| _
_________ __ _____ / ___ __________ ___ / | / \ | \ / / \ |\ | | | \ / \ | TM \___ | / \| | | | || \| | | || || \ | | ___||___/ | | || | | |___/ | || ____/ | | || \ \ \___/ | | | | \ \___/ |___ \ _ Commander's Guide Spectrum and Amstrad PROJECT CREDITS Design: Paul Reiche III Art Work: Paul Reiche III and Greg Johnson Manual Illustrations: Erol Otus Sound, Music and Programming: The Sales Curve Produced by: Chris Bankston Manual: Larry Hall Play Testing: David Friedland Inspired by the Works of Fiction of: Orson Scott Card, Larry Niven, Andre Norton, David Brin, Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, Jack Vance, Alan Dean Foster, Keith Laumer, A.E. Van Vogt, E.E. "Doc" Smith, Joe Halderman, Dan Simmons, Fred Saberhagen and 100 worthy others. CONTACT WITH ALIEN BEINGS REPORTED RUMOR OF STELLAR THREAT CONFIRMED The International Press Dispatch, March 12, 2612. By Le-Quo Garibaldi, Press Dispatch Interstellar Correspondent. Rumors of a hostile stellar threat to the earth and its surroundings were confirmed yesterday in an extraordinary meeting between a Star Control scout ship and a Chenjesu vessel near the Ceres base. The first message exchanged between the spaceships was as simple as it was shocking: Attention: Earth vessel. We are not hostile to your species. However, we must inform you of an immediate threat to your world and people. The Ur-Quan Hierarchy is coming; our defenses are crumbling. We need your immediate assistance. Please respond. The results of the ensuing conference were made available to the International Press Dispatch by interstellar lasfax. The meeting, held aboard the Cruiser SpaceDuster, lasted several hours. A collection of intergalactic journalists waited anxiously as the Chenjesu diplomats outlined their concerns to Star Control General Juan O'Reilly and High Provost Ivana Or-Kochav, Earth's highest ranking diplomat. Earth's negotiators expressed their dismay that they had not been previously informed of the existence of alien forms - or the fact of an interstellar war between them. The Chenjesu replied that the Alliance's Supreme Council hadn't judged Earth strong enough to join the Alliance. Moreover, Earth's initial position was on the far side of the Coreward Front. Only in the last few months has the Hierarchy approached our Solar System. RUMOR (continued) The Chenjesu emphasized that: * The Ur-Quan Hierarchy, a rigid union of the ancient Ur-Quan slavers and their minions, is on the verge of annihilating The Alliance of Free Stars. * Alliance efforts to placate the Ur-Quans through negotiations have been in vain. The Hierarchy's representatives slew three Alliance diplomats at the conclusion of one particularly fruitless session. * A Hierarchy triumph would be a disaster for known space. The Chenjesu mediators told of Ur-Quan coercion of several unlikely races into the Hierarchy, of threats delivered to Umgah elders, of an active military alliance the likes of which has never seen the blackness of Truespace. The Chenjesu elders "wove crystal slivers of detail into their story," as Ivana Or-Kochav later told the assembled correspondents. The High Provost described the Chenjesu intensity, which went well beyond the crackling energy fields the aliens commonly emanate. Indeed, the dramatic effect at times interfered with the Spaceduster's control consoles. General O'Reilly spoke of "visible alarm in the aliens' emotive electrical outburst." A high-level Cabinet Meeting will be held next week in Calcutta, India, one of the United Nation's rotating capitals. The Delegation from the Belt is presently afterblasting its way towards Earth. An atmosphere of high drama is almost palpable at StarCon HQ in Geneva. In the view of this reporter, the Chenjesu have issued a chilling, clarion call to Earth and its inhabitants. Table of Contents HOW TO INSTALL STAR CONTROL.................................................. 1 Getting Started ........................................................ 1 PLAYER CONTROLS ............................................................. 2 Menus .................................................................. 2 Keyboard Ship Controls ................................................. 3 Joystick Ship Controls ................................................. 4 Other Special Controls.................................................. 4 EARTH'S TREATY OF ALLIANCE WITH THE FREE STARS .............................. 4 Article One: ........................................................... 5 Article Two: ........................................................... 5 Article Three: ......................................................... 5 Special Clauses ........................................................ 5 PLAYING THE GAME ............................................................ 6 The Main Activity Menu ................................................. 7 Setting Player Options ................................................. 7 Control Options ........................................................ 8 Using Options .......................................................... 8 Bulletin from ComSim Central ........................................... 9 PRACTICE .................................................................... 9 Flying Ships in Combat................................................. 10 MELEE ...................................................................... 13 FULL GAME .................................................................. 24 Selecting a Scenario .................................................. 24 Loading a Saved Game .................................................. 24 Fleet Command View .................................................... 25 Going to Combat ....................................................... 28 Strategic Ship Powers ................................................. 