Standard

This article last edited in January, 2024. Expect rules to change once per year.

Standard refers to the standard game format which is played at Planets.nu. The main game formats at Nu are Classic, Standard and Campaign. Most new games at Nu use the Standard ruleset, including League games. Standard is an evolution from the Classic rule set which aims to improve balance, playability and fun. Campaign mode is an add-on for the Standard ruleset which incorporates new ships, race abilities and other features (such as upgraded campaign torpedoes).

Build Queue

Standard has numerous differences from Classic mode, which utilizes the Classic Queue. As of 2021, Planets.nu has made the Planetary Production Queue a part of Standard.

Differences between Standard and Classic

Rule Changes

• Crystal web rules have changed. Web minefields no longer have friendly codes. Web minefields can no longer be laid in another player's identity. Allies with Full Alliance can travel through your webs, but not those with only Safe Passage or Share Intel.
• When a homeworld is lost, that player's colonists lose 70 happiness, and all their natives lose 20 happiness.
• Standard games now use Chained Intercept by default.

Racial Abilities

• Feds now have extended-range quantum torpedoes. Novas equipped with QTs can destroy most starbases easily.
• Lizard can now only hiss with Lizard hulls.
• Birds have Super Spy Advanced and Cloak and Intercept abilities. The Cloak & Intercept mission only works with Bird hulls.
• Fury (formerly Fascist) has double beams. This ability only applies to Fury hulls.
• Crystals can no longer travel through other Crystal players' webs.
• Evil Empire has Starbase Fighter Transfer and Galactic Power.

Ships

• Many light ships in the game have received a -1 Priority Point cost reduction. Link to announcement with ship list. Link to article reviewing the changes.
• The Super Transport Freighter now consumes 30% less fuel.
• Birds get the Enlighten Class Research Vessel.
• Ships with gravitonic engines (e.g. the Meteor) are now elusive to quantum torpedoes.
• Evil Empire's Super Star Cruiser gains the Intercept Interference ability.
• Rebel Sage Class Frigate now replaced by Sage Class Repair Ship.

Misc. other changes

• Standard games now allow direct transfer of megacredits and ammo to foreign ships and planets. This makes the BDM, BTT, BTF and BTM friendly codes mostly redundant.
• BDx friendly codes now enabled by default in Standard.

All of these settings can be disabled in custom games, so that players can play with Classic settings.

Short Format

Short Format is a derivative version of Standard which is used for small games at Planets.nu. This includes Blitz games, League 2v2 Blitz games and League Dogfights.

You can enable the Short Format rules for your custom games, as long as your game has 100 planets or fewer.

See Also

List of annual updates for Standard/League play at Planets.nu

Differences between Planets Nu and VGAP 3

Championship Games list, with the rules used for each year.