New Earth Governmental Information Department Internal Memorandum To: The President of the New Earth Colony From: The Colony Central Computer Date: 7/15/2927 Subject: Congratulations on your new appointment! Constitutional law dictates that I am required to supply you with the information contained in this book. As a respected states person you should (of course) be aware of most of the facts presented. In the event that your memory is a little rusty, this book will provide a sufficient refresher and/or point of reference. Another feature of the compendium is a comprehensive guide to my higher functions, which are restricted from normal users. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with these functions before you officially take office in one months time. I wish you every success with the Reunion initiative. Yours most faithfully, The Colony Central Computer System Foundation of the New Earth Colony Chronology of Important Events Late 20th Century - Old Earth: The Collapse of Earth's Biosphere begins. Uncoordinated measures to slow down the collapse are implemented with negligible success. 2048: Earth's Biosphere is highly damaged. Some areas of its surface are subject to dangerous levels of radiation. United Nations members agree to devote all resources into saving the planet. As a result, the populous is angered by the loss of self determination. There are major acts of civil unrest in member countries. 2057: Renegade ministers, backed by several influential corporations, try to seize power in a coup. Several Ministers are imprisoned. The corporations are dissolved and all their facilities are commandeered by the UN. Late 21st Century: Most Earth nations are now actively involved in the UN. initiative. 2109: Helped by the release of an artificially produced "ozone replacement" the holes in the ozone layer begin to get smaller. 2109 - 2502: The Earth enjoys a period of prosperity and peace. All weapons are abolished, humanitarian and ecological problems are gradually eliminated. Any nation showing aggressive tendencies is dealt with swiftly by UN. Military forces. Eventually the Earth is a conflict free zone. In this enlightened atmosphere of unity scientific progress accelerates. 2563: Over 50 years of dedicated research comes to fruition when the UN. nuclear research laboratories successfully combine elements of Einstein's Unified Field Theory with anti- matter physics, creating a new form of spacecraft propulsion. The new form of power can literally "warp" the fabric of space and therefore bring points within it closer together. This makes travel between Solar Systems in a relatively short time period a distinct reality. 2568: After a six month voyage, the probe "Hermes" reaches the star Proxima Centauri, becoming the first man made object to reach another star system. The relative speed obtained is nearly eight times the speed of light. 2575: Two fully equipped research ships leave Earth. Their brief is to find other Earth type planets suitable for colonization. Each ship is sent to a different initial destination and carries a crew of 1500 people. 2589: After 14 years of exploration a mayday call reached Earth from "Explorer 1". The last recorded transmission received was as follows: "Something approaching at incredible speed...It's huge, spherical, glowing...My God, it..." There is still no farther understanding of this message and the crew of Explorer 1 are listed as "Missing, presumed dead" 2609: Explorer 2 completed her mission successfully, returning to Earth after locating several habitable planets in a distant but reachable section of the galaxy. 2615: Explorer 2 is refitted in space dock and made ready to travel back to the new planets. 2616: A strange uprising begins on Earth. People are becoming hostile and overthrowing the establishment. A bloody conflict ensues in which the growing number of rebels are victorious. The last order of the old regime was the emergency departure clearance for Explorer 2. Explorer 2 leaves the Sol system behind and heads for the new planets. The new launch window causes the ship to pass through an uncharted asteroid field on its voyage. There is damage to the warp field generators. 2621: Explorer 2 arrives at the new solar system. The stress of deceleration causes the warp generators to explode. The crew escape using safety pods. Most do not make it to the New Earth. New Earth Colony is formed and the struggle for survival begins. Present Day Situation. Star Date 2927: New Earth is now a thriving community, self sufficient, stable, and free from conflict and disease. The Colony's day to day survival is no longer an issue for concern, and our eyes are once again turning outward to the stars. Many unanswered questions exist concerning the galaxy: Is there life on other worlds? Can we colonize other planets in our star system? What is the current state of affairs on the Old Earth? What has happened since we left there, or more importantly perhaps, what prompted the bizarre uprising which forced us to depart? It has been decided that the prime directive of the new administration will be to accomplish a reunion between the Old Earth and the New. We have bided our time and consolidated our position. Now we feel that the time is ripe to start an ambitious venture. This is the test that we feel inexorably drawn to, the unavoidable fate of our people. It is our destiny... The Amnesty Star System Astronomy was a forgotten subject for many years as the earliest colonists fought to survive on New Earth. However, the recent completion of an observatory means that the bodies of the solar system, deemed the