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7.12.2000
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Contents
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Background
The solar system you are currently
living in experienced a major change around 4 billion years after the date
you are reading this. The G2 class star called The Sun entered its final stage
of life and consumed its remaining reserves of energy before starting to go
Supernova. Long before this happened scientists on Earth had come to the conclusion
that when the Sun did eventually explode, the resulting shockwaves would engulf
even the fastest manned craft capable of escaping the solar system. So after
many hundreds of years of debates, Earth decided that the only way for mankind
to survive would be in a totally new form.
By this time computing power
had increased so exponentially that even the smallest machines were capable
of emulating every atom in the human body and advances in parallel networking
had meant that it was now possible to emulate entire cities. Although these
communities had no physical form, the inhabitants experienced such a rich
and full life that even the most skeptical of humans were now beginning to
doubt whether it was better to live in the physical world anymore.
Tests were made with tiny
machines called Genies that were able to travel vast distances at speeds close
to light, collect surrounding matter, reproduce themselves and repeat the
process. They would collect together and form powerful computers that could
once again simulate cities and eventually whole worlds and galaxies of beings
without being tied down to the physical constraints and dependencies of the
universe.
For the next 2 millennia a
vast project was undertaken to digitize and collect every aspect of life on
Earth. From the smallest insects to every animal found in the oceans, the
entire history of Earth and every inhabitant of it was fed into the biggest
database ever known to mankind. Using the remaining resources of the planet,
the Genies took off into the void with this data and began their long journey
to save humanity.
About 500 million years after
this, the Sun had increased its luminosity to such an extent that all the
water on Earth had evaporated into the atmosphere and all remaining lifeforms
on the planet become extinct. 100 million years later, the last Genies to
leave Earth recorded a spectacular Supernova that is still visible today as
a reminder of what was once our home.
The Genies rebuilt our Solar
System inside their giant networks of computers and reverse emulated our world
back to the time just after the last Ice Age in a hope that we would be given
a second chance at living a peaceful life. Every millennium they assess our
progress and introduce small changes that are hoped to redirect our fate on
a global scale. (Although as in the case of the Religion Meme, these changes
don't always go as planned.)
With the advent of the new
millennium the time has come to judge us once again, this time the Genies
have created Void...
Introduction
Welcome to the Void Flight
Manual.
If this is your first time
aboard the Valen V please take the time to read through and familiarize yourself
with your new ship. Even if you have piloted other Valen Ore Industry Designs
craft before we advise you to read the entire manual in order to make full
use of the latest in off-world intergalactic spacecraft.
The Valen V fighter is designed
to replace the Valen 3 series multipurpose craft, which as you may know, has
been been instrumental in the exploring, policing and trading of the Auroa
region. Its compact 2 seater design allows it to house an extremely powerful
Charged Photon Pulse engine while leaving enough room for optional extras
such as a full military grade suite of 3 weapons and extra 30 ton cargo hold.
After 3 years of designing,
flight trials and modifications we believe that we have created a craft powerful
and versatile enough to take on any mission�Awhether
its deep space reconnaissance, local law enforcement or interplanetary trading,
no other space craft combines the agility, speed and strength of Valen V.
Housed within honeycomb titanium
shielding is the trusted Valen cockpit design, as with all Valen craft the
main computer console provides you with a simple to use interface to operate
all vital system functions. Beginning with the V series, we have also incorporated
the pilot escape pod into the cockpit which will now save you precious seconds
in the unlikely event of a full system failure. This pod will automatically
send out a beacon to the last Space Station you visited and your insurance
company will have a new Valen replacement ship waiting for you when you get
there. Your current credit and status rating will be preserved but unless
you have Cargo Insurance, your cargo and equipment will be lost.
Palm Device Setup
The Valen V class of ships
are now equipped with a remote control sensing device that allows you to control
all aspects of the main computer from PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) such
as the Palm™ organizer. (Currently only this device is supported.)
To initiate the remote link
it is necessary to install the file Void.prc
After installation, the program
may be activated by clicking on the Void icon on the Application Launcher
screen. When you enter Void you will be presented by a screen showing various
types of ships. Tap this screen to start.
When you are asked to select
your Pilot, click on an -Empty- slot and press New. Enter your
name and press OK to continue. The next time you start Void you will
automatically continue the previous session. To change sessions, select Quit
from the Menu.
The first time you start you
will be asked to select Normal or Trade Only. The Normal option allows you
to enter the full Void galaxy, whereas the Trade Only option lets you practice
your trading skills without entering space.
