0. The completed HUB, in addition, contains two small Biomass Burners, a FICSIT Freighter, and living quarters, also functioning as the pioneers' respawn point. The HUB Terminal, which is the main progression tool, allows pioneers to advance through tiers of Milestones.
Construction
The HUB is constructed using 20x Iron Ore, obtained by dismantling the starting Drop-pod. The HUB is then progressively upgraded via the HUB Terminal (see below) throughout Onboarding, unless it's skipped while starting a new game.
Dismantling the HUB returns the Iron Ore required to build it, retaining all upgrades and Milestone progress, including inserted parts; if there are items stored in the HUB's Personal Storage Box, the stored items will be transferred to the pioneer's inventory. This means it can be freely relocated, just like all other player-built structures.
Only one HUB can be built, even if the pioneer has more than 20x Iron Ore. Through means such as save editing, multiple HUBs can exist in the world at once and will function identically. The oldest HUB appears to be used when respawning.
Features
Aside from what is listed below, the HUB contains a Craft Bench and a Personal Storage Box, which function identically to their standalone variants.
Respawning and joining a multiplayer game positions pioneers in front of the toilet cubicle within the living quarters. If no HUB is placed, pioneers respawn and join in the starting location picked at the start of the game.
HUB Front
The front of the HUB is the side with the door to the living quarters.
HUB Rear
The rear of the HUB is the side without a door to the living quarters.
HUB Terminal
The HUB Terminal is the place where pioneers select Milestones sorted by tiers and input the materials required to complete the selected Milestone . This can be achieved by shift-click the relevant material in the inventory or drag and drop. There are currently 10 tiers of Milestones to progress through Tier 0 to Tier 9.
At the start, only Tier 0 is available as a part of Onboarding (unless it is skipped). Tier 0's Milestones, named HUB Upgrades, have to be completed in sequential order, unlike all following Tiers. After Tier 0 is finished, Tiers 1 and 2 become available. Further milestones are unlocked by sending deliveries through the Space Elevator.
The HUB Terminal is used to unlock Milestones.
Attached Biomass Burners
At the start, the HUB contains no Biomass Burners. The first one is unlocked at Tier 0 – HUB Upgrade 2, the second at HUB Upgrade 5. If Onboarding is skipped, both Burners are always available.
Each Biomass Burner produces 20 MW of power, which is less than the standalone Biomass Burner, however, they also burn fuel proportionally slower, thus are just as energy-efficient.
Comparison between two models of Biomass Burners: Left: stand-alone (30 MW). Right: attached to the HUB (20 MW).
FICSIT Freighter
The FICSIT Freighter is unlocked at Tier 0: HUB Upgrade 6. During its unlock animation, it descends from space, turns around, then docks at the HUB where it waits to be launched into space upon Milestone completion. It will return to the HUB after a set amount of time which varies by Milestone, with its countdown timer located at the top right of the game screen and in the HUB Terminal.
Crashed FICSIT Freighters can be found scattered across the world, containing Hard Drives.
Living Quarters
The living quarters are located between the Biomass Burners and the HUB terminal. Other than the Desk, the remaining living quarters' amenities are mere decorations (i.e. bunk bed, cupboards, pantry).
In Version 1.0 the living quarters was completely redesigned.
HUB living quarters as it appeared from release 1.0.
Operation SCADA-HMI Terminal Desk
The desk by the window is named the "Operation SCADA-HMI Terminal Desk" can be interacted with to play a FICSIT Productive Packer Deluxe minigame.
HUB Operation SCADA-HMI Terminal Desk as it appeared from Update 3 to Update 8 (using Flashlight).
Close-up of the HUB Operation SCADA-HMI Terminal Desk as it appeared from Update 3 to Update 8 (using Flashlight).
HUB Operation SCADA-HMI Terminal Desk as it appeared from release 1.0.
Bunk Bed
- There are two bunk beds found in the HUB.
- After completion of Onboarding - HUB Upgrade 4, and prior to completion of HUB Upgrade 6, the pioneer can enter the bunk beds using the following methods:[1]
- After completion of HUB Upgrade 6, and reaching Tier 1, the two bunk beds become mere decorations and cannot be used by pioneers.
HUB Bunk Beds as they appeared from Early Access Release to Update 8.
Close-up of the HUB Bunk Beds as they appeared from Early Access Release to Update 8.
Bunk beds inside the living quarters as they appeared from release 1.0.
Pantry
The pantry and cupboards are a mere decoration and cannot be used by pioneers.
HUB Pantry and Cupboards as they appeared from Early Access Release to Update 8.
Close-up of the HUB Pantry as it appeared from Early Access Release to Update 8 (using Flashlight).
HUB Pantry with small fitted kitchen and a new window as it appeared from release 1.0.
Close-up of the HUB Pantry as it appeared from release 1.0.
Toilet
The toilet can be interacted with to insert any 1 item, and then flushed to destroy the item.
Note that ANY item can be inserted, including those which cannot be trashed in the inventory or aren't renewable, such as Plutonium Waste, Hard Drives, Somersloops or Mercer Spheres.
HUB Toilet as it appeared from Update 3 to Update 8 (using Flashlight).
HUB Toilet as it appeared from release 1.0.
MAM
The MAM use to be located within the living quarters prior to Update 3 when it was redesigned and became its own separate building.
The old MAM inside of the HUB, before Patch 0.3.
Trivia
- During the Freighter launch, the pioneer can stand on it and be slingshot to a very high altitude, from which the pioneer will be able to see the entire map. Deaths and game crashes have been reported.
- The Freighter can fly through the Foundations and any other building built above it.
