The BGS within Elite Dangerous is the Background Simulation or Background Sim.
How does it work?
The BGS takes in-game actions (missions, trade, bounty hunting, crime, sale of exploration data, etc.) and converts them into influence hits for one or more factions within a system.
To give an example of this in action, You complete several missions to deliver supplies to LTT 9846 Limited, a faction that controls the local star system. The faction begins to flourish as a result of your aid, and have extremely high influence over the system. They may decide to use their resources to Expand into a nearby star system. A rival player begins to complete assassination contracts against LTT 9846 Limited from a faction known as Black Emblem Company, who are unhappy with the rule of LTT 9846 Limited and wish to take control of the system for themselves. LTT 9846 Limited influence drops as the rival player continues their campaign against them until Black Emblem Company has a relatively even level of influence over the system. In order to take control, Black Emblem Company declare War against LTT 9846 Limited, the war must end before either side can declare their continuing control over the system.
Influence within a system will always add up to 100% and changes can sometimes be unpredictable due to the ever-changing nature of the system.
State changes work differently to how influence is calculated. The system's state will mirror the controlling faction's state which in turn, can be modified based on the type of actions that are being taken. If there are a large volume of profitable trades going through a system, it could enter a boom state due to being temporarily flush with cash. Alternatively, if there is a significant lack of vital commodities, a system may instead enter a state of famine.
If you’d like to learn more about the BGS, our forums are a fantastic resource where you can ask questions and share in the knowledge of our community. You can view these forums here
If you require further assistance regarding the BGS, you can contact our Support Team via the button below.