VGA Planets FAQ

Hello All! === Cut === >date 04/12/97 #Description# [1/3] VGA Planets - graphical multiplayer game model - raging the conduct of military operations in space between galactic empires. The game is enriched with opportunities to develop useful fossils, colonization of planets, construction of spaceships and etc. Players compete with each other in economic and military relation on a galactic scale. Although there is an economic component to the game, this is the main thus a tactical and strategic war game. And although player c the best economy usually has the best military potential, the economy does not are the purpose of the game - and the scoring system reflects this. The game system allows players to create their own space ships, by installing various components on a specific type ship hulls. The game can be played by 2 to 11 players. Play You can do it via BBS, over the Network or in Local mode. By colonizing and capturing planets you can create more spaceships and expand your possessions. But don't forget - the rest of the players do the same! *MAIL_PACKAGES_GAMES* Players send their move files (TRN) to the Host Station on the BBS or by email. The host station performs the calculations, andproduces files with results (RST), which are sent back players. Players will launch a local program to view them the current state of affairs and give orders for the next move. Upon receiving the results file (RST), players launch UNPACK program which decodes and places the received information in several data files. Then the main PLANETS program starts to continue the game. During the game you can give orders spaceships, create new spaceships, receive messages and do many other actions. When the player has completed his turn and left the main game module (PLANETS), it runs the MAKETURN program which packs new data into the TRN file, which the player sends back to the Host. After how TRN files are collected from all players into one directory, sysop The host runs the HOST program to decode all TRN files right away. New RST files are created by the HOST program. These new RST files are sent back to all players. >PLEASE NOTE: If a player misses his turn, the game will continue! His ships and the planets will continue to carry out previously given commands. Ships will follow the previously indicated course at the same speed, at On the planets there will be mining of minerals and production of equipment.A missed move cannot be replayed! The host will not be able to use previous TRNs, they are already meaningless for the HOST program. >Windows Do not run VGA Planets as a DOC task under Windows, it may lead to uncorrectable errors if Windows is incorrectly configured! *PLANETARY_ECONOMY* The planetary economy is based on the development of useful income, factory output, tax collection and population. MINERAL RESOURCES There are 4 types of minerals: Neutronium - a super dense mineral used as fuel _Duranium_ _Tritanium_ _Molybdenum_ All unexplored planets have several open deposits. deposits along with deposits hidden in the crust of planets that can developed by colonists using mining mines. *MINERALS_PRODUCTION* {MINERAL MINES} (MINES) It is possible to extract minerals from planets as long as at least one of the minerals exists. If there is not one left mineral - the mines are absolutely useless. Cost of creating one mine - 4 megacredits and one piece of equipment. Maximum quantity The number of developments you can create depends on the number colonists on the planet. Most planets can be produced in a small amount of time.the number of moves, but the planet with an excess amount of minerals is enough for for a very long time. *FACTORIES* {FACTORIES} Factories produce one piece of equipment per turn. One hundred the cost of building a factory is 3 megaloans and one unit equipment. The maximum number of factories you can create per planet depends on the number of colonists on the planet. *DEFENSE POSTS* {DEFENSE POSTS} Defense posts serve to protect the planet from space attacks ships. The cost of creating one post is 10 megacredits and one unit of equipment. Maximum number of protection posts limited by the number of colonists living on the planet. The number of fighters stationed on the planet to protect it, calculated using the formula Number of fighters = SQR (number of defense posts) Fighters located on the planet are restored after every enemy attack. *TRANSPORTATION_EQUIPMENT* Equipment produced by your factories can be transported to spaceships to new planets to