Space Trading Game in Browser

Economy as strategic foundation

Anyone who views OGame merely as a war game underestimates its depth. Resource management and strategic economic planning are just as crucial as combat tactics. Without a strong economy there are no mighty fleets — and without a fleet there's no expansion. OGame combines space trading elements with classic 4X strategy in a way that has captivated strategy fans since 2002.

The resource system

Metal — the basic ingredient

Metal is the most common and easily produced resource. Metal mines run continuously and form the backbone of every economy. Almost all ships and buildings require large amounts of metal. The value of metal is relatively low — a ratio of 3:2:1 (Metal:Crystal:Deuterium) reflects the approximate market values.

Crystal — for technology and fleets

Crystal is more sought after than metal and indispensable for research and advanced ships. Crystal mines produce more slowly than metal mines with the same energy input. Large cargo ships, espionage probes and many important technologies have high crystal requirements. Clever players prioritise crystal development early.

Deuterium — the galactic fuel

Deuterium is the limiting resource for fleet players. Every flight consumes deuterium based on distance, ship type and speed. Without sufficient deuterium production, the fleet literally comes to a standstill. Deuterium synthesisers are therefore particularly efficient on planets with medium to high positions (8–11).

Energy — the invisible resource

Energy is not a collectable resource but a production requirement. Every mine needs energy; if it's lacking, production output drops proportionally. Solar plants, fusion reactors and solar satellites supply the empire. Solar satellites are cheap to manufacture but an easy target — fusion reactors provide reliable, unattackable energy.

Transporting and trading resources

Intra-empire transport

Resources can be moved between your own planets using small and large cargo ships. This is essential for balancing bottlenecks: a deuterium-rich planet can supply fleet players on other planets, metal surplus moves to building planets. Efficient internal resource management separates advanced players from beginners.

Alliance economy

In an alliance, players often specialise: miners produce resources and support fleeters, fleeters protect miners and share loot. This division of labour creates genuine economic dynamics. Resource transfers to alliance partners — such as before a joint attack or for rebuilding after a loss — are commonplace in active alliances.

Raiding as a resource source

Active players supplement their mine production through raiding: attacking inactive players or weakly defended planets to plunder their resources. The General benefits from combat bonuses, but other classes also raid effectively. Debris fields after battles are collected with recyclers — another resource source.

The Collector class: maximised economy

The Collector is the economy-optimised class in OGame. It receives:

• Increased resource production on all planets
• An additional crawler for resource bonus
• Energy bonus for more efficient mines
• Bonus on plasma technology yield

For players who prefer a pure economic and trading game, the Collector is the optimal choice. A strong Collector economy can finance the fleet of an entire alliance.

Expeditions: resources through discovery

The Discoverer class combines trading elements with exploration: expeditions into the unknown can yield resources, ships or even Dark Matter. With bonus expedition slots and improved yields, the Discoverer is the ideal economic player for those who don't want to rely solely on mine production.