Installing the Program

This manual is written for the Windows version of Privateer Gemini Gold. The concepts and commands used herein, however, should be generally applicable to all platforms. Where there are differences, or points that have not been addressed, please forward that information to the editor or report it to the Privateer forum for inclusion in future manual updates.

Windows Installation

1. Privateer Gemini Gold is packaged in a self-installable, executable program; 2. Double click on the program self-installer file. It will begin verifying the installer (be patient, this will take a short while); 3. Read the License Agreement (a copy can be accessed in the programs directory); 4. Select which components to install. Note that the Privateer Gemini Gold files are required to play the game, and the Shortcuts are provided for ease of play access; 5. Select the directory to which you want to install the game; 6. Click Install. You will see the installer program extracting and installing all the necessary files and accessory programs to launch, configure and run Privateer Gemini Gold.

GNU/Linux Installation

Install as a user: 1. sh privateer-1.0.run; 2. Enter directory to locate the files (default is /home/username/privateer); 3. Enter directory to put symlinks to binaries. If you do not have a location for binaries in your $path, uncheck the install symlinks to binaries option, then note that the symlink is to the binary in privateer/bin/vegastrike.sh. Install as root: 1. su; 2. sh privateer-1.0.run; 3. Select path to install files; 4. Install symlinks

Mac Installation

1. Double-click on the dmg image and you will see Vega Strike, Vega Strike Setup and Vega Strike Setup OS X 10.2; 2. Double-click on the setup icon; 3. Select Options. 4. Double-click on Vega Strike Note: under mac you will notice significant performance improvements from running it directly out of the dmg file, but you can copy the Vega Strike application and setup into /Applications with no adverse effects aside from a slightly slower startup time.
Configuring Privateer Gemini Gold

Windows Configuration

To configure Privateer Gemini Gold for your system, you need to access the configuration settings: 1. Run the Privateer Setup program from the Start Menu; 2. Directly open the program file setup.exe in the /bin folder; 3. Directly editing the vegastrike.config file (recommended only for advanced use only).

Linux Configuration

Slavery

The ongoing war with the Kilrathi has resulted in the unfortunate breakdown of civilization including law and order in many sectors. This has led to the rise in trade of illegal practices including piracy and the trade and transport of contraband. Perhaps the worst, though, is the enslavement of sentient creatures, combining the worst of all practices. Being a passenger on an interstellar transport, or indeed just a pilot in your own ship can be fraught with danger. All passengers, colonists and pilots run the risk of being forced into slave pods.

Ship Dealer

Welcome to the Ship Dealer. To buy upgrades, weapons or a new ship, you must have access to a Ship Dealer. Locate the Ship Dealer by moving your mouse cursor around the Concourse until it is highlighted and the name appears at the bottom of your screen (you may not find one, as not all bases have one). Click Left Mouse Button (LMB) to enter the Showroom where you look at the shipdealer itself and three major civilian ship types. Here you can talk with the shipdealer to buy a ship, therefore select a ship with your mouse cursor and use the LMB then listen what the shipdealer has to tell you about it. Access the Upgrades Booth (p20) by clicking on the hallway. Return to the Concourse by clicking on the archways beside the hallway.

Showroom

In Privateer, not every ship (and not every pilot) is the same. Whether you're a rookie pilot just starting out; a merchant in need of a large cargo vessel; or a bounty hunter after a high performance fighter, everyone at some point wants to replace their current ship with something better.
The Showroom allows the player to access all of the various ships available within Privateer. Light to heavy ships, produced by all the shipyards of all the various factions may be available - for a price. Not all dealers stock all available ships. Also, your reputation with both the manufacturer and the base you are docked with may influence availability.

Purchasing a New Ship

Select one of the three ships you see in the Showroom and click on it. The shipdealer will immediately start to tell you something about it and offers you the possibility to buy it or abort the purchase.

