QUICK START TUTORIAL 1.1 If you're having trouble getting your first colony started, follow the steps in this tutorial to build a stable foundation for a colony on a Mars class planet. The saved Outpost game, TUTOR.OPS, is an example generated by following the steps in this tutorial. If you wish, you can also load this saved game and play starting from Turn 81. NOTE: Since you will be playing a dynamic simulation game, the numbers given in the reports in this tutorial may vary when compared to the numbers you get when playing the actual game. Deaths and other results will also vary, so the numbers given in this tutorial should be taken as a guideline only. Also keep in mind that there are differences between the CD and Floppy versions of OUTPOST. If you see a reference to a sound in this tutorial that you aren't hearing in the Floppy version of the game, that's because it isn't there. PREPARATION FOR YOUR JOURNEY * This game assumes a chosen difficulty level of EASY. * The first probes (VLBI) were targeted on Sigma Draconis and Alpha Centauri B. * Ship Configuration: Colonists 200, Food 16, Life Support 12, Colonist Landers 4, Cargo Landers 2, Seed Factories 2, Tokamak Reactor 1, Solar Power Satellite 1, Solar Receiver Array 1, Geological Probe 1, Weather Satellite 1, Interstellar Probe 1, Communications Satellite 1, Orbital Observer Satellite 1, ULBI Probes 0. * VLBI probe data regarding star system Sigma Draconis: Spectral Class: G9 Distance (light years): 18.2 Mass: 0.82 Travel Time: 92.76 Probability of "habitable" planets: 0.036 * Interstellar Launch System - Press the Launch Probe button. As the other buttons highlight, press them in sequence. Do the same with the Launch Starship button sequence. In the CD version, when you click on two of the Launch Starship buttons, the sounds you hear are portions of a NASA recording made of the communications between the ground and capsule during the launch of Freedom 7. * Interstellar probe data on the fourth planet in the Sigma Draconis star system. (Clicking on each planet in the display gives you the statistics on that planet. When you're ready to select a planet, click on the Select button at the bottom of the display.) (As a familiar reference point for these number entries, Earth = 1.0) Equatorial Diameter: 0.53 (6,794 km) Mass: 0.11 Rotation Period: 24.62 hours Surface Gravity: 0.38 Mean Distance (in Astronomical Units, AU) from the primary star: 1.52 Solar Energy Received: 0.44 Approximate Mean Temperature (Centigrade): -23 (average) Escape Velocity (km/second): 5.02 Principal atmospheric gases: Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen Of the available planets, the fourth planet looked best because its equatorial diameter was about half that of Earth's diameter, the rotation period was about the same as Earth's, the solar energy received by the planet was good enough to get some use out of the solar power satellite packed for the trip, there was a trace of an atmosphere, and the approximate mean temperature was the mildest of the planets in the Sigma Draconis system. ON ARRIVAL AT THE NEW PLANET * Entering orbit around the chosen planet, the Orbital Launch System appears. Additional entries on the planet information section refer to "Estimated number of mining sites: Unknown," and "Maximum digging depth: Unknown." Launching the geological probe to fill in that information, tells you that there were an estimated 30 mining sites and a digging depth of four levels. Having launched all other satellites, finish by launching the seed factory. * The planet display window appeared, identifying it as Sigma Draconis 4. Stop the rotation of the planet by clicking on the center button at the bottom of the window, then look at different landing sites by clicking on the little squares on the planet's surface (you can view a maximum of 4 landing sites at once). To evaluate each landing site map, right click on the site map, then choose Tools and Elevation Map from the menu. Black areas = Clear terrain, Red areas = Rough terrain, Green areas = Hostile terrain, Yellow-Green area = Impassable terrain, Bright Red diamonds on the map indicate potential mining locations. If you don't see enough black terrain on the site map, right click on the site map, then choose System and Close to close that site map. When you find a site map you like, close the others, then left click on a black area near one or more red diamonds. The large, diamond-shaped tile map should show a lot of clear terrain, which you can check by right clicking on the tile map and reading the terrain type message. If you're near a mine, you may see the red mining beacon on the tile map. Left click on the chrome ball AI icon in the lower left