User Interface and Controls - here
Industry - Planet Extraction
Extraction provides alternative means to passively acquire resources in game. Extractors can be installed on planets and left to gather resources. These resources may be picked up later when passing by. This mechanism allows for an additional source of income and raw materials which can only otherwise be obtained from mining asteroids. Because extractors are not consumed and are easy to obtain they make for an excellent source of income which may be scaled up over time.
All planets have extractor slots which become visible when the planet is approached by the player. The number of slots depends on the type of planet, the size of the planet, the planets location in the local sector, and the sectors danger factor.
All planets have extractor slots which become visible when the planet is approached by the player. The number of slots depends on the type of planet, the size of the planet, the planets location in the local sector, and the sectors danger factor.
Extractor items can be activated from the players cargo bay when the player is close enough that the slots are visible. Items collected from extractors after they reach 100%, the player requires a consumable "Resource Recovery Module" to get the resources from all the installed extractors on the planet, one module will remove the resources from all slots and reset the extractor process to 0%. Some planets can use special extractors such as gas giants, icy worlds, desert planets, and lust planets. Extractors can also be removed using a "Extractor Recovery Module". Modules and extractors can be purchased from NPC industrial stations.
Industry - Asteroid Mining and Refineries
Mining is the primary source of raw materials in the game. Asteroid fields are plentiful and often span entire sectors making mining a great steady source of income. Ores can be sold directly to industrial stations or converted into refined materials using refineries.Higher danger factor sectors are more likely to contain exotic ores and be more profitable but also more risky to mine in.
Asteroids will drop their ore when destroyed. Mining can be done with any kind of weapon but mining lasers are the best kind to use. Mining lasers destroy asteroids faster than other kinds of weapons and they increase the amount of ore obtained as well as the chance to get rare drops.
Asteroids will drop their ore when destroyed. Mining can be done with any kind of weapon but mining lasers are the best kind to use. Mining lasers destroy asteroids faster than other kinds of weapons and they increase the amount of ore obtained as well as the chance to get rare drops.
Refineries are items which can be equipped to device slots, when equipped they will run automatically processing ores in your cargo hold. A refinery has a chance to produce refined materials and will do so at random. Refineries can also be equipped on fleet ships and player made space stations which can increase productivity further.
At lower levels its more profitable to sell raw ores to industrial stations rather than to refine them. As the player progresses it will become more useful to process their ores into refined materials which are worth more, take up less space, and can be used to fabricate or upgrade gear.
At lower levels its more profitable to sell raw ores to industrial stations rather than to refine them. As the player progresses it will become more useful to process their ores into refined materials which are worth more, take up less space, and can be used to fabricate or upgrade gear.
Industry - Item Fabrication
All player owned stations have Crafting Tabs while only some NPC stations allow access to these tabs. Dragging raw materials and blueprints into the Crafting List under this tab will yield possible recipes. If you meet the material quantities displayed below the item can be crafted and deposited into your cargo hold.
Some items share similar materials so the first recipe to appear is not necessarily the only item that can be crafted. Be sure to try different materials to see what other items can be constructed. Not all items require blueprints, some items can be directly upgraded for example a normal mining laser may be combined with additional materials to upgrade it to a + version of itself.
Crafting provides an upgrade path for some ships and items. Not all in game items can be crafted but some items are exclusive to crafting and cannot be looted. Crafting is not always cheaper than buying said items however the cost of materials will diminish if you invest in industrial ships, gear, and skills.
Some items share similar materials so the first recipe to appear is not necessarily the only item that can be crafted. Be sure to try different materials to see what other items can be constructed. Not all items require blueprints, some items can be directly upgraded for example a normal mining laser may be combined with additional materials to upgrade it to a + version of itself.
Crafting provides an upgrade path for some ships and items. Not all in game items can be crafted but some items are exclusive to crafting and cannot be looted. Crafting is not always cheaper than buying said items however the cost of materials will diminish if you invest in industrial ships, gear, and skills.
