Getting Started

Playing

Navigating

Views and Instrument Display

Weapons, Targets, and Enemies

Shields and PowerUps

Customizing

Tips and Troubleshooting

 Glossary


Getting Started

The Bion threat and how to defeat it

System requirements

Using the keyboard

Using a joystick

Using a mouse

Selecting joystick, gamepad, or keyboard

Selecting mono, stereo, or surround sound

How to play


Playing Fury3
Playing

Starting a new game

Scoring and levels of difficulty

Choosing the level of difficulty

Displaying the high score

Pausing during a game

Muting the sound

Saving a game for later play

Saving a game under a different name

Resuming a saved game

Ending a game without exiting

Exiting


Navigating

The planets

Displaying or hiding the Satellite Map

Locating targets, checkpoints, and tunnels

Moving to the next planet


Views and Instrument Display

The Instrument Panel

Satellite Map, description

Changing the instrument display

Views, overview

Looking out the cockpit windows

Viewing your ship from the outside

Changing the view to speed up game play

Hiding or displaying the menu bar


Weapons, Targets, and Enemies

Targets, overview

Tunnels, overview

Enemies, overview

Weapons, overview

Picking up weapons

Selecting and firing a weapon

Hiding or displaying the crosshairs


Shields and PowerUps

PowerUps, overview

Increasing shield strength

Attaining temporary invincibility or invisibility

Activating Turbo Thrust

Increasing or decreasing velocity


Customizing Fury3
Customizing

Turning Quick Help on or off

Customizing keyboard settings

Customizing joystick settings

Calibrating the joystick

Turning game videos on or off

Turning planet briefings on or off

Turning the flight demo on or off

Adjusting sound volume

Muting the sound

Selecting mono, stereo, or surround sound

Listening to the bonus soundtracks

Increasing game speed by decreasing graphic detail

If your monitor display setting is higher than 256 colors

If the graphics have less detail than you would like

If game play is slower than you would like


Tips and Troubleshooting

Tips

If you don't hear any sound

If the sound seems clipped, or the sound effects are delayed

If [image] displays a message asking for the CD-ROM

If your monitor display setting is higher than 256 colors

If the graphics are not as smooth as you would like

If the graphics have less detail than you would like

If game play is slower than you would like

If you are flying upside down and don't want to be

If the ship's instruments are not displayed

If the cockpit is not displayed

If the joystick does not function correctly

If the keyboard does not work as expected

If the + and - keys don't work


Fury3 - The Bion threat
The Bion threat and how to defeat it

During the IP Wars, the Terrans designed a race of bionic warriors known for their cunning and their brutal strength. Physically superior and ruthlessly aggressive, a single troop of Bions could eliminate the inhabitants of a planet within days.

The Bion war effort saved the Coalition, but nearly destroyed Terran. After the war, Bion aggression could not be contained. Peaceful coexistence between Bions and Terrans proved impossible. The ensuing Bion Wars are known for their brevity -- and violence.

In 2832, the Coalition ordered complete Bion dismantlement and instituted Terran's renowned Council of Peace -- a military defense force inferior to none.... Unknown to the Coalition, a few Bions survived and have assembled on a distant planet called Fury.

The Bion plan is to seize seven more Coalition planets whose resources will help them attain their ultimate goal -- total domination of space from the Bion Fury outpost.

As a member of the Council of Peace, it's your mission to stop them.

Welcome home, Councilor.

Defeating the threat

As a member of Terran's Council of Peace, your role in this intergalactic war is crucial. Bring down the Bions and peace is restored. Allow the Bions to succeed, and you can kiss the Coalition good-bye.

Trust the intelligence report for each planet. It provides you with the latest information concerning Bion infiltration, and satellite views of critical Bion targets. Also trust your ship. Its Compass, when used with the Distance Indicator, will help you steer straight toward a Bion target.

Each planet contains three separate missions. Once you've successfully completed all three missions, your ship will transport you to the next planet. Intelligence has sighted Bion infiltration on eight planets in all.... The last planet is a killer.

Be ruthless, Councilor. The Bions are.


How to play Fury3
How to play

Objective

Destroy all mission-critical targets, eliminating as many other targets as you can along the way.

Targets

Each planet contains 3 missions. To complete a mission, you must eliminate all mission-critical targets. Here's how:

1	Keep your Compass pointed straight up -- it's programmed to guide you to these mission-critical targets.

2	Watch the Distance Indicator. It will approach "0" as you approach a target.

3	Look at the Objective Tracker. It will indicate what your next target is.

4	Blast the target to bits!

After you've completed a planet's third mission, the Coalition will transport you to the next planet, often via a Jump Zone.

Shield strength

Maintain your shield strength -- the more you have, the more likely you are to reach the next planet alive.

Keep an eye out for floating powerUps. Some have the power to restore your shields.

Watch your Shield Strength Register. When it's drained, your ship will nosedive. You'll have to start the mission from the beginning, unless you saved along the way.

Weapons

When you see a hovering weapons cache, fly straight toward it to upload the goods. Then select the weapon you want to fire by pressing the key assigned to it.

To activate	Press
ServoKinetic Laser (SKL)	1
Dispersion Cannon 14 (DC14)	2
Rapid-Fire Laser (RFL20)	3
Dead-On Missile (DOM)	4
Viper (VIP)	5
Bion Fury Missile (BFM)	6
(FFF)	7
Strategy

After you've destroyed a mission-critical target, consider your next move carefully.

The quickest way to get off a planet is to go directly to the next mission-critical target.

For a higher score, blast everything in sight.

Press TAB to use the Satellite Map and plan optional sorties to remote targets and tunnels.

See also

Moving to the next planet

Scoring and levels of difficulty

The Instrument Panel

Displaying or hiding the Satellite Map

Locating targets, checkpoints, and tunnels


Scoring and levels of difficulty

All hits are valued equally. You receive 100 points per air or ground hit. Spare the greenery -- palm trees and seaweed are not the enemy. You'll lose 100 points for each one you destroy.

Too easy? For a more aggressive enemy with greater firepower, choose a harder level of play. Enemy firepower and reckless flying take their toll on your ship. When your shield strength is gone, so are you.

Coalition reconnaissance confirms your hits after each mission. Satellites also search for and report damage to vegetation. Palm tree and seaweed losses are reported in the "green" category on your mission summary. If records indicate that you are among the Coalition's top ten pilots, your name is placed on the High Score roster. The best of this elite group traditionally leaves an inspirational message.

See also

Choosing the level of difficulty

Displaying the high score


Moving to the next planet
To move to the next planet

The Coalition has a policy about unfinished business. Finish what you start, or what you've started may finish off the Coalition.

Based on this philosophy, the Coalition has programmed a series of mission-critical objectives into your ship. As soon as you achieve the last objective on a planet, your Objective Tracker may indicate that a Jump Zone is your next goal.

Jump Zones house the energy and data required to transport you to the next planet. You locate Jump Zones the same way you locate any target -- with your Compass and Distance Indicator.

If you succeed in reaching a Jump Zone, your ship locks into autopilot for transport to the next planet. You'll fly at a speed faster than Bion war ships can follow. This could be your only breather for quite a while. Enjoy.

Reconnaissance indicates that some of the Jump Zones have been destroyed. Use your instincts. The Coalition monitors the activities of planet Guardians. If you succeed in destroying a Guardian, the Coalition will do everything in its power to get you off the planet alive.

See also

The planets, overview

Locating targets, checkpoints, and tunnels


Changing the view to speed up game play
To speed up game play by changing the format

Game speed is determined by your hardware and the graphics display that you choose. The three levels of graphic display are:

Normal -- Press F4 to switch to Windows mode (menus and taskbar displayed).

Faster -- Press F4 to switch to Full Screen (no menus or taskbar).

Fastest -- Press [  ] (bracket keys) to switch in or out of Panoramic format.

Tips

Within any of these graphic displays, you can change the instrument display by pressing C repeatedly, and the pilot view by pressing V repeatedly.

When you press F4 to switch between Windows mode and Full Screen format, game play may be interrupted momentarily while [image] changes the display.

See also

Changing the instrument display

Viewing your ship from the outside


PowerUps, overview
PowerUps

After you destroy a Bion bunker, you may discover a treasure trove of stashed powerUps. Don't ask how they got there, just take them as you see them, and run.

Shields Restored

Fly through the rotating shield and your shields will be restored to 100%.

Shield Boost

Pick up a hovering radon battery core and watch your shield strength go up 25%.

Turbo Thrust

Turbo Thrust fuel makes the speed of light seem slow. Grab the floating fuel injection engine and, when the moment seems right, press Button 2 on the joystick or press F on the keyboard to let your ship r-i-p!

Invisibility

If you come across a glowing red orb, by all means grab it. A timer in the lower-right corner of your screen counts down the 30 seconds that the Bions won't be able to tell you're around. There's nothing like flying next to an enemy when he doesn't know you're there.

Invincibility

Fly through the glistening blue orb and fear no more. Let the bombs drop! You won't feel a thing. DO watch the timer in the lower-right corner of the screen so you'll know when you're about to lose your invincible edge.


Displaying or hiding the Satellite Map
To display or hide the Satellite Map

To display the Satellite Map and pause the action:

Press TAB. Or, on the View menu, click Map.

To hide the Satellite Map and resume battle, repeat the procedure.


