EVOCHRON LEGACY SE FAQ

About the Game:
- What is Evochron Legacy SE?
- Is Evochron Legacy SE a MMO?
- Does Evochron Legacy SE have a single player mode that works offline?
- Does Evochron Legacy SE support me hosting a server for my friends/family?
- Is Evochron Legacy SE a 'Newtonian' style game?
- Does Evochron Legacy SE support HOTAS (Hands-On-Throttle-And-Stick), mouse, keyboard, and/or gamepad controllers for flight control?
- How do I navigate in space in Evochron Legacy SE?
- Can I save points of interest I find in the game's universe?
- How does Evochron Legacy SE handle long distance travel? Do I have to wait through long travel sequences to get to new places?
- Why does the HUD have so many details in the center of the screen and on the current target indicator?
- How is Evochron Legacy SE designed from a gameplay standpoint? What is it designed to do and be?
- Why are so many options put into each menu/console?
- Will the game receive future updates?
- How is Evochron Legacy SE different from previous Evochron games?
- How do I upgrade my copy of the game to a newer version?


Gameplay Questions:
- Are there any changes to the game's control/physics system since the previous game?
- The weapon turrets I've built aren't firing at hostile ships and/or aren't protecting my station/city modules very well?
- Why are distress calls for things like oxygen only for cities and not stations as well?
- Why can I sit at a city and retrieve oxygen in an atmosphere and complete a distress call so easily?
- Why doesn't combat pay a lot better than some of the other 'peaceful' contracts in the game?
- Why aren't there more 'things' to do on uncharted worlds? Like missions/quests, hidden loot, shipwrecks, etc?
- Why can't I save the game while on a planet like I can when in open space?
- What are the benefits/options provided by building stations?
- I've been trying to find combat contracts but all I'm offered are non-combat contracts. Do I need to change factions?
- Why can't I request fuel rescue from AI ships while stranded in uncharted space?
- Are there mandatory 'perma-death' or complete 'lose' end points in the game?
- The combat practice training stage seems difficult, how do I complete it?
- Does the autopilot protect from collisions, dock, and/or navigate jump gates?
- Why does the default 3D radar mode use indicators with fixed distances from center?
- Why do the asteroids in Merak not get pulled in by the star, but the ship does?
- Does the game have an FPS (first person shooter)/on-foot mode? If not, why?
- Does the game have speed limits?


Video, Sound, and Performance Technical Support Questions:
- Some of the sound or music in the game crackles and/or the framerate is really low, what's wrong?
- The game closes with a 'File Error' message or 'Could not load image/object' message?
- I have the latest display drivers installed, but the game doesn't run reliably or doesn't look right?
- When jumping close to a planet and/or when making a fast descent, sometimes the terrain takes a while to update, leaving behind temporary 'cracks', 'fissures', or low detail sections. Is there a way to reduce this?
- The game closes with a 'vkCreateBuffer', 'vkCreateImage', or other 'vk' error message?
- I have a problem running the game and the suggestions here haven't fixed it. What can I do?


Multiplayer Technical Support Questions:
- I use a router/firewall/ICS/NAT and can't get internet-based multiplayer to work?
- When arriving in a new sector with a station in it, intermittent pausing occurs for a few seconds during the jump drive cool down cycle?
- When I launch the server program, it closes with an error message about hardware acceleration or the display mode?
- My server doesn't appear on the in-game public list with the option enabled?
- Objects jump/skip around on occasion in internet multiplayer, is there a way to reduce this?
- A 'Connection failed, no reponse from server on UDP port' message keeps appearing when signing in to multiplayer?
- I keep getting disconnected from internet servers or players get disconnected from my internet server?


Buying and Registering Questions:
- What if I lose my registration information, can I still get the key to the game I paid for?
- I would like to buy several licenses for family/friends, can I get a discount for the game?
- I purchased the game and haven't received my registration key, what can I do?
- How does the order process and registration system work, can I install the game later on a new computer I buy?


What is Evochron Legacy SE?
   Evochron Legacy SE is a sequel to Evochron Mercenary. It is a first person technical 3D space flight-sim that includes elements of combat, trade, resource retrieval, building, and exploration with a focus on 'lone-wolf' survival gameplay. Evochron Legacy SE features extensive instrumentation to give the player a sense of being the pilot of a spacecraft, including multiple velocity gauges to track ship direction/movement, flight path markers, pitch ladder, and a galactically aligned directional compass. Important status information is rendered near the center gunsight region of the helmet's projected Heads-Up-Display in true combat fighter aircraft form, letting the player stay focused on a target while still being able to quickly glance at velocity, shield, weapon, and damage status. Realistic Newtonian style physics with full flight control capability is also available including roll, pitch, yaw, horizontal, vertical, and forward/reverse options. The popular global control system (GCS) is included in the game supporting mouse, keyboard, and joystick/gamepad options and adapted to provide consistent control behavior between different devices.

   Diverse tactical offense and defense combat options complement the flight control options with elements of heat emission management, directional shielding with augment control, target scanners, predictive weapon aiming, cloaking devices, countermeasures, subsystem targeting, EMP weapons, selectable hull compositions, armor layering, and more. These elements help provide an extensive array of options the player can use to tune and tweak their ship for their combat and flight style. Whether new players want to limit flight control for more simplistic approaches for jousting combat or expand their experience by utilizing the additional available control options for more advanced combat maneuvers, the game's combat systems can also adapt to a diverse range of gameplay interests and complexity levels.

   The game allows the player to perform item/commodity trades directly with other AI controlled ships (and other human players in multiplayer) via a trade console in addition to station and city trading. For station and city trading, the player remains in control of their ship while docking and landing. A new engineering lab lets the player construct equipment items from raw materials. And several new contract types have also been added to extend the available options for objective based gameplay.

   Unlike its predecessors, Evochron Legacy SE features a new dynamic territory and trade market system. The player can directly impact the trade values of commodities by how much they buy or sell and can also impact the territory control conditions of a region based on who they engage in combat and where. While the player starts out from a fixed point in time within the game's historical context, where conditions go from there is open and heavily dependent on the player's actions/decisions. Over time, one save game might have Sapphire as hostile to the Alliance while another may have it in Alliance control.

   A new build system lets the player construct stations and cities from individual module components, expanding the game's universe for new trade routes, inventories, and AI populations. All default in-game stations and cities have also been constructed using this new build system, so now every station and city in the game can be destroyed and rebuilt, whether a player built it or it was already in the game's universe. Most of the stations and cities that are present in the game when starting a new profile are left 'partially' built rather than being entirely complete to give the player templates to work from to expand construction for bigger stations and cities in established locations. Players can build their own stations using their own custom module placement patterns, add weapon turrets for automated defenses, and attack opposing player stations for engaging online battles.

   The player can make diverse buying, fighting, resource collection, building, and travelling decisions in a large universe. The game's open 3D space environment includes a precision navigation system and space-folding point-to-point jump drive that lets the player choose where they want to travel to without being limited by pre-defined static jump points bound to objects, names, or map icons. Range per jump and fuel are pretty much the only limitations. The player is free to plot travel paths on their own terms and can choose arrival points near to or far away from objects in space, or anywhere in the space between in virtually unrestricted open space jump drive navigation. These unique qualities give the player an accessible universe they can explore the way they want without the limited travel paths or required arrival points typically associated with icon/name based space map systems. The player is also in the action with a consistent first person viewpoint and can make most gameplay decisions directly from the cockpit.

