Time

This article contains information relevant to both the C# and VB6 versions of Aurora. Where differences exist, they are noted in the appropriate sections.

Aurora is neither real-time nor turn based. Instead, the player chooses a Time Increment (turn length) and the game then advances, until either the chosen time increment has passed, or an Interrupt event happens that requires the player's attention.

Time Increments

Time increments can be selected in the main game window, or in the Galactic Map - options range from 5 seconds to 30 days. Selecting an increment will advance time by that amount, unless an event happens during the increment that interrupts the game (e.g., a fleet's orders running out, or detection of alien ships). If an interrupt happens, time will not advance further. Note that not all interrupts will be visible to the player - two alien races fighting will trigger an interrupt, even if you have no ships in the system where that fight takes place.

Sub-Pulses

Each increment is broken up into "sub-pulses". These are the actual units of time used by the game engine to calculate events. Ship detection is checked once per sub-pulse, for example, and standing orders are renewed once per sub-pulse. The player may choose the sub-pulse increment if desired (using the "Select Sub-Pulse Length" bar on the main game window), but typically it can be left at the automatic value. Usually there will be a few dozen sub-pulses per increment if the automatic value is used (e.g., a five-day increment will use a two-hour sub-pulse). If an interrupt happens, it will stop the game at the sub-pulse where the interrupt was triggered.

More frequent sub-pulses means more calculation is required from the game engine, so the increment might take longer to process (especially in large universes, or on older computers). However, more frequent sub-pulses will also increase calculation accuracy, which can be especially relevant in combat situations. For example, if you're passing time in five-day increments and using the default two hour sub-pulse, that means that an enemy ship can fly for two hours and execute its orders before your ships get a chance to respond, or even a chance to detect it. If you have a sentry ship watching a jump point, for example, and an enemy ship flies through that jump point, it can be as much as two hours away (36m km at 5 km/s, for example) from the jump point before detection is next checked. As such, things can potentially slip past your sentries with sub-pulses that are too long. Alternatively, if missiles are fired and detection is not checked in time, you may lose your ability to shoot down the missiles, because they hit before you can detect them.

For this reason, the game will typically force very short turn increments in combat situations, so that these situations do not come up. If you fear combat is imminent, you can also switch to shorter increments and/or reduce the sub-pulse length.

Construction phases

Construction factories, research labs, and many other similar systems use a much longer time segment(roughly five days, with default settings). This prevents excessive lag from construction operations. Each construction phase, your factories, labs, etc. will produce a proportionate share of their annual production.

For example, 365 days per year, broken up into 5-day construction phases, is 365/5 = 73 phases per year. If you have 73 mines producing 10 Duranium per year each, then each construction phase, the mines will produce 10*73/73 = 10 Duranium.

There is a difference between the versions here - in C#, the construction phases are fixed. If they happen every five days, they will happen every five days on a predictable schedule. In VB6, the game will wait until 5 days have passed since the last construction phase, and then treat the entire passage of time as another construction phase. If you pass three days after a construction phase is processed, and then do a 5-day increment, the VB6 game will process the construction phase at the end of this 8-day period, and give you 8/365ths of the year's production. In C#, the game will process construction partway through the 5-day period, it will give you 5/365ths of the year's production, and you will only be two days from the next construction phase.

Ground Combat Phases (C#)

In C# Aurora, ground combat phases happen every 8 hours. These are like construction phases in that these are scheduled events, and they can happen in the middle of an increment.