FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - GENERAL INFORMATION
Why is it called Fed2 - is there a Fed I?
Do I have to pay to play Fed2?
No charge at all? Then how do you keep it running?
What running costs does Fed2 have?
Ok, you've convinced me. So how do I play?
Does the game require special software?
Do I have to have a Windows computer to play Fed?
How can I get updates about what's new in Fed2?
I'd like some technical details about Fed2... what does the game run on?
Q: What's Fed2 all about then?
A: Fed2 is a multi-player space trading game that runs on the Internet. You interact with the other players, forming alliances and cooperating with them in order to advance in the game.
Q: Is it a graphic game?
A: Fed is a text game - it's like an interactive story. Words appear on your screen describing where you are and what is happening to you, and you type in commands to say what you want to do. We have a special front-end program that has a graphical user interface - it automatically displays the map of the places you have explored, it separates different kinds of text into different windows, and it lets you move around by clicking the mouse. You can also display pictures of your Fed2 character, and other players you have private chats with, planets, economic commodities and so on. The program is called FedTerm.
Q: You mean it's a MUD?
A: While it uses the same mechanism as a MUD (multi-user dungeon) what you do in the game is very different. There's no elves or fairy princesses in Fed, nor do you make your way by killing orcs. Fed is a science fiction game, and its all about economics and politics.
Q: So what, exactly, do I do?
A: That changes depending on what rank you are at. To start with, you haul cargo around the Solar System. Then you carry out personal delivery assignments, before graduating to trading on the commodities exchanges, dealing in commodities futures, building factories to make commodities, investing in factories owned by other players, and running your own planet.
Q: Why is it called Fed2 - is there a Fed1?
A: Yes, the original version of the game was just called Federation - we now call that classic Fed. Fed2 is a complete re-write of that game, set several hundred years later. Although the flavour of the game is the same, we've made a lot of improvements.
Q: Can I still play classic Fed?
A: No - it is no longer available.
Q: Do I have to pay to play Fed2?
A: No. Fed2 is absolutely free to play - there is no charge.
Q: No charge at all? Then how do you keep it running?
A: We sell tokens (called slithy toves) you can use to buy extra goodies in the game. None of the things you can buy are essential, so you don't have to buy them, but they add to your enjoyment. Read the FAQ about extras for more information.
Q: What running costs does Fed2 have?
A: Mostly, it's the physical costs of the server the game runs on and the network connections that ensure you can get to it. There's also some general annual costs to do with the company's very existance. We try to run Fed2 as a professional game - adding new features to enhance the game regularly, answering emails promptly when you have a problem, and so on. We publish a weekly newsletter called the Fed2 Star, and there are plenty of other attractions on our web site.
Q: Ok, you've convinced me. So how do I play?
A: There is information to help new players get started here.
Q: Does the game require special software?
A: No. All you need is some way to connect to the game. This could be any game front-end that supports telnet, or even the basic Windows telnet facility. We do provide a special front-end program for Windows called FedTerm which makes it easier, but it's not necessary.
Q: Do I have to have a Windows computer to play Fed?
A: No, so long as your computer can handle telnet, you can log onto Fed. We've even had one player use a mobile phone to connect to the game!
Q: When is the game available?
A: We try to keep the game available 24/7. Of course, sometimes things go wrong so we cannot guarantee that, and there are things beyond our control such as our connection to the Internet that sometimes have problems. The game closes down for maintenance once a day, but is generally back within a couple of minutes.
Q: How can I get updates about what's new in Fed2?
A: There are several ways. In the game, we will post messages on the electronic notice board telling you of any new features. Read the messages by typing 'READ'.
On the web site, we post information on the What's New page.
We also publish a weekly newsletter about Fed, called the Fed2 Star. You will find the most detailed information there.
You can subscribe to a mailing list and have the Star sent to your mailbox every Sunday morning. Read details about the mailing list here.
Q: I'd like some technical details about Fed2... what does the game run on?
A: Fed2 runs under Linux on a dual processor Compaq server.
Q: What program did you use to create it?
A: Fed2 does not use a standard MUD engine - it has been written from scratch as a proprietary system using C++, with a little Python.