Hi,
I have been collecting and following many popular and less popular topics in the attempt of creating a FAQ for Aurora C#. It is not perfect but it is a start. Please feel free to weight in suggesting new entries and modifications and I will update on the main post from time to time.
Aurora C#
FAQ – InstallationQ. I have heard about this game through a friend, YouTube video, or similar. How do I install the game?A. Please check
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=276.0 and download the latest version available.
Q. Thanks, I have downloaded the game but I am facing a lot of errors when starting a new game. What should I do?A. Usually, the installation process it’s explained in the main installation topic, however, please be sure you are following these steps: Install the latest full installer and apply the patch only after have deleted the exe and the database files, do not overwrite. Please also make sure you are NOT installing Aurora under Program Files. It's best to install Aurora to C:\Games\Aurora or something similar to avoid issues with Windows protecting files.
FAQ – Starting a new GameQ. Okay, I finally managed to install Aurora but a game is already on when I start, how do I start a new game?A. There is a taskbar on the top of the screen. You can see a gear icon there. Jest push it and you will be diverted to the proper tab.
Q. OMG, there are so many options, where do I start?A. Probably you should check the wiki for VB6 where there is a guide on how to set up a new game. Even if that is meant for the previous Aurora version it's still covering 95% of the options. You can check
http://aurorawiki.pentarch.org/index.php?title=New_GameFAQ – Tutorials and New MechanicsQ. Okay, I finally managed to start a new game without errors, what’s now?A. Aurora can be a bit overwhelming especially at the start. There are 2 ways to learn Aurora: the classic try and fail and the even more classic try hard and fail harder. If you are a total newbie you can check some of the community tutorials
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11003.0 or more in general refer to the tutorial section
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=290.0 . It is also a good idea to look at some old Aurora tutorials for the VB6 version. Even if the game has been rewritten entirely in C# most of the base mechanics have not changed or they have been just revisited
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=101.0 .
Q. Thanks for the tutorial links. You said some of the mechanics have been just revisited, how do I know what is what?A. That is a very good question indeed. Even if you are a new or an old player you should still check out
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10666.0 where you can find all the changes from VB6 to Aurora C#. Well at least most of them. The developer likes to change stuff from time to time based on his feeling with the game pace and also the player’s feedback.
FAQ – Bug Report and ModsQ. Talking about player feedback, I am sure I found a bug. How can I report it? A. First of all to be sure it’s a bug you should follow these steps: ensure your bug is not already listed
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10637.0 . If your bug is not listed please ensure you are complying with the restrictions and what you are reporting is not WAI (working as intended). If all checks out then please report the bug on the proper bug thread
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=273.0 following these guidelines
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10663.0 .
Q. Following the guidelines, it is reported to attach a database. How can I attach a database or another relevant file to my posts? A. When you reply to a post underneath the text table there is attachment and other options. Just click there and you will be able to choose from your hard drive the files. Please note the allowed file types: gif, jpg, pdf, png, csv, txt, zip, db, 7z and there are also these size restrictions: 4 files per post, maximum total size 1048576KB, maximum individual size 524288KB.
Q. Following the guidelines, I also need to confirm which Aurora version I am running, where do I find this information? A. Please check under the misc tab on the tactical map.
Q. I think aurora could benefit from a few extra features or some of the features are working in a way I don’t think it’s right. Where do I report it? A. Please feel free to leave suggestions to the proper thread
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=275.0 . Although would be great to have a quick look at the suggestions already made to ensure what you are proposing have not been already mentioned. In that case, you could just support that rather than create a new post. I am sure a Post with 15 replies it’s more visible than 15 posts with a single entry.
Q. Thanks, I am so hyped that I started looking for mods to enhance my experience but I couldn’t find any. What can I do? A. Aurora’s creator and the developer do not allow to utilize mods. However, there are a few approved mods on the forum
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=294.0 . By using these mods, you forfeit the option of submitting bugs on the forum or to receive any troubleshooting from the developer.