corner of the game screen. Press the FEATURE NAMING button, then press the NAME SITE button. Enter the name you'd like for your site map, such as "Vulcan's Forge" in the sample game, and click OK. Do the same for NAME COLONY later in the game once the colony has gotten started. * Place the seed factory by left clicking on it in the top center tile selector window, moving the clear diamond cursor to a location on the tile map that's at least two spaces away from a red mining beacon, and left clicking the cursor on that location. If you're successful, a landing marker appears. Run one turn by left clicking on the planet/moon icon in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Turn "001" will appear under this "completed turn" planet icon. At this point, it's a good idea to SAVE the game, just in case you want to start over again without going all the way back to the probe launching and ship configuration screens. ON THE PLANET * You should now see the seed lander on the tile map in place of the landing marker. The seed lander is surrounded by four tube sections and four "under construction" tiles (buildings). A left click on each construction tile tells you the building type, status, and the number of turns until the structure is completed. The seed units will finish building in this order: Power, Smelter, Robot Factory, Command Facility. Before running a second turn, place a robominer on a mining beacon (left click on the tile map scrolling arrows to move around, or hold down the Shift key while you click on a scrolling arrow to jump five spaces in your chosen direction). Still before you run a second turn, place a robodozer at a tube opening and a robodigger at another tube opening. The empty tile selector window now says, "None Available." Run 1 turn, and the robodozer will reappear in the tile selector window because it is finished bulldozing the terrain tile where you had it assigned. The idea is to keep your robodozers dozing, your robodiggers digging, and your robominers mining, as you run turns to complete new structures, so place the robodozer next to another tube opening and run another turn. Place the dozer again next to some terrain that has already been bulldozed and run another turn. The completed seed power unit will appear in place of its construction tile. A left click on the power unit will show you its report: staff status is full because it's automated, the product is power, the production level is 50 units per turn. The "Resources" button is shaded out so that you can't push it because this facility is automated and draws no resources. As you build your seed factory, you may notice a dark blue triangle on the site map. This is the rebel colony and you will only see it if you have an Orbital Observer satellite in orbit. Place a dozer, run a turn, place a dozer, run a turn. Follow this pattern two more times and the air shaft cap will appear where the robodigger was working. The robodigger is available again, so it appears back in the tile selector window. If you left click on the air shaft cap, you will descend to your first underground (UG) level. You can see which level you're on by the level indicator at the left of the tile map, which now says "Level 1." The lower portion of the air shaft and the underground terrain tiles immediately surrounding it are visible. The extra tiles are visible because the robodigger excavated a one tile area around the base of the air shaft to allow for tube connections. There are no terrain tiles visible around the mine shaft because the robominer builds an enclosed shaft that has no need of tube connections. In a normal game, this would be a good time to place your robodigger on an air shaft to create a second underground level. If you do this while underground structures are all connected to the air shaft, you would disconnect the air and power underground for several turns, which could be very distressing to your colonists. Place a robodozer beside an air shaft tube connector opening. Place a robodigger on an underground terrain tile between the air shaft and the invisible terrain that surrounds it. When you place the robodigger, you get a control interface: SELECT DIG DIRECTION New Level + DOWN (this is the default) This Level + NORTH + SOUTH + EAST + WEST + SET + CANCEL +SELF-DESTRUCT Choose a direction toward one of the invisible areas next to the location where you've placed the robodigger, then click on SET. The robodigger appears and starts working. Also place a robominer on the mine shaft that is visible at this level (scroll to it with the arrows if necessary). * Run one turn and you'll be on Turn 9. You'll see that the robodigger's UG work area has appeared. Run one turn and place a