System Requirements

To run [image] you need:

486DX/66 MHz or higher processor

8 MB of RAM

Either:

-	Microsoft® Windows 95® operating system

or

-	MS-DOS® operating system version 5.0 or later with Microsoft® Windows® operating system version 3.1 or later

Available hard disk space:

-	For Windows 95, 10 MB of available hard disk space

-	For Windows 3.1, 14 MB of available hard disk space, plus a 10 MB swap file if you have less than 12 MB of RAM. See the README for more information

Double-speed or faster CD-ROM drive

Local bus SVGA video, 256-color display

Sound board plus speakers or headphones to hear audio

Recommended

Joystick or other flight control

Microsoft Mouse or other pointing device

For best play:

-	Under Windows 95, 55 MB of available hard disk space

-	Under Windows 3.1, 70 MB of available hard disk space


Turning Quick Help on or off
To turn Quick Help on or off

1	On the Help menu, click Quick Help.

2	Check or clear the Skip Quick Help at Startup check box.

When Skip Quick Help at Startup is cleared, [image] displays the Quick Help dialog box every time you start [image].

See also

The Bion Threat and How to Defeat It

Scoring and levels of difficulty

Choosing the level of difficulty

Picking up weapons

Selecting and firing a weapon

Using the keyboard

Using a joystick


Quick Help

Objective

Complete 3 missions on each of eight planets by eliminating all mission-critical targets. Destroying other ships or installations will increase your score.

Strategy

To locate a mission-critical target, maintain a 12 o'clock Compass heading and watch your ship's Distance Indicator. When the Distance Indicator reaches "0," you're there.

Flight Control: Arrow Keys

Fire Weapon: SPACEBAR


Using the keyboard with Fury3
Using the keyboard

You can use the keyboard to control your flight, weapons, views, and game play.

Flight controls

To	Press
Increase/decrease throttle	A/Z
Bank left/right
Nose up/down
Roll left/right	HOME/PAGE UP
Turbo Thrust	F
Display/hide Satellite Map	TAB

Weapons

To	Press
Select weapon Fire weapon Display/hide crosshairs	1-7 SPACEBAR X

Views

To	Press
Cycle through pilot views	V
Cycle through instrument displays	C
In Outside View, pan:
Left/right	INS/DEL
Up/down	- / + (KEYPAD)
Center	PERIOD (.)
Full Screen on/off	F4
Show/hide mission status	BACKSPACE

Cockpit windows

To	Press
Look out window: Up Left/right	- (KEYPAD) INS/DEL

Game play

To	Press
Start new game Pause/resume Minimize game Save game for later play Display Help Mute sound Resume saved game	F2 F3 ALT, SPACEBAR, N CTRL+S F1 CTRL+M CTRL+R
See also

Customizing keyboard settings


Using a joystick to play Fury3
Using a joystick

To	Press
Fire weapon	Button 1
Turbo Thrust	Button 2
Decrease throttle	Button 3
Increase throttle	Button 4
Adjust throttle	Throttle Control
In Cockpit view: Look out cockpit windows	Hat Switch
In Outside view: Pan up, down, left, right	Hat Switch
See also

Customizing joystick settings

Calibrating the joystick


Using a mouse with Fury3
Using a mouse

You can use a mouse or other pointing device to choose commands from the menus. The mouse does not affect flight control.


Starting a new game
To start a new game

1	If you are currently playing a game, you will need to end it by pressing ESC or by clicking End Game on the Game menu.

2	To start a new game, on the Game menu, click New Game or press F2.

Important: If you are ending a game, you may want to save it before starting another one. If you choose to end the game without saving it, you will have to repeat any missions you completed during the game to continue your journey.


Pausing during a game
To pause during a game

To pause or resume a game, on the Game menu, click Pause Game or press F3.

The game also pauses when you:

Press P or the PAUSE key.

Display a menu.

Press F1 for Help.

Press TAB to display the Satellite Map.

Tip

World invading your flight pattern? You can instantly pause and minimize [image] by pressing ALT, SPACEBAR, N. When your earthly duties are complete, you resume battle in Windows 95 by clicking [image] taskbar icon. In Windows 3.1, double-click the [image] icon.


Ending a game without exiting
To end a game without exiting

On the Game menu, click End Game or press ESC.

Important: To resume action where you left off, you'll need to save the game before ending it. If you choose to end the game without saving, you will have to repeat any missions you have completed to continue your journey.

Tip

You can press ESC to end a game, or you can press ALT, SPACEBAR, N to instantly pause and minimize a game for later play.

See also

Saving a game for later play

Exiting


Exiting Fury3
To exit

On the Game menu, click Exit or press ALT+F4.

Tip

To maintain progress on your journey toward the planet Fury, you must save your game before ending it or before exiting [image]. If you prefer to minimize [image] instead, press ALT, SPACEBAR, N.

See also

Ending a game without exiting


Saving a game for later play
To save a game

On the Game menu, click Save Game or press CTRL+S.

To maintain progress on your journey toward the planet Fury, you must save before ending a game. When you save, [image] stores your score, your location, your onboard weapon inventory, and your achievements.

Flight information is normally stored in the Data folder of your [image] folder.

Important: Be forewarned that tunnels are especially dangerous. Radio communications cannot reach the Coalition. Once you enter a tunnel, you're on your own until you exit. Your request to save will not be heard.

Tip

Surrounded by pesky Bions? About to enter a subterranean space? Face to face with a planet Guardian? Press CTRL+S to save the game, then fight it out knowing you can travel back in time for a second chance. Otherwise, lose your footing and you're back to square one.

See also

Saving a game under a different name

Resuming a saved game


Saving a game under a different name
To save a game under a different name

1	On the Game menu, click Save Game As.

2	Type a new filename.

3	Select the drive where you want to store the game.

4	Select the directory where you want to store the game.

To save a game using an existing filename, choose the name in the list or type the current name. When you click OK, you will need to confirm that you want to replace the existing game.


Resuming a saved game
To resume a saved game

1	On the Game menu, click Resume Saved Game, or press CTRL+R.

2	Click the drive, folder, and filename of the game you want to play.

Action picks up where you left it. Any weapons you acquired are still onboard.


Choosing the level of difficulty
To choose the level of difficulty

When you begin a game, you must choose the level of difficulty you want for your assignment. These are the Coalition's ratings:

Level	Effect on mission assignment
Easy	You fly with double-strength shields and a pulsating interference device so fewer enemy ships find you.
Normal	Your reputation draws increased enemy activity and twice the firepower that lesser pilots are exposed to.
Hard	Reputations can be deadly. More enemy ships than your nightmares can handle.
Furious	It's you versus the most aggressive war machines ever created. THEY decide if you're up to the task.
Tip

The Auto Leveler assists in keeping your ship parallel to the horizon. If you are an experienced pilot who loves a challenge, consider turning your ship's Auto Leveling system off. With it off, you can make sharper turns and take on the demands of total flight control. To turn Auto Leveling off, click Options, click Flight Controls, and then clear the Auto Leveling check box.


Locating targets, checkpoints, and tunnels
To locate a target, checkpoint, or tunnel

1	Check the Objective Tracker to determine what you're looking for.

2	Maintain a 12 o'clock Compass heading.

3	As the Distance Indicator nears zero, get ready for action.

Tip

The PLUS and MINUS SIGNS on the Compass indicate the position of targets, tunnels, checkpoints, and powerUps. Although many may not be mission-critical, they can significantly affect your career as a pilot. High-scoring pilots owe much to being thorough. To pause the game and study a Satellite Map that shows a larger geographical area, press TAB.

See also

The Instrument Panel

Displaying or hiding the Satellite Map


Picking up weapons
To pick up weapons

The Bions have stolen the more valuable Coalition weapons. Some of the stolen weapons are stashed in subterranean spaces, and some are stored above ground in well-guarded locations.

When you destroy a Bion bunker, your stolen weapons are extracted and stored indefinitely for you in a floating weapons cache similar to the ones in the subterranean areas. Fly through a cache to:

Upload new weapons

Add ammo for onboard weapons

Tip

When you pick up a weapons cache, the name of the weapon is displayed for a moment along with the key you press to activate the weapon. For example, if you harvest a Viper cache, the message reads:  Vipers! (5).

See also

Selecting and firing a weapon


Selecting and firing a weapon
To select and fire a weapon

1	After you have picked up weapons in a powerUp, select the weapon you want to fire by pressing the key assigned to it.

To activate	Press
ServoKinetic Laser (SKL)	1
Dispersion Cannon 14 (DC14)	2
Rapid-Fire Laser (RFL20)	3
Dead-On Missile (DOM)	4
Viper (VIP)	5
Bion Fury Missile (BFM)	6
(FFF)	7

2	Press Button 1 on the joystick, or press SPACEBAR.

Your Weapon Readout indicates the active weapon. The Ammunition Inventory shows the quantity of the active weapon.

Tips

You begin your intergalactic journey with only one weapon -- a ServoKinetic Laser. The other six weapons are stored in secret caches underground or above ground in well-guarded locations.

Lasers regenerate their own ammo. Missiles are finite; you'll have to scour the universe to find replacements. FFF bombs are a serious threat and a serious payload -- you can carry only one at a time, but one is more than enough.

See also

Customizing keyboard settings

Customizing joystick settings

Picking up weapons


Increasing shield strength
To increase shield strength

Your ship identifies atmospheric energy fields and rechannels them into floating energy caches. Fly through a cache and watch for these messages:

Message	Effect
Shields Restored!	Full restoration of shield strength
Shield Boost!	Adds 25% to shield strength
If you locate an energy cache when your shields are close to full strength, your ship will not upload the cache. Note the coordinates of the cache's location. You can come back for it later when you need it.

Important: Watch your Shield Strength Register. When your shield strength is gone, so are you.

Tip

Pilots who request Easy missions are issued ships with double-strength shields.

See also

Choosing the level of difficulty


Attaining temporary invincibility or invisibility
To achieve temporary invincibility or invisibility

Your ship identifies atmospheric energy fields and rechannels them into floating energy caches. Fly through them and watch for these messages:

Message	Effect
Invincibility!	30 seconds of total invincibility
Invisibility!	30 seconds of invisibility
Tip

A countdown timer appears in the lower-right corner of your screen for the 30 seconds that your ship is invisible or invincible.

