Basics
Drag the map around using the right mouse button, arrow keys, or the SDFE cluster.
Basics
Once you find a good starting spot with lots of planets, click to drop your wormhole there, then click and drag to launch probes and explore.
Basics
Every planet type can be put to use in a variety of ways. Click on a planet and select an option from the drop-down menu to colonize it.
Basics
Your economy runs on trade. Pick industry types so that one planet makes what another one needs. Then, connect them with slipways by dragging from one to the other.
Planets
Take good care of your planets. A planet that has unsatisfied needs earns less money and produces less resources.
Planets
These penalties all go away once you provide everything the planet needs. The planet upgrades to content and its production increases.
Planets
A planet accepts any amount of a resource it needs. Once it has 2 imports and 2 exports, it upgrades to prosperous. Prosperous planets earn more and make more resources.
Planets
Once a planet gets 3 imports and 3 exports, it upgrades one last time to rich. Production does not increase further, but trade income does.
Planets
Some planets develop additional needs after you fill the basic ones. People crave goods, and farms need organics to fertilize them.
Planets
If you're unsure about anything, clicking a planet or structure will give you a report on how it's doing.
Planets
To get more planets, explore further by sending probes from anything connected to your slipway network.
Research
Once you have an economy going, build a lab and start making science. To build labs and other structures, drag them in from the bottom-right corner.
Research
Each lab needs people to work in it and a resource to work on.
Connecting more of the same resource increases the lab's science output.
Research
To research technologies, click the bulb in the top-left corner.
Labs give discounts for technologies using the matching resource.
Research
Technologies are divided into four levels. You can research a limited number of technologies on each level before your scientists move on.
Time
The game lasts 25 years.
Colonization takes three months, building slipways and exploration take one. Most other actions take two.
Time
If you'd like to advance to the next year manually, click the clock in the top-right corner.
Scoring
Your score is based on the number and quality of your planets, your population, and how many technologies you have. The final score is multiplied by the empire's happiness.
Scoring
Planets with unsatisfied needs carry big happiness penalties. On the other hand, prosperous and rich planets have a positive effect.
Scoring
Some planet types and structures influence happiness directly.
Tips
Try to pick your starting planets so that you can form a cycle, with each planet supporting the next.
Tips
Some planet pairs can supply each other, making money both ways. Use this to your advantage.
Tips
Once you get to 30-40$ income, start looking for a good place for a lab to kickstart your research.
Good luck!
That's it!
Time to build your own star empire!