+ <F2><C1>The starmap can be regarded as the most important screen in the game.
- From the starmap you can control the movements of your fleets, observe the
- movements of other fleets and enemy empires, study planetary information,
- begin planetary colonization, produce new ships and tanks and initiate
- combat with enemy forces.
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* <Pkezelo2.bmp>
* Zoom In/Out
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* Perspective view
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* Rotate Right
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+ Rotate left
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+ Top dowm view
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+ Tilt Up/Down
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+ Using the icons at the bottom of the screen you can zoom and rotate your
- viewpoint or choose between the two default settings. In the middle of
- the icons is a radar view of the entire galaxy.
+
+ In the bottom left of the screen is a small information window. Left clicking
- on planets or fleets will show you information in the small window.
- Left clicking on the window will display more detailed information on the
- selected planet or fleet. Right clicking on the window will either
- take you to the planet's surface or the split fleet screen. Clicking both
- buttons at the same time on the window allows you to rename the selected
- fleet or planet.
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* <Ppl_info.bmp>
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+ <SUBTOPIC>
+ <F4><C3>Radar Range
+
+ <F2><C1>Every planet in your empire with a completed colony hub generates a
- transparent red field. This is the radar range of that planet and anything
- that enters it will become visible to you. The radar range effectively marks
- your empire's territory. you cannot see anything outside your radar range.
- The radar range allows you to discover new planets and observe the movements
- of ships that do not belong to your empire, during the game you may make
- alliances with other empires. If this happens, their radar range will be
- visible to you.
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+ Your fleets also have radar ranges. These are displayed as transparent blue
- fields when the fleet moves outside your territory. The size of the radar
- range depends on the type of radar fitted to the fleet. The further from
- your territory the fleet travels, the smaller its radar range will become
- until it disappears completely. You can still move the fleet but will not
- be able to see anything around it, this is dangerous as the fleet can be
- attacked without warning! You can use a fleet to discover new planets,
- then send a colonization ship in to start a new colony.
+
+ <SUBTOPIC>
+ <F4><C3>Fleets
+
+ <F2><C1>You can select one of your fleets by left clicking on it.
- The following information will appear in small info window in the
- bottom left corner of the screen:
+
+ <C5>* <C1>Fleet name
+ <C5>* <C1>Name of the empire which owns the fleet
+ <C5>* <C1>The last valid order
+ <C5>* <C1>Number of ships, fighters, and tanks in the fleet
+ <C5>* <C1>Maximum speed
+
+
+ <C5> Ship Info
+
+ <C1> Left clicking on the small information window displays more detailed
- information. On the left you can see 3D images of all of the types of
- ships, fighters, and tanks in the selected fleet. Left clicking on one
- of them will show its exact specification such as the strength of its
- hull, it's firepower, its tank carrying capacity (if any) and all the
- weapons and equipment fitted.
+
+ You can sell vehicles on this screen by left clicking and holding on a
- vehicle. A new option will appear allowing you to sell your ships.
- Move over this option and let go of the mouse button.
+
- As you research new weapons and technology, you can fit them to your
- ships using the design screen described later.
+
+
+ <SUBTOPIC>
+ <C5>Split Fleet <C1>
+
- The split fleet screen will appear if you right click on the small
- information window. Two windows will appear, one showing your current
- fleet, and the other the new fleet you want to create. You can split
- your fleet into two parts. Left clicking on a ship moves one of those
- ships into the new fleet. Right clicking moves all ships of that type
- into the new fleet at once. Holding down the left mouse button on a
- ship will move ships into the new fleet at an increasing speed.
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+ You may carry ground assault forces in your fleet so you can take over
- planets. These tanks are carried by your larger ships. The bigger the
- ship, the more tanks it can carry. When you are splitting your fleet,
- if there are not enough ships to carry all of the tanks in one of your
- fleets, the excess tanks are automatically put into the other fleet.
- You can check the number of tanks in each fleet at the bottom of the
- two windows.
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+ If you move two fleets onto each other using the starmap they will be
- joined automatically.
