Games PC EARTH BEYOND User Manual
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
COMMAND REFERENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
A BRIEF GALACTIC HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
SETTING UP THE GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
AN INTRODUCTION TO GAMEPLAY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
INSTALLATION AND ACCOUNT CREATION. . . . . . . . . . . . 8
CREATING A CHARACTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
BEGINNING YOUR ADVENTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
INTERACTING WITH THE GALAXY . . . . . . . . . . 15
COMMUNICATING WITH OTHERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
FLYING YOUR SHIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
INTERACTING WITH OBJECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
COMBAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
INVENTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
EXPERIENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
SKILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
MISSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
GROUPING: THE BENEFITS OF
COOPERATIVE PLAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
IMPROVING AND EQUIPPING
YOUR STARSHIP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
LEARNING MORE ABOUT ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
BASIC ITEM TYPES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
BUYING AND SELLING EQUIPMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
MAKING YOUR OWN EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
HULL UPGRADES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SKILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
WEAPON SKILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
TECHNOLOGY SKILLS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
TRADE SKILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
SPECIALIZED SKILLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
LIFE IN AN EVOLVING GALAXY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
CREDITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
This product has been rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. For
information about the ESRB rating, or to comment about the appropriateness
of the rating, please contact the ESRB at 1-800-771-3772.
1
INTRODUCTION
COMMAND REFERENCE
Welcome to Earth & Beyond™, the first online role-playing galaxy! Alien
encounters, mysterious discoveries, perilous quests, strategic alliances, and
epic battles await you. You’ve just joined a community of thousands of
starship pilots from around the world, gathering together in an adventure of
a lifetime.
It’s a big galaxy… how far will you go?
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about this and other titles, visit EA GAMES™ on the web at
.
It’s easy to navigate Earth & Beyond menus using your keyboard and
mouse. This section provides the basic controls for Earth & Beyond menu
navigation and gameplay.
NAVIGATION CONTROLS
ACTION KEYBOARD
Turn Left/Right
Tilt Up/Down
Begin moving forward/backward
Toggle Move Forward
Move forward with lock
Move backward with lock
Stop Moving
Engage/Disengage Warp
Toggle autofollow with target
Join/Leave formation
j/l
i/k
A/Z
√
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v+ ]
[
Q
T
MAP CONTROLS
ACTION KEYBOARD
Toggle galaxy map on/off
Toggle navigation map on/off
Zoom maps in/out
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NOTE:
See enclosed Install Guide for Technical Support information.
NOTE:
Due to the interactive nature of this product, certain content in
this manual is subject to change. To access the most up-to-date
version, please visit http://www.earthandbeyond.com
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TARGETING CONTROLS
ACTION KEYBOARD
Next Target in context
Previous Target in context
Next Target (no context)
Previous Target (no context)
Target Self
Target group member #1
Target group member #2
Target group member #3
Target group member #4
Target group member #5
Target nearest player
Target nearest hostile attacking
Target nearest enemy MOB (monster or beast)
Target nearest friendly MOB (monster or beast)
Target nearest navigation
Target nearest object
NOTE:
MOB stands for Monster or Beast.
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W
X
SHORTCUT CONTROLS
ACTION KEYBOARD
Fire all weapons
Fire/Activate slot 1
Fire/activate slot 2
Fire/activate slot 3
Fire/activate slot 4
Fire/activate slot 5
Fire/activate slot 6
Swap to Bank B
F
1
2
3
4
5
6
a
+ Hold
CAMERA CONTROLS
ACTION KEYBOARD
Restore camera position
Save camera location
Next 3rd person camera
Previous 3rd person camera
Toggle between 1st and 3rd person
Take a picture
Moves the camera around the ship
Zoom camera in and out
h
v+ º
º
q+º
ª
g
v
+ Mouse
q
CHAT CONTROLS
ACTION KEYBOARD
Begin Radio Message
Begin Group Message
Begin Guild Message
Begin local area message
Begin default channel message
Begin targeted message
Begin Command Message
Print target's name and position in chat
Prints player's position in chat
Move chat text down one line
Move chat text up one line
Move chat text down one page
Move chat text up one page
Reply to last personal tell
Bring up reply menu
Save chat line text to quick message 1-9
Print saved chat line text from slots 1-9
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v+ T
v+ P
q+ k
q+ i
q+ r
q+ π
R
v+ R
a+ ¡- ª
v+ ¡- ª
+ Mouse
4
5
Go to next message
Go to previous message
Cycle chat target
Cancel message
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OTHER CONTROLS
ACTION KEYBOARD
Open the in-game help screen
Toggle equipment open/closed
Toggle cargo open/closed
Toggle space station vault open/closed
Toggle character info on/off
Toggle missions on/off
Toggle ping on/off
Next ephemeral text in history
Previous ephemeral text in history
Show client and server version
Activate/Deactivate Quit menu
Delete current character
Delete previous character
Go one character left/right
Go to beginning of text line
Go to end of text line
Toggle insert mode
Immediately show tool-tip
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A BRIEF GALACTIC HISTORY
After two centuries of conflict, Humankind’s three races – the Progen,
Terrans and Jenquai – had achieved an uneasy balance of power by dividing
known space between them.
