Summary
Habs are an important part ofStarfield’s ship customization, and using mods only expands the player’s menu of options. The term “habs” is short for “habitats,” and refers to any interior part of the ship that the player and their crewmates can enter. It stands in contrast to more practical components ofStarfield’s ship building feature, things like reactors and weapons. These may affect the outer appearance of the ship, but can’t be visited from the inside. And, perhaps more importantly, habs are subject toStarfield’s interior decoration mechanics.
Mods forStarfield’s hab modulesmay serve many purposes. They may be purely decorative. They may increase customization options by freeing up space, or allowing players to move certain static objects around. Some of them completely change how habs affect ship stats and gameplay as a whole. But without further ado,these are some of the best hab modules available forStarfieldvia Nexus Mods and the Creations marketplace.
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1Crimson Fleet Ship Habs Creates A Space Pirate Paradise
By TheRealElianora
Available onCreationscourtesy of TheRealElianora, EliTek Aerospace -Crimson Fleet Ship Habs allows players to create their very own floating pirate fortresses. These eight ship habs are all themed afterStarfield’s Crimson Fleet faction, the game’s resident group of thieves. They include everything a band of pirates could need: a cluttered armory, an imposing flight deck, and a gritty dive bar. Besides that, players can use this mod to add a captain’s quarters, crew quarters, cargo bay, workshop, and computer core, all decked out in the red livery and skull motifs of the Fleet.
TheRealElionora is a seasoned Bethesda RPG modder whose work on realisticSkyriminteriors landed her a place onStarfield’s dev team. She was responsible for much of the clutter that fillsStarfield’s ships (more on that later).
Perhaps the greatest feature of this habs mod for the perennial Crimson Fleet pirate, however, is itsdedicated mission board in the captain’s quarters. This way, players won’t have to travel all the way back to the Key every time they want to take a new job - they can do so while preparing to jump to their next destination. Crimson Fleet Ship Habs also makes cargo bays aesthetic as well as functional, being one of many mods that allow players to walk around in their holds.
2Tiger Shipyards Overhaul Greatly Expands Hab Options
By Valeriogiol/LjTiger69
Tiger Shipyards Overhaul, by valeriogiol onCreationsand LjTiger69 onNexusMods, is one of several mods on this list thatcompletely overhauls the ship customization menu with a wealth of new options. The options are too numerous to list here in full, but the habs alone are worth a look. Players can install a new CK40, Phobos-manufactured flight deck, and an Odin CK-50 flight deck modeled after the Starborn ships that appear in the game. They can also install a completely empty hab for increased customization, or a frontier hab full of workbenches, an infirmary, and containers full of lootable items.
Besides this, there are also several new structures that players can install in their ships for storage or decoration, including new portholes for improved views of outer space. New non-interior grav drives, weapons, and generators are also available.Players can also build sanitation robots from a crafting recipe, and recruit a new doctor - the incredibly-named Dr. Venus Tiger- to their crews.
3DerreTech Is A Popular Ship Module Overhaul Mod
By DerekM17X
In a similar vein, DerreTech, by DerekM17x onNexusModsandCreations, is an expansive habs overhaul mod thatadds 16 new ship modules toStarfield. This is one of the biggest and greatest hab mods available for the game. It most notably focuses on modules that affect the outer appearance of the ship, resembling simple, geometric renderings of familiar organic forms - snakes, birds, skulls, et cetera. But it has plenty of hab options as well, allowing players to create stunning, spacious interiors with high, vaulted ceilings and sleek automatic doors.
What’s especially unique about the DerreTech mod, though, is thatits ship modules are tiered, just like those in the base game. Players only unlock them as they rank up in Starship Design - the 16 DerreTech models specifically range from Rank Two to Rank Four. That allows them to integrate seamlessly with the rest of the game, making them feel like a natural part ofStarfieldship design.
4Hjalmere’s Reactor Core & Engine Bay Habs Are A Work In Progress
By Hjalmere
A visually impressive mod byHjalmereon Reddit prominently features a series ofstunning,Star WarsandMass Effect-inspired habs. These habs include a couple of fully functioning, yet habitable reactor core rooms, where players can bathe in the soft glow of their ships' engines as they travel through space. There’s also a cozy, space-age living quarters, decked out in orange padded leather and gentle blue light. High-backed leather swivel chairs and a deep blue bar adorn the crew mess area, while a simple galley comes with decorative plants, a distressed cutting board, and ample counter space. Players can also install a new captain’s quarters with a fully-stocked, dynamic fish tank.
Unfortunately,this mod is still a work in progress. While some modules have already been completed, others are still largely unfinished. At the time of writing, Hjalmere’s most recent update detailed a long-term goal of creating a custom ship manufacturer where all these habs and more are available. Interested players can follow the mod’s progress via theStarfieldsubreddit.
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5Place Doors Yourself Is Self-Explanatory
By JimSoon
Okay, huge mods that add tons of custom ship modules are cool, but what if the player just wants to make a simple change that’s not allowed byStarfield’s vanilla ship builder? Place Doors Yourself, a mod by JimSoon onNexusModsandCreations, allows players to do just that:place doors themselves, wherever they want them on their ships. Normally, doors are fixed in place depending on the module the player has selected. But with Place Doors anywhere, players are free to put them literally anywhere. They can shift one module’s door a few inches to the right for better symmetry, or add multiple exits to a room that normally only has one. It seems simple, but the possibilities are truly endless.