robodozer, then run two turns, place a robodozer beside an already dozed tile, and run two more turns. (If you wish, you can run multiple turns by pressing the F5 key, entering the number of turns you'd like to run, and clicking on RUN.) On Turn 15, the mine shaft reappears and the next mine level is available (level 2). Right click off to the side of the tile map, select "Level," then "Underground 2" to see the new level. (You can also press the ALT and 2 keys simultaneously to change the view to level 2.) Place the robominer on the level 2 mine shaft, run one turn, right click off the tile map, select "Level," then "Surface" (or use ALT 0 to reach the surface using your keyboard). * Turn 16. The seed complex, which includes the Command Center, is finished building. Left click on the seed robot factory to see this report: FACTORY SUMMARY NAME: Factory # PRODUCT: "None" PROD. LVL: 0/0 (zero produced per zero turns since no product set) STAFF STATUS: Full (automated) FUNCTIONAL STATUS: Operational (otherwise would say "idle") BREAKDOWN STATUS: 0/0 RESOURCE STATUS: Stocked + MASTER + NEEDS +OK + CANCEL Master = Master Factory Report Needs = Seed Factory Structure Summary Cancel = exit this report OK = set production and exit this report Left click on the down arrow beside the PRODUCT entry, then select "Dozer." These are all your options: None Digger Dozer Miner Pause Click on OK to set production and exit this report. Run one turn. * Turn 17. Cargo Lander, Colonist Lander, and Robodigger are now all available in the tile selector window. Select Cargo Lander and place within 5 spaces of seed on terrain that is out of the way (diagonal to seed robot factory, for example) and that has not been bulldozed yet (it's okay to land on bulldozed terrain, but it's not necessary). The landing marker appears. Choose the Colonist Landers and place them the same way. Run 1 turn. In the CD version, you see the Colonist Lander leave the starship (if the CD animations are turned on) and hear Neil Armstrong's "small step" speech from the Apollo 11 moon landing. This is where you'll usually get a message that says "Colony 1 has lost 1 colonist(s)," but this may vary when you play the game. The LIST button on the tile selector window can be selected to switch from the graphics mode of the tile selector to the text list of available structures and robots. The tile selector only shows currently available robots and structures that can be built with the currently available numbers of people, power, and smelted resources. Choose an Agricultural Dome and place it beside a tube opening on a bulldozed tile. A construction tile appears on the map. A left click on the construction tile shows 5 turns are needed to complete it. If you push the report's "RESOURCES" button, you'll see that the "Resources Needed" list entries are all green and available. Red entries would indicate resources currently unavailable on that turn. Click OK to close the report. Place a tube intersection between any structure or tube and the next bulldozed terrain tile you'd like to build on. Run 1 turn. The "Colony has lost 1 colonist(s)" message at this point is a death due to old age and the stress of living on a new planet. * Turn 19. Click on the Command tile to get the Executive Summary Report. (The CHAP also shows this report when it is built.) Power, Population, Residences, Atmosphere, Food, Mining, Luxury, and Morale levels are all shown in this report, which is your best source of information. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REPORT POWER # 1 In Use: 9 Total: 50 Remaining: 41 POPULATION Total:98 POPULATION DETAILS: Employment Workforce: 78 Unemployed: 74 Population Groups: Infants: 0 Students: 20 Workers: 40 Scientists: 38 Retired: 0 RESIDENTIAL STATUS # of Structures: 0 Percent Occupied: 0% ATMOSPHERE Status: None CHAP Capacity: None Terraforming: None FOOD # of Agri Domes: 1 Total Per turn: 0 Total in storage: 0 MINING # of Active Mines: 0 (the top of the shaft isn't finished) Smelted totals: 0 Raw totals: 135 LUXURY # of Factories: 0 Total in Storage: 0 MORALE Current: 562 Last Turn: 581 Right now, population and morale numbers are the most important. Morale dropped from 600 to 562. You need to slow down the decline. There are 0 Residential units because everyone is stuffed in the Command Facility. Click on the air shaft cap to reach UG level 1. Place a dozer and a digger. Run one turn. You should now be on Turn 20. There are only tubes in the tile selector window due to resource limitations and the construction of your Agricultural Dome. All the robots are working. Run six turns while dozing and while connecting tubes to the base of the air shaft. * Turn 26. Return to the surface and