Editing SubSpace (video game) (section)

== Gameplay ==
''SubSpace'' players control one of eight ships which are equipped with weapons and a variety of special abilities.  These ships are the Warbird, Javelin, Spider, Leviathan, Terrier, Weasel, Lancaster, and Shark.  Players interact with each other in [[#Zones|zones]], which are typically split into multiple arenas.<ref name="ssd" />  Players in each arena are then divided into teams; friendly ships appear as yellow, while enemy ships appear blue.  The keyboard is used exclusively for control of the ship and use of in-game chat functions.

Although each zone can have its own unique style of gameplay, certain basic gameplay mechanics are ubiquitous throughout all zones.

=== Map elements ===
Each arena uses a 1024x1024 map as the field of play.  Some arenas may use the entire size of the map, while others may enclose the players in a smaller space.  A coordinate system (A-T horizontal, 1–20 vertical) allows players to easily identify and communicate where they are on the map.

Maps may contain obstacles such as walls or asteroids which cannot be moved or destroyed.  Maps often use gates, which open and close at random or regular intervals.  If a player's ship gets caught in a gate when it closes, the ship is relocated ("warped") to a random location on the map.

Safe zones allow a players to evade enemies or simply take a break from the game.  While in a safe zone, a ship cannot take damage but also cannot fire.  Most safe zones have a time limit; players who stay in a safe zone too long are kicked from the game and must rejoin the zone.  This prevents players from camping out in a safe zone and leaving their computer idle for an extended period of time in order to maintain their state in the game.

A flag or ball may be present as well.  Their importance and role in the game depend on the zone.

The most common map elements in ''SubSpace'' are [[#Prizes|prizes]], or "greens" (for their green color).  Prizes allow players to upgrade their ships and gain special weapons or abilities.  While prizes are generally plentifully scattered throughout the map, the upgrades or abilities they award are randomly selected by the zone.

=== Energy ===
Rather than dealing with ammunition counts and hit points separately, ''SubSpace'' combines both of these elements into a single unit of measure: energy.  Each ship is equipped with a certain amount of energy, from which it must draw its health as well as its weapons power.  When a ship's energy is reduced from its capacity (whether from firing weapons or enduring enemy fire), the ship will automatically recharge back to its maximum capacity over a period of time; however, sustained weapons fire or enemy fire will inevitably cause the energy to drop lower.

Once the ship's energy drops below zero, the ship is destroyed and the player is respawned elsewhere in the area.  Any upgrades, weapons, or special abilities are lost.  The energy mechanic forces players to be cautious of their energy usage, as reckless weapons fire could result in a quick death.

It is usually not possible for players to commit suicide; if a player's own weapon causes more damage than that player has energy, the player's energy will simply be reduced to one and begin recharging.  However, suicide was possible in early beta versions of the game and the offline practice mode included with the original ''SubSpace'' client.

=== Ship Control ===
Thrust (Up for forward, Down for reverse) and rotation (Left for counter-clockwise, Right for clockwise) make up the basic movement of the ship.  Ships maintain inertia once they are set in motion and cannot be brought to a complete stop except when in a safe zone.  In addition, ships experience [[inelastic collision]]s with walls and asteroids but do not take damage from them.  Ships do not collide with each other.

Players achieve their ship's top speed by maintaining thrust.  Each ship is also equipped with afterburners (Shift+Up/Down) which allow the ship to exceed its typical top speed; however, this gradually drains the ship's energy.  When afterburners are disengaged, the ship's inertia returns to its normal top speed, not its speed with afterburners.

Ships can instantly warp (Ins) to a random location on the map.  This action requires the ship to be at full energy, and its energy is totally drained once the warp is complete, although the ship will begin recharging its energy immediately.

Ships may also attach to other friendly ships.  In this scenario, the attaching ship loses thrust control and becomes a weapons turret on the back of another ship.  This is technically achieved by performing a warp, thus requiring full energy to attach and draining energy in the process.  A turret ship takes damage like a normal ship and may detach at any time.  In addition, a ship carrying turrets may detach one or all of them at any time.

=== Scoring ===
Players primarily increase their score by killing other players.  Each ship has a bounty, which is increased by collecting prizes, killing enemies, or other in-game mechanics.  When a ship is killed, its bounty is added to the killer's score.

Each zone implements its own scoring system and may award bonuses for certain achievements.

=== Competitive Play ===
Many ''SubSpace'' players are organized into [[squad]]s. These squadrons serve the same purpose as clans or teams do in other online games and allow players to cooperate and improve their skills, as well as to become more familiar with fellow players. In addition, many squads compete in competitive [[Sports league|league]]s hosted by various zones. Dueling is another favorite pastime and many zones have separate arenas for this purpose alone.

===Ships===
Within any given zone, a player can choose between up to eight different ships:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://play-free-online-games.com/games/subspacecontinuum.html |title=Subspace Continuum |website=play-free-online-games.com |access-date=January 30, 2008}}</ref> Warbird, Javelin, Spider, Leviathan, Terrier, Weasel, Lancaster, and Shark.<ref>http://subspace.legendzones.com/guide/index.php?page=ships/index.php&title=Ships {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080319233447/http://subspace.legendzones.com/guide/index.php?page=ships%2Findex.php&title=Ships |date=March 19, 2008 }} Retrieved January 30, 2008</ref>

=== Standard VIE Settings ===
''Standard VIE Settings'', SVS for short, (also referred to as Standard SubSpace Settings<ref name="history"/><ref>[http://beginner.getcontinuum.com/ Subspace Continuum – Freeware Game] on beginner.getcontinuum.com</ref>) is a server configuration conforming to the physics and rules used in non-special game types hosted by [[Virgin Interactive Entertainment]] (VIE) before the company's dissolution.<ref>[http://www.ssdownloads.com/index.php?act=game_styles SubSpaceDownloads.com – Free Online Multiplayer Action Game<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The term is sometimes used informally to describe servers which seek, through other means, to preserve the spirit of the game as it was originally played.