Question 1

What is NGC 404?

Accepted Answer

NGC 404 is a space RPG/strategy game where you lead a faction, colonize planets, trade commodities, command fleets, and engage in real-time space combat. It combines economy management, diplomacy, and tactical ship command.

Question 2

Does the game support multiplayer?

Accepted Answer

Yes! NGC 404 supports online multiplayer via Steam. One player hosts the game as a server, and others can join through Steam.

Question 3

Can I play cooperatively with friends?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the game supports multiplayer where each player controls their own separate faction. You can compete, trade, or form diplomatic alliances with other players.

Question 4

How is the galaxy generated?

Accepted Answer

The galaxy is procedurally generated — star systems are placed randomly across open space. Each system contains a central star, planets of various types with unique resources, stations, and other objects. Ships travel freely between systems through interstellar space. Every playthrough offers a unique galaxy layout.

Question 5

What engine is the game built on?

Accepted Answer

NGC 404 is built using the Godot 4.5 engine with GDScript.

Question 6

What planet types exist in the game?

Accepted Answer

There are 8 planet types: Terran, Ocean, Desert, Ice, Rocky, Barren, Volcanic, and Gas Giant. Each type has different habitability ratings and available resources.

Question 7

How do I colonize a planet?

Accepted Answer

Send a ship to orbit an unclaimed planet and use the colonization option from the context menu. The planet will then come under your faction's control.

Question 8

How do colonies develop?

Accepted Answer

Colonies progress through 6 development levels: Outpost, Outpost Established, Colony, Colony Established, Established, and Core. Growth depends on food supply, luxury goods availability, planet habitability, and colony stability.

Question 9

What can I build on planets?

Accepted Answer

You can construct production buildings, spaceports (Docking Station, Space Port, Trade Port), and other improvements. Buildings have construction queues and can be upgraded over time.

Question 10

What is colony stability?

Accepted Answer

Stability (0–100%) affects your planet's trade throughput and operational efficiency. Low stability reduces throughput significantly, while maximum stability provides full throughput and optimal performance.

Question 11

What are building artifacts?

Accepted Answer

Building artifacts are special enhancements that can be applied to planet buildings. They provide bonuses like increased throughput or improved production output.

Question 12

How does the economy work?

Accepted Answer

The economy runs on three cycles: daily (price updates), weekly (order generation, trade contracts), and monthly (revenue, import/export, production). Commodity prices are driven by global supply and demand.

Question 13

What resources are available?

Accepted Answer

The main commodities are: Food, Water, Fuel, Supply, Minerals, Rare Minerals, Basic Components, Advanced Components, Luxury Goods, and Crew.

Question 14

How are market prices determined?

Accepted Answer

Prices are calculated from the supply-to-demand ratio with a softening elasticity, then smoothed using an exponential moving average. Prices fluctuate between 60% and 250% of the base price. When global stocks fall below 3 months of supply, prices get an additional scarcity boost.

Question 15

What is market access?

Accepted Answer

Market access depends on trade traffic along routes to your planet. A new colony starts at 30% access, which grows toward 100% with regular trade. Low access means worse buy/sell prices and reduced throughput capacity.

Question 16

How does inter-planet trade work?

Accepted Answer

Planets automatically import scarce commodities and export surpluses each month. Imports prioritize Food first, then Luxury Goods, then everything else. All trade flows through a shared global stock pool — planets export into the pool and import from it.

Question 17

What is throughput?

Accepted Answer

Throughput is the total volume limit for a planet's imports and exports per month. It depends on colony level, port buildings (Trade Port gives the highest bonus), stability, and market access. Imports are processed first; exports use whatever capacity remains.

Question 18

What is the Faction Treasury?

Accepted Answer

The treasury is the single source of cash in the game. All transactions — taxes, trade, upkeep, construction — flow through the faction treasury. In co-op mode, players sharing a faction share one treasury. Player factions start with 100,000 cash.

Question 19

What happens when a commodity runs out globally?

Accepted Answer

Even at zero global stock, 5% of requested imports still go through — representing smugglers and independent traders. Simultaneously, prices spike dramatically due to scarcity.

Question 20

Can I trade at planets as a player?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can buy and sell commodities at any planet with a market. Transactions immediately affect local prices — flooding a market lowers prices, while mass buying drives them up. Over time, stock drifts back to the planet's target level.

Question 21

How do supply levels affect prices?

Accepted Answer

Each planet has a supply level per commodity (Critical, Shortage, Low, Balanced, Surplus, Glut) based on the ratio of stock to target. Critical shortage means very high prices; glut means very low prices. Planets with lower supply accept more goods from players — delivering to needy markets is rewarded.

Question 22

What ship classes are available?

