Getting Started
The first time you start the game you will be asked to choose a Pilot Name and Password. Once you pick a name that is not already in use, you will then be asked to provide some demographic information such as your real name, E-mail address, etc. You will only have to enter your demographics once.
After submitting your demographic information, you will be given a list of zones. Pick the Alpha Zone to start in. The Alpha Zone is where you will learn to fight and the basics of controlling your ship.
The Basics
ENERGY
Once you are playing in a zone, you will notice an energy bar at the top of your playing screen. Watch this bar carefully for it represents your life. Your energy will go down when you take damage from bullets or bombs. Your energy will also go down when you fire your guns or bombs or lay mines. If your energy level drops below zero, your ship will blow up.
HANDLING THE SHIPS
Although the ships in SUBSPACE are often upgraded and downgraded much of the time, a player will very often be flying the basic ship with its individual characteristics. Scanning through the text (that appears on your screen while in the game) may also give you new ideas on how to use the different upgrades.
The key to success in SUBSPACE is learning how to handle your ship. Many a pilot has escaped death by knowing just when to turn to avoid enemy fire.
GAME ZONES
Each game ZONE is listed when you boot up. A ZONE is a game type like WARZONE. Within each ZONE are many ARENAS, typically 20-80 players each. After you enter an ARENA you can cycle to other PUBLIC ARENAS by going to a safe zone or spectator mode and hitting SHIFT+INSERT.
PRIVATE ARENAS
In addition to cycling through the public arenas within each Zone, players can create their own PRIVATE ARENA by using the following command. ?GO NAME. This is useful for players who want a private battle or want to duel it out. You can exit a private arena by creating another private arena or by using SHIFT+INSERT (go to a safety zone to keep powerups) to cycle through Public Arenas.
Ship Descriptions
At the time of the printing of this manual, there are eight ships available in SubSpace, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Read the following descriptions and choose your ship wisely.
WARBIRD - Most maneuverable ship in the game.
The Warbird is the ideal craft for the beginner. Easy to learn and packing a good punch, an expert Warbird pilot can run rings around less maneuverable opponents.
JAVELIN - Fastest ship in the game.
The Javelin is a fast, well-powered craft that is hard to handle due to its relatively weak acceleration. Speed is what the Javelin is all about. Not only does its speed allow it to reach powerups before other ships but it also gives a decisive edge in combat if used correctly.
SPIDER - Only ship with cloaking ability.
The Spider is of average speed, average handling and weakly armed. Its one great advantage is that of cloaking. The cloak device, when turned on, makes the spider invisible to the naked eye, giving it a huge advantage in terms of intelligence.
LEVIATHAN - The only ship able to carry Level 3 bombs.
The Leviathan is the only craft to start with bombs and it has the energy capacity to use them. One Level 3 bomb can destroy most starting ships and two can kill any ship in the game. The Leviathan’s whole strategy is centered on bringing this weapon to bear.
TERRIER - Twin “Hound” Ion guns.
The Terrier is another great beginners ship. Its Twin guns allow it to spray an enemy with bullets and keep him on the defensive. The Terrier is also that rarest of ships, one that starts out strong. This means the terrier pilot is less likely to be “negged” than other types of ships.
WEASEL - Experimental Electronic countermeasures craft.
The Weasel is a superb ECM craft. Not only does it see minefields on radar (displayed as white dots) but it also fires special EMP bombs that cause damage upon impact and stop the enemy from recharging. The Weasel is very much a thinking pilot’s craft. Craft pilots use this ship to incredible effect.
LANCASTER - Special bomber.
The Lancaster has one remarkable feature. Its plasma bombs are timed and thus able to bounce off obstacles allowing the pilot to attack targets not normally available. Lancasters are very useful in close areas and invaluable in WARZONE games.
SHARK - Multi Purpose.
The Shark has a rapid fire rate that can outgun any competative ships. It's also quite agile.
If in doubt, while in game type:
?help --insert question here--
and a message will be sent to the moderators.