See also

Locating targets, checkpoints, and tunnels


Increasing or decreasing velocity
To increase or decrease the ship's velocity

You can increase or decrease your ship's velocity using the joystick or the keyboard.

Joystick method

To	Press
Increase throttle	Button 4 or Throttle Control
Decrease throttle	Button 3 or Throttle Control
Keyboard method

To	Press
Increase throttle	A
Decrease throttle	Z

The Velocity Register indicates your relative speed.

See also

Activating Turbo Thrust

Customizing keyboard settings

Customizing joystick settings


Activating Turbo Thrust
To activate Turbo Thrust

To activate Turbo Thrust, press Button 2 on the joystick or press F on the keyboard.

Before you can use Turbo Thrust, you have to find the fuel by either:

Picking up a hidden fuel cache in a subterranean space

Retrieving stolen Coalition fuel from a well-guarded location.

Turbo Thrust provides an intense burst of speed for emergency situations. Use it as a defensive tactic for high-powered escapes. You cannot fire a weapon while it is engaged; all the ship's power is channeled into the propulsion and navigation system for the duration of the Thrust. Forget the trigger. Get a white-knuckle grip on something stable.

The Ammunition Inventory shows your fuel level during a Thrust.

Tips

Save a little Turbo fuel for use in tunnels, where timing, finesse, and a short but serious burst of speed can get you past a deadly trap.

If you are scrutinizing the terrain for targets, tunnels, and powerUps, consider throttling down and using short bursts of Turbo Thrust if a blast of speed is needed. Not recommended for those prone to whiplash.

See also

The Instrument Panel

Locating targets, checkpoints, and tunnels


Looking out the cockpit windows
To look out the cockpit windows

To look	Press
Left	INS
Right	DEL
Up	- (KEYPAD)
Tips

If you can see the exterior of your ship on the screen, you are in Chase or Outside view and you can't look out the cockpit windows. To switch to a view where you can look out the cockpit windows, on the View menu, click Pilot View, and then click Cockpit.

Thanks to a highly advanced visual guidance system, your tracking missiles will fire in the direction you are looking.


Viewing your ship from the outside
To view your ship from outside

On the View menu, click Pilot View, and then click Chase or Outside. Or press V repeatedly to cycle through Chase view, Outside view, and the last cockpit view you displayed.

Last cockpit view you displayed
Chase view Gain more visibility to the left and right.
Outside view Change your point of view by panning up/down/left/right.

In Outside view, you can pan around your ship by pressing the Hat Switch on your joystick, or by using the keyboard.

To pan	Press
Left/right	INS/DEL
Up/down	- / + (KEYPAD)
Center	PERIOD (.)


Hiding or displaying the menu bar
To change the size of [image] on the screen by hiding the menu bar

To fill the screen with [image] and hide the task and menu bars, press F4. Press F4 again to display the bars. Full Screen format often makes the graphics appear smoother. There may be a momentary interruption in the screen display while [image] switches to or from Full Screen format.

Tip

For faster action in Full Screen format, fly with a Head-Up Display or No Instruments instead of Full Cockpit. Use the View menu to choose your instrument display, or press C repeatedly to cycle through the displays.

See also

Changing the view to speed up game play


Customizing keyboard settings
To customize keyboard settings

1	On the Options menu, click Flight Control Options.

2	Click Customize Keyboard.

3	Click the item that you want to change.

4	Click Change.

5	On the list, click the key you want to use.


Customizing joystick settings
To customize joystick settings

Your joystick must be calibrated before you can customize joystick settings.

1	On the Options menu, click Flight Control Options.

2	Make sure Joystick is chosen in the Primary Flight Control box.

3	Click Customize Joystick.

4	Click the item that you want to change.

5	Click Change.

6	Press the joystick button (other than the Hat Switch) that you want to use.


Selecting joystick, gamepad, or keyboard
To select a joystick, gamepad, or keyboard as primary flight control

1	On the Options menu, click Flight Control Options.

2	In the Primary Flight Control box, click the device you prefer.

Tip

If you are using a Thrustmaster joystick, see the README for more information.


Calibrating the joystick
To calibrate the joystick

1	On the Options menu, click Flight Control Options.

2	Click the Calibrate button to open the Joystick Calibration dialog box.

3	Follow the instructions in the dialog box.

When the calibration is complete, you return to [image] Primary Flight Control dialog box.


Turning planet briefings on or off
To turn planet briefings on or off

1	On the Options menu, click Game Options.

2	Click the Show Planet Briefings check box.

When Show Planet Briefings is checked, each new planet begins with a description of the planet and its targets.

Tip

During a planet briefing, you can skip to the next item in the briefing by pressing SPACEBAR, or you can leave the planet briefings and begin flight by pressing ESC.

See also

Turning game videos on or off

Turning the flight demo on or off


Turning game videos on or off
To turn videos on or off

1	On the Options menu, click Game Options.

2	Click the Show Videos check box.

When Show Videos is checked, [image] displays cinematic footage from critical junctures on your journey. The videos include footage of your ship being launched from the mother ship and other clips from your ship's voyage through space.

Tip

Depending on the options you chose during Setup, the [image] CD-ROM may need to be inserted in your CD-ROM drive to play the videos. If the CD-ROM is not inserted, [image] skips the videos and continues with the game.

See also

Turning planet briefings on or off

Turning the flight demo on or off


Turning the flight demo on or off
To turn the demos on or off

1	On the Options menu, click Game Options.

2	Click the Show Demo When Idle check box.

If this option is checked and you go 30 seconds between games without touching the controls, [image] begins a virtual flight pattern while searching for a human heartbeat. The flight pattern ends when you demonstrate signs of life, such as pressing a key or clicking New Game on the Game menu.

See also

Turning game videos on or off

Turning planet briefings on or off


Increasing game speed by decreasing graphic detail
To increase game speed by decreasing graphic detail

1	On the Options menu, click Graphics.

2	To increase game speed, choose a lower level of detail for the options. Experiment to find the balance you want between speed and graphic detail.

Your display is updated when you return to game play.

See also

Changing the view to speed up game play

If the graphics have less detail than you would like


Adjusting sound volume
To adjust the volume of music and sound effects

1	On the Options menu, click Sound Options.

2	In each volume box, click the volume level you want.

Tip

You can clear the Play Sound Effects check box or the Play Music check box to turn music or sound effects off entirely.

See also

Muting the sound


Selecting mono, stereo, or surround sound
To set the playback format for mono, stereo, or surround sound

1	On the Options menu, click Sound Options.

2	In the Playback Format box, click the type of sound that matches your sound system.


Muting the sound
To mute the sound

On the Options menu, click Mute, or press CTRL+M.

Ah, the silence of deep space. To return the sound to its previous level, repeat the process.

Tip

Music and sound effects can be turned off independently of each other. On the Options menu, click Sound Options, and then clear the check box of the item you do not want.

See also

Adjusting sound volume


Displaying the high score
To display the high score

On the Game menu, click High Score.

 displays the high scores next to the call signs of pilots from past missions -- a Coalition Hall of Fame.

All hits are valued equally. Air and ground targets are worth 100 points each, and "green" targets (palm trees and seaweed) are counted against you -- 100 points off for each.

The inspirational message is written by the all-time best pilot.

See also

Scoring and levels of difficulty


Changing the instrument display
To change the instrument display

On the View menu, click Instrument Display, and then choose the display you prefer.

Full Cockpit

Head-Up Display

No Instruments

Tip

You can press C repeatedly to cycle through these displays.

See also

Views, overview

The Instrument Panel

Viewing your ship from the outside


Displaying or hiding the crosshairs
To display or hide the crosshairs

The crosshairs are your sighting device. You can hide them for totally unobstructed flight, and then display them again when you want total accuracy in battle.

Press  X to toggle the crosshairs on or off.


Listening to the bonus soundtracks
To play the bonus soundtracks

The [image] CD provides five soundtracks in addition to the music for the game. These five bonus tracks can be played on any standard CD player. Always turn down the volume of your CD player before inserting a disc.

Track 1	Caution: Track 1 is not intended for audio playback. It contains game data only.
Track 2	Overture
Track 3	Sebek
Track 4	Ares
Track 5	Fury
Track 6	Premonition


Pilot Registration dialog box

Pilot Call Sign

Type the name you want to be known by when you fly for the Coalition -- the name you want to see at the top of the high-score list.

Difficulty Level

Establishes how difficult a mission you will fly. You must finish out your assignment on this level. To request a different level of difficulty, you must start a new game. These are the Coalition's ratings:

Level	Effect on mission assignment
Easy	You fly with double-strength shields and a pulsating interference device so that fewer enemy ships find you.
Normal	Your reputation draws increased enemy activity and twice the firepower that lesser pilots are exposed to.
Hard	More enemy ships than your nightmares can handle.
Furious	It's you versus the most aggressive war machines ever created. THEY decide if you're up to the task.


Game Options dialog box

Show Planet Briefings

Provides reconnaissance on a planet and its missions during the introduction to each new planet.

Show Videos

Displays the introductory launch sequence from the mother ship and cinematic sequences between game levels. If you chose the Compact installation option, the [image] CD-ROM must be inserted in the CD-ROM drive to run the cinematic sequences. If the CD-ROM is not inserted, [image] omits the videos and continues with game play.

Show Demo When Idle

Displays a virtual flight pattern when you are not in a game. The flight pattern ends when you press a key or click New Game on the Game menu.


Graphics Options dialog box

Adjust the detail of each setting lower to increase game speed, or higher for the best-looking graphics.

Shadow Detail

Displays the shadows of all ships in the air. Shadows can be useful for judging your own altitude or for spotting enemy aircraft lurking behind you. Choose None if you are afraid of your own shadow -- or want faster game play.

Image Quality

Choose higher image quality for more realistic texture mapping and a sharper image.

Texture Detail

The higher the detail, the more elegant the landscape.