Overall Rating. The Galaxy is successful in its role as the top-of-the-line mercantile vessel available to the public. I give it an A without reservation. Trigger-happy pilots are a little disappointed in its moderate top speed, but the availability of two turrets adds a comfortable measure of safety. Class Max. Velocity Afterburner Velocity Acceleration Max. YPR Weapons Cargo Hold Armour Sides Fore Aft Merchant Ship 300 kps 750 kps Average Average Mass Drivers (2), DF Missiles (3), HS Missiles (4), Turreted Mass Drivers (4) 150 units (225 with cargo expansion) 17.5 cm equiv. each 25 cm equiv. 20 cm equiv.
Wing Commander - Privateer Gemini Gold ORION The Orion is perhaps the safest of all the vehicles mentioned here. It can carry the most armour and shields of all the ships listed (at the expense of its manoeuvrability). This is a sturdy ship, designed to last. Cockpit. Low visibility. The cockpit is dark and somewhat cramped, with less window area than the Tarsus. Dual MFDs are standard and easy to use (see illustration). Instruments are not as easy to use as in the Centurion, but are simple to get a handle on. Speed/Manoeuvrability. Supports up to a Level 5 engine upgrade. Although the Orion has better than average speed, its difficult to pull through tight turns. Ordnance/Protection. Supports addition of a rear turret. Even without the turret, there is room for two guns and one weapon or tractor beam. With Level 5 engine upgrades, there is no reason not to pick a high quality gun with a high energy drain. Supports up to shield upgrade Level 5.
Overall Rating. Due to its low manoeuvrability, limited cargo hold, and the expense of outfitting it, I give the Orion a low B. With enough money, though, you can make this ship a high A. I highly recommend the full option package for this ship. Class Max. Velocity Afterburners Acceleration Max. YPR Weapons Cargo Hold Armour Sides Fore Aft Mercenary Gunship 350 kps 800 kps Average Poor Mass Drivers (2), HS Missiles (3), Turreted Lasers (2) 50 units (75 with cargo expansion) 35 cm equiv. each 48 cm equiv. 50 cm equiv.
Wing Commander - Privateer Gemini Gold OTHER SPACECRAFT You encounter a wide variety of ships in the Gemini Sector, covering a whole gamut of designs and functions. Many of the hostile forces operating in this sector fly just one type of vessel and thus are recognizable by the design of their spacecraft. A thorough familiarity with the most common vessels in Gemini provides you with a distinct advantage in combat. Knowing what the advantages and the drawbacks of each ship are allows you to devise a sound combat strategy and greatly increases your chances of survival. BROADSWORD Class Confederation Max. Velocity Afterburner Velocity Acceleration Max. YPR Weapons Turreted Armour Sides Fore Aft
Heavy Fighter 350 kps n/a Average Average Mass Drivers (3), FF Missiles (6), HS Missiles (3) Lasers (2), Turreted Particle Cannon (2) 17.5 cm equiv. each 25 cm equiv. 20 cm equiv.

