Star Lords Manual - Basics Controls
Command
Panels
Main
Command Panel
Secondary
Command Panel
Star
Map Display
Star
Map Option Bar
Star
Map Quick Menu
Information
Panels
Throughout the game are common interface controls that you should become familiar with.
Most of the game's screens have a main command panel in the lower left corner. This control panel forms the main hub of the game. Each of the selections will take you to a different area of your empire's government. Moving the mouse over the control buttons will show what that button controls and the shortcut key that can also be used to access that screen. The button for the screen you are currently on will be highlighted in green.
Menu Button: This will bring up a pop-up menu that will allow to save the current game, exit the game, return to the main menu, change in-game options like volume and scroll rate, load a saved game, or access the in-game help menu.
Star Fleet Command Button (F5): This will take you to the Star Fleet Command Menu, from which you can control your space fleets.
Communication Button (F2): This will take you to the Communication Menu, allowing you to send messages to other players and negotiate treaties.
Battle Comm. Button (F8): This will take you to the Battle Command Menu, which allows you to view any battles fought by your forces in the last turn or to create simulated battles.
Star Base Command Button (F6): This will take you to the Star Base Command Menu, from which you can view current Star Base status and issue new construction orders.
Economy Command Button (F3): This will take you to the Economy Menu, from which your empire's surplus levels and civilian shipping are controlled.
End Turn Button (F9): This will end the current turn. You will be asked to verify that you wish to end the current turn when clicking on this command. Once you confirm this, the game will process the current turn and begins the next turn.
Planetary Command Button (F7): This will take you to the Planetary Command Menu, which shows the current status of your empire's planets and allows you to build new structures to improve them.
Research Command Button (F4): This will take you to the Research Menu, from which you set the research priorities for your empire's scientists.
The Secondary Command Panel can be seen in the lower right corner of the game screen. It is also available on most screens, but its buttons change function with each screen. Some menus will have all nine buttons active while some will only have one or two. Buttons for commands not currently available will be grayed-out. Usually moving the mouse over the button will reveal a short message as to why the button is currently grayed out. Typically this is because you lack the technology or units necessary to perform the indicated action.
The Star Map control is a common control panel that appears on most in-game screens. It is much more than a map. From this control panel you can quickly take control of specific fleets, Star Bases or planets. You can also access information about these units or planets from the map.
The Star Map displays the locations of all planets, whether or not you have visited them yet. Planets that you have detailed scans of are shown as green if they are colonizable and brown if not. Planets you have colonized will appear blue, as will the fleets you control. Planets and fleets of other empires will appear in different colors, depending on their current relationship with you. The units of neutral empire empires will appear yellow. Empires with which you are at war will appear red. Empires with which you are trading will appear purple. Empires with which you have formed an alliance will appear teal (light blue). Unexplored worlds and unmarked ships (ships which an empire has built with covert operations in mind) will appear as light gray.
To the right of the Star Map are a series of toggle buttons, which control the display options for the map. The information displayed on the map can be adjusted based on your information needs at the time. There are eleven display options and four control buttons. Eight of these options are displayed at anyone time - you will need to scroll the bar up or down to see the others. Moving the mouse over a button will reveal the button's name.
Scroll Up: This scrolls the buttons up.
Scroll Down: This scrolls the buttons down.
Zoom In: This button will zoom in the Star Map for a closer look. The shortcut key is the + key on the number keypad.
Zoom Out: This button will zoom out the Star Map to get a larger overview of the galaxy. The shortcut key is the - key on the number keypad.
System Name: This will toggle planet names on or off. If you are in the Planetary Command Menu, the currently selected planet name will always be displayed. The names of all planets appear below them. If a player re-names one or more of his worlds, the new names will appear on the map.
System Display: This will toggle the size of the planets shown on the map. When zoomed out this may be necessary in order to see the color of a planet.
Fleet Name: This will display the names of the fleets you control next to each fleet. Should more than one fleet be present at a specific point, selecting this option will display "Multiple Fleet - X", where X is the number of fleets present. While on the Star Fleet Command screen the name of a selected fleet will always show on the screen.
Military Fleet Waypoint: This will display the waypoints for all of your military fleets. While on the Star Fleet Command screen the selected waypoint will always be displayed. The selected fleet waypoint will be a light blue line when this option is off, and a brighter light blue line when it is on. All other fleets will appear light gray.
Civilian Fleet Waypoint: This will display the waypoints for civilian (freighter) fleets.
Star Base Display: This will place a small icon on the top left corner of planets with orbiting Star Bases.
Allies Fleet Display: This will toggle between bright and dim icons for all fleets controlled by an allied empire. Allied fleets will always be a bright teal color on the map.
Trading Fleet: This option will toggle between bright and dim icons for empires with which you are trading. Trading fleets will always be a bright purple in color on the map.
Warring Fleet: This option will toggle between bright and dim icons for the fleets of empires with which you are at war. Enemy fleets will always be a bright red in color on the map.
Neutral Fleet: This button will toggle between bright and dim icons for the fleets of empires neutral to your empire. The neutral fleet will always be a bright yellow in color on the map.
Unknown Fleets: This button will toggle between bright and dim icons for unmarked fleets (ships built for covert operations). Unknown fleets will always be a light gray in color on the map.
The Star Map has other functions besides displaying map data. Clicking any place on the map will give you a list of units present at the location, from which you can quickly take command of any ships or worlds you control.
To issue orders, left click the planet or fleet you wish to take command of. A short list of all units present at the location you clicked on will appear. Clicking on the name of the unit you wish to control will take you to the proper command screen - planetary command for planets, star fleet command for ships, star base command for ships - with your chosen unit selected. If the pop-up list of units is blocking a part of the map that you wish to see, it can be dragged to a new location on the screen.
Each individual fleet will be listed on the left side of the pop-up window. If there are more than eight fleets at the location, you'll see a button to scroll the list down. The scroll down and up button will only appear if there is a fleet above or below the set of fleets currently displayed.
Planets and Star Bases will appear on the right side of the window. There will only be one planet and one Star Base at any one location.
Clicking on the eye icon next to a listed unit will show all available information on the unit. This function can be useful when scanning enemy fleets, as it may reveal (depending on your last scan of the fleet) the number and general size of ships present. It will also show basic information about units or worlds you control. Clicking done or anywhere outside of the window will close the information window.
Clicking on an unoccupied region of space will reveal the current location of the mouse by sector (in the form x,y).
Information throughout the game is presented in one of two formats, on selectable information panels or non-selectable panels.
Selectable Information Panels
These information panels serve not only to display information, but also allow you to select specific elements on the panel and change them, or get more information. If you can select something in a panel, it will have a translucent blue background.
Non-Selectable Information Panels
These panels display only information, and cannot be interacted with. These panels have a translucent green background.