Debris

Controls the amount of flying debris from destroyed targets. Choose from these options:

	Off:	Direct hits create a compact implosion that is faster to fly through.
	Normal:	Direct hits create your average explosion with just enough debris to confirm the hit.
	Overkill:	Direct hits create serious explosions that can light up a dark planet but tend to slow your flight.
Show Sky Texture

If this option is not checked, the sky is a solid color without clouds.


Sound Options dialog box

Play Sound Effects

Plays explosions, crashes, and other sound effects during a game.

Play Sound Effects Volume

Adjusts the volume of explosions, crashes, and other sound effects during a game.

Play Music

Plays background music during a game.

Play Music Volume

Adjusts the volume of the background music during a game.

Playback Format

Sets the playback format to mono, stereo, or surround sound.

Advanced button

During Setup, [image] estimates settings for playing sound on your computer's sound card. You can click the Advanced button to view and adjust the settings if you need to troubleshoot a sound problem.


Advanced Sound dialog box

To eliminate clipped or choppy sound or improperly timed sound effects, experiment first with the number of buffers, and then with the buffer length. Use the Test button to apply the settings and hear the result. See the README for more information about buffer size and number of buffers for specific cards.

Buffer Length

Increase slightly to smooth out clipped or choppy sound. Decrease slightly if sound effects seem delayed.

Number of Buffers

Increase slightly to smooth out clipped or choppy sound. Decrease slightly if sound effects seem to last too long.

Default button

Restores the settings that [image] estimates for your sound card.

Test button

Applies the settings so you can evaluate the results.


Save Game As dialog box

File Name

To save a game with a new name, type a new filename.

To save a game using an existing filename, choose the name in the list or type the current name. When you click OK, [image] asks if you want to replace the existing game.

A Windows 3.1 filename can contain up to eight characters, plus the .FFF extension.

Drives

Choose the drive where you want to store the game.

Directories

Choose the directory where you want to store the game.


Flight Control Options dialog box

Allows you to select your primary method of controlling your ship. If necessary, you can also calibrate your joystick. If you want to change flight control settings, click the Customize Keyboard or Customize Joystick button.

Primary Flight Control

Determines your primary method of maneuvering your ship and firing weapons.

Calibrate button

Opens the Joystick Calibration dialog box, where you can calibrate the joystick for accuracy in maneuvering the ship. Your joystick must be calibrated before you can customize joystick settings.

Customize Keyboard button

Opens the Customize Keyboard dialog box, where you can view and change the current keyboard functions of [image].

Customize Joystick button

Opens the Customize Joystick dialog box, where you can view and change the current joystick button settings. Your joystick must be calibrated before you can customize joystick settings.

Tips

Before you can customize your joystick settings, you'll need to calibrate your joystick by clicking Calibrate.

The keyboard controls always work, regardless of any other selection you make.


Customize Joystick dialog box

To change a joystick button setting, choose the item you want to change from the Joystick Settings list, and then click Change. To return customized joystick settings to their default settings, click Default. Your joystick must be calibrated before you can customize joystick settings.

Joystick Settings

Lists current settings for the joystick buttons that you can change.

Change button

Opens the Change Joystick Button Setting dialog box where you assign the selected item to a different joystick button.

Default button

Resets joystick buttons to the following settings:

Button	Default setting
1	Fire weapon
2	Turbo Thrust
3 (if available)	Decreases throttle
4 (if available)	Increases throttle
Throttle Control (if available)	Adjusts throttle
Hat Switch (if available)	In Full Cockpit view : Looks out cockpit windows In Outside view: Pans left, right, up, down


Customize Keyboard dialog box

To change a keyboard setting, click the item you want to change, and then click Change.

To restore keyboard settings to the following defaults, click Default.

To	Press
Increase/decrease throttle	A/Z
Bank left/right
Nose up/down
Roll left/right	HOME/PAGE UP
Fire weapon	SPACEBAR
Turbo Thrust	F


Restore All Settings dialog box

If you are currently changing keyboard settings

To leave keyboard settings as they currently are, click No.

To return all keyboard settings to the following defaults, click Yes.

Default Keyboard Settings:

To	Press
Increase/decrease throttle Bank left/right Nose up/down Roll left/right Fire weapon Turbo Thrust	A/Z       HOME/PAGE UP SPACEBAR F
If you are currently changing joystick settings

To leave joystick settings as they currently are, click No.

To return all joystick settings to the following defaults, click Yes.

Default Joystick Settings:

Button	Default setting
1	Fire weapon
2	Turbo Thrust
3 (if available)	Decreases throttle
4 (if available)	Increases throttle


Change Joystick Button Settings dialog box

Pressing a button on the joystick now replaces the button's current function with the function you chose in the Joystick Settings list.

To leave the joystick button setting as it is, click Cancel.


Change Key Setting dialog box

Choose a key from the dropdown list to replace the key's current function with the function you chose in the Keyboard Settings list.

To leave the key setting as it is, click Cancel.


Resume Saved Game dialog box

To resume a game that you've saved, choose the drive and directory where it is stored, and then choose the filename of the game. Click the Find File button if you are not sure where the game is stored.

Dialog Box Options

File Name

Choose or type the name of the game you want to play.

Drives

Choose the drive that contains the game you want to play.

Directories

Choose the directory that contains the game you want to play.

Find File button

Opens the Find File dialog box so that you can search for saved [image] games.


Targets, overview
Targets

Some of the targets you need to destroy are none other than the inventions of bionic warrior insurgents, whose aim is to rule the Coalition and control all of space. These targets may look innocent... but don't be fooled. For example, the Grim Reaper is distinguished by its ability to think as well as fly, and was the first Bion fighting ship invented.

Other targets were originally Coalition inventions, but have now been co-opted by the Bions to do no good. For instance, Scarab Fighters were used to protect Sebekian caravans transporting precious alloys and gems. Now they're being used for evil purposes by the Bions.

The message of all this is simple: destroy or be destroyed.

See also

Locating targets, checkpoints, and tunnels


Enemies, overview
Enemies

During the IP Wars, the Terrans designed a race of bionic warriors known for their cunning and their brutal strength. Physically superior and ruthlessly aggressive, a single troop of Bions could eliminate the inhabitants of a planet within days.

The Bion war effort saved the Coalition, but nearly destroyed Terran. After the war, Bion aggression could not be contained. Peaceful coexistence between Bions and Terrans proved impossible. The ensuing Bion Wars are known for their brevity -- and violence.

In 2832, the Coalition ordered complete Bion dismantlement and instituted Terran's renowned Council of Peace -- a military defense force inferior to none....Unknown to the Coalition, a few Bions survived and assembled on a distant planet called Fury.

The Bion plan is to seize seven more Coalition planets whose resources will help them attain their ultimate goal -- total domination of space from the Bion Fury outpost. As a member of Terran's Council of Peace, it's your mission to stop them.

See also

Locating targets, checkpoints, and tunnels


Weapons, overview
Weapons

Your ship can hold seven weapons but you begin with only one, the ServoKinetic Laser. You'll never run out of ammo for the SKL, but you're going to need more firepower to eliminate the adversaries ahead. You must capture the other six weapons during battle or locate them in subterranean spaces.

Once you find a weapon, you choose it by pressing the key shown below.

Press	To activate
1	ServoKinetic Laser (SKL)  A direct-fire laser known as 'the Serv.' Always available. Always dependable.
2	Dispersion Canon 14 (DC14)  Fires in a spray pattern and is good for strafes. Even more powerful than the Serv.
3	Rapid-Fire Laser (RFL20)  The twentieth iteration of the most powerful direct-fire laser.
4	Dead-On Missile (DOM)  This missile shoots straight ahead. Aim carefully and don't look back.
5	Viper (VIP)  Its infrared will track any visible target. Guaranteed!
6	Bion Fury Missile (BFM)  Faster and more powerful than the Viper, with an incomparable tracking system. These babies do major damage.
7	(FFF)  The most deadly triple-stage Smart Bomb destroys everything within range, including palm trees and seaweed. Restores shields automatically and has an IQ of 2000, better than yours.
Tip

When you locate a weapon powerUp, the name of the weapon is displayed for a moment along with the key you press to activate the weapon. For example, if you harvest a Viper powerUp, the message reads:  Vipers! (5).

See also

Picking up weapons

Selecting and firing a weapon

Hiding or displaying the crosshairs


The planets, overview
The planets

Eight planets in the Coalition are overrun by bionic evil. Your journey begins on Terran and ends -- one way or the other -- on Fury.

Terran

Terran wasn't always a utopia.

Ravaged by the IP Wars and then by the Bion Wars, Terran's peace has been hard-earned. And now the Bions have returned....

L24-D

L24-D contains the largest repository of carbonium, an explosive with 48 times the power and damage of the fusion bomb. The Bions want it for their perilous missile, the BFM.

Ares

The isomorphic decay of Arean red sheol attracts wormholes -- shortcuts through space and time. The Bions plan to mine the sheol, control the wormholes, and monopolize all intergalactic travel.

New Kroy

New Kroy is a city planet that's reputed to be impenetrable. Its buildings are grown from polyKroy, an organic synthetic that is transparent, grows into any shape, and is nearly indestructible.

Sebek

According to ancient Sebekian scriptures, the Death Ankh grants its possessor immortality. Seize it before the Bions do! You don't want an enemy that you can't kill....

Vestra

Once the penal colony for bionic insurgents, Vestra is now the Bions' military training ground. They've recruited their most ruthless fighters, Councilor. They want you dead!

Tiamat

Tiamat's oceans contain the last repositories of attainable phosphorous (P), a fundamental energy source in all living and bionic things. Without access to Tiamat's waters, the Bions will die.

Fury

Fury is the Bion deep space outpost. Destroy this planet and you'll defeat the Bion threat! At least for now....