   The seamless style of the game's universe includes being able to descend into planet atmospheres to explore, search for resources, locate lost cargo containers, or land at city docking pads. Associated effects are also simulated, including atmospheric drag, lift, weather, and planetary gravity.

   Evochron Legacy SE also includes the popular unified save game architecture, letting the player keep the credits and ship (with its equipment, weapons, and cargo) they earn in both single player and multiplayer to be used in either mode. There are few exceptions to this for gameplay/functionality reasons, including single player NPC fleets, player-built station/city modules (which are stored server-side in multiplayer) and any items they may have in their hangars, as well as economic/territory conditions. This save game system also lets the player take what they've earned into territorial and economic conditions that are unique to a server they may play on in multiplayer.

   The minimum required technology level has also been increased to provide a higher level of detail and improved special effects. However, the requirements are still reasonable, supporting shader model 3.0 minimum and a moderate CPU/GPU performance configuration for playable results.

   For more information about what the game is and is not, this forum post is available:
What is Evochron? Introduction and Information...

   For more information on the design goals of the game and what it sets out to accomplish, visit the development page at this link: https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/development.htm



Is Evochron Legacy SE a MMO?
   Under the definition of having to be tied to an online account system to play, no, Evochron Legacy SE is not a MMO. Evochron is not bound by requiring an online connection in order to retrieve account details nor does it require an online sign in procedure to play (excluding Steam of course for those who purchase the game on that platform). Only if/when you want to play the game over the internet in multiplayer will you need an internet connection.

   Like many non-MMO multiplayer games, Evochron Legacy SE also does not include persistent game servers run by a developer or publisher. The game's multiplayer system is 'open', meaning that anyone can run a server to host multiplayer sessions with. A server program is included with the game for those interested in hosting a multiplayer session.

   The benefits of Evochron's multiplayer system include the ability to play the game privately without any dependency on outside internet servers. Players can set up multiplayer servers using either direct IP or LAN for private gameplay with friends and family. The game can also be played exclusively offline in single player without the need to check in with an internet server.



Does Evochron Legacy SE have a single player mode that works offline?
   Yes, Evochron Legacy SE is also offline single player capable. Everything the game needs to launch and play is kept local to your computer. So you can play the game entirely offline in its single player mode if you want to. There are no online account dependencies for gameplay for the direct download version of the game. Obviously, if you purchase the game through a reseller that uses an online account system, your copy of the game will be linked to your account with that service.



Does Evochron Legacy SE support me hosting a server for my friends/family?
   Evochron's multiplayer system is 'open', meaning that anyone can run a server to host multiplayer sessions with. A server program is included with the game for those interested in hosting a multiplayer session. The benefits of Evochron's multiplayer system include the ability to play the game privately without any dependency on outside internet servers. Players can set up multiplayer servers using either direct IP or LAN for private gameplay with friends and family they know and enjoy playing with. There is no requirement to play publically among anonymous players nor have multiplayer elements be interdependent with such players. The game can also be played exclusively offline in single player without the need to check in with an internet server. So there are no online account or login dependencies for those using the direct download version of the game and multiplayer is managed directly by players.



Is Evochron Legacy SE a 'Newtonian' style game?
   The game features a realistic zero gravity inertia based 'Newtonian' style flight model that includes complete 3 axis rotation and 3 axis direction control with optional variable input. Individual manual axis thruster control, inertial drifting mode, and counter-thruster elements are also included. An advanced inertial dampening system helps keep flight control simple in space, atmospheres, and gravity fields. Physics systems also take into account mass (including additions for cargo), thrust, and vector calculations.



Does Evochron Legacy SE support HOTAS (Hands-On-Throttle-And-Stick), mouse, keyboard, and/or gamepad controllers for flight control?
   Evochron supports keyboard, mouse, gamepad, and joystick flight control with dedicated modes designed for each input system. Evochron's Global Control System (GCS) aims to provide consistent control behavior regardless of the input device being used by adapting signals from the selected device to a unified flight control architecture. Evochron's flight control system also supports up to 10 simultaneous control devices for more advanced HOTAS, rudder, and control panel capabilities. Multiple mouse modes based on pointer position and direction of movement are also available.



How do I navigate in space in Evochron Legacy SE?
   Evochron incorporates a full precision open space 3D navigation system. Instead of just navigating to/through vague icon points (such as just travelling to a star or other 'zone' region), Evochron's navigation system uses precise selectable 3D nav points for travel, contract waypoints, and object locations on a common/unified map interface. This lets you as the player precisely select where to go for any object or location in space displayed on the nav map. You set the nav/jump point and can then travel exactly there. So for example, if you want to arrive to the right side of a station, you can set a waypoint directly there, then engage the autopilot or jump drive to arrive exactly there.



Can I save points of interest I find in the game's universe?
   The game's navigation system lets you store and retrieve points of interest. So if you find a hidden shipwreck or cargo container, you can set a nav point to its location and then save it in your nav map log for future reference. Then if/when you want to return to that location, you can right click on its icon (or select it from the map log list) to quickly plot a nav point back to it.



How does Evochron Legacy SE handle long distance travel? Do I have to wait through long travel sequences to get to new places?
   In conjunction with the high precision open space navigation system is the point-to-point jump drive. Following the design objective of 'get to the point' gameplay, the jump drive system in the game features a folding space point-to-point travel approach. This lets you quickly set a precise point to jump to and then travel there quickly when in range, without having to wait for long travel sequences. There is still a longer step by step approach for very long distance travel to provide a moderate sense of scale, but getting from one station to another in the same system can take just a few seconds, rather than having to wait through long travel durations. When combined with the precision navigation system, you can also arrive precisely at a destination where you want to be (and select), rather than risking a fly-by and missing your destination or arriving only in the general area. System-to-system travel is also made efficient via a network of jump gates (such routes are marked with lines on the navigation map in its 'Quadrant' mode). With acquired equipment and metal resources, the player can also optionally build temporary gates (referred to as Jump Casters) to travel up to 1000 sectors at a time.



Why does the HUD have so many details in the center of the screen and on the current target indicator?
   The game's display systems have been designed with gunsight focused information presentation in true fighter pilot fashion, including the current target indicator which provides details to players without requiring them to look away at a separate display. As much information as feasible is displayed on the central HUD gunsight and directly on the target being tracked, rather than scattering it all over the screen. The reason this is done is basically the same as it is for modern jet fighters, keeping the pilot's visual focus in the smallest region possible for the most efficient rate of gathering and processing information.

   None of the primary target's ID information or hull/shield status information requires the player to look away at the side of the screen, in a corner, or on a separate display. Likewise, details about the player's own ship's shield, velocity, hull, and energy status are displayed directly around the gunsight. This is one of the design goals of Evochron's combat display systems. In any combat gameplay scenario where the focus is putting a target near the middle of the screen for attacks, it's important to never force the player to have to look away from that focal point to retrieve important information about their flight conditions and ship/weapon status.