Amnesty system by New Earth astronomers, are finally beginning to be catalogued. The Amnesty system consists of three known planets, although gravitational influences on the outermost planet indicate the presence of at least one other major body in the system. More advances in astronomy, such as detailed surface observations of planets and moons, are expected to occur as a result of the Reunion project. Known Planets Amnesty Amnesty is the star at the core of this system. Amnesty is very similar to the star Sol and is therefore unremarkable in itself, although the presence of life on the planets in the system would warrant Amnesty a mention in any encyclopedia. Klatoo This world was discovered by the eminent scientist Klatoo using a self-made telescope. Klatoo is twice as large as New Earth and is thought to have a very rocky surface. A very high surface temperature is almost a certainty due to the close proximity of Amnesty. It is not known whether Klatoo has any natural satellites. New Earth This is the home of the first Terran colonists to leave the Sol system. New earth looks remarkably similar to the old Earth, although the planet's diameter is less than half that of the old Earth. The climate of New Earth is extremely pleasant, having a mean temperature slightly higher than that of Old Earth. An abundance of useful ores can be found beneath the surface of the planet, a fact that was essential to the survival of the colonists. New Earth has only one natural satellite which is approximately one third the size of its mother planet. This moon is named "Apollo" in honor of the spacecraft that first took men to the moon of old Earth. Unlike the Terran moon, Apollo has an atmosphere and initial scans indicate the presence of minerals beneath the surface. It is thought that Apollo would make an excellent choice for the first off-world colony. Zeus This giant planet is approximately five times the size of New Earth. Because of difficult observation conditions and distance, little is known about this planet. It is theorized that the planet is mainly water, which would account for the blue color of the surface, but we will not know for certain until the planet is visited. It is not known if Zeus has any natural satellites. The Government of New Earth New Earth is governed by a democracy. The adult population of the colony elects a leader, and this leader is then free to govern by decree. The elected leader (or President, as he or she is referred to), is restricted by the colony constitution which enables the President to be removed by a vote of no- confidence. This is very rare and strong reasons must be given before the referendum is held. The constitution states (in simplified terms) that the President must: A. Supply comfortable living conditions for the people. B. Protect the people from invasion. C. Refrain form using oppressive force and taxation against the people. In order to meet the conditions provided for by the constitution, the President must hire advisors to fulfill certain roles within the government. These advisors, or Commanders, will aid the President through the development of new technologies, interplanetary exploration and defense, and the building of public facilities for the colonists. In addition, the President has been supplied with the Colony Central Computer System to administrate all aspects of the departments headed by these commanders. The Colony Central Computer System Control Protocol Information is accessed from the computer using an intuitive point and click interface. A pointer is visible on the screen which can be moved around using a mouse. When the pointer moves across an interactive part of the screen, "clicking" the left mouse button (and occasionally the right mouse button) will access that function. To begin your quest, select New Game and choose the gender of your hero. Main Screen This is your control room. All the important computer functions can be accessed from here. For convenience, the most important functions are displayed as two rows of icons , or menu bars, at the top of the screen. You may scroll back and forth between the two rows by clicking on the red arrow at the right end of each row. Alternatively, the functions may be accessed by clicking on various areas (doors, windows, etc.) of the control room. Once you have entered another screen it is always possible to return by clicking on the Back to Main Screen icon on the far left hand side of the menu bar. Just below the icons is a bar divided into three sections. The left box describes the function of the icon or area of the screen the pointer is currently pointing at. The middle box displays the number of "credits" from taxation you have available to spend. The right box displays the current time as Year/Month/Day/Hour and is modeled after the Old Earth calendar. By left clicking on the time box you may speed up the rate that time progresses. Clicking the right mouse button on this box increases the speed even further. Icons - Getting Started When you click on an icon (or section of the main screen), a new screen and menu bar appears which is relevant to that particular function. Each of the main screen icons and their subsequent menus are presented here in a logical order to help you get started quickly. When you have finished reviewing the information presented here, you will be well on your way to completing the Reunion initiative. Your first task in maintaining a successful campaign is to hire a group of commanders. From the main screen, scroll down until you see the icon shown above and left click on it. You will now be presented with a new menu bar as