Bypass modding

Version

Please help with verifying or updating older sections of this article. At least some were last verified for version 3.0.

This article is for the PC version of Stellaris only.

This page is about modding Bypasses, namely Wormholes and Gateways only as traveling methods.

Before reading, you must understand that:

Bypasses are traveling methods, not Natural Wormholes or Gateways.
Natural Wormholes and Gateways are containers of bypasses, not bypasses themselves.
In this article, words that refer to bypasses are marked blue and words that refer to bypass-containers are marked yellow.

They are defined at "common/bypass/xxx.txt".

Data Structure[]

Property Paired Bypass Type One-to-All Bypass Type

name = <localisation key> The name of this type of bypass.

is_pathfind = <yes/no> If yes, this bypass allows the pathfinder to use it. Vanilla always have "yes".

uses_action = <yes/no> Actual functionality is unclear. Vanilla always have "no".

windup_time = <int>
winddown_time = <int> Time spent to prepare / cooldown for fleets when using this bypass. Vanilla always have "0" for both.

ftl_multiplier = <float> Multiplies the time spent in FTL travel. If 0, the travel is finished in an instant. Vanilla always have "0".

icon_frame = <int>
galactic_map_tooltip_header = <localisation key>
galactic_map_tooltip_desc = <localisation key> Determines the icon and tooltip of the icon of this bypass type in the galaxy view.

ftl_ship_effect = <entity key>
ftl_bypass_effect = <entity key> Determines the animation effect to be displayed for this bypass type.

animation_time = <int> Days to wait for the jump animation to be played.

always_active = <yes/no> If yes, this bypass type can't be used without activating or upgrading something. In addition, an inactive instance of this bypass type triggers a red icon in the galaxy view.

remember_instances = <yes/no>
requires_exploration = <yes/no>

Wormhole Properties		`requires_exploration`
		yes	no
`remember_instances`	yes	Each pair must be explored
	no	No need to explore

Gateway Properties		`requires_exploration`
		yes	no
`remember_instances`	yes	Each instance must be explored
	no	No need to explore

As we can see, the requires_exploration property actually does nothing.

extends_sensors = <yes/no> Determines should ship sensors see through this bypass.

prerequisites = { tech_xxx } Technologies to be researched before this bypass can be used for an Empire.

connection_type

one_to_one

any_other (Gateway)
scripted_connection (L-Gate)

scripted_connection

Vanilla use this for the L-Gate bypass type.

scripted_connection = {
	node = {
		has_star_flag = lgate
	}
	nexus = {
		has_star_flag = lcluster1
	}
}

Vanilla comments claim that:

node to nexus
nexus to node
node to node
nexus to nexus

on_action An On-Action to be fired when a fleet uses this bypass. See Event modding for details.

on_pre_explore Vanilla comments claim that this is a block of Effects to be executed after this bypass have been explored. The only usage of this property is the gateway bypass type, bu it actually doesn't need to be explored, making this property irrelevant.

potential Vanilla comments unmentioned. Presumably some sort of Conditions to be checked. The only usage of this property is the wormhole bypass type, but it has always = yes, making this property irrelevant. Actual functionality is unclear.

country_can_use A block of Conditions to check can an Empire use this bypass. (Country scope, FROM = owner of target system)

How to install a bypass in the galaxy[]

Natural Wormholes[]

Use the Effect spawn_natural_wormhole to spawn a natural wormhole.

spawn_natural_wormhole = {
	bypass_type = <bypass type key, e.g. wormhole / gateway>
	orbit_distance = <int>
	orbit_angle = <int, 0-360>
	random_pos = <yes/no>
}

Use the Effect link_wormholes under the solar system scope to link it to another. The effect takes another solar system scope as a parameter.

The bypass type can be one-to-all. In this case, this wormhole doesn't need to be linked, but the bypass type must have remember_instances = no, or each instance must be explored and only explored instances can be used to travel between each other.
The bypass type must have always_active = yes, or this natural wormhole can't be used by any mean, because there are no Effects to activate a natural wormhole.

Megastructures[]

Megastructures have a property called bypass_type to specify a bypass type. See Megastructure modding for details.

Use the effect activate_gateway = yes under Megastructure scope to activate it.

The bypass type must NOT be paired, because there are no Effects to link a megastructure to another.
The bypass type must have remember_instances = no, or each instance must be explored and only explored instances can be used to travel between each other, including those you built. By the way, there are no Effects to mark an instance of a bypass type as explored by a country.
The bypass type should have always_active = no.
- If it had always_active = yes, Dormant Gateways will become usable before it to be reactivated. Gateway Construction Sites still can't be used, because it doesn't have any associated bypass type. This is also why don't Gateway Construction Sites trigger the red galaxy view icon.