See also

Moving to the next planet


Tunnels, overview
Tunnels

The Bions have built strongholds deep within each planet. If you survive flying into one, you have the opportunity to make strikes that are important to the Coalition.

Be forewarned that tunnels are especially dangerous. Radio communications cannot reach the Coalition. Once you enter a tunnel, you're on your own until you exit. Your request to save will not be heard.

Tunnel entrances are often camouflaged. Battle hard and keep careful watch. The greater the danger, however, the greater the reward.

Tips

Once you've found Turbo Thrust fuel, save a little for use in tunnels, where timing, finesse, and a serious burst of speed can get you past a deadly trap.

You cannot display the Satellite Map within a tunnel. Consider displaying the Satellite Map when you exit a tunnel to study your new position in relation to targets and powerUps.

See also

Locating targets, checkpoints, and tunnels

Displaying or hiding the Satellite Map

Activating Turbo Thrust


The Instrument Panel

Click on the graphic below to learn more about your ship's Instrument Panel.

Tip

Experienced pilots use the shadow of their own ship to judge their altitude over a planet's surface.

See also

Changing the instrument display

Displaying or hiding the Satellite Map

Locating targets, checkpoints, and tunnels

Picking up weapons

Selecting and firing a weapon

Hiding or displaying the crosshairs

Increasing shield strength

Increasing or decreasing velocity


Location Coordinates

The Location Coordinates indicate your current position within a sector. This is important to note when you think you may want to return to a site for further exploration, or when you want to pass along information to pilots who may follow in your footsteps...so to speak.


Satellite Map, description
Satellite Map

The Satellite Map displays a larger geographical area than the Compass. Use the Compass to locate a mission-critical target, then use the Satellite Map to locate other targets and tunnels in remote locations. History demonstrates that high-scoring pilots owe much to these detours.

Press TAB to display or hide the Satellite Map. The symbols on the Map are different than those on the Compass, but the colors have the same meaning. Air targets pulsate yellow to red to make them visible over maps of red planets.

Tip

Your ship is hidden in a security timewarp as soon as you display the Satellite Map. Take your time. Your disappearance only frustrates the Bions.

See also

The Instrument Panel


Objective Tracker

Programmed by Coalition headquarters, this instrument locks in on the next major objective in your mission, whether it's destroying an enemy target, entering or exiting a tunnel, or hightailing it to a Jump Zone for a slick planetary exit.


Distance Indicator

The Distance Indicator compares your current position to that of your next major objective and shows your progress -- or retreat.

Bion hits can knock your ship off course. Keep an eye on the Compass and the Distance Indicator. When the Indicator nears "0," be ready for action.


Weapon Readout

Indicates the ever-ready, ever-reliable ServoKinetic Laser until you press keys 2-7 to change your active weapon. The other six weapons are hidden in subterranean spaces or stored in well-guarded locations.


Ammunition Inventory

Indicates the strength of your active weapon or the amount of ammunition you have onboard. Also indicates the amount of Turbo fuel remaining when you engage Turbo Thrust.


Shield Strength Register

(yellow register on the left)

The all-important gauge!

Enemy hits and reckless driving drain your shield strength. When the Shield Strength Register runs out, it's good-bye galactic adventure. You'll need a powerUp or a hiding place to survive. And there are NO hiding places.

Fly like a fiend if you must, but aim well. The Bions can do a lot more damage to your ship than you can.

Velocity Register

(blue register on the right)

Indicates current speed. The register is unable to indicate the ferocious Turbo Thrust velocity, but at that speed you won't be reading gauges anyway.


Location Coordinates, description
Location Coordinates

The Location Coordinates indicate your current position within a sector. This is important to note when you think you may want to return to a site for further exploration, or when you want to pass along information to pilots who may follow in your footsteps...so to speak.


Compass and Micro-Map, description
Compass and Micro-Map

In Full Cockpit view, the Compass and Micro-Map are displayed separately. In Head-Up Display, the Compass is superimposed over the Micro-Map.

Full Cockpit: Compass displays targets; Map displays tunnels and powerUps.

Head-Up Display: Compass superimposed over Map to show targets, tunnels, and powerUps.

Compass and Micro-Map

A wealth of information. The next mission-critical target or checkpoint is always straight up at 12 o'clock. The Compass displays a red triangle when you are headed toward the next mission-critical target or checkpoint. The arrow rotates to reflect your current heading. The plus and minus signs indicate the following items in your immediate area.

Symbol	Meaning
Red	Air target
Green	Ground target
Yellow	Tunnel entrance
Blue	PowerUp
+	Object is above you
-	Object is below you
Tips

The Compass leads you to mission-critical targets. The Satellite Map covers a larger geographical area and is useful for planning detours to tunnels and other optional targets. Press TAB to pause the action and display the Satellite Map.

If you are flying upside down, ground and air symbols appear on your Compass and Micro-Map as mirror images of their actual positions.


Objective Tracker, description
Objective Tracker

Programmed by Coalition headquarters, this instrument locks in on the next major objective in your mission, whether it's destroying an enemy target, entering or exiting a tunnel, or hightailing it to a Jump Zone for a slick planetary exit.


Distance Indicator, description
Distance Indicator

The Distance Indicator compares your current position to that of your next major objective and shows your progress -- or retreat.

Bion hits can knock your ship off course. Keep an eye on the Compass and the Distance Indicator. When the Indicator nears "0," be ready for action.


Velocity Register, description
Velocity Register

Indicates current speed. The register is unable to indicate the ferocious Turbo Thrust velocity, but at that speed you won't be reading gauges anyway.


Weapon Readout, description
Weapon Readout

Indicates the ever-ready, ever-reliable ServoKinetic Laser until you press keys 2-7 to change your active weapon. The other six weapons are hidden in subterranean spaces or stored in well-guarded locations.


Ammunition Inventory, description
Ammunition Inventory

Indicates the strength of your active weapon or the amount of ammunition you have onboard. Also indicates the amount of Turbo fuel remaining when you engage Turbo Thrust.


Shield Strength Register, description
Shield Strength Register

The all-important gauge!

Enemy hits and reckless driving drain your shield strength. When the Shield Strength Register runs out, it's good-bye galactic adventure. You'll need a powerUp or a hiding place to survive. And there are NO hiding places.

Fly like a fiend if you must, but aim well. The Bions can do a lot more damage to your ship than you can.


Views, overview

The way you view your ship -- and battle itself -- is up to you. Choose the view of battle that you want, and then choose the way you want your instruments displayed. All choices are available on the View menu; shortcut keys are listed here.

Full Cockpit

If having a little metal around you makes you feel more secure, this view is for you.

It also presents intense maneuvering challenges as you must really fly the ship to spot Bion targets.

Press C repeatedly until this view is displayed.

Head-Up Display

Flight information is still readily available, but your view of the action is greatly expanded.

Press C repeatedly until this view is displayed.

No Instruments

Total freedom -- just you and the crosshairs. (And you can even get rid of them if you want to.)

Press C repeatedly until all instruments are hidden.

To hide or display the crosshairs, press X.

Tip

For a quick readout of your current weapon, your current objective, and your next objective, press BACKSPACE.

Chase

Experiencing some ergonomic issues in the cockpit? Want to feel like you're water-skiing behind a supersonic fighter?

Chase View gives you a 180-degree view of the action with your ship dead center. And you can tan in the glow of the afterburner.

Press V repeatedly until this view is displayed.

Outside

Escape the confines of the cockpit and survey your ship from any angle you choose.

To switch to Outside view, press V repeatedly.

To pan up/down/left/right, use the Hat Switch on your joystick. Or:

To pan	Press
Up/down Left/right Center	- / +  (KEYPAD) INS/DEL PERIOD (.)
Full Screen

As much game as will fit on the screen -- the menu and taskbars are hidden and the action stretches edge to edge. Choose this format for a smoother graphic display.

Press F4 to display or hide Full Screen format.

Panoramic format

Also known as letterbox format, this view gives you the fastest action possible.

Press [  ] (bracket keys) to switch between Panoramic and Full Screen formats.

Press C repeatedly to cycle through the instrument displays.

Press V repeatedly to cycle through the pilot views.


Full Cockpit

If having a little metal around you makes you feel more secure, this view is for you.

It also presents intense maneuvering challenges as you must really fly the ship to spot Bion targets.

Press C repeatedly until this view is displayed.


Head-Up Display

Flight information is still readily available, but your view of the action is greatly expanded.

Press C repeatedly until this view is displayed.


No Instruments

Total freedom, just you and the crosshairs. (And you can even get rid them if you want to.)

Press C repeatedly until all instruments are hidden.

To hide or display the crosshairs, press X.

Tip

For a quick readout of you current weapon, your current objective, and your next objective, press BACKSPACE.


Chase view

Experiencing some ergonomic issues in the cockpit? Want to feel like you're water-skiing behind a supersonic fighter?

Chase View gives you a 180-degree view of the action with your ship dead center. And you can tan in the glow of the afterburner.

Press V repeatedly until this view is displayed.


Outside view

Escape the confines of the cockpit and survey your ship from any angle you choose.

To switch to Outside view, press V repeatedly.

To pan up/down/left/right, use the Hat Switch on your joystick. Or:

To pan	Press
Up/down Left/right Center	- / + (KEYPAD) INS/DEL PERIOD (.)


Full Screen

As much game as will fit on the screen -- the menu and task bars are hidden and the action stretches edge to edge. Choose this format for a smoother graphic display.

Press F4 to display or hide Full Screen format.


Panoramic format

Also known as letterbox format, this view gives you the fastest action possible.

Press [  ] (bracket keys) to switch between Panoramic and Full Screen formats.

Press C repeatedly to cycle through the instrument displays.

Press V repeatedly to cycle through the pilot views.


If the sound does not play correctly or if you don't hear any sound
If you don't hear any sound

The Mute command may be selected.

You may need to increase the volume in the Sound Options dialog box.

