Playable Worlds dives into what Homesteading means in Stars Reach, in a preview of their next update.
With the emphasis on players making an impact on the world in Stars Reach (or worlds, really), it makes sense that some might wonder if and how they can claim some for themselves. The answer is yes, in the form of Homesteads.
These will be pieces of the world that you claim, set up a camp, register your camp, and take ownership. Once you do that, then the land is yours to build on it. You can claim land, Dave Georgeson says in the new devblog, though it doesn’t have to be land, exactly. You can claim a homestead in space and do things like build a starport, or even “hollow out the interior of an asteroid as a smuggler's base”. If you want to be a little more traditional, you might build a farm or a manufacturing facility, or even just housing.
Like everything else in Stars Reach, you will need to learn some skills, have some tools, and consider if you want defenses like walls, force fields, or turrets. You'll have to know how to use the right tools for each step of the process. For example, if you want to start terraforming the plot you've claimed, you should learn some mineralogy skills. As for those defenses, if you are running an underground smuggling facility, you might want those turrets, but if you're just building a home or a shop, you may choose something a bit more welcoming.
There will be ways and even incentives to work with others to build. Interdependence is key in the game. They'll include a gifting feature so you can potentially go mine some resources and then bring them back and give them to a friend or work on what they're building together. You can cooperatively build homesteads.
The team is aiming for lots of freedom, so you will be able to claim and unlock new homesteads as you continue on your adventures. Maybe you'll pick a homestead on a different planet or expand what you're already building. If you change your mind later, there will eventually be a feature letting you relocate and keep your stuff.
We should expect the update (with more possible features laid out in the blog) sometime in early December and the team is aiming for longer duration playtests too.