How is Evochron Legacy SE designed from a gameplay standpoint? What is it designed to do and be?
   Evochron is designed to be a 'get-to-the-point' space flight simulation game. And the 'point' is flying spaceships, so gameplay and options are focused on that. Everything from ship design to combat, navigation to contract objectives, and environment interaction to flight physics are all geared toward the player's ability to fly their spacecraft through a variety of conditions and options. The player remains in their ship nearly the entire time with few exceptions. Many of the objectives are designed to be local and quick to access. Menus and other UI elements are likewise designed to be quick to access with the same 'get-to-the-point' focus. So you won't have to walk around on foot, travel through a slow docking procedure, or shuffle through layers of menus/lists to get to available objectives. Availability is immediate and waypoint accessibility kept in close proximity (in the same sector for local contracts). For players interested in more long-range objectives, there are also optional delivery, recovery, exploration/scanning, and incursion response objectives requiring travel to other sectors/systems. Long distance travelling in the game is also managed via point-to-point jump drives and a network of jump gates for quicker access. The building mechanisms also provide the option to construct 'jump casters' for long distance, one way trips.

   For a more comprehensive review of the game's design goals and objectives, visit this forum thread: https://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=11900



Why are so many options put into each menu/console?
   Like the gameplay, the UI and menus are designed with a 'get-to-the-point' approach of efficiency and accessibility. Menus generally have all important functions available in one layer, rather than having to toggle through different levels of menu trees to get to important/core options. This does mean that there can be a lot of information and buttons on each menu display, but as you learn where things are, you'll likely find the fast one-click access to important functions/options handy. Everything is also labelled and marked with clear click range frames so you can read text descriptions of what to click on and also know where to click.

   The UI elements are also designed for the PC exclusively, so they include full mouse support for selecting options. The UI and menu systems are designed to avoid repetitive 'highlight' toggling and excessive layering that slows down the selection process, obfuscates it, or hides common options under menu trees. Instead, options are generally available in one menu and directly selectable via mouse pointer. So you won't find a menu, or even parts of a menu, with options that require navigating with repetitive key or button presses... virtually everything in any menu is selectable via the mouse. And also within one or two clicks. So if you see it on the menu, you can point to it directly with the mouse and select it. You don't have to toggle using arrow keys to move a highlight bar around until you eventually get to the option you want. Just point and click.



Will the game receive future updates?
   Evochron Legacy was technically 'finished' in 2018. However, I've remained interested in continuing to update and support the game in the years since for the joy and challenge of working on the project. The 'SE' edition (launched in 2021) is a continuation of the game's development to introduce some new technology/options and there have been many updates since. I enjoy the work and supporting the game. How long the game will be supported and receive updates is unknown. Funding and time availability are considerations and while the game is (as of this writing) currently able to pay for its upkeep/support costs, that may not always be the case. Evochron Legacy SE is not a live service game or MMO. There are no micro-transactions, charges for in-game items, seasonal charges, or subscription fees. It is a small budget indie game sold for one low price that includes everything the game has to offer. It just happens to be a game that, for the time being, includes indefinite support since I enjoy working on it and its costs have been covered. If funding falls low enough and/or I need to devote my work time in a different direction, it may no longer be feasible to spend time on it. As a result, development/updates may stop at any point, so that is just something to be aware of.



How is Evochron Legacy SE different from previous Evochron games?
   For a review of the new technologies, options, and features available in Evochron Legacy SE, you can visit the original development page from 2015 at this link: https://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/development.htm

   The 'SE' version of the game changes the primary rendering API to Vulkan, format to 64-bit, and adds a number of new options and effects. There have also been many new features and options added since the introduction of the SE version. Details on those additions are available in the changelog threads posted in the Announcement section of the official forum here: https://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=19



How do I upgrade my copy of the game to a newer version?
   The game can be updated, patched, and reinstalled using the same downloadable installation file available on the game's website. Simply download and run the installer to either install the game or update it. This helps make the process of installation and upgrading easy. You can upgrade/patch your copy of the game without interfering with the registration status for both the demo and full version. Your settings and player profiles are also preserved when upgrading.



Are there any changes to the game's control/physics system since the previous game?
   Yes, there are a few changes. Evochron's Global Control System (GCS) is largely the same in this game, allowing a unified control scheme between the various mouse, joystick, and keyboard flight control modes. New to the system are higher IDS scale limits, allowing players to fly much faster than before to help accommodate the much larger universe scale. Planetary physics have also been changed significantly to accommodate the larger planet sizes. Atmosphere thicknesses, density calculations, gravity, and drag/friction have all generally had changes applied to their calculations. Star gravity ranges have also been changed to accommodate larger scaling for a much greater field of effect.

   Another significant change to the game's physics system involves IDS tapering and strafe controls. Previously, the IDS would cap any strafe levels to restrict how much the player's ship was allowed to drift sideways or vertically. Once beyond a certain low limit, the IDS would hold the level of strafe at the set value and not allow the player to apply further strafe acceleration via manual thruster control. The player would have to disengage the IDS in order to freely use the strafe thrusters beyond the limits the computer would apply. In Evochron Legacy SE, those IDS limits have been removed and the player is free to apply as much horizontal or vertical velocity as desired, whether the IDS is on or off. When the IDS is on, the system will continue to adjust velocities back to the direction the player's ship is facing, it simply won't limit the player from applying additional strafe velocity when desired.

   Evochron Legacy SE also introduces a new deadzone system for flight axis controls. The classic global deadzone value is still available and can be used to set a minimum baseline deadzone for all axis controls. From there, the player can also increase individual axis deadzone values further by clicking on the plus or minus button located on each side of a flight control axis signal indicator in the 'Axis Configuration' menu. This lets the player apply custom deadzone values for each individual axis channel as desired. So if a player wants a wider deadzone for the throttle axis, they can increase the deadzone value for that control ranging from the minimum specified global deadzone value up to the individual deadzone maximum.



The weapon turrets I've built aren't firing at hostile ships and/or aren't protecting my station/city modules very well?
   There are a few important parameters you need to consider when building weapon turrets to protect modules you build. First, weapon turrets will avoid firing at ships that are obscured by modules to avoid damaging them. Their job is to protect those modules after all, so if their line of site is obscured, they will not fire at a target. When building weapon turrets, choose locations that are more in the open and have wide firing arc visibility. Do not place weapon turrets inside clusters of modules, instead keep weapon turrets at the edges of your modules. Placing them at higher or lower elevations can also improve their effectiveness as well as building multiple weapon turrets above and below each other for broader coverage area.

   Next, make sure enough weapon turrets exist within range to protect the modules you build. Weapon turrets have a limited range, so enough of them need to be in the area to protect the space containing the modules you build. A common mistake can be over-extending station/city modules beyond defensive capabilities. Always be sure to keep adequate defenses in place as you construct your station/city structures.