The volume may be turned down on your speakers or headphones.

For details, see

Muting the sound

Adjusting sound volume

If the sound seems clipped, or the sound effects are delayed


If the sound seems clipped or sound effects are delayed
If the sound seems clipped, or the sound effects are delayed

1	On the Options menu, click Sound Options.

2	Click the Advanced button.

3	If the sound is choppy or clipped, increase the number of buffers slightly. If there is a delay in the sound effects, decrease the number of buffers slightly.

4	Click Test to apply the new settings and hear the results.

5	If the sound is still clipped, increase the buffer length slightly, and then click Test.

6	Continue to experiment until the sound is smooth and timed appropriately.

You can always restore [image] original sound settings by clicking the Default button.

Tip

If you decrease the buffer length too much, the sound will seem choppy.


If the graphics have less detail than you would like

1	On the Options menu, click Graphics Options.

2	Choose a higher level of quality or detail for each option. Experiment to find the balance you want between speed and graphic detail.

The less detail you display, the faster the flight.


If your monitor display setting is higher than 256 colors

You will achieve optimal performance if you run [image] in 256 colors. If you run [image] in higher color modes, you may experience severe performance degradation.

To change monitor display settings in Windows 95:

1	Double-click the My Computer icon, then double-click Control Panel.

2	Double-click Display.

3	Click the Settings tab.

4	In the Color Palette box, click 256 Color, and then click OK.

To change monitor display settings in Windows 3.1:

1	In Program Manager, double click the Main icon.

2	Double-click Windows Setup.

3	On the Options Menu, click Change System Settings.

4	In the Display box, click the driver that contains 256 colors, and then click OK.


If the graphics are not as smooth as you would like

Switch to

Full Screen format by pressing F4. (There may be a momentary interruption in the screen display while [image] switches into or out of Full Screen format.)

 - or -

Panoramic format by pressing [  ] (bracket keys).


If game play is slower than you would like

Here's how to get the fastest flight possible:

Switch to Panoramic format.

Display less graphic detail as you fly.

Hit the throttle!

For details, see

Changing the view to speed up game play

Increasing game speed by decreasing graphic detail

Increasing or decreasing velocity


If the ship's instruments are not displayed

"No Instruments" is one of [image] instrument displays. (Hiding the instruments provides faster action and a more expansive view than other displays.)

To display the ship's instruments, click Instrument Display on the View menu, and then click Full Cockpit or Head-Up Display.

Tip

You can cycle through the instrument displays -- Full Cockpit, Head-Up Display, and No Instruments -- by repeatedly pressing C.


If the cockpit is not displayed

Displaying the cockpit can be a one or two-step process, depending on the view you currently have displayed and the way you want to display the cockpit instruments.

1	If you can see the outside of your ship, you have Chase view or Outside view displayed. To display a cockpit view, on the View menu, click Pilot View, and then click Cockpit. You can also press V repeatedly until you no longer see the outside of your plane.

2	There are three ways to display cockpit instruments: Full Cockpit, Head-Up Display, and No Instruments. To choose the one you want, on the View menu, click Instrument Display, then click the display you prefer. You can also press C repeatedly to cycle through the displays.


If the joystick does not function correctly

You may need to calibrate the joystick.

The joystick buttons may have been assigned customized functions.

If you are using a Thrustmaster joystick, see the README for more information.

For details, see

Calibrating the joystick

Customizing joystick settings


If Fury3 displays a message asking for the CD-ROM
If [image] displays a message asking for the CD-ROM

The cinematic sequences are not copied from the CD-ROM during Typical Setup or Compact Setup. You'll need to insert the disc to see the footage.

To skip the cinematic sequences, on the Options menu, click Game Options. Make sure the Show Videos check box is cleared.

The videos include footage of your ship being launched from the mother ship and other clips from your ship's voyage through space.


If the keyboard does not work as expected

You may be using the + and - on the keyboard instead of on the keypad.

Remember that the arrow keys are mapped like a joystick. Pressing the UP ARROW is like pushing a joystick forward: it pushes the nose of your ship down. Pressing the DOWN ARROW key is like pulling the joystick back: it pulls the nose of your ship up. You can easily customize these keyboard settings.

You may be using DECIMAL POINT on the keypad instead of PERIOD (.) on the keyboard.

The functions of the keys may have been customized. You can return them to the default settings, or customize the settings yourself.

For details, see

Customizing keyboard settings


If the + and - keys don't work

Make sure you are using the + and  -  keys on the keypad (not the keyboard).

For details, see

Customizing keyboard settings


If you are flying upside down and don't want to be

Pull the nose of your ship up and hold it there until you are right-side up. Or, press HOME for a barrel roll. (If you hold HOME down too long, the airsick bag is in the glove compartment.)

Your ship has an Auto Leveler that assists in keeping you parallel to the horizon. If you are an experienced pilot who loves a challenge, consider turning your ship's Auto Leveling system off. With it off, you can make sharper turns and take on the demands of total flight control. To turn Auto Leveling off, click Options, click Flight Controls, and then clear the Auto Leveling check box.


Tips

If your shield strength is getting dangerously low (and low is definitely dangerous), check your Compass for a blue symbol. Blue indicates a powerUp and should be your first priority.

When you spot the entrance to a tunnel, immediately note its coordinates. If enemy ships succeed in keeping you out, you'll have an easier time locating it on a second try.

When you need to return to a target, tunnel, or powerUp, remember that you can press TAB to pause the action and study the Satellite Map.

Experienced pilots use the shadow of their own ship to judge their altitude over a planet's surface.

You get the fastest game play in Panoramic format and you still have the full range of instrument displays and pilot views. Switch in or out of Panoramic format by pressing [  ] (bracket keys).

Need to minimize the game quickly? Press ALT, SPACEBAR, N to pause the game and minimize.

You can't always avoid disaster, but you can buy yourself a second chance. Press CTRL+S to save the game BEFORE the trouble becomes terminal. Save when you approach especially risky situations and after achieving major targets. It is especially important to save before you enter subterranean spaces; you cannot save while you are underground.

For a slick, quick, evasive maneuver and a cheap thrill, try rolling left or right by pressing HOME or PAGE UP.

When the Objective Tracker indicates a Jump Zone, you need to stay alert for the Jump Zone AND for targets you want to hit before exiting the planet. For a better score, steer clear of the Jump Zone until you've taken care of all possible targets in the area. Once you fly over a Jump Zone, you're gone -- unfinished business or not.

Speaking of evasion, Turbo Thrust (once you find the fuel) is for impatient pilots -- those who'd rather smell the fumes than the roses. Consider saving it for defensive maneuvers, or for a short burst of speed to get around a trap in a tunnel. Watch your Ammunition Inventory to monitor Turbo fuel level during a Thrust.


Glossary

-- A --

Anti-Attack Batteries

Ares

-- B --

Bion Fury Missile (BFM)

Bion Walkers

Bion Wars

Bions

BioX-C23

BY2 Ship

-- C --

Carbonium

Coalition of Independent Planets

Council of Peace

-- D --

Dead-On Missile (DOM)

Death Ankh

Dispersion Cannon 14 (DC14)

-- F --

 (FFF)

Fury

--G--

Grim Reaper

-- I --

IP Wars

--J--

Jump Zones

-- L --

L24-D

-- M --

Mitotic Kroy Ship

-- N --

New Kroy

-- P --

Pandanian Hover Craft

Phosphorous (P)

polyKroy

-- R --

Rapid-Fire Laser (RFL20)

-- S --

Scarab Fighter

Sebek

Sebekian Sail Ship

ServoKinetic Laser (SKL)

Sheol

-- T --

Terran

Tiamat

Tiger Fighter

Turbo Thrust

-- U --

Unibots

-- V --

Vestra

Viper (VIP)

-- W --

Wormholes

-- X --

X2 Crane


Anti-attack Batteries
Anti-attack batteries are standard Bion defense artillery that fire continuously unless destroyed.


Ares
Ares contains a unique mineral in its topsoil known as red sheol. The isomorphic decay of this mineral attracts wormholes -- shortcuts through space and time. Because of its numerous wormholes, Ares is known as the "gateway to deep space."

During the IP Wars, Ares closed its wormholes for strategic purposes; the planet hoped to deter anti-Coalition forces attempting to control intergalactic travel. The Arean wormholes were reopened in 2832 as part of Terran's negotiations with the Council of Peace.

Ares is the second planet in the fifth galaxy.


Bion Fury Missile (BFM)
The Bion Fury Missile (BFM) is a Super Missile first developed by the Bions during the IP Wars. The BFM's primary activator is carbonium, a highly volatile ore that is mined from planet L24-D. Carbonium explodes with 48 times the power and radiation damage of a fusion bomb. One BFM is often all a pilot needs to get the job done.

Use of the BFM was banned by the Council of Peace in 2832, after the Bion Wars. Evidence of its usage still exists, however, especially within the first galaxy, near planet Fury. If a Coalition pilot were to come into contact with a BFM, the missile would be activated by pressing key number 6.


Bions
The Bions, c. 2486 - 2832, were a race of bionic warriors the Terrans designed for military use during the IP Wars. The Bions were physically superior and programmed to be ruthless. After the IP Wars, Bion aggression could not be contained, and peaceful coexistence between Bions and Terrans proved impossible.

In 2832, the newly founded Council of Peace halted further Bion development and ordered Bion dismantlement. The Bions are assumed to be an extinct warrior class.


Bion Walkers
Bion Walkers once made up the standard Bion ground-attack force. During the IP Wars, Bion Walkers destroyed nearly one-fifth of the anti-Coalition population. Walkers have supreme endurance and fighting power. Some were known to survive numerous laser hits.

Production of Bion Walkers was halted in 2832. All remaining Walkers are believed to have been dismantled upon order of the Council of Peace.


