[Guide] Useful Console Commands / Effect Scripts (2024)

Hey everyone! I like customizing aspects of my save game for RP purposes, and I used to accomplish a lot of that either via save game editing or save scumming. Then I started getting into using the console, and while the console commands on the Wiki are great, some of the more advanced things I wanted to do simply aren't listed there, and required quite a bit of extensive digging through various forums and game script files.

I would like to share some of the stuffs I've learned, just in case some people out there finds these helpful.

Section I - Generating Anomalies
The simplest way to maximize the amount of resources provided by celestial bodies is to generate the right anomalies. This can be easily done using the add_anomaly command. For your convenience, I've compiled a list of anomalies that generate a high amount of resources:

Barren Planets:

BAR_COLONY_CAT ("Looking Down") - Has two potential outcomes. Get "Unusual Tectonics" for +6 Physics +3 Engineering
ATM_ANOMALY_CAT ("Swirling Shadows / Shadow Play") - +6 Society
object_uninhabitable_category ("Unidentified Object / Alien Murals") - +2 Physics, +2 Society, +2 Engineering
mountain_uninhabitable_category ("Strange Mountain Formation / Gigantic Skeleton") - Has two potential outcomes. Get the resource option for +3 Society, +3 Engineering
living_metal_category ("Peculiar Crater / A New Metal") - +5 Engineering & Living Metal
FRBR_GRIMACING_CAT ("Winking") - Has two choices. Select "Study natural processes" for +6 Physics, or "Tactical Terraforming" to turn the planet into a habitable Arid world. Both are useful.

Frozen/Cold Barren Planets:

COLD_RESEARCH_CAT ("Cold Hard Potential") - This anomaly has 4 outcomes. Get "Diamond in the Rough" for +6 Minerals and either a new scientist (with guaranteed Spark of Genius trait, or an unique science ship modifier for anomaly research)
life_frozen_category ("Signs of Life") - By default for frozen planets only. Generates a a special project for +5 Engineering & Living Metal deposit

Toxic Planets:

TOX_STRUCTURES_CAT ("Toxic Construction") - Use a scientist with Meticulous trait to get a hidden option for +9 Society
TOX_PLANET_CAT ("Toxicity") - Adds the Rocketry trait to the researching scientist and +6 Engineering
TOX_MAT_CAT ("Poison Coated") - Generates a special project that gives +9 Minerals

Gas Giants:

moon_gasgiant_category ("Promising Moon") - Gives +3 Energy
GAS_ZRO_ICE_CAT ("Below Zro") - Gives +2 Physics, +2 Society, and Zro
life_gasgiant_category ("Life Signs") - Gives +3 Society
aerostat_gasgiant_category ("Aerostat Structures") - Has two outcomes, can give +3 Engineering
storms_gasgiant_category ("Extreme Storms") - +3 Physics
ship_gasgiant_category ("Gas Giant Ship") - Gives a free cruiser

Asteroids

AST_WAVELENGTHS_1_CAT ("Asteroid Waves") - Has 3 outcomes. Get "Rock Brain" and choose study its natural processes for +3 Physics +3 Society
AST_ILLICIT_DARK_CAT ("Radiating Asteroid") - Gives +5 Physics & Dark Matter
AST_CRATER_CAT ("Dustbowl") - Has 2 outcomes, get "Fender Bender" for +9 Engineering
AST_MINING_CAT ("Mind the Minerals") - Gives +5 Minerals
collision_asteroid_category ("Asteroid Collision") - Gives +3 Energy
GEN_LOST_CARGO_CAT ("Odd Readings") - Has two outcomes. Get the "Adrift" project to get the "Enhanced Ship Speed" empire modifier
GEN_MYSTICAL_CAT ("Mystical") - Unique event, gives the Elixir of Life empire modifier

Molten

MOL_PLANET_CAT ("The Melting Point") - Gives a free mining station and +4 Energy

Gaia/Continental

GAIA_RECORD_CAT ("Rubiconian Shores") - Offers two choices. Study the records for +8 Engineering, or find the battlefield for potential to gain some unique alien ships as well as some tech.

Ocean

WAT_PLANET_CAT ("Drops in the Ocean") - The Ancient One event. Leaving it alone will give an unique empire edict, all other options will grant +6 Society

Blackhole

HOLE_RADIATION_CAT ("Rainbows in the Dark") - Has potential to generate on both the blackhole itself and any body orbiting it. Has two outcomes, can give +9 Physics

Section II - Adding Orbital Deposits
Contrary to some erroneous claims, You CANNOT generate anomalies on celestial bodies already scanned by another empire (if you use the Console to force generate an anomaly, the anomaly will ONLY show up for the empire that first scanned the planet). This means the add_anomaly command is useless in territories that have already been surveyed by someone else.

