Getting Started And Missions
Account setup and recovery, a first-session checklist, Captain's Orders, phone controls, trading and route how-tos, Stardock mission boards, common blockers, and practical next steps.
Captain Manual
Sector 84 Player Guide
Start with a guided first flight, then go deeper into market opportunities, Reconstruction, daily directives, mission chains, route planning, Trade Officer logistics, Stardock services, scoring periods, awards, planets, combat, corporations, influence, bounties, and player-built ports. Each manual focuses on player decisions and step-by-step tasks rather than developer details.
Guide Sections
Choose A Manual
Core Play
Account and universe selection, Mission Control, scoring periods, awards, resources, trading, Stardock services, ships, safe harbor, Communications, progression, and survival basics.
Navigation And Automation
NavCom route priorities, assisted routes, travel incidents, living NPC operations, Trade Autopilot, and Planetary Logistics Core routes.
Planets And Combat
Planet Operations tabs, production, population, vaults, citadels, safe-harbor berths, defenses, minefields, invasions, conquest, and tactical ship combat.
Corporations And Infrastructure
Corporation founding, rosters, banking, diplomacy, bounties, influence, corporation ports, port access rules, target pricing, local port logistics, and shared corporation projects.
Current Highlights
What Changed Recently
Evolving OpportunitiesCommunications posts three six-hour non-fuel demand surges. Known shortage ports can be plotted and pay a displayed 15% sale premium.
Federation ReconstructionAn eligible escape-pod captain at a Stardock shipyard can claim a Courier Rig, 500 credits, and 24 hours of protection once every seven days.
Corporation ProjectsTrusted corporations can pool personal credits toward treasury capital or seven-day influence anchors in corporation-held sectors.
Desktop Client POCThe cross-platform command client now covers ten game views and authoritative commands, but it remains a development proof of concept without a public download or live Steam integration.
Return ReportAfter at least 15 minutes away, useful alerts, galaxy events, Trade Officer activity, colony stores, and your active mission are summarized before the Command Deck opens.
Daily DirectivesProfit, Adventure, and Power objectives reset at 00:00 UTC in each universe and sit above the permanent Cadet Orientation path.
Mission ChainsSurvey, Delivery, Hunt, and Rescue work now exposes three persistent steps; Survey requires a focused transmission after arrival.
Trade OfficerNav Computer defaults to Route Planner while a dedicated Trade Officer mode manages port circuits, planet logistics, hardware slots, route state, and blockers.
Route DeckDesktop Mission Control shows every adjacent route beneath the sector scan in ascending order, with costs, risk, known intelligence, ports, planets, and wormholes.
Scoring PeriodsThe universe no longer resets between award cycles. Period standings track current performance while lifetime XP continues to determine captain titles.
History & AwardsCommunications records immutable completed-period results and awards across overall, alignment, trade, combat, exploration, planets, missions, rescue, and corporations.
Planet OperationsOverview, Production, Defense, Treasury, and Systems tabs organize colony work, vaults, shield recharge, Sensor Masking, mines, and citadel berths.
Core Loop PolishOne recommended local action, clearer route staging, transaction previews, dismissible command results, and progressive detail make each turn easier to read.
Rank ProgressTrade and combat results now show authoritative XP gains and progress toward the next alignment-appropriate captain title.
Living UniverseNew captains can expand the persistent universe by mapping connected outer sectors, with rare isolated sectors reserved for future jump-drive discovery.
Captain's OrdersCadet Orientation teaches the fundamentals once; three short daily directives provide repeatable credit and XP rewards.
Stardock MissionsAccept one Survey, Delivery, Hunt, or Rescue assignment and follow its current three-stage objective from anywhere on the Command Deck.
Mobile Command DeckThe phone layout now prioritizes the sector scan, essential ship status, destination previews, fixed navigation, and full-screen command views.
NavComFastest, Efficient, and Safest route priorities now use only explored memory and keep live mine/ship checks on entry.
AutomationTrade Autopilot and Planetary Logistics routes consume normal fuel, cycles, cargo, market stock, planet stores, and route risk.
RecoveryStardock safe harbor protects berthed ships, destroyed ships can leave 24-hour wrecks, and eligible pod captains can use weekly Reconstruction.
CorporationsShared projects, influence, ports, pricing, access controls, and same-sector port logistics turn territory into finite infrastructure.
Wanted ListsPolice Stations and Tavern backrooms now support escrow-funded personal bounties with public Communications events.
Account SafetyPassword changes revoke existing sessions, reset links keep secrets out of server request paths, and each account retains at most ten active sessions.