Beginner's Guide

Your First Free Fly

A complete, no-jargon walkthrough for first-time Star Citizen players. Follow it in order — each step assumes you finished the previous one.

01
Make a free RSI account
Go to robertsspaceindustries.com and click Enlist Now. Use a real email — your account is permanent and your in-game progress is tied to it.
TipPaste STAR-GCQJ-N6NC into the Referral Code field on the signup form. This is the only reliable way to lock in your 50,000 UEC bonus.
The RSI signup form. The Referral Code field is on the form itself — paste the code here before you click Enlist.
02
Confirm the bonus posted
After verifying your email, log into your RSI dashboard. The 50,000 UEC will appear as a credit on your account. If it didn't, you can still add the code in account settings for about 24 hours after signup. After that the code can't be added, so the bonus never attaches.
03
Download the RSI Launcher
From your account dashboard, download the launcher. The Star Citizen client is about a 100 GB download, and RSI's minimum spec asks for 150 GB free on an SSD. Start the download immediately — you'll spend the wait reading the rest of this guide.
TipPre-launch on event day: log in once an hour or two before the event opens. Patches drop on day one and the launcher always queues.
The RSI Launcher once the download finishes — when the button says Launch Game, you’re ready to fly.
04
Pick a ship from the Free Fly roster
During the event, several ships are temporarily unlocked for everyone. Featured ships rotate event to event — DefenseCon (formerly Invictus Launch Week) spotlights military ships, IAE rotates 100+ ships through the event. Check the homepage for the current roster.
05
Run the new-player tutorial
Spawn at your starting station, follow the tutorial markers, and learn flight, quantum travel, and ship combat fundamentals. About 30–45 minutes. Skip it and you'll be lost.
06
Try a delivery mission
Press F1 to open your mobiGlas, open the Contract Manager app, and accept a delivery contract. Pick up boxes on one moon, deliver to another. You'll learn quantum jumps, planetary landing, and basic UI flow — and you'll get paid.
TipFinished your first delivery? That's the core loop. DayOneCitizen.com picks up from here and walks you through your first 30 days, step by step.
The Contract Manager app in your mobiGlas (press F1) — browse contracts, accept a delivery, and the route markers do the rest.
07
Visit a major planet
Microtech is snow and dense forests. ArcCorp is a planet-spanning city. Crusader is a gas giant with floating platforms. Hurston is industrial. Each is enormous; pick one and quantum-jump there.
New Babbage, microTech
Area18 Plaza, ArcCorp
Orison, Crusader
Lorville, Hurston
08
Group up
Star Citizen is at its best with friends. In game, use the chat window and your friends list. Outside the game, Spectrum (RSI's official forum and chat site, in your browser) and Star Citizen Discords are where people look for crews. Multi-crew ships need crews — that's the magic of the game.
Already signed up? Join the DayOneCitizen Discord for starter help and ship advice.
09
Decide before the event ends
If you're hooked, grab a Game Package while you're still inside the event window — your progress, hangar items, and referral bonus carry over to a paid account seamlessly.