shown Each of these new menu selections corresponds to a pool of commanders in the areas of space flight, combat, building construction, and product development. By clicking on one of these new icons you will be presented with three possible selections for each area. Each of the advisors carries a price commensurate with his or her abilities, so you would be wise to make inexpensive selections until you have accumulated more credits. To hire a commander click on the Hire icon at the far right of the menu bar. Responsible for all the space pilots and for coordinating their movements Bruce Jordan: Bruce has just graduated from the Military Academy where he scored impressive results in the combat simulation tests. A young man with excellent potential. Bruce would be a superb choice as Advisor if he did not lack "real battle" experience. For those on a low budget, his inexperience might be a risk worth taking. Jack Benson: A hardened veteran of many simulation campaigns, Jack has demonstrated an outstanding ability as both a pilot and strategist. Jack continues the proud family tradition of producing excellent pilots. His grandfather Bryan once defeated a whole armada of grade 10 simu-fighters single handed. Julie Anne Roxford: An immensely talented pilot, Julie Anne was recruited into the military after recording a perfect score in college aptitude tests. Julie Anne has a unique flair for obtaining the most out of her machinery and manpower, and is widely regarded as a strategic genius. Unfortunately, like most geniuses, she is occasionally erratic. Responsible for the construction and maintenance of Colony installations. Arwen Nielson: Arwen left the Technical Academy three years ago after achieving exemplary results in her examinations. Since then she has been working in the field for the surveying department. Her wide sphere of the knowledge would be a valuable asset. Unfortunately, Arwen has little experience of high pressure situations. Elanor Brady: An experienced government administrator, Elanor has been responsible for the extensive power station modification program. Methodical and reliable, Elanor is known as a person to get the job done. Occasionally she is accused of unnecessary procrastination when a project has to be completed quickly. William Forbs: Forbs is a legend in the construction industry. Starting off as a simple workman, William has steadily worked his way to being the most highly respected construction manager on New Earth. There is a saying, "If Forbs can't build it , it can't be built!". Unfortunately, this expertise has a very high price. Responsible for the direction of battles Michael James: Mike is a relatively inexperienced fighter, a fact that can be discerned by the lack of noticeable bionic implants. A champion gladiator at the New Earth games, Mike is also an excellent spaceball captain. Virtual battle simulations show that Mike has an excellent aptitude for the job. Kyle Douglas: Kyle was heavily scarred during a battle exercise in the Great Desert and now has to wear a face mask with image enhancing equipment over his left eye. Kyle is an extremely brave fighter and a superb tactician who has a wealth of combat experience. For such a qualified person, his demands are relatively low. MACH: MACH is a cyborg, half man - half machine. An ex- Army general, MACH was killed during a terrorist attack on his patrol but was restored to life using advanced bionic techniques. His already extensive knowledge is now supplemented by a positronic brain as powerful as a super computer. He is a formidable opponent. Responsible for the development of prototype machinery. Sapphire Fox: Sapphire is the youngest person ever to receive the New Earth Innovation Award, given for advancements in brain wave analysis. A good example of this is the prototype "thought recorder" Sapphire wears on her head. Sapphire is regarded as a developer of immense potential and great things are expected of her. Thomas Dempsey: Thomas holds patents for more new inventions than any other person on New Earth. Seemingly tireless, Thomas has been known to work without sleep for days on end until a problem is solved. Because of his great age, Thomas is not quite so productive as he used to be. His experience, however, is unequaled. Klaatoo: Klatoo is a true scholar. As well as possessing excellent design skills, Klaatoo is an accomplished violinist, astronomer, philosopher, and historian (he specializes in Old Earth science fiction). Superficially apathetic in nature, his mind is engaged in deep thought almost constantly. Unfortunately, his fee is high. Consulting your Commandeers Once you have selected your commanders, click on the Back to Main Screen icon to return to the main screen. Your commanders now appear around the conference table before you. It is possible to engage in conversation with each of your advisors by clicking on them. Once the conversation has started you may ask them one of the questions displayed by clicking on the text. Additionally, you may order your advisor to attend the university and develop new skills for a price. If your advisor cannot become more skilled he or she will let you know, and you will then have to hire another in order to continue with more complex tasks in each discipline. Once you have provided the leadership necessary to continue with your objective, you should take a look around at the surface of New Earth and familiarize yourself with its features. After clicking on the Planet Main icon from the main screen, a new menu bar will appear at the top of the screen with relevant icons. Notice that the menu bar contains some