create new factories, mines and defense posts. You can also sell equipment at one Megacredit for one unit of equipment. Factory ships can use equipment for production minerals and fuels. *TAX_AND_POPULATION_SIZE*By collecting taxes from the colonists and local population you get megaloans for the creation of mines, factories, defense posts, space bases and ships. If you have experienced riots and sabotages, reduce the tax percentage to 0% to prevent civil war. A high tax rate slows down the birth rate. You can use take advantage of this circumstance to prevent overpopulation. Keep in mind that with taxation at 0% there will be the highest childbearing rate. The climate of the planets also affects the size of the population and childbearing rate. Warm, mild climate planets have the best conditions for the existence of all life forms. Desert and arctic planets have the worst conditions for life. If the real population population exceeds the population required for the data climatic conditions of the planet, the colonists will spend survival equipment. If the climate is too harsh you can make regular freight flights with equipment to the planet for maintaining the lives of colonists and preserving the colony. === Cut === I wish you good luck! LAV // SoftLand Software [Team ZX-Spectrum] [Thrash]

Hello All! === Cut === >date 04/12/97 #Description# [2/3] *SPACE_SHIP* Spaceships are built on bases of three basic minerals Tritanium, Duranium and Molybdenum. Ships fly at high speed between planets performing various tasks. Funds needed for the construction of the spaceship is taken directly from the planetary economy. The ship can be used to transport cargo, money and colonists. They can also conduct military operations against enemy ships. *TECHNOLOGICAL_LEVELS* The technological development of each space base occurs according to four directions: - starship hulls - engines of spaceships (starship engines) - starship beam weapons - starship torpedoes Your choice of components for the construction of spaceships increases as the technological level increases. Cost high-tech components are significantly higher than the cost initial low-tech versions of the same components. The technological levels of each base do not depend on the operating levels tal bases. When you have built a new space base, all four technology groups have level 1.If the planets have natives of one of the following races, one of tech levels will be 10: > HUMANOID - level 10 buildings for the base > AMPHIBIAN - level 10 beam weapon at the base. > GHIPSOLDAL - level 10 engines. > SILICONOID *- level 10 torpedoes. *NEW_SHIP* The most important part of a spaceship is the hull. With those- In logic level 1 you only have three different types of enclosures. When you increase your technology level, you can have up to 20 different types of cases. _Corpus_ is the skeleton of a ship on which others are installed devices necessary to create a ship. On the case you can install from one to ten engines depending on its type. Small ships are equipped with one or two engines. The maximum amount of damage that a ship can withstand depends on the mass of the ship. A massive ship can withstand more number of hits and has a larger number of protective screens. Some buildings have compartments to accommodate fighters. Some ships have compartments designed for installation torpedo launchers. Spaceships that have torpedo launchers can transport and use torpedoes againstenemy military space forces. There are 10 different types of torpedoes and launching torpedo tubes. Most ships can carry beam weapons. This is the main thing weapons used by spaceships. There are 10 different types of ray weapons. Beam weapons are very effective in destruction enemy fighters and when firing directly at enemy to ships. *COMPARTMENTS FOR_ARMAMENT_AND_FIGHTERS* There are different types of weapons that can be placed on spaceship. The main type of weapon is beam. The spacecraft may also have additional systems weapons, torpedo launchers or compartments for fighters. The fighter takes up one kiloton in the cargo bay. During battle, the fighter moves from the cargo compartment to the launch compartment fighters, where it is refueled and equipped with weapons. A ship with many compartments for fighters will be able to get faster and more battle-ready fighters. Compartments for fighters are built into the hull of the ship, and unlike launchers torpedo tubes cannot be added to a spaceship. The space base can accommodate up to 60 fighters, and use them to protect