Door placing is integrated seamlessly into the customization menu, with a visually appealing interface that’s easy to understand. The only downside to this mod is thatonce it’s installed, the ship builder will no longer add doors to habs automatically. Players will have to put doors in manually, and if they fail to make a means of entry into a particular room, it’ll remain isolated until they return to a shipyard and add one. Even so, this greatly increases customizability with just one simple change.
6Tidy Tables Removes Unnecessary Clutter
By FenHarellan
For one reason or another, Bethesda RPGs love clutter. It’s a good way to make an otherwise stark space, like a starship, look more lived-in and organic. However, that doesn’t mesh with some players' neat freak vibes, and those who want to live their sterileStar Trekfantasies may wish they could sweep those dogeared papers and half-eaten sandwiches off every surface on their ships. Enter the Tidy Tables mod, by FenHarellan onCreations. This does just what it says on the tin:clears “non-pickup-ableclutter” from the surfaces of the player’s ship, freeing up space and giving the whole thing a cleaner look.
But even for those who don’t care about a little bit of mess, Tidy Tables can still come in handy.Removing all that clutter clears more space for customization, allowing players to plop tasteful decorative bowls or hardy succulents on the desks, tables, and counters that grace their habs. They can then pick these back up and move them around at will, unlike the vanilla clutter.
7Ancient Mariner Extended Evokes Historical, Nautical Exploration
Starfield’s Ancient Mariner module was the subject of some controversy. As one of the first paid Creations released for the game, many players felt it was a sign of predatory practices to come, and a repeat ofBethesda’s uncomfortable history with microtransactions. However, for those who did purchase the Ancient Mariner module, and wish they couldspread its aesthetic throughout the rest of the ship, FenHarellan’s Ancient Mariner Extended mod onCreationsis the perfect thing. In short, this mod adds a series of habs that have similar decor to the Ancient Mariner module - wood-paneled walls, bowed sides, antique treasure chests, netted windows, and more.
These designs evoke the ships of the Age of Discovery, notable events and figures of which have a great presence inStarfield. Vasco is named after Vasco de Gama, and the Frontier’s cockpit is called a Magellan. The Ancient Mariner Extended mod is a fun way to make a more direct reference to these figures, and looks great besides.
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8Matilija’s Aerospace Adds A Lore-Friendly Module Manufacturer To Starfield
By Matilija
For players who want to greatly expand their options for ship modules, Matilija’s Aerospace is an excellent option. It’s available via matilija onNexusMods, and Ericjohn onCreations. This mod specializes incolorful, mechanical ship parts, and has an overall aesthetic that calls to mind tanks and mechs. Turrets are ubiquitous. The whole thing, even its NexusMods page, is written in a lore-friendly way that doesn’t disrupt immersion or feel like a mod.
As for habs,Matilija’s Aerospace includes a wide variety of alternate versions of modules originally designed for DerreTech. Cockpits and stairwells have been redesigned to “increase protection for crews” and create an easier navigational flow, while reactor habs and v-habs have undergone general tweaks. The real centerpiece of Matilija’s Aerospace, though, is its grand observation platform. These are modified from the DerreTech versions to have much larger windows, better lighting, and overall “different design philosophies.” These provide incredible vistas of space, but whether they’re better than the DerreTech versions is mostly a matter of personal preference.
9Useful Brigs Lets Players Take Prisoners
By Korodic
Ever notice how mostStarfieldships have a brig, but the player can’t actually use it? Well, the Useful Brigs mod by Korodic onNexusMods(also onCreations) has something to say about that. This mod effectively allows the player tolock any NPC in the brigthrough a simple series of dialogue options. After knocking them out or using Manipulate, they can interact with them by choosing “Send to Brig,” and they’ll pop up in a cell. They’ll have to have enough beds to contain everybody, though.
If the player forgot to loot the NPC before locking them up, don’t worry: all important items, like keys and quest targets, will go straight into the player’s inventory. Everything else goes in the cargo hold.This mod is best used in conjunction with Non-Lethal Framework(also by Korodic onNexusandCreations) for further options to restrain potential prisoners without harming them. Players will also need to install an additional patch to use this properly (onNexusandCreations).
10TN’s Ship Modifications Is An All-Round Overhaul
By TheOGTennessee
TN’s Ship Modifications is easily the most expansive mod forStarfield’s ship customization feature on this list (and possibly for the game as a whole), andit features some excellent hab changes. It’s available onNexusandCreationsfrom TheOGTennesse. The full, all-in-one mod includes numerous changes, giving even decorative ship modules an effect on the ship’s hull stat, rebalancing the weight limit of cargo holds, adds supplemental thrusters and reactors, and allows modules to snap onto any part of the ship. If players can spare the disk space, it’s best to just download the whole thing, as it also includes a variety of dependent mods to simplify the process of installation.
But those who only care about the hab changes can just download TN’s hab tweaks separately.This mod gives habs a real purpose, beyond just the decorative, by allowing their presence to affect a ship’s stats. Each hab will contribute to the overall hull based on its size. They can all carry cargo, although their exact capacity, again, is based on size. Installing computer core habs increases the power available from the ship’s reactor, as if the additional computing power improves overall efficiency. Battle stations bolster targeting and shield regeneration. Like many of the coolest mods, TN’s hab tweaks completely reimagine the role of habs inStarfield.
Starfield
Bethesda Game Studios presents Starfield - the first original IP from the studio in twenty-five-plus years. Set in the year 2310, the United Colonies and Freestar Collective are observing a shaky truce after a war set 20 years prior. The player will customize their character as a member of a space exploration team called Constellation while navigating The Settled Systems and the conflicts between the warring factions. According to Bethesda, players can explore over 100 systems and 1000 planets to find resources and build their ships, living out their own sci-fi journeys.