31 WINNING THE GAME ........................................................... 32 Saving a Game in Progress ............................................. 32 HOW TO INSTALL STAR CONTROL Star Control is a science-fiction wargame which pits the forces of The Alliance of Free Stars against those of the predatory Ur-Quan Hierarchy. The game is designed so that you can ease into play, familiarizing yourself with menus, options and player controls. The Alliance and Hierarchy each possess four different types of warships. Each vessel has its own maneuvering and firing characteristics, plus a unique special power that you can employ when circumstances dictate. You can play the game in single-player or two-player mode. A player may select either the joystick or the keyboard to control either race. When using the joystick, use joystick Port #2. See the Player Controls section below for diagrams of keyboard and joystick controls. Getting Started To boot up the game, use one of the following system instructions. Spectrum 128 Tape System: 1 Connect your joystick to Port #2 (if you want to use one). 2 Turn on your computer. 3 Insert Star Control cassette into the cassette recorder, label side up. 4 If you have a +3, press the cursor down until 48K BASIC is highlighted, then press Return. Type LOAD" and press Spacebar. If you have a +2, press Spacebar when the LOADER option appears. 5 Press Play on the cassette recorder. 1 Amstrad Disk System: 1 Connect your joystick if you want to use one. 2 Turn on your computer. 3 At the ready prompt, insert Star Control disk into the drive, label side up. 4 Type RUN" DISK then press Return. Amstrad Tape System: 1 Connect your joystick if you want to use one. 2 Turn on your computer and at the ready prompt, insert Star Control cassette into the cassette player. 3 If you are playing both a cassette and disk machine, first type |TAPE and press Return. 4 Type RUN" and follow the on-screen instructions. PLAYER CONTROLS One or two players can play Star Control, using the joystick or the keyboard. You can choose keyboard/joystick at the Set Players Options Menu. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note: For simplicity of use, we refer only to the keyboard commands | | throughout this manual. | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Menus Most aspects of gameplay in Star Control are accessed by a system of menus. Each menu will list various options which allow you to choose and outfit ships for battle, choose strategic scenarios, etc. 2 To select menu items with the keyboard, use the cursor arrow keys to highlight the one you want, then press Spacebar to select a highlighted item. Keyboard Cursor Controls Spectrum Q O P A Spacebar Moves Highlight Selects Highlighted Option Amstrad ^ < > v Spacebar Moves Highlight Selects Highlighted Option Keyboard Ship Controls Amstrad Spectrum Special 1 A Rotate Left 2 O Rotate Right 3 P Thrust 4 Q Fire 5 Spacebar 3 Joystick Ship Controls (Up) Thrust (Up/Left) ^ (Up/Right) Thrust & Rot. Left | Thrust & Rot. Right \ | / (Button) ---------> O \ | / Fire \ | / (Left) <-------- --------> (Right) Rot. Left | Rot. Right | | | v (Down) Special Power (Hierarchy and Alliance joystick controls are identical.) Other Special Controls Return Exit any mode of play H Save game (Full Game only) ESC Go back one screen within a Full Game (Amstrad only) EARTH'S TREATY OF ALLIANCE WITH THE FREE STARS This document, "A Binding Consenting Concord Between The Alliance of Free Stars and Earth" - dated 5.2.2612, and signed by High Provost Ivana Or-Kochav and General Juan O'Reilly, for the Earth; and Commander-in-Chief Bzrrak Ktazzz and Secretary of Space Zeep-Zeep, for The Alliance of Free Stars - formalizes the mutual bond forged in the face of the threat posed by the evil Ur-Quan Hierarchy. 4 Article One: Earth agrees to join immediately the Alliance of Free Stars, and commit its military and civilian resources to the Defense of The Alliance of Free Stars against the unbridled and impudent attacks of the Ur-Quan Hierarchy. Earth forfeits prior sovereignty and agrees to place Star Control, its military and diplomatic structure, under the control of Alliance C-in-C Bzrrak Ktazzz and Secretary of Space Zeep-Zeep for the duration of this agreement. The agreement shall remain in force for as long as the Hierarchy menace persists. Article Two: The Alliance of Free Stars commits itself to the defense of Earth against the threat posed by the forces of the Ur-Quan Hierarchy. Earth agrees that the Alliance's military leaders are entitled to deploy Earth's forces in a manner that best protects the constituent members of this federation. Article Three: The military and diplomatic commanders of the Alliance, and those of Star Control (now subsumed into the General Staff Structure), shall pool their resources and merge personnel. General Juan O'Reilly joins the Alliance General Staff with the rank of High Commander, Earth Planetary Region. High Provost Ivana Or-Kochav assumes the title of Assistant Undersecretary of Space. Both will sit on The Supreme Council of The Alliance of Free Stars, and vote on all key security issues which the Supreme Council considers. Special Clauses: Should the Alliance be defeated at the Hierarchy's hands, the Concord is null and void. In case of an outright Alliance victory, the united Supreme Council will determine the appropriate steps. 5 Special Clauses: (continued) Failure to defend the Earth, or its space stations, lunar or belt colonies may be taken as cause by Earth for leaving the Alliance. Any deviation from this Agreement by Earth ends the Alliance's obligations and Star Control will become an independent entity of the sole control of the United Nations of Earth and surrounding environs. Signed This Day, 5.2.2612 in The Hall of Everlasting Peace and Forbearance, Headquarters of the General Staff of the Alliance of Free Stars. [Signature] [Signature] Zeep-Zeep Ivana Or-Kochav Secretary of Space High Provost PLAYING THE GAME After the Startup Screen, you view the Main Activity Menu. This is your gateway to play. We suggest that you learn the ships and their capabilities in Practice mode, then move on to Melee, facing your enemy in a realistic combat environment. At the Full Game level, you make strategic moves, such as mining, colonizing, fortifying, and moving your ships from star to star in three-dimensional space. 