Build Back Better

Bug reports and support

Report a bug or browse existing reports in the shared Loki Moon Labs DSP support tracker. Select the affected mod and include its version, the game version, and steps to reproduce the problem. Screenshots and relevant logs are helpful; review attachments before posting because reports are public.

Version 2.0.0 — By Loki Moon Labs

Build Back Better adds an optional blueprint-style planet view to normal Construct Mode and configurable camera travel while keeping the normal building tools and controls.

Build-camera travel

The camera can now pan up to a minimum radius of 500 game units from Icarus in God Mode construction. This works with Blueprint View on or off and uses the game's normal camera movement, rotation and smoothing. The camera extension applies to native Blueprint Copy/Paste when it uses the same build-camera movement path.

Use Settings → Gameplay → Building View Mode → God Mode to move the construction camera independently of Icarus. Third Person Mode continues to follow Icarus normally. The game may still recenter the camera when leaving construction or issuing operations that deliberately reset it.

After launching once, close the game and edit BepInEx/config/com.lokimoonlabs.buildbackbetter.cfg in the active mod-manager profile:

[Camera]
BuildCameraTravelDistance = 500

• Increase the value to travel farther; the supported range is 0–500 game units.
• Set it to 0 to restore the native research-based camera, placement and drone limits. Independent range overrides from other mods remain active.
• Smaller positive values never reduce the camera radius below the game's normal limit.
• The game's gas-giant camera multiplier still applies.
• Restart after changing the file.

The same setting now extends native building-placement checks and Icarus construction-drone reach, including building, repair and reconstruction targets. The change applies to effective range reads; Icarus's saved build radius, inventory and research are unchanged. Battlefield analysis bases retain their original ranges. UX Assist's enabled Remove Build Range Limit option continues to permit unlimited placement; it is not reduced to 500 by this mod. Existing larger ranges from research or other mods are also retained.

AI Development Disclosure

AI tools assisted with code, debugging, tests, and documentation. Loki Moon Labs directs development and maintains the mod. The camera extension in 1.0.10 was tested successfully in game by Loki Moon Labs. Version 2.0.0 passed 15,228 automated checks, including native instruction preservation across 19 methods and nine combinations with the installed UX Assist transpiler. Automated checks inspect native range substitutions; they do not simulate complete drone flights.

Features

• Adds a Blueprint View toggle while Construct Mode is open.
• Uses DSP's blueprint-style white terrain and dense planet grid in normal Construct Mode.
• Keeps normal Construct Mode building functionality active underneath the visual mode.
• Keeps the camera focused on the area you are already viewing when changing modes.
• Preserves Construct Mode middle-mouse camera rotation.
• Uses smoother, more incremental mouse-wheel zoom while Blueprint View is enabled.
• Extends the smoother camera behavior into native Blueprint Copy/Paste while Blueprint View is enabled.
• Cleans up blueprint preview models and selection-grid artifacts when returning to Construct Mode.
• Configurable camera travel distance in God Mode construction.
• Blueprint View defaults to off each time the game starts.

Usage

Enter Construct Mode and use the Blueprint View checkbox near the build toolbar.

When enabled, normal construction uses the blueprint-style visual presentation. You can still select and place buildings normally.

Native Blueprint Copy/Paste remains available and keeps its blueprint functionality while using the improved camera behavior when Blueprint View is enabled.

Installation

r2modman / Thunderstore Mod Manager

Install Build Back Better and launch Dyson Sphere Program modded. BepInEx 5.4.17 is the only dependency.

Manual

1. Install BepInEx 5.4.17 for Dyson Sphere Program.
2. Place Build.Back.Better.v.1.0.7.dll (the retained installed filename; plugin version is 2.0.0) in a folder under Dyson Sphere Program/BepInEx/plugins/.
3. Launch the game modded.

Compatibility

Build Back Better is designed around the current DSP Construct Mode and Blueprint Copy/Paste systems. Mods that replace the same camera, grid, or blueprint-preview behavior may conflict.

Credits

Loki Moon Labs

Dark Lord Coz — project direction, design, testing, and gameplay requirements.
Luna — architecture, implementation, compatibility work, and optimization.
Loki the Cat — official Loki Moon Labs companion and quality-control supervisor.

DSPWhiteBuildMode by IndexOutOfRange / LittleSaya was used as historical inspiration for the idea of a brighter Build Mode. Build Back Better is an independent current-game implementation and does not require that mod or its old Common.dll dependency.

Changelog

2.0.0

• Add configurable camera, building-placement and Icarus construction-drone range, with a default and slider maximum of 500 game units.
• Extend native building, repair and reconstruction target checks without changing the build radius stored in saves.
• Set BuildCameraTravelDistance to 0 to restore native range checks. Retain larger researched ranges and independent overrides from other mods.
• Preserve UX Assist's unlimited placement option, battlefield analysis base ranges, Blueprint View, native controls, zoom and blueprint cleanup.
• Retain Loki Moon Labs artwork, AI disclosure and shared support links.
• Promote the 1.0.11 range implementation to 2.0.0 without changing its gameplay code. Passed 15,228 focused automated checks.

1.0.11 test build

• Set the camera-range slider maximum and new-install default to 500 game units. Legacy values above 500 are clamped when settings bind.
• Use the same setting for native placement and Icarus construction-drone building, repair and reconstruction range checks.
• Keep saved build radius, research, battlefield analysis base ranges, other mods' larger ranges and UX Assist's unlimited-placement behavior unchanged.
• Preserve the successful 1.0.10 camera behavior and the original Blueprint View implementation.
• Pass 15,228 automated checks, including instruction preservation across 19 native methods and nine actual UX Assist transpiler combinations. Drone/placement gameplay validation pending.

1.0.10 test build

• Add configurable God Mode build-camera travel distance, defaulting to 1,000 game units from Icarus.
• Set Camera / BuildCameraTravelDistance to 0 to restore the normal research-based camera limit. Values below the native limit do not reduce it.
• Preserve construction-drone reach, saved build radius, Blueprint View, camera rotation, zoom, and blueprint cleanup.
• Pass 508 focused checks, including native camera instruction preservation, configuration persistence, and unchanged existing behavior bodies. In-game validation pending.

1.0.9

• Add links to the shared Loki Moon Labs DSP mod issue tracker and bug-report form.
• Set the package website to the support repository.
• Documentation-only release; mod binaries and supporting gameplay files are unchanged from 1.0.8.

1.0.8

• Add an AI Development Disclosure to the package description.
• Documentation-only release; all mod binaries and supporting gameplay files are unchanged from 1.0.7.

Build Back Better - Changelog

v1.0.7 - Initial Public Release

• Added the Blueprint View toggle to normal Construct Mode.
• Added blueprint-style white terrain and dense planet-grid rendering while retaining normal build tools.
• Preserved Construct Mode camera focus and middle-mouse rotation.
• Added smoother, more incremental mouse-wheel zoom while Blueprint View is enabled.
• Extended the improved camera behavior into native Blueprint Copy/Paste while Blueprint View is enabled.
• Added explicit cleanup for blueprint preview models and stale blueprint-grid selection boxes when returning to Construct Mode.
• Added a clean DSP-styled session toggle near the build toolbar.
• Blueprint View defaults to off on each game launch.
• No configuration file is used or generated.