Wing Commander - Privateer Gemini Gold JUMP DRIVE This is undoubtedly one of your most important and expensive purchases. Unfortunately, one manufacturer essentially has a monopoly on jump drives (a common problem with many frontier products). The jump drive is your ticket to interstellar travel. Without it you are unable to travel beyond the system you buy your ship in. All of Geminis trade, strategic position and illicit industry depend upon jump drives. Jump fuel is automatically topped up as part of your landing fees, so its just the initial investment that hurts. However, like a cargo expansion, this is an investment that more than pays for itself. NAV MAPS Geminis ship dealers have conspired at highway robbery. They require that you buy nav maps at an additional charge. Nav maps are critical to survival as a pilot. Without one you cannot autopilot, you cannot get a directional marker on your HUD, and you cannot obtain any immediate information about the quadrant you are in. If you were to jump from a quadrant for which you have a map into one with no map available, I recommend you jump right back. If you cannot afford to get the Gemini Sector map with all four quadrants, at least get the map of your current quadrant. Fortunately, the All Quadrant package is sold at a discount. REPAIR DROID While the grizzled old pilots in mining base bars swear only by their own hands, I have seen a repair droid bring a badly damaged ship back from near death. These little gadgets are extremely effective if you just cant wait to land and pay to get your damaged systems repaired. SCANNERS The scanner provides you with radar, target information, friend-or-foe HUD targeting and a target camera. There are three brands, each with a different display and each with its own advantages. Below are the statistics for each level of scanner, listed by brand name. All have a range of 35,000 K, and all have HUD brackets. In general, the brands are comparable except at the high end, in which the B&S Omni is clearly the superior (and costliest) choice. Iris Basic radar (all). Mk I 5% chance per second of identifying target. Mk II Target lock. 15% chance per second of identifying target. Mk III Target lock. ITTS. 25% chance per second of identifying target. Hunter AW Friend-or-Foe colour-coded radar (all). 6 5% chance per second of identifying target. 6i Target lock. 15% chance per second of identifying target. Infinity Target lock. ITTS. 25% chance per second of identifying target. B & S Fully colour-coded radar (all). Tripwire 15% chance per second of identifying target. E.Y.E. Target lock. 25% chance per second of identifying target. Omni Target lock. ITTS. 35% chance per second of identifying target. SHIELD GENERATORS There are five levels of shield. Not all are available for every ship. Each uses 100 gigawatts and provides the equivalent of 100 cm of durasteel protective value. Be sure you have enough power to generate any shields you purchase. If other systems need power, you can divert power from your shields by turning them off or, if they are strong enough, decreasing their power by steps.

While you're in the bar, check out who's seated at the tables. People of all walks of life may want to talk to you. Click on them to hear what they say. If you're interested in what they propose, indicate your decision by clicking the appropriate response. Fixers are representatives of the various Privateer factions with whom it may be profitable for you to converse. For more information on fixers, refer to the heading In Game Missions on page 15.

In Flight Status Check

Basic Flight Training
. In training with Lieutenant Mark Thornton. (Background, low volume) "What makes you think that these wet behind the ears can learn anything? Do you really think they have the b-" (sounds of interference erupt from your PAD) "to be able to pilot a craft. what? We're live?" (Full volume speech) "Greetings, pilots! I've been requested by the control authority to provide some pointers for rookie pilots on how to fly their brand spanking new spacecraft. The good thing is that no matter what craft you're flying whether a Tarsus, Orion, Galaxy, Centurion or whatever - your interaction with the flight controls is the same. Now, many rookies love to jump in, start moving, and figure out the controls as they go. That's fine, and I'll listen to your space debris hitting my shields when I pass your frozen corpse. The smarter pilots learn their controls beforehand, as that halfsecond difference in flight control manipulation could mean becoming a smear on the side of a station, or a twisted hulk after tangling with the Kilrathi. "Now, first things first. How do you move? If you want to change your direction of movement, you need some sort of flight instrument to relay your commands. Let's refer to your instrument documentation -" (low volume mutter, as though to someone beside him) "they DID get that didn't they?" (Full volume) "There are three forms of flight control: joystick; mouse and keyboard. The joystick is pretty self-explanatory. Push the joystick forward, and your ship's nose points 'down'. Pull back and you point up. What? Yes, yes you can invert the controls if you want. Push the joystick from side to side, and your craft will turn on the vertical axis. Some advanced joysticks will even let you roll if you can configure your ship correctly. Now, your mouse does the same job in two ways. First, we have mouse warping. That's where moving your mouse in a direction, moves your ship in that direction. Keep moving your mouse - yep, that's right - and your ship keeps turning. Mouse gliding, on the other hand, means that moving your mouse pointer away from the center moves your ship in the direction of the pointer." (Low mutter) "Me, if I don't have my joystick in my hand, I prefer to glide." (Full voice) "Lastly, you have the keyboard. Both the joystick and mouse imitate the keyboard. Use your cursor keys to move up, down, and sideways, Insert and Delete keys to roll left and right. You can also use the keypad to do the same thing: KP8, KP2, KP4, KP6 and KP/, KP* to roll. "OK, so now we're spinning around, going nowhere. What we need is thrust - can the laughter you lot up the back! To move anywhere, we need to have velocity. Velocity is determined as relative to the current systems sun. Use the equal = or KP+ and minus - or KP - keys to alter your velocity respectively. Notice that you can have forward and reverse velocity. To obtain maximum combat velocity, use the backslash \ key, and the BACKSPACE key reduces velocity to zero. Essentially, these commands provide a Requested Velocity Vector, otherwise called a 'set' velocity or speed that your craft will always try to move at. At times, like when turning, your velocity may vary up or down, but your craft will always try to return to this Requested Velocity Vector. The other modes will be discussed in a later lecture. "That's enough for now. You've probably heard enough of this old f- I know, I know, no swearing. Have a think about what I've just said - it just might mean that I'm NOT hearing your space dust on my shields."

