Active System
What is the active system in Old Light?
You always have one active system, the one your management UI points at. The structures panel, resource readout, and build queue all reflect that system. Switching the active system is how you move your attention from one corner of your empire to another.
You always have one active system. The one your management UI is pointed at right now. The structures panel, the resource readout, and the build queue all reflect what's happening in that system. Switching the active system is how you move attention from one corner of your empire to another.
How to switch
Click one of your own systems to select it, then pick Set active from its action menu. You can also step through your systems with Q and E (or [ and ]), which switches the active one directly. See Controls for the full list of keys.
If you click a system you don't own, nothing changes about which system is active. You can inspect a rival's system without making your current system inactive.
If you ever get lost exploring the map and want to return to your active system, you can click the little crosshair icon or press C on your keyboard.
What's tied to it
The structures panel lists the structures of the active system.
The build queue you see is the active system's queue.
The resource numbers in the HUD are the active system's stockpile.
Other systems keep doing their thing in the background. You just aren't looking at them.
Why it works this way
Every system has its own independent economy, queue, and structures. There's no global "empire build queue". You manage each system on its own.
You can't take the sky from me.
Common questions
How do I change my active system?
Click one of your own systems and pick Set active from its action menu. You can also step through your systems with Q and E (or the bracket keys), which switches the active one directly.
Does inspecting a rival change my active system?
No. Clicking a system you don't own changes nothing about which system is active. You can inspect a rival's system while keeping your current one active.
Do my other systems keep running while I'm not looking at them?
Yes. Every system has its own independent economy, queue, and structures, and they all keep working in the background. There's no global empire build queue; you manage each system on its own.