Q. I see, but I did also find some mods in the dark web or in some forums, what about these? A. Aurora’s creator and the developer do not allow to utilize mods, any mod out there will not be supported and or fixed here in the forum. If you run in some issues that compromise your 120 years save right before you are about to land on the alien’s homeworld I am afraid you are on your own and so are your soldiers.
Q. Okay understood, is there anything that modifies the base game? A. From time to time people do release little utilities to either make your experience easier or to modify the standard graphic pack provided with aurora. You can check
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=282.0 and as previously advised you can try one of the approved mods at your own risk
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=294.0 .
FAQ – Common IssuesQ. I cannot see when something will be completed because the date is too long and it is not possible to see the year. What should I do? A. Firstly you should check
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10637.0 and more specifically to your issue you could check
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11139.msg129305#new . One of the approved mods might sort your issue
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=294.0 but by using these mods, you forfeit the option of submitting bugs on the forum or to receive any troubleshooting from the developer.
Q. I have an old laptop and the windows are too small to accommodate all the data. Can I resize the windows? If yes how do I do that?A. I am really sorry for that, the minimum resolution for Aurora is 1440x900 or more and it is not possible to resize windows in Aurora C#. One of the approved mods might sort your issue
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=294.0 but by using these mods, you forfeit the option of submitting bugs on the forum or to receive any troubleshooting from the developer.
Q. All the numbers look odd. The minerals have all 1 access and I have a small number of research points and much other stuff like that. What is happening?A. Most likely you haven’t followed properly the restrictions
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10637.0 so please try
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11139.msg129305#new . One of the approved mods might sort your issue
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=294.0 but by using these mods, you forfeit the option of submitting bugs on the forum or to receive any troubleshooting from the developer.
Q. Thanks, I tried that but I have still problems. I am sure it’s a bug, shall I report it?A. Did you start a new game? You cannot change the decimal format “in-game” unfortunately. Some people also reported that a new installation was necessary to fully sort problems.
Q. When I try to open a new window looks like nothing it’s happening or the tab is opening all white. What is going on?A. Most likely the developer forgot to reset the position of the windows so they are opening “out” of your screen. You can head to the misc tab on the tactical map and click on reset windows. This should make possible windows to open in the center of the screen again. This fix should also work for the white tabs.
Q. I can't find the option to let me add extra crew berths to my ship; in VB6 I could add them on the design menu, but now I can't find it. Is it been removed?A. The function to add them manually has been removed; however, if you are concerned for your fighters crew you can read how they work on C# here
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg104051#msg104051FAQ – New Releases and SavesQ. A new version has just been released. Would I be able to continue with my save?A. All versions that don’t include a new database are save compatible therefore if you are finding only an exe file in the installer you can keep your save. If you find also a database then you’ll have to start from zero. Generally speaking a 1.8 save will be always compatible with a 1.8.xx update but it will not with any 1.x.xx.
Q. Where do I find the version I am running? A. Please go under the misc tab on the tactical map.
Q. Something happened and now my save is corrupted. Is there any way to fix it?A. You could try to send your database to the developer but it is not sure he will be able to fix it or most likely have a look at it unless your save corruption was due a bug. You can still recover your past saves so you probably haven’t lost all your campaign but only the part from save to save.
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11078.0 .
FAQ – UI and FeaturesQ. I cannot find the Spacemaster! Is that been removed from Aurora? A. The Spacemaster is the crystal ball next to the red button on the taskbar which, by the way, is the auto turn. If you push it it will lit and activate SM.
Q. How do I activate Auto turns? A. The red button on the taskbar is the auto turn: If you push it it will become green and activate auto turns.
Q. How do I turn off 'Auto-turns'? When I click on it seems like nothing it's happening.A. You need to click twice. NOT double-click, but click with enough of a pause between that it registers as two clicks (one to set focus on the window, the second to activate the button). If you find it difficult to achieve please follow this guide
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11190.msg130212#msg130212Q. Where can I set the speed of a fleet? Isn't that included yet? A. Check under the Naval organization tab, bottom left.
Q. I remember being able to open multiple tabs at the same time by clicking on the navigation bar on the tactical map but it seems not working anymore. Is this feature been removed?A. No. However, due to some functions which were causing too many bugs, the developer has decided to remove the feature just for some tabs (like "create a project" tab). You can still open multiple tabs by holding SHIFT while clicking on the navigation toolbar.
