Gameplay Guide

Gameplay Guide

This comprehensive guide covers all core gameplay mechanics in Terminal Velocity.

Table of Contents

• Game Loop
• Universe & Navigation
• Trading & Economy
• Ships & Equipment
• Combat System
• Missions & Quests
• Progression System
• Multiplayer Features

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Game Loop

Terminal Velocity follows a classic space trading game loop:

1. Trade commodities for profit
   ↓
2. Upgrade your ship
   ↓
3. Install better equipment
   ↓
4. Complete missions and quests
   ↓
5. Engage in combat
   ↓
6. Join factions and events
   ↓
7. Compete with other players
   ↓
8. Repeat with bigger ships and challenges

Starting Conditions

• Credits: 10,000 cr
• Ship: Shuttle (20 cargo, 100 hull, 50 shields)
• Location: Your chosen starting system
• Reputation: Neutral with all factions

Progression Path

1. Beginner (0-2 hours): Learn trading, upgrade to Courier
2. Intermediate (2-10 hours): Combat missions, better ships (Hauler/Interceptor)
3. Advanced (10-30 hours): Faction involvement, rare goods, PvP
4. Expert (30+ hours): Top-tier ships, guild leadership, server events

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Universe & Navigation

Star Systems

The universe contains 100+ star systems connected by jump routes:

System Properties:

• Name: Procedurally generated (Greek letters, star names, catalog numbers)
• Tech Level: 1-10 (affects economy and services)
• Government: One of 6 NPC factions or Independent
• Security: Low/Medium/High (affects encounters)
• Planets: 1-4 planets per system
• Stations: May have shipyards, outfitters, mission boards

The Six Factions

1. United Earth Federation (UEF) ⊕

   • Territory: Core systems (0-30 LY from Sol)
   • Government: Democratic Federation
   • Economy: Balanced, high-tech
   • Attitude: Lawful, protective

2. Republic of Mars (ROM) ♂

   • Territory: Inner systems
   • Government: Oligarchic Republic
   • Economy: Industrial, military-focused
   • Attitude: Militaristic, disciplined

3. Free Traders Guild (FTG) ¤

   • Territory: Mid-range hubs (30-60 LY)
   • Government: Corporate Collective
   • Economy: Trading-focused, diverse
   • Attitude: Neutral, profit-driven

4. Frontier Worlds Alliance (FWA) ⚑

   • Territory: Outer systems (60-100 LY)
   • Government: Loose Alliance
   • Economy: Self-sufficient, agricultural
   • Attitude: Independent, wary

5. Auroran Empire (AUR) ⧈

   • Territory: Edge systems (100+ LY)
   • Government: Imperial Monarchy
   • Economy: Feudal, honor-based
   • Attitude: Proud, expansionist

6. Independent ·

   • Territory: Scattered throughout
   • Government: Various
   • Economy: Varied
   • Attitude: Diverse

Traveling Between Systems

Jump Routes:

• Systems are connected by jump routes (shown on navigation map)
• You can only jump to connected systems
• Jumping consumes 10 fuel per jump
• No jump time (instant travel)

Navigation Interface:

1. Select Navigation from main menu
2. View list of connected systems
3. Select destination system
4. Confirm jump (if you have enough fuel)

Fuel Management:

• Starting Fuel: 100 units
• Fuel per Jump: 10 units = 10 jumps
• Refueling: Available at any planet with fuel service
• Fuel Cost: ~50 cr/unit (500 cr per refuel)

Pro Tip: Plan routes carefully to minimize fuel costs!

Planets

Each system contains 1-4 planets with various services:

Common Services:

• 🏪 Market: Buy/sell commodities
• ⛽ Fuel: Refuel your ship
• 🚢 Shipyard: Buy new ships
• 🔧 Outfitter: Install equipment
• 📋 Mission Board: Accept missions
• 🏛️ Government: Faction interaction
• 🏨 Bar: Social hub, rumors, quests

Service Availability depends on planet tech level:

• Tech 1-3: Basic services (fuel, market, bar)
• Tech 4-6: Outfitter, shipyard
• Tech 7-10: Advanced equipment, rare goods

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Trading & Economy

See Trading Guide for detailed strategies. Here's an overview:

