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FRONTIER HELP - HYPERSPACE


1. Using the Galactic Map to select a target
2. Making a Hyperspace Leap
3. Hyperspace Mis-jumps"
4. Other uses of the Galactic Map



Using the Galactic Map to select a target

Select the Galactic Map icon F2 to obtain a map of all the star systems in the galaxy, thanks to the Galactic Survey of 2817. The positions of all 100,000,000,000 stars (approximately) were mapped as soon as technology provided telescopes sophisticated enough to do the job.

A grid is drawn through the plane of the galaxy to aid visual orientation and provide navigational coordinates. The galaxy is divided up into sectors. Since the galaxy is thin and flat, sector coordinates are only two dimensional with a sector measuring eight light years along each edge and containing all the stars above and below it. Sector boundaries are shown in bright green on the map, and their coordinates are given relative to the Solar system for historical reasons.

From Sol's sector, 'east' and 'west' coordinates are represented by the first coordinate 'east' being a positive and 'west' a negative number. Similarly, 'north' and `south` are represented by the second number, with 'north' positive. Up to nine sectors are displayed at once on the screen and the coordinates of the central sector are displayed at the bottom left-hand corner. Each star is shown coloured according to type (eg. red for a red giant. blue for a hot blue star) and with a line indicating its height `above` or 'below` the galactic plane.

The pink lines linking systems are recommended trade routes in case you feel you need some guidance to start with. They were compiled by the Zebulon Intergalactic Trading Corporation five years ago.

Moving Around The Grid

To move around the grid, use the Arrow (Cursor) keys. The system in the centre is highlighed in green and a small amount of information on it is shown on the console. The system you are currently travelling through is highlighted in pink.

To change the angle of the grid itself, to see the relative positions of systems more clearly, hold down the right hand mouse button and move the mouse.

You can zoom in and out with the Zoom icons F7 and F8

You can re-centre the map by pressing the C key.

Manipulating The Galactic Map

Once familiar with the grid, faster operation can be achieved by electing to discard certain features. Select the Tools icon F9 and four different icons become available which enable you to adjust certain features of the grid.

. The Stalk icon F7 will turn the distance lines on or off.

. The Grid icon F8 will turn the grid on or off.

. Trade icon F9 will turn the trade routes on or off.

. The Identification Text icon F10 will remove the incidental and other details like Core System.

As you elect to do any one, the four icons disappear but can be brought back again with the Tools icon F9.

Range

The range of the jump is determined by two things: fuel and the type and class of engine. The engine's range depends on two things - its class and the size of the ship.

Range is shown on the Galactic map, displayed in the panel, to the right of the system name. If your engine is not up to jumping to the destination selected, the mssage Out of Range will be given.

Fuel range is shown in two ways - the amount of fuel required for a jump is displayed at the bottom left of the Galactic map, and on the Galactic map, a pink circle will surround the system you are currently in and this shows your maximum range for hyperspace in a single jump. If you have insufficient fuel to jump to a selected system, Insufficient Fuel will be displayed - otherwise, the fuel which will be used will be shown.


Hyperspace Operation

Target a system using the Galactic Map icon. by placing the required destination in the centre of the screen with the Arrow (Cursor) keys. That system becomes highlighted in green.

Return to View mode using the View icon F1.

Select the Hyperspace icon F8 (it will not show if you have no hyperspace facility or a valid jump is not selected) and cross your fingers. If you like you can set your destination. go about your business and be able to make a quick exit at any time if things hot up a bit. Alternatively, if you use the H key you can make your jump without going into View mode first.

Remember that the evidence of your hyperspace jump will be visible to anybody in the vicinity of your exit or entry, as it leaves a glowing area of disturbance in space. The destination can only be ascertained with a Hyperspace Cloud Analyser, available at shipyards.

There are a number of reasons why the Hyperspace icon may not appear, they are as follows:

You are too close to a planet. Regulations were laid down after the first few decades of hyperspace jumping. Sudden above average recordings of mutations around starports occurred a few years after jumps became routine. It was discovered that the intense radiation caused by the jump was affecting the population below. It became a requirement by law (on all sides) that all ships have a cutout system built into the Hyperdrive which is activated if you try to jump from near to a planet or space station.

