StarDart Game Play Tutorial

StarDart Game Play Tutorial
and Frequently Asked Questions
by Fred Haslam
Updated: 2005-10-10


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Frequently Asked Questions :
0) It says 'Loading' but never goes further?

1) How Do I Start Playing?
2) What do the Controls Mean?
3) How do I Handle a Battle?
4) How do I Manage a World?
5) How do I Pay the 'Cost' Listed in Construction?
6) Which Type of Ship is Best?



0) It says 'Loading' but never goes further?

Something is preventing the game from contacting the server.  This may be either 
your virus protection, or a 'hi-speed' setting with your ISP.

Read the following FAQ for more details on fixing the problem.  It says 
'Server Not Responding', but it is the same issue as 'Loading' in StarDart:
http://www.fiends.com/Company/Faqs/Site/cantplay.html#not_respond




1) How Do I Start Playing

First, you must be able to see the game applet.  When you select a game 
	(Elemental, Scorpions, etcetera) a window will popup with the applet.
	If the central box remains gray or shows a small red x, then you may 
	need help getting the applet to operate.  Please read this FAQ:
		Applet Gray or a Red X

If the applet is working, you will see a number of buttons and text fields.
	You will need to enter an name and password in the name+pass fields, 
	then click on the 'send' button.

Where do you get a name and password?  You simply *choose* a name and a password.  
	If the name is not being used, it will be created and assigned the password 
	you picked.  The name and password pair will only exists for the duration 
	of ONE GAME of StarDart.  Once the server restarts, everyone will have to 
	select new names and passwords (although it CAN be the same ones).

After clicking on the 'send' button, some information will appear about your 
	position.  If you played earlier and were destroyed, you have the option 
	to 'rebirth' your empire.  This will give you a new fleet to play with.

Click enter and the game will begin.

NOTE: Some people have trouble with the sound effects.  There is a switch to 
	disable sound on the front page.

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2) What do the Controls Mean?

In the center of the star display is a small ship.  This is your fleet on the edge 
	of a large galaxy.  You have some ships, but you will need to capture some 
	worlds in order to build more ships.

Your primary controller is the mouse.  Click on a world or a fleet (little ship) 
	to see information displayed in the 'target' area on the left.  Click on 
	the same thing again and your fleet will move towards it.

World Information: Worlds have a name, an owner, a type, population and industry.
	When you see the numbers '20p 10i' that means the world has 20 population 
	and 10 industry.

Worlds also have small flags (little triangles).  If the triangle is yellow, 
	then you control the world.  If the triangle is light blue then it 
	belongs to another player.  If there is no flag, the world is neutral.

Fleet Information: Fleets have an owner, a squad count, a gun count, and an 
	ECM value.  Squads, guns and ecm can be used to judge a fleet power. 

In addition to worlds and fleets; there are gateways, nebulaes and neutron zones.
	Gateways will jump your fleet to another section of the galaxy.  Nebulaes 
	will make you move slowly.  Neutron Zones will make you move rapidly.

When your fleet reaches a world or another fleet you will switch to a battle 
	screen where you have to direct your squadronis against enemy forces.

'ENGAGE' - the engage button is the same as the second click on a world or 
	fleet.  It will send you towards that target.

'HALT' - halt will stop your progress towards a destination.

'OPTION' - this will display another screen with information about your empire 
	and some game options.

Screen Markers: You will see some green numbers next to a little diamond.  The 
	diamond indicates the direction to Old Earth, located at the center of 
	the galaxy.  The number indicates the distance.  If you wander too far 
	from your own worlds, you can find them by looking for a purple marker.

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3) How do I Handle a Battle?

Again, your primary controller is your mouse.  You will see a number of ships  
	in the central squares on the screen.  If this is your first fight, you 
	most likely have 3 squads.

Each squad will display its type and number of ships (eg. Sloop 300).  Below 
	the ship image will be two bars.  Then yellow bar is a countdown to the 
	ship firing.  The red bar is accumulated damage for the squad.  When the 
	red bar 'rolls over' - the squads size will go down.

Click on one of your squads and DRAG the mouse towards another square.  If the 
	square has an enemy squad, then your squad will begin attacking.  If the 
	square is empty and in your central grid then the squad will move to 
	the new square.  This can be handy for more advanced fights.

If you are fighting at a world, you will most likely face a single squad of 
	space stations.  Drag all your squads to target this one squad.  Your 
	ships will begin to fire.

At the top, you will see the power of each fleet expressed in 'guns'.  You will 
	also see an ECM rating.  More guns makes you more likely to win.  High 
	ECM also helps you to win.  The types of ships also make a difference.  
	More on that later.

If you are losing (ie. your guns dropping faster than his guns) you may 
	want to retreat.  It will take time for your ships to all retreat, 
	during that time they will take more damage.  If you have enemies on 
	both sides you won't be able to retreat.

If you win, you will be switched to the Planetary Control screen.  There you 
	will designate contruction for the world.  You will be able to build 
	more ships to power your fleet.

If you lose, your will be left with an escape pod to try to run to a friendly 
	world.  If you have no friendly worlds then you have been destroyed.  
	You will return to the opening screen where you can 'rebirth' and get 
	another fleet to fight with.

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4) How do I Manage a World?

The world management screen has two major tools.  At the top are two green blocks 
	that display the fleets.  At the bottom are ten yellow blocks where you 
	create construction commands.

