This menu includes a large number of settings that affect Universe Sandbox. The menu can be opened from the Home menu. For simulation-specific settings, see the Sim Settings Menu.
General[ | ]
- Reset Experience Settings to Auto
- Resets all settings in the Experience section below to Auto
Language[ | ]
- Selected Language
- Sets the language of the user interface
- Help Translate
- Turns on the Help Translate button to allow crowd-sourced translations of the in-game text
Accessibility[ | ]
- Auto User Interface Scale
- When on, the size of the user interface and text will be set automatically
- When off, a popup will allow the user to manually set the size
- Dyslexia-Friendly Font
- When on, the in-game text will use the OpenDyslexic or Comic Sans font
- Font
- Sets the font of the user interface
Experience[ | ]
- Customizable Hotbar
- Enables dragging-and-dropping tool buttons into the bottom bar
- Enable Guide Rails
- Guide Rails helps users progress through guides by restricting user actions and displaying on-screen indicators
- Number Pad Button
- Enables number entry into text boxes using a number pad rather than a keyboard
- Add Object Confirmation
- When on, a pop-up dialog will ask the user to confirm when adding an object to the simulation
Advanced[ | ]
- Camera Smoothing Multiplier
- Smooths the motion of the camera when zooming and rotating. Larger values will make camera motion smoother but slower.
- Dynamic Viewport
- When on, the simulation view will shift when a window is opened (such as a menu or an object's properties panel)
- Dynamic Camera
- When on, the camera will automatically focus on the nearest object if the focus object is removed from the simulation
- Dynamic UI Visibility
- When on, clicking in empty space will hide or unhide the user interface
- Selection Bias
- Determines how objects are selected when clicking several overlapping objects
- Autosave Amount
- The number of autosave files to maintain in the save folder before removing the oldest files
- Quicksave Amount
- The number of quicksave files to maintain in the save folder before removing the oldest files
Privacy[ | ]
- Allow Usage Statistics
- Allows anonymous usage data to be sent to the Universe Sandbox development team
Reset[ | ]
- Reset All Settings
- Resets all settings in this menu to the defaults
Graphics[ | ]
Monitor Settings[ | ]
- Fullscreen
- Sets the Universe Sandbox window to fullscreen
- Fullscreen Resolution
- Sets the resolution of the fullscreen view
- Vertical Sync
- Synchronizes the Universe Sandbox frame rate with the device's monitor refresh rate
Quality Settings[ | ]
- Quality
- Changes the Graphics settings based on presets for low, mid, and high-end hardware
- Render Scale
- Display Resolution
- Scaled Resolution
- Pixel Count
- Texture Resolution
- Sets the resolution for object surfaces and backgrounds
- Filtering Quality
- Effects Quality
- Antialiasing
- Smooths rough pixel edges
- Render Mode
- Changes the styling of the simulation display. Options include Retro, Sketchbook, and Underwater
- Shadows
- When on, objects can cast shadows on other objects
- Glows
- When on, hot or bright objects can glow
Window Resolution[ | ]
Selecting one of the following will set the Universe Sandbox window to the listed resolution. The percentage of Steam users using each resolution setting is also displayed.
- Window to 900 x 506
- Window to 1024 x 768
- Window to 1280 x 720
- Window to 1366 x 768
- Window to 1440 x 900
- Window to 1600 x 900
- Window to 1920 x 1080
Audio[ | ]
- Reset Audio Settings to Defaults
- Resets all Audio settings to their default values
- Audio
- When off, no music or other audio will play
- Play Audio in Background
- When on, audio will play even when the Universe Sandbox window is not in focus
- Master Volume
- Controls the total volume of the audio, with sub-options for the Simulation Volume and Music Volume
Music Controls[ | ]
- Previous/Play/Pause/Next
- Controls the music tracks
- Track
- Display the current music track
- Shuffle
- Shuffles the music tracks of the soundtrack
- Position
- The amount of the current music track that has been played (from 0 to 1)
Music Parameters[ | ]
- Tension Mode
- Actual Tension
Input[ | ]
- Invert Scroll Wheel
- Reverses the direction of the user's scroll wheel
- Use Game Controller
- Allows use of game controller
General[ | ]
These settings allow the user to change the keyboard shortcut for a number of general actions. The default for each is listed in parentheses below.
- Reload Simulation (Control + R)
- Save Simulation (Control + S)
- Quick Save (F5)
- Quick Load (F9)
- Focus Largest Body (Home)
- Clear Trails (Control + T)
- Clear Particles (Control + D)
- Clear Fragments (Control + G)
- Increase Gravity (Shift + ,)
- Decrease Gravity (Shift + .)