Camera View

A camera view is best described as a single viewpoint or eye located in one position in space. The Panning Camera's (F6 and F8) position is moveable. While in these views, use these keys HOME, END, INSERT, DELETE to move the camera position in the appropriate direction. Panning Camera [F6] This view positions a camera at a single point in space, facing your ship. You may rotate the camera about your ship using the panning keys. Target Camera [F7] This view places the camera at a location looking past your ship towards your current target.
Target Panning [F8] This view positions a camera at a single point in space, facing your target. You may rotate the Camera camera about your target using the panning keys. Zoom View In [F11] While in one of the camera views, this function will move the viewpoint towards the object viewed.
Zoom View Out [F12] While in one of the camera views, this function will move the viewpoint towards the object viewed. Target Camera Screenshot [v] Display a 3rd-person view of your targeted object in a Multi Function Display. Takes a screenshot of your current view, removing any targeting brackets or docking clamps [i] from the shot.

The Cockpit

The Cockpit View and Heads-Up Display (HUD) are the primary interfaces with Privateer while in flight. The individual areas of the Heads-Up Display are discussed below in clockwise order from the top left.
1. Multi-Function Display (MFD)
The Multi-Function Displays in each cockpit provide a wide range of information essential to flying successful missions. Some ships have only one MFD, but where there are multiple MFDs, different functions are displayed on alternating displays. Use PGUP or PGDN to scroll a selected screen. Target Display e: displays name or flight group, distance to and a 2D representation of your targeted object. If the object is a ship, it also displays a red coloration as the target takes damage, and shield strength with bars that reduce as shields collapse. Note that shields are oriented with the top shield being the front of your target, bottom shield the rear, and left and right sides as appropriate, irrespective of the orientation of the 2d representation. Camera v: toggles between four displays in the MFD (see p42 for explanation): 1. Target Panning Camera; 2. Target Camera; 3. Chasecam; 4. Target Display (above). Communications c: displays a list of potential communiqus you may make to your targeted object. A lower number is friendlier than a higher number. Objectives o: displays a list of current mission objectives. Gun Display g/G: displays your ships currently installed weapons. Repeated use of g while in this display activates/deactivates selected weapons (G reverse order toggle). Missile Display w/W: displays your ships currently installed missiles. Repeated use of w while in this display activates/deactivates selected missiles (W reverse order toggle). 43