Accepted Answer

The game features several classes: Frigate, Destroyer, Light Cruiser, Heavy Cruiser, and Battleship. Larger ships are slower but tougher with more weapon mounts.

Question 23

How do I control a ship?

Accepted Answer

Select a ship and issue orders (move, attack, dock) via the context menu. Press X to take direct manual control — use WASD to move and the mouse to aim.

Question 24

What is the Thrust Slider?

Accepted Answer

The thrust slider (0–100%) controls your ship's maximum speed. At 0–66% (nominal range), fuel consumption is linear and handling is full. Above 66% (overburn), fuel cost becomes exponential and handling degrades.

Question 25

How do Task Forces work?

Accepted Answer

Task Forces are temporary formations created for hyperspace travel between star systems. Upon arrival at the destination, the TF dissolves and ships operate individually again.

Question 26

How do I travel between star systems?

Accepted Answer

Order a ship to travel to another system. The ship will navigate to the gravity well edge, enter hyperspeed, and transit to the destination. Travel requires fuel — running out mid-journey turns your ship into a straggler that drifts until it emergency-exits to the nearest system.

Question 27

How does docking work?

Accepted Answer

A ship must first orbit the planet where a station is located. Then you can dock it — the ship continues its orbital movement but gains access to station services (repair, trade) and receives dock shield protection.

Question 28

What is a Dock Shield?

Accepted Answer

A docked ship is protected from destruction as long as the station exists. This protection is shown as a golden glow around the ship.

Question 29

How do I equip weapons on a ship?

Accepted Answer

Ships have weapon mount points of different sizes (Small, Medium, Large). You can assign turrets to these slots, organize them into weapon groups, and configure firing modes (Auto, Manual, Hold) through the fitting interface.

Question 30

How does combat work?

Accepted Answer

Combat is real-time. After enabling battle mode, your ship's turrets automatically track and engage hostile targets.

Question 31

What weapon types are available?

Accepted Answer

The game offers kinetic weapons (machine guns, cannons, gatling guns), guided missiles of various sizes, lasers, and energy beams. Each weapon has different range, damage, rate of fire, and supports burst fire patterns.

Question 32

How do shields work?

Accepted Answer

Shields absorb incoming damage by drawing energy from the ship's capacitor. They can be gradually raised and lowered.

Question 33

How does AI choose combat tactics?

Accepted Answer

AI uses engagement zones: too close — retreat and kite; optimal range — hold position; too far — pursue and close distance. Ships automatically orient to maximize weapon DPS by accounting for turret firing arcs and mount positions.

Question 34

What are Weapon Groups?

Accepted Answer

Weapon groups (1–5) let you organize turrets and control their behavior. Each group can be set to AUTO (fire freely), MANUAL (fire on hotkey 1–5), or HOLD (don't fire).

Question 35

How do pirates work?

Accepted Answer

Pirate bases spawn throughout the galaxy. The longer a base exists, the stronger the pirate ships it produces. If left unchecked for too long, pirates will begin raiding other star systems.

Question 36

Can NPC factions trade?

Accepted Answer

Yes, NPC factions actively engage in trade. Their AI trader ships automatically run trade routes between planets, affecting trade traffic and market availability across the galaxy.

Question 37

What are Hazard Zones?

Accepted Answer

Hazard zones are discoverable areas in interstellar space. Types include Storms (affect speed), Debris Fields (salvage opportunities, ambush risk), Radiation (fuel/supply decay), and Anomalies. They become visible on the galaxy map after discovery and are color-coded by type.

Question 38

How does the salvage system work?

Accepted Answer

Before looting salvage, you must first scan it to identify its contents.

Question 39

Is there fog of war?

Accepted Answer

Yes — visibility depends on the sensor system. Objects beyond your scanner range aren't visible on the map, adding a layer of strategic uncertainty to exploration and combat.

Question 40

What is the self-defense window?

Accepted Answer

After being attacked, you have a 10-second self-defense window. Shooting back at your attacker during this time doesn't generate criminal heat. This prevents victims from being punished for defending themselves.

Question 41

What are encounters?

Accepted Answer

Encounters are dynamic event bubbles that can occur during gameplay. When ships meet in interstellar space or certain conditions are triggered, an encounter bubble is created — a contained zone where combat, trade, or other interactions play out before ships continue on their way.

Question 42

What are stations?

Accepted Answer

Stations are static orbital structures that provide services like docking, repair, and trade. They can be built in orbit around planets and serve as safe harbors for your ships. Pirate factions also operate their own stations throughout the galaxy.

F.A.Q.

General

Planets & Colonization

Economy & Trade

Ships & Fleets

Combat

AI & Factions

Exploration & Events

Law & Crime