- Increase Launch Velocity (0)
- Decrease Launch Velocity (9)
- Increase Target Simulation Speed (Numpad Plus)
- Decrease Target Simulation Speed (Numpad Minus)
- Toggle Labels (L)
- Toggle Grid (G)
- Toggle Icons (I)
- Toggle Orbits (O)
- Toggle Trails (T)
- Toggle Habitable Zones (H)
User Interface[ | ]
These settings allow the user to change the keyboard shortcut for a number of user-interface-related actions. The default for each is listed in parentheses below.
- Toggle Fullscreen (F11)
- Toggle User Interface (Tab)
- Open Search (Control + F)
- Undo (Control + Z)
- Redo (Control + Y)
- Invert Selection (Control + I)
- Select Previous Object (Mouse3)
- Select Next Object (Mouse4)
Screenshots & Video[ | ]
These settings allow the user to change the keyboard shortcut for a number of photo and video actions. The default for each is listed in parentheses below.
- Take Image with Current Mode (F12)
- Take Screenshot Set (F8)
- Take Screenshot (Control + F12)
- Take Custom Image (Alt + F12)
- Take Photo (Shift + F12)
- Toggle Video Capture with Current Mode (F10)
- Toggle Screen Capture (Control + F10)
- Toggle Film Capture (Shift + F10)
- Toggle Custom Video Capture (Alt + F10)
- Toggle Non-Realtime Video Capture (F6)
Camera[ | ]
These settings allow the user to change the keyboard shortcut for a number of camera actions. The default for each is listed in parentheses below.
- Land Camera (C)
- Camera Forward (W)
- Camera Backward (S)
- Camera Forward Fast (Shift + W)
- Camera Backward Fast (Shift + S)
- Camera Left (A)
- Camera Right (D)
- Camera Left Fast (Shift + A)
- Camera Right Fast (Shift + D)
- Camera Up (R)
- Camera Down (F)
- Camera Up Fast (Shift + R)
- Camera Down Fast (Shift + F)
- Camera Roll Left (Q)
- Camera Roll Right (E)
- Camera Roll Left Fast (Shift + Q)
- Camera Roll Right Fast (Shift + E)
- Camera Orbit Left (Left Arrow)
- Camera Orbit Right (Right Arrow)
- Camera Orbit Left Fast (Shift + Left Arrow)
- Camera Orbit Right Fast (Shift + Right Arrow)
- Camera Orbit Up (Numpad 9)
- Camera Orbit Down (Numpad 3)
- Camera Orbit Up Fast (Shift + Numpad 9)
- Camera Orbit Down Fast (Shift + Numpad 3)
- Camera Orbit Move In (Up Arrow)
- Camera Orbit Move Out (Down Arrow)
- Camera Orbit Move In Fast (Shift + Up Arrow)
- Camera Orbit Move Out Fast (Shift + Down Arrow)
Launch Object Slots[ | ]
These settings allow the user to change the keyboard shortcut for launching specific objects.
- Launch Object Slot 1
- Launch Object Slot 2
- Launch Object Slot 3
- Launch Object Slot 4
- Launch Object Slot 5
- Launch Object Slot 6
- Launch Object Slot 7
- Launch Object Slot 8
Performance[ | ]
- Reset Performance Settings to Defaults
- Resets all the settings in this section to their default values
Surface Simulation[ | ]
- Atlas Resolution
- The resolution of the grid used for Surface Simulation, containing all Planetary Body objects in a simulation
Dynamic Budget[ | ]
- Simulation Performance
- Changes the Performance settings based on presets for low, mid, and high-end hardware
- Max Attracting Bodies
- The maximum number of Attracting objects in a simulation
- Max Non-Attracting Bodies
- The maximum number of Non-Attracting objects in a simulation
- Object Budget
- When on, Universe Sandbox will automatically adjust the number of bodies in a simulation to optimize performance
- Target FPS
- The minimum frames per second for the Object Budget
- Reduction
- The percentage reduction in number of bodies by the Object Budget
- Max Attracting
- The maximum number of Attracting objects allowed in the simulation by the Object Budget
- Max Non-Attracting
- The maximum number of Non-Attracting objects allowed in the simulation by the Object Budget
- Explosion Density
- The fraction of Max Non-Attracting objects that will be used as fragments in an explosion
- Trail Substep Resolution
- Affects the resolution of object trails
Distribution[ | ]
These settings allow the user to prioritize different parts of the simulation in the Object Budget.
- Everything Else
- Collision
- Roche
- Explosion
- Friction
- Volatiles
Percentages[ | ]
This section displays the percentage of object that each part of the simulation receives in the Object Budget.
- Everything Else
- Collision
- Roche
- Explosion
- Friction
- Volatiles
Live Counts[ | ]
This section displays a live count of the number of objects in the current simulation used by each part of the simulation.