Why are distress calls for things like oxygen only for cities and not stations as well?
   There are actually already oxygen delivery contracts for stations (screenshot), they just aren't done under the distress call system since stations have massive storage tanks and only need resupply once in a while when their reserves are low. Cities rely on 'terraforming' for their oxygen, so when one of those systems fails, they need emergency delivery. It was simply a way to set up such an additional option for planets that gives them something a little different/unique to offer. It was one of several new elements added to the latest game in the series as way to offer more 'things to do on planets' that are unique to them and not something that's redundantly available for stations as well.



Why can I sit at a city and retrieve oxygen in an atmosphere and complete a distress call so easily?
   You can indeed simply park at the city asking for the oxygen and recover it right there for them since your ship is equipped with the technology needed to extract it (if you have a mining beam installed). Not the most exciting way to earn money in the game, but it is an option. Not the fastest way to earn credits in the game either, but certainly not the slowest. Otherwise, it can be good to just keep some oxygen in storage so you can quickly grab it and deliver it when needed, rather than just doing it on demand. But the game often lets you do things your own way, so if that's how you prefer to complete the objective, you're welcome to do so. And if you do want to use that option, watching for such distress calls can be an opportunity if you're willing to spend the costs in fuel and time to get to a planet asking for the oxygen.



Why doesn't combat pay a lot better than some of the other 'peaceful' contracts in the game?
   There is a degree of pay equity between somewhat simple/peaceful objectives and combat objectives. This stems from earlier player feedback asking that 'peaceful' objectives such as mining, delivery, retrieval, locate, etc, provide relatively high enough pay so that a player could stick to those and still be able to earn a similar rate of income as a player focused on combat objectives.



Why aren't there more 'things' to do on uncharted worlds? Like missions/quests, hidden loot, shipwrecks, etc?
   Charted worlds are charted for a reason and uncharted worlds are uncharted for a reason. If uncharted worlds had more involvement with people (missions, loot, ships, etc), then they'd be on the grid more. They are off-grid because they are unpopulated and 'fresh' for the potential purposes of building, colonizing, introducing new trade paths, remote resource recovery, and of course, just eye candy scenery. One of the examples I offer in the description of the game here is the following:

"If the basic idea of travelling to a distant world by flying there manually, descending into its atmosphere, then watching a sunrise on its surface does not appeal to you, then this may not be the game for you."

   And I do say that sincerely. My goal for Evochron is not to always have some/every kind of gameplay mission, objective, ship, item, or option available at every location everywhere in the game (that even includes remote uncharted worlds). Uncharted worlds are intended to be unpopulated, undiscovered, and unexplored barren lanscapes that can be first visited by the player if they want to venture out that far. Then from there, they can decide if they want to use those regions/locations for purposes of building/colonizing (expanding their faction's presence), setting up trade routes, recovering resources in a quiet location, or just enjoying the scenery. That's really the goal. If a player wants more things to find and do that would involve people already having been there, then they should probably stick to the charted systems.

   All that said, there are a few unique discoveries available in uncharted space, but because of the sheer size and scope of open uncharted space in the game, it can be quite rare to encounter/find them... making such discoveries a little more special and unique for the few who do manage to see/encounter them.



Why can't I save the game while on a planet like I can when in open space?
   You can, you just need to be at a city. Without a city hangar, you can't save in 'open space' within a planet atmosphere due to the movement and gravity imparted to your ship by the planet. For safe and stable cryo-stasis, your ship must be completely stationary and away from -any- gravity fields. This also means you can't save close to stars or moons as well.



What are the benefits/options provided by building stations?
   Stations can provide numerous gameplay options including trading, storing resources/equipment/weapons, bringing in reinforcements, ship designing, crafting equipment, crafting weapons, acquiring contracts, hiring crew, refueling, rearming, and repairing. By building stations yourself, you get to choose when and where to facilitate those options. This can be very useful for deep space exploration in uncharted regions, conquering enemy territory, setting up profitable trade routes for specific items/materials, and establishing safety/resource and resupply zones for any of those objectives.

   A priority of this game's design is to have the player actively involved in gameplay that provides in-game rewards, rather than having the game play by itself for residual (non-gameplay) benefit. So rather than being some kind of small convenience stores from which the player profits without gameplay involvement, stations are instead designed more to provide benefits directly to the player, their ship, and their faction as a whole through player-involved gameplay. With the introduction of version 2.0418, stations can also optionally provide modest repeating payments to a player that builds a station command module or purchases a license from one. Stations can also effect the local economy of a system in addition to their other benefits. Here are some of the benefits of various modules:

   Storage, production, and command modules can help increase local technology levels. Their benefit is roughly 3.3% per module added to the base regional level. Storage modules help store items that are built and made available in local inventories, production modules help produce items that are built and made available in local inventories, and command modules include benefits of both of the other modules (although you can only build one of these per sector, so the other modules can be used to expand things further). Module totals for analysis are available in the Inventory > News/Information screen.

   A secondary benefit of storage modules is to provide more weapon storage for weapon turrets. So once you build enough turrets, you'll start to be prompted to build storage modules to help support them.

   Crew modules provide living space for the crew needed to support a station once it reaches a certain size. Once you reach certain design limits, the game will prompt you to construct more crew modules to provide the required crew level to support it.

   Horizontal and vertical modules are structural pieces that can be used to provide connecting/spacing structures and/or defensive obstacles around other modules. They provide no other functional benefit and are not required as part of a station's design.

   All station and city structures in the game, including default ones, are destructible and can be replaced by new ones. A scuttle option is also available while a module is being constructed, in case you decide to stop building the module.



I've been trying to find combat contracts but all I'm offered are non-combat contracts. Do I need to change factions?
   Most likely, you simply need to change locations. Combat contracts are only offered in disputed regions and regions that have majority control by the opposing faction. For the latter, you'll also generally need to build a station before you can access combat contracts and in such opposing territory, combat contracts will also usually be more difficult in those regions since you won't have reinforcement support.



Why can't I request fuel rescue from AI ships while stranded in uncharted space?
   AI ships can make the mistake of not having enough fuel and that is by design to provide the player-to-AI fuel rescue gameplay option. And charted/populated systems are the only areas that have such a scenario. It seems nearly all players do a pretty good job of managing fuel as a resource where they can get fuel in charted systems. But on occasion, a player might get stranded in uncharted space where fuel isn't as readily available. This is where planning such voyages into deep space becomes an important (and intended) gameplay element.

   There is no fuel rescue in uncharted/unpopulated space for AI ships and there also isn't for human players from AI ships either. However, it is an option anywhere in the game for human-to-human fuel rescue as an option by utilizing multiplayer. It is by design that there are considerable elements of risk and planning for long distance travel in deep uncharted space without the option of a quick 'rescue' button if a player runs into trouble due to lack of planning. Such conditions also incorporate intended value for items and design options such as a deployable fuel processor, extra fuel tanks, and larger main fuel tank. So if you plan on venturing out into deep space, be sure to prepare for the voyage in advance by equipping your ship with enough fuel resources to travel the required distance. You can also save along the way in different save game (pilot profile) slots so you can return to a previous location if needed. This way, you can manage your own level of risk by when and where you choose to save your progress.