it or move them to a ship that has necessary compartments.Each torpedo takes up one kiloton in the cargo compartment. During During combat, torpedoes are moved from the cargo compartment to the launchers. *FIGHTERS* Used at space bases to protect distant borders against enemy ships. Spaceships equipped with compartments for fighters can attack enemy ships from a larger distance, since the fighter has a greater range than torpedoes or ray weapons. A space base can have up to 60 fighters. Some large ships can accommodate up to 400 fighters. In some cases, the fighter can inflict more damage than the best torpedo and if the fighter returned, then it can be used again. Laser weapons of enemy ships can destroy yours fighters. However, very few ships can resist large-scale attack by fighters using only laser armament. Colonials can destroy other people's minefields using fighters (if specified in the host configuration). *LEADING/DESTRUCTION_POWER OF WEAPONS* The degree of damage inflicted on an enemy ship depends on the power of your weapon. There are two types of weapon power: lethal power and destructive power. Killing power is a measure of how deadlythe effect of weapons on the Crew of an enemy ship. If all the ship's crew is destroyed, then the ship becomes helpless and easily is captured. Destructive power is a measure of how much Severe damage may be caused to the body, engines and system armament of the enemy ship. A ship with a massive hull is more resistant to the effects of destructive power of enemy weapons. Also, more massive ships also have more powerful defenses. *REPAIR/RECONDITIONING_SPACE_SHIP* After the spaceship has returned from a mission or has just been created, you can point it to the space base repair it. Upon command, repair (FIX), will be restored all damage caused to the ship in one turn of the game. During renovation the ship is a base, the technical levels of the ship parts do not change. The base can also RECYCLE old ships. When the ship all weapons are disassembled and the engines are removed from them and placed for storage. The corpus is transformed into the minerals from which it was manufactured, and they are stored in the planet's mineral warehouses. *FUEL* All spacecraft use neutronium as fuel. Fuel must be stored in an energy dumping field forpreventing damage to the load-bearing structure of the spacecraft ship. The amount of fuel that can be on a ship is limited only by the strength of the dumping field, and not by the amount of free space in cargo compartment. A ship without fuel cannot attack enemy ships. Enemy ships cannot attack your ship if it is without fuel, thanks to Hibyskomy Agreement No. 7. The agreement says: “No a ship cannot attack or destroy a ship without fuel. Such the ships are helpless and unable to defend themselves. Destruction helpless ships will be severely punished." A ship without fuel cannot camouflage. If the warship (with laser weapons) is private or crystalline takes a ship into tow without fuel (even without movement) - like this the ship will be boarded. Moreover, part or all of the crew of this the ship is destroyed and replenished at the expense of the corsair’s crew, but not more than half. Consequently, both ships are boarded and boarding - you need to lead to the base and fix for crew recovery. *LOAD* Cargo is what a ship can carry (equipment, lonists, Tritanium, duranium and molybdenum). If the ship has one or more torpedo launchers, then the torpedoes are consideredcargo. If the ship has compartments for fighters, then fighters too are considered cargo. You can also transport money on any ship, but not more than 10,000MC. You can unload a ship on a planet that is not yours present moment. After colonists land on the planet, she becomes your possession on the next turn. If on the planet there is already there were enemy colonists, then a war would break out on the surface planets. Colonists can be destroyed by bad climate or aborigines. In an emergency, the cargo may be thrown overboard into a deep space, as a result of this the ship will become lighter and faster will move or prevent the enemy from capturing the cargo in case of danger capture of a ship by the enemy. You can also throw away money and colonists. === Cut === I wish you good luck! LAV // SoftLand Software [Team ZX-Spectrum] [Thrash]