new selections as well as some others from the main screen. Click on the "Planet Information" icon. By clicking on this icon you will be shown a screen with information concerning the name of the planet or moon, population, tax rates, terrain types, temperature, and ore content. If the planet is inhabited by an alien race, clicking on the portrait displayed will give more detailed information concerning that race. Clicking on the picture of the planet on this screen will take you to the ship information screen, and clicking on the picture of the surface will enlarge it. The Planet Information screen has another set of icons used for controlling the tax rate. To return to the surface of the planet, click once again on the Planet Surface icon. Building and Demolishing New Structures New Earth has a number structures used for housing the population, providing recreation and health care, and extracting ores from beneath the surface. Click on one of the buildings and you will be given a description of its purpose. To move around the surface, click and hold the left mouse button while in the radar screen at the bottom left of the screen and move the mouse, or click and hold the left mouse button when the cursor is at the edges of the surface screen. To build a new structure, first find a vacant piece of land. Then, scroll through the available selections at the top left of the screen and click on "Build". Move the structure into the desired area and left click once again to place it. To demolish a structure, scroll through the list to find the building you wish to destroy, click on "Demolish" and then click on the building itself. Note: If a building is flashing red, then you do not have enough power to run the entire colony. You must build more power plants to increase the "Percent Working" to an acceptable level. Mining Ores on the Planet Surface An important key to the survival of your colony is the mining of ores from beneath the surface of the planet. There are two means of extracting the raw materials you will need to build structures and develop new products for your population: building derricks, and digging mines. Derricks produce the liquid ore "detoxin" and mines produce all others. Scroll through the available building selections at the left of the Planet Surface screen until you find the mine. Now, find one of these mines on the surface of the planet and click on it. This screen gives detailed information concerning all the mines and derricks on the surface of the planet The total quantity of each ore that is in storage and the total being produced in each time period is shown at the top. The total number of mines on the planet is shown in the middle section, and the number of these mines that are active is shown on the bottom left. The "stock" number represents the number of miner droids (shown in the picture at the right) that are available to add to each inactive mine. If you have miner droids in stock, clicking on the "Add Droid" icon will make a mine active. You only need one droid to operate a mine and derricks require no droids at all. Note: You may only have 9 active mines on a planet or moon at a time. Now build a few mines and derricks on the surface of the planet. Find an empty piece of terrain and click on "Build" while the picture of the mine is in the screen at the left. Move the mine into position on the surface and left click to place it. Now scroll down to find the picture of the derrick and repeat the process. The next time you click on a mine, notice that the total number of mines has increased, but that these new mines are inactive. The next step is to produce some miner droids to add to the mines. From the main screen click on the Research-Design icon at the top left. This will access the Research screen where prototype machinery is developed. Researching New Products At the bottom of the screen is the name of your development advisor and the level of knowledge that he or she has in the areas of Math, Physics, Electronics, and Artificial Intelligence. On the right side of the screen data is displayed concerning the item being researched and the requirements placed upon your developer to complete the invention. The left side of the screen contains a bank of 35 slots for optical disks containing data on new inventions. If the slot is closed you cannot begin development on that particular item. An empty slot indicates that the item is ready for analysis but not production. The presence of a disk indicates that the item is fully researched and ready for production. To begin research on an item, simply click on the empty slot. Move the mouse pointer over the empty slot reserved for the miner droid and click once to begin development. The drawer will slide shut and a series of LEDs will begin to flash indicating that the project has begun. The monitor at the right will indicate progress by counting down until development is complete. At this time you can begin to produce the item that has been researched. You should also research the satellite before continuing. Satellites are necessary to explore the surface of other planets. Note: If research is halted at any time your developer does not possess the skills to complete the item. You must either send the developer to the university or select someone with higher skills. By clicking on the Info - Buy icon you will access a screen which will allow you to purchase items that have been researched. Once again, a new menu bar will appear at the top of the screen with relevant icons. Selecting and buying Items You can scroll through available items by clicking on the up or down arrow on the