Navigation

Navigation is one of basic concepts in Vanguard Galaxy. The known and accessible galaxy is divided into star systems, connected by gates, and filled with Points of Interest (POIs). It is navigated by clicking on a target destination - ship will enter warp speed and travel to destination in a straight line. If the destination is in another system, ECHO will determine the fastest route how to get there, and will perform interstellar travel through the gates.

The Galaxy

The map of space is divided into four levels:

• Galaxy: Canis Majoris, a dwarf Galaxy. Not to be confused with the actual Canis Majoris constellation.
• Sector: A collection of subsectors connected through sector gates. Currently three are explorable: Galaxy's Edge (prologue), Frontier (sandbox) and Conquest.
• Subsector: A cluster of star systems connected by system gates. Names of subsectors can be dynamically generated, or they can be preset for specific sectors like Conquest.
• System: System is where action takes place - it hosts stations, asteroid fields, salvageable wrecks, points of conflict, random events, mission POIs and more.

Sectors

• Galaxy's Edge: Tutorial sector where player learns the game mechanics during the Prologue, designed for levels 1-10. Once the player leaves for Frontier, prologue ends, and game proper starts.

• Frontier: A collection of subsectors designed for exploration and "sandbox" play style, for levels 10-30. Subsectors here are dynamically generated and may contain special systems like Motherlodes, Graveyards, Dread Ports and similar.

• Conquest: A set of subsectors clustered around the massive Ara Martis, designed for levels 30-60. They have preset names (though individually they still have dynamically generated contents). Also known as the Darkspace.

Points of Interest

Example of navigation to a POI

Various POIs exist within each system, and navigation is performed by clicking on the destination from the map screen.

Typical POIs are:

• Gates: They connect systems to each other, a system can have many gates to other systems.
• Stations: Friendly, neutral and hostile stations can exist, which can be interacted with or fought to destruction.
• Asteroid fields: Either naturally occurring or received through mining claims - they can be mined for ores.
• Salvage fields: Either ancient wrecks, or purchased through salvage claims - they can be salvaged for scrap.
• Combat zones: Typically conflicts between Factions, pirate activity, system reinforcements, and similar.
• Quest: POIs that further the story questline.

Random POIs

Occasionally, random POIs can spawn within a system:

Distress Call window

• Rogue comet: A mining POI that lasts for about 45 minutes before it vanishes.
• Battle Wreckage: A salvage POI that lasts for about 45 minutes before it vanishes.
• Corsair syndicate Warband: An example of a combat POI that lasts for about 45 minutes before it vanishes.
• Distress Calls: This is a special POI that happens when traveling through any system within Frontier:

When traveling Distress Call can suddenly pop up, and they can be responded to or ignored.. These Distress Calls can be anything, from an ambush to someone needing help.

Travel speed

Example of Fast-Travel

Warp speed heavily depends on the ship's speed statistic. Some ships are fast, and some like transporters can be notoriously slow. Travel time can be speed up with Fuel Cells - a consumable item that can be turned on or off within the ship's Cargo bay. There are currently 2 types of Fuel - Plasma and Ion, with the Ion Fuel Cells giving a much larger speed boost.

Fuel cells can be bought in general shops, or can be crafted in a station's Forge.

Additionally as story progresses, captain can learn the secrets of Fast-Lane Travel, which speeds up inter-system travel by an enormous amount, so it takes mere seconds to travel through interconnecting systems between starting system and target system.

• Plasma Fuel Cell: 200% speed
• Ion Fuel Cell: 300% speed
• Fast-Lane Travel: 700% speed, only when skipping entire systems, does not consume fuel cells

Gates and Keys

Dread Port

Gates connect systems, and can be in two states: locked or unlocked. Unlocked gates are open to general traffic, but locked gates require Gate Passes (a.k.a. Gate Keys) to unlock. This mechanic is taught in the Prologue.

Different systems require gate keys obtained at specific locations:

• Regular gates: Gate passes are usually found in Canisec shops within the same system as the gate.
• Motherlodes: These mining systems are commonly owned by Mindus Holdings. One needs to find a Mindus station within the subsector, and purhase a key there.
• Graveyards: These salvage-filled systems are commonly owned by Steel Vultures. One needs to find a Vulture station within the subsector, and purhase a key there.
• Dread Ports: Keys for these gates are owned by the pirates of Corsair Syndicate. As they have no neutral stations, the player needs to find an active combat POI (depicted as a red crosshairs circle) within the subsystem (can be in any of the systems), go there and defeat the pirates. One of them will drop the key.
• War Zones: (Not to be confused with Ara Martis subsector) These systems have two factions in a state of war. The one holding the system prior to the War Zone will sell a key.
• Penumbra: Gate leading past Ara Martis and into Darkspace - the key for this gate will spawn in Canisec shops only after player reaches level 55.
• Embassy gates: Within Conquest, every participating faction spawns a gate connecting their Headquarters to their Embassy. If the player is on friendly terms, gate will be unlocked. If player is at war with them, the gate will lock. It takes a Conquest Refresh tick (every hour) for these Embassy<->HQ Gates to change state.

To unlock a gate, jettison the key for that gate from the cargo when near the gate.