Hello All! === Cut === #Description# [3/3] *SHIP_TASKS* Each ship can perform one of eight different missions: - {Exploration} research - clearance {Mine Sweep} - installation of minefields {Lay Mines} - destruction {KILL!!!} - Scanning planets {Sensor Sweep} - colonization {Colonize} - towing {Tow} - intercept {Intercept} - disguise {Cloak} - take resources from the planet: {Beam Up Fuel} {Beam Up Du} {Beam Up Tr} {Beam Up Mo} {Beam Up Supp} - special missions: {Super Refit} {Hissssss!} {Super Spy} {Pillage} {Rob Ship} {Repair Self} {Web Mines} {Dark Sense} {Bld Fighters} {Grnd Attack} {Bld Fighters} **> By default, towing a {Tow} by a ship with one engine is _ALLOWED_ In phost it is also possible to use extended missions. VPA supports this mechanism. Other special functions of ships implemented either using FrendCod or letters to the host. Add. missions implemented in phost 2.12j: 20 Build Torpedoes from Cargo21 Lay Minefield (I:TorpCount T:OwnerRace)*# 22 Lay Web Mine (I:TorpCount T:OwnerRace)*# 23 Scoop Torpedoes (I:MaxTorps)* 24 Gather-Build Torpedoes (I:MaxTorps)* 25 Beam Down Credits (I:MaxCredits)* 26 Transfer Torpedoes (I:Ship T:MaxTorps)*# 27 Transfer Fighters (I:Ship T:MaxFighters)*# 28 Transfer Money (I:Ship T:MaxCredits)*# Also, additional missions have other add-ons - for example, Fhost. *NAVIGATION_SPACE_SHIP* The spacecraft may be in orbit around the planet or in deep space. Your ships traveling in the deep space are indicated by green dots on all your space maps and diagrams, and red dots on enemy ones. Accordingly, enemy ships will be displayed in red points on your maps and diagrams. Planets appear white points on all maps and diagrams. Your planets have a blue halo. If there are your ships in orbit, there will be a green halo. Cloaked enemy ships are not displayed on maps and diagrams. (*** It is recommended to use VPA by A.Ivlev! * my note ;) Distance - the number of light years to the current destination. The number of light years that the ship will travel in one move is square of the ship's speed. The approximate time to reach the destination is calculated inmonths (one month is equal to one turn of the game). Approximate time reaching the destination is calculated by the distance to the destination destination and your speed. There are three types of ships on which they are installed *GRAVITONIC ACCELERATORS. Ships from with the installed Gravitational Accelerator move twice faster than ordinary ships. That is, at speed 9, these ships 162 light years pass in one month. If gravitational fields are turned on, then any ship in the field planets (usually within a radius of 3 light years from the planet) will be attracted to it by the field. Thus, the maximum flight distance for one turn for ordinary ships = 84 light years and 165 for accelerators. In addition, there are hyper-probes and fire-clades. The hyperprobe can jump for 350 light years (in the latest versions - exactly to the destination point at distance from 340 to 360 light years), if the direction of the jump is indicated and speed is greater than 0. Warp==1 is recommended, since on some in host versions, the fuel consumed was incorrectly calculated when warp>1. Each jump uses 50 kt of fuel. Hyper-probe not can tow ships, and does not jump if towed by another ship > FireClaude's work is described in the FAQ on special ships.Please note that ships will move only when the Host executes the HOST.EXE program. In PLANET.EXE you enter only commands, and they will be executed if the ship can perform. *FUEL* The amount of fuel required to reach your destination destination depends on the mass of the spacecraft, speed spacecraft and the type of engines installed on it. Engines corresponding to the first technological level (stardrive 1's) - very low-power engines, minimal fuel consumption per speed 1, the higher the speed, the more fuel it consumes engine. Engines corresponding to the sixth technological level, most efficient up to speed 6. Above speed 6 the engine starts consume too much fuel. (It is recommended to use level 10 engines) The weight of your ship is equal to the sum of the masses of all its blocks (hull, engines, weapons, cargo and fuel). Amount of fuel burned your ship is proportional to its weight. Money and platforms are nothing weigh. *FACTORY SHIP* The host can allow factory ships to carry out their main tasks function, processing materials. Or ban her execution, then they will be like ordinary freighters (cargo ships). There are two classes of factory ships:- Neutronic Refinery Ship - Merlin Class Alchemy Ship. In the latest versions of host/phost, colonial ships Aries can convert any mineral into fuel (without using supples), and Kobol - collect fuel while moving in space. *MINAL