Targeting

Targeting Keys Name All Targets Non-natural Targets Hostile Targets Subunit Select Lock On Target Front Target Target Display Save Targets Recall Target Key [t] [u] [h] [b] [l] [y] [e] [ALT+1-0) Description Switches through all Non-planetary/non-natural units (such as capships and fighters) in front of your ship. Switches through all targets in the current system. Switches through all hostile (to you) targets in the current system. Switches through the sub-units of the ship you have currently selected. By pressing this key you can 'lock' your selection on the currently selected target. Pressing this key will pick the target closest to your crosshair. Tends to be used to target planets in front of you. Display current targeted object in 3D including damage and shield status in MFD. Stores currently selected target to the chosen number.
[CTRL+1-0) Recalls chosen target to the targeting screen (MFD).
Please note the t,n,u and h targeting features also work in reverse by using SHIFT+key. One of the most useful shipboard abilities in Privateer is Targeting. While most pilots consider targeting as only useful in combat, in truth it is required to perform nearly all in-flight functions. The ability to navigate, both in and out-system, requires a pilot to lock onto a navigation point (base, planet, sun, wormhole, ship etc). Communication requires you to lock onto a target, before selecting which communiqu you will give. Wingmen require you to target them before giving orders. As such, learning how to target is an important skill, possibly making the difference between targeting and shooting your opponent before he does you, or, making an escape with your cargo intact and not becoming space debris. Various keys allow the pilot to target different points of interest within a system. You can cycle through all available targets within a system. This is usually when you want to see what's out there. Unfortunately, cycling through all targets is a long process. As such, other targeting keys are more specific. You can cycle through all significant and/or neutral targets such as bases, planets and points of interest. You can narrow this further and only cycle through non-natural targets such as stations and ships. The most important for battle is the ability to cycle through targets hostile to you. You can also cycle through targets in reverse. When targeted on large ships or stations, you can also cycle through their sub-units. Lastly, you can point your ship at an object and target it that way. Once you have a target marked, you can lock your target indicator to that target. Wherever you are facing, or your target is, you can find them without having to hunt through all other targets in the system. This locking capability also allows any missiles or torpedoes carried to also lock onto your target. 46

Wing Commander - Privateer Gemini Gold Kane was taking the whole unloading and base defense operation very seriously. No surprise, given that he thought there was a force out there preparing to assault the base. I figured that if he was right, then it must be a small force anyone with the firepower to destroy a couple of Draymans had the firepower to destroy an outpost like Sheol unless, of course, they didnt have the fuel or munitions to do both. Once we had arranged for the unloading and distribution of cargo, I headed off to discuss security concerns with Furstenburg and Kane. Furstenburgs office looked out over the hangar and into the void. We could clearly see our staffs cooperating to unload the Scarab. I moved into the room, expecting something a little more commanding but pleased to see that Furstenburg was a busy man, definitely not a delegator. He had both a desk and a small conference table, the latter cluttered with chits and tablets that made it clear he only used his desk occasionally - probably not enough surface area to hold the clutter of current projects and files. The two captains were already deep in discussion when I arrived, a small hologram of the base flickering between them. As I entered, Furstenburg began shuffling through the mountains of correspondence on the conference table. There is, on this table, a message that did come for you, couple of days ago, he said. I was surprised to hear this. Who would send me a message? Everyone I knew was here: Jo, Kane, the Scarabs crew. Unless it was some kind of a recruiting message from the Confederation Militia. Finally, Furstenburg found what he was looking for. Ah ha! he said. Here is your message sent from the Gemini sector. I see you have frontiersmen friends, yes? He handed me the disk. Use the monitor on my desk should you want to take it now. Thats all right, weve got business to attend to. I pocketed the disk and joined them at the conference table. I only knew one person in Gemini, my grandfather, and I didnt figure hed be sending me anything more important than a birthday card, not that Id ever gotten one from him. The security analysis was top priority. I was hoping that there would be some sort of clue in the transmissions from the probes that Sheol regularly sends out for scientific reasons. Knowing our enemy would be the first step in defeating them. We all agreed that violence in the system could only imply an impending threat to the base. There were several things we could do in order to seek out the people who destroyed the ships and to protect the base. We divided up these tasks amongst ourselves. Furstenburg took charge of readying the bases launchers and shields, as well as preparing a schedule for the volunteer security team. Kane would coordinate with both Sheols and the Scarabs pilots to develop a more effective patrol pattern. Analysis of data sent by the probes and missing cargo ships fell to me. I was to work with Jo and Blake Sorensen, an older researcher who would be able to spot anomalies in the transmissions. Furstenburg pulled a monitor over to his seat, nearly knocking over a cup of coffee in the process, to inform the members of our teams of their new assignments and that they had only three hours to report for their first meeting. My group was to meet in Blue Deck, Lab 37, close to my quarters. I had just enough time to eat, shower and read my junk mail from the edge of nowhere. With the team notified, I headed for my room in Green Deck. There was no intra-base transportation except walking. I passed through halls filled with blue jumpsuits carrying crates of newly arrived supplies. I stopped to help a young man move a too-heavy box into one of the smaller dining areas that were spread throughout the base. With this delay, it took nearly twenty minutes to reach my quarters, but I didnt mind. It was a nice opportunity to reacquaint myself with Sheols color-coded corridors and windowless workspaces. My rooms dull grayness stood in stark contrast to the bright green of the hallway. The bed, night stand and desk, with its small communication console, all reflected a unified Spartan vision. Comfort was not a priority in the design. All the 55