right side of the menu bar. Alternatively, you may select an item by clicking on the rotating figure at the left side of the screen and using the list revealed. Clicking on the picture at the right side of the screen will give you a detailed description of the item and the amount of ore required to produce it. At the bottom of the screen several messages may be displayed: Bought Items: This displays the number of items bought, but not yet completed. You may decrease the number by clicking on the minus icon. Stores: Shows you the number of items produced and waiting in the storage houses. Time to Go: The time remaining until all bought items are produced. Total Price: The total price of the ordered items. This Item Cannot Be Produced: This message is displayed if the object is built, rather than produced. The cost is paid when orders are given to develop the item. Once you have made a selection, click on the "Buy" icon to make a purchase. A new menu bar will appear. Add/Minus Ten: Add or Subtract ten items from the number of items ordered. Add/Minus One: Add or subtract one item from the number of items purchased. OK: Buy the goods Selected. (Production will now start). Cancel: Exit from this screen. If you do not have enough credits or ores t pay for and manufacture an item, the missing quantity will flash red. This means that you will not be able to increase the quantity of items ordered until you have either more credits or more ores. Go back to the Production screen and select "Miner Droid" from the list of available items. Click on "Buy" and then purchase a few droids to work in your newly built mines. Now purchase some satellites for interplanetary exploration. When production is complete return to the main screen and then click on the "Planet Surface" icon. Find a mine on the surface, click on it, and then click on the "Add Droid " icon until the number of active mines has increased proportionately. You have now increased production on your own planet, and are ready to start exploring some of the others. From the main screen, click on the Galactic Map icon to get a view of all known planets in the current solar system. Exploring and Colonizing New Worlds A list of the known star systems is displayed on the right of the screen. It is expected that many star systems will be discovered in the search for Old Earth. Move the mouse pointer over a planet and its name will appear in the box at the top left. To take a closer look at a planet, click on it with the left mouse button. This shows the planet and its system of moons (if discovered). To return to the view of the complete star system, click on the "Zoom Out" icon (magnifying glass). To view the surface of the planet or any moons, click on them with the left mouse button. If you have a satellite deployed over the planet then you will see the surface. Otherwise, only a black screen will appear. When observing the surface of the planet a number of new icons may appear at the top of the screen: This is only displayed if you have satellites in stock. If you launch a satellite it will go into orbit around the planet or moon and continuously transmit information regarding the planet. This information is displayed on the Planet Information screen. Satellites also enable you to view the surface of the planet. You may only have one satellite orbiting a planet or moon. Miner stations are automated facilities used for extracting useful ores from a planet or moon. If a planet is suitable for mining but cannot be colonized, constructing a miner station will let you extract the ores without the need for human presence. As soon as the miner station is deployed, extraction will start. This icon appears only if a planet or moon is capable of sustaining human life. This information is displayed on the Planet Information screen if a satellite is in orbit around the planet or moon. When this icon is selected a screen is displayed showing the installations you may construct. The Colony Control Center costs 100,000 credits. Any extra buildings will increase the costs. Once you have selected the buildings to be constructed you will have to wait a while before the installations are finished. Some installations cannot be constructed on certain types of terrain. This satellite is similar to the normal satellite except that it is manufactured using advanced "stealth" technology. This renders the satellite nearly invisible to radar tracking stations. This will come in very useful when information is required on "occupied" planets or moons. This icon is only displayed if there are alien installations on the planet and a spy satellite is orbiting the planet. Spy ships are manufactured using the same technology as spy satellites and are therefore nearly impossible to track. The spy ship actually enters the target planets atmosphere and provides a more detailed report on enemy forces. This information can be accessed by clicking on the enemy portrait in the Planet Information screen. This satellite captures solar energy and transfers it to the planet or moon below. A maximum of five can be placed in orbit around a single planet or moon. Solar satellite can only be constructed where there is a colony and the satellite itself must be transferred to the intended planet or moon from the place of manufacture. After clicking on the Galactic Map icon from the main screen, position the cursor over New Earth and left click. A picture of New Earth and its orbiting moon Apollo will be revealed. Now position the cursor over Apollo and click. A dark screen will appear indicating the absence of a satellite. Put a satellite around the moon Apollo