Combat - Damage and Weapon Types
There are two damage types: PH (PHysical) and EM (ElectroMagnetic). Every weapon in game is composed of a fraction of these two types.
Physical damage is attenuated by armor resistance while EM damage is attenuated by shield resistance. Shields take the most damage by physical while armor takes the most damage from EM. Hull structure takes equal damage to both.
Below are common weapon types in order of damage type fractions:
PH Blast (100% PH, 0% EM)
Medium damage, short range, always hits, hits everything.
Missile (80% PH, 20% EM)
Low energy cost, high damage, long range, high accuracy. Requires ammunition!
Railgun (70% PH, 30% EM)
Medium energy cost, medium damage, medium range, medium accuracy.
Plasma (50% PH, 50% EM)
High energy cost, high damage, short range, low accuracy, and a good mix of both damage types.
Mining (50% PH, 50% EM)
Typically low damage output and not great for combat, increased damage against asteroids and improves ore drop rate.
Disruptor (30% PH, 70% EM)
Medium energy cost, medium damage, high range, medium accuracy.
Laser (20% PH, 80% EM)
High energy cost, low damage, high range, high accuracy.
EM Pulse (0% PH, 100% EM)
Medium damage, short range, always hits, hits everything.
Physical damage is attenuated by armor resistance while EM damage is attenuated by shield resistance. Shields take the most damage by physical while armor takes the most damage from EM. Hull structure takes equal damage to both.
Below are common weapon types in order of damage type fractions:
PH Blast (100% PH, 0% EM)
Medium damage, short range, always hits, hits everything.
Missile (80% PH, 20% EM)
Low energy cost, high damage, long range, high accuracy. Requires ammunition!
Railgun (70% PH, 30% EM)
Medium energy cost, medium damage, medium range, medium accuracy.
Plasma (50% PH, 50% EM)
High energy cost, high damage, short range, low accuracy, and a good mix of both damage types.
Mining (50% PH, 50% EM)
Typically low damage output and not great for combat, increased damage against asteroids and improves ore drop rate.
Disruptor (30% PH, 70% EM)
Medium energy cost, medium damage, high range, medium accuracy.
Laser (20% PH, 80% EM)
High energy cost, low damage, high range, high accuracy.
EM Pulse (0% PH, 100% EM)
Medium damage, short range, always hits, hits everything.
Combat - Fleet Ships
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Creating a new Character and World
The first time you start the game you will need to create a character and a world.
Click in the dark blue area to make the cursor appear.
Provide a name for your first character and then click the Create button.
New characters always start out with the same equipment, no skills, and a small amount of money to get started.
Provide a name for your first world and then click the Create button.
New worlds will take a minute or so to be generated. Each world is randomly generated representation of a spiral galaxy which a variable number of arms. The distribution of stars, planets, nebula, asteroids, dungeons, and other content will also vary a bit.
Click in the dark blue area to make the cursor appear.
Provide a name for your first character and then click the Create button.
New characters always start out with the same equipment, no skills, and a small amount of money to get started.
Provide a name for your first world and then click the Create button.
New worlds will take a minute or so to be generated. Each world is randomly generated representation of a spiral galaxy which a variable number of arms. The distribution of stars, planets, nebula, asteroids, dungeons, and other content will also vary a bit.
Joining with an existing Character, playing on an existing World, and World Switching
If you are returning to the game the menu will look a bit different. It will display your characters ship, ship name, level, the last world you were playing on, and how much money you have.
The world menu will show a galaxy map and world statistics. When selecting a world which is different to the one listed under your current character your ship will be re-centered to sector [0,0] and fleet ships will have their re-spawn timers reset as if they have died meaning they will not reappear until you dock at a station after their cool-down is over.
NPC station cargo doesn't transfer between worlds and must be placed in a ship if you wish to move the contents to another world. Player stations, drones, and extractors on planets will stay with the world. To carry over cargo it must be transferred to your own ship or your fleet ships.