Commodity System

15 Commodities across 8 categories:

1. Food: Food, Water, Textiles, Livestock (essential, stable)
2. Electronics: Electronics, Computers, Robotics, AI Cores (high-tech, profitable)
3. Weapons: Weapons, Ammunition, Explosives, Military Hardware (restricted)
4. Medical: Medicine, Medical Equipment, Vaccines, Bio-Organs (high-demand)
5. Luxury: Luxury Goods, Jewelry, Art, Exotic Animals (high-margin)
6. Industrial: Machinery, Construction Materials, Power Cells, Chemicals (bulk)
7. Ore/Raw: Metal Ore, Precious Metals, Crystals, Radioactive Materials (mining)
8. Contraband: Narcotics, Slaves, Stolen Goods, Alien Artifacts, Military Intel (illegal)

Pricing Mechanics

Prices are dynamic based on:

Tech Level Modifier:

• High-tech planets pay less for low-tech goods
• Low-tech planets pay more for high-tech goods
• Example: Food (tech 1) sells for 2x on tech 10 planet

Supply & Demand:

• Low stock = higher prices
• High demand = higher prices
• Oversupply = lower prices (floor: 30% base)
• Undersupply = higher prices (cap: 250% base)

Illegal Goods:

• 20-50% higher prices where legal
• Confiscated where illegal (future feature)
• Higher risk = higher reward

Buy/Sell Spread:

• Planets buy from you at 60-80% of sell price
• This creates margin for traders

Market Interface

When visiting a market:

1. View Prices: See buy/sell prices for all commodities
2. Check Stock: See available quantity
3. Buy: Purchase commodities (limited by cargo space and credits)
4. Sell: Sell your cargo
5. Market Info: Tech level, government, supply/demand

Trading Tips:

• Buy low-tech goods from low-tech worlds
• Sell to high-tech worlds for profit
• Watch for supply shortages (prices spike!)
• Diversify cargo to reduce risk

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Ships & Equipment

See Ship Guide for detailed information.

Ship Types (11 Total)

Ship	Price	Cargo	Hull	Shields	Speed	Role
Shuttle	25K	20	100	50	50	Starter
Courier	50K	40	150	75	60	Light trader
Hauler	150K	100	200	100	40	Bulk trader
Interceptor	75K	10	120	80	80	Light fighter
Gunship	250K	50	300	150	50	Armed trader
Bulk Freighter	300K	200	250	120	30	Heavy trader
Frigate	400K	30	400	200	60	Multi-role
Destroyer	750K	40	600	300	55	Heavy combat
Cruiser	1.5M	60	800	400	50	Capital ship
Dreadnought	3M	80	1200	600	40	Super heavy
Battleship	5M	100	1500	800	35	Ultimate

Equipment System

6 Equipment Slot Types:

1. Weapons (varies by ship): Lasers, missiles, plasma, railguns (9 types)
2. Shields (1 slot): Shield generators
3. Engines (1 slot): Engine upgrades
4. Sensors (1 slot): Scanner upgrades
5. Utility (2-4 slots): Cargo holds, fuel tanks, armor
6. Special (0-2 slots): Unique equipment

16 Equipment Items including:

• Advanced Shield Generator
• Military-Grade Engine
• Long-Range Scanner
• Expanded Cargo Hold
• Extra Fuel Tank
• Reinforced Armor
• Cloaking Device
• And more!

Loadout System

Save and manage ship configurations:

• Save Loadout: Store current equipment setup
• Load Loadout: Apply saved configuration
• Clone Loadout: Copy to another ship
• Compare: Side-by-side comparison

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Combat System

See Combat Guide for detailed tactics.

Combat Overview

Turn-Based Tactical Combat:

• You and enemy take turns
• Position matters (range, obstacles)
• Weapon selection is key
• Tactical radar shows battlefield

Combat Flow

1. Encounter: Random or mission-based
2. Target Selection: Choose enemy to attack
3. Weapon Selection: Pick weapon to use
4. Execution: Attack resolves
5. Enemy Turn: Enemy attacks
6. Repeat: Until victory or defeat

Weapons (9 Types)

Weapon	Damage	Range	Accuracy	Special
Laser	Medium	Short	High	Energy-based
Pulse Laser	High	Short	Medium	Burst fire
Plasma Cannon	Very High	Medium	Medium	Armor piercing
Railgun	Extreme	Long	Low	Kinetic
Missiles	High	Long	Medium	Ammunition
Torpedoes	Very High	Long	Low	Slow, heavy
Ion Cannon	Low	Medium	High	Shield damage
EMP	None	Short	High	Disables
Beam Laser	Medium	Medium	Very High	Continuous

