License points are the primary system by which you make progress in Star Conquest.
In character, points are attached to your pilot license, and are given out by your alliance government as you perform tasks that benefit your alliance. These points in turn authorize you for better starships, upgraded starship components, better battlesuits, and other equipment. They also sometimes authorize you for entirely new activities.
Out of character, you can consider your points to be equivalent to what might be experience or levels in other roleplaying games. Although your abilities and skill as a pilot are not influenced by points, they do determine the quality of your equipment.
POINT CATEGORIES
There are five types of points:
* INDUSTRY: Gained from activities that benefit your alliance financially or supply resources. Salvaging, asteroid hauling, mining, and deliveries are all industrial activities.
* STARSHIP COMBAT: Sometimes called simply COMBAT points. These are gained by achieving victory in space combat, starship against starship.
* GROUND COMBAT: These are gained by achieving victory on the ground or while invading a space structure using a personal armored suit, also known as a battlesuit.
* EXPLORATION: These points are gained by traveling into deep space and bringing back items that your alliance can study.
* COMMAND: These points are gained by taking a leadership role among the pilots and can generally only be gained by pilots in an advanced organization which sponsors pilot activities.
You may also sometimes see references to AGGREGATE points. This is simply the total of all of your points.
VIEWING YOUR POINTS
You may type POINTS at any time to view your point totals.
In addition, capital planets have point centers where you can view a detailed breakdown of your points and activities, as well as print out a copy of your points in case you need to verify your totals for another player.
POINT CAPS
Occasionally, a player will reach a point "cap" and will be unable to earn any more points for a period of time.
Usually, this occurs when a character is still a cadet. Cadets can earn relatively few points until their profile is approved and they become a full pilot.
Rarely, a player will cease to earn points for another reason. At all times, there is a maximum number of points that each character can achieve. This maximum increases continually over time. The rate of increase is greatly accelerated for new players, and can also be accelerated by spending time roleplaying with other players in lounges and bars.
The vast majority of players never encounter this point cap. Its purpose is simply to serve as a last-resort failsafe in order to preserve game balance, and to discourage endless point grinding.