FIELDS* A minefield is a small area in outer space, in which scattered warheads into interaction between myself. Minefields are formed by a spaceship having on board torpedoes when it (the ship) performs the task “laying minefields” (Lay Mines). All torpedoes on board the ship are dismantled ship engineer and are reprogrammed to serve as space mines. One torpedo with a high technological level is converted into several small modules that can cover a large area in outer space. Number of minefield modules = number of mines * (technical level)^2 Minefield radiyc = SQR(number of minefield modules) An enemy ship has a 1% chance of running into your mine for each a year of traveling in a minefield. It is very likely that the ship that travels through the minefield given in the example (all 120 of them light years) will come across a mine, but there is still a tiny the probability that the ship will not encounter a single mine.The amount of damage caused to the ship depends on the mass of the hull ship. The masses of cargo and fuel are not taken into account. Damage % = 10000 / (hull weight) A ship with a hull mass of up to 100 KT will be destroyed by one mine. Most warships have a hull mass of more than 500 KT, so that they can withstand 5 or more mines. A towed ship is not affected by mines. A spaceship with a beam weapon inside enemy minefield can destroy mines while completing the mission "mine sweep". The ship will fire from a beam guns into space at random with a wide beam, hitting mines, energy The beam will trigger the mine and, accordingly, destroy it. When this minefield will decrease in size, since more distant mines will tend to the center, replacing those already destroyed, so so that the previous level of minefield protection is maintained. Colonials can destroy minefields using fighters. Any race can place a field on behalf of another race. At the same time Robots post a quadruple field only on their own behalf. You can assemble your minefields back into torpedoes. Thus You can transfer torpedoes between ships with TAs of different types. level. The spacecraft must have fuel to clear or set minefields.*BATTLE_-_LAWS_AND_RULES* 1. The greater the mass of the ship’s hull, the less damage it will receive receives. 2. Fighters will attack first. Torpedoes are used in second priority. Beam weapons are used last. 3. The power of the Protective Shield of a ship that has completed a battle is will be restored by the next turn of the game. If the ship is damaged, then the defense is reduced by the percentage of damage. 4. Beam guns with a charge of more than 60% will primarily lead fire at enemy fighters. 5. When the ship's crew is killed, the ship is struck and captured. 6. Fighters deal more damage to larger ships damage than torpedoes or ray weapons. 7. Torpedoes and beam weapons do more damage to small ships damage than fighters. 8. Ships with the same friendly code WILL NOT FIGHT Matching friendly codes cancels the "destroy" task (kill) and the “primary enemy” setting. Special Friendly codes are not taken into account. In phost, allies do not fight. 9. Ships without fuel cannot attack enemy ships. 10. Ships without fuel cannot be attacked. 11. A more massive ship has a stronger protective shield. > In the latest versions, there have been changes in the order and rules of battle> reflected in the corresponding FAQ section. *SPACE_BASES* Space bases perform many important functions. They can create one new spaceship in one game turn. They included in planetary defense systems, as a fighter base and protective platform. In the latest versions it is possible to clone other people's ships. *DEFENSE_AND_FIGHTERS* You can increase the defensive power of your space base using duranium and mega-credits. The greater the base's defensive power, the less it will receive damage from attacking enemy spaceships. If the planet was attacked by enemy ships, then it would be destroyed. The fighters from the base and the planet immediately enter into battle against the ships enemy. Then defense posts located on planet and protective weapons of the space base. FRIENDLY PLANET/SPACESHIP CODE Friendly code is used when your ship is at orbit of the “enemy” planet with the corresponding planetary friendly code so that the space base with the main task 'Refuel', 'Load Torpedoes' or 'Unloading' Freighters' (Unload Freighters), also serviced your ship. Ships with the same friendly codes WILL NOT attack each other. === Cut === I wish you good luck!LAV // SoftLand Software [Team ZX-Spectrum] [Thrash]