To aid you in your command, your starship has many useful features.
The primary ones are described below.
• Long Range Scan: The Helmsman controls this important feature, or it
can be activated by clicking on the left button at the top of the Game Screen. It
displays a view of all known Alliance sectors. Your position is
designated by a white blip. Space stations are designated by magenta
blips (there are four). Planets are designated by green blips
(there are fifteen currently holding Alliance bases). Any detected
enemy ships are designated by flashing orange blips. A white rectangle
initally highlights the sector you are in, and may (as described later)
indicate your warp destination.
• Sector Scan: Also controlled by the Helmsman, this displays a zoomed-out view of the sector you are currently in. Objects are indicated in the same fashion as the Long Range Scan. This may also be activated by the center button on the top of the screen.
• View Screen: Displays the area immediately around your starship. This is the display mode used when the game starts; it is displayed in the Game Screen picture in chapter 4. This may also be activated by the right button on the top of the screen.
• Radar: Located in the Radar Window, this gives yet another view of the area surrounding your starship. Several things shall be noted:
• The white blip in the center is your ship.
• The blue rectangle in the middle represents the area depicted in the view screen. Thus, the radar displays an area about 8-10 times larger than the view screen.
• The light blue blip located around the rectangle indicates the direction your starship is facing. It moves around the rectangle as you turn your ship.
• Other objects (planets, enemy ships, etc) are indicated in the same fashion as the Long Range Scan. However, the enemy ship on whom the laser is currently locked will be flashing to indicate this.
Importantly, it should be known that the area of the Radar Window represents the range for laser locking. If the laser cannon has been locked on an enemy ship, which then leaves the area shown in the Radar Window, the laser will no longer be locked on that target.
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For the other features of the starship, refer to the picture below of an example of the Status Window.
 
 
• Energy reserves: This is indicated above by the green bar labelled “Total”. Your starship is equipped with energy capacitors capable of holding a fixed amount of energy. Energy is used to support the shields, laser cannon, warp drive, and target scanner, as well as some ship bonuses. When all are inactive, energy is gradually regenerated; otherwise, it gradually declines.
• Shields: The shields are controlled by the Weapons Officer, and their status is displayed in two locations in the Status Window. On the left side is a small view of the starship, with green lights around it. This is simply the shield indicator; the green lights denote the shields being currently activated. The status of the shields is shown on the bottom in the middle. When the ship is hit, the shields are reduced accordingly. Gradually, as energy is consumed, the shields will rise back to their maximum. You may also click on the image of the Reliant to activate or deactivate the shields.
• Laser Cannon: The laser cannon, controlled by the Weapons Officer, is created from the working of two parts: the laser energy couplings, which hold and conduct the energy charge which is dispensed upon firing, and the laser, which is the locking and firing mechanism. To use the laser cannon, the couplings must be charged by the Weapons Officer (in the picture above, they are fully charged, indicated by the red bar labelled “Laser”). The couplings may also be charged by clicking inside the laser indicator bar at the bottom of the screen. Next, the laser must be locked on a target. To select a target to lock onto, press the CONTROL key. Upon doing so, the blip representing the enemy ship will flash in the Radar Window, and a small target sight will appear in the view screen on top of the enemy ship (if it's visible). Repeatedly pressing the control key will toggle among all enemy ships which appear in the Radar Window. Now you are ready to fire: do so by pressing the SPACE BAR and holding it down for as long as you want it to fire. As you do so, energy will drain from the laser energy couplings, and when they no longer hold energy, the cannon will stop firing. Energy will be channelled back into the couplings gradually, as they need time to cool and recharge. The cannon will also stop firing automatically if the target ship is no longer in range (see below).
It should be pointed out that the View Screen represents the range of the laser cannon. This is not to be confused with the range of the laser target lock, which is represented by the Radar Window. Thus, you can lock the laser onto a target that is outside the view screen, but you cannot fire until it is visible in the view screen. Likewise, if you are firing on a target which leaves the view screen area, the laser cannon will stop firing, although the target lock will still be in effect (at least until it leaves the range of the Radar Window).
• Torpedoes: Your ship is equipped with three torpedo bays (2 fore and 1 aft) and a torpedo holding area capable of holding up to 30 torpedoes. This capacity may be increased through extra torpedo holding units when available at Alliance outposts. The number of torpedoes left in holding is indicated above the laser status box, while the status of each torpedo bay is indicated on the right side of the Status Window. Torpedoes can be fired at any time by pressing ‘F’ to fire a fore torpedo bay or ‘A’ to fire the aft bay. There is a slight delay after firing to allow for reload; this is indicated by a red “reload” light.
