Technical Lore

Frameshift Drive (FSD)

Gravitational Accelerator (via Space-Time Warp). Acts like a high-power gravity generator, using the effects of gravity on space-time to create and maintain a "wave," which it rides to its destination. When inside a system, it operates at a lower power setting, functioning similarly to a normal gravitational accelerator.

Epstein Drive

Fusion Drive. Utilizes a hydrogen fusion reaction to generate plasma, which is expelled through the nozzle to produce significant thrust while consuming much less fuel.

Tiered Tech

The natural evolution of basic technologies. Tech components are special materials used to create systems capable of handling significantly more output than usual. For instance, improved materials in a refinery's wiring and machinery allow it to refine larger ore chunks, while thrusters made with upgraded construction materials and plates can endure higher temperatures, enabling them to burn more fuel and generate more thrust.

Class System

A standardized restriction on certain systems, recognized and respected for safety reasons. For example, overloading a warship with too many weapons could damage its structure or overload its systems.

Class Descriptions:
Explorer: A small-scale colony ship, capable of constructing outposts and sustaining a fledgling faction on its own.
Shuttle [LG]: A dedicated personnel transport for interplanetary travel.
Shuttle [SG]: A local area transport used for planetary interface or ship-to-ship transfers.
Drop Pod: A one-way transport for cargo or personnel to a planet’s surface; a throwaway unit.
Gunship [LG/SG]: Armed combat transports used for deploying ground troops and serving as spawn points.
Fortress: A heavily defended station, typically used as a fallback point, for storing valuables, claiming sectors, or presenting a permanent threat.

Interstellar Travel

Leaving a system is a significant challenge. The two known methods of interstellar travel—building a Jump Gate or using a Frameshift Drive (FSD)—are constrained by the system's unique conditions:

Jump Gates: Building a Jump Gate is theoretically possible, but requires decades of work, unparalleled resources, and immense technological expertise. No faction can complete such a project within a practical timeframe.
Frameshift Drives (FSD): FSDs are essential for interstellar travel beyond the established Jump Gate Network or for long-range jumps that exceed the reach of two functional gates. When traveling between synchronized Jump Gates in the Interstellar Highways, no FSD is needed, as the gates amplify and stabilize the warp field. These routes are meticulously aligned and calibrated for safe, efficient travel. Ships deviating from these routes will fail to establish a stable connection, as unsynchronized gates cannot facilitate a jump.

For travel beyond the Interstellar Highways, an FSD is required to create the warp bubble necessary for a jump. However, without a Jump Gate network to connect to, FSD travel is still slow but more feasible than it once was. A ship traveling without gates operates at speeds of approximately 0.2c (20% of the speed of light), meaning that nearby star systems can be reached in 5-10 years, depending on distance. This makes FSD travel a viable option for interstellar journeys when no gates are available, though it remains a time-consuming process for colonization and exploration.