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Persistent

• The game is always running on the server and the player only connects to watch the action, update scripts and maintain alliances. When connected the player can manually control ships, use a combination of manual control and scripts or let the scripts have complete control.
• Players should connect everyday to prevent their fleet from being destroyed. The scripts will not be able to hold off a well planned attack.

Single Player Mode

• It is possible to create a map, add AI players and custom scripts for the AI players. A wormhole could be used to move on to the next level in the single player game. The time compression should be increased quite a bit to make it possible to complete a map in less than a day.

Multiple Servers

• Each server represents a region of space and multiple servers can be connected to make a larger exploration area. The servers can be edge connected or wormhole connected. If edge connected then a player crosses over to the other server when a spacecraft reaches the edge of the region. A ship will stop at the edge of a region if there is no region connected on that side. If wormhole connected then a wormhole will exist somewhere in each region.
• To prevent overpopulation, the server administrators can redirect new users to the server with the lowest population.
• The map is generated by the server administrator who also decides what initial ships the players start out with. The default ships are: 1 resource transport, 4 repair drones and enough resources to build a mining platform. The server will start the player by the least populated planet or nebula.
• (1may2000) A region is 4.2 billion meters by 4.2 billion meters and has no height. There is a maximum velocity of 5km/s and ships continuously burn fuel while moving. Each ship class has a different acceleration rate which makes smaller fighters more manuverable than larger starships. It will take about 10 days at the maximum velocity of 5km/s to cross the region. The region is flat to make gameplay less complex.

Server Settings

• Time compression -- by default the server runs in normal time, one server day is one real day. The game will play faster if time compression is increased, but the players must be online more often to maintain their fleet.
• Adding new races -- players can design ship classes and technology for new races and submit them to the server administrators for approval.
• Object cap -- this limits the number of structures and spacecraft a player can have. Captured spacecraft is included in this limit.
• 'BORG' option -- if this option is used then a 'BORG' vessel will enter the region and attempt to destroy technologically advanced players.
• 'BORG' cap -- this option is a more flexible object cap. When a player exceeds the cap then a 'BORG' vessel will enter the region and attempt to reduce the number of objects owned by the player.
• Planet orbit -- this option will disable the movement of planets around a star. This is useful for slow servers or to make the game simpler.
• Account expiration -- after a given time the account will be cancelled if the player hasnt connected. All of the players objects will lose power and can be salvaged by other players.
• Unlimited resources -- the map will eventually run out of resources and new players would find it hard to play without resources to build fighters and starships. This option will prevent the depletion of resources in planets and nebula.

Map Cycling

• The server administrator can change to a new map at any time during gameplay. This could be used when all resources have been depleted or to keep the game interesting. The server will shift any objects that are currently located where a map object is located in the new map and then the game will continue. This can cause many problems such as mining colonies are no longer near resources and will need to be towed or salvaged and rebuilt.
• This isnt a useful feature but it is something that is possible due to the servers flexible architecture.

Command

• The player must reside in an object that contains a habitable area: research facility, starship and carrier. If this object is detroyed then the player loses control of the fleet and must start over. The players ships will all shutdown and can be salvaged by other players.
• Command can be transfered to any of the above objects when they are within transporter range.
• Broadcast messages will give away the coordinates for the command ship.

Resources

• Gas can be mined from planets and nebula, used to fuel ships.
• Metals can be mined from planets and is used to build objects.
• Can be used for trading.

Research

• The player must build research facilities to research the various technologies the game can have.
• The server administrator can add new technologies at any time. If multiple servers then all administrators must ok technology before it will be added.
• Researched technology can be traded.

Capturing Other Players Spacecraft

• When a craft's energy is depleted then it can be captured by a repair drone. The drone requires a few days to convert over the systems and then it can be refueled and used.
• The craft can be towed to a shipyard and taken apart. Any technology will be gained along with the resource value of the craft.
• Mining drones can be used to scrap the craft on the spot and collect the resources.