Void has does not allow you
to 'save' your game as such. Instead, it uses an insurance system that protects
your cargo and equipment should you loose your ship. It is highly advisable
that you purchase Cargo Insurance as soon as you
can afford it.
Space Stations
Space stations are located
close to every planet in the galaxy and are heavily policed by the Federal
Police Agency who try to prevent trading in illegal items such as Narcotics
and DNA and will attack any ships found carrying such items. They also serve
to protect the Space Stations from pirates such as the notorious Aikos who
have a reputation for attacking poorly defended ships and planets.
The area around Space Stations
usually have a number of FPA ships patrolling, so please be aware of these
rules:
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If you are carrying illegal items,
prepare to confront the Police.
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It is illegal to enter this area
if you do not intend to enter the Space Station.
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Direct landing on a planet is
strictly forbidden (and dangerous) unless you have a Solar Pulse or similar
engine.
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All pilots must pass through immigration/quarantine
after entering a Station.
To enter a space station you
must maneuver your craft in front of the docking bay doors and enter slowly.
Stations always point their doors towards planets and spin slowly in order
to maintain artificial gravity inside. Once inside, your ship's computer will
automatically connect to the InterDock Network and will display the main docking
page that allows you to access 5 areas of the Station:
Trade
The trading area of a Space
Station is where you buy and sell items from various planets you have visited
on your journey. Prices vary from planet to planet and a substantial amount
of money can be made by buying from one place and selling to another.
Equip
From time to time you will
need to upgrade your ship with new equipment, more powerful weapons, a larger
cargo bay or extra fuel. The Galactic Trading and Commerce Group govern the
quality of this equipment so all Space Stations in the galaxy have the same
prices.
Status
A `black box` type device
installed in the cockpit of Valen V craft constantly records all information
about your current status. Although it has enough memory for over 30,000 hours
of flight, it will transfer its memory banks to the Space Station computer
whenever you are docked. To view a summary of this data you may bring up the
Status screen to show; your current rank, cash, cargo weight, total assets,
number of kills, number of completed missions, number of hyperspace jumps
and the overall distance traveled (ODT.)
Map
A comprehensive map of the
entire galaxy can be accessed from this part of the computer, you may also
view details about each planet and jump directly into hyperspace from here.
Mission
From time to time you will
be offered to perform missions for various planets or corporations, this screen
will give you details about the current mission undertaken.
Leave
To leave the space station
and enter the outer atmosphere of the planet, press this button. After the
automatic undocking sequence is complete you will be facing the planet and
have the space station directly behind you. You may at any time reenter the
Station again.
Flight Controls
The main flight display is
divided into two sections, the top part of the screen displays the view from
one of the external ship cameras. The target crosshair is in the center of
the display and changes shape when an object is in range or whenever the GPS
locator is activated.
The lower portion of the screen
shows the main computer console panel:
The left side of the panel
has 3 meters showing your current Velocity (SPD), distance from the planet's
surface (ALT) and an indicator (DNG) which will flash rapidly when the computer's
AI system detects potential danger. Tap on the SPD meter to activate the automatic
Cruise Control System, this will enable you to fly without having to keep
applying thrust.
Please note that the Valen
V must be equipped with a Solar Pulse engine to land on most planets. Attempting
to enter the inner atmosphere without one will cause serious damage.
The Valen's pitch is shown
by a small dot that moves up and down a vertical bar. Although you are flying
in free space your ship maintains a 'virtual level' to help you navigate near
planets.. When the dot is in the middle of the bar, the ship is traveling
level.
On the right-hand side of
the panel there are 2 meters showing the current Energy level of your craft`s
batteries (ENG) and also the temperature of the Laser systems (LSR). The number
of available Missiles and ECM devices is also displayed here.
The radar is located in the
center of the panel and displays the location of nearby objects, the V shape
represents the area in view from the cockpit. Around the outside of the radar
there is a small dot that shows the direction to the nearest docking station,
when the dot is hollow the station is above you, when it is filled the station
is below you. The GTCG provides the following guidelines for finding and entering
a Space Station:
After leaving Hyperspace
fly directly towards the planet while keeping an eye on the Space Station
locator on your radar. When the planet fills most of the screen and the ALT
meter shows 1/4, turn 180 degrees around and fly back towards the Station.
When the Station is in sight, align up directly in front of it and proceed
ahead at half speed. When within close range, slow down and enter the bay
doors directly head on.
Failure to enter the space
station correctly can be fatal.
To assist you with locating
objects in space, the Valen V is equipped with a GPS locator display which
is activated by tapping the center of the radar. Once activated, a small arrow
located around the crosshair will rotate to show the direction (left/right
and up/down) to the currently selected target. To change the current target,
tap the radar again.