The Terrans claimed Earth, headquarters to their massive trade corporations.
The genetically engineered Progen, bred for perfection, commanded the
wastes of Mars. The Jenquai, ever seeking knowledge, created great space
stations to orbit the moons of Jupiter.
Peace was shattered when the first Stargate, an ancient artifact built by an
unknown race, was discovered. Coveting its secrets for their own, the
Jenquai hid the Gate from the other races. However, their efforts were in
vain. Within months, a spy employed by the Terran conglomerate InfinitiCorp
revealed the Gate’s existence to the outraged Terrans and Progen. Humanity
was suddenly thrust into conflict, an epic battle over control of the Gate.
The three races fought a devastating nine-year war, known as the Gate War,
using weapons far deadlier than any previously conceived. Millions of lives
were lost, and millions more would have perished had the Terrans not
surprised their foes with a sudden cease-fire proposal. After months of
negotiations, the three civilizations agreed to share the Gate, and declared
an uneasy peace.
However, InfinitiCorp had plans of its own. Under utmost secrecy, its
scientists had reverse-engineered the Gate’s technology, and within a few
short years the mighty conglomerate announced to the astonished worlds
the genesis of the Infinitigate. The rush to colonize the galaxy was on.
Fifty years have passed since the invention of the Infinitigate. Progen,
Jenquai, and Terrans alike have thrived, spreading their civilizations across
two dozen star systems, exploiting their riches. However, though the races
are at peace, acrimony remains. Tension and distrust govern galactic
relations and every citizen fears the day when the spectre of war will again
raise its shadow.
Something else, something even more frightening, clutches at the minds of
the humans. The aliens who built the Gate – aliens with clearly superior
intelligence and technology – have yet to return. Where did they go? Will
they be coming back? And will they be pleased to find an upstart Humanity
colonizing what once belonged to them?
The next chapter in human history is about to begin, and you will play a
pivotal role.
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SETTING UP THE GAME
AN INTRODUCTION TO GAMEPLAY
Earth & Beyond is a persistent online galaxy, your ticket through the
Internet to a dynamic world whose history evolves while you’re away. As
long as you maintain an active account, you’ll keep your character, starship
and virtual possessions, so you can continue your adventures whenever you
like. But be prepared to encounter a changed world upon your return! New
alliances may have formed, wars been fought and uncharted regions
discovered. Your friends may have become more powerful, discovering new
pathways to riches and glory. What once was, may no longer be, and what
was only a dream may now be reality. This is life in an online world…the
world of Earth & Beyond. Let your adventures begin!
INSTALLATION AND ACCOUNT
CREATION
To participate in Earth & Beyond, you will need the installed game, the CD, an
Internet connection, and an EA.COM account.
For more information about installation and technical issues, see the
enclosed Install Guide.
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Go to
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Click LOGIN. The EA login screen appears.
33..
Select CREATE A NEW EA MEMBER ACCOUNT, submit the requested
information, and click OK. Your account is now activated.
NOTE:
If you already have an EA.COM account, you don’t have to create a
new one.
After you’ve installed the game and created your EA.COM account (if
necessary), you will need to subscribe to Earth & Beyond.
. The EA homepage appears.
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During installation you’ll have to register your Earth & Beyond account.
Once you have followed the link, instructions are displayed on screen.
Your registration code has been included with the CD package you
purchased. If you have an EA.com account already, you still need to go
through the registration process to enable your Earth & Beyond access. If
you don’t have an EA.com account, you’ll be able to create one during the
registration process.
