You can start a quest at any time you're in single-player mode. The more complex quests have been scripted by members of the Evochron Legacy community but, for those unfamiliar with how quests progress, it might be a good idea to begin with one of the first two quests.
When beginning a new quest, you start out with a 'Quest Progress' of one (1). The quest progress for each pilot profile is listed under the 'Pilot Statistics' section on the upper-left side of the 'Available Pilot Profiles' menu. Progress is split into two sections: Current Quest / Current Stage in that quest.
After you've selected and loaded a profile, launch the game in the usual way.
Now enter the Inventory menu (default F3 key) and click on the 'News/Information' option in the 'Additional Options' sub-menu on the center-left side.
From there, click on the 'Quest Menu' button on the bottom-left side.
If you've previously chosen the Alliance faction and you plan to do the initial (default) quest, you should select the first quest: Beginning of a Legacy (Alliance). But, if you've chosen to fly as a Federation pilot, you will probably want to select the second quest on the list: Beginning of a Legacy (Federation). The first quest requires that you dock at Alliance controlled stations, which you cannot do as a Federation pilot.
After you click on your selected quest, information about that quest is displayed above, in the 'Current Quest Details' section. If either you haven't selected a quest or the quest you've selected is the first 'Beginning of a Legacy' quest, all the information will pertain to Quest 1. After you've clicked on another quest, the data will change to reflect the details of your selected quest.
Finally, click on the 'Activate Quest' button at the bottom to start or continue your quest.
Note: Even though the 'Available Pilot Profiles' will reflect your currently selected quest, you must still activate the quest each time you launch the game.
Re-Doing a Quest From the Beginning. If at any time you decide to start over again with a previously played quest, you can reset the quest to Stage 1 by placing the cursor over the listed quest and right-clicking.
Building or Deploying a Module. In some quest scenarios you might be required to build or deploy a module in a specific location. If so, the exact location for the module will be displayed in the upper right corner of the Build console, in green text. Since most modules will be built or deployed at a distance from your ship's location, the X, Y and Z indicators will insure an accurate positioning.
Note: If you've deployed a module but do not receive a follow-on quest message or the waypoint hasn't moved, it's possible you miscalculated the deploy location. Some tasks require the module to be built almost exactly at the location indicated in the message, which is why it's a good idea to get into the habit of using the green X-Y-Z indicators. If the positioning is incorrect, either scuttle the module or, if that isn't possible, exit the game (without saving) and return to try again.
The Quest Waypoint Marker. Most of the time, each stage in the quest will provide you with a purple waypoint marker. The marker indicates where you must next go and, if your destination is within hyper-jump range, you can right-click on the marker and either jump directly to the location or use autopilot if the point is more than one jump away. If your next waypoint is beyond jumping range, you can still find it by using the Quadrant map, right-clicking on the designated (or suspected) star system and zooming in to find the waypoint marker.
Once you're in the same sector as the quest waypoint, the marker will also be visible on your HUD. This can come in handy if the waypoint is so close to another object that right-clicking will set your jump point to the dominant object. For example, if the quest waypoint seen above was very close to the space station, right-clicking would probably set the jump point to the station. After jumping, you would turn your ship to the marker in the HUD and fly to the point manually.
There will be times, though, when the marker is hidden. This usually happens when the quest expects you to search for a location without the assistance of a visible waypoint. In situations like that, the message log (chat window) should offer clues to where to go.
The Timer. Some quests occasionally make use of a timer. The timer normally requires you to complete a specific task or mission within a specified number of minutes or seconds. If you exceed the limit, your follow-on options might differ from those you would've received had you completed the task. Depending on the scenario, the timer will either be hidden from view or it will be displayed in the lower-right corner of the HUD.
Note: If, at some time during the quest, the scenario appears to get stuck, then the culprit might be a hidden timer. As a test, try quick-saving the game (Alt-F9). If the timer is running, the game won't allow you to save and you'll know to wait out the time either by completing contracts in the sector, mining for ore, engaging enemy ships or just hanging around until the time expires.
Quest Messages. Each completed stage of the quest triggers a follow-on stage. Sometimes you'll be required to examine a message buoy (data drive) or shipwreck. Both objects are likely to generate a message of their own, separate from the quest message. If, as you approach the object, you receive a chat message in white or light gray, it will be from the object. Move closer to the quest waypoint to trigger the quest message, which is usually (but not always) purple.