6 The Main Activity Menu [Screenshot of Main Activity Menu] Figure 1. MAIN ACTIVITY MENU This screen displays the primary Play options and the current game setting for both Alliance and Hierarchy players. Select an activity by highlighting your choice and pressing Spacebar. A short description of the highlighted activity is printed in the text window at the bottom of the screen. Setting Player Options [Screenshot of Set Players Menu] Figure 2. SET PLAYERS MENU When you select this option from the Main Activity Menu, the screen changes to show the possible game settings. Current settings are marked by black stars. When you're satisfied with the settings, highlight OK, and press Spacebar to return to the Main Activity Menu. 7 Control Options Control options determine who controls the Hierarchy and Alliance sides in both strategic and combat modes. Control options are: Human The human player (you) totally controls the side, making all strategic decisions and fighting all battles. Computer The Computer totally controls the side. The computer controls ship selection in Practice and Melee, as well as Fleet Command in Full Game. Cyborg The human player makes strategic choices. But when battle occurs, the computer takes over full combat responsibility. Psytron The human player fights all battles, while the computer decides all strategy. Using Option For the Human, Cyborg or Psytron options, the player can choose whether he wishes to use keyboard or joystick control. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note: Establish the Using setting before from Human to Cyborg or | | Psytron. | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The Rating System When you set a Rating, you decide how skillfully a computer player controls his side. You can set the rating to Standard, Good or Awesome. For Psytron and Cyborg control, Rating sets the skill with which the computer controls its portion of play. A player who can defeat an Awesome opponent in either Melee or Full Game is worthy of respect indeed. 8 Bulletin from ComSim Central Dispatch from Yehat Colonel Yeep-Neep to Alliance Cadets: "All new Alliance pilots are hereby assigned to ComSim Central, the full-sensory simulation specially designed to prepare new warriors for space combat. Upon arrival, new pilots will be welcomed and given a tour of the facility. "Each new commander is heartily encouraged to review the characteristics of enemy craft while at ComSim. Once refreshed, you'll be asked to choose a vessel (one of each type flown by the four Alliance races is available) for your first simulated flight. "This is the real classroom. We'll be monitoring your performance from the control room, seeing how you maneuver, gain attack position, and evade the enemy. We'll be checking weapons selection, as well as your judgment in resource management. "Now's the time to muff the approach, or activate your main weapon system a trifle late. Put your flight gear on, receive Tishtushi's Blessing, and hit the flight deck running!!" PRACTICE In Practice, you can match any ship against any other ship in combat. Whether the ships selected are from the same side (Hierarchy or Alliance), or whether they're on different sides, you select them the same way. 9 PRACTICE (continued) To select a ship for Practice: Highlight the desired ship and press Spacebar. Once you've selected two ships, the display changes to the Combat Screen. [Screenshot of Ship Selection Screen] Figure 3. SHIP SELECTION SCREEN ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note: If you've selected Computer or Psytron Control for one or | | both sides, the computer automatically picks a ship to fly against | | you. If you want to control ship selection, change the setting to | | Cyborg. | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Flying Ships in Combat In Practice combat, you can fight as long as you want. When one ship is destroyed, the battle starts anew with the same pair of ships. The action is interrupted only when one side wants to choose a new ship to fly. To select a new vessel to fly, press Return, then Spacebar, and you'll return to the Main Menu. Press Return once more to select Practice again. Basics of Maneuver Maneuver consists of thrusting forward and rotating your craft left or right. You can give commands to thrust and turn independently, or issue them simultaneously. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note: Refresh your knowledge of the Ship Control keys by referring | | to the Ship Control section in the Getting Started portion of this | | manual. | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 Inertia Inertia is the tendency of an object in motion to remain in motion. A vessel gains inertia upon thrusting. Collisions result in the exchange of inertia, and affect smaller craft more than larger vessels. The Basics of Shooting A crucial element in shooting is the preparation which precedes the shot. Achieving an effective shooting posture requires that you keep several things in mind: * The type and range of weapon you're firing. * The defensive capabilities of your opponent, both in defensive weaponry and evasive potential. Remember, too, that an opponent's evasive maneuver can set up an unwelcome exchange of positions. A turn taken to avoid damage can lead to an unwelcome reversal of roles. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note: Again, consult the Ship Control section for a review of | | firing controls in keyboard and joystick modes. | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Taking a Hit When your spacecraft is struck by an enemy weapon, it loses crew members, shown as red lines on the Ship Status Display. The damage a weapon will do to a target depends upon the weapon's characteristics and, at times, the firing range. Destroying Enemy Ships You destroy an enemy ship by eliminating all of its crew members. A few weapons can destroy a vessel with a single shot, but you usually require several to finish the job. 11 Special Powers Each vessel has an unique special power. To learn more about the special power of each ship, read both The Alliance's Computer Reconstruction Report on the Vessels of the Ur-Quan Hierarchy, and The Hierarchy's Estimation of the Capabilities of Alliance Warships. The Window Display The Window Display shows you the physical universe you occupy in Star Control. Depending on which aspect of the game you are currently playing, the window will display stars, ships, weapons and anything else "out there." Fuel Usage Fuel is expended by firing weapons or by using your special power; however, normal maneuvering is "free." If you do not have enough fuel to perform an action, you must wait until you have regenerated enough fuel. Ship Status Display While you engage in combat, Ship Status Displays appear at screen right, informing you of basic facts about the two combatant vessels, as well as measurements of relevant ship status information. Check the combatants' displays whenever you have a respite. ___________________ | __ __ | | | | | | | | | | /^\___|__|_|_______ Ship Silhouette | | | |_| | | | | |__| | | | | | | | | ||_|| |__| | | | | v | _|_|_______ Fuel | | _|_________|__|_|___ | |__| |__| | \ | | \ | CREW FUEL | Crew |___________________| Figure 4. SHIP STATUS DISPLAY 12 [Illustration] "A Hierarchy Ship Scores A Direct Hit" MELEE True competition between the Hierarchy and the Alliance begins in Melee mode. In this form of play, each side has a fleet of four ships - one from each alien race. Players for both sides take turns selecting a ship with which to fight. To pick a ship, highlight the desired vessel, and press Spacebar. If you pick the question mark, the ship will be chosen randomly. When a ship is destroyed, it is crossed off of that side's ship roster. The player must now select a new ship with which to attack the enemy. When a player has destroyed all of his enemy's vessels, he wins and is awarded a victory screen. 13 [Illustration] "Ur-Quan Giving Orders to Umgah" COMPUTER RECONSTRUCTION REPORT: H.L. 3 ENEMY VESSEL SPECIFICATIONS SYNTHESIZED FROM GATHERED SPACE DEBRIS. Priority One Alpha, Eyes Only: Star Control General Staff and Earthling Cruiser Captains. Retrodigestive Data Disposal strongly urged. Issued by Division of Synthetic Special Reconstruction, Intergalactic Intelligence ("SSRII") Star Control Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland. May 14, 2612. In the wake of the special request by Star Control Commander-in-Chief Karen Chin Singh, received by SSRII in the wake of the fateful meeting between the Cruiser SpaceDuster and the Chenjesu envoys, we have compiled this report (#1232.3.3.55.1/2A), detailing the findings of 14 COMPUTER RECONSTRUCTION REPORT: H.L. 3 (continued) SSRII's computer synthesis squad. Operating under sealed conditions in a security lab somewhere in Europe, the reconstructionists meticulously examined assembled space debris from near and far galaxies. The object: Identify and analyze likely spaceships of the Ur-Quan Hierarchy. Each team was assigned the reconstruction of a particular Hierarchy race and its vessel. Their members relied upon a set of networked computers running state-of-the-art graphics and post-animation software. Working in consort, they painstakingly gathered fragmentary evidence of Hierarchy beings and their ships. The Division of Synthetic Special Reconstruction has assembled a detailed portrait of the civilization, structure, and technological attainments of each subject race: RACE: UR-QUAN The Ur-Quan race is the oldest in known space. Ur-Quans are a slaving race with a rigid social order that includes the numbering of each Ur-Quan unit. Such structured classification reveals the hierarchical essence of this ancient species. SSRII's attempts to quantify the specifics of Ur-Quan ranking were in vain. Ur-Quan technology is very advanced, and the Ur-Quan temperament is expressed in the careful cultivation and exploitation of squads of interstellar agents funnelling intelligence to their masters. The Ur-Quans' appearance is interesting, given the race's essentially predatory disposition. Resembling a giant caterpillar, a fully-grown Ur-Quan is formed of a segmented body-tube ten meters long and two meters in diameter. The Ur-Quan equivalent of a face is rich in sensory organs. The tubed creatures are clawed, which allows them to cling tenaciously to the roped ceilings of their dreaded Dreadnought craft. 15 RACE: UR-QUAN (continued) The Ur-Quan uses a particularly striking means of trans-species communication. The "Talking Pets", an Ur-Quan invention genetically engineered for the purpose, telepathically interpret Ur-Quan commands into the spoken languages of subordinate species, and reverse the procedure when receiving extra-special transmissions. The Ur-Quan live to subjugate lower species; war is their raison d'etre and their inspiration. They treat the other members of the Hierarchy as serf-races, bowed to the master's will and fearing his predictable wrath. SHIP: THE UR-QUAN DREADNOUGHT The Ur-Quan Dreadnought is the single most devastating ship in known space. Alternately termed "Planetary Siege Units", a single specimen of this feared ship has succeeded in subduing and enslaving entire worlds. A sole Ur-Quan commands each Dreadnought, manipulating heterogeneous crews assembled from the Hierarchy's slave races. The central Dreadnought weapon is a long-range fusion bolt of immense destructive capability. A ship may fall to a single well-aimed bolt. The Dreadnought can also launch a small squadron of self-motivated fighters, which systematically seek out enemy vessels and autonomously fire short-range lasers. These special fighters are of limited range, however. The Dreadnought's chief liability is its mediocre turning speed - a chink, not a fatal flaw, in its awesome armor. RACE: ILWRATH This Hierarchy race epitomizes evil. The Ilwrath are spiderlike creatures committed to an absolute religion. Ilwrath piety dictates a devotion to a frightening higher calling. An Ilwrath crew receives spiritual endorsement in the accomplishment of vicious surprise attacks. Moreover, Ilwrathian faith opposes the taking of prisoners. 