Are there mandatory 'perma-death' or complete 'lose' end points in the game?
   No, there are no 'perma-death' or complete 'lose' requirements in this game. There are degrees of loss, such as costs associated with combat damage and inefficient travel. But there are no requirements to entirely give up what you've earned in the game if you make a mistake or fail to do something. As the player, you are in control of your 'reset points', you choose when and where you set up your last save point from which you can restore. Over the years, I've almost exclusively received requests for more save protections, rather than less. Only a few have expressed interest in forced loss requirements. As a result, the games have trended toward having more status saving options over time rather than fewer. And it's a big reason why there is now an auto-save option enabled by default to preserve save status when docking in Evochron Legacy SE (a first in the series).

   After years of discussions and debates (including when proposing forced lose scenarios in the past), it would seem that for the vast majority of players, a forced requirement to lose what they may spend weeks or months earning would not be a fun 'game' and instead, would be too much of a penalty to be forced to lose some or all of it and start over after that kind of longer term gameplay investment. Games that lean more in the direction of simulations with such longer term investment/reward mechanisms will often have protection mechanisms in place. And in the case of Evochron Legacy SE, that includes optional auto-saving when docking and player controlled respawn checkpoint selection.

   That said, you can certainly set up some kind of self-inflicted lose scenario without it being forced on the game or other players. As a freeform game, you are in control of whatever level of loss you want to enforce on yourself. If you don't want to save your progress, don't. If you want to start over if you are destroyed at some point, do so. There are no requirements for you to play the game in a forced condition either way, you are free to decide for yourself. You can play the game as you see fit with the freedom it provides you.



The combat practice training stage seems difficult, how do I complete it?
   The combat practice stage in the training mode may seem challenging at first, but it is designed to require the tactics and techniques described in the earlier stages. A common mistake is to turn and face an enemy ship, then fly at high speed while shooting. This results in an ineffective 'jousting' flyby pattern that reduces the time you have to inflict damage and allows the enemy ship more time to fly around and recharge their shields. Players who do this often wind up flying around in zigzag flyby patterns with wide circles to turn around that take a long time to compensate for excessive speed. Destroying the enemy ships becomes extremely difficult this way.

   Instead, you need to approach at an offset angle at the nearest enemy ship first. Keep your forward velocity level (FVL) moderate, around 1200-1500 is a good target. Once you are just outside of primary weapon range, begin strafing by activating your lateral thrusters so that you begin to fly sideways relative to the enemy ship. For keyboard flight control or keyboard + mouse flight control, use the A and D keys for such controls. As you drift sideways, try to stabalize your distance to the enemy target in an arc around it so that you are within primary weapon range long enough to inflict significant damage. If you time it correctly and achieve the correct lateral velocity, the enemy ship will have difficulty hitting you with gunfire while you can hit them as you fly an arc around them at an effective range. Make sure not to let your lateral velocity get too out of control and watch your absolute velocity indicator (AVL) to keep your overall speed low enough to be able to perform the same kind of arc patterns around the enemy ship until it is destroyed. Use your afterburner as needed to recovery lost speed if you make a turn too sharply. You may make a few mistakes at first, but will likely soon get the hang of this maneuver.

   For video examples of this concept in action as well as other combat tactics and information, be sure to visit the official YouTube channel. There is a short video here showing how to complete this training stage specifically as well as a more comprehensive training video on space combat as a whole. And keep in mind, if you find it too difficult, you can skip this training stage by pressing the enter key. You can later return to it after you've played the game for a while to give it another try when you feel ready.



Does the autopilot protect from collisions, dock, and/or navigate jump gates?
   One of the core design goals of the game is pilot-controlled flight simulation. As a result, the player is in control of their spacecraft nearly all of the time, including at least partial control even with certain automated options. In terms of collisions, the autopilot in this game is a limited aid rather than a full safety system. So it will attempt to avoid obstacles including asteroids, moons, and planetary terrain. But at certain speeds and angles, you may still want to apply manual control inputs to further reduce any collision risk. The autopilot will also control the velocity of your ship, often slowing down for approaching collision risks to better perform evasion maneuvers. So at times, you may also want to fly manually to navigate obstacles at higher or lower speed.

   The autopilot will also perform docking maneuvers when you plot a navigation point directly to a station, jump gate, or city on a planet. Overall though, by intended design, you still need to plan, navigate, and pilot. With the autopilot on, you can adjust your course (strafe thrusters) or jump points as may be needed to avoid obstacles and change or advance a route. At times, you may even want to temporarily turn off the autopilot for manual control to provide more time to make course corrections, depending on conditions. You will also still need to plot multiple waypoints or adjust the nav point manually to navigate through multiple jump gates to travel from system to system. Long distance, multi-jump travel in open space (outside of the jump gate network) with the autopilot also requires pilot attention. Long range travel in Evochron can result in colliding with objects in space along the way if you don't watch for obstacles at your arrival jump points. So even travelling from system to system with your ship's jump drive involves your attention to navigation. One of the key goals of this game is to involve the player in navigation decisions and flight control as much as feasible, reducing how much time the game spends playing itself. So you'll generally find that objective reflected in the game's activities and options.

   A multiple waypoint system has been introduced in version 2.0328 and for the first time in the series, enables the ability to have the autopilot help with navigating to and through jump gates. If a waypoint is manually set to a jumpgate (using the 'Add New' option in the navigation console) and the player selects that waypoint (via right click), then enables the autopilot, the computer will automatically assist the player in lining up their ship with the jump gate to fly through it. The player can plot multiple waypoints through multiple gates in sequence to fly through them in series. Some manual control may still be needed for optimal alignment and avoiding obstacles, but the autopilot will generally do an effective job of lining up the player's ship with gates that have waypoints assigned to them.



Why does the default 3D radar mode use indicators with fixed distances from center?
   With a fixed distance projection at the edge of the radar globe, it was easier to discern if a contact was behind or ahead of the player. The contact indicator was noticeably smaller if it was in front and much larger if it was behind. Scaling was also consistent and predictable this way. If the contacts moved toward the globe's center based on range, then it became difficult to determine the direction of those contacts because the scaling variations decreased. So keeping the contact indicators focused exclusively on direction for their placement at a fixed distance from center provided a consistency and clarity that paid off when in dogfights.

   Then came the challenge of how to convey contact range. I decided to incorporate range data directly on the contact indicators themselves. This is done via bracket markers so that the indicators add in markers as a contact gets closer. No markers indicates a distant contact, one set of markers a medium contact, and 2 sets of markers a close contact. In practice, this approach performed the best and I could easily discern both the general distance of a contact as well as its precise direction from my ship's orientation at a glance. And all of this was visible even when there might be many contacts in the area.

   I also included a 2D range mode that provides a more traditional 'overhead' radar display to more precisely gauge contact distances, if desired. So the player can quickly switch between the two if they want to. Also, there is a hostile contact only mode that will display only enemy ships in the area to further reduce clutter and focus on high priority targets.



