How to play Vectron Orbit
Everything a new pilot needs: flying, fighting, looting, mining, upgrading – plus every key and the best tips for your first hours.
Install and start
Download the launcher, run it and press Install – it downloads the game and keeps it updated. Press Play, then PLAY in the main menu. Optional: open ACCOUNT and register to keep your progress in the cloud.
Fly
Right-click (or hold it) anywhere to fly there. W A S D works too. Shift is a short boost. Scroll to zoom. Click on the radar to autopilot to that spot.
Collect bonus boxes
Small glowing crates float in every sector. Hover one and click it – your ship flies over and pulls it in with the tractor beam in about two seconds. They give credits, ammo, ore and sometimes rockets. Every 50th box pays double.
Fight
Left-click an enemy to lock on, then press Space (or Ctrl) to attack. Keys 1–5 switch ammo (x1, x2, x3, x4, SAB). R fires a rocket, T changes the rocket type, E uses your ship's ability.
Stay alive
Your shield absorbs most damage and recharges when you are out of combat; repair bots fix your hull automatically. H uses a Repair Wave, V an Insta-Shield. Gate beacons and the Home Base are safe zones.
Mine ore
Target an asteroid and switch lasers on – the ore goes straight into your hold. Press C to open the cargo hold and sell or refine ore. Rare ores like Xeno Crystal only exist in deeper sectors.
Upgrade
Fly to the Home Base and press J to dock. Buy lasers, shields, engines, ammo, rockets, drones and new ships, take missions and spend skill points. Fit drones with lasers, shields and chips in the DRONES tab, store ore in STORAGE and build ships and weapons from parts in the WORKSHOP.
Rift Arena (19:00)
Every evening from 19:00 to 20:00 (your PC's time) a Rift Portal opens next to every station. Fly into it, pick NORMAL, HARD or NIGHTMARE and fight the boss of the day – four of them take turns. The boss never heals while you fight: back off to the exit beacon to repair, then go again. Beat it for Rare to Legendary gear and Rift parts.
Loot, events and wrecks
Lasers, shields and engines drop as RARE, EPIC or LEGENDARY with random bonuses. Watch the LIVE EVENTS panel for pirate raids, meteor showers and smuggler runs, and park next to derelict wrecks to scan them. Reached 2-1, 3-1 or 4-1? Set that station as your home base.
Go deeper
Level up to open new sectors. Beat the Hive Overlord (1-4) for wild space, the Hive Monolith (2-4) for the Inferno Systems and the Inferno Overlord (3-4) for Absolute Zero.
All controls
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Right mouse / W A S D | Fly |
| Left mouse | Select target |
| Space / Ctrl | Attack on / off |
| 1 – 5 | Ammo type |
| R / T | Fire rocket / change rocket |
| E | Ship ability |
| Shift | Boost |
| J | Dock at the Home Base |
| C | Cargo hold: sell & refine |
| K | Quick ammo refill |
| H / V / G / B / M | Repair Wave / Insta-Shield / EMP / Smart Bomb / Mine |
| Y | Emergency Warp (CPU) |
| Q | Mission log |
| F1 | Controls help |
| F11 | Fullscreen / window |
| Esc | Cancel target / menu |
Tips for new pilots
- Farm bonus boxes and drones in 1-1 and 1-2 until you can buy the Piranha (level 2).
- Fill empty laser slots with cheap VL-0 lasers – every laser adds damage to each volley.
- Use x2 ammo on bosses and Warlords, x1 on drones.
- When you die, your raw ore drops as a box that anyone can steal – sell often.
- Play co-op: credits, XP and ore are shared and every boss pays every pilot in full.
Ready for your first jump?
Vectron Orbit is free to play and never pay to win. Download the launcher – it installs the game and keeps it updated.
Download free for Windows