16 Given the race's devotion to war, the alliance with the Ur-Quans is entirely natural. However, fragmentary reconstruction of one Ur-Quan - Ilwrath summit dialogue shows that even Ur-Quans show restraint in the face of a belligerent faith. One multilingual Ur-Quan Talking Pet inscribed the following note in shorthand, deciphered by SSRII's interstellar linguist: "Ilwrath hospitality best accepted in small doses. Dinner fit for a spider. Entertainment a grisly TELEVDR recap of annihilation of Chenjesus. Most enjoyable." SHIP: THE ILWRATH AVENGER The Ilwrath Avenger maneuvers effortlessly. The Avenger relies upon the deadly HellFire Blast, which is potent at short range. The Avenger's unique cloaking powers render the ship invisible. Combined with the Avenger's aggressive instincts, this stealth capability makes the Avenger the ideal attack weapon. The Avenger's maximum speed doesn't match that of the Alliance's best ships. This weakness is concealed, however, unless enemy vessels remove themselves from the Hellfire Blast's effective range. Rumors suggest that Avenger crews chant a death spell after successful battle, contorting their spidery forms into joyful frenzies and paroxysms of unearthly pleasure. RACE: ANDROSYNTH SSRII employed a special team of Socioanthropsychs to analyze the Androsynths, which are humanoid clones. This race of renegade clones has been a thorn in the side of Star Control since it "emigrated" in the year 2535, shortly after physics experiments in which a team of Eurasian scientists subjected the clones to a series of cruel experiments. The resultant Hamburg revolt - in which the captive clones seized effective control of the Baltic port for a time - collapsed, spurring the Androsynths to seek haven in space. 17 RACE: ANDROSYNTH (continued) Androsynth "animosity" towards Earthlings is well-documented; the clones' wellspring of emotion has fueled seventy-seven years of hostility. They adhere to Ur-Quan discipline gladly, as the Hierarchy's warmongering sates the Androsynth's lust for revenge. Many an Earthling cruiser with an uncluttered laser display has flown on full-alert in regions where Androsynth Guardians have occasionally been sighted. The thought of an undetected, glittering Guardian in the neighborhood has spurred some cruiser captains to pulverize asteroids in hallucinations known in the flying fraternity as 'clone fever'. SHIP: THE ANDROSYNTH GUARDIAN The Androsynth Guardian consists of a strange layering of blue glass and platinum metal alloys. Its structure reflects the clones' obsession with aesthetics; in the words of one of the SSRII team, the Androsynths are the "fashion design engineers of space warfare." The ship's design may be intended to lull an opponent into fatal complacency. The ship's main weapon is a molecular acid-based blob, which is released in multiples and follows an erratic homing pattern to an enemy vessel. The chaotic tracking path baffles opponents' defensive measures. Guardian commanders can give orders in battle to collapse a ship into a solid ball, simultaneously engaging a set of powerful thrusters. The transformed vessel then hurls itself at an enemy at terrifying speeds, causing enormous damage if impact occurs. An Androsynth vessel in 'comet' form and carrying full fuel can hold its curled shape for a substantial period; a Guardian low on fuel returns to its normal shape more quickly. The principle Guardian flaw is its slothful speed in normal configuration. The ship cannot easily escape a fleet pursuer; this defect probably explains the evolution of the Androsynth's special power. 18 RACE: UMGAH The Umgah are blobbish creatures consisting of three main body parts: mouths, eyes and tentacles. Their heightened sensory appendages do not compensate for an appearance which, in the words of a tired SSRII syntho-reconstructionist, "gives the Ur-Quan a run for their starbucks." The Umgah are marked by an unusual sense of humor, a cosmic wittiness fitted to their bizarre appearance. Umgahs regard their participation in the Ur-Quan Hierarchy with bemusement, and the conflict between the Hierarchy and the Alliance as an ongoing intergalactic prank. Boredom, as ever, motivates all creatures to feats of deadly purpose. SHIP: THE UMGAH DRONE The Umgah fly an anti-matter cone whose profile, when analyzed, projects forward. The Drone's navigational attitude can be maintained indefinitely without loss of power, and lets the ship be both weapon and shield against incoming missiles. Enemy vessels entering the Umgah Drone's anti-matter cone take immediate, often fatal, damage. The Umgah rely on a phenomenal retro-propulsion system which hurls the ship backwards with terrific force, endangering any enemy vessels sucked into the anti-matter cone. Retro-propulsion drains great amounts of energy. Commence Retrodigestive Data Disposal - Security Experts, Division of Special Synthetic Reconstruction, Intergalactic Intelligence. 