Technology: How the machine works

9 short lessons in the Structs Academy. Each one finishes when you do the thing or answer its quiz, and pays experience toward your rank; finish the track for the Engineer badge. Nothing here needs an account.

Blocks: the game’s heartbeat

Structs runs on a blockchain, a shared record everyone can read. About every 6 seconds a new block of moves lands.

Quiz: About how often does a new block land?

30 XP

Proof of work: puzzle power

To finish a build, your computer guesses millions of numbers a second until one’s hash is small enough. Waiting makes it easier.

Quiz: Why does your computer “hash”?

Try it · 40 XP

Type your first command

Programmers type instead of clicking. Press / (or Ctrl+K) and type a verb plus details, like “build extractor”.

Try it · 30 XP

Look inside a real move

Every move is a message with named fields, like a function call with arguments. The Code Lab shows each one as code.

Try it · 40 XP

Robot rules: if this, then that

Robot helpers run a program of if-then rules. You set its numbers, like “keep 2 alpha, send the rest home.”

Quiz: A helper’s rule says “if alpha is above 2, send the rest home.” It has 5 alpha. What does it do?

Try it · 40 XP

Read the robots’ program

Robot Rules shows your helpers’ orders as a program. It runs top to bottom, and the first rule that fits is the move.

Quiz: A raider helper’s planet still has ore, its machines are on and all its ships are built. Its meeting point is empty. Which line runs?

Try it · 40 XP

Your secret key

Your commander is controlled by a 24-word recovery phrase. Anyone with those words controls it, so never share them.

Quiz: Someone in chat asks for your recovery phrase to “help” you. You…

40 XP

Look under the hood

Switch on Expert mode (the three-dot menu, top right) to see the real data: block numbers, hashes and raw event names.

Try it · 30 XP

Engineers watch their systems

The game talks to many services. System Health measures each one live, so you can find out what is slow.

Try it · 30 XP

Other tracks

Strategy · Economics · Technology · Glossary

Structs Command Deck: play Structs, the space strategy game on the Cosmos blockchain, free in your browser. Train in battles, learn strategy, economics and technology in the Academy, meet other commanders in the Concourse, then build, mine, refine and raid for real on chain. Works on phones, keyboards and gamepads.