The radar is divided into
4 quadrants that display the current selected Laser, Missile, ECM or View.
You can tap on one of the 4 quadrants to change the current selection. Tapping
on the V changes between Front and Rear views.
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The Left and Right keys activate side thrusters that
control yaw, while the Up and Down keys activate vertical thrusters
for changing pitch. You may reverse these keys from the Preferences
menu.
The Thrust button is used to fire rear mounted Ion-Thrusters for maneuvering
your ship around, please keep an eye on your Energy as accelerating
uses fuel. To maintain a constant full speed, tap on the Speed meter
to activate the ship's cruise control feature. Cruise control is automatically
deactivated whenever the Thrust button is pressed.
Press Fire/Use to fire the selected Laser, Missile or ECM device.
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Selecting Preferences from
the game at any point allows you to change:
Turns on/off the small particles of dust that
help you judge your speed and direction.
Swap the Up and Down keys
Invert the main 3D screen
For devices that support colour,
this switches between Colour and Black&White modes.
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Captain's Log
The captain's log allows you to make notes at anytime in the game. To access
this page, bring down the Menu and select Captain's Log
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Equipment
Your craft is currently fitted
with grade C military weapons as required by the Federal Police Agency. This
section will give you an overview of this upgrade.
Located in the front and rear
of the Valen V are Cold Activated Laser cannons providing you with a sustained
10 Megakol burst. Both units are equipped with a safety system which powers
down the laser when the Kopanium rods reach critical temperatures, this new
feature now prevents the core implosion which has been a common complaint
about older craft.
Your craft is capable of housing
the following additional upgrades:
(please note that not all
upgrades are available on all planets)
Electronic Counter Measures
Very powerful electromagnetic
transmitters that fire out the front of the craft, they work by taking a 'snapshot'
of all ship transmissions at the time of launch. They then sit and wait transmitting
dummy signals that makes it appear to the Missile that the ship has been destroyed.
Effective range ~4Km, active time <30 seconds. Some system functions may
become unstable in close proximity to an active ECM device.
Exonite IV Medium Range
Homing Missiles
Automatically programmed by
the main computer whenever an object passes under the crosshair to apprehend
and destroy (with a maximum blast radius of <3Km) all but the fastest of
vessels. The missile launcher is located in the lower front of the craft at
an angle of 22 degrees down (this now reduces the recoil and backtrace problem
found in ships using these projectiles.)
SafeDock™ Automatic
Docking Computer
Providing a 99.6% successful
docking rate this option includes light weight Tractor Field Thrusters fitted
to the side of the ship that lock on to the outer docking bay door signals.
When the Valen V approaches the space station from the front (facing the bay
doors), a small indicator on the bottom right of the screen will appear. Tap
this to activate/deactivate the docking computer.
Photon Laser Enhancement
Designed to supplement the
standard CAL cannons, these lasers will double your fire power to 20 Megakols.
6 rapid-fire burst capacitors reserve energy between charges to achieve sustained
fire, unlike standard CAL systems that require a 30 millisecond recharge.
Large Cargo Bay
This extended cargo bay is
attached to the lower hold of the ship allowing an additional 30 tons of space.
Anti-inertia devices ensure that the bay does not affect flight dynamics.
HyperJump Unit
Allows one trip of up to a
distance of 210 Light Years. These expensive devices can only be used once
before becoming unstable and will be automatically used on journeys that cannot
be made using standard Hyperspace fuel.
Cargo Insurance
This will insure all of your
cargo (and extended cargo bay) plus equipment against theft or destruction.
Please read small print for details.
This
is a one claim policy, after which a new policy must be purchased at full
price. Claims must be made within 30 days of loss and can only be made for
entire Cargo bay, Extended Cargo bay and Full Equipment contents. Policy does
not apply to loss due to Supernova activity or due to falling into Blackholes.
Replacement will be made after a full investigation is completed into the
loss. Offer not open to employees of the Ayu Insurance Group or affiliated
companies.
Fuel
The Valen V has a maximum
capacity for a 10 light year Hyperspace jump and you may purchase additional
fuel at all Space Stations. Short term energy for the flight thrusters and
shields come from Lithium Cells that are recharged for free while the ship
is docked.
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- Cloaking Device
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Rendering your ship completely invisible to enemy
and police radars, this expensive device will allow you to perform highly
dangerous missions under the noses of any other craft in the vicinity.
Ideal for smuggling illegal goods or for evading hostile ships.
Activation is automatic whenever the ship's computer feels it is necessary,
however the cloaking device will be disabled whenever any weapons are
fired.
