VS Manual: 7. On the Base Table of Contents

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7. On the Base


A look inside a base.

WITHIN this manual, you will encounter references to various keys, appearing in black boxes. For example, W refers to the “w” key, SHIFT + W refers to the capitalized letter and CTRL + W refers to pressing both the “Control” and “w” keys simultaneously. References to KP refer to the buttons on the keypad. LMB and RMB refer to the left and right mouse buttons, respectively. Buttons appearing on-screen are noted in a similar fashion.

7.1 Arrival at a Base

7.1.1 Landing Pad

When starting Vega Strike for the first time (or, when landing at a base), the Landing Pad will be the in-game screen that you will encounter first.

The Landing Pad serves two functions:

Note the ship located in the foreground. This is your current ship. At the beginning of the game, this ship will be the Llama - a good, general all-round cargo hauler capable of defense and limited offense. To launch your ship, double-click on it using your LMB.

7.1.2 Concourse

On arrival at a base, station or planet, most pilots will want to perform a number of functions, including browsing for new missions, replacing or upgrading weapons and ships, trading any cargo they happen to be carrying in their holds, or just having some rest and recreation. The Concourse serves as the primary interface to all these other base functions.

The main base facilities are:

Be aware that some bases integrate the Landing Pad into the Concourse. In such cases, all base operations, including landing and take-off, can be performed from within the Concourse.

Lastly, you may sometimes find yourself in strange and rare locations that appear simply as scenery, or for the special role they play in a quest or mission. The Concourse may be missing from these locations.

7.2 Trading Cargo

In the Vega Strike dynamic universe, a single merchant pilot with a small amount of credit and a good ship can make a good deal of money trading cargo. The secret is to learn where a commodity is produced at low cost, and where it can be delivered for a high price (likely, someplace far away). A popular trade run is to buy raw materials (e.g. gems, metals, etc.) from mining locations (such as Asteroids), and deliver them to places that utilize them (e.g. refineries, factories and industrial planets). Trial and error will be your best bet when determining where to buy and sell your wares. Note, that planets or bases may have different prices and quantities for groups or categories of items. For instance, minerals will be cheaper at Mining Bases.

7.2.1 Cargo Computer

To trade cargo, you must access the Cargo Screen from a Cargo Computer. Locate the Cargo Computer by moving your mouse cursor around the Concourse Screen until the Cargo Computer is highlighted. Its name will appear at the bottom of your screen. (You may not find one, since not all bases have Cargo Computers. The Cargo Screen may, in this case, be accessible from the Mission Computer.) Double-click to activate the computer.

7.2.2 Cargo Screen

Figure 4: The Cargo Screen
Figure 4: The Cargo Screen

In the middle of your screen will be two large boxes, labeled Seller and Inventory. The Seller box lists items in the merchant’s inventory that are available for you to purchase. The Inventory box lists items in your own inventory that you can, in turn, sell back to the merchant. The Seller and Inventory boxes are separated by three buttons. If in Buy Mode, the buttons read: Buy, Buy 10 and Buy 1. If in Sell Mode, they read: Sell, Sell 10 and Sell 1. You are in Buy Mode if you select items in the Seller box. You are in Sell Mode if you select items in the Inventory box.

The box at the bottom of the screen displays cargo-specific information. On the left-hand side is a picture of the cargo. On the right-hand side are the cargo’s name, price, mass, volume and description. When selling cargo, the description lists both the purchase and sale prices, allowing for a quick determination of profit on the trade.

At the top of the screen are the screen title (e.g. Cargo Dealer), the current base’s type, and the base owner’s name (in brackets). Below these are your total available credits and a record of your cargo hold. The record of your cargo hold shows the total cargo volume, as well as the remaining (or, available) cargo space. In the top, right-hand corner of the screen are the Save/Load and Done buttons. The Save/Load button saves or loads the game. The Done button exits the Cargo Computer. See In-Game Menu for more information on these buttons.

To make a purchase, select (highlight) a category in the Seller box. The category will then expand into a list of cargo. Continue selecting until the cargo you wish to purchase is highlighted. Select either Buy 1, Buy 10 or Buy, depending on the amount you wish to buy. The Buy/Sell 1 button transfers 1 unit of the highlighted cargo per transaction. Buy/Sell 10 transfers 10 units per transaction. And, Buy/Sell transfers all of the highlighted cargo.