- Everything Else
- Collision
- Roche
- Explosion
- Friction
- Volatiles
Photo[ | ]
- Reset Screenshot Settings to Default
- Resets all settings in this section to their default values
Screenshot Settings[ | ]
- Take Custom Image
- Takes a screenshot of the simulation and saves it to the user's device
- Capture Mode
- Allows the user to take screenshots of only the simulation (photo), the simulations and any overlays and user interface (screenshot), or some subset of the user interface and overlays (custom)
- Save Simulation on Capture
- When on, the simulation will be saved in the same folder as the screenshot
Custom[ | ]
- User Interface
- When off, the screenshot will not include any elements of the user interface (menus, the object properties panel, etc.)
- The "Always appear unpaused" setting will ensure that the Pause/Play button in the bottom bar always appears as unpaused in the screenshot, even if the simulation is paused when the screenshot is taken.
- Simulation Overlays
- A set of toggles determining which overlays appear in a custom screenshot, including Labels, Selection Circles, Rays (Height Lines), Projected Paths, the Simulation Grid, and Icons.
Screenshot Set[ | ]
- Take a Screenshot Set
- When clicked, a series of screenshots will be taken
Screenshot Tools[ | ]
- Set Window to 1280 x 720 | 16:9
- Sets the Universe Sandbox window to the listed resolution and aspect ratio
- Set Window to 1920 x 1080 | 16:9
- Sets the Universe Sandbox window to the listed resolution and aspect ratio
- Show Last Screenshot in Folder
- Opens the folder on the user's device where screenshots are stored, with the last screenshot selected
- Open Last Screenshot
- Opens the last screenshot in an image viewer
- Open Screenshot Folder
- Opens the folder on the user's device where screenshots are stored
Aspect Ratio Tools[ | ]
- Aspect Ratio Width
- The desired relative width of the Universe Sandbox window
- Aspect Ratio Height
- The desired relative height of the Universe Sandbox window
- Set Window to This Aspect Ratio
- Resizes the Universe Sandbox window to the aspect ratio listed above
- Make Window Smaller
- Decreases the size of the Universe Sandbox window
Video[ | ]
- Reset Video Capture Settings to Default
- Resets all settings in this section to their default values
Video Capture - GIF[ | ]
- Take Custom Images
- Records the simulation for up to 30 seconds and saves it as an animated gif
- Capture Mode
- Allows the user to take screen recordings of only the simulation (photo), the simulations and any overlays and user interface (screenshot), or some subset of the user interface and overlays (custom)
- Save Simulation on Capture
- When on, the simulation will be saved in the same folder as the screenshot video
Custom[ | ]
- User Interface
- When off, the screen recording will not include any elements of the user interface (menus, the object properties panel, etc.)
- The "Always appear unpaused" setting will ensure that the Pause/Play button in the bottom bar always appears as unpaused in the screen recording, even if the simulation is paused when the screen is recorded.
- Simulation Overlays
- A set of toggles determining which overlays appear in a custom screenshot, including Labels, Selection Circles, Rays (Height Lines), Projected Paths, the Simulation Grid, and Icons.
Advanced[ | ]
- Resolution
- The resolution of the captured gif
- Loop
- When on, the gif will be saves as a loop
- Duration
- The maximum length of a screen recording
- Frames Per Second
- The fps of the captured gif
- Quality
- The quality of the saved gif
- Color Update Frequency
- The number of frames allowed to pass before the screen recording will calculate a new color palette
- Watermark
- When on, the Universe Sandbox logo will be included in the final gif
Video Tools[ | ]
- Show Last Video in Folder
- Opens the folder on the user's device where screenshot videos are stored, with the last screenshot video selected
- Open Last Video
- Opens the last screenshot video in a gif viewer
- Open Video Folder
- Opens the folder on the user's device where screenshot videos are stored
Debug[ | ]
- FPS Info
- When on, the frames-per-second data will be displayed at the top of the Universe Sandbox screen
- Particle Render Mode
- Debug Info
- Enable Debug Console
- Body Markers
- Attractor Lines
- Impact Lines
- Explosion Boundaries
- Select single Galaxy/Supernova particles
- Show Snow Debug Map
- Enable Non-Spherical Gravity
- Enables the simulation of non-spherical gravity
Motion[ | ]
- Global Transition Multiplier
Open Settings[ | ]
- New Icon
- Show New...
- Hide New When Opened
- Reset New Icons to Previous Update
Experimental Settings[ | ]
- Show Hidden Simulations
- Target Frame Rate
- Average FPS over x seconds
- Use Interpolation Speed In Seconds
- UIMarginsManualSafeArea
Collision Fragments[ | ]
- UsePercentOfTotalBudget
- PercentOfTotalBudget
- MinimalFragmentsPerImpact
- Fragment Cooling
- Minimum Decay
- Maximum Decay
- Decay Power
- FireRingBudgetMultiplier
- DensityGroupDivider
- DensityGroup_1_Lower
- DensityGroup_1_Upper
- DensityGroup_2_Lower
- DensityGroup_2_Upper
- Gravity Substeps