HWS Questions & Answers

HWS Guide HWS FAQ
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General FAQ

Is HWS a vanilla server?

No. It is the most advanced & modded multiplayer Empyrion server

When is the next full server wipe?

HWS has seasons. Each season runs for 3 months. Every full wipe is announced at least a week in advance, which gives players plenty of time to prepare. Click here for more info.

I hate to lose everything. What will a full server wipe eliminate?

On HWS, we ensure that our players’ time and assets are not wasted. There are many features that preserve player progress and possessions, regardless of full wipes. Some items are wiped to preserve and enhance game balance, but almost all items and credits can be kept.
Read this to learn about all of the options!

Do you have any Tutorial videos?

Yes, please check them out here: One Introduction video followed by 11 Tutorials.

What is HWS EU and HWS NA?

HWS EU is the server for Europe
HWS NA is the server for North America

Who are the admins and how can I contact them?

Click here for a listing of our HWS Team

What are the rules for HWS?

Players are highly encouraged to visit the Rules page in the Guide

When & why do the servers restart?

Because the game is still in development and its optimization is an ongoing process, we have scheduled a few daily automatic restarts. This notably increases server performance and eliminates problems like playfield bugs. The restart schedule is the same for all two servers.
Just type cb:nextrestart in chat to check the accurate times.

HWS+ EU/NA

  • 9AM (Tax Assessment, Interest Payouts, PvPvE Toggle, etc.)
  • 5PM (Black Hole EU wipe)
  • 11PM (Black Hole NA wipe)

HWS RE

  • 10AM (Tax Assessment, Interest Payouts, PvPvE Toggle, etc.)
  • 6PM (Black Hole wipe)
  • 12AM

The server time (cb:time) is 6 hours ahead of NA - East Coast and 9 hours ahead of NA - Pacific.
Examples: 9 am server time = Midnight NA-Pacific and 11 pm Server Time is 5 pm NA - Eastern

I want to help with my money! Does HWS accept “donations”?

We Truly appreciate all the help from the player community! Read this for more details.

Click here for a list of the various Support Packages

My ready-to-spawn blueprint ship/base is gone!

If you start & finish a blueprint on Computer X and you logout and subsequently play Empyrion on Computer Y, the ship/base spawn will be gone because blueprints are saved locally on the computer where they were created. Computer Y overwrites the factory contents irreversibly. We, therefore, cannot restore locally stored blueprints.

My blueprint didn’t spawn. Its icon is on the map, but it’s invisible!?

This happens very rarely. The ship is likely present, but is not being rendered. Try relogging. Try restarting Empyrion. If these do not work, the scheduled HWS Server restarts will likely eliminate this bug. Here is a workaround that may help.

All my stuff is gone! What happened?

There are a few reasons why this might happen. One common cause is that the structures were not touched for 15+ days. Read here to prevent loss of assets.

How to clear my cache?

When the terrain is not loaded properly or you fall “through the world”, it might help to clear your Playfield Cache folder. Watch this GIF how to do it (NEVER delete your Blueprints Cache folder):

clear-cache
clear-cache1600×935 168 KB

Can I retrieve my Advanced Core?

You have a ~33% chance to get it with your Multitool. See the video below.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1018328058521997312/1018779803165392916/Empyrion_D7pAyRl1JB.webm

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Support Us FAQ

Is HWS Pay to Win (P2W)?

We feel very strongly about this subject and HWS is in no way a P2W server.
We are well aware that such an approach which focuses primarily on monetary gain often ruins what could and should be a great game.

However, our player community knows that the costs associated with maintaining servers which host up to 100 or more people each and have 100+ playfields is close to 812€ / $955 a month. Many of these players have kindly offered to help and it is much appreciated. In the near future, we will be implementing an option for players to support HWS via Patreon. Our support packages are a way to allow players to support a game and server they enjoy and our way of thanking them for their support.


In fashioning this support model, we were careful to ensure that there are nearly no items nor benefits which are obtained via support packages that are not available through regular gameplay or purchase via ingame credits and HWS DNA. Players that support us are rewarded with mere conveniences and time-savings. There are no powerful ships, armor, nor weapons for sale. Bank Levels, OCD Levels, EGS Levels, these can be acquired via support packages - but they are also completely available via regular gameplay as well.


On HWS we integrated an automatic system nobody has – the longer a player plays on HWS the more benefits he / she gets. If someone gives us for example 1000 € but has 0 Playhours he / she gains absolutely nothing out of it. Players that are powerful and wealthy did not become so by supporting us, they have no doubt been playing regularly on HWS for many seasons (3-month periods) and in most cases - years. So it’s to be expected that these players have an advantage over those who have only just arrived in the previous weeks or months.


We hope that you both understand and agree with our philosophy which mutually benefits both player and server.



Why do the servers cost 812€ / $955 per month to maintain?

Technically it’s just needed to maintain such a large player base. HWS RE with 150 players online easily use over 200 GB RAM. The reality is, that the game is not very well optimized and we have to go with the “fix it with hardware power” approach, which is unfortunate.
In the very beginning, we covered the operating costs ourselves - $$ from our own pockets. Now, we have the support of an appreciative community of players and we are truly grateful for their contributions. For those who cannot or chose not to support us, we happily offer free and fun servers which have now hosted thousands of players. Providing this unique and exclusive Empyrion experience to everyone is our primary motivation.



