Getting Started

Welcome to Voidtide. This guide covers your first hours in the game.

Your Starting Situation

Every new character starts with:

• A Drifter (shuttle class) — max 5 BP, no weapons
• A small amount of credits
• All skills at base level
• Spawn location in the Sol system

Newbie Protection

As a newbie (under level 10, neutral alignment, flying a shuttle), you enjoy special protection:

• Faster rounds — New BP every 15 minutes instead of 30
• Attack immunity — Other players cannot attack you (unless your total wealth exceeds 350,000 credits)
• You cannot attack others either

Use this time wisely to learn the game, gather resources, and save up for your first real ship.

First Steps

1. Learn the Map

Open the navigation screen to see the sectors around you. Each sector may contain planets, asteroid fields, or other players. Moving one sector costs 1 BP.

2. Start Gathering

To gather resources, you need:

• The matching harvesting device installed on your ship (upgrade slot)
• The corresponding skill at any level

Buy a cheap harvesting device at a planet’s shop, install it, and start gathering in sectors that contain that resource. Each gathering attempt costs 1 BP.

3. Sell Your Resources

Fly to a planet with a landing zone and sell your gathered resources. Planets have fixed buy prices that fluctuate based on supply and demand — if too many players sell the same resource, the price drops.

4. Save for a Ship Upgrade

The Drifter is severely limited (max 5 BP, no weapons, few upgrade slots). Your first major goal: save enough credits for an Eddy (frigate class). The Eddy is a versatile entry-level ship that opens up both trading and combat.

5. Distribute Skill Points

When you level up, you receive skill points to distribute across your 24 skills. Distribute them immediately — unspent skill points are lost at the next level-up!

Focus your early skill points on:

• Navigation — More BP per round (the single most important skill)
• One or two resource skills — Better yields when gathering
• Repair — Essential for maintaining your ship

Tips for New Players

• Don’t carry too much cash — Deposit excess credits at the bank (safe from pirates)
• Watch your BP — Plan your route before moving, every BP counts
• Check resource prices — Different planets pay different amounts
• Avoid Hades — The pirate system is dangerous for newcomers
• Join a clan early — Experienced players can teach you and protect you
• Banking costs 20% — The deposit fee is steep, but bank money is pirate-proof

Welfare System

If you drop below 500 credits, you receive 50 credits per round automatically. It’s a safety net, not a lifestyle.