Each transaction moves the transacted cargo from one box to the other. The Total field will then display the total price of your purchase or sale. The Max field will display the maximum number of units of an item that you can buy or sell, limited by your remaining funds or the remaining space in your cargo hold. Therefore, the Total price equals the Max number of units you can buy, multiplied by the price per unit.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT purchase from the “upgrades” or “star ships” categories if you intend to buy a ship for piloting, or want to upgrade your current ship. Any trading done from this screen will place items in your cargo hold, instead of installing them onto (or replacing) your current ship.

ALSO: Do not be alarmed if no cargo appears in your inventory, even if the reported cargo space appears to be less than your actual cargo capacity. There are two reasons why this might happen. First, ship upgrades not attached to the ship take up room in your cargo hold. Second, if you have failed a cargo mission, the cargo may still be in your hold; but, since it is mission cargo, it is not available for resale. For information on how to clear “failed mission” cargo, refer to In-Game Missions.

7.3 In-Game Missions

If a merchant’s milk run is not for you, then consider accepting a mission that requires you to perform mercenary duty for a reward (note, that cargo missions are still an available option). Mercenary duties include tracking down criminals for bounty, defending or attacking a specified target, patrolling a system or flying as escort for a client.

Figure 5
Figure 5: Mission objectives, as they appear in the cockpit screen.

You can obtain missions in one of two ways: first, by accessing the Mission Computer; and second, by conversing with fixers at the local Bar. A total of three missions may be accepted. Once you have accepted a mission, it will appear in your cockpit. As you complete missions, their color will change, and a communiqué will appear notifying you that credits have been added to your account.

Mission cargo will remain in your cargo hold until the mission is completed. If you need to remove the cargo, return to your ship and take off back into space. Select your cargo manifest with the W button, and move the mission cargo to the top using the PGUP and PGDN buttons. Then, eject the cargo into space using the SHIFT + Z button. If you have a Tractor Beam, you can tractor the mission cargo back into your hold, where it will be transformed back into standard, sellable cargo.

Note: Mission objectives will not be saved when exiting or saving the game. Therefore, you need to either complete missions before exiting or saving, or forfeit any changes made to the game as a result of accepting a mission. (ED: we recommend that you save your game before accepting missions, as this will allow you to reload a game, canceling any missions that you previously accepted).

7.3.1 Mission Computer

The Mission Computer posts standard missions, with a comparatively low level of reward. Multiple missions can be accepted - but, don’t accept too many. If you don’t fulfill a mission within a reasonable timeframe, you’ll lose the mission, and your reputation with that faction will suffer. The rarer, more profitable missions can be obtained from fixers located in bars across the known universe. Refer to Fixers for more information.

In the top-left portion of your screen are two buttons, labeled News and Missions. These buttons provide access to the News Screen and the Missions Screen, respectively. If one or the other is missing, then the related function is not provided by the base. The Mission Computer defaults to the News Screen. Note, that the News Screen is also accessible from the Bar.

7.3.2 Mission Types

There are several types of missions available:

7.3.3 Missions Screen

Figure 6: The Missions Screen
Figure 6: The Missions Screen

To review and select a mission, follow the steps, below:

  1. Click on the Missions button. This will take you to the Missions Screen, and displays a list of mission categories.
  2. Click on a category to expand a list of missions of that type.
  3. Highlight a mission; its details will appear, to the right.
  4. Click on the Accept button to accept the mission. Notice that your number of Active Missions will have increased by one.
  5. Exit the screen by clicking on Done.

7.4 News

Pay attention to the news. Those broadcasts aren’t just eye candy. You want to know where the hottest spots are.

Most holo-vid casts provide only the most basic of information, and are nominally not of that much use to a pilot on-the-make. Keeping an eye on the news can, however, be a boon, when knowing of trade opportunities as soon as they occur (and, being aware of local hotspots or the overall status of any wars) may be what raises you above your competition and leads to your survival.

7.4.1 News Types

News articles come in three different categories:

7.4.2 News Screen

Figure 7: The News Screen
Figure 7: The News Screen

The News Screen can be accessed from the Mission Computer or the Bar.

To read a news article, click on a headline. The full article will appear below it.

7.5 Outfitting Your Ship

In Vega Strike, not every ship (and not every pilot) is exactly the same. Whether you’re a rookie pilot looking for your first hyperdrive, a merchant with a large cargo vessel, or a bounty hunter with a highly customized fighter, you’ll want to get your hands on the latest, advanced tech.