Bion Wars
Bion Wars 2829 - 2832. The Bions were a race of superior bionic warriors that the Terrans designed for military use during the IP Wars. After the IP Wars ended, Bion aggression could not be contained. Peaceful coexistence between Bions and Terrans proved impossible, resulting in the Bion Wars. In 2832, the Council of Peace, founded by the Coalition of Independent Planets, intervened and ordered complete Bion dismantlement. The Bions are now assumed to be an extinct warrior class.

The conflict between the Terrans and Bions is noted for its brevity and extreme violence. For further reading, please see Yasmine Craigtom Kastner's The Bion Wars: A Terminal Reality (Terran: IP Press, 2837).


BioX-C23
The BioX-C23 was the most prized Bion fighter ship during the IP Wars. After the Council of Peace ordered Bion dismantlement in 2832, development of the BioX-C23 was halted.

The last known BioX-C23 was used to transport all Bion insurgents from Terran to the Bion penal colony on Vestra. Pilots traveling near Vestra claim they have seen evidence of the famous fighting ship, but these rumors have never been substantiated.


BY2 Ship
The BY2 Ship was first built in 2811 and originally used to transport Arean red sheol. Grown from polyKroy, an organic mineral found only on the planet New Kroy, the BY2 is one of the few carriers that can withstand repeated wormhole travel. When Ares closed its wormholes during the IP Wars, the Areans reconfigured the BY2 and made it into one of the most durable fighting ships around. A few are still in existence today.


carbonium
Carbonium is an ore composite found exclusively on the planet L24-D. Coalition of Independent Planets studies have shown that carbonium explodes with 48 times the power and radiation damage of the fusion bomb. Carbonium is also the primary activator in the Bion Fury Missile (BFM). Because of carbonium's highly volatile molecular structure, the Council of Peace evacuated L24-D shortly after the Bion Wars. Carbonium is currently an illicit element, and visitation to L24-D is restricted.


Coalition of Independent Planets
The Coalition of Independent Planets (CIP) is a union of allied planets that was formed in 2829, after the IP Wars. The Coalition spans eight galaxies and consists of 143 planets. It functions as a federal republic in which power is divided between a central governing authority and the individual planets. The federal government consists of three branches: executive, legislative, and judiciary. The judicial branch, known as the Council of Peace, is made up of 143 representatives -- one from each planet -- and resides on Terran.

The Coalition's primary responsibilities include issuing trade agreements between planets and galaxies, governing intergalactic communications, travel, and military services, and maintaining peace.


Council of Peace
The Council of Peace (COP), founded in 2832, is the judiciary branch, military defense force, and primary governing body of the Coalition of Independent Planets. The Council of Peace consists of 143 representatives, one from each Coalition planet.

The first mandate issued by the Council of Peace was the dismantlement of all bionic warriors, ending the brutally violent Bion Wars. Other mandates issued by the Council of Peace include reopening the Arean wormholes for travel into deep space, evacuating L24-D, and restricting travel to both Vestra and Fury.


Dead-On Missile (DOM)
The Dead-On Missile (DOM), originally built as an air-to-surface missile (ASM) in 2478, was a Coalition favorite during the earlier half of the IP Wars. Although extremely powerful, the DOM only shoots straight ahead and is generally not used for moving targets. This missile is not guided -- but it is deadly.

If a pilot were to locate a DOM, it could be activated by pressing key number 4. Use a steady hand, take aim, and blast away.


Death Ankh
The Death Ankh is a Sebekian artifact reputed to bring its possessor immortality. Originally passed down from Elder to Elder, the 12-inch platinum icon played a large role in conferring god-like status onto Sebekian High Priests. Now the Ankh is lost among the ruins, and thousands of believers make a pilgrimage to Sebek each year, hoping to find the renowned artifact.

"Will you see past darkness, live through death?" The Book of Thoth II  2:14:06


Dispersion Cannon 14 (DC14)
The Dispersion Cannon 14 (DC14) is the fourteenth iteration of the Dispersion Cannon, first designed by August Nislon during the IP Wars. Often compared to the ServoKinetic Laser and the Rapid-Fire Laser 20, the DC14 is a first-class antimatter laser. Designed to fire spray patterns only, the DC14 is not recommended for long-distance targets.

If a Coalition pilot were to locate a DC14, it could be activated by pressing key number 2.


F3 (FFF)
The [image] (FFF) is the most deadly triple-stage, fission-fusion-fission, Smart Bomb to date. Invented by Felix Wannamaker III, the [image] puts the BFM to shame. The FFF is unique in that its detonator issues an ionic antimatter that causes the automatic restoration of Coalition shields.

The FFF is highly valuable and extremely rare. Coalition ships are only able to carry one FFF at a time. During wartime, Coalition pilots reserved the lucky number 7 as the key to activate this supremely powerful bomb.


Fury
Fury is a quarantined planet at the border of Coalition territories. Ironically known as "the laughing planet," Fury's atmosphere prohibits surface living of any kind. Although many sightings of activity on Fury's surface have been interpreted as volcanic activity, as reflections of the sun's rays from misguided spaceships, or as various meteorological phenomena, some sightings remain unexplained by investigators.

Fury is the thirteenth planet in the first galaxy.


Grim Reaper
The Grim Reaper was the first fighting ship invented by Bion warriors. Designed for speed, precision, and durability, and distinguished by its ability to think, the Grim Reaper was an awe-inspiring craft. No other fighting ship has ever had as much success in strategic warfare.

When the Council of Peace (COP) ordered the dismantlement of all Bions in 2832, several members of the COP did not want to include the Grim Reaper as part of the dismantlement. The Reaper was considered too fine an example of bionic ingenuity. These COP members were overruled, however. Today, aside from a few privately owned ships held by collectors, the Grim Reaper exists as a museum artifact that can only be seen on Terran.


IP Wars
The IP Wars, 2482 - 2829, were a series of interplanetary conflicts fought among 13 galaxies. The Bions, a warrior class Terran developed for military use, proved invincible during these conflicts and helped Terran and its allies win the wars. The Coalition of Independent Planets was founded in 2829, after the conclusion of the IP Wars.

The Coalition spans eight galaxies and consists of 143 planets.


Jump Zones
Jump Zone is a term used in describing emergency interplanetary travel. During the IP Wars, Jump Zones enabled fighter pilots to travel to their next mission immediately, whether on the same planet or on another planet. Jump Zones proved particularly useful on planets lacking wormholes. How Jump Zones function remains classified information, and Jumps are only available to Coalition members during times of extreme need.


L24-D
L24-D contains the only repository of carbonium in charted space. During the IP Wars, the Bions mined the ore, using it as the principal component of their fusion missile, the Bion Fury Missile (BFM). After the Bion Wars, the Council of Peace ordered the evacuation of L24-D. The planet is now uninhabited and visitation is restricted.

L24-D is the seventh planet in the fifth galaxy.


Mitotic Kroy Ship
The Mitotic Kroy Ship was originally designed on New Kroy by Sergeant Eric Washole during the Bion Wars. Like the BY2 Ship, the Mitotic Kroy Ship is grown from polyKroy. polyKroy's unique molecular structure enables the Mitotic Kroy Ship to divide evenly into two when fired upon, and regrow as two individual ships, thus posing a double threat.

For further reading, see Amy Danan Crow-Evans', "Uniting the Ship: A New Role in Mitosis," Organic Synthetics, Volume 32, June 2832.


New Kroy
New Kroy, also known as the City Planet, has a highly unusual surface composition. Land masses in the shape of buildings grow from polyKroy, an organic synthetic that exists just below the planet's crust. polyKroy is a transparent synthetic that grows quickly into any form and is nearly indestructible.

New Kroy enjoys a comfortable economy because of its vast polyKroy mines. polyKroy is used to build the BY2 Ship, the Mitotic Kroy Ship, and many off-planet housing structures and utilities, including radar dishes and telecomps.

New Kroy is the eighth planet in the eighth galaxy.


Pandanian Hover Craft
The Pandanian Hover Craft, an especially lightweight airplane, is used primarily on Sebek. Originally designed as a private plane, the Pandanian Hover Craft is especially suitable for landing on sandy terrain.


Phosphorous
Phosphorous (P) is a nonmetallic element discovered in 1674 by Hennig Brand. It is extremely poisonous, and in solid form appears as a yellow to white, waxy substance. Because phosphorous ignites spontaneously when exposed to air, it is stored underwater. The major source of phosphorous is the mineral apatite, found in phosphate rocks. The principal use of phosphorous is in compounds in fertilizers, detergents, insecticides, soft drinks, toxic nerve gasses, pharmaceuticals, and dentifrices. Phosphorous compounds are essential in the diet. Phosphorous is a component of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), a fundamental energy source in living and bionic things, and of calcium phosphate, the principal material in bones and teeth.

Tiamat's oceans contain the last repositories of attainable phosphorous.


polyKroy
polyKroy is an organic synthetic found beneath New Kroy's crust. It is transparent, grows instantaneously into any shape, and is nearly indestructible.

polyKroy's unique molecular structure allows for even division and instantaneous regrowth. As a result, polyKroy is used as a building component for the BY2 Ship, the Mitotic Kroy Ship, and numerous off-planet buildings, radar dishes, and telecomps.


Rapid-Fire Laser 20 (RFL20)
The Rapid-Fire Laser 20 (RFL20) is the twentieth iteration of the most powerful direct-fire laser used by the Coalition. Designed by Felix Wannamaker III as a forward-firing laser, the RFL20 is excellent for attacking moving targets. And like other lasers, the RFL20 regenerates its own ammunition.

During wartime, Coalition pilots always reserved key number 3 for the RFL20, as this laser was considered the 'lucky laser.'


Scarab Fighter
The Scarab Fighter was first built in the late 25th century and epitomizes the height of Sebekian ship design. The Scarab Fighter is colored in Sebek's royal colors, blue and gold, and was originally used to protect caravans transporting precious alloys and gems.

