Turn System (Energy)
The turn system is the heartbeat of Voidtide. Everything revolves around Energy.
Energy Regeneration
Section titled “Energy Regeneration”New energy is granted at regular intervals:
| Player Status | Interval |
|---|---|
| Newbie (under level 10, neutral, shuttle) | Every 15 minutes |
| Regular player | Every 30 minutes |
| Inactive (2.5h without action) | Variable timer resets after 10 newbie rounds |
When a new round starts, you receive your full energy allotment based on your Navigation skill.
The Energy Formula
Section titled “The Energy Formula”Energy = (Navigation Skill / 4) + 4Examples:
| Navigation Skill | Energy per Round |
|---|---|
| 0 | 4 |
| 20 | 9 |
| 40 | 14 |
| 100 | 29 |
| 200 | 54 |
Navigation is the single most impactful skill in the game. Every point in Navigation translates directly to more actions per round.
Ship Energy Limit
Section titled “Ship Energy Limit”Your ship imposes an additional upper limit on usable energy:
- The Drifter (starter shuttle) caps at 5 energy — even if your Navigation skill would grant 14
- Better ships have higher limits
- Engine upgrades increase the ship’s energy cap further
Always check your ship’s energy limit when planning your Navigation skill investment.
Energy Costs
Section titled “Energy Costs”| Action | Energy Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jump one sector | 1 energy | Each waypoint = 1 energy |
| Gather resources | 1 energy | Per gathering attempt |
| Attack a player | All remaining energy (min. 5) | Attack consumes ALL energy |
| Form a fleet | All remaining energy (min. 5) | Fleet consumes ALL energy |
| Enter landing zone | 0 energy | Costs 500 credits instead |
| Trade at planet/station | 0 energy | Trading is free |
Strategic Implications
Section titled “Strategic Implications”The energy system creates meaningful choices every round:
- Travel vs. gather — Spend energy reaching a rich sector or gather in a nearby poor one?
- Attack timing — Attacking costs ALL your energy, so you can’t flee afterward
- Route planning — Count the waypoints to your destination. Can you make it in one round?
- Fleet coordination — Fleeting also costs all energy, so timing with clan mates matters
Inactivity
Section titled “Inactivity”After 2.5 hours without any action, the game considers you inactive. The round timer shifts to a variable mode and resets after 10 newbie-speed rounds (15 min each). This prevents energy from piling up infinitely while you’re away.