The object of a game of Neptune's Pride is to capture half of all Stars in the
Galaxy.
The game is real-time but played over several weeks. You can log
in at any time of the day to check the progress of your fleets, view the
results of battles, and issue new orders.
Each Star you control will automatically build new ships, raise money for
upgrades, and research new technologies.
Your job is to negotiate with the other players, dispatch your fleets to capture
new stars, and choose where and how to upgrade your existing stars and
technology.
Neptune's Pride is not like any other 4x strategy game because its streamlined
mechanics allow players to focus on high level strategic decisions and
diplomacy.
Diplomacy
The first thing you should do in a game is contact the players nearest you. You
might want to propose an alliance, a no-fly zone, or perhaps just declare all
out war. Examine the surrounding stars and think about where you need to expand
and what stars you can afford to concede to your opponents.
Trade
Trade is one of the most important aspects of the game. Players will need to
trade Technology, Cash, Fleets and Stars in order to keep up with
the other alliances in the Galaxy. Even the smallest player in the game can hold
the balance of power and contribute valuable research to any faction willing to
support them.
Resources
Each Star has a different concentration of Natural Resources which determines how
expensive it is to develop Economic, Industrial and Scientific infrastructure.
Capture stars with high levels of Natural Resources first.
Combat
When two fleets meet in orbit of a star a battle takes place for its control.
The number of ships in each fleet, along with a player's combat technology will
determine how effective a fleet fights. To dispatch a fleet simply select it and
add a destination way point. Your fleet range and speed technologies dictate how
far a fleet can jump, and how fast it will travel in hyperspace.
Industry
New ships are automatically constructed at each star you control. These
ships can be transferred to Super Carriers for hyperspace transport to enemy
stars. The number of new ships constructed is determined by a star's Industry
value.
Economy
Once a day you will collect taxes from each star. Money can be spent improving
your star systems, or in trading with other players. The amount of tax collected is
based on a stars Economy value.
Science
The speed at which your scientific research progresses is determined by the
Science value of each of your stars. There are 4 technologies you may choose to
develop: Weapons, Speed, Range and Scanning. Remember to consult with your
allies when choosing a technology to research so you don't waste precious time
researching the same advances.
Summary
Contact your opponents, dispatch your fleets, upgrade your stars, then check
back at least once a day to review your progress.
