User’s Manual 2 User’s Manual Summary Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 6 Installation and Configuration .......................................................................................... 7 Hardware requirements ...................................................................................................................... 7 Starting a game ................................................................................................................ 8 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 9 Faction selection ............................................................................................................................... 10 Generation options ........................................................................................................................... 11 Ready to start .................................................................................................................................... 11 Exploration Map ............................................................................................................. 12 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Camera management ........................................................................................................................ 12 Scan view ........................................................................................................................................... 13 Fog of War ......................................................................................................................................... 14 Moving Armies .................................................................................................................................. 14 Fleet Management screen................................................................................................................. 15 Fleet Action Point .............................................................................................................................. 15 Probes ................................................................................................................................................ 15 The FIDSI ............................................................................................................................................ 16 Star system management ............................................................................................... 16 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 16 System Colonization .......................................................................................................................... 17 Outposts ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Sphere of Influence ........................................................................................................................... 18 Building Improvements and ships ..................................................................................................... 19 Construction Queue .......................................................................................................................... 19 Buying out ......................................................................................................................................... 20 Quitting the System Management screen ........................................................................................ 20 The Control Banner ......................................................................................................... 21 Technology Screen .......................................................................................................... 22 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 22 Queueing Research ........................................................................................................................... 23 Cost .................................................................................................................................................... 23 Scientific Eras ..................................................................................................................................... 23 3 User’s Manual Faction-specific Technologies ............................................................................................................ 23 Leave the screen ................................................................................................................................ 23 Game Progression ........................................................................................................... 24 End Turn ............................................................................................................................................ 24 Blocking Notifications ........................................................................................................................ 25 Exploration ..................................................................................................................... 26 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 26 Curiosities .......................................................................................................................................... 26 Probes ................................................................................................................................................ 27 Launch Probes ............................................................................................................................... 28 Minor Civilizations ............................................................................................................................. 29 Assimilation ................................................................................................................................... 30 Quests and Global Events ................................................................................................ 31 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 31 Main Quest ........................................................................................................................................ 31 Side Quests ........................................................................................................................................ 31 Global Events ..................................................................................................................................... 31 Competitive and Cooperative Quests ............................................................................................... 32 Objectives / Rewards ......................................................................................................................... 32 Quest Screen ..................................................................................................................................... 32 Pin ...................................................................................................................................................... 33 Quest location ................................................................................................................................... 33 Senate ............................................................................................................................ 34 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 34 Political parties .................................................................................................................................. 34 Political Parties and Population......................................................................................................... 34 Elections ............................................................................................................................................ 35 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 35 The election process ...................................................................................................................... 35 Laws ................................................................................................................................................... 36 Battles ............................................................................................................................ 37 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 37 Battle Notification ............................................................................................................................