Is only PayPal accepted?

For the time being - yes. The server bills are taken from PayPal and for financial record keeping, this is the only official way. However if you live in Germany, on rare occasion, we have accepted Paysafecard as well. Please first discuss with @RexXxuS if you wish to support us via an alternative method.



What about Patreon?

We launched Patreon end of last year with quite success. Thanks to all Patrons!!
As Patron you get many, non-pay-to-win benefits in HWS Connect. Mainly cosmetic or convenient stuff like Filters for your OCD and HWS Marketplace.
But we might enhance your benefits over time greatly. Check out the HWS Patreon page and the Goals on the left sidebar.



Are you running HWS for a living?

Jascha and I are both educated professionals. Jascha has a full time job. For me, I tried the big step and make a living out of HWS / Empyrion.
My primary motivation is to enhance an already great game and allow players to enjoy it together online. HWS Connect has played a big part in making that happen. Our creativity and ingenuity has admittedly influenced Eleon Studios and we’ve seen our exclusive features implemented into the next version of Empyrion!



It is a LOT of hard work that never truly ends. Thousands of hours have been spent already - making the tools that players use - a reality. It’s a joint venture in that many of the ideas were suggested and requested by our players. For the love of the game and the community, it’s not uncommon for Jascha and I to put in more than 100 hours a week with late night projects often taking us well past midnight. As the Empyrion player base and the HWS populations grow, the chances that we can work on Homeworld Server exclusively - increases.
Although I have said this before, it bears repeating: For those who have generously supported us and continue to support us: Thanks so very much.

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Forum FAQ

Can I login with my steam account?

Yes this should be possible once you register your account. However, you can’t switch different account types. If you register first by mail and then want to login with your steam account it would be a completely new account.

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Features FAQ

How does the Orbital Auto Miner work?

The Orbital Auto Miner feature was created with late gameplay in mind. It allows players who are advanced to delegate and automate the task of mining. The Auto Miner drones collect ores of any chosen type on an hourly basis, so long as they are provided with fuel. They operate even when players are offline. Read more about them here: HWS Connect or here: HWS Guide

How many auto miners can I have running at once?

All of them. The first level is free for every resource. Players must type the upgrade command to gain Auto Miner Level 1 for each separate ore type. For every ore type you wish to mine: type am:buy:ir. This command would upgrade the Iron Auto Miner to Level 1 and each ore type has its own abbreviation. For more details, see HWS Connect.

What are my current auto miner ore supply levels?

To limit the amount of posts made to Global Chat, this command has been moved to HWS Connect This link offers detailed information about your auto miners and much, much more.

How does the Orbital Cargo Drone (OCD) work and why should I use it?

Assets placed in the OCD are safe from server wipes and cb:reset commands.
The OCD is invaluable and can be upgraded. It is a private and secure virtual cargo box capable of dividing and holding your assets. You can access it via commands such as: ocd:put:1 or you could type ocd:put and drag & drop items directly into the OCD window that appears in game.
Learn everything about this terrific tool at HWS Connect.To retrieve your goods, either type in the proper command, or access it directly via the web page. Here are the various OCD Commands
Interested? Read more about the OCD in the HWS Guide.

How can I withdraw my money from the bank?

Your credits exist either in your player inventory, held within a money card or they are in your Elemental Bank account. To withdraw funds from your Elemental Bank account and have them placed in your character’s inventory: eb:payout:all (or specific amount). The various bank commands are here.
Players must have credits in their Elemental Bank account to buy things such as HWS DNA or HWS Garage Ships. However, credits must be in your inventory to pay Market Transaction fees.

How do I earn credits?

There are many ways to earn credits. Some sell items on the Market. Others play the market by buying items which are being sold far below their usual value and then reselling them at higher prices. Mining gold is always an option and it has been rumored that some aliens carry money cards. Often, completing player missions carries a monetary reward in addition to granting items, if successful.
To check your balance and bank level and see your account number: type eb:info. Sending credits to and receiving credits from other players is possible by way of the following command: eb:send:player_account_number:amount.
As players increase their Elemental Bank level via purchase or Supporting Us, they’ll find that it’s possible to earn a sizable amount of credits with daily interest, provided that the requirements have been met. See the HWS Guide section on Banking.
Bounty Hunters make a very good living introducing players who have been marked as Guilty to the void of space.
Trading on the Black Market is also a lucrative tactic for earning credits.

Where is the Elemental Bank and what is it?

Elemental Bank (EB) / Market Zone

Where is the HWS Marketplace and what is it?

HWS Marketplace

How does lottery work?

Elemental Lottery

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Universe FAQ

Where can I find resource X or Y?

HWS boasts over 100 playfields and we want to encourage the exploration aspect of Empyrion, so a lot of this information must be gathered firsthand, or you could ask the community.
A savvy player might use the HWS Universe map.

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Story FAQ

I didn’t get my alien container after finishing a mission. Where is it?

Mission rewards are placed in a player’s backpack and in not the hand slots. Therefore, please be sure to have sufficient space in the backpack portion of your inventory. If your backpack is full, you will miss out on Mission Rewards!

How can I earn Reputation points as a member of the Dealer / Explorer / Engineer/ Fighter Origins?

The Guide has the answer.

What locations are taxed and what happens if I can’t pay?

Become a tax expert here.