19 DECRYPTION OF AN UR-QUAN TRANSMISSION: AN ESTIMATION OF THE CAPABILITIES OF ALLIANCE WARSHIPS JUNE, 2612. Ur-Quan Dreadnought Report, Talking Pet Transcription A review of the abilities of Ships of The Alliance of Free Stars demonstrate an inferior capability - underpowered vessels of primitive technology lacking in armor, and commanded by specimens of inferior races. Of all the Alliance races, only the crystal-based culture of the Chenjesu Broodhome offers a serious test to Hierarchy commanders. Dreadnoughts are hereby instructed to obliterate the upstarts at every opportunity, sparing none. Associated Hierarchy members: Your well-being depends upon the faithful execution of Ur-Quan directives. Failure to eliminate Alliance ships will result in severe and immediate censure! CHENJESU The Chenjesu are the most potent of the Alliance races. Crystalline in substance, existing on electric energy, they control both electrical and crystalline life forms. The Chenjesu is a philosopher-race; their highest achievement is "The Book of Bzzbezzu Kzaaz," no better than a fourth-eon Ur-Quan Quardmaster's ruminations. The Chenjesu operate a marginal defense establishment by Ur-Quan standards. In Alliance terms, the crystal-producing creatures are wizards, their Broodhome warship the proof of an advanced society. The Broodhome fires large crystalline life forms, a large crystal which fragments upon Chenjesu command and the D.O.G.I., which home in on a target and endeavor to steal its energy by sucking it out through the hull. Broodhome crew manufacture D.O.G.I.'s on board. 20 Though its maneuverability is limited, the vessel is relatively powerful. The Chenjesu Broodhome carries a sizable crew and a plentiful supply of fuel. Summary: A race of rudimentary accomplishments, by the standards of Ur-Quan society. Still, Chenjesu Broodhomes may pose some threat to lesser Hierarchy vessels. YEHAT The Yehat are peculiar arboreal creatures who pride themselves on their association with their wild Homeworld. Yehats operate out of energized nebula which Dreadnoughts have rarely entered. Unlike most of the cowards of the Alliance, Yehats will not unilaterally flee at the sight of a Hierarchy vessel. Yehats fly a strange, darting ship, the Terminator, carrying a high-energy force shield to provide immunity against enemy attack. The Terminators' shield derives from the race's electro-nebular origins. When activated, the shield reduces the effectiveness of the ship's main weapon - an energy missile released from a pulse cannon. Astonished Dreadnought commanders have reported the absorption of moderate damage from the vine-climbing-Yehats' vessel. The Terminator is usually dispatched by the actions of a pair of Dreadnought fighters on special mission. Summary: Primitive but proud, the Yehat violates the basic rule of the Alliance: turn tail when a worthy Hierarchy vessel blips onto a laser display. Beware of the Terminator's pulse cannon. 21 EARTHLING Ur-Quan ProtoQuotoSynthetic reconstruction enjoyed the process of assembling a profile of this amusing creature. Earthlings are erect hominids who believe themselves to be technologically advanced. In fact, the human race is mired in the mentality and tools of the early post-Atomic age. Its representatives alternate between threat and appeasement. Its art is post-primitive, its system of government a model of inefficiency featuring an archaic system of organization - "bureaucracy," believed to induce submission in defiant individuals. The human ship, the Earthling Cruiser, is a ponderous vessel. The Cruisers are a product of 20th Century American technology. Still manufactured in Detroit, Michigan, in Middle America, the Cruisers are one part Soviet booster, one part Star Wars gadgets, and one part discarded automobile parts. Powered by surplus Proton boosters, the Cruisers are slow and vulnerable (Androsynths enjoy picking them off for sport). The Earthling Cruiser employs heat-seeking tactical nuclear weapons. Its crew is multinational and operates under the direct control of Star Control, Earth's military defense organization. The Cruiser favors its Point Defense Cannon, adapted from antiquated U.S.A. Star Wars technology. The P.D.C. auto-targets and destroys incoming missiles at short range; our missiles should evade this primitive weapon easily. The Alliance commanders keep Star Control under close watch, having witnessed disasters such as the accidental detonation of a tactical "nuke" near an unsuspecting fleet of Yehat Terminators. Summary: Hierarchy commanders, dispense with Earthling Cruisers without mercy and without delay. 22 RACE: MYCON Our researchers were partially baffled when confronting the fragmentary remains of Mycons. The Mycons are bright fungus men possessing an obscure set of behavioral aesthetics and motivated by unknown factors. Mycons reproduce by belching clouds of minute spore particles into the atmosphere; when the particles come to rest on a living being, they affix themselves and start to grow. When the DNA dust lands on a Mycon, the genetic materials are mixed; otherwise, a clone of the Mycon sporer is created. By bathing themselves in concentrated radiations, the creatures induce collective budding and the replacement of lost crew members. Hence the term: Mycon Regeneration. No doubt exists as to the slavish loyalty of the Mycons to their Alliance masters. Having joined the Alliance in an act of free will, the Mycons show fungal fanaticism in their wholesale adoption of Alliance aims. SHIP: THE MYCON PODSHIP Mycon Podships rely upon a tracking Plasmoid, a ball of coalesced energy which uses a highly-developed tracking system to lock on to, and home in on, a target. Deadly at close range, the Mycon Plasmoid is diffused as it travels longer distances. Hierarchy ships, with their superior technology, should have no trouble avoiding this attack. The Mycons have the amazing ability to regenerate their crew. A podship must have full power to begin regenerating crew, however; completion of the regenerating act adds four furious fungal fighters to a podship's crew. Hierarchy commanders are ordered under penalty of extermination to eradicate these fungal pests before they have the opportunity to reproduce! 