Your first 30 days are free with no obligation. Should you choose to
stay with us we’ll charge you a modest fee according to the choices you
make during the account setup process.
>>TIP:
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Be sure your sound is on during the account registration
process. Your online digital assistant, Megan, will be there to
assist you – but she can’t help if you can’t hear her speak!
™
::
CREATING A CHARACTER
After you’ve installed the game and created your account, it’s time to
make a character! Whether you're the fighting type, a wily entrepreneur,
or a restless explorer who wants to chart the depths of space, Earth &
Beyond has a character for you. Your race (Terran, Progen, Jenquai) and
base profession type (Tradesman, Warrior, Explorer) combine to form a
unique set of skills and attributes that will define your game experience.
Your online digital assistant, Megan, will help you during the character
creation process. You'll be able to select a profession, modify your
appearance, and customize your very own starship. Spend as much time
as you like making your character; it's safe to experiment because
nothing is saved until you enter the game, and you can always make a
new character if you wish.
>>TIP:
Megan will help you choose your persona, so keep your sound
turned on! You should examine all six of the possible character
types before choosing one, as your gaming experience will be
very different with each. However, since you can make as many
characters as you like (up to five at a time), you’ll be free to
experiment until you find the choice that is right for you.
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THE TERRANS
Terrans are the descendants of the original Earth inhabitants, those who
remained behind while their brethren colonized Jupiter and Mars. Naturally
inclined towards the Trade professions, Terrans are adept at negotiation and
item creation skills.
TRADESMAN (PURE TRADESMAN)
The Tradesman is the enterprising capitalist of the 23rd century. Members of
the mega-corporation InfinitiCorp, they are excellent negotiators and
possess the widest range of manufacturing skills. In combat, Tradesmen take
a defensive role, using their large cargo holds to store treasure.
ENFORCER (TRADER-WARRIOR)
THE PROGEN
The Progen are the genetically engineered descendants of the original
Mars colonists. Seekers of physical and mental perfection, they are a
warrior race known for their fierce fighting capabilities.
WARRIOR (PURE WARRIOR)
The Warrior is the ultimate fighting machine. They are genetically
enhanced and bred for combat, Warriors have a wide range of combatoriented skills at their disposal. Among the most deadly is the Shield
Inversion skill, which allows them to turn their shields into a deadly beam
weapon, and the Self-Destruct skill, with which they can take out their
enemies in a cataclysmic explosion.
SENTINEL (WARRIOR-EXPLORER)
The Enforcer is a member of Earthcorps, the military arm of the Terran race.
Possessing many of the trade skills of their Tradesmen counterparts,
Enforcers are also capable fighters, possessing a wide range of battle skills,
including the invaluable Hacking skill, which enables them to disrupt their
enemies’ defenses from afar.
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The Sentinel is an ideal fusion of Warrior and Explorer. Possessing the
fighting capabilities of the Progen with the skills of an Explorer, Sentinels
are most valued for their ability to Jumpstart derelict ships and
manipulate enemy combatants with their Gravity Link and Menace skills.
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THE JENQUAI
The descendents of the first deep-space exploration expedition, the Jenquai,
have an almost religious passion for seeking knowledge and exploring the
farthest reaches of space.
EXPLORER (PURE EXPLORER)
The consummate Explorer and prospector of rare minerals, this character
type is considered the most self-sufficient of all the professions. Although
weak in combat, Explorers can travel undetected by using their Cloak skill
and their ability to Jumpstart derelict comrades makes them valuable
members of any group.
DEFENDER (EXPLORER-WARRIOR)
Stealth and evasion are the weapons of choice for the Defender. Known for
hit-and-run tactics in combat, Defenders will cloak to approach an enemy
unseen, then use their Summon skill to draw its hapless victim from the
safety of its allies.
CUSTOMIZING YOUR CHARACTER
Once you’ve selected a profession, you can customize your character’s
appearance. Each profession has its own general style, and you’ll be able to
choose your gender, customize your height and weight, and pick from a wide
variety of clothing, hairstyles, and facial details – even tattoos!
CUSTOMIZING YOUR STARSHIP
After you’ve adjusted your character’s appearance, it’s time to customize
your starship. You’ll be logging many flight hours during your adventures,
so be sure to customize your ship just the way you like it!