In addition to the above equipment, you may also
purchase space stations. The price is usually based on the current wealth
of the station, and you may purchase a maximum of 3 at any one time. All
profits from the stations will be considered to be part of your assets
and you may sell the station at anytime by first visiting it and tapping
on the Sell button on the main screen. You will not receive
cash when you sell items to a space station that you own because they
remain your assets. The main reason to buy a space station is to use them
as stockpiles for items that you have bought around the galaxy, so try
and buy stations that are in good positions around the galaxy.
The Void galaxy is populated by over
400 planets each of which is classed by the Hule and Kurt Scale to be in one
of 3 stages of development:
Rich, well developed planets that
enjoy a range of plentiful recyclable resources. These planets have reached
the level where crime is all but totally eliminated, wars are nonexistent
and hardships such as famine and poverty are dealt with in a swift and efficient
manner.Governments are usually Corporate, Democracy
or Unified and trading is safe and usually predictable. Illegal items such
as Narcotics and DNA are not only banned, but more importantly totally undesired
by its population. Income for these planets tends to be generated internally
from clever uses of energy.
Semi-developed planets in the B
class house the most diverse of inhabitants. While for the most part enjoying
a comfortable life, many inhabitants of these planets still crave the dangerous
things in life. Crime and poverty is usually high and this is reflected
in their relaxed trading restrictions on banned or dangerous goods .
Governments include, Communist, Dictatorship and Anarchy.
These developing planets are quite often newly
inhabited (either by evolution or artificial seeding) worlds with a low
level of technical knowledge. Space stations for these worlds are provided
and maintained by the Galactic Trade and Commerce Group. When
governments do exist on these worlds they are usually Volatile, Undeveloped
or Free.�@
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Among the 3 classes there are 4 basic types of economy that are the main
sources of income to these planets.
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Mining
Planets that mine generate income by selling processed Minerals, Ore,
Platinum, Gold, Diamonds and Alloys to neighboring planets. Prices are
usually very competitive and supplies plentiful especially in the A and
B class of planets. Mining communities pay well for certain types of items
that are usually in short supply on their own planets, such as Radioactives,
Luxuries, Machinery and Narcotics.
Tourism
Tourist planets are fairly new in the galaxy, they tend to be made from
small class D planets that are either of outstanding natural beauty or
in areas where Universal rules are not properly enforced. The only things
these planets usually produce in any large quantity are Luxuries and Narcotics,
most expensive items are sort after on these planets, including Platinum,
Gold, Diamonds and Rare Artifacts.
Industrial
Industrial planets are often very wealthy class
A planets that contain a vast variety of businesses, trading companies
and factories. Items that are in demand on these planets are Minerals,
Ore, D.N.A, Luxuries, Narcotics and Alloys. These planets are usually
very self contained but they do export items such as Machinery,
Radioactives and Rare Artifacts.
Agricultural
These colonies inhabit healthy planets rich in natural resources, in
order to preserve the environment of these planets certain essential items
such as Minerals, Ore and Radioactives are not self-manufactured therefore
can fetch high prices. They also produce very good quality illegal substances
such as D.N.A. and Narcotics.
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Prices and quantities of items vary across planets but as a general guideline
planets with stable governments tend to produce expensive items and have
more in stock.
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To navigate around the galaxy you will need to use
the Galaxy Map page. This will show both your Current Location
and the current Selected Planet. To obtain details of the Selected Planet
from the Docking Stations Navigation computer press the Details
button on the top of the screen. You may also query the database to
find a planet by name, click on the Find button.
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Press the Zoom button to get a detailed look at the area around
the Selected Planet, large dots show planets that are within range of
your ship's long range fuel capacity.
Once you have chosen the planet next on your route press the HyperSpace
button to jump into its outer atmosphere.
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Trading
To survive in Void you will
have to learn how to trade wisely. The trading area of all docking stations
feature a sophisticated computer that keeps track of prices and quantities
of all items on sale on the planet. All prices are in UCR (Universal Credits)
and weights for each item are indicated by either t (Ton), kg (Kilogram) or
g (Gram). Before departing the space station be sure to check the quantities
in your cargo bay as its very difficult to get refunds later on.
The 5 columns of this screen
show the Item type, Unit type (U), price to buy or sell (P), quantity available
on the planet (Q) and the amount of the item you have in your cargo bays (I).
A value in the Quantity (Q) column indicates how much of the item is currently
in stock on the space station.