Wing Commander - Privateer Gemini Gold same, I felt relaxed by the very austerity of the room. As I emptied my pockets of I.D., personal computer and a few loose coins from Baroda, I dropped the disk Furstenburg had given me. It was time I read my mail. I switched on the comm unit, put the disk in and sat back, expecting propaganda or a postcard from Grandpa Mack. The screen filled with the typical sender information. It was from Mack all right, and had apparently been forwarded six or seven times before someone knew where Id be. It had been sent nearly a month and a half ago, marked priority one. Better late than never, I thought. I hit the key to proceed. Macks face appeared on the screen. He took a drink of something that wasnt water and began his message. Look, kid, you know Im not much of a talker so Ill get straight to the point. Im dead. This is my last will and testament and whatever. Youre all I got in the way of family and your mother made me promise to see that you were taken care of. So, here goes He paused to take another drink, winced and continued. I, Mack Christiensen, being an old man and of ill health do leave whatever hasnt been repossessed to you, my only daughters only kid. Right now Ive got a Tarsus class ship that I bought from an Exploratory Services officer with too many debts, and a little cash that I plan on spending before you get this. Sorry, but you know how it is. Whatevers left is yours. It may not sound like much, but what Im trying to give you is an excuse to come see Gemini. I was charting new jump points and getting in bar brawls out here when you were born. Theres been a lot of development since then but its still the best place to make a quick buck. I may not have given you much over the years - now that Im dead I figure you could benefit from a little frontier action. I guess I better go before I get all sentimental and he looked down at his glass and the screen went blank. A small green light indicated that there was a second message waiting. I went over to the sink, washed my face, took a long hard look at myself as the only heir of an old lush. I guess I needed a minute to take in the fact that Mack was dead. I was sure that the second message was the executor telling me what had happened and how to contact him - details that could wait. It wasnt the first time Id gotten a message like this. There were still a couple of hours before I had to meet with the investigative team and I was planning on spending them figuring out whether or not Macks bequest was worth dropping everything to go out and deal with. There was a lot of work coming up for the Scarab, and getting to Gemini wasnt exactly a day trip. We had contracts to fulfill. I had a career with Kane, who treated me as a first officer and a son. This was a terrible time to take an extended vacation. I was pacing, looking over at the faint green light on the communications console, when my reverie was interrupted. It was Jo opening the door. What happened to you? You look more confused than a Firrekan hatchling. Have a seat, Jo. Its nothing, really. Just that I got this message that my grandfather died and they want me to go out to Gemini, of all places, to take care of the estate, I said, pointing to the console. Oooh, an estate? Really? I thought you said Mack was an old drunk, spent his time remembering his glory days for anyone whod listen and a few that wouldnt. She was shaking her hair, as if its tangles took priority over my dilemma. Turns out he had a ship. A Tarsus. Maybe even a little cash. Who knows? I think you should quit the Scarab. Go out there and get that ship, she said, with more than a trace of sarcasm in her voice. She started to pace. I think you should drop everything - me, Kane, the Scarab - and run away to where youll be poor and a nobody. She stopped pacing, squared her shoulders and glared at me. Look, seriously, I dont think you should do it. If you decide to leave the Scarab, come here and work with us, but dont go taking risks if the only up side is an out-of-date ship. The Tarsus hasnt even been manufactured for ten years! I didnt answer. I didnt have an answer - not yet - and we had business to attend to. The silence quickly got awkward, but I didnt know what to say. Still in silence, we headed over to our meeting.