see the finished Agri Dome. Place a CHAP on bulldozed terrain at the tube opening adjacent. Run one turn and place a dozer. Click on the mine shaft top to see the "Mining Summary." Name: Mine #10 Resources Found: All Ore in Storage: 285 Functional Status: Operational Breakdown Status: 0/0 Number of Levels: 3 Ore Output: 45/1 Total # of Mines: 1 + NEEDS + OK + RESOURCES In this case, the Resources button shows that zero resources are stored at this mine. Clicking on Needs, then Resources, shows the mine's operating requirements of Power 5 and People 1. Both are green so everything is okay. Red would mean something is missing. While at the mine shaft, use ALT 3 or one of the other methods to descend to the lowest current mine level. Place a robominer on the shaft, ALT 1 to reach level 1, select UG Residential from the tile selector window, and place on bulldozed terrain beside a tube opening. Run one turn. * Turn 28. On the surface, run four turns to build the CHAP. The Residential unit will also finish. You need the CHAP for air, Residential units for space and morale improvement, and the Agri Domes to make food and morale improvements. * EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REPORT (Turn 32) These are some of the items that have changed in the report: POPULATION 94 Employment: Workforce: 74 Unemployed: 67 Infants: 0 Students: 20 Workers: 40 Scientists: 34 Retired: 0 (4 scientists have died.) RESIDENTIAL # 1 Percent Occupied: 376% (anything above 200% is a problem for morale. You need more residential units.) ATMOSPHERE CHAP capacity: full (operating) FOOD # 1 Per Turn: 10 (you can feed 100 people per turn per Agri. Dome) Stored: 10 MINING # of Mines: 1 Smelted: 0 Raw: 567 (you need to build a storage tank) Morale: 340 current (still falling due to harsh conditions on new planet) 353 last Place a storage tank, and run 3 turns to move the internal truck from the mine to the smelter. (You won't see it moving, but it's moving.) Now resources show up in the storage tanks. * Turn 35. On the Executive Report, Mining now shows 100 smelted, 467 raw. Morale is currently 301 and was at 314 on the last turn. On UG level 1 - place a Residential unit, dozer, digger, and a tube. Run two turns, doze, run one turn, Residential unit appears on Turn 38. EXECUTIVE REPORT POPULATION 106 Workforce: 72 Unemployed: 64 Infants: 14 Students: 20 Workers: 20 Scientists: 52 Retired: 0 RESIDENTIAL # 2 Percent Occupied: 212% (You need more residential units. Over 200% occupancy brings down morale.) MINING # 1 Smelted: 322 Raw: 430 Morale: 275 (the morale drop is slowing.) Last 277 * UG level 1 - place residential, run one turn, place a dozer, run two turns. Surface - place a warehouse, run two turns, place a dozer, run one turn. "WAREHOUSE SUMMARY" report shows: 4 dozers (total of 12 mass units of storage in warehouse) EXECUTIVE REPORT (Turn 44) POPULATION 100 Workforce: 66 Unemployed: 56 Infants: 14 Students: 20 Workers: 20 Scientists: 46 Retired: 0 RESIDENTIAL # 3 Occ %: 133 (it's below 200%, so people will be happier now) MINING # 1 (still just one mine) Smelted: 560 Raw: 490 Morale 283 Last: 280 (The tide has turned and morale is rising!) * Place a Robot Command unit, run one turn, doze, run one turn, doze, run one turn, Robot command appears. If you click on Robot command to see its report, you can see that you now control one robot in addition to your original three (the first three will never show up in this report because they're independent of Robot command). REMEMBER, EACH ROBOT COMMAND FACILITY CAN OPERATE 10 ROBOTS AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN BUILT AND STORED IN A WAREHOUSE. Select a red diamond mine site on the site map, place a robominer, return to your colony by clicking on the light blue square on the site map. * Turn 47. UG level 1- place tube, place digger, run one turn. * Turn 48. Surface - place dozer, run one, place tube, place Agri Dome, place 4 dozers, run one turn, place 5 dozers, reset seed robot factory to produce miners. Now at Turn 50. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REPORT (Turn 50) POPULATION 115 Workforce 84 Unemployed 71 Infants 31 Students 0 Workers 39 Scientists 45 Retired 0 RESIDENTIAL # 3 % Occ: 153% FOOD # 2 (1 Agri Dome still under construction) Per turn: 10 Storage: 10 MINING # 1 Smelted: 805 Raw: 536 MORALE 301 now 298 last turn * Run one turn, 1 colonist lost. The Population report shows: POPULATION 114 Infants 31 Students 0 Workers 39 Scientists 44 Retired 0 In a previous game, 4 colonists died at this point. The report showed only that 2 died (apparently 1 infant and 1 scientist). Why was that? The colony actually lost 3 infants, 1 scientist, and had 2 births. Surface - Place 5 dozers, run one turn, place 6 dozers, run one turn, place 6 dozers, run one turn, second Agri Dome finished on Turn 54. Surface - Place a tube, place a SPEW facility. UG level 1 - place 6 dozers, run two turns, 6 dozers, run two turns, 6 dozers, run two turns, place a robominer on new level 1 shaft, start new surface mine with a robominer on a red mining beacon. * Turn 61. Place 6 UG dozers, run one turn. * Turn 62. SPEW finished surface - place tube and storage tank. Click on the storage tank to see what it contains: First Storage Tank Metal A 81 Metal B 60 Metal C 40 Metal D 57 Prec A 70 Prec B 66 Min A 125 Min B 150 Min C 84 Fusion A 52 Fusion B 106 Fusion C 94 TOTAL 985, REMAINING (space) 15 Place 6 dozers, run two turns, #2 Storage Tank finished. MPG = 6. * Turn 64. UG level 1 - place 2 tubes, place 2 residential units, place 6 dozers, place 1 digger, run two turns. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REPORT (Turn 66) POPULATION 123 Workforce 77 Unemployed 58 Infants 46 Students 0 Workers 36 Scientists 41 Retired 0 RESIDENTIAL # 5 (They like it best when there are 25 people or less in Occ 98% each residential unit.) FOOD # 2 (Still only two Agri. Domes, sufficient to feed 200 Per 20 per turn.) Storage 116 MINING # 2 Smelted 1144 Raw 566 Morale 367 (And still climbing.) 362 last Run two turns, UG level 1 mine shaft reappears. UG level 2 - place robominer. * Turn 69. MPG = 25. Place first UG laboratory on UG level 1, place 6 dozers, run two turns. * Turn 70. POWER # 1 (still running off Seed factory power) In Use: 48 Total: 50 Remaining: 2 (however, will need more power soon) Place Solar Receiver Array, run four turns, solar array finished. * Turn 74. Now let's just check those numbers on the Executive Summary again. POWER # 2 In Use: 43 Total: 1050 Remaining: 1007 POPULATION 137 Workforce 77 Unemployed 58 Infants 60 Students 0 Workers 36 Scientists 41 Retired 0 FOOD # 2 Per: 20 Storage: 171 MINING # 3 (a new mine level has just been completed) Smelted: 1487 Raw: 550 MORALE 410 406 last turn SPEW storage of MPG = 50 Note that morale is still on a gradual, steady climb. The danger zone for morale is when it drops below 200 for extended periods, since this is when your colonists may decide to start defecting to the rebel colony. If you can keep your morale over 800, the rebel colonists will start defecting to your colony, increasing your available workforce. This current morale level of 410 is well within the safe zone, but Parks, more Residential units, benevolent Police stations, Recreational facilities, and other buildings can have a stronger positive impact on morale when you need it. There are also lines of research that have a positive effect on morale. UG level 1 - start robominer working on a new level of an existing mine shaft (as explained previously). OPERATING YOUR LABS Set the completed lab facility to do research by clicking on the lab to generate the Laboratory Summary. Click on the RESEARCH TOPIC button to select the line of research you want your scientists to follow. If you click on the COLOR LEGEND button, you'll see an explanation of the color codes used in the research tree. Notice that the APPLIED RESEARCH category, which is at the currently displayed top level of the research tree, is green. The green category means that research has been completed at that current level, but that there may be more research to do that follows it. You can see this now by clicking on APPLIED RESEARCH to see the next level of the tree beneath it. Now click on COMPUTER SCIENCE, then ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. This is the end of the current tree branch, and it's a good subject to study now because it's the fastest way to arrive at the ability to build a Hot Lab for dangerous research. To get your lab ready to start this research on the next turn, click on the STUDY button at the left of the research tree window. Notice that the Progress Meter is currently dark. When you start making some progress in your current research effort, a line of rats will start appearing here to give you a general idea of how much progress you're making toward a new discovery or new line of research. Click on OK to close the Laboratory Summary report, run one turn to start your lab research. If you check the lab report now, you'll see your current research topic listed along with the fact that the lab is "Operational." When this research is finished, the lab will go "Idle" until you assign it to do new research. It may also go idle when you don't have enough scientists, which may mean that you need to build a university, or that you have to wait for your children to age enough to go to work. Of course, a lab can also go idle when there aren't enough resources to keep the lab operating. * Turn 75. 