23 FULL GAME Full Game combines strategic play with arcade-action combat. You develop resources, build colonies, purchase ships, fortify stars, and plot moves through space while your opponent is carrying out a similar set of actions. Both sides compete to achieve superior strategic position, so that combat occurs on advantageous terms. Play is divided into turns, alternating between Hierarchy and Alliance. On a player's turn he can perform three (3) actions, such as moving a ship, building a new ship, or developing a mine or colony. The game ends when one player destroys his enemy's starbase. Selecting a Scenario To play Full Game, select Full Game from the Main Activity Menu. Wait until the Fleet Command View appears. The first player is then prompted to begin his or her move. Loading a Saved Game To load a saved game, highlight and select Load Saved Game from the Scenario Selection menu. When the Saved Game Selection menu appears, highlight and select one of the currently saved games to play. Wait for the Fleet Command View to appear. You may save a game during Full Game mode by pressing the H key. You may save up to ten games at a time. Always insert a blank formatted disk or a tape before saving your game! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note: Loading a saved game does not alter player settings. | | Establish these settings before loading a game. | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 Fleet Command View Once you have selected the Full Game, you move to the Fleet Command View. In the center of the screen, you view the starfield. At screen right, you view a commander's display: Fleet List, Orders Window and Status Display. [Screenshot of Fleet Command View] Figure 5. FLEET COMMAND VIEW The Fleet List The Fleet List displays the ships presently in your fleet, their type and name. When it is your turn, the first ship in the Fleet List is highlighted and flashes in the star cluster. The Ship Icon which appears next to each ship's name illustrates its shape and provides a visual identity. Orders Window The Orders Window, which appears beneath the Fleet List, shows you the move options in your present turn. To select an active, colored, orders option, highlight and select as you would any other menu item. Remaining Actions The three-buttoned Actions Indicator at the top of the starfield indicates the number of actions available in the present turn. 25 Commission Window The Commission Window, which appears when you highlight the starbase in the Fleet List, shows you how many Starbucks you currently have - as well as available ships to buy, their names and cost. Status Display (Review) The Ship Status Display appears during combat, and is the same as that visible in Practice and Melee. Stars Stars are colored according to the kind of planets which orbit them. Unexplored stars are indicated in white. When you move a ship to an unexplored star it changes color. A blue star indicates a mineral planet, a green star a colonizable planet, and a yellow star a dead planet. Mineral Worlds Mineral worlds are hot, heavy, dense planets and contain metals, ores, sulphurs and other compounds which may be exploited for mining. When these minerals are processed, they generate starbucks which allow you to build and power new ships. Life Worlds Life worlds are green and temperate planets resembling the Earth. They contain plenty of water and oxygen, and are ideal locations for a race to build colonies. Dead Worlds Dead worlds are rocky wastes which never possessed atmospheres - or had them obliterated in some cosmic calamity. A dead world can be fortified by a resourceful planner. Ships If you have a starbase, you can buy new ships, and can have up to seven ships in your fleet. 26 Starbases A starbase is a large, slow-moving space station at which you can build new starships. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note: We recommend that you guard starbases with at least one | | combat vessel. An undefended starbase is automatically destroyed | | if any enemy ship reaches it. | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Installations A primary activity in the Full Game is building installations which aid the player in conquering star clusters: [ Colonies (diamond) [Screenshot of Starfield] -----------------[ Fortifications (square) [ Mines (+) Figure 6. THE STARFIELD Colonies A colony, established on a life world, provides a place for a ship to recruit new members to replace those lost in combat. Mines Mines, established on mineral worlds, earn the side developing that world's resources Starbucks at a rate of one per turn (your starbase also generates one Starbuck per turn). 27 Fortifications You establish fortifications as a defensive web through which no single ship can pass or easily destroy (with the exception of the Ur-Quan Dreadnought). Fortifications protect colonies and mines, and may block an attack route to a starbase. Should a single ship move into a fortification, it is stuck. To free it, it must successfully besiege or be joined by a second ship which will automatically destroy the fort at the end of the turn. Destroying Enemy Installations You destroy an undefended enemy colony, mine or fortification by moving onto it with any ship. Alternately, if you defeat all enemy ships in battle which are guarding an installation, you automatically destroy it. Going to Combat When a player completes his turn and has moved ships to stars containing one or more enemy ships, a battle ensues for each star under contention. For each battle, the Combat Transition Screen appears (shown below). [Screenshot of Combat Transition Screen] Figure 7. COMBAT TRANSITION SCREEN ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note: In battles with multiple ships, the attacker's ships fight in | | the order they land on the star, while the defender's ships are | | selected to fight at random. | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 28 Selecting a Ship to Command To select a ship to command in Full Game, highlight that ship's name and select it. Now use the ship to build fortifications, establish a mine or colony, or move to another star. Giving Orders When you want to give orders, scan the orders which apply to the currently-selected ship in the Orders Window. Highlight one of the active Orders options (the word's color indicates if it is available), and select. Some orders are carried out in one step; others, such as Build or Move, require additional steps to complete the command. Orders "in progress" are specially colored. