How to play Stellar Track online
- Choose a mission size: F12 or F11 (both switches do the same here: each press picks a random number of aliens and stardates)
- Start the mission: Space bar
- Cycle through commands and numbers: left and right arrow keys
- Enter a command or number, or close a display: Space bar
- Phasor strength (Novice / Expert): F4
- Chance of damage (Novice / Expert): F9
- Save and load your progress: Ctrl + 0–9 saves to a slot, Alt + 0–9 loads it
Gameplay
The galaxy is a 6×6 grid of 36 quadrants, each split into 64 sectors. You must destroy every alien before your stardates (time) or energy run out. The screen colour shows what is in your quadrant: green for empty, red for aliens, grey for a starbase. You play through seven commands:
- Galaxy Map – every quadrant you have scanned. In each two-digit entry, the first digit is the number of aliens and the second shows whether there is a starbase.
- Long Range Scan – your quadrant and its neighbours.
- Short Range Scan – exactly where the aliens, stars and starbases are in your quadrant.
- Warp – each quadrant jumped costs one stardate and 100 energy; moving between sectors costs 10 energy per sector but no time. You cannot warp through a star.
- Photon – a torpedo fired in one of eight directions. It always destroys the alien it hits, but you must be exactly in line. You carry nine.
- Phasors – an energy weapon that works at any angle. You enter a three-digit amount of energy; closer targets need less. Aliens start with 99 energy units.
- Status – aliens left, stardates, energy and damage.
Only the Galaxy Map and Status are free. Every other command is a turn, and aliens in your quadrant fire back after it, which can knock out your launcher, phasors, engines or scanners for several stardates. You start with 3,000 energy units. Warp onto one of the two hidden starbases to repair everything and refill your energy and torpedoes.
Each mission ends with a rank from Cadet up to Admiral. The less time and energy you use, the higher it is, so even a wasteful win can leave you a Cadet.
Tips
- Pick a mid-sized first mission. The manual suggests about 25 to 35 aliens with as many stardates as possible.
- Keep a notepad handy. Note starbase positions and alien counts as you scan.
- Use torpedoes when lined up. They cost no energy, and you get all nine back at a starbase.
- Don’t over-scan. Scans cost no time or energy, but each one gives the aliens a free shot.
- Finish off damaged aliens. If you leave and come back, they will have recharged to 99 units and probably moved.
The story behind Stellar Track
Rob Zdybel wrote the game at Atari in 1980 under the working title “Stella Trek”. The 2600 has no built-in text characters, so the game uses a “Venetian blinds” trick that alternates sprites between scan lines to fit more letters on each row. It was sold only through Sears, as one of three Tele-Games exclusives. Reviews were mixed: The Space Gamer thought it was not worth the price, while Joystik called it a good pick for strategy fans who don’t need action.