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+ <SUBTOPIC>
+ <C5> Commanding the Fleet
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* <Pstarmap_kis.bmp>
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+ <C5> Using fleet icons<C1>
+ Left click and hold on the desired fleet to display the fleet icons appear.
- You can split your fleet into two with the split fleet icon. (see
- split fleet section).
+
+ The other icon that may appear is the tanks icon. You can transfer tanks
- from a planet to your fleet and vice versa. To do this, select the tanks
- icon while your fleet is near a planet. This screen is similar to split
- fleet. On the left side you can see the tanks in your fleet, while on the
- right side you will see the tanks that are on the planet.
+
+ <C5> Moving the fleet
+ <C1> Left click on a fleet then right click anywhere on the starmap. This
- orders your fleet to move to the position where you clicked. At the
- beginning of the game it is useful to explore the area around your planet.
- In order to do that, you can assign more movement orders, or in other
- words, give waypoints to your fleet. To do this, press the SHIFT key while
- selecting the waypoints with the right mouse button.
+
+ <C5> Patrol routes <C1>
- You can set up patrol routes for your fleet, which the fleet will follow
- until you give new orders. This is useful if you want a fleet to supply
- additional radar range in a territory. Keeping the shift button pressed,
- right click to assign waypoints but make the last waypoint the
- fleet itself. The fleet will then circulate around this route
- until you give it another order.
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+ <SUBTOPIC>
+ <F4><C3> Planets
+
+ <F2><C1> By selecting a planet the following information will be displayed in
- the small information window.
+
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+ <C5>* <C1> Planet name
+ <C5>* <C1> Name of the planet's owner
+ <C5>* <C1> Number of inhabitants (+ growth rate)
+ <C5>* <C1> Morale of inhabitants and list of problems to be solved
+
+ There is a small planet rotating in this window. The number above the
- planet shows the production efficiency, this can vary from planet
- to planet depending on the amount of resources which are found there.
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+ The number below the planet shows the growth rate of the population. There
- are certain climates where the inhabitants feel better or worse, or where
- the living conditions are unbearable. These factors will influence the
- growth rate.
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+ If you left click and hold on a planet, various icons will appear. Here you can
- do several things:
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* <Pplanet_icons.bmp>
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+ <C5>REDIRECT:<C1> If you produce ships on that colony, you may redirect these
- ships to another planet. This way, you can pool your ships at a specific locations.
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+ <C5>PLANET SURFACE:<C1> Takes you to the planets surface.
+
+ <C5>PRODUCTION<C1>: Takes you to the production screen.
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+ By left clicking and holding on an empty planet you may do the following:
+
* <C5>DEPLOY SATTELITE:<C1> Once you have researched the sattelite, You may
* deploy them over planets.
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* <C5>COLONISE:<C1> If you have produced a colonisation ship, you can
* colonise a planet. This means that when the ship reaches
* there, it will land on the planet, and transforms into a
* colony hub building.
* From than on, the planet becomes a part of your empire,
* with an initial population of 5000.
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* <C5>TERRAFORM:<C1> If you have produced a terraforming ship, and a planet's
* surface is not the best for your race, you may change the
* surface to a more preferable one.
+
+ <SUBTOPIC>
+ <C5> Planet information<C1>
+
+ Left click on a planet then left click on the small information window to
- display more detailed planet information. On the left side of the screen
- you can see the picture of your planet and any space bases you have built.
- You can have up to ten space bases in orbit around a single planet. The
- only way to get rid of them is to sell them. Left click and hold on the
- selected space base then select the sell option and release the mouse
- button.
- More information will be displayed if you own the planet. If another
- empire owns it, you can increase the information displayed by deploying
- satellites or spy satellites around the planet. The following information
- can be displayed.
+
* <C5>Name:<C1> the name of the planet
* <C5>Surface:<C1> the type of the surface. Certain planets offer more
* favourable conditions for your people. The productivity
* percentage, which effects the production capacity and
* speed of production on the planet, is displayed in
* brackets.
* <C5>Empire:<C1> The empire that occupies the planet.