Enemy AI Difficulty

5 Difficulty Levels:

1. Easy: 75% accuracy, poor tactics
2. Medium: 85% accuracy, basic tactics
3. Hard: 95% accuracy, good tactics
4. Expert: 105% accuracy, advanced tactics
5. Ace: 115% accuracy, masterful tactics

Loot & Salvage

After victory:

• Credits: Bounty rewards
• Cargo: 30-60% of enemy cargo survives
• Equipment: 30-45% chance to salvage weapons/outfits
• Rare Items: 4 rarity tiers (common, uncommon, rare, legendary)
• Reputation: Gain or lose faction reputation

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Missions & Quests

See Quests and Missions for details.

Mission Types (4)

1. Delivery: Transport cargo to destination
2. Combat: Destroy enemy ships
3. Bounty: Hunt specific target
4. Trading: Deliver specific commodities

Quest Types (7)

1. Main: Primary storyline ("The Void Threat")
2. Side: Optional stories
3. Faction: Faction-specific quests
4. Daily: Daily refreshing quests
5. Chain: Multi-part quest series
6. Hidden: Secret quests
7. Event: Time-limited event quests

Rewards

• Credits: Money rewards
• Experience: XP for leveling
• Items: Equipment, rare goods
• Reputation: Faction standing
• Unlocks: New systems, ships, quests

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Progression System

Player Level

Level up by gaining Experience (XP):

• Complete missions: 100-1000 XP
• Win combat: 50-500 XP
• Trade successfully: 10-100 XP
• Complete quests: 500-5000 XP
• Participate in events: 100-2000 XP

Level Benefits:

• Unlock higher-tier missions
• Access better equipment
• Unlock quest chains
• Reputation bonuses

Reputation System

Track standing with all 6 factions:

• Range: -100 (hostile) to +100 (allied)
• Starting: 0 (neutral)
• Gain: Complete missions, trade, help faction
• Lose: Attack faction, illegal activities, missions against them

Reputation Effects:

• Access to faction systems
• Better mission rewards
• Faction-specific quests
• Price discounts
• Military backup in combat

Achievements

Track milestones:

• First trade
• First combat victory
• Ship upgrades
• Credits milestones
• Quest completions
• Exploration achievements
• Multiplayer achievements

Achievement Rewards:

• Titles and badges
• Credits bonuses
• XP bonuses
• Unlockables

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Multiplayer Features

See Multiplayer Guide for details.

Chat System

4 Channels:

1. Global: Server-wide chat
2. System: Local system chat
3. Faction: Your faction only
4. Direct: Private messages

Player Factions

Create or join player guilds:

• Shared treasury
• Territory control
• Faction ranks and permissions
• Coordinated missions
• Faction wars

Territory Control

Claim systems for your faction:

• Passive income from controlled systems
• Upkeep costs
• Defense against other factions
• Strategic benefits

Player Trading

Trade directly with other players:

• Escrow system (secure trades)
• Exchange credits and items
• Build trading relationships
• Player market opportunities

PvP Combat

Combat other players:

• Consensual duels
• Faction wars
• Piracy (with reputation consequences)
• PvP tournaments (events)

Dynamic Events

Participate in server-wide events:

• 10 Event Types: Trading competitions, combat tournaments, expeditions, boss fights, festivals
• Leaderboards: Real-time rankings
• Community Goals: Server-wide objectives
• Special Rewards: Exclusive items, titles, badges

Leaderboards

Compete in 4 categories:

1. Credits: Richest players
2. Combat Rating: Best fighters
3. Trade Volume: Top traders
4. Exploration: Most systems visited

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Tips for Success

Economy

• Start with safe, low-risk trades
• Learn profitable routes
• Diversify your trades
• Save fuel money
• Upgrade cargo capacity early

Combat

• Start with Easy difficulty
• Upgrade weapons before tough fights
• Use cover and positioning
• Know when to retreat
• Salvage everything!

Progression

• Follow main quests for guidance
• Accept daily missions for steady income
• Join a faction for support
• Participate in events for bonuses
• Track achievements for direction

Multiplayer

• Join an active faction
• Use global chat for help
• Trade with trusted players
• Participate in events
• Build a good reputation

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Next Steps:

• Trading Guide - Master the economy
• Combat Guide - Tactical combat
• Ship Guide - Ship selection
• Multiplayer Guide - Social features

Good luck, Commander! o7