Welcome to Old Light
Old Light is a strategy game where you begin with a single star system in a vast galaxy and grow, one system at a time, into an empire.
Expand your borders and meet other players, then decide for yourself whether to ally with them or take what they have.
What is it about
You start with one star system. The early game is about expanding your star system, exploring your surroundings, building a fleet, and defending what's yours.
As your empire grows, the decisions get harder: who to ally with, who to conquer, where to send your fleets, what to spend your resources on.
The universe is vast, and the larger you grow, the further your influence reaches and the more often you'll run into other players.
The basics
Two main resources keep your empire moving: palladium and iridium. See Economy & Resources.
Structures cost both resources and need Energy to run.
You can see the whole galaxy on the map, but what a rival has built stays hidden until you scout a system with a Probe.
Send a fleet to enemy systems to gather intelligence, go to Recon Missions.
Attacking a much smaller empire weakens your own forces, see Morale.
Dominate a sector's territory to claim its Sector Bonus.
What now?
Open any topic on the left to learn more, or continue to the Quickstart for a guided run through your first session.
Old Light Guide
Everything about how Old Light works: the economy, energy, fleets, combat, structures and ships. Plain-English explanations of every game system.