Spacecraft

Spacecraft are the primary way of navigating the universe.

A spacecraft is designed by players at a design studio and constructed at a spacecraft factory.

Spacecraft Definitions

Depending on the design, a spacecraft will have one of three definitions.

• Spaceship
• Starship
• Space Station

Spaceship

Spaceship is the most basic spacecraft definition, it is given to any spacecraft that has the minimum requirements for sub-light travel.

Since a spaceship is limited to sub-light speed, it mostly used to travel between worlds in a solar system. They can be used for interstellar travel, but has to relay on deadheading.

Starship

A starship is the classification given to a spaceship capable of faster than light (FTL) travel, meaning equipped with an FTL drive.

There is no other difference between a spaceship and a starship.

Space Station

Space stations are spacecraft with such a low acceleration that they can do nothing but hold their position. They act as the first line of defense for a planet and as a trading and docking station for other spacecraft. They may also act as resource collectors when placed near suns, gas giants, worlds and rings.

Company vs. Starforce

Common practice is to think of starforce spacecraft as expendable, and any spacecraft of personal value should be purchased as a company spacecraft.

While stations can be purchased as a company spacecraft, the benefits of doing so are limited.

Company spacecraft can not be switched to starforce spacecraft and vice versa.

Company

Company spacecraft are owned by an avatar.

The company spacecraft will have its title holder shown on Spacecraft window's Policy tab. The title can be released, allowing another avatar to claim it instead.

Probably the biggest advantage a company spacecraft has is that is not subject to starforce tax. It does however have to pay for its own fuel, ammunition and repairs.

Company Spacecraft

Pros	Cons
Trade transactions not subject to starforce tax	Have to pay for repairs, fuel and ammunition
Cannot be captured, self destruct instead	Costs money from the avatar to make
Can be crewed from a city's university and private security contractor

Company spacecraft are made when a spacecraft is purchased at a spacecraft factory.

Starforce

Starforce spacecraft are owned by an empire's government.

Any empire member can take control of a Starforce spacecraft if it does not have an officer or captain already. A spacecraft with a NPC officer is under the control of empire members that is in chain of command of the officer's home world.

Starforce Spacecraft

Pros	Cons
Free repairs, fuel and ammunition	Trade transactions subject to starforce tax
Free for the avatars to make	Can be captured
	Has to be crewed from a base's starforce academy and space marine barracks

Starforce spacecraft are made at a spacecraft factory using mass production processes.

Note: Starforce craft no longer require starforce academies for crew boarding. It is unknown what the current requirements are, but a city with a university appears to be adequate for crew boarding on both Starforce and Company ships.

Space Stations

Space stations act as a trade hub for a solar system. Every city in the solar system that has an airport terminal can be traded with while in service area of a station. This makes it possible to buy from any city and sell to any city. It is also possible to load and unload officers, crew, troops and passengers with those cities.

Space stations are instantly destroyed if they make contact a planet's surface.

Service Area

The size of a station's service area is indicated with a rotating beacon, visible when piloting a vehicle or spacecraft. Visiting vehicles and spacecraft must enter the service area of a station to moor there, get repairs, refuel, and use the station as a trade hub.

The station's service area extends 100m beyond the overall radius of the station's hull. This means that a bigger station will result is a bigger service area.

Decommissioning

The number of stations is strictly limited in the game. Excess stations are decommissioned (destroyed). Decommission rules do not apply to pirate stations, stations in an arena battle, stations in tow, or company owned stations that have an avatar officer on the roster.

A station that is not at a planet is decommissioned if no officer is aboard and it is no longer in any scene.

A station that is at a planet is decommissioned if no officer or online avatar is aboard, when another station from the same empire orbits the same world and that other station does not have an officer either. This imposes a limit of one station without an officer per empire per world. The number of stations with officers is not limited.

Upgrading

When a new starforce station is manufactured, it is launched into orbit above the spacecraft factory. If another starforce station from the same empire without an officer is in orbit at the time, it is replaced by the new station. Crew and cargo is transferred from the old station to the new station. The new station is christened with the same name held by the old station.

If the design and quality of the new station is the same as the old station, the factory will wait to launch the new station. A spacecraft factory can be left to automatically manufacture stations. The factory will launch a station then build the next one. The next one will not launch until the station in orbit is destroyed, removed, or given an officer. Then the waiting station will launch and the factory will commence building the next one.

Changing the station design at the spacecraft factory, or production of a higher quality station, will result in replacement of the station in orbit.

But wait, how do I fly this thing?

Commanding a Spacecraft

See Commanding a Spacecraft for information on assigning missions to your crew (automated piloting, mining and gas harvesting missions, trade routes, etc). Note: without an Officer on board, a mission must be marked complete by the player in order to carry out the next in the queue.

Spaceship Consoles

Manual piloting is done through the Helm Station. Sitting in the Captain's Chair will give you access to the crew consoles listed below.

Helm Station

Engineer Station

Weapon Station

Navigator Station

Sensor Station

Shield Station

Command and Control Station

See Category:Consoles for more information.

Other Controls

When inside a spacecraft, there will be a bar to the right of your screen with some additional options.

Buttons

System	Function		System	Function
Door	Toggle Door* Open/Close the door. Toggle Lock* Lock a door so that players and crew members may not open or close it.		Cabin Lights	Dark Interior is dark. Windows are opaque from the outside. Dim Interior is dim. Windows are opaque from the outside. Bright Interior is bright. Windows are transparent from the outside.
Bridge HUD Display	Star Names Display the names of stars while player is on the bridge. Orbits Display the orbits of system objects while player is on the bridge. Wormholes Display wormhole paths while player is on the bridge.		Lift	Lift When inside a lift, displays a dropdown of locations the lift can take you to. Select one to be transported there.

* Only appears when the cursor is over a door control.

Produced by

Building	Produces	Consumed	Required	Optional
Spacecraft Factory	1 Spacecraft	?* Adamantine** ?* Bay Module** ?* Command And Control Module ?* Capacitor Module ?* Drive Module** ?* Electronic Part ?* FTL Drive Module** ?* Gold** ?* Hydrogen Power Plant Module ?* Life Support Module** ?* Magmium** ?* Mechanical Part ?* Medical Module** ?* Metal** ?* Plastic ?* Sensor Module** ?* Shield Module** ?* Textiles ?* Transporter Module** ?* Turret Module** ?* Vulcium** * Depends on design ** Only with specific equipment	Electricity Fitting Wrench Glue Gun Hammer Sewing Needle Soldering Iron Wrench ** Only with specific equipment