Q. I used to love this feature in VB6 but seems like I cannot find it in Aurora C#, is it been removed? A. As you know Aurora C# have so many new features and so many other which have been entirely rewritten. Unfortunately, some features have been removed or not implemented back yet. There is a useful thread you can check and eventually update with your missing feature
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10704.0 .
FAQ – GameplayQ. Why my freighters are moving but not dropping/pick up any material? A. Please check
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg105591#msg105591 . Probably you need to add shuttle bays to your design.
Q. Thanks, I fixed the design, still, I see that my freighters are dropping all the material on their first stop even if I have specified to deliver x amount to a first stop and another x amount on another one. Is it a bug? A. Please check
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg105591#msg105591 . Yes, this is a bug from the release that still hasn’t been fixed. What you can do is to plan your drop off with multiple picks. So, for example, pick 10 from Earth, drop all to Luna, pick 5 from Luna and drop all to Mars. It will take more due to the double handling but there is no other option at the moment.
This has been fixed for Minerals and Installations only in 1.12Q. I am really finding it hard to move things around and I feel like VB6 was way easier. Is there anything to help me understand how much cargo do I need? A. You right, moving things in VB6 was easier, and probably being the logistic a big part of Aurora the developer decided to change it to keep this part at the same level of detail as the rest of the game. Back to your question, you can check how much cargo space you need in the table provided by the developer
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg116382#msg116382.
Q. I am noticing something weird with my Maintenance Points on my ships, is there another bug?A. Please check
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11056.0 . There was a bug that has been fixed so now all is WAI. You may still be experiencing more problems with maintenance that you used t have in VB6 but that is due to change in the mechanics. You can see the change here
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg101959#msg101959 and there are interesting insights here
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11142.0 .
Q. I have been playing Aurora for a long time, weren’t Geo-survey ships suppose to be commercial ships? A. If you have been playing aurora VB6 for a long time you’ll still want to check the list of the numerous things that have been changed in Aurora C#. And yes, Geo-survey vessels is one of them.
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10666.0 .
Q. I started a new game and the JPs don’t really link back to known starts compared to VB6. Is that a bug?A. Some players have reported different bugs with custom stars games and the developer is working trying to fix most of them which could include the system generation as well. However, the system generation on known system games seems to WAI. You can see the official answer to this specific question.
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11135.msg129072#msg129072 .
This has been fixed in 1.11Q. I have assigned priority to my ships to ensure the right commander gets assigned to the right ship following their rank and ensure I don’t end up with all my best officer on freighters. Despite that, I think there is something not working properly. How come I cannot get this to function?A. in Aurora VB6 0 was set as the highest number and as default but from Aurora C# 1.12 version the way priority works have been changed. You can see the fix from the developer
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=10715.msg123266#msg123266 and later the new assignment rules for commanders
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11593.msg139344#msg139344 and administrators
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11593.msg139340#msg139340Q. My Harvesters and Tankers don't show any of the relative Fleet Orders? Is that not been implemented yet? A. It's entirely possible that you haven't flagged the "tanker" option when you created your design. Thankfully you can thick that anytime and you don't need to create a new design for them to appear. Also please note that if you are coming from VB6 the mechanics for refueling are changed drastically in C# so I strongly recommend you reading
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=8495.msg97525#msg97525 . Finally, there is an interesting thread worth reading/follow on the topic
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11039.0 .
Q. It seems that it is not possible to have more than 1 colony on a body, is that it? Also, a Civilian has established a colony on another planet/asteroid/moon and I am trying to establish a new colony under my supervision but it doesn't seem like to work? Is there a bug?A. You can have one colony for every combination of race, species, and system body. In other words, this is WAI.
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11173.msg130052#msg130052 and
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11175.msg130181#msg130181 .
Q. A Civilian has established a colony on another planet/asteroid/moon and suddenly I cannot find it anymore, It looks like the name has disappeared from the system. Is this possible? A. The civilians like naming colonies after themselves, instead of after the system body that it's stationed on; so probably the colony is there just under another name. You can rename the site back to the body if you find it confusing.