Tip: for further information on what you can outfit your ship with (and descriptions of the upgrades, themselves), refer to the online Database (http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/phpwiki/index.php/VsManualDatabase).

7.5.1 Weapons Room

To access upgrades, player information or purchasable ships, you must have access to a Weapons Room. Locate the Weapons Room by moving your mouse cursor around the Concourse Screen. Once the Weapons Room is highlighted, double-click your LMB to enter (you may not find one, as not all bases have them).

In the top-left corner of the Weapons Room are three buttons, labeled Upgrades, Info and Ships (if any are missing, then their functions are not provided by the base). These buttons provide access to the Upgrades Screen, Player Information Screen and the Ships Screen, respectively. The Weapons Room defaults to the Upgrades Screen.

Below the Upgrades, Info and Ships buttons are the screen title (e.g. Ship Upgrades), current base’s type, the base owner’s name (in brackets), your total available credits, and your total available (empty) cargo volume.

In the top-right corner are the Save/Load and Done buttons. Refer to In-Game Menu for more information about these buttons.

7.5.2 Upgrades Screen

The Upgrades Screen permits the player to access, view, buy or sell any and all upgrades that can be attached to your ship. Whether attaching extra navigational aids (such as afterburners, maneuvering jets or thrusters) or upgrading to more powerful core systems (e.g. power plants, shields or weapons) - if you have the credits, the dealer can provide.

Keep in mind, that not all dealers stock the same upgrades (or carry them in the same amounts). Some upgrades are only available at certain locations (military upgrades are only available at military installations, for example). Also, a ship, based on its type, may have restrictions as to the amount or type of upgrade that can be installed. A light ship, for instance, may be restricted to small reactors or light weapons.

Figure 9: The Upgrades Screen.
Figure 9: The Upgrades Screen.

The Upgrades Screen is divided into three sections: the Available Upgrades box, the Improvements to Sell box, and the Preview box.

The Available Upgrades box lists all the upgrades that are currently available for purchase. Upgrades marked in red cannot be installed on your current ship. This is either because your ship already has a similar upgrade installed, or the upgrade is the wrong size for your ship. It could also be because you don’t have enough credits.

Note: upgrades marked Add (e.g. Add Capacitance) can be purchased and installed more than once. Their effects are cumulative.

You can repair a damaged ship by selecting and buying the Basic Repair item. This upgrade repairs any basic components that were installed on your ship when it was originally bought. It does not, however, replace or repair upgrades that were added later.

The Improvements to Sell box lists all the upgrades that are installed on your ship. You can choose to sell any of them - a necessary function, when trading an upgrade in for a newer one.

The Preview box displays statistical data, pricing information and a description of the selected upgrade. If the upgrade is one that you are trying to sell, then the price-at-purchase (the amount you originally paid for the item), as well as the current sale price (the amount you can sell the upgrade for, now), is displayed.

To purchase or sell an upgrade, click on a category. Depending on which box you selected from, you will either be in Buy Mode or Sell Mode. If you are in Buy Mode, the Buy button will appear. If you are in Sell Mode, the Sell button will appear. You are in Buy Mode when you select from the Available Upgrades box. You are in Sell Mode when you select from the Improvements to Sell box. Highlight the upgrade you wish to buy or sell, and complete the transaction by clicking the Buy or Sell button.

7.5.3 Player Information Screen

Figure 10: The Player Information Screen
Figure 10: The Player Information Screen

The Player Information Screen lists information on the current player. Near the top of the screen are two buttons: Player Info and Ship Stats. Pressing either button will bring up information on either factional relationships, or ship statistics.

Player Info

The Player Info box lists information on all of the Vega Strike factions. To the right of each faction name is a reputation rating, ranging from positive (green, allied) to negative (red, enemies), with several other ratings in between. A second number reports the number of faction-owned ships destroyed by the player. Lastly, the Total Kills field (at the bottom) records the total number of ships destroyed, regardless of faction.

Note: this information is also accessible, while in Space, from the Map Screen.

Ship Stats

The Ship Stats box lists statistical data on your current ship. Your ship’s armor, shields, weapons and maneuverability are described, here.

