Galaxies are the heart of Delta Quadrant: Horizons. Every in game action takes place within one of the galaxies. In order to play the game you must join one of the active galaxies, and compete against the empires that exist within.

When you log into Delta Quadrant: Horizons, you will be presented with the Empire Selection screen. This screen lists all galaxies within the game, and their current status. See the Getting Started section of the empire page for details about creating an empire and other details about using this screen.

Time within Delta Quadrant: Horizons does not continue for ever, instead a game only lasts for a certain period of time. This is called a round, and a single galaxy may have only one round at a time take place within it.

At the end of the round players' positions are used to decide a winner and also influence affect players' all time score. See the Score page for information about score and rank within a round, and also see the Player Score & Rank section for information about all time score.

Once you have joined a galaxy, you may view its galaxy map. To do this click the Stellar Map icon at the top of the game screen. At first this map will only show the positions of the stars, your home star will also be marked.

You may click the stars to view very limited information about them, but once you explore a star (by sending a fleet to it) you will notice that the stars you have explored will be marked like your home system, and you may click these explored stars to view the planets that orbit them and their details.

Note: Wormholes may exist between star systems, these will be marked on the map by a purple line. For more details see the Anomalies page.

The galaxy map will also display up to 4 icons above stars based your relation to empires who own planets within them.

- Own planet within star system.

- Allied planet within star system.

- Neutral planet within star system.

- Enemy planet within star system.

The galaxy map also shows fleets that you or an ally own, along with their destination. The map will also show neutral and enemy fleets that are headed towards a star that you have explored (destination won't be shown however).

Depending on your relation to a fleet's owner, they will be marked a different color.

- Own fleet.

- Allied fleet.

- Neutral fleet.

- Enemy fleet.

You may control your own fleet from the galaxy map. For more information see the Controlling Fleets page.