A valid destination is not selected.

You do not have enough fuel for a jump to the selected destination.

Engine is damaged or destroyed.

You don't have a Hyperdrive engine!

Jump Duration

Although the perceived duration of a jump is very short, the actual time is much greater It takes a week to make the maximum range jump for any engine. For example an engine with a maximum range of 1O lightyears will take a week to jump that far or 3.5 days for a 5 light year jump, and so on. A ship with a maximum hyperspace jump range of 4 light years will take half a week to jump only 2 light years. This has implications for piracy because a pirate ship with a Hyperspace Cloud Analyser and a lighter ship can 'overtake' you and lie in wait. Contact in Hyperspace is not possible.

Waste Products

Unfortunately, the convenience of hyperspace travel is blighted with the problem of waste products if you use military fuel. Due to the processes in the Hyperdrive, every tonne of military fuel is converted to one tonne of radioactives which you will need to dispose of on the stockmarket. (See the Trade Goods section for more details). Standard Hyperdrive engines powered by hydrogen fuel do not produce problematic waste products.


Mis-Jumps

Hyperdrives very rarely go wrong, but if you are unfortunate enough to suffer a spontaneous misjump, you can get into serious trouble. You will emerge somewhere other than your planned destination, which may be out of range for your remaining fuel. It is even possible to mis-jump beyond the maximum range of your drive. If indeed your fuel reserves are too low or the Hyperdrive is broken, your only hope is to call for help (Communication icon F4) and risk pirates responding, or to load a saved game. It is not entirely understood why mis-jumps happen but an unserviced Hyperdrive is a likely culprit. There are no reliable statistics available on the occurrences of mis-jumps as most ships are never found. A missing ship could just as easily be the result of piracy.

Forced Mis-Jumps

Faulcon De Lacey do not condone this practice as it has an unpredictable effect on the Hyperdrive. It is the equivalent of blindly jamming a screwdriver into the works. We feel that it needs to be mentioned as a warning because foolish pilots do use it as a last resort to escape pirates. If they are being pursued by a larger pirate ship with a Hyperspace Cloud Analyser they force a mis-jump by pressing the Alt key while activating the Hyperspace icon or the F8 key. The pirates follow them into hyperspace only to find that their quarry is nowhere to be seen and is in fact somewhere else, frantically trying to work out exactly where they are. The Hyperspace Cloud Analyser cannot distinguish a mis-jump from a normal jump.


Other Uses of the Galactic Map

Obtaining Data On A System

Astronomical Data

From the grid map, select the system you are interested in by using the Arrow (Cursor) keys to move it into the middle of the screen where it will be highlighted in green

Use the Data icon F6 and a schematic summary of all astronomical bodies in the system will appear, if the system has been explored.

Use the mouse to pick out individual bodies on which you require geographical and physical data including:

Average surface temperature.

Major starports.

Orbital period (which is the sidereal period measured in Earth days). Average orbital radius.

Orbital eccentricity and inclination, measured relative to the rotational plane of the central body.

Clicking away from the text returns you to the general system data. Alternatively click on another body.

If you want to return to the grid map of the galaxy, use the Data icon F6 again or the Galactic Map icon F2.

When in Data mode F6 the icons F7, F8 and F10 have new functions, as follows:

Data On Economy Of Selected System

he Economy icon F7 gives a breakdown of imports, exports and illegal goods. Exports tend to be cheap and imports expensive.

Data On Social Structure And Coordinates

The Political icon F8 gives relevant details on Government type, economy, allegiance and population. Sector coordinates in the Galactic map are also given here.

The Galactic View

This feature can be used to get an idea of perspective. While in Galactic map mode, click on Galactic View icon F10 and a Creator's eye view of the galaxy is shown.

At maximum zoom (showing 500 light year scale) each pixel represents a single sector To zoom in and out use the Zoom icons F7 and F8. Note that the resolution is best while not zooming. When you stop zooming, improvement of the first, coarse picture is made as quickly as possible by the on board computer.

The Galactic Map icon F10 can be used to return to the Galactic map.

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