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | IMPORTANT NOTE: If you choose to build an installation (colony, | | mine or fortification), but interrupt during construction with a | | new order, all work on that new installation will be lost. | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Moving a Ship To move a ship, follow these steps: 1 Highlight the ship in the Fleet List that you wish to move, then press Spacebar. 2 Highlight Move in the Orders Window, then press Spacebar. 3 When the ship you desire to move is highlighted, use the cursor keys to move the blinking cursor to the star of you choice. 4 Press Spacebar to confirm the selection. 5 If you have actions remaining in your present turn, you may select Move again to jump to another star. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note: As with all other commands, Move uses only one action, except | | for moving a starbase, which requires that you use all 3 moves in a | | turn. | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 29 Colonize To colonize, you require a life world and two turns. Then select the ship you wish to build the colony with, and select Colonize from the Orders Window. Once a colony is established, friendly races may recruit from it. Mine You can build a mine only in a blue, mineral star system. To do so, select a ship, then select Mine from the Orders Window. A mine's construction require two turns. A mine, once established, generates one starbuck per turn. Build You can build a new ship at your starbase. When you choose Build, a highlight appears in the Commission List at the top of the screen. Move the highlight to the ship desired, and press Spacebar (but only if you have the required Starbucks). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note: A fleet can hold no more than seven ships and a starbase at | | any given time; see the section on Scuttling for replacing ships | | when the limit has been reached. | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Recruit You can recruit to replace crew members lost in combat. Select Recruit, and your ship will regain its maximum crew level. Fortify You can choose Fortify from the Orders window to build a defensive web through which a typical enemy cannot pass. As with colonies and mines, the raising of a fortification requires two turns. 30 Besiege You can besiege enemy fortifications, and if successful, the fort is instantly destroyed. Your vessel can then move on. To besiege, highlight and select Besiege from the Orders menu. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note: When a vessel besieges a fort, it has a 10% chance of | | destroying it. An exception is the Ur-Quan Dreadnought, which will | | automatically destroy a fort. | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Scuttle You can scuttle one of your fleet's ships (useful when you wish to replace one vessel in a full fleet) by highlighting the ship to be scuttled, then highlighting and selecting Scuttle in the Orders menu. You can only scuttle when you already have seven (7) ships. Passing A Turn Passing ends your turn. Highlight and select Pass in the Orders Window. Strategic Ship Powers The Ur-Quan ship in the game possess a special strategic power. Ur-Quan Fort Destruction A single Ur-Quan vessel is able to destroy fortifications by itself, without besieging. To do so, an Ur-Quan must simply end its turn at an enemy fort. 31 [Illustration] Mycon growing new Crew WINNING THE GAME You win a Full Game when you destroy the enemy's starbase. When you win, you are awarded a Victory Screen. You then return to the Main Activity Menu. Saving a Game in Progress To save a Full Game in progress (while in Fleet Command View only): 1 Press H. 2 Insert a formatted disk or tape into the drive. Do not use the Star Control game disk or tape! 3 Select a number from 1-9 to identify the saved game. Then press Spacebar. 4 When the save is complete, you return to the Fleet Command View. 32 ACCOLADE CUSTOMER SERVICE IN ENGLAND: 44-1-738-1391 If you need help with this - or any other - Accolade product, please give us a call. Be sure you are at your computer when you call, and we'll try to solve your problem. Or write to us at: Accolade Europe Ltd. Attn: Customer Service 50 Lombard Road London SW11 3SU England YOUR DISK/TAPE CARRIES A 90-DAY WARRANTY Accolade, Inc. warrants for a period of 90 days from the date of purchase by the original purchaser of the Software that the recording medium on which it is recorded will be free from defects in materials and workmanship. Defective media which has not been subjected to misuse, excessive wear or damage due to carelessness may be returned during the 90-day period without charge. LICENSE AGREEMENT and LEGAL MUMBO JUMBO This computer software product (the "Software") and the user manual are provided to the Customer under license from Accolade, Inc. and are subject to the following terms and conditions, to which the Customer agrees by opening the package of the Software and user manual and/or using the Software. 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