Star Lords Manual - Single Player Game
Starting a Single
Player Game
1. Selecting a Race
2.
Selecting
a Starship Frameset
3.
Select
Wining Conditions
4. Choosing a Universe
Size
5. Choosing a Universe
Resource Level
6.
Choosing
the Number of AI Player.
7.
Create the Universe
To start a single player game, from the Main Menu, select Single Player. Then select New Game to start a new single player game. You can also choose to load a current game by selecting Load Game.
Once you have selected New Game from the Single Player Menu, you will be taken to the Game Menu. Here you need to decide on the race you will be playing and the hull style of your race's starships. You can select the race you wish to play by clicking on the Left Arrow or the Right Arrow above the race Homeworld image. The name of the race is displayed in the middle bar above the Homeworld image, and can be changed by clicking on the box and typing in a new name (changing the name will have no affect on the race's abilities). Each race has its own advantages and disadvantages. The race description is in the text info box on the right. There is also a box to the far right that gives a brief summary of the currently selected race's abilities. From this screen you can also re-name your government by clicking on the government name located along the top of the screen and typing in a new name.
Population Growth Rate
Each race has a different Population Growth Rate. This growth rate represents the percentage by which the population will grow over one year's time (4 game turns). This is a base rate, as there are many factors that can influence a particular world's population growth rate.
Temperature
Each race has a range of temperatures that the race can survive in. A planet must be within this range in order for that race to colonize the planet without using advanced structures like Outposts and Artificial Atmospheric Generators. Colonizing a planet at the extreme range of your race's temperature tolerance will lower the population growth rate for that world.
Gravity
The gravity range is similar to the temperature range. Each race has certain gravity levels that it can tolerate safely. The only way to colonize a world with gravity outside a race's normal limit is to build Outposts there. Gravity has no affect on population growth.
Advantages
These are the special abilities and traits a race possesses that are beneficial to it. They can be quick advancement technologically, powerful warriors, or other traits. Each race has their owns set of advantages.
Disadvantages
Similar to the advantages, except these traits or abilities are considered weaknesses of the race. Some traits can be both an advantage and a disadvantage depending on circumstances.
2. Selecting a Starship Frameset
After you decide on which race you will play, you need to decide on what your starships will look like. Whatever appearance you choose will apply to all starships built by your race, except ships specifically built for covert ops (which are also more expensive). Choosing a particular frameset will not change your race's basic designs or give you access to another race's technology. The identity of the race controlling your ships will still be clearly visible unless you choose to build unmarked ships.
There are four framesets to choose from: Human, Predartorian, Draconian, or Insectian. If you wish to play with the default frameset for your race, leave the frameset selection at its current setting. If you wish to select a different frame set, us the Left or Right Arrow buttons to cycle through the available framesets. Once you have chosen a frameset (rather than leaving the default in place), selecting a new race to play will not reset the frameset you have chosen.
By default, the wining condition for a game is set to Total Domination. This means that you must defeat all the opposing empires by capturing, scorching, or destroying all of their colonies. As long as any of the opposing empires have even a single colony under their control the game will continue. There are two optional methods of victory that can be added (eliminating all opposing empires will still result in a win, even if other victory conditions are also active in the game). If you want to play with an optional method, just left-click on the check box for the option you want to use. Both options may be selected at the same time.
Homeworld
If you select this option, you need only capture, scorch, or destroy the homeworlds of all opposing empires to win, no matter what other colonies they may still control. If at any point no opposing empire has an intact Homeworld, you are declared victorious.
Star Gate
If you select the Star Gate option, this means that building a Star Gate and defending it for 32 turns will win the game. If there are more than one wining Star Gates operational at the same time, the game will continue until only one Star Gate has been controlled by it's builder for 32 turns or until another victory condition is satisfied.
The universe size determines the length of the game and how crowded it is based on the number of empires in the game. If you want a quick game, you will want to select tiny as the size. If you want a longer game, set the universe size to a larger size. A giant map would be a very long game.
5. Choosing a Universe Resource Level
This option sets how rich the worlds are in the game. It determines the amounts and density of minerals and crystals that any given planet will have, from Scarce to Rich. If this is your first game, this option is best left alone. Once you have a feeling for how many resources the default setting provides you may wish to experiment with more or less. Mineral-poor games will result in smaller fleets with starbases being a rare feature. Mineral-rich games will probably feature constant clashes of massive battle fleets, with a starbase at every world.
6. Choosing the Number of AI Player.
This gives you control over how difficult a single player game will be. The more computer-controlled players you have to play against, the harder the game will be. Anywhere from 1 to 7 players in a single-player game may be computer controlled. AI players will not fight against each other. They will not negotiate and will not form alliances or trade pacts with you.
Adding/Removing AI Players
There are eight boxes for players in the Player List in the lower right corner of the screen. The human player is listed as Player 1 in the upper left corner box. You can add more AI players to the game by changing the selection in one or more boxes from None to one of the four races. You can also select Random, allowing the computer to select the race of this AI player. To remove an AI player, set the race in that player's box to None. At least one AI opponent must be present in a single player game.
Once you are happy with all of your selections, hit the Start button. The computer will then generate a universe matching your selected options. Once this is done the game will begin. None of the options you set at the beginning of the game can be changed once you begin play.