Why do the asteroids in Merak not get pulled in by the star, but the ship does?
   There are a few anomalies in the game's universe designed to provide some unique and unexpected environmental and/or functional behaviors. One example involves the asteroids in Merak where they have reached a point of stasis with the nearby star. If gravity did pull the asteroids in, then they'd reach the star quickly and burn up. There would be nothing there at all (and this is the way it is around most stars in the game). So to provide something a bit more interactive and interesting instead (such as more challenging mining), some asteroids are held in position to remain accessible. There are three potential theoretical concepts this can be based on.

   One approach is that they are set at stable points as though repelled by shaped powerful magnetic forces around the star (in bands, much like aurora effects around planets) at parity with gravity at different levels around the star to hold their positions at varying distances (kind of 'gravitational bubbles'). And since the player's ship isn't made of the same mysterious materials subject to the effect, they get drawn in by the star's gravity while the asteroids do not.

   Another approach is that the star produces so much solar wind that the asteroids are subjected to a powerful push effect. This produces the same kind of effect as placing a ping pong ball over a jet of air. The ball will eventually reach a stable distance from the source of air that opposes the gravitational force on it (while also frequently spinning). This varies by type and range, so there is a wide array of asteroids at stable positions all around the star. Since the player's ship is smaller and covered by a spherical shield, the resistance effect is not as strong as it is on the asteroids, so the ship still gets pulled in to a degree by the star.

   Lastly, the intense radiation from the star heats up asteroids on one side, creating a push effect. This is loosely based on the 'Yarkovsky effect' where the heating and cooling of a rotating body in space produces thrust. This principle would be a highly amplified and altered form of the concept, but the net effect would be a similar push/pull counter-balance as described earlier. And the point at which that balance is achieved will vary greatly, sprinkling asteroids all around the star. Since the player's ship is shielded from such effects, they still get pulled in by the star's gravity. So ultimately, the stabilizing effect could involve any of the three or combination thereof.

   In other areas, certain elements are held to a more 'realistic' approach based on current understanding. For example, in other games, planetary rings may consist of large stationary asteroids. However, everything we know about planetary rings indicates they consist almost entirely of dust and small particles that move and orbit around a host planet. Evochron simulates this more accurately with moving particle effects around planets that have them. Each game can include such unique qualities by presenting various environmental elements in different ways based on design goals and gameplay objectives. The objective of stabilized asteroids in Merak within Evochron was to provide a unique mining environment for added challenge. There are a number of similar conditions elsewhere in the game's universe to avoid having everything always be the same everywhere and instead, provide some unique points of interest and gameplay.



Does the game have an FPS (first person shooter)/on-foot mode? If not, why?
   Since Evochron is a tightly focused technical open world 'flight' space-sim with options and gameplay specifically geared toward that objective (see: What is Evochron? And what is it not?), the game does not include a separate 'on foot' gameplay mode with 'people' avatars. There are several reasons for this including personal preferences/interests, intended project goals/focus/limitations, and expectations for such an option stated in past discussions on the topic (which could/would compromise or otherwise alter the vision I have for what Evochron is designed to be).

   What I am interested in and focused on for developing, playing, and supporting is almost exclusively flying spaceships. Anything that gets in the way of that by delaying access to a spacecraft, not relating to or affecting a spacecraft, and/or requiring actions outside of a spacecraft, I won't likely implement. The only routes of gameplay that are outside of that focused objective are already in the game to their maximum extent, are generally very limited, and entirely optional. As such, the closest this game has to an 'FPS' type of mode are the terrain walkers, which are large mechanized exo-suits that do allow players to walk around and perform basic tasks/objectives. But they are not the focus of the game nor are they intended to have a significant role in the scope of gameplay.



Does the game have speed limits?
   The game does not have static speed limits at set levels that instantly hold back a ship from full acceleration once reached, but instead has tapered acceleration effects to help keep velocity within functional and gameplay design objectives and requirements while accommodating the 'infinite energy' paradigm of increasing mass with increasing velocity. So your ship's ability to accelerate will simply decrease the faster you go since your ship's engines can only provide a certain maximum level of thrust in relation to your ship's mass. The principle behind this is that as velocity approaches the speed of light, the greater mass gets and thus, more energy is required to accelerate that mass. The game follows this concept, just scaled down to its required velocity range. The rate of decrease depends on the mass of the ship you are flying and the power output of the engine you install. You can travel faster than the speed of light using the available space-folding Fulcrum jump drives for long distance travel, which bypass the traditional limits of physics under cruise speed.



Some of the sound or music in the game crackles and/or the framerate is really low, what's wrong?
   Sound crackling/stuttering can occur if your system has trouble keeping up with the resource demands of the game due to low 3D performance and/or low system resources. The first step to try is update the drivers for your 3D video card and sound system. If the problem continues, stop all non-essential running programs to free up as much of your system's resources as possible. These two steps solve many performance problems. If performance problems continue, try reducing the detail settings in the Options menu (Graphics, 3D Cockpit, and Texture Detail). For additional information on improving system performance, click here.

   Sound crackling/stuttering may occur on sound devices that resample audio through filters/algorithms, altering them from their original forms. What is being played may be different than the original wave form contained in the game (that is, the new artificially generated sound effect doesn't exactly match the original sound effect as produced). The transitioning, filtering, bus requests, delays, and/or compression occuring in the resampling process may result in pops/clicks and various other audible artifacts. The effects can vary from systems to system and game to game. For example, a more CPU hungry game might have the effect more than a lighter CPU game on a certain system. Or one with a certain hardware component configuration may experience problems that another system using the same sound device combined with different components doesn't experience. You can test this by simply disabling/uninstalling a plug-in sound card and then using the motherboard's built in sound system. If the problem goes away, then a solution specific to the original sound device and the hardware/driver configuration you are using will need to be found.

   Another potential cause for crackling audio is playback 'clipping'. This effect can occur if the sound output exceeds the limits of your speakers/sound configuration. The overboosted audio may contain crackling when the output limit is reached. It can also be specific to a certain range of sound (ie bass, mid, treble, etc). If this is the cause of the problem, simply adjusting the volume (externally and/or in the Windows control panel) or adjusting EQ settings (if available) will usually solve it. Turning down the in-game volume setting might also help.



The game closes with a 'File Error' message or 'Could not load image/object' message?
   This indicates the game could not load media it needs into memory. It can happen if an outside program blocks resources the game needs or if the system lacks sufficient resources for the game. First, make sure your system meets the minimum disk and memory requirements and that it has enough free physical memory for the game. Next, check to make sure there isn't one or more other programs running in the background that could interfere with the game. Some anti-virus software may prevent the game from loading media it needs, so if your anti-virus software includes a 'gaming mode', that may also resolve the problem. Further steps to troubleshoot and solve such issues are available here: https://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6595



I have the latest display drivers installed, but the game doesn't run reliably or doesn't look right?
   Make sure your system meets the minimum requirements for the game. If there is insufficient memory available, the game may close with a 'vk' error message or close back to the desktop without an error message. Insufficient memory may also cause artifacts to appear on the screen or missing graphics. Other programs may consume needed memory, even if your system has enough memory in terms of installed capacity. So if your system meets the minimum requirements, be sure to turn off any other programs running in the background that may deplete your system's available memory (both RAM and video memory).



