
Star Ranger Demo Notes
----------------------

This demo was designed to give you a glimpse of Star Rangers. Because of
space constraints, however, the demo does not contain many of Star Rangers
best features.

For instance:

o       The final game allows you to select from 5 distinct wingmen that you
can order to attack enemy ships, cover your tail, or stand by until needed.
Only one wingman is available in the demo.

o       The demo allows you to fly one mission.  The final game presents
you with a ladder of 17 missions (with random elements so you never fly
the same mission twice), each with a specific mission briefing goal.
In the final game, there are a series of medals and promotions
available as you progress through the campaign structure.

o       There are fewer model types available in the demo; the final game has
additional enemy and civilian ships and bases.

o       Practice mode in the demo is limited by time (varies with diff level).
The final game allows you to play until your ship is destroyed.  As you play
longer, the enemy squads become smarter, faster, better armed and more
numerous.

o       All cinematics are missing from the demo version.  The final game
has over 20 cinematic sequences to supplement the gameplay.

How to Order the Game
--------------------
To order Star Rangers, please call 1-800-789-1534.

How to Load the Demo
--------------------

Type "srdemo" at the command line to run the current DEMO
version of star rangers.

The installation program will ask you to setup your sound drivers.  If
you want to reconfigure, type "setsound" from the main subdirectory to
run the sound setup program.

Key chart/commands
------------------

The + - used for thrust input.
The \ key will cut your throttle to 0.
The backspace key will set your speed to maximum (same as 9).
The enter key will match your target speed.
The t key selects enemy target mode.
The f key selects friendly target mode.
The r and y keys are used to cycle through targets in mode type.
The CTRL-ENTER key combo is used to toggle auto-match-speed.

The F1 key is front view.
The F2 key is full screen view.
The F3-F9 key are external views.
The a key turns on the autopilot.

Alt (and joystick button 1) fires the main guns.
Holding down joystick button 2 causes left/right joystick moves to roll
   the ship.

The ? is used to toggle your
   main gun between plasma guns, the auto-cannon (which aims for you),
   and sharp stick missiles.

The space bar fires missiles.  Different missiles are selected with the
< and > keys.  The order of the missiles selected is:

        dumbfire      DD6  Sharp Stick
        heat seeker   HS2  Heat Seeker
        all aspect    AA2  Inferno
        super         AA6  Bug-eye
        torpedo       TDA2 Bludgeon
        nuke          JG9  Tac-nuke


The p key will pause the game.

The mfd display:
  The c key brings up communications menu in campaign.
  The e key brings up energy mgmt system (ems).
        under ems, s and shift-s control shields,
                   g shift-g control laser recharge
  The d key brings up damage report.

CAMPAIGN commands
-----------------
To dock with base in campaign, you must communicate (type c)
   a request for dock with that base (and be within dock range
   ~800 meters).

The w key will hyper-warp you to your designated target as long as your
   warp engine is ready (recharges between jumps).

The m key toggles the campaign map.  This is where you select your
   warp jump target.

Campaign difficulty is set with a slider at the START of the campaign.
  This setting affects every mission under that campaign.  In other words,
  you cannot change the slider, restart the mission, and get a new
  difficulty level.

On the map
----------
cursor shows your possible jump target and energy cost
click with left mouse button to set your jump target, (your jump target
will appear as a target in the friendly mode.) zoom window shows
enlarged icons from map under cursor.


*****************************************************************************

Manual Update Information
-------------------------

Here are a few last-minute changes that didn't make it into the manual:

o       The first time you run Star Rangers, the program evaluates the
available memory and CPU and generates default detail settings
designed to take advantage of your configuration. You can accept or
reject these settings. To change these settings at any time, choose
Settings from the Options menu.

o       The Joystick Calibration menu now has a Joystick Sensitivity
button, which can be set to Low, Medium (default), or High.

o       In addition to the Combat Autopilot, there is a Match Speed mode,
which automatically matches your speed to your target's if it is
within 300 meters. You toggle Match Speed on and off by pressing
Ctrl-Enter. When playing at lower difficulty levels (the Difficulty
slider at 1/3 or less), Match Speed is automatically active at the start
of a mission.

o       Pressing Esc while in the Briefing/Wingman Selection portion
of the game automatically reselects the last wingman you chose. In the
first mission, it automatically chooses the first potential wingman.

o       The Closing Speed Readout on the hud is green if you are closing
on a target, and red if it is pulling away from you.

o       When you dock with a base, your wingman will also dock if he is
present. You can make your wingman dock at other times by ordering
him to Go Home in the Communications menu. If you have
sent your wingman to dock, or to another portion of the map, you
can recall him by ordering him to Cover Me in the Communications menu.

o       After you have flown a mission, your current campaign statistics
are displayed at the bottom of the High Scores screen, so that you can
easily compare yourself to the "Best of the Best."

o       The first time you run Star Rangers, you cannot skip the
Interactive Magic logo or Star Rangers introductory animations.

o       Various power management TSRs could cause performance or
stability problems for Star Rangers. You should turn them off. Please
refer to the installation guide for instruction on creating a boot disk.

o       The difficulty level active at the BEGINNING of the practice
session determines the actual practice difficulty.  Any changes to the
difficulty level slider are recorded so that the next time the demo is run,
the updated difficulty level will take effect.

For technical support
--------------------
Please call 1-919-461-0948.


