# Rimworld: old west meets sci-fi **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** video-games-e-games\ **Created:** [September 7, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244 "2015-09-07T16:17:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 25
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/482 "2025-12-22T02:45:03Z")
[Rare Earth Smelter](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2189917314) hasn’t been updated since 1.4 but apparently still works. As I recall, these smelters – of which there are four levels with their own research – output somewhat larger quantities and a few additional resources compared to vanilla smelters. Since my xenophobes won’t be trading with anyone other than their own species, I look forward to smelting all the weapons which would otherwise pile up. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2025, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/483 "2025-12-30T21:18:03Z")
Went in the options for [Vanilla Events Expanded](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1938420742) and slid the offset for Trader Caravan Arrival about ¾ the way to the high end, hoping that it will cut down on the number of concurrent visiting caravans. Thus reducing the lag for my trade-friendly colonies. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/484 "2026-02-07T15:50:43Z")
Just noticed something interesting in the workshop. [Fantasy Biotech](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3632363090) basically adds Dwemer equivalents for power generation, mechanoids, sanguophages, and gene crafting. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2026, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/485 "2026-02-08T01:22:43Z")
[Compact Pawn Storage](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2974541112) just got updated for 1.6; I first noticed the mod a year and half ago but never got my mod list stable enough to use it back then. [![](https://images.steamusercontent.com/ugc/2031730758744758948/EA2851A78DC12BBFC32CD700565FE2F3535A66C2/?imw=637&imh=358&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=true) ](https://images.steamusercontent.com/ugc/2031730758744758948/EA2851A78DC12BBFC32CD700565FE2F3535A66C2/?imw=637&imh=358&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=true) I think the cabin (grey box in the middle) would be useful for my xenophobes and I figure some in this thread would like to keep their prisoners in the pit (dirty hole on the left). Test subject storage (that contraption on the right) seems perfect for @Babale’s Questionable Ethics experiments. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2026, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/486 "2026-02-08T01:53:08Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Went in the options for [Vanilla Events Expanded](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1938420742) and slid the offset for Trader Caravan Arrival about ¾ the way to the high end, hoping that it will cut down on the number of concurrent visiting caravans. Thus reducing the lag for my trade-friendly colonies. Doesn’t seem to help any. Let’s see if [Trading Options Continue](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3524414310) does the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2026, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/487 "2026-02-08T19:28:49Z")
Nope, just can’t seem to figure out how to keep trader caravans from killing my FPS. Fortunately, I only have one active colony that accepts traders so disabling trader caravan arrivals in all my custom scenarios is a viable option. New colonies will have plenty of orbital trading options or send out their own caravans. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/488 "2026-02-09T22:02:16Z")
Tired of insect hives spawning under your stuff? > **[Steam Workshop::No Infestation On Buildings](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3661608882)** ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2026, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/489 "2026-02-15T19:01:27Z")
Welp, my xenophobe colony is now the only one without a broken map. Oh, well. I had been messing around with two [Android](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3546710219) colonies with traits from [Rimsec Security](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3520375010) (Winter Model droids on an snowy map and Desert Model droids on a desert map). The disappearing rock hit both their maps as well as the colony which started as [a lone Android.](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2889326293) [Vanilla Landmarks Expanded](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3656316229) looks very interesting but, unfortunately, I can’t use it. Enabling it causes my game to hang on loading; I guess it has something to do with all the other mods I use. I tried disabling a few but the result was the same. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/490 "2026-02-17T13:12:48Z")
More updates for 1.6: [Winter Taiga Biome](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3666855302) has been completely rewritten. [ReGrowth: Expanded World Generation (Continued)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2791768296) allows players to set biome commonality as well as various map densities (rivers, mountains, roads, etc.) direct from the world generation dialog. Also gives a world map preview. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/491 "2026-02-17T19:45:34Z")
My mod list has changed so much – primarily additions, some subtractions – since starting the colony of xenophobes that I’ll likely start a new colony for them, anyway. Even without traders around, that colony is having performance issues; I think a lot of it is a combination of the frequent jungle rains and pathfinding. Still haven’t set up their prison, either, although its exterior walls have been constructed. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/492 "2026-02-18T16:56:02Z")
Looks like I need to rebuild my modlist from scratch again. No longer able to load the game, not even with lists that had been working. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/493 "2026-02-18T19:04:03Z")
At least now I can incorporate Vanilla Landmarks Expanded! Also [this neat mod,](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3667490447) which apparently utilizes a dev mode script to modify the chosen tile before landing, like changing the biome or maybe placing a specific landmark (landmark placement has some limitations). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/494 "2026-02-18T23:25:41Z")
I think @Raza would be primarily interested in this: > **[Steam Workshop::WeatherControl](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3047040031)** ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/495 "2026-02-19T00:53:45Z")
That looks very deep! I’ll check it out; thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/496 "2026-02-19T01:00:36Z")
👍   ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2026, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/497 "2026-02-21T03:44:57Z")
Oh, this is _way_ cool! > **[Steam Workshop::Loading Progress](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3535481557)** Since the loading bar is the only reason I’m still using RimThemes, I’m switching to that for 1.6 onward. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/498 "2026-02-22T17:53:18Z")
I may have found a solution to my FPS drops without turning off all trader caravans. > **[Steam Workshop::Butter++ (Smooth FPS)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3643170015)** ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/499 "2026-02-23T01:24:56Z")
[Destroyed City](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3538979939) has been rewritten for 1.6. Those ruins + an Odyssey Ruins landmark should be very interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/500 "2026-02-23T01:52:21Z")
Last time I was able to play, my pawns were in risk of having a roof fall on them when deconstructing ruined walls. [Smarter Deconstruction and Mining](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3261302741) is supposed to prevent that; there should not have been roofs to fall, anyway, so I subscribed to [No Roof Collapse.](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3094607488) ETA: Come to think of it, No Roof Collapse should also somewhat mitigate disappearing rock. I could use Dev Mode to place walls where rock should be without mountaintops falling where the rock used to be. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244/501 "2026-02-23T16:30:19Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Also [this neat mod,](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3667490447) which apparently utilizes a dev mode script to modify the chosen tile before landing, like changing the biome or maybe placing a specific landmark (landmark placement has some limitations). I decided to not use that; the landmarks which most interest me apparently are not valid for placing via that mod. So I’m sticking with RNG with the hope that the gods are kind. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244.md?page=24) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rimworld-old-west-meets-sci-fi/730244.md?page=26)