Game Client

How to join up

When you first open the game client your only option is to have a play with the very simple demo, or to select the player menu, and join game. Here you can enter your details and then submit this join request. The game server will email you when your first turn report is available.

The demo

The demo is a good way to experiment with the game client. Currently the ai built into the demo is very very dumb. You should have no problem defeating it.

You start the demo from the 'file' menu. Within the demo you may create a new ship (one per turn, until funds are gone), and order your ship to enter the open systems, and engage in combat. There is no victory - the demo is simply a play area for new players to learn the rules before they get into the real multi-player game.

The demo is also a very good place to play with ship designs. If you create something you like, purchase the design, and process a demo turn, then export the design to xml in the designs directory. From then on the design is available in the ship design window.

The client

Here you view your ships - either on the galactic plane or within a system. The galactic plane shows all the systems in the game - the game client will not have much information on these system until you download the astrogation database, this is done automatically after loading the turn, and requires that your PC is connected to the internet. Your ships on the galactic plane will be shown, and you can move them from system to system on this map.

A section of the galactic map

To enter a system simply select the ship, left click on the system and your ship will move towards it. When it is in the same hex as the star then it will try to jump into the system. It may not be allowed to enter if the system islocked or your fleet would outnumber the other fleets in system too heavily.

Once the ship enters the system combat can begin. Initially you should launch a beholder drone - hold down 'f' and left click on the map. This opens the drone launch window. Remember that all drones except mines and scramblers are visible when you launch, and that launching will make your ship visible for a turn. The act of firing means you can be fired upon in turn.

Once you have beholders lanched you may see the enemy - and then combat can be joined. Ripspace is a small fleet game - it is a good idea to use some ships for spotting while keeping others initially hidden.

The composition of your fleet, and the design of your ships is as vital as the way you conduct the battle.