by clicking on the "Deploy Satellite" icon at the top of the screen. You should now see the surface of Apollo, and information concerning the surface will soon be relayed to New Earth. At the main screen click on the "Messages" icon to get into the message screen. This screen lets you review messages and other relevant information that you have received during the game. As data is often received at a very high rate, this is a surprisingly useful feature. Shortly after deploying your first satellite, a message will arrive indicating that ores are present on the surface of Apollo. However, messages will indicate that you don't have any way of mining on the moon! Fortunately, your developer will invent the miner station and the trade ship to aid you in shipping raw materials back home. Once you have fully developed these items in the Research area, it is time to begin building your fleet. Go to the production area and buy a trade ship and a miner station. Click on the Ship Info icon in the main screen to monitor the movement of your spacecraft. On the right hand side of the screen, information regarding the composition of the spacecraft squadrons is displayed. If you click on a squadron with the left mouse button it becomes the active squadron, denoted by a red light. Right clicking on a squadron will bring you to the "Group" screen, and clicking on "Change" at the bottom of the screen will access planet defenses. Different types of squadrons or "groups" are denoted by different colors. Red: Military Squadron Green: Pirate Forces Blue: Trade Squadron Gray: Satellite Carriers Brown: Planet Defense Forces Clicking on Ship Info creates a new menu bar at the top of the screen. This icon forms a new group of ships that you can name whatever you like. Below the name box is a description of the type of group you are creating. The group type can be changed by clicking in the box. The four possible groups are: Satellite Carriers: Only carry satellites. Trade Groups: Useful for carrying items between planets and moons. Since production facilities are concentrated on New Earth, it is advisable to carry ores mined off-world back to New Earth for production. Army Groups: These units are divided into two parts: The space fleet, which is responsible for combat in space, and ground forces which will attack enemy ground installations. You may switch between the two sections by clicking on the large red arrows on the group screen. Planet Forces: These are the same as Army Groups except that they stay within the confines of their planet's atmosphere. Planet forces only exist where there is a colony. Note: Whenever a new type of ship is invented it is a good idea to create a new unit for that ship type immediately. When you have named the group and chosen its type, click on the OK icon to create it or the Abort icon to cancel it. This icon enables the contents of the group to be modified. For example, ships may be added or removed, weapons may be fitted to the ship, etc. A new screen will be displayed as shown. A group can have four types of ships and each ship can have up to four types of weapon. You can only put the appropriate ships into a group. For example, a trade ship cannot be put into an army group. Clicking on the number of ships with the left mouse button will increase the number of ships in the platoon. You can use the right mouse button to decrease the number of ships. Weapons can be added using the same technique. Clicking on a group name allows the name to be modified. Clicking on the arrow scrolls through the different groups. Clicking on the "Control Panel" icon will access the cockpit of the selected group's lead ship. The "dashboard" of the cockpit is split into several sections. Clicking on the window while landed on a planet will access the Surface screen. The launch lever launches lands the ship. If the ship is a trade ship, clicking on the left hand monitor will access the cargo screen. From here you can transfer goods between planets that have a colony or miner station. Clicking on the joystick allows you to select a destination for your ships. Right clicking on a planet will select that planet as your destination, and left clicking on a planet will allow you to zoom in and select one of that planet's moons. The dials at the right side of the cockpit accesses the Ship Info screen, and clicking the keypad will access the Group screen. This icon appears if you have a ship capable of transferring cargo. From the transfer screen you may transfer cargo to the hold of your ships from the stores of your colonies. This enables you to move items to the places they are most needed. Clicking on the arrows with the left mouse button will transfer one item of the selected cargo to your ship or colony, while using the right mouse button will transfer as much cargo as possible. Once you have bought a trade ship and miner station, create a new trade group by clicking on the Ship Info icon and the New Group icon. Add the trade ship and miner station to the group and then click on the Control Panel. Send the new ship into orbit by clicking on the launch lever, and then click on the joystick. Select the moon Apollo as your destination by clicking on it. The ship should now be en route to Apollo. Once it has arrived, click on the Add Miner Station icon. Construction of a miner station will now begin on the moon. Once you have familiarized yourself with all of the icons discussed thus far, you have successfully completed the first step in building a lucrative network of colonies. Here are some other important icons found in the main screen: Click on the "Space Local" icon to