When jumping close to a planet and/or when making a fast descent, sometimes the terrain takes a while to update, leaving behind temporary 'cracks', 'fissures', or low detail sections. Is there a way to reduce this?
   As with many games, Evochron Legacy SE updates terrain detail based on the player's proximity to a given section of terrain, although with an advanced system that shapes the terrain sections spherically to form a planet. The speeds and distances at which such updates occur can vary depending on the performance of the system the game is being played on as well as the detail settings the player has selected. The faster your computer is, the faster the terrain updates will be. Faster systems give the game more resources to calculate terrain updates quicker. Selecting lower terrain detail settings will also limit the level at which detail can be calculated/generated. Limiting the detail with this option can help reduce the terrain engine's volume of data it has to manage at closer ranges, allowing for faster updates with fewer detail levels. Lowering other detail settings to allow your system to run at a higher framerate can also improve terrain update performance.

   So if you find the detail updates are progressing too slowly on your system for your liking, consider lowering the terrain detail setting in the main Options menu to reduce the volume of data being managed by the terrain engine. For additional performance, consider lowering other detail settings to try and free up resources to allow the game to run faster, which may help it process the needed terrain data faster. Then if you upgrade your system later on for more performance or acquire a new system with greater performance, you can try higher detail settings to adjust the game's terrain update performance to your liking. If you don't mind slower terrain updates on your system and prefer higher detail, you can also extend your approaches to planets by descending from greater distances, which will give the terrain engine more time that it may need to manage the greater volume of data, reducing the chance some sections may take longer to update to a higher detail level.



The game closes with a 'vkCreateBuffer', 'vkCreateImage', or other 'vk' error message?
   This indicates that your system was unable to load an object, image, or other rendering element into memory, generally because there wasn't enough memory available to perform the loading operation. This can happen on devices with multiple graphics systems, typically laptops where there is an integrated graphics component as well as a dedicated/discreet graphics component. The computer may not properly detect that the dedicated graphics system needs to be enabled for the game, leaving the integrated graphics system to try and run the game. Some integrated graphics systems won't be able to handle the game due to insufficient video memory that is below the minimum requirements, so a 'vk' error can occur when it runs out of memory. The solution is to enable the system's dedicated graphics system for the game, as long as it meets the game's minimum requirements. This usually involves setting a 'performance' mode in the display device's control panel, or optionally enabling the dedicated graphics component globally in BIOS. With Windows 10, you can also set the preferred graphics adaptor for a game by typing 'graphics settings' in the search box, launching the app by the same name, then browse for the game's executable and select it, then click on 'Options', then select the graphics device you want to use with the game.



I have a problem running the game and the suggestions here haven't fixed it. What can I do?
   First, visit the technical support section on the official SW3DG forum here: https://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=26 There you will likely find answers and solutions to most any known problems players have run into. If you search for the problem you've run into and it is not yet listed, you can start a new thread. To keep that section of the forum clean and easily searchable, please follow the posting guidelines in that section of the forum provided in the 'Read This Before Posting' page. From there, either myself or someone else can look into it for you.

   If the problem you've encountered is not addressed in this FAQ or on the forum and you need direct support from me, you can complete the following steps to forward your system specifications/details in an e-mail so further assistance may be possible.
- In the Windows search box on the taskbar, type in MSINFO32 and press enter.
- Then click on the File option at the top and click on Save.
- Save the NFO file, ZIP it to compress the size of the file.
- Locate the save game file you are currently using (default is pilot0se.sw in the c:\sw3dg\EvochronLegacySE folder).
- Attach both files to an e-mail, send them to and include a detailed description of the problem and how to reproduce it.


   Please keep in mind that at times, I receive a huge volume of e-mail and it can take quite a long time for me to get through it all. It may also not be practical for me to answer all of them, especially if an answer/solution is already available on the forum or in the game's included instructions. So it's best to first utilize this FAQ, the game's included instructions, and the forum's technical support section before requesting support directly from me as you may get a faster answer that way.



I use a router/firewall/ICS/NAT and can't get internet-based multiplayer to work?
   On most systems, you can simply join a multiplayer game. However, certain routers and/or firewalls may block the needed ports for the game. You may need to open/forward ports manually to get multiplayer to work (for details on how to do this, refer to the documentation for your router/modem/firewall). Hosting a game with the server program will often require opening/forwarding the needed ports if your internet connection passes through a router. The following ports are needed for the game server and client:

- 29888 TCP (both server and client)
- 29889 UDP (server)
- 29890 UDP (client)


   If you're using a router attached to a modem separately, another option is to bypass your router and connect directly to your modem via ethernet or USB.

   Using a router's DMZ is not recommended due to the higher security risk.

   For additional resources on configuring ports/routers for multiplayer games, visit PortForward.com

   On occasion, some multiplayer sessions may terminate without being removed from the list of online public servers if the host does not (or is not able to) exit the session from within the server program. Such inactive sessions are generally removed from the list quickly, but some may be listed briefly. If you suspect one of the sessions listed is not active, simply inform a forum moderator/admin or contact me directly.

Note: Disabling a firewall, placing a computer in the DMZ, or opening ports can result in lower security for your network/internet connection. By disabling such security measures, it's possible for someone to break into your network and cause harm to your computer and/or obtain personal information from your computer. If you choose to disable your network security measures, you do so at your own risk. The most secure way to play multiplayer games is through a wired LAN (local area network) and NOT a wireless one.



When arriving in a new sector with a station in it, intermittent pausing occurs for a few seconds during the jump drive cool down cycle?
   This can occur on systems with slow or limited memory. When a player arrives in a new sector with a station in it, those module entities are spawned by data sent from the server. The spawning process is handled in memory while the game is running, so it is heavily dependent on the performance of a system's memory. On a fast system, this can be handled with little to no pausing. But on systems with slow memory performance, noticeable pausing can occur when a system can't keep up with the required rate of data being sent by the server. And if a station has an extensive array of modules, the pausing can compound until a longer pause occurs as the backlog of new entities builds and the game is forced to stop entirely until the backlog is processed. Pausing may also occur on systems that are running out of available memory and are slow to respond to the requests by the game for the memory to process the new station module entities. Slow CPU performance can also be a contributing factor. If such pausing occurs, check to make sure your system's memory is properly paired for DDR to be enabled and running at optimal available performance (can usually be checked in BIOS). Also verify you have enough system memory (RAM) available for the game and terminate any other programs/apps that may be running in the background using up your system's resources and performance. The information and steps at this link may also help in addressing performance issues your system may have: https://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2431



When I launch the server program, it closes with an error message about hardware acceleration or the display mode?
   This can occur if you try to run the GUI server program on a system that lacks 3D hardware acceleration. The GPU enabled version of the server program has inherent OpenGL/Vulkan dependencies that require basic 3D acceleration support, including the rendering of the online clan territory control map, player positions, player list, controls/settings, and chat system. Only rudimentary 3D support is needed however (no shader requirements), so even a 10 year old 3D video card can usually work. If your system has 3D acceleration and you still encounter the problem, then it may just not be enabled. You may need to install the required drivers for your 3D video card and/or adjust display settings. If the computer you are using does not have a compatible 3D video card, you can use the included 'No-GUI' version of the server program located in the server program's install folder. See the instructions that come with the server programs for details.



