The game is intended to be full 3D. Meaning unit movement and positioning is completely free.
The current map is spawn point symmetrical. All eight spawn points are located on the same horizontal plane.
Only the "Pirate"-Computer player will attack all others will build some basic units and stop.
There is no way to "win" the game yet. (I have plans though)
Unit abilities beyond movement and attack are defined by its modules. Most modules can be upgraded/replaced/build with the module configuration module.
All weapons have an individual stock of ammunition. Meaning a unit may display 50% ammunition but does not fire because the weapons on the side facing the enemy are depleted.
Units need Energy to work (some modules like the radar do too), fuel to move (if they have engines), ammunition to fire (if they have weapons) and must be repaired. All this is provided via drones. The drone module needs resources which are mentioned in the module's tool tip to operate and "ship parts" to build drones.
Basic controls:
[RMB] Right mouse button
[LMB] Left
[MMB] Middle (press scroll-wheel)
[SW] Scroll-wheel
UI Concept:
[LMB]-Click will do something
[RMB]-Click will stop/abort/delete something
[MMB]-Click will alter some mode
While position something holding-[shift] will switch from horizontal to vertical positioning.
Camera:
[SW]: Zoom the zoom level affects the positioning speed.
[RMB]-Drag / QEPageUp-Down: Rotate
[MMB]-Drag / WASD: Move center horizontal
[MMB]-[RMB]-Drag / RF: Move center vertical
[MMB]-Click on object (Asteroid, Unit, Message, Unit-button(Groupmenu/Unit finder)): Focus camera on object/unit
[C]: toggle follow focused unit, will stop it the camera is moved
Menus:
All buttons should have a tool tip describing the button's functionality.
[RMB]-Click / [ESC]: abort-order/close last menu
[MMB]-Click on buttons: Circle trough modes if any (The button's mode indicator will change, e.g. "Attack")
Unit-Menu:
[LMB]-Click on buttons with a full frame will open a submenu or start a select-target process (Cursor should change, click on the desired target)
Hovering over Icons with a corner-frame (passive modules) will display the tool tip and the use of the module.
Holding [ctrl] while giving a queue able order (movement, transfer cargo, build station/ship/module) will append the order to the unit's order chain. Otherwise the new order will clear the order chain.
[Right-Ctrl]-[Del]: self-destruction of the selected unit.
Known issues:
- Sometimes the mouse cursor will not change back when the TextInput is left.
- Units can be selected while clicking on a DropDownList's Item if a unit is located "under" it. All other GUI-Elements should prohibit unit de-/selection while the cursor is over them.
- On some computers nebulae cause performance issues.