Wing Commander - Privateer Gemini Gold Oxford General Notes. The intellectual seat of the sector, Oxford is a university planet, well known for its research facilities. It has been built out to resemble Old Earth, specifically the old English college town. This makes the place a fantastic draw for tourism. It is located far from the front in Potter Quadrant and was one of the first planets terraformed in Gemini. Its library is renowned beyond Geminis horizons, drawing scholars from distant suns to visit its hardwood halls and well-tended quadrangles. Trading Tips. They will definitely sell books and other intellectual properties. Aside from that they have the same trading needs as any heavily populated agricultural planet.
Perry General Notes. Perry, the military center of Gemini, is located in Clarke, not far from the Kilrathi border. Many military patrols originate here and you have a high chance of encountering these forces. Admiral Terrell runs his corner of the war from here. Perry is a model of efficiency and does a lively business in all industries. It is a fine example of starbase architecture as well. Trading Tips. As the core of all local military operations, many supply lines come into Perry. They need food, medical supplies and the like. They sell lots of out-of-date weaponry here - a good start for a gun-runner. With so many merchants coming here, there is always a chance to pick up whatever youre looking to buy.

Survival Tips

by Lieutenant Travis Sanford When I recently attended a convention on Oxford, I was fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of a young pilot working at the fighter base. Mark Thorntons boundless enthusiasm for his job impressed me so much that I decided to interview him for publication here. What I have compiled is condensation of our conversations about his training at the TCSN Academy. Here are the high points of his advice for rookie pilots. Use your weapons and blasters wisely. When you are attacking hostile fighters with a combination of different weapons, you should follow a few very basic rules. For example if you open fire too quickly after firing a missile, you might hit the missile while it is still on its way and explode it harmlessly, leaving your enemy unscathed. In crowded dogfights, it is always advisable to keep one target locked and systematically weaken its shields with gunfire. Once you have damaged the shield protection, you can easily finish the job with a well-placed missile. In general, it is crucial to maximize your energy levels at all times. Avoid opening fire randomly and at long ranges, since this wastes valuable energy and can weaken your shields at the same time. If there is no immediate threat in the area, you should probably cut down on your shield protection levels and save the energy in case of a sudden attack. A few well-placed shots at close range with full blaster power are often more effective than a whole barrage of long-range shots with diminished energy resources. You may overtake an enemy ship with superior afterburners, but take care not to use up so much energy that you do not have any resources left for your blasters. Balancing your energy is always a priority.

Tutorial 3: Making Some More Money
Well, that wasnt so hard was it? Used my head, bought some cargo, moved it to where its needed and sold it, making some money out of the deal. Im going to need more though. Ive got lots of cargo space, and I dont want pirates getting their hands on anything in MY hold! Obviously, youre going to need more money than what you made from your first cargo run. Repeat the process in tutorial 2, buying cargo at low prices, traveling to another base and selling high. The key is to find out what cargoes will make the most money, depending on the base youre buying from, and planning to sell to. This comes from experience, and landing at different bases. As a hint, we recommend buying Food and transporting it for your second run to the other Mining Base, Hector. Dont go back to Achilles until your fourth run, to give it time to generate more Raw Materials. From Hector, take Raw Materials back to Helen, picking up Food to take to Achilles. This is a pretty good circuit to begin with, building up some credits. Along the way, dont forget to upgrade your ship! Adding more weapons, shields, armor, reactor power and various other upgrades will improve your ship over and above what you started with. It is a balancing act, spending credits on upgrades, as opposed to buying more cargo to make even more credits with, but eventually, someone is going to notice you, moving around the system and making money. Eventually, you will have to face a hostile opponent, and engage in combat.