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Item
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Unit
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Average Price
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Minerals
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t
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9 cr
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Ore
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t
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10 cr
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Luxuries
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t
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32 cr
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Machinery
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t
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34 cr
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Alloys
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t
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35 cr
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Rare Artifacts
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kg
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64 cr
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Radioactive
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kg
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65 cr
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Platinum
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kg
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86 cr
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Gold
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kg
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87 cr
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Diamonds
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g
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94 cr
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Narcotics
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kg
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143 cr
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DNA
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g
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152 cr
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Narcotics are banned on all
planets in the galaxy.
Cryogenically frozen DNA was
banned by the Galactic Trade and Commerce Group a number of years ago after
artificial seeding experiments by certain class B planets caused a fatal imbalance
in the planet's evolutionary process. The virus known as Etola evolved into
strain that was impossible to detect or kill, the planet and its citizens
had to be vaporized to stop the spread of the deadly virus across the galaxy.
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Click on the Buy or Sell buttons to make your trade.
The graph shows the prices for the item on the last 5 planets visited,
use this information to determine when and where to trade.
Enter the amount you want to buy/sell and press OK. The Station's computers
will automatically update your account and the cargo transfer will take
place.
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Rankings
When you enter Void you will
start as a Trainee. You Rank will advance with every Kill, Trade and Mission
you complete and eventually you elevate past Novice and into the realms of
an Expert. A select few of you may then become Masters.
From time to time you may
encounter other Valen pilots who, like yourself have every intention to become
a Master too.
Use your skills wisely.
Missions
After proving to the GTCG
that you can perform basics such as Combat, Space Docking and Trading you
will eventually reach the level of Novice. Your name and craft number will
then be registered with the Central Federation computer so that Space Stations
know that you are qualified to perform missions.
Most missions will involve
traveling to a planet and delivering an item or person, sometimes you may
be asked to collect a lost or stolen item and return it. When you have proven
yourself in battle you may also be asked to rescue a planet from an alien
invasion, or deliver dangerous cargo.
Most missions pay well and
they usually improve your reputation, so if you are offered, accept them.
You can however, at any point while docked abort a mission by pressing the
Abort button on the Mission screen.
Strategies
There are various ways to
make money in Void, this is an example of the some strategies used:
Trader
This is the simplest and safest
method to make money and will take some time before you start making a fortune.
It is however a good way to start exploring Void. Be careful not to buy illegal
items if you are offered them as you will be hunted down fairly quickly. Most
Valen craft you meet will be Traders or Bounty Hunters. To become a succesful
trader it is important to understand the needs of planets, for instance, it
doesn't make economical sense to try and sell Minerals or Gold to Mining planet
as this is what the planet exports.
Bounty Hunter
Each time you destroy a ship
you will automatically be paid a bounty by one of the enemies of the vessel
you destroyed. You will also have a chance to pick up the cargo left behind,
unfortunately there is no way of knowing what you have picked up until its
in the Cargo hold. Most times you will find items such as Minerals or some
Rare Artifacts but occasionally you may pick up a cargo worth a fortune or
even your life! This is one of the risks of bounty hunting, if you pick up
a cargo of illegal items prepare to face the police or worse...
Pirate
Most pirates in the Void galaxy
such as the Aikos prey on weakly defended craft that look like they are carrying
valuable amounts of cargo. Pirates are very good at disguising themselves
as honest trading ships until they spot something that takes their fancy,
at which point they attack.
Mercenary
Mercenaries make their money
by performing missions for their own and other planets. Although this can
be time consuming without purchasing HyperJump units, the rewards can be high.
The Tabisan are such a race of people, these experienced pilots explore the
galaxy at their leisure looking for appealing work. Although the Tabisan are
usually very friendly they are also ruthless in battle, they carry some of
the most advanced weaponry known and should be approached with caution. Legend
has it that the Tabisan also possess the knowledge to find wormholes through
to other galaxies.
Black Market Trader
This is probably the most
dangerous but potentially profitable ways of making money. Narcotics and DNA
take up small amounts of cargo space and can produce a very high degree of
income due to the wild price fluctuations across planets. The only drawback
is that you will become a fugitive wanted by both the Police and greedy pirates.
Registering
To continue using Void please
register it for a small fee at www.palmgear.com
You will be emailed a personal
registration code that must be entered into Void by selecting Register
from the menu. Please be careful to check your code and make sure that
all capitals, lower case letters and numbers are correct.
NB Some fonts make
certain letters and numbers appear similar, such as I and 1, 0 and O. If you
are unable to enter the code correctly try viewing it with a different font.
Every registration code sent out is checked, so please make sure you are entering
the correct letters/numbers before emailing us.
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Contact
Please visit www.pdaBusiness.com for
other Palm based software.
Email can be sent to support@pdabusiness.com
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