The world menu will show a galaxy map and world statistics. When selecting a world which is different to the one listed under your current character your ship will be re-centered to sector [0,0] and fleet ships will have their re-spawn timers reset as if they have died meaning they will not reappear until you dock at a station after their cool-down is over.
NPC station cargo doesn't transfer between worlds and must be placed in a ship if you wish to move the contents to another world. Player stations, drones, and extractors on planets will stay with the world. To carry over cargo it must be transferred to your own ship or your fleet ships.
Getting Started
You will start in the center of the world map at sector [0,0] in a region controlled by an NPC faction. This region of space is relatively safe as no hostile NPCs will spawn here. This central location has one of each station type.
Capital stations specialize in manufacturing goods, trade commodities, general purpose ships, reactors, station kits, and defensive drones.
Science stations specialize in research commodities, rare materials, cloaking devices, scanners, and they will buy alien remains, alien gear, and other exotic items.
Military stations specialize in selling combat utility items, computers, armor, shields, weapons, and ammo; they also have military ships and offensive drones.
Industrial stations specialize in salvage, raw ores, refined materials, mining lasers, extractors, refining equipment, and mining ships.
Capital stations specialize in manufacturing goods, trade commodities, general purpose ships, reactors, station kits, and defensive drones.
Science stations specialize in research commodities, rare materials, cloaking devices, scanners, and they will buy alien remains, alien gear, and other exotic items.
Military stations specialize in selling combat utility items, computers, armor, shields, weapons, and ammo; they also have military ships and offensive drones.
Industrial stations specialize in salvage, raw ores, refined materials, mining lasers, extractors, refining equipment, and mining ships.
Dock at these stations until you find one which has a Skill Training tab. Here you should select your class skill. You only have to train it once and the bonuses from the class skills scale with your level. Fleet ships get a portion of these bonuses too. In the early game these skills have little impact but it is recommended you pick them now so you can gain access to sub-skills which only appear after selecting a class skill:
Proprietor has the most fleet slots, and the most cargo space; it is ideal for mining and building.
Infiltrator has the smallest fleets and is based around stealth and has high offensive bonuses, essentially an assassin or assault class.
Sentinel has medium size fleets and gains high defensive bonuses, essentially a tank class.
Templar has medium sized fleets and it has a balance of defensive and offensive bonuses, its the well rounded class.
Proprietor has the most fleet slots, and the most cargo space; it is ideal for mining and building.
Infiltrator has the smallest fleets and is based around stealth and has high offensive bonuses, essentially an assassin or assault class.
Sentinel has medium size fleets and gains high defensive bonuses, essentially a tank class.
Templar has medium sized fleets and it has a balance of defensive and offensive bonuses, its the well rounded class.
Your starter ship is pretty basic having only one energy slot and one weapon slot, it has no armor or shields so is not well suited to combat. For this reason it is recommended that your establish yourself through industry at first and avoid fights until you can get ships that can have armor and shields. If you decide you are going to go full industry rather than combat, sell your Basic Gauss Rifle to the Military station. Fit your Basic Mining Laser in your cargo hold to your weapon slot. You will find a small cluster of asteroids to the east of the industrial you can mine. Find a station nearby which has a storage tab, you can store any items you have to free up cargo space for mining. Mine the asteroids and directly sell the ore to the Industrial station. If the asteroids run out find a nearby sector with an asteroid field. Asteroids do re-spawn after a short period of time, so periodically return for some easy pickings.
Mining can be scaled up by either using better mining weapons, or speeding up the operation. One of the best investments is to upgrade your ship and use your old ship and a fleet ship to help you mine. Your old ship placed in the fleet slot and equipped with another mining weapon will double your mining speed. It can also be used to hold extra ore by moving excess ore into its cargo bay.
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Mining can be scaled up by either using better mining weapons, or speeding up the operation. One of the best investments is to upgrade your ship and use your old ship and a fleet ship to help you mine. Your old ship placed in the fleet slot and equipped with another mining weapon will double your mining speed. It can also be used to hold extra ore by moving excess ore into its cargo bay.
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