Tutorial 4: Combat

It had to happen. Some nosy pirate, interfering Retro or worse, a Kilrathi force had to muscle in on my moneymaking. Whats a pilot to do? The Wing Commander Universe is a dangerous place. Somewhere, sometime, a pilot has to be prepared to kill or be killed. So, are you going to panic, or go in, guns blazing? Usually you realize you are about to have a battle because of a change in the music tempo. Another indicator is the lock light flickering in your HUD. Either way, somethings got to give. Once you are aware of hostile opponents, Press h. This will target any opponents targeting you. You could use other targeting keys, but h gives the quickest result, and the closest threat. Re-orient your ship until you facing your target. While doing this, switch your Multi Function Display unit (MFD) to guns and missiles using g. Cycle through your gun selection using g until you are happy with your gun load out. Similarly, use w to select your missile load out. Your personal preferences will eventually suggest an attack velocity, but for now, have your Tarsus set velocity at full. Your aiming reticule (the circle and cross in the center of the HUD), should be directly over your opponent if you are head to head or on their tail. Otherwise, you want to aim slightly in front of their direction of travel, as your weaponry takes a small amount of time to travel between your respective positions (this is called leading your target). Once within range of your various weapons, trigger your fire control (SPACE or LMB for guns; ENTER or RMB for missiles; or your appropriate joystick buttons). Expect your opponent to try to evade your fire, so make sure you keep your weapons on your target. Note the MFD. This shows your opponent surrounded by its shields. As you fire upon your opponent, these shields will steadily reduce to nothing. Further hits on your opponent will then damage armor, and finally any critical ship components. The ships icon in the MFD will redden as your opponent takes damage. Meanwhile, keep an eye on your shields in the bottom left of the HUD. Your opponent is trying to do the same to you. Combat, therefore, involves your attempting to reduce your opponents shields and armor, and evading your opponents returning fire, since they are trying to do the same to you. Eventually, one ship (whether through luck, skill or superior hardware) will defeat and destroy the other. You want it to be you, since the other doesnt bear thinking about. A suitably large explosion will reward you as your opponent comes apart at the seams. At this point, press h again to cycle to your next closest opponent. If you find one, follow the above process and destroy them, ship by ship. It is highly recommended that you destroy your first opponent before attacking another. This ensures the first opponent does not have time to regenerate their shields, which you have just spent time and energy removing. Remember, ALL of your opponents will be attacking you, so your ship is losing shields and armor, and time is of the essence. If no opponents remain then congratulations! You have survived your first battle! Now, assess your damage. It may be that you now need to seek repairs to your ship. If so, dock at the closest habitable base or planet. Proceed to the Upgrades Screen (p19) and select Basic Repair. You may need to replace various ships components too. While you are here, replace any missiles used, you never know when youll need them next.

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15 April 2008

By: Calin Ciabai, Games Editor
Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi Cheats (PC)
Increase or decrease AI, invincibility and other codes
Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi is the first sequel in Chris Roberts' Wing Commander science fiction space combat simulator franchise of computer games, produced by Origin Systems.Released in 1991, Wing Commander II retains much of the first game's core conventions: an interstellar war between the Terran Confederation and the felinoid warrior race called the Kilrathi, multiple allies as wingmen, and a wide variety of ships on both sides of the war. However, WC2 places a greater emphasis on storytelling, providing various sprite-animated cutscenes and some of the industry's first examples of voice acting. The storyline is also somewhat less open-ended: the game's campaign tree is much more structured and the player character can no longer be promoted or awarded medals. Wingmen can no longer be killed during normal gameplay; when their fighters are damaged beyond repair, they eject (though some die in scripted sequences).(Wikipedia) CHEATSStart the game with the WC2 Origin command line (case-sensitive). Enter one of the following codes to activate the corresponding cheat function.CodesIncrease frame duration Alt + Keypad Plus Decrease frame duration Alt + Keypad Minus Toggle eject siren and light Ctrl + O Increase enemy AI factor Alt + I Decrease enemy AI factor Ctrl + I Destroy cockpit section damage Alt + O Full pause screen Ctrl + P Inverse graphics Ctrl + Alt + S Destroy targeted ship Alt + Delete Destroy all non-capital ships Alt + Insert Show memory use Alt + M Show version number Ctrl + V Self-destruct Alt + Z InvincibilityStart the game with the WC2 Origin -k command line (case-sensitive). Level selectStart the game with the WC2 Origin s m command line (case-sensitive). Here is the cinematic intro video of the game Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi, the sequel of the beloved Wing Commander 1:
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