- After completion of the launch animation, and before descending back to the HUB, it is possible to see the Freighter hovering distantly in the sky. During the day, it appears as a gray speck (see image below). At night, it is visible as a flickering light approximately the size of a star. It is unclear whether this is intentional (as a representation of the Freighter "unloading" its cargo to an orbital FICSIT facility), or simply a graphical glitch. It is also unclear whether this is visible at every graphical setting (initially confirmed on Ultra settings).
- The Freighter does not appear to despawn while on Milestone cooldown.
- During the Freighter landing, if the pioneer stands at the Freighter docking position, it is possible to get stuck below the Freighter. To escape, dismantle the HUB.
- You can target the HUB Terminal, the integrated Personal Storage Box, or the Craft Bench with the dismantle tool. Nothing happens if you actually try to dismantle them.
- The pre-alpha equivalent of the HUB was called the "Trading Post".[2] The HUB is still referred to as "TradingPost" internally.
- The model number of the drop ship (5KY-3) is a reference to Skye from the Sanctum franchise.[3]
- Inside the HUB, there is a computer screen with a phrase that says "See you Space Cowboy", a direct reference to 2000's anime Cowboy Bebop.
- The toilet has a recruitment poster on its wall. This poster is a reference to "The Cycle", featuring one of the "Korolev" faction.
See also
Gallery
Version 1.0 HUB as it appeared in teaser video.[4]
Version 1.0 HUB redesigned Living Quarters as it appeared in teaser video.[5]
History
- Patch 1.0: Changed 1 HUB Parts cost to 20 Iron Ore. Drop Pod resource gains changed to match.
- Patch 0.6.1.1: Fixed a bug where dropping the Boom Box around the HUB could cause it to be placed under it
- Patch 0.6.0.4: Fixed the HUB and Space Elevator not being able to be turned off on the map or compass
- Patch 0.5.1.10:
- Fixed Productive Packer Deluxe Mini Game being stuck in the world after the HUB was dismantled
- FICSIT Productive Packer Deluxe Mini Game is now always available (previously, it was only available for the duration of FICSMAS 2021)
- Patch 0.5.1.3: Undocumented Change - Introduced FICSIT Productive Packer Deluxe minigame to the HUB Operation SCADA-HMI Terminal Desk
- Patch 0.5.0.2 (Released again in Patch 0.5.0.3): Fixed an issue where the HUB would spam sounds during the tutorial phase
- Patch 0.3.5.3: “Received” is now spelled correctly in the HUB
- Patch 0.3.4.15: Sub-buildings (like the Train Track on Platforms or the Craft Bench in the HUB) should no longer rotate separately from the main building
- Patch 0.3.4.14: Fixed some visual issues on the HUB and Drop Ship
- Patch 0.3.4.9: The HUB is no longer invisible for a short moment when completing the final upgrade
- Patch 0.3.4.0: Improved visibility of Space Elevator requirements for Tiers in the HUB Menu
- Patch 0.3.3.0:
- Mass dismantling the HUB should no longer crash the game
- Ctrl-click in the HUB should now move all items of one type
- The HUB interior should have the correct materials again
- Patch 0.3.2.1: The HUB can now be dismantled without crashing if its sub buildings have been dismantled separately (rebuilding the HUB will recreate the sub-buildings)
- Patch 0.3.2.0:
- HUB sub-buildings (like the integrated Biomass Burners) can no longer be dismantled
- The Drop Ship in the HUB should show up for everyone now
- Patch 0.3.1.2:
- Integrated objects such as the HUB Biomass Burners can no longer be copied and built
- Non-dismantlable objects that have been created by copying integrated HUB objects can now be dismantled
- Patch 0.3.1.0: Drop Ship on the HUB should no longer be missing
- Patch 0.3:
- HUB now properly snaps to other buildings without individual parts like the Terminal ending up in a wrong position
- Fixed the missing collision behind the ladder of the HUB
- The MAM was moved out of the HUB and became its own separate building and no longer tied to the HUB in any way.
- Patch 0.2.1.10: Fixed some minor visual bugs in the HUB UI
- Patch 0.2.1.6: Fixed players respawning under the world after rebuilding the HUB
- Patch 0.1.5:
- Fixed the HUB upgrade effect to be visible for both client and server
- Fixed so the HUB upgrade effect doesn't trigger when joining as client
- Fixed the duplicate mesh in the HUB Biomass Burners
- HUB Parts are now returned to the player on respawn or passed to other players if possible when their death crate is spawned
- Added power connections to the HUB Biomass Burners
- Adjusted HUB floor collision so the player can walk onto it without having to jump
- Patch Closed Alpha 5.1:
- Fixed the sound bug on the Biomass Burners integrated into the HUB
- Added smoke to HUB launch button
- Patch Closed Alpha 5: Changed screen textures on the HUB & Space Elevator
- Patch Closed Alpha 4.1:
- Fixed production indicator on HUB Biomass Burner not showing the right colors
- Fixed client issues with updating the HUB when upgrading it
- HUB Menu: Changed “Researching…” to “Current Milestones”
- Updated UVs on HUB monitors
- Patch Closed Alpha 4:
- The HUB now costs and yields a single item “HUB Parts”
- Changed HUB Upgrade icon in the Hub Menu
- Updated HUB interior materials
- Moved the power connections of the HUB Biomass Burners
- Patch Closed Alpha 3: Added collision box in the trading post for the FISCIT Space Ship
- Patch Closed Alpha 2: Updated SFX for HUB Upgrade & sending the FICSIT Ship.
Early game development
Prior to Closed Alpha, for most of the early game development there was no HUB, but in Sprint 12 (week 24) they added an equivalent of the HUB called a Trading Post.
- See also: Game Development - HUB