For further reading on Scarab Fighters, please refer to Jo Marco Thoth's autobiographical work, Flying the Sapphire and Gold: Aboard the Scarab Fighter (Sebek: IP Press, 2622).


Sebek
Sebek is known for its adherence to ancient Egyptian texts found on Terran before the IP Wars, and for its ruling class, the Elders, who model themselves after Egyptian gods. Specific rituals practiced on Sebek date back as far as 40,000 years.

Central to Sebekian belief is the annual search for the Death Ankh, a 12-inch platinum icon that is supposed to grant its possessor immortality. It is now lost among the ruins, yet each year, thousands of believers make a pilgrimage to Sebek, hoping to find the ankh. Originally passed down from Elder to Elder, the Death Ankh played a large role in conferring godlike status onto Sebekian High Priests.

Sebek is the third planet in the third galaxy.


Sebekian Sail Ship
Sebekian Sail Ships are noted for their extreme weight (nearly 20 tons) and primitive design. In early Sebekian history, an Elder always accompanied a Sebekian Sail Ship. The belief was that without an Elder aboard, the Sail Ship could not stay aloft. Today, Sebekian Sail Ships commonly accompany all river barges and are the primary communications link between Sebekian air and ground forces.


ServoKinetic Laser (SKL)
The ServoKinetic Laser (SKL) is a heat-generated, forward-firing laser. Self-replenishing and inexpensive to run, the SKL earned the nickname 'the Serv' during the latter half of the IP Wars. Designed by Sergeant Lee Washole during the IP Wars, the motto for the Serv is "can't work it too hard."

During the IP Wars, Coalition pilots always reserved key number 1 for the SKL. The SKL is traditionally a fighter pilot's first choice in ammunition.


sheol
Sheol, also known as red sheol, contains a peculiar molecular structure that destabilizes remarkably as it decays. The isomorphic decay of this mineral attracts wormholes -- shortcuts through space and time. Sheol can also be stockpiled and used as an attractor for wormholes ranging anywhere in size from 0.5 to 2 billion light years long.

Sheol is unique to Ares, giving the planet its distinct red color. Its unusual characteristics make Ares the gateway to deep space.


Terran
Terran is the seat of the Council of Peace, the judicial branch of the Coalition of Independent Planets. Noted for its temperate weather, unrivaled system of government, and beautiful surroundings, Terran is considered the Coalition's utopian planet. However, Terran's history has been anything but idyllic. Ravaged first by the IP Wars and then by the Bion Wars, Terran's peace has been hard-earned.

Terran is the third planet in the fifth galaxy.

For further reading, please see Alexandra Heather Cote-Knopf's treatise, "Dystopia No More: An Analysis of Terran's Democracy," Political Seizures, No. 9, Spring 2832.


Tiamat
Tiamat is one of the few known water planets. Unique to Tiamat's oceans are large repositories of attainable phosphorous, a fundamental energy source in all living and bionic things. Tiamat is the sixth planet in the fourth galaxy.


Tiger Fighter
The Tiger Fighter was designed by Felix Wannamaker III during the Bion Wars. Although inherently unstable in design, Tiger Fighters are extremely agile. They rely on computer-aided fly-by-wire control to maintain flight stability, and mark the continued improvement of low-flying strike aircraft, air-to-air combat, and close support of ground forces.


Turbo Thrust
Turbo Thrust contains an additive that, when mixed in small proportions with fuels, modifies their properties and makes their use more effective -- indeed, 2080% more effective. This amazing advent in transportology could make wormholes unnecessary for intergalactic travel. Still undergoing CIP and military testing, Turbo Thrust is not yet available on the common market.


Unibots
Unibots were formerly a subdivision of the Bion Walkers, the standard Bion ground-attack force. During the IP Wars, the Bion ground force destroyed nearly one-fifth of the anti-Coalition population. In combat, Unibots were noted for their extreme agility and high speeds. Production of Bion Unibots was halted in 2832 following the Coalition of Independent Planets' joint decision with the Council of Peace.


Vestra
Vestra is an artificially constructed planet, originally built as a penal colony for bionic insurgents. Designed by Felix Wannamaker III, Vestra is the only planet to mimic the properties of an asteroid. Wannamaker used the asteroid design to inhibit the possibility of Bion escape. He named the planet 'Vestra' as a variation on 'Vesta' -- the brightest asteroid in charted space.

Vestra is the fourth planet in the second galaxy.

For further reading, please see Edward Robert Epps' Asteroid Design  (Terran: IP Press, 2829).


Viper (VIP)
The Viper (VIP) is long-range guided missile directed by an inertial navigation system. It uses an infrared guidance system that homes in on heat sources, such as engines, and is sensitive enough to detect heat caused by friction. The VIP infrared detector, designed by Leon Mussel IV, locks onto the heat emitted from the target, so that, after launching, it requires no guidance by an operator. Thus, the VIP is often referred to as a "fire-and-forget" missile.

If a pilot should locate a very important VIP, it could be activated by pressing key number 5.


Wormholes
The Discovery

Wormholes were first discovered by Feynman Tipler Benford-Hawke in the late 20th Century. While analyzing dark matter -- massive compact anomalous halo objects -- Benford-Hawke discovered the existence of gravitationally negative anomalous compact halo objects (GNACHOs) (Landis, p. 2). These objects are now also known as negative mass, or "white holes," since their behavior and structure seem opposite to that of black holes. Benford-Hawke detected their existence by the bending of light due to gravity -- an effect now known as the "gravitational lens" (Landis, p. 1). Unfortunately, samples of negative mass are very short-lived and "pinch" off so quickly that they could not be examined for decades -- but their potential use to connect two distant regions of space could not be ignored.

In 2032, Kit Horne and his graduate students at Taltech turned the problem of pinch-off around. They wanted to know what form of matter is required to hold a wormhole open, so no pinch-off occurs. They discovered "exotic matter" -- highly stressed matter, consisting of enormous tensile strengths. The tension or pressure of exotic matter exceeds its energy density (Price, p. 4). At the time, Arean red sheol's molecular structure and isomorphic decay had not been thoroughly analyzed. It was believed that exotic matter existed only under conditions of extraordinary pressure in the early universe -- stabilized by what is now known as loops of negative-mass cosmic string (Landis, p. 2). The discovery of red sheol as a highly stressed matter proved Thorne right; sheol stabilizes a wormhole's mouth.

A traversable wormhole is known as the negative counterpart to a black hole, thus the designation "white" hole (Price, p. 5). (According to astrophysics, negative pressure fields drove the expansion of the universe during its inflationary phase. The mass of negative energy the wormhole needs is exactly the amount that would be needed to form a black hole if it were normal, positive energy.) The amount of negative energy required for a traversable wormhole increases and decreases with the linear dimension of the wormhole mouth. One meter cube entrance requires a negative mass of approximately 10^27kg (Price, p. 5).

Ares, known as the gateway to deep space, retains the most reliable wormhole transport system because of its unique topsoil, sheol, which is one of the few exotic matters known today.

Traversable wormholes

The first probe to traverse a wormhole occurred in December 2380, traveling from Ares, in the fifth galaxy, to Tiamat, in the fourth galaxy. After waiting 17 years and sending more than 20 probes through different wormholes, scientists on Ares finally received the historic reply from Tiamat on April 23, 2473. The message: "Greetings." Contact with life from another galaxy had finally been made.

Emile Randel was the first life form to traverse a wormhole. He departed Ares on April 23, 2569, and arrived at Tiamat on June 26, 2569. Travel that would formerly have taken eons was accomplished in months.

Time travel and wormholes

Although much research is still being done as to whether wormholes can enable time travel, the accepted conjecture is that they cannot -- primarily because of the physical mechanisms that enforce Chronological Protection Conjecture (CPC) (Price, p. 6). The mouths of a wormhole, with a forced clock difference, cannot be brought near enough together to allow a traveler to attempt a violation of causality. Gravitational and quantum field effects increase as the two ends of a wormhole approach the critical point, and either induce mutual repulsion or collapse the wormhole (Price, p. 6).

References:

Landis, A. Geoffrey, "Searching for a 'Subway to the Stars.'"

-- http://www.hia.com/hia/pcr/subway.html (9k), (1995).

Price, Michael Clive, "Traversable Wormholes: Some Implications."

-- http://www.nada.kth.se/~nv9/-asa/Trans/wormholes.txt (41k), (1995).

See Also:

Cramer, John G., et al., "Natural Wormholes as Gravitational Lenses," Physical Review (Mar 1995).

Hawking, Stephen, "Chronology Protection Conjecture," Physical Review, vol. 46 (July 1992).

Morris, Michael and Kip Thorne, "Wormholes in Spacetime and Their Use for Interstellar Travel," American Journal of Physics, vol. 56 (1988).

Roman, Thomas, "Inflating Lorentzian Wormholes," Physical Review, vol. 47 (Feb 1993).

Sagan, Carl, Contact. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1985.

Thorne, Kip, et al., "Cauchy Problem in Spacetimes with Closed Timelike Curves," Physical Review, vol. 42 (1990).

Tipler, FJ, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 22 (1981).

Visser, Matt, "From Wormholes to Time Machines: Remarks on Hawking's Chronology Protection Conjecture," Physical Review, vol. 47 (Jan 1993).

---------"Traversable Wormholes: Some Simple Examples," Physical Review, vol. 39 (May 1989).


X2 Crane
The X2 Crane, c. 2670, is a form of the early tower or cantilever crane. Working at speeds previously deemed impossible, the X2 Crane can build an atmoscraper in less than a day.

The X2 Crane is distinguished by its ability to think as well as build, and was the first bionic crane invented.

For further reading, please see Mark Brett Gupta's essay, "Intelligent Reality," Interview, Issue 2092, February 2670.


! NoShow();FD()

 Click Help Topics to return to the list of topics.