7.5.4 Ships Screen

The Ships Screen provides the player with the ability to purchase ships. All the ships produced by the various Vega Strike factions are available for purchase from this screen. Note, that not all dealers stock every available ship. Some ships are only available at certain locations (military ships are only available at military bases, for example). Also, your reputation with both the manufacturer and the base may influence the price or availability.

The player is permitted to own more than one ship at a time. He/she can even sell unwanted ships or arrange transport of an owned ship to the current location.

Ship Types

Figure 11: The Ships Screen. Note the picture of the ship as it appears on the Landing Pad.
Figure 11: The Ships Screen. Note the picture of the ship as it appears on the Landing Pad.

Ships can be purchased in one of two factory pre-configurations. These are:

Purchasing New Ships

Ships are organized into a list of categories based on the factions that produce them (e.g. Confed, Hunter, Merchant, etc.), as well as the mass of their hulls (e.g. the Light, Medium and Heavy classes). To select a ship, click on a category. This will bring up a list of ships of that type. Ships marked in red are either unavailable, or outside the player’s spending limit. To purchase a ship, highlight it and click on the Buy button. This replaces your current ship with the one purchased. Your new ship will then appear on the Landing Pad, and can be outfitted from within the Weapons Room.

After a ship is purchased, the new ship will be available for use, and the old ship will be placed into storage at the current base. The player can then continue on with the new ship. The player may also request that an already-owned ship be transported to the player’s current location (typically, after a player has lost a ship in battle). When a ship is delivered to the current location, the player may switch to the new ship and dispose of the old one.

To sell unwanted ships, select the ship you want to dispose of and press the Sell button. This releases the ship onto the open market, where it is sold for its current worth, including upgrades.

My Fleet

Figure 12: My Fleet
Figure 12: My Fleet

If a player owns multiple ships, the My Fleet category will become available in the Ships Screen. Clicking on this category will bring up a list of non-active ships owned by the player. To request that a ship be transported to your current location, select the desired ship and press the Buy button. (Note: the cost of transport will be displayed when you select the ship.) The ship will then be transported to your current location, and you’ll be charged a transport fee.

7.6 The Bar

Figure 13: The Bar. Sit back, have a drink, see who’s going to give you money next.
Figure 13: The Bar. Sit back, have a drink, see who’s going to give you money next.

If the base has a bar, head on in and treat yourself to some rest and recreation. While you’re there, check out who’s seated at the tables. People of all walks of life may want to talk to you. If you’re interested, click on them to hear what they have to say. They may have a proposition for you.

7.6.1 Bar Attendant

Chatting with the local bar attendant permits you to gain knowledge of local news, flying tips and the occasional bits of invaluable information. While most conversations are designed to draw you into staying longer (and drinking more), there are rare conversations where the bar attendant will let slip some important information about goings-on, potential money sources and similar valuable knowledge.

To chat with the bar attendant, move your pointer over his or her icon, and click.

7.6.2 Fixers

Figure 8: “What can you do for me?”
Figure 8: “What can you do for me?”

Fixers are representatives of the various Vega Strike factions with whom you are able to converse.

Whether off-duty military personnel, merchant, smuggler or pirate - someone, somewhere, has a job for you. These missions are more dangerous, more demanding and (more to the point) more rewarding than BBS missions. Be careful, though. Some missions may lead you where you hadn’t planned on going. You may find that you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.

If you’re interested in what they have proposed, indicate your decision by clicking Yes or No.

7.6.3 News

Want to catch up on the latest occurrences in the Vega Strike universe while you were out clearing the dust off your wings? Switch on the news holo-vid, located in the top-right portion of the Bar. This will take you to the News Screen.

7.7 The In-Game Menu

The In-Game Menu consists of the Save/Load, Options and Done buttons. The Done button exits whatever screen you happen to be in. The Save/Load and Options buttons provide access to the Save/Load Screen and Options Screen, respectively.

7.7.1 The Save/Load Screen

Figure 14: Save/Load Screen
Figure 14: Save/Load Screen

The Save/Load Screen allows the player to save the pilot at the current location, load a previously saved pilot, begin a new career or exit Vega Strike completely.

To save a pilot, select a save-game in the left box. Or, type a new name into the box next to the Quit Game button, at the bottom of the screen. Next, click on the Save button.

To load a pilot, select a save-game in the left box and click on the Load button.

Save/Load Screen Buttons

7.7.2 The Options Screen

(ED: to be updated)


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