Copyright Frontier Developments Ltd

ICONS

 

This is a guide to using the console to control your ship. There is also a summary sheet which summarises use of the icons.

The icons are activated by pressing the left hand button of the mouse, or using  keyboard shortcuts (which are F keys the number of which is shown at the bottom right of the icon).

The four main icons to the left of the scanner (F1-F4) select the current type of display. Those on the right (F7-F10) on the right change depending on the mode you are in. All icons give an indication of what will happen if that icon is selected. They do not show the current mode.

 

VIEW ICON (F1)

    

This icon allows you to cycle through a choice of views of the space through which you are travelling. They are: Front, Rear and External (and Turret if fitted). The current view is shown on the top right of the console.

Front View

 

This gives the view in the direction in which your ship is pointing. It is not necessarily the direction in which you are travelling. If you have a gun at the front, a sight will be positioned on the screen in the shape of a cross.

Rear View

A view in exactly the opposite direction to the front view. A sight will only be visible if you have a gun mounted on the rear.

External View

 

An external view is simulated by your onboard computer and can be useful for aligning your ship. Some landings are particularly pleasing if viewed in this mode. Use the arrow keys to change the angle of view, the - key to zoom in and the + key to zoom out. This can be used for general surveillance of the surrounding space.

It needs to be borne in mind that the view is locked to the orientation of the ship. For example if you are looking at the craft from the side and it is rolling, you will not see it roll, but the space around it will appear to move and the craft will stay still.

 

Turret View

If you have top or bottom turrets on your ship this icon will become available and is needed in order to fire lasers from turrets. If you have two turrets (top and bottom) and you select this icon, the view presented will come from the turret you were using last. Use of the right mouse button will move the angle of view, not the orientation of the ship. If, when using the mouse, you dip below the level of the turret, the view automatically changes to the other turret if you have one.

 

Flight Control icons (F7)

    

This icon on the right side of the display is operational in View mode only. It switches between "engines off"  and "manual flight."  If you have an auotpilot and have selected a target (See page +), then the Flight Control icon will cycle through "autopilot"  too. When you are landed, the vertical take-off icon is the only option available.

Hyperspace icon (F8)

While in View mode select this icon to make a hyperspace jump. See Navigation and Flight section page + for details.

 

Undercarriage icon (F9)

 

In View mode use of this icon raises or lowers the undercarriage. The Autopilot does this automatically when landing, but in manual flight you must operate it yourself.  raises the undercarriage and  lowers the undercarriage.

 

Text icons (F10)

 

In View mode this names all identified objects on your display to aid navigation as the name can sometimes be seen before the body itself.  switches the names off and  switches the names on.


 

MAP ICONS (F2)

 

These icons cycle through two map pages, Galactic Map  and Current System map . A detailed description will be given in the Navigation and Flight section (page +) but also see the quick reference chart. Note that the functions of icons F7 to F10 are not always the same in Galactic Map and Current System Map, see below.

1. Galactic Map

A grid map of all the star systems in the galaxy is displayed and the following options are available:

Data icon

 F6

Gives geographical and physical data on the selected system if it has been explored. This is only present if a system has been selected.

 Economy icon

 F7 Gives data on imports, exports and illegal goods for the selected system.

Social structure Icon

 F8 Gives data on government type, population etc. for the selected system.

Orbital map Icon

 F10 Provides a diagram of the orbits of all bodies within a system. They can be seen in motion using the forward and rewind icons, see below. For closer observation of bodies use the Zoom icons (F7 & F8).

Zoom icons

 F7 and F8  

Allow the view to be magnified or reduced, (except in Data mode (F6) where F7 and F8 are redefined for other uses).

Tools icon

F9

The galactic map can be redefined for easier and faster use. The Tools icon activates icons 7 to10 which function as follows:

 Stalks icon

 F7 Turns height indication stalks on the galaxy grid map on or off.

Grid icon

 F8 Turns grid on the Galactic Map on or off.

Trade routes icon

 F9 Turns trade routes on the Galactic Map on or off.

Text icon 

 F10 Some text on the Galactic Map can be turned on or off.

Galactic View icon

F10

Shows a creator's eye view of the galaxy to remind you of how small you are. The brightness of each pixel depends on the number of stars in the area covered by that pixel. Use the Zoom icons (F7&F8)   to adjust the view.

 


2. Current System Map

 shows an orbital map of the system through which you are travelling. Again, bodies can be seen in motion or at close range. The following options are available:

Zoom icons

F8 and F9  

Allow view as above to be magnified or reduced.

Tools icon

F9

The orbital map can be redefined for easier and faster use. The Tools icon (F9) activates icons 9 and 10 which function as follows:

Orbit icon

 F9 Turns orbital lines on or off.

Text icon 

 F10 Turns names of bodies on or off.

 

Target icon

F10

Enables you to select targets for combat or the autopilot. Do this by activating this icon, then clicking on the body to be targeted. See the Combat section on page + and the Navigation and Flight section on page +.

 


INVENTORY ICONS (F3)

      

If activated, this icon will cycle through six information pages, in order: Ship's Equipment  ( Shipyard section page +), Commander Profile  (Combat section page +), Crew Roster  (Trading section page +), Cargo on board  ( Trading section page +), Passenger Roster  ( Trading section page +) and Mining Installations  (Mining section page +) . If there is no information on a page it will not be displayed.

COMMUNICATION ICON (F4)

The effect of this icon is different depending on whether you are landed (or docked) or in flight.

 

Communication while landed.

When this icon is selected a list of options will appear, for example Stock Market ( Trading section page +), Bulletin Board ( Trading section page +), Traffic Control and Services ( Navigation and Flight section page +) and Shipyard Services ( Shipyard section page +).

 

Communication in flight

A list of messages to be broadcast will be superimposed on the main display.

Options include a request for landing or docking clearance and sending messages to others. Some will provide a further list of communications, for example "Broadcast message to all in range..." which allows you to send distress calls or demands for surrender. See sections on Trade page +, Combat page +, and Navigation and Flight page +.

FORWARD AND REWIND ICONS

They are only displayed when orbital maps are in use (Navigation and Flight section page +), and are used to show the position of bodies at different points in time. The simulated time is displayed at the bottom left of the screen.

TIME CONTROL ICONS

These allow the pilot to alter the apparent speed of time. The single arrow means real time and the others to the right increase the passage of time by ten to ten thousand times. The icon on the far left is a pause button to halt everything. See sections on Navigation and Flight page + and Trading page +. The pilot should realise that his enemies are similarly sped up, so using these icons will only make a dodgy problem worse.

THE WEAPON CONTROL PANEL

 

Select the Weapon control panel by clicking on the scanner area. Some items of equipment do not have icons because they work automatically. Those that do have an icon which needs to be activated in order for them to function are illustrated in the grey boxes. In the bottom right of the icon, the letter for the keyboard short-cut is shown. The seperate icon guide will list the weapon and equipment icons. See also the Combat section on page + for details of use of weapons and the Shipyard section on page + for technical details of weapons and equipment.