6 tubes laid to provide bypass for the collapse of the seed complex units at turn 150. Dozed a cargo lander because it was in the way of one of the tubes. As with any of the other buildings, the material from the dozed cargo lander will be recycled because a SPEW is operating in the colony. THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MENU The AI icon is located in the lower left corner of your screen. Left click on it once to open the AI menu. Some events may seem rather mysterious unless you stay aware of the News Briefs as they are generated by events in your colony. The News Brief button is shaded when there isn't any news. When you click on the News Brief button, you'll see the current news brief. If you close the news brief and there's more news to be seen, the button will remain highlighted to prompt you to read it. The AI menu also gives you the ability to name your planet, your landing site, and your colony. The Master Reports button lets you keep an eye on your factories, labs, and executive summary report from one location. The Evacuation Order is always available, but only needed when an alert warns you of an impending disaster. The Panic button has no real purpose other than to give you something to press when you're starting to get hysterical. The Help button gives you access to the Help system. The Launch Order button is not used to order lunch, but it will become active when you have done all of the research and construction necessary to put a new starship in orbit and make it available for a new colonization mission that will end the game. You don't have to end the game when this happens, but it gives you a convenient ending point if you want one. When you're ready to close the AI menu, click on the CANCEL button at the bottom of the menu. THE SAVED GAME The saved Outpost game, TUTOR.OPS, is an example generated by following the steps in this tutorial. If you wish, you can also load this saved game and play it starting from Turn 81. SUGGESTIONS BEYOND TURN 81 To continue the game from this point, here are some general suggestions: * When your population approaches 300, build a third Agricultural Dome to feed them. If they start dying from starvation, the oldest people tend to die first, which removes your Retired people, then your Scientists, then your Workers, then Students, until all you have left are your Infants, who absolutely refuse to do any work. * If your Residential Occupancy is 200% or higher, you need more Residential units, otherwise the overcrowding will impact your morale. * Gradually add more laboratories. If you have more than one, assign at least one of them to Basic Research. When you have a Hot Lab built, work on the different aspects of Nanotechnology research (you have to figure out the details) so that you can eventually build a Nanotechnology Facility. Full research into Nanotech 1 and Nanotech 2 will be necessary. MORE ABOUT RESEARCHING NANOTECHNOLOGY Along the way, you may also have to bulldoze extra structures in your colony to generate MPG, which will fill in for any resource shortages that may show up from mining. When you build a Nanotech Facility, you will no longer require mined resources unless your Nanotech Facility explodes (this is most common on Medium and Difficult levels of game play). Even with a Nanotech Facility, you will still be required to produce power and people to keep the colony operating. Due to the chance of explosion, build your Nanotech Facility at least two spaces away from any other structures (except for the tube connection, of course). AROUND 110 TO 130 TURNS WITH THIS SAVE GAME Allow time, people, and resources to build a new smelter before your seed smelter collapses at Turn 150. One smelter will serve your needs for a long time unless something horrible happens to it. MORE STORAGE Build a third Storage Tank when the first two are nearing their storage limits. Keep an eye on your storage tanks occasionally so that you don't have resources backing up at the mines or the smelter due to a lack of storage in your colony. GROW SLOWLY Remember that a conservative approach to construction and maintenance of your colony, as demonstrated in this tutorial, is the safest method of expansion. Your resource and population limitations effectively serve as your budget in this game. You won't be able to build rapidly until you've created a nanotechnology facility and no longer need concern yourself with mining limitations. One SPEW facility per colony will help you by recycling sewage and bulldozed buildings. Remember that mined resources have limits, as they do here on Earth. ***********************************************