talk to the local barflies and alien races which may pass through the Amnesty system. A lot of people pass through this bar and useful information can be obtained from talking to them. To talk to someone, click on their face. The conversation will progress according to your questions and responses. This icon will give you access to useful information concerning the galaxy. This icon will give you a list of the planets on which you currently have a miner station or colony. Clicking on this icon will give you a list of all planets which have been found to be livable or mineable. This icon will give you information on all known alien planets, enemy or friendly. Engaging the Enemy As a result of further exploration it is highly likely that you will encounter hostile alien races. As soon as the technology for warfare is developed you should create an army group in the Ship Info area by clicking on the "New Unit" icon. Note: Army groups are necessary to attack other planets. You cannot attack alien fleets or colonies using your defensive planet forces. However, army groups can be used to defend a planet if they are in orbit around or on the surface of a planet. You may add warships and weapons to the army unit as soon as they are completed in the Production area. You may also add warships to your planetary defenses, but they cannot leave the atmosphere of New Earth without adding them to the army group. To fortify the planetary defenses of other colonies you must send an army unit to that colony and transfer the ships on the surface of the planet. To attack another colony or fleet you must send an army group into orbit around the planet where enemy units are found. Once the army group has arrived there are two modes of engaging in battle. When an enemy fleet is present around a planet where you have deployed your forces, clicking on the enemy fleet's symbol at the right of the Starmap screen will activate the Attack icon. At this point you may click on the Attack icon and begin a space battle. Battles are won depending on the relative strength of your fleet, the ability of your fighter commander, and a number of other variables. At the end of the battle a list of stats will display the outcome. To start a ground war, send your army fleet to the enemy planet and then click on the symbol representing your fleet at the right of the Starmap screen. This will activate the Ground Battle icon. When you click on the Ground War icon a space battle will ensue as you fight your way to the surface of the enemy planet. If you win the space battle, the next step is to wipe out enemy ground forces. A new screen will appear. You may rearrange your ground forces by building new units with the icons at the top of the screen, or by clicking on each individual box to add or remove items. Use the left button to add units and the right button to remove them. When you are done click on the "OK" icon to get a view of the battle zone. You can attack an enemy by clicking on your vehicle, clicking on ATTACK, then clicking on the enemy unit you wish to attack. Saving and Loading Games \ Clicking on this icon will allow you to save and load your games as well as control the music and sound effects. On the left hand side of the screen are the names of saved games. Click on one so it is highlighted, then click on Load or Save, depending on what you want to do. In the bottom right hand corner you may select sound effects or music. The I and II buttons change the music, the square button stops the music, and the E button turns on/off the sound effects. Clicking on the Exit to DOS icon will quit the game. Note: While in the Disk Operation Screen the game is paused. Customer Service If you are experiencing difficulties with Reunion and you are a registered user, you may call our technical support department for assistance at (214) 385-2957. A technician will be available to help between the hours of 10:00am and 5:00pm Central Time, Monday through Friday. We welcome your questions, comments, or other feedback regarding Reunion or any or our other products. You may write to us at: Merit Software 13707 Gamma Road Dallas, Texas 75244 On-Line Support Via CompuServe For on-line support of Reunion via CompuServe, call 800-848- 8199 and ask for Representative 321 to get your FREE introductory membership and $15 usage credit. If you are already a member of CompuServe, type the command GO GAMAPUB at any ! prompt to get Merit Software's support section, or contact our technical support department at ID#76711,247. What is CompuServe? CompuServe is the world's largest international network of personal computer users(1.2 million+ members worldwide) and has over 1,400 products and services to choose from. You can talk directly to software publishers, download free software, and get the latest news and sports of interest with a personal clipping service. Check out the weather forecast with Accu- Weather maps. Plan, schedule and book your own flights; do your own research with an on-line encyclopedia; and look at the latest up-to-the-minute stock reports. Utilize international mail capabilities, software support and much, much more. MERIT STUDIOS PROGRAM AND LICENSE AGREEMENT AND LIMITED WARRANTY CAREFULLY READ ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT PRIOR TO USING THE PROGRAM RECORDED ON THE DISKETTES OR CD'S. OPERATING THIS PROGRAM INDICATES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. 1. COPYRIGHT: THESE PROGRAMS AND THE RELATED DOCUMENTATION ARE COPYRIGHTED. YOU MAY NOT USE, COPY, MODIFY, OR TRANSFER THE PROGRAMS OR DOCUMENTATION, OR ANY COPY THEREOF EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS AGREEMENT. 