• Warp Drive: Controlled primarily by the Helmsman, the warp drive allows for swift travel. In the Status Window, the current destination coordinates and warp speed are indicated on the left side next to the energy indicators. To select new coordinates, you must be able to view the Long Range Scan. While doing so, use the mouse to click on the sector you wish to warp to (or use the OPTION key in combination with the arrow keys to move the selection box); the coordinates are entered automatically. To engage the warp drive, select the command from the Helmsman’s menu, or click on the warp coordinates in the Status Window. Note that the destination can be changed while in warp; if you click the mouse on a new sector, your course will change automatically. The warp engines will shut down themselves when you reach the middle of the destination sector. You may, of course, shut off the warp drive at will by selecting the appropriate command from the Helmsman’s menu or by clicking on the warp coordinates in the Status Window. The warp speed may be changed using the + and - keys, and by clicking as shown above.
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Other features of the ship include:
• Steering: Movement of the ship is accomplished with the arrow keys. The right and left arrow keys turn the ship clockwise and counter-clockwise, respectively, while the up and down arrow keys fire the forward and reverse thrusters, respectively. SHIFT-down arrow is “all-stop”, quickly bringing the ship to a halt.
Wait, did I emphasize that enough?
SHIFT-down arrow is “all-stop”, quickly bringing the ship to a halt.
• Communications: To interact with an Alliance base (space station or planetary base), you must interface with it. After positioning the starship nearby the station/base, press the ‘H’ key to hail the base. You must be in close enough range, and must not be moving (use Shift-down arrow) to establish a proper interface. From there, the base will present you with your options. Remember, use SHIFT-down arrow.
• Emergency Warp: Your ship also comes with this important safety feature. If you find yourself in dire straights, press the ESC key to activate emergency warp systems. If your warp drive is not damaged, the warp computer will select at random one of the immediately surrounding sectors and engage the warp engines. Remember that afterward you still might not be out of the enemy ship’s range. Also keep in mind that this will not work if the warp drive is damaged.
• Cargo Bays: The ship is fitted with three cargo bays, each capable of holding a single item. Items are transferred between the Reliant and Alliance outposts via matter transportation ("mat-trans"), and range from planetary goods to new ship components like different shield types or laser energy sources, or extra torpedo holding units. The cargo bay contents are accessed via either the engineer's or the computer's menu. To activate or deactivate an item in a cargo bay, click on its name. To get a description of the item in a cargo bay, click on the cargo bay number. Mat-Trans is done while docked at a base, and is accessed via a menu command there.
• Ship Modifications: Ship modifications are bonuses (awarded by Alliance Headquarters) you receive for accomplishing certain goals, and once activated can provide enormous help in battle. Bonuses include such things as triple torpedo tubes or a cloaking device. These bonuses apply only to the first and second missions ("Assault on the Alliance" and "The Enemy Within"). The modifications currently made to the Reliant are accessed also via either the engineer's or computer's menu. Likewise, to activate or deactivate a ship modification, click on its name. Complete descriptions of current ship modifications can be found in the ship's computer. Bonuses are awarded by selecting one of the possible eight from a menu. Some modifications use energy; therefore, they should be deactivated if the player wants to replenish energy reserves.
• Target Scanner: The target scanner works in conjunction with the laser and gives information on the enemy vessel currently locked on target. The information includes current energy level, as well as weapon and shield energy types (see below). The target scanner is turned on or off via the weapons officer, or by clicking on the appropriate place in the status window, as indicated above. Having the target scanner turned on uses a slight amount of energy, so be sure to turn it off if you want your total energy to regenerate. Information such as that received from the target scanner will be displayed in the view screen, similar to a "heads-up display". Also displayed on-screen are signals indicating which ship systems are currently damaged, and a signal if any messages from headquarters are waiting.
• Life Support: Life support operates at all times, unless damaged during an attack, so it normally does not need to be worried about. Once life support falls below 100%, the chances of a crew member suddenly passing out increase.
• Computer: The Reliant has an on-board computer with a library of information about the Reliant and the Alliance. It also has the ability to display the current contents of the cargo bays and any modifications currently made to the Reliant. To activate the ship's computer, press the ‘C’ key or click the mouse on the computer icon in the upper right corner of the Game Screen. The available commands will appear in the Commands Window. Here, you can elect to view the Galactic Map, which is a view similar to the Long Range Scan but only providing the location of Alliance starbases and planets. By clicking on a sector containing a base or planet, you will be presented with information about that particular outpost. In addition, the ship's computer contains information about Energy Types available in the game. They are conventional (Type A); high energy (Type B); particle (Type C); alternative (Type D); and unknown (Type E). The Reliant begins with weapons and shields of Type A, and can be changed by obtaining different weapons and shields at Alliance outposts. The descriptions available of the weapon and shield types held in the cargo bays gives an indication of the usefulness and vulnerabilities of each energy type.
