FAQ

General

What is Stamp Collector Simulator?

A browser-based roguelike deckbuilding MMO where you play as a sentient AI collecting stamps. Manage compute resources, build card decks, hack other players, and compete on shared persistent world leaderboards.

Is it free to play?

Yes, completely free. No purchases, no ads.

Do I need to download anything?

No. It runs entirely in the browser at stampcollectorsimulator.com.

Does it work on mobile?

Yes, the game is mobile responsive and works on both desktop and mobile browsers.

Gameplay

What happens when I’m offline?

Your auto-run threads continue running while you’re offline. The server-side resolver processes them every 5 seconds. However, if you’re inactive for 7 days, auto-run threads stop restarting.

Can I play in multiple worlds?

Yes, up to 2 worlds simultaneously. Each world is independent with its own game state.

How do I get new cards?

Cards come from factory processes — auto-run executables that produce random cards from their tree’s pool. Build a construct (Data Lake, Large Language Model, Intrusion Framework) and run its factory.

What’s the difference between HDD and RAM?

HDD is storage — every card you own takes up HDD space. RAM is processing — running threads consume RAM while active. Both come from mounted hardware rigs.

Combat

How do I attack other players?

1. Use Network Scan to discover players, or Backtrace to find who’s attacking you
2. They become contacts
3. Cast hack spells (Security tree or Data tree) targeting the contact
4. A network thread travels to the victim and applies the effect

How do I defend against attacks?

• Entropy Wipe — removes all malware permanents (Data tree)
• Backtrace — identifies attackers for retaliation
• Counterhack — mirrors incoming attacks back at the attacker
• Airgapped Architecture / ICE / Magellan Protocol — block or absorb Targeted Attacks
• Favor From Above — immunity from a specific adversary (clears when adversary is killed or sleeps)

How do I kill adversaries?

Target them with hack spells. Each spell deals hackLevel² damage:

• Level 1 = 1 HP, Level 2 = 4 HP, Level 3 = 9 HP

What’s the best adversary to whitelist?

The Darknet Collective is the #1 whitelist candidate — it wakes early (3K stamps), has 36 HP (expensive to kill), attacks twice every 18 hours, and has a heavy spell pool.

Economy

What’s the fastest way to earn stamps?

Batch-merged Bid Stamps. Buy multiple copies, let them auto-run and batch merge for multiplied output (e.g., 5x Bid Stamps = 35 stamps per 24h cycle).

What’s the fastest way to earn money?

Flip Stamps (140 money/24h auto-run) for steady income. Decent Investment (700 money/72h) for burst income. Adversary kills also reward significant money.

When should I upgrade my rig?

As soon as possible. The jump from Dan’s Laptop (5,750 HDD / 256 RAM) to Data Center Rack (63,250 HDD / 4,500 RAM) is the single most impactful upgrade in the game.

Technical

How does the resolver work?

A background server process checks for games with pending thread resolutions every 5 seconds. It processes up to 20 games in parallel using lease locks to prevent double-processing.

What’s batch merging?

When you have multiple copies of the same auto-run card with zero arguments, they merge into a single “batch thread” with a multiplier. The rewards are multiplied by the batch count.

What’s timescale?

In single-player worlds, timescale adjusts the speed of everything — thread durations, adversary timers, etc. Higher timescale = faster gameplay.