The fleet blocks show you the size of the squads in your personal fleet and in 
	the world fleet.  You can transfer ships from one fleet into the other 
	by clicking on the name of the ship squad INSIDE the green block.

There is no way to split the ships, you get all or nothing.  There is a maximum 
	size for squads, and this limit is smaller for the larger ships.  If two 
	squads are each at the maximum, then they have the same number of guns.

The yellow blocks will hold and take commands.  Click on an empty block.  Then 
	click on button from 'sloop' to 'facility'.  The 'nothing' button is 
	used to erase commands.

The construction command will not stick until you click on the 'send' button 
	in the yellow block. 

If you select facility, you then pick the type of facility to build.  Each 
	world can have exactly one facility.  They are expensive.  If you leave 
	a world before the facility is built, it may never finish.

If you have picked a ship or industry, then you need to select a number using 
	the slide bar.  The maxiumum is 240.  

You can also specify that the command 'repeat'.  This means that when the construction 
	is complete, the command is send back to the end of the line to be done again.
	You can mix repeat with non-repeat commands.  This is a good way to create 
	mixed fleets and rapidly build a world.

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5) How do I Pay the 'Cost' Listed in Construction?

Every ten seconds construction occurs.  If you have sound on, you will hear a little 
	construction sound.  Worlds will produce one build point for each population 
	and industry.  A world with 30p and 80i will produce 110 BPs every ten seconds.

Your command fleet gives you a production bonus.  This varies depending on the game 
	and on how many Merchant Facilities you have built.  If you look on the 
	options screen you will see a 'Command Build' value.  This is how many BPs 
	your fleet produces when it is at a world.  

*REMEMBER* your command production bonus only applies to the world you are orbiting.

You can increase world production by building industries.  Most worlds can hold a 
	maximum of 4 industry per population.  This means that their max production 
	is five times their population.

Worlds can save up BPs for multiple turns in order to build big projects.  This is 
	displayed as 'storage'.  BPs in storage suffer from DECAY.  Storage will 
	lose 10% (one tenth) of the BPs every ten seconds.  This means that you need
	a production of 100 BPs in order to be SURE you can build a Frigate which 
	costs 1,000 BPs.  (trust me on the math, it works out)

There are other factors that affect production.  Poor worlds produce less.  Rich worlds
	produce more.  Small worlds hold less industry.  Large worlds hold more industry.  
	Merchant Facilities can give a bonus to all worlds
	(look for 'Planets Build' on your Options screen).

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6) Which Type of Ship is Best?

StarDarts are the best by far.  They have thousands of guns, incredible ECM bonuses, 
	capital ship range, and they ensure the loyalty of a world.  

The trouble is getting them.  You aren't able to build StarDarts, you have to find them.  
	Star Darts begin the game defending neutral worlds.  When these are destroyed, 
	they will re-appear in the center of stellar phenomena: Nebulae, Neutron Zones, 
	Gateways, and Stellurae.  (Stellurae are built on worlds)

Here are the other ship types with their advantages and disadvantages:

	BPs = build points, see the question on world management
	Guns = attack power and hit points.  A ship with 5 guns can take 5 hits.


Type Cost Guns Description

Sloop 50 BPs 1 Gun
	Sloop are the smallest and cheapest ship.  They have a combat bonus 
		when attacking Frigates, but are vulnerable to Corsairs & Rangers

Corsair 250 BPs 5 Guns
	Corsairs are medium ships.  They have a combat bonus against Sloops,
		but are vulnerable to Frigates.

Ranger 250 BPs 5 Guns
	Rangers are like Corsairs.  They are a little weaker in combat, 
		but provide ECM for the fleet.

Frigate 1000 BPs 20 Guns
	Frigates are capital ships, capable of firing from the second row.  
		They have a combat bonus against Corsairs & Rangers, 
		but are vulnerable to the agile Sloops.

Station 100 BPs 2 Guns
	Stations cannot join mobile fleets.  They are stuck at worlds, but 
		have better combat ratings and a small ECM bonus.  Stations 
		are vulnerable to StarDarts.

Star Dart  n/a 2500 Guns
	Star Darts are the ultimate capital ship, able to fire from the second row.
		They have an enormous ECM bonus and a bonus to attack Stations.
		They also recover from damage given enough time.



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Type	Cost	Guns	Description
Sloop	50 BPs	1 Gun	Sloop are the smallest and cheapest ship. They have a combat bonus when attacking Frigates, but are vulnerable to Corsairs & Rangers
Corsair	250 BPs	5 Guns	Corsairs are medium ships. They have a combat bonus against Sloops, but are vulnerable to Frigates.
Ranger	250 BPs	5 Guns	Rangers are like Corsairs. They are a little weaker in combat, but provide ECM for the fleet.
Frigate	1000 BPs	20 Guns	Frigates are capital ships, capable of firing from the second row. They have a combat bonus against Corsairs & Rangers, but are vulnerable to the agile Sloops.
Station	100 BPs	2 Guns	Stations cannot join mobile fleets. They are stuck at worlds, but have better combat ratings and a small ECM bonus. Stations are vulnerable to StarDarts.
Star Dart	n/a	2500 Guns	Star Darts are the ultimate capital ship, able to fire from the second row. They have an enormous ECM bonus and a bonus to attack Stations. They also recover from damage given enough time.