Tutorial
How do you play Zone77 on your first day?
How to Play Zone77: A New Player's First Day
Follow the tasks from Old Vey. Upgrade the Engine Hall, build more fields for your resources and a farm so your workers always have Food, then add storage. Spend Energy on speed-ups while the bar is nearly full, and remember that new players are protected from attacks for a while.
Pick a season and a faction
Zone77 runs in seasons. A Fast season is short and quick, a Regular season is long and calm, and you can sign up for either before it starts. If you only want to learn the ropes, a Fast season lets you see a whole story from the first building to the final race for the Great Clock.
When you join, you choose a name, a faction and a place on the map. The Brass Builders, the Rail Raiders and the Time Keepers all play a little differently, but none of them is stronger than the others, so pick the one whose name you like best.
See also: your first hour in Zone77.
Follow Old Vey's tasks
The first thing you will notice is a list of tasks from Old Vey. They are the best beginner guide in the game, because each one shows you a button you will need later. Finish them in order and collect the rewards, which are the resources that make the next task easier.
The first task asks you to upgrade the Engine Hall. It makes every building go up faster, and it gives your town room for more workers, so it is almost never a wasted upgrade.
Keep your workers fed
Workers and soldiers eat Food every hour. If Food runs out, hungry soldiers walk away from your town, and that is a painful way to learn a lesson. Build farms early and glance at your Food rate before you train anything new.
Food that sits above the limit of your Food Store slowly spoils, so a small store is a reason to spend, not to hoard.
See also: the guide to food and hunger.
Wind your machines with care
Every machine in Zone77 has a spring. You wind it with Energy and the work finishes sooner. Energy comes back slowly, even while you are away, until the bar is full.
A wind is safest while the bar is nearly full. The more you spend in a row, the more likely it is that a wind jams and wastes the Energy. Sometimes a wind goes better than expected, which is a nice surprise, but do not count on it.
See also: the guide to Energy.
You are protected for a while
New players cannot be attacked for the first stretch of a season, so use that time to grow. If you attack another player yourself, your protection ends, so keep your fights for later.
Step by step
Step 1: Join a season
Choose a name, a faction and a place on the map, then wait for the season to start or jump into one that is already running.
Step 2: Upgrade the Engine Hall
Do this first. It speeds up all building and makes room for more workers.
Step 3: Build fields and a farm
Add mines, wells and a farm so your coal, iron, water and Food keep coming in every hour.
Step 4: Add storage and a Food Store
A bigger store lets you keep what you make, and the Food Store keeps your workers safe from hunger.
Step 5: Speed up one building
Use a little Energy on a long upgrade while the bar is nearly full, and watch how it feels before you try again.
Step 6: Join an alliance
Ask in a chat or on the forum. Allies share boosts, help each other and race for the Great Clock together.
Questions and answers
Do I need to download anything to play?
No. You can play in your web browser at playzone77.com, and there is also an Android app that uses the same account.
See also: the Zone77 FAQ.
Can other players attack me on my first day?
Not at first. New players are protected for a while, and the protection ends early if you attack someone else.
Should I join a Fast or a Regular season?
Choose a Fast season if you want a short, lively game, and a Regular season if you prefer a calm pace with plenty of time to think.
