Frequently Asked & Anticipated Questions

I have a rules question: why does... can I... why did...

All of the games featured on this site are original. Game mechanics are continuously extended, improved, fine tuned.
Bad news is that, as a result, not all info on the pages may be completely up to date (we do our best to keep the explanations consistent, though).
The good side of this is that if you have any proposals, they might be implemented! Please be bold with questions and proposals! However, since this is a free site , developed and maintained as a hobby, all contributions will be rewarded with big smiles and warm hugs, but no money!

What browsers are supported?

We give full support for Unfortunately, image transparency is not implemented in Opera, so so pages do not look as nice. On some browsers, you may have to disable auto-search to avoid conflicts in Void Patrol games. On Firefox, you might have to go to tools > options > advanced and untick all the accessibility boxes (thanks sven3012 for pointing this out.)

What happens if I stop playing for some time?

If a game has been waiting for your move for more than 24 hours, it will be impossible for you to join any new games. If you don't play for a long time, your games will be automoved.

How does automove work?

If a game stays inactive for more than 15days, all players who did not move enter [automove mode] in that game only. Players in [automove mode] are automoved by the system every 1h.

How do I make emoticons?

:-)
:o)
:-(
:-p
:-D
:-|
XD (or) lol
XDDD (or) rotfl
>:-(
:evil:
;-D
;-)
;-/
8-) (or) :cool:
8-S
8-(
8-/
8-o

The RSS feed keeps on telling me that I need to log in to get the full info, but I am logged in!

RSS feeds usually refresh automatically after a set time (firefox' live bookmarks, for example, do so every 30 minutes). You will have to reload the feed manually, or wait until it refreshes on its own.

The Art of War

How are new units computed?

You usually get one unit for each territory you own. If one of your territories is enclosed (it borders only on territories you own), you get the full territories population in units, usually within 2 and 4 armies.

What's the territory's population, and how do I know it?

Hover with your cursor over a territory's units. A small title will appear, specifying the territory's name and number of units.

Do I get extra armies for owning a continent?

No, you don't. You do get extra armies for enclosed territories, though.

Space Wing: Void Patrol

Where's my fighter? I cannot click on it!

Sometimes two (or more) fighters stack on the same hex, and you will be unable to click on it/move. Try to click on the coloured triangles which mark your new position or, as a last resort, on the "list" of fighters on the top of the page.

Can I skip a move?

No you can't. After the first move, your fighter will probably have a certain speed (marked by a coloured arrow). If you don't apply thrust you will go there, because in space there is no air, and a fighter will keep moving in the same direction until it hits something or uses thrust.

Can I go along a curved path?

No, you can't. A curved path is not in the game concept (Gugliandalf). Your trajectory is marked by a solid grey arrow, you move along that arrow. If you cannot see the solid grey arrow, it's because it's stacked under the coloured arrow that marks your speed. Try to use some thrust and it will appear.

How big is an asteroid?

An asteroid occupies almost the whole hex: it is a circle inside the hex. It stretches out completely to the hexagon's sides, so a tiny part of the hex (its angles) is unoccupied. This is important for line of sight purposes: in some cases it may be hard to tell whether you managed to hide behind that asteroid or not... fire will tell!

Why does it say I collided, but got no damage?

If you go straight through the centre of a hex containing an asteroid, you get 200 damage (less shields). If you pass near the centre, you receive less damage. If you go exactly along the edge of the hex, on the "diagonal", you get no damage, but it still counts as a collision: it means that (1) such a "trajectory" wastes line of sight for firing and missiles lock-on (2) a missile will explode if it passes along that trajectory.

Does this mean I can squeeze between two asteroids?!?

Yes, it does!

I started on an asteroid. Will it hurt?

It won't hurt as you leave, it won't protect you while you stay.

Site rules & etiquette

We give these guidelines to moderate possible misbehaviours. Most of these guidelines should be pretty obvious, and the main rule is do your best to improve your own and the other players' enjoyment of this site, do nothing to lessen it. We would hate having to enforce these rules, because this site is created for fun, and because it takes away time from development and playtesting, hurting the site and all who participate in it. For questions, mail the webmasters or ask in the forum/chatroom.

I want some practice. May I create multiple accounts?

Yes, you may, but you must use different e-mail accounts to sign up. This is particularly appreciated if you use your extra users (if any) to help out newbies or for playtesting/help debugging (wow!). In addition, you might want to use multiple accounts as "different characters".

Must I make it known that I have multiple accounts?

It would be appreciated. If you create it for practice, training or playtesting you might consider using names like neko2 or ivanhawk.test.

May I use multiple accounts in the same game?

No you mustn't. The other players won't enjoy it, will they? In particular, pay attention when joining tournaments. Do not even create the remotest possibility for your two accounts to meet.

Really, can't I? I'd like so much to!

These are only guidelines, there may be exceptions, particularly if all players participating in a game agree.

I hate that @%@$ user!

Avoid flames. Think twice before posting. Always try to contact each other privately before making your public accusations. We know it's hard, since we too have been involved in flames in the YouPlay forum, for example. Be ready to admit when you've wronged someone, and always make it your goal to solve the problem and be friends once again.