* <C5>Race:<C1> The Race of the planet's population. If you take over
* a planet that is home to another race they become part of
* your empire.
* <C5> Pop:<C1> Population, the number of inhabitants on the planet.
* Beside it is the growth rate.
* <C5>Morale:<C1> The morale of the people on the planet. Better morale
* results in a faster growth rate for the population.
* <C5>Income:<C1> Monthly income received from the planets population.
* This depends on the size of the population and the level of
* taxation.
* <C5>Workers:<C1> Number of workers available / number of workers
* needed for optimal operation. If you need more workers
* than you actually have, certain buildings do not operate.
* <C5>Energy:<C1> Energy generated and energy required. As with
* the workers, sufficient energy is necessary for 100%
* operation of buildings on the Planet.
* <C5>Tanks:<C1> The number of tanks deployed on the planet.
* <C5>Special:<C1> Messages can appear here if something unusual is
* happening on the planet, such as an epidemic, increase in
* volcanic activity or extremely high morale levels among
* the population.
* <C5>Problems:<C1> The problems of the inhabitants are listed here as
* well as a % of the population affected. It is worth taking
* care of problems because a high rate of dissatisfaction
* can lead to a fall in the level of morale, or even rebellion.
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* <Ppl_info2.bmp>
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+ Beneath the planet information are three menus.
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+ <SUBTOPIC>
+ <C5>Taxing your colonies<C1>
+
+ <C5>Tax:<C1> Allows you to adjust the rate of Tax on the planet. Higher tax
- rates increase your income but will make your population unhappy in the long
- run unless you build a very special colony for them. If you move the mouse cursor
- over the Tax setting then left click and hold a menu appears. Release the
- mouse button when the cursor is on the desired Tax level. Alternatively,
- you can click the - or + icons to decrease or increase the level of Tax.
- Selecting "All" will apply the selected level of Tax to all your colonies.
+
+ <SUBTOPIC>
+ <C5>Auto build<C1>
+
+ Auto build: Automatically builds a certain type of colony for you. Left
- click and hold on the auto build setting to display a menu of all the
- available auto build settings. Move the cursor over the desired setting
- and release the mouse button to select. Even if a colony has been constructed
- using auto build you can still intervene and construct buildings of your
- own or turn auto build off at any time. Selecting "All" will apply the
- current auto build setting to all colonies.
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* <Ppl_info_autobld.bmp>
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+ The auto build settings are as possible.
+ <C5>None:<C1> You do all the building.
+ <C5>Civilian:<C1> Constructs mostly civilian buildings and makes sure the population is kept happy.
+ <C5>Production:<C1> Specialises in production, building ship and tank factories as well as civilian buildings.
+ <C5>Technological:<C1> Specialises in research. Usually, a ship research centre will be constructed first, taking into consideration that the greatest threat to a colony usually comes from space. Then, building and tank research centres will be constructed.
+ <C5>Military:<C1> Usually constructed in territories which are seriously threatened by the enemy, plenty of Military buildings will be constructed.
+ <C5>Ship Production:<C1> Specialises in ship production.
+ <C5>Tank Production:<C1> Specialises in tank production.
+
+ <SUBTOPIC>
+
+ <C5>Priority<C1>
+
+ Priority: This defines the importance of the colony in terms of
- automatically receiving money. If you set the priority to high it means
- that even if you have little money, you want this colony to receive as
- much as possible for auto building. If you move the mouse cursor over the
- priority level setting then left click and hold a menu appears. Release
- the mouse button when the cursor is on the desired priority level setting.
- Alternatively, you can click the - or + icons to decrease or increase the
- level of priority. Selecting "All" will apply the selected level of
- priority to all your colonies.
* <C5>Name:<C1>
+ The speed of your ships depend on the quality of hyperdrives you have
- equipped. A whole fleets speed depends on the speed of the slowest ship,
- so sometimes it is a good idea to check your fleets, if an older design
- slows it down.
+
+ The ships also have a crew, which gain experience in battles. An ACE crew
- can fight better and inflict more damage than a NOVICE one.