FAQ – Ship DesignQ. How do I know if the ship I designed is any good or effective in combat?A. Assuming all ships are good as long as they have the main components, there are few critical points still you need to consider designing a ship. Besides that, everything is about personal taste and relative capabilities. The critical points are:
1 – Don’t look at Maint Life for any reason. You need to ensure you have more MSP (Maintenance Supply Points) than its "Max Repair" number and the AFR (Annual Failure Rate) not too high. If you need more MSP to add Maintenance Modules if you need better
AFR to add more engineering. It is good to have at least as many MSP you are due to use per year. Here
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=11055.0 there is a good post worth reading.*
2 – To have a beam fire control if you mounting beam weapons, and/or a missile fire control if you are using missile weapons. Without these components, you will not able to fire.
3 – If you use missiles, make sure you have loaded them and/or set the template to the relative ordnance tab in the ship design.
4 – To have an active sensor that can see the target at (or beyond) weapon range it can fire at that target. If you do not want to install an active sensor on your ship always operate with another unit that has one.**
5 – To have enough fuel to run the operation the ship has been designed for.
6 – To have a Damage Control installed with enough MSP (see point 1) to be able to repair any system on board.
*I use this formula for my yearly expected consumption: MSP/[(AFR/100)*Max Repair MSP) multiplied by 2.5 for non-beam ships and by 3.5 for beam ships. This formula is good only if AFR>100% like in this example: Maint Life 2.82 Years MSP 950 AFR 139% IFR 1.9% 1YR 174 5YR 2,606 Max Repair 437.5 MSP you will have 950/[139/100)*437.5 which is equal to 1 year and a half worth of real MSP if all goes well. Now this warship does have beam weapons and has an expected deployment time of 6 months. So 608.125(yearly expected MSP) divided by 2 (6 months) is 305 multiplied by 3.5 is 1015. Now here I have 950 which should cover my needs. Of course, if you decide to add more it won’t be bad. Honestly, If I had to revisit this design I would just add a couple of engineering modules and keep the MSP as they are. Please also note the Max Repair MSP is the amount of only the most expensive part in your ship (usually the engine or a big sensor) so it is fair to assume you may have different failures over time of different amounts, this is why it is important ensuring you have enough MSP.
If AFR has a value less than 100% then you can just use the Max Repair MSP as Yearly Expected MSP consumption and then multiplied by 2.5 for non-beam ships and by 3.5 for beam ships to have recommended MSP values.
**Active sensors, of course, have different spotting ranges for different size targets depending on their resolution. You want a Res 1 sensor for anti-missile work, and a ship with only beam weapons can get away with only a Res 1 active sensor that covers the full range of its beam fire controls. Missile ships generally fire at much longer ranges, requiring larger-resolution (50? 100? 200?) active sensors, which in turn can be detected much more easily. . . leading many ships to keep their active sensors off, and many people to use dedicated sensor ships (scouts) to detect targets from further away, or from a different bearing, or a more protected vessel, or all three.Q. So how big should my ships be? How many guns should they have? How fast should they go? What size & resolution should the sensors be and how many should they mount? What weapon types should I research and use?A. All of these are solidly "personal taste and relative capabilities" decisions. The basic advice is that your ships should be faster than their enemies, able to detect their enemies before being detected themselves, and should use the types and amounts of weapons that you want to use. There are choices that could be better mechanically than others (for example, lasers are the best beam weapon) but that doesn't mean that you will "win" (either the game or an individual fight) since sooner or later you will run into enemies that significantly out-mass and/or out-tech you and in that case, there is nothing you can do about it.
FAQ – OtherQ. There are so many abbreviations and some are very common in each post, is there a way to know what they mean?A. The developer has recently released a glossary for the abbreviations and you can see it here
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=1863.msg17854#msg17854Q. I have so many other questions, what is the best place to find help or to share ideas on Aurora?A. Probably the best place is this forum and the search bar on the top right is your best ally. Chances are that all your questions have been already answered so give it a shot otherwise post a message on the relative board and I am sure you'll find many people willing to help.
