GAME PLAY TIPS    

GETTING LOST?   LOSING CONTROL?

KEYBOARD COMMANDS

•     1-0 (default).........Select speed setting.
•     I then 1................Intercom channel open ( I ) then "Attack my target" (must select an enemy first.)
•     I then 2................Cover Me (Makes allies come in close and fly with you)
•     I then 0................Cancel Order (Let allies go back to their previous mission)
•     - + ......................Speed decrease & increase
•     W........................Toggle Lasers/Missiles (missile salvo depletes when used. Recharges)

•     R.........................Cycle thru Radar zoom ranges (1-6)
•     T.........................Target closest enemy
•     P.........................Pause game (Fire to start)
•     S.........................Short Superthrust
•     TAB....................Sustained SuperThrust (draws fuel. Must recharge)
•     D.........................Damage Report.
•     F..........................Switch of Targetting Computer.
•     G.........................Switch on/Cycle through all targets.
•     L..........................Level of Detail (default - Fast Starfield, 4 settings; 2-4 mapped starfield & clusters  & engine flare)
•     X.........................Cycle thru momentum dampering (reduces turn/pitch after joystick is released)
•     C.........................Autorecentre (press to engage and let computer straighten you up - Disengages automatically)
•     V.........................Extern views ( view your fighter in chase cam mode; 3 settings)
•     N.........................Toggle Invulnerability (FAILS MISSION)
•     M.........................Cycle thru yoke types. 1-Pitch locked -+45degrees 2-Pitch Free  3-Ylocked
•     Arrow Keys.........(Keyboard only) Steering
•     SpaceBar.............(Keyboard only) Fire weapon
•     F5........................Mission Brief (in-flight)
•     F9........................Autopower restore (Cheat Mode)
•     ESC.....................Initialise Fluid Space(c)tm. Jump (End Mission)

Some useful cockpit gauges

The control system is enough to get even the most seasoned pilots lost. At any time you are lost hit 'C' to have the spaceship auto-recentre. Check the dialogue box at the bottom of the screen to verify it says 'Auto-recentre on'. Hit 'C' at any time to cancel it, or it will cancel itself once you are recentered.

Press 'H' to have the HUD appear. 0' is straight ahead and turning left or right rudders the ship around. 90' & 270' is pointing up or down respectively. Left or right turns roll the ship. 180' is upside down and turning causes ruddering.

TOO MANY BAD GUYS?

Get your allies to take out the motherships. Motherships spawn more stunt fighters if left to their own devices. Hit 'G' until a D'Yammen Cruiser is selected as your current target (or 'T' for closest target if you are flying past a cruiser). Hit 'I' to open an INTERCOM channel and immediately press '1' to get any free allies to attack your selected target. Hit 'F' to cancel the target and continue on. If no ships are available or they're too aggressive to follow orders try again until you get a confirmation of your orders...ie 'Affirmative' or 'Request Confirmed'

NEED FIRE SUPPORT?

Hit 'I' to open a channel, and press '2' to get all available allies to form on your wing. It may take time for distant allies to come in so make sure you`re close to some before you do this effectively. Once they are formed up (yellow radar blips near the centre of the radar) select an enemy target, hit 'I' and then '1' and the formation ships will attack a common target. Hit 'I' then '0' to cancel any orders and they will continue on their old mission) Also hitting 'I' then '0' will clear any orders, making allies ready for new commands.

RADAR CONFUSING?

It's based on the ELITE style of radar. The radar looks directly down on your ship. Anything ahead appears in the top quarter of the radar and is somewhere in front. As you spin around the radar blips circle the other way. A blip with a stalk below it is above your current height, and a blip with stalk above it is below you. Red blips are the enemy, yellow blips are the allies, orange blips are neutral, which usually need protecting. (Check out Blue Sky Mine in the Campaign game for an example) And blue blips are ejected pilots who are hard to target visually. Press 'T' to target the closest enemy when a pilot is nearby.

EJECTED PILOTS?

On harder SKILL levels pilots eject when their ship blows. If an enemy gets too close, which usually happens because you have to get close to destroy stunt ships, the pilot will attempt to attach a limpet mine to the base of your ship (with an animation). The explosion kills the pilot but does you alot of damage. Avoid them!!!

Ejected allied pilots should be picked up, because even though they can fight, their armour is low. Picking up a pilot automatically beams him back to a mother ship if available and launches a new allied stunt ship.

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