2. LICENSE: You have the non-exclusive right to use any enclosed program only on a single computer. You may load the program into your computer's temporary memory (RAM). You may physically transfer the program from one computer to another provided that the program is used on only one computer at a time. You may modify or translate the program providing such modification or translation is for your own use and that no more than one such modified or translated copy exists at any one time. You may not electronically transfer or access the program from another computer over a network. You may not distribute copies of the program or accompanying documentation to others. You may not decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer the program. You may not attempt to unlock or bypass any copyprotection utilized with the program. Title to the programs and all other rights and uses not specifically granted in this license are reserved by MERIT STUDIOS. 3. BACK-UP AND TRANSFER You may make one (1) copy of the program solely for back-up purposes. You must reproduce and include the copyright notice on the back-up copy. You may transfer and license the product to another party only if the other party agrees to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and completes and returns a registration card to MERIT STUDIOS. If you transfer the program you must at the same time transfer the documentation and back-up copy or transfer the documentation and destroy the back-up copy. 4. TERMS: This license is effective until terminated. You may terminate it by destroying the program and documentation and all copies thereof. This license will also terminate if you fail to comply with any term or condition of this Agreement. You agree upon such termination to destroy all copies of the program and documentation. 5. PROGRAM DISCLAIMERS: The programs are provided "AS IS" without Warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk as to the results and performance of any program is assumed by you. Should the program prove defective, you (and not MERIT STUDIOS or its dealers) assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair or correction. Further, MERIT STUDIOS does not warrant, guarantee or make any representations regarding the use of, or the results of the use of, the program in terms of suitability, accuracy, reliability, currentness, or otherwise; and you rely on the program and results solely at your own risk. 6. MEDIA LIMITED WARRANTY: MERIT STUDIOS warrants to the original licensee that the media on which the program is recorded shall be free from defects in material and workmanship only for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of original purchase. If a defect covered by this warranty occurs during this 90-day warranty period, and it is returned to MERIT STUDIOS no later than five (5) days after the end of such 90 day period, MERIT STUDIOS shall either replace or repair the product. At the end of the expiration MERIT STUDIOS will replace or repair your purchase for $5. The above warranty is exclusive and in lieu of all other conditions and warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to implied conditions or warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose and those arising by statute or otherwise in law or from a course of dealing or trade. To the extent such statutes or laws prohibit the exclusion of such implied warranties they shall be limited to a period of 90 days from the date of your original purchase. No conditions or warranties, either expressed or implied will apply after this period. 7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: MERIT Studios' liability is limited solely to the repair or replacement of the defective product, in its sole discretion, and shall not in any event include damages for loss of use or loss of anticipated profits or benefits or other incidental or consequential costs, expenses or damages, including without limitation, any data or information which may be lost or rendered inaccurate, even if MERIT STUDIOS has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Some states do not allow an exclusion of implied warranty or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. 8. MISCELLANEOUS: This agreement represents the entire understanding regarding the programs and related documentation, and supersedes any prior purchase order, communications or representations. This agreement may only be modified by a written amendment signed by an officer of MERIT STUDIOS. If any provision of the agreement shall be deemed unlawful, void, or for any reason, unenforceable it shall be deemed severable from, and shall in no way affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of the agreement. This license agreement shall be governed by the laws of the United States of America, State of Texas. If this product is being acquired for or on behalf of the United States of America, its agencies and/or instrumentalities, it is provided with RESTRICTED RIGHTS, and all use, duplication, or disclosure with respect to the included software and documentation is subject to the restrictions set forth in The Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at 252.227-7013 of the DOD FAR and the Rights in Data-General clause at 52.227-14 of the FAR. Unless otherwise indicated, the manufacturer/integrator is Merit Studios, 13707 Gamma Road, Dallas, TX 75244. 9. The program License Agreement shall inure to the benefit of Merit Studios, its parent, and all affiliated companies thereof. Merit Studios and the Merit logos are trademarks of Merit Software, Inc.