The Deep Sky: Tracers interface gives you a lot of information. That is a good thing — once you know what you are looking at.
This guide covers the key HUD elements you will see during a match: what they mean, why they matter, and how they connect to your decisions. It is not an exhaustive walkthrough of every pixel — it focuses on the controls and indicators that actually affect how you play.
[PICTURE OF THE FULL GAME HUD DURING RECRUIT PHASE WITH KEY ELEMENTS LABELED]
Credits, carry-over, and economy indicators
Your credit count is the most important number on screen during the Recruit phase. It tells you what you can afford this turn — and by extension, what you should plan for.
Credits per turn follow a fixed progression:
- Turn 1: 6 CR
- Turn 2: 8 CR
- Turn 3: 10 CR
- Turn 4: 12 CR
- Turn 5+: 14 CR
Unspent credits carry over, capped at 3 CR. That carry-over is displayed alongside your current credits, so you can always see your real spending power for the turn.
When you are deciding what to do, check credits first. Can you afford to buy and still save for a tier upgrade next turn? Can you carry 2 CR now and start next turn with a stronger position? The credit display is not just a number — it is your tempo gauge.
[PICTURE OF THE CREDIT DISPLAY SHOWING CURRENT CREDITS AND CARRY-OVER AMOUNT]
Timer and phase context
Every phase has a timer. Hero select, contract select, recruit, loadout, and turn result — each runs on its own clock.
The timer changes color as time runs out:
- Normal state — white or neutral
- Warning — triggers at 8 seconds remaining
- Danger — triggers at 3 seconds remaining
One useful detail: if you hit READY during the Recruit phase before the timer runs out, your remaining time carries over into the Loadout phase. That gives you extra seconds to think about positioning and chip assignments, which often matters more than extra shop time.
The phase name is usually visible near the timer, so you always know where you are in the turn cycle. If the interface ever feels confusing, check the phase label — it anchors everything else on screen.
[PICTURE OF THE PHASE TIMER IN DIFFERENT STATES: NORMAL, WARNING (8S), DANGER (3S)]
Network Tier and board capacity
Your Network Tier controls two things: which cost bands of glitches can appear in your shop, and how much hero damage the winner deals after combat.
Tier levels run from 1 to 6. Upgrade costs scale: 4 / 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 CR. If you skip a tier upgrade on a given turn, you accumulate a discount — up to 2 CR off the next upgrade. The tier indicator on the HUD shows your current level and the cost to upgrade.
Board capacity is tied to turn count, not tier:
- Turn 1: 2 slots
- Turn 2: 4 slots
- Turn 3: 5 slots
- Turn 4+: 6 slots
The board display shows how many slots are available and how many are filled. Pay attention to this — knowing when a new slot opens helps you plan purchases ahead of time instead of reacting turn by turn.
[PICTURE OF THE NETWORK TIER INDICATOR AND BOARD SLOT DISPLAY]
Shop controls: SCAN and CACHE
Two controls define how you interact with the shop beyond buying.
SCAN costs 1 CR per use and rerolls your shop offers. There is no limit to how many times you can SCAN in a turn — as long as you have credits. It is your main tool for finding specific pieces when the initial shop does not match your plan.
CACHE is free. It locks a single shop slot so that offer persists into the next turn. This is useful when you see a piece you want but cannot afford yet, or when you want to hold a strong offer while spending credits on something else this turn.
Both controls are visible in the shop area during Recruit. SCAN is usually a button you click to reroll. CACHE is a per-slot toggle — you click on an individual offer to lock or unlock it.
The strategic read: SCAN is a credit investment. Every 1 CR SCAN is 1 CR you did not spend on a unit, a chip, or a tier upgrade. Use it with intention, not as a reflex when the first shop looks bad.
[PICTURE OF THE SHOP UI WITH SCAN BUTTON AND A CACHED (LOCKED) SLOT HIGHLIGHTED]
Hero HP and combat information
Both heroes' HP are displayed during the match. Your own HP is usually prominent, and the opponent's HP is visible so you can gauge how close the match is.
Hero HP starts at 30. Hero damage after a lost combat scales with the winner's Network Tier and the strength of their surviving units. Higher tiers and stronger boards deal significantly more damage.
That means a loss against a high-tier opponent with many survivors can deal 10+ damage in a single round. Watching both HP bars helps you understand urgency — are you comfortable taking one more loss, or do you need to stabilize this turn?
During combat itself, you can see unit HP, shields, power values, and status effects. Chips and contract effects trigger visually, so you can follow the combat flow and understand why specific trades happened the way they did.
What matters most by phase
The HUD shows a lot, but your focus should shift depending on which phase you are in:
During Recruit:
- Credits — what can you afford?
- Network Tier — should you upgrade this turn?
- Board capacity — do you have room for more units?
- Timer — are you spending time efficiently?
During Loadout:
- Slot positions — is your formation intentional?
- Chip assignments — does each chip match its unit's role?
- Hero ability — is this a good turn to use it?
- Synergy indicators — are your trait thresholds active?
During Combat:
- Unit states — who is surviving, who is dying early?
- Chip triggers — are your effects firing at the right time?
- Attack order — is the left-to-right sequence working for you?
During Turn Result:
- Hero HP — how much damage did you take or deal?
- Damage breakdown — what contributed to the result?
You do not need to track everything at once. Focus on the phase you are in, and the interface will start feeling natural within a few matches.
Want the full walkthrough of a match? Read the first match guide. For deeper economy strategy, check out the economy guide.