But fear not, you can manually add orbital deposits to celestial bodies using the effect orbital_deposit_tile = { } command! Below is a short list of deposits I have compiled. Visit the Stellaris/common/deposits folder for the complete list of resources. Also note that this command is ADDITIVE - so preexisting resources are not erased when you add new ones (so run +3 Engineering 3 times will get you +9 Engineering).

Clear Orbital Deposit Tile (run this if you wish to erase preexisting resources)

effect orbital_deposit_tile = { clear_deposits = yes }

Common Resource Types:

effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_immense_energy_deposit } (+4 Energy)
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_vast_society_deposit } (+3 Society)
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_vast_physics_deposit } (+3 Physics)
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_vast_engineering_deposit } (+3 Engineering)
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_living_metal_deposit } (+5 Engineering & Living Metal)

Gas Giant - Strategic Resources

effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_satramene_deposit }
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_terraforming_gas_deposit }
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_zro_deposit }
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_lythuric_gas_deposit }
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_engos_deposit }
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_orillium_deposit }
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_pitharan_deposit }

Frozen - Strategic Resources

effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_terraforming_fluid_deposit }
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_orillium_deposit }
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_yuranic_deposit }
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_teldar_deposit }

Asteroid - Strategic Resources

effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_dark_matter_deposit }
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_garanthium_deposit }
effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_teldar_deposit }

Neutron Star - Strategic Resources

effect orbital_deposit_tile = { add_deposit = d_neutronium_deposit }

Section III - Creating High-Resource Habitable Planets
I used to edit my save game files to customize tile resources on habitable planets. This was a painstaking process that's very prone to mistakes. I looked around extensively to see if there was a way to add a specified resource to the selected tile in-game, but it didn't look like there was such an option. Most threads I read on the topic ended up suggesting using the planet_resource command to add a specified amount of (total) resources to the planet, scattered across random tiles, but this was far from ideal (because there is no way to control where the generated resources go, and you end up with a lot of unnatural overlaps, such as science tiles being mixed with minerals).

After a lot of digging around, I finally came up with a far easier solution to the problem. My approach is based on the random_tile command used in the solar system initializer scripts used by the game:

Code:

effect random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 4 } set_deposit = d_immense_energy_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 4 } set_deposit = d_immense_farmland_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 4 } set_deposit = d_betharian_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 4 } set_deposit = d_enormous1_mineral_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles < 4 } set_deposit = d_immense_engineering_deposit}random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles < 4 } set_deposit = d_enormous1_engineering_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles < 4 } set_deposit = d_immense_physics_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles < 4 } set_deposit = d_enormous1_physics_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 2 } set_deposit = d_enormous1_society_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 2 } set_deposit = d_alien_pets_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 2 } clear_deposits = yes }

The above code is optimized for large planets (size 20+), and will create a bunch of energy/food/mineral tiles near the center tiles. The outlying tiles (dictated by num_adjascent_tiles) will be research tiles. Run this multiple times to fill up the tiles and get a layout you like. You can also customize the deposit types/amount to fit your preferences.

For smaller planets, or if you want a lower / more "natural" resource amount & distribution, use the below code instead:

Code:

effect random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 4 } set_deposit = d_rich_energy_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 4 } set_deposit = d_rich_farmland_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 4 } set_deposit = d_rich_mineral_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 3 } set_deposit = d_rich_engineering_deposit}random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 3 } set_deposit = d_rich_physics_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 2 } set_deposit = d_rich_society_deposit }random_tile = { limit = { num_adjacent_tiles = 2 } clear_deposits = yes }

Section IV - Habitable Planet Modifiers
Below is a shortlist of commands to add useful modifiers to habitable planets:

effect add_modifier = { modifier = "strong_magnetic_field" days = -1 }
effect add_modifier = { modifier = "natural_beauty" days = -1 }
effect add_modifier = { modifier = "lush_planet" days = -1 }
effect add_modifier = { modifier = "titanic_life" days = -1 }
effect add_modifier = { modifier = "dangerous_wildlife" days = -1 }
effect add_modifier = { modifier = "wild_storms" days = -1 }
effect add_modifier = { modifier = "unstable_tectonics" days = -1 }
effect add_modifier = { modifier = "hazardous_weather" days = -1 }
effect add_modifier = { modifier = "atmospheric_aphrodisiac" days = -1 }
effect add_modifier = { modifier = "atmospheric_hallucinogen" days = -1 }
effect add_modifier = { modifier = "ultra_rich" days = -1 }
effect add_modifier = { modifier = "asteroid_belt" days = -1 }