Starting A New Game

From the opening screen, select "New Game", which will take you to the New Game screen. Here you can select various game setup options, choose a name for yourself and for you home planet, and decide which corner of the galaxy to set yourself up in.

Galaxy Size:You may choose one of three sizes of galaxy, which will affect the number of troops and resources you start the game out with. Beginners should select the large size (50 planets), as the medium (40 planets) and small size (30 planets) present more of a challenge with respect to resource management.

Starting Sector:
Choose one corner of the galaxy to call home; your opponent will begin in the opposite corner. You can also name your home planet, or accept a randomly-selected default name.

Once you have chosen a name for yourself and selected a starting sector, the Start Game button will be enabled. Clicking this button will take you to the main game screen to begin the game.

Gameplay Options:
Player One chooses the options that will remain for the rest of the game: allowing random events, password-protecting the turn files (*see note below), selecting the playing style (hotseat or email), deciding whether or not the aliens are activated and choosing what victory conditions, if any, will be used.

Victory Conditions:
The Victory Conditions screen will appear after you have started the new game, and allows you to choose from one of several options. These conditions can also be modified by the player. During the game, either player can hit F6 to check the Options screen, which lists the victory condition that has been chosen.

Once the victory condition has been met, the winning player is congratulated and given the choice of either continuing the game or ending it right away. The other player is informed of the victory on their next turn, as well as the winning player's decision to continue the game or not. If the game continues, the win still stands, and is recorded on the Options screen.

*Note: passwords are NOT recorded to be retrieved later if they are lost or forgotten, so make sure you choose something simple and write it down somewhere!

Your First Turn:
Once you have selected to either start a new game or load a saved game, and chosen your gameplay options (password-protected turns, random events on/off, aliens on/off etc.), you will be taken to the main game screen. Clicking on your planets activates the planet management frame to the right of the galaxy map. The planet management frame allows you to recruit troops, buy items, research technologies, launch ships and missile weapons, and take care of other planetary business.

The message console on the left of the screen allows you to view and send messages to the other player. The message console will indicate if you have a new message waiting for you at the start of a turn.

The status bar at the bottom of the screen shows information on the planets as you pass the mouse over them. Without a scanner on one of your planets, you will only be able to see the name and resource production level of neutral and enemy-held planets. When you pass the mouse over your own planets you will see the name, resources, number of troops, number of mechs and the planet's overall combat strength.

Double-clicking on one of your planets will take you to the Landscape View, where you will see the surface of the planet, along with icons indicating the defensive strength and industrial/technological level of the planet.

To check on all of your planets at the same time, hit F10 to bring up the planet-at-a-glance screen, which lists the statistics for all of your planets, including combat strength, resource level and types of defensive systems.

When you have finished and saved your turn, send it by email to your opponent as an attachment to a regular email message. You do not have to zip or do anything else to the saved game before emailing it.