Terraforming in Beyond These Stars helps solve space, soil and ecosystem problems. The official store describes canals, topsoil and tree planting, while the community-maintained official wiki documents the Landscaper, Compost Heap and Tree Nursery chain. Start by identifying which problem is preventing the next useful expansion, then supply the relevant work.
What should I change before expanding the city?
Inspect the proposed area together with the route that will connect it to the existing settlement. A project that creates a building footprint still needs a sensible place in the colony. Compare the intended benefit with what you already have: an unused suitable site may be more practical than a large reshaping project.
The store presents following the terrain and changing its shape as alternatives when planning for adjacency and travel. Use that as a decision point rather than assuming every uneven tile must be flattened. For the colony-wide consequences, the Kewa care guide explains why healthy biomes matter to your travelling home.
| Problem to investigate | Relevant system | Planning question |
|---|---|---|
| Terrain does not fit the intended layout | Landscaper work, as documented by the official wiki | Is reshaping needed, or is another site suitable? |
| Bare land needs improvement | Compost and soil treatment, as documented by the official wiki | Can the colony supply the work before construction expands? |
| The healthy ecosystem needs room to grow | Tree planting and forests | Where can growth support the next district? |
| Industry is degrading the area | Pollution prevention and cleanup | Does this project reduce the cause or only expand around it? |
These questions are planning advice, not a tested optimal order. A landscape project should have a clear purpose before it competes with food, housing or essential materials.
How does the Landscaper–Compost–Tree Nursery chain work?
The official wiki describes the Landscaper as handling excavation, with Debris involved in changing terrain height. It also describes Wood Waste feeding Compost production and Compost improving bare ground. Those roles connect material handling with landscape changes, so check both the work location and the buildings supplying it.
The wiki's Technology tree page documents a concrete unlock sequence: build the Landscaper to reach the Compost Heap, then construct the heap and produce 10 Compost to reach the Tree Nursery. This is an attributed wiki requirement, not a claimed permanent balance value. Read the highlighted prerequisites in your own game before committing the district's resources.
The technology tree guide covers using prerequisites when progression stops. The resources guide helps identify the inputs, and the production chains guide explains why a byproduct needs a destination.
If the Nursery has not unlocked, investigate the prerequisite you have actually completed. Constructing the Compost Heap and producing its output are separate conditions in the documented example. An idle completed building may therefore be the point to inspect before looking for another research option.
Why should forests be part of expansion planning?
The official store says forests spread atmosphere and help the city expand, while maintaining a timber supply. Trees also connect to the developer-confirmed Kewa care system: Dev Blog #29 names tree planting, pollution reduction and rivers around settlements as actions that help the whale's biome health.
That gives planting a purpose beyond filling a spare tile. Consider how the growing ecosystem supports the district you intend to build and how the new industry's pollution will affect it. The pollution guide covers emissions and cleanup; this guide focuses on preparing and sustaining the space itself.
Pro tip: Decide what the expanded area is for before reshaping it. A route for workers, improved ground and room for trees are distinct goals, and checking them separately makes the project easier to assess.
What changes when the project is on a planet?
Usable land is the constraint. The developer's settleable-planets diary separates land and ocean biomes, with oceans unavailable for construction and mostly unavailable for terraforming. Do not count a planet's whole visible area as future city space. The planets and outposts guide explains how to assess what an outpost contributes.
For practice after the full release, Sandbox settings let you select terrain and water distribution. Exact landscape task costs and production rates are left open here for verification against the launch build.