Wreckage

• When a craft is destroyed it leaves behind minable wreckage.

Ship Damage

• A ship description can contain upto 16 sections that a ship may broken up into. When a section is damaged enough it will be blown off the ship and may be salvaged. The section will reappear after the ship has undergone repairs.
• Individual systems may be targeted by weapons and disabled or destroyed.

Ship Naming

• The player will be able to name each ship and use those names in scripts.

Tractor Beams

• Ships with tractor beams can 'grab' onto other ships and hold them in place or tow them. Holding a ship can be used to prevent a ship from moving while attacking it.

Alliances

• Players can form alliances with other players. They can give allies the coordinates of their ships, relay sensor information and offer protection. Allies can also be allowed to use warp gates and gain repairs from shipyards. The system can be setup to keep track of resources used by allies and the player can request payment or let the ally have free usage. Payment can be handles by the system for warp gate and repair usages but the player must manually collect for refueling since the ship obviously doesnt have any resources to pay for the fuel. See trading below for manual payment. Warp gate usage and repairs can also be done by manual payment.
• The player can change the level of each player and the script in objects can be set to react differently to each level.

Trading

• Players can trade resources, technology and ships. The value for each is set by the user and discusses by messaging each other. When trading both players send in the trade and the server sends each the offer made by the other player. If the other players doesnt list everything promised then the trade wont happen. If the trade is ok then the player sends an acknoledgement to the server and when both players ack then the trade is done.
• Players can also give items to other players. This can be used to help an ally out, pay for protection or passage, etc...

Message System

• Broadcast messages will be sent to all players within broadcast range. This also gives away the position of the command ship.
• Group messages are sent to a group of players.
• Private messages are sent to a single player.
• For each message type above, the message will be saved if the player isn't online. The message will be delivered the next time that player logs in.

Refueling

• All structures and spacecraft use fuel, unless driven by solar power and near a star. If the craft's fuel supply is exhausted it will shutdown and can be captured. The self-destruct system has its own power supply and can still be activated if needed. The self-destruct system will lose power if an energy depletion weapon is used on the craft.
• All spacecraft can be refueled by a tanker, starship or space station.

Warp Gates Artificial Wormhole Generator

• (30apr2000) An AWG is a non-mobile structure that generates an artificial wormhole that opens at another AWG. Each AWG must be assigned to a destination AWG which can be reassigned at any time. The destination AWG does not have to point back to the source generator. AWGs will provide near instantaneous travel.
• A warp gate is a non-mobile structure that generates a warp field around any spacecraft. Each warp gate must be assigned a destination gate which can be reassigned at any time. The destination gate does not have to point back to the source gate.

Warp Damage

• (30apr2000) Warp engines have been removed from the game.
• Warp engines and gates sustain damage during use and must be repaired. This damage increases as the warp factors used approach the maximum warp factor. A warp engine designed for warp 9.9 will incur less damage than an engine designed for a lesser warp when operating at the same warp factor.

Spacial Disruption Field Generator

• (30apr2000) Warp engines are no longer used so this feature has been removed.
• SDF generators can be used to collapse warp bubbles or prevent them from forming. The generators can be used to cause ships to drop out of warp or prevent ships from warping away.

Upgrades

• When new technologies are researched they do not automatically get put into existing ships. The player must send the ships to the shipyard to have systems upgraded. The type of technology determines if the old system can be upgraded in place with minimal resource cost or if the old system will need to be scrapped and a new system built.
• The new system must also be the same size and mass as the old system. If not then a new class must be designed with a new frame that can support the new system.
• (30apr2000) Players can no longer design their own ship classes. The classes for each race have a list of what upgrades they support and they can not be upgraded if the new technology is not in the list.

Detection

• Cloaked objects should only use active sensors right before attacking because there position will be given away.
• An object with sheilds, engines, weapons systems and active sensors powered down will not show up on long-range sensors. Objects that have powered down and that are also in orbit around a planet will not show up on short-range sensors.