My server doesn't appear on the in-game public list with the option enabled?
   First, make sure you have properly configured your network/internet connection (firewall(s), modem, router, etc) as may be required to accept outside connections from other players over the internet and that the available ports required for the listing system are open and forwarded to the computer running the server program (29888 TCP and 29889 UDP). When/if available, the public listing system will check for an answer back from your server when you attempt to list it. If no reply is received from your server, then the listing system was likely blocked from connecting to your session. If your server is blocking incoming connections, the server program will default to the private hosting mode. You also need to follow the guidelines and configuration settings provided in the instructions included with the server programs, including a unique and short enough server name.

   The public listing system may not always be available at all times for all locations. It also may not be available long term, in which case it may become unavailable indefinitely and/or removed as an option from the game/server program. The public listing system will only be available as long as it remains financially feasible to continue to pay for it and if the server system it runs on continues to remain reliable, functional, and available. So if you are unable to use the public listing system for any reason, you'll simply need to host using the direct IP option (the standard default option provided by the server program). The game is designed to operate using direct IP and LAN hosting, so it is not dependent on any external listing system anyway. The public listing system was developed as a way to quickly locate servers over the internet. But the game can operate entirely independently of the listing system and connect to a server via direct IP by simply entering the address of the server you want to connect to in the main menu, then clicking on CONNECT.



Objects jump/skip around on occasion in internet multiplayer, is there a way to reduce this?
   By default, the server programs are configured to support a fairly high number of players with low to medium performance internet connections using a less restrictive forced update rate maximum. If objects skip around significantly, it can be a result of insufficient connection performance with the server, client(s), or both. The server programs will automatically throttle the update rate based on monitored network performance. If enough players are connecting with high pings and/or low performance connections, it can cause the server program to reduce the update rate to accommodate the limitations of the overall available bandwidth, which can cause more object jumping.

   One way the server operator can try to reduce this is by changing the update rate maximum limit. However, this should be done carefully. If they apply an update limit that exceeds available bandwidth, it can cause severe lag, disconnects, and other related problems. So the server operator will need to set the update rate maximum limit to a value that aligns with their internet connection performance, selected player limit, and player locations/network performance. For players who have very high speed connections or LAN and want the fastest update experience possible, they can edit line 921 in the 'text8.dat' configuration file and include the maximum limit for the update rate (100 for the fastest).

   Another way the server operator can try to reduce object jumping is by changing the maximum player limit. Not all internet connections may be able to effectively handle a high number of players, so reducing the limit can help keep the packet data level within the confines of available bandwidth. Reducing the player proximity level can also help keep the packet data level within available bandwidth.



A 'Connection failed, no reponse from server on UDP port' message keeps appearing when signing in to multiplayer?
   If your system is unable to communicate with the server over UDP for some reason or the UDP signal is lost at some point, you'll likely see this notice displayed in the message log. The notice is an alert message to let you know about a connection signal issue the game encountered. So when this appears, the game is indicating it has lost a UDP signal with the server. It will attempt to reconnect automatically. If it fails to reconnect a couple of times, it will automatically switch to a TCP only mode just to stay connected to the server. You can continue to play in that mode or exit to try and sort out any connection issues you may have with your network/internet configuration. If it happens while you've been playing the game for a while, you can usually save your progress, then exit and relaunch the game later to establish a new connection where UDP may work. If it happens when you first connect, then that could indicate something in your network configuration is not allowing UDP traffic to your system and that may require some troubleshooting to fix the problem so that the game is able to communicate over that protocol. UDP is recommended for optimal performance, but the game can be played via TCP if needed.



I keep getting disconnected from internet servers or players get disconnected from my internet server?
   So far over the last 5-10 years or so, nearly every time I've looked into such a problem, it has always been related to a bad node (or nodes) somewhere between client connections and the server. A loss of 10-30% or more of packets can often be picked up at a particular node along the way, sometimes better, sometimes worse (especially at peak times). You may find no problems in another game because the node route to some other server in another location doesn't encounter the same problematic node. Or you may find the problem exists in other games also, although it may manifest differently. With some ISP's (Internet Service Providers), problems may occur more often during peak hours when a network is overloaded with traffic, resulting in severely reduced reliability during those times.

   The server programs can tolerate moderately unreliable connection quality, but they won't tolerate a highly unreliable connection. You can optionally use a utility like PingPlotter to run a detailed traceroute to google.com for a while and see what kind of quality you get. Observe the packet loss rate on each node along the way to see if one is behaving unreliably. Odds are, at least during peak times, you'll find one or more losing excessive packets. Unfortunately, if connection reliability is an issue, the only solution is for your ISP to fix the problem with their network or change ISP's to a more reliable service if the problem continues.



What if I lose my registration information, can I still get the key to the game I paid for?
   Yes. If you ordered the game directly, simply submit an e-mail requesting your registration details and include your name and e-mail address used on the order (any additional information just makes the process faster, but isn't required). If you ordered the game through a reseller, contact the reseller for your registration details.



I would like to buy several licenses for family/friends, can I get a discount for the game?
   Yes. The discount varies based on the number of copies needed. Have a member of the group contact me with the details of your group (name of group, names of members including e-mail addresses, number of systems, etc.) and I will supply instructions on buying multiple licenses at a discount price. A separate registration will be given to each group member (each one will have the renewal option and full registration benefits).



I purchased the game and haven't received my registration key, what can I do?
   One of the most likely causes for a delay is the e-mail address you provided with your order is rejecting the registration e-mail (usually because the e-mail address you provided is spelled incorrectly or your e-mail service has blocked it or routed it to a spam folder). There may also be a technical problem. If your payment has been finalized and you still haven't received your key after around 12 hours, please contact us or the reseller you ordered from to follow up on the status of your order and resend your information as needed. To expedite your order, please verify your e-mail address is correct when placing your order and make sure your mailbox can receive the e-mail.



How does the order process and registration system work, can I install the game later on a new computer I buy?
   Once an order is processed and passes the fraud check (which usually takes less than a few minutes or few hours at most), a random key is e-mailed to the registered user. The key does not expire and can be used to install the game on a different computer at a later date (keys are not computer locked or hardware dependent). There are only simple checks in place to prevent the same key from being used for more than one player in multiplayer and for key validity. Even if the game's website and online multiplayer server list system aren't around at some point in the future, you can still use your key to register the game you paid for offline. There are also no installation count limits that would risk preventing you from installing the game months or years later. Likewise, there are no uninstall 'deactivation' requirements to restore installation functionality.

   Once the game is registered, it converts itself into the full version. The full version can be updated, patched, and reinstalled using the same installation file. One installation file is used for the demo, full version, and all upgrades/patches. This helps make the process of installation and upgrading easier. You can upgrade/patch your copy of the game without interfering with the registration status for both the demo and full version.

   If you have questions about the registration system or anything else about the game, I can be reached via e-mail.






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