Each starship starts with a base shape particular to your character’s
profession, and from there may have its hull, wings, engine, and other
pieces customized. You may choose from a variety of shapes and colors,
painting your ship with glossy, flat, or metallic shades. Once you’ve chosen
your ship’s shape and colors, you are able to apply a decal and name.
As you progress in your Earth & Beyond career, your starships hull grows
with you, becoming bigger and more powerful. You receive your first
upgrade after completing your initial series of missions inside the game.
>>TIP:
Powerful guilds (groups of players with common interests) can
sometimes obtain a special, custom decal to place on their
starships. Look for details at www.earthandbeyond.com
!
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NAMING YOUR CHARACTER
You’re almost finished! After customizing your starship, you must choose
your character’s name and the galaxy (server) on which you want to play.
Your name must be composed only of letters – no numbers, symbols, or
spaces – and be reasonably pronounceable, or Megan will ask you to try
again.
If you want a specific name, and it’s not available on the server you’ve
selected, you may be able to obtain that name on another server. Try
changing the selected server on the character-naming screen, and then
enter the game again.
Because only one person can have a name on any given server, your
chances to obtain a common word for your character’s name are slim.
Your best bet is to make up a completely new name, one that is uniquely
you.
NOTE:
We don’t allow vulgar names in
enforced very aggressively; so don’t try to sneak anything past
Megan, even as a joke!
Earth & Beyond
. This policy will be
CHOOSING A GALAXY (SERVER)
To ensure a highest quality of game play, we’ve made multiple copies of
Earth & Beyond, each residing on a different computer server (or galaxy).
Each galaxy is a self-contained copy of the game, and once you have created
a character in one galaxy, it cannot be moved to another.
NOTE:
If you have friends playing
which galaxy they’re playing on before making a character.
Earth & Beyond
, you may want to ask
BEGINNING YOUR ADVENTURE
Once you’ve created a character and starship, getting started is easy. You
first enter the game inside our interactive tutorial, hosted by – of course –
Megan. Megan teaches you how to talk, fly, and interact with the world, as
well as answers any basic questions you may have.
It is vital to complete the first set of quests given by your faction. You
will obtain some of your most important game skills from them.
Every new account must go through the tutorial once, after which you
may de-select the Playing with Beginner Tutorial option on the characternaming screen.
INTERACTING WITH THE
GALAXY
Learn the basics of communicating with other characters, flying your ship,
and interacting with objects.
COMMUNICATING WITH OTHERS
Earth & Beyond is a social game, and we’ve created many ways for you to
chat with your fellow players!
The most basic method of chat is the Broadcast message, which gets sent
to everyone in your current sector (or space station, if you’re indoors).
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Press the
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Type your message, then press
Broadcast chat is great for beginners and making friends, but once you’re
more familiar with the game you’ll want to explore the many other chat
options available.
To send a private message, type /tell <insert player name><insert
message>.
You can also use the ‘Chat’ menu at the top of your screen to change from
Broadcasting to a different type of chat. The Chat menu lets you
customize how messages are sent to other players.
FLYING YOUR SHIP
To fly, simply hold down your right mouse button. Your ship accelerates
to its maximum speed.
To steer, move your cursor in the direction you want to go.
To stop flying, release the mouse. Your ship slows and eventually stops.
THRUSTING
To thrust, click the up arrow on your movement interface (located at the
bottom of the screen)
e
key.
e
again to send.
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Click the up arrow to thrust forward, and the back arrow to engage your
reverse thrusters.
To stop thrusting, click the front or back arrow once. Your ship coasts to
a standstill.
NOTE:
You can also thrust by using the Aand Zkeys.
WARPING THROUGH SPACE
Thrusting is great for crossing small distances, if you want to get
somewhere in a hurry, your best bet is your warp drive!
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Select a target by left-clicking its icon on your screen. Your target is now
displayed in your targeting interface, in the lower right of your screen.
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Once you have a target, click the Warp button. Your warp drive engages,
and you blast toward your target, stopping automatically when you reach
your destination.
USING THE NAVIGATION INTERFACE AND
STARMAP
Earth & Beyond is a big place, and without a map, it’s easy to get lost!
Fortunately, your starship comes with a state-of-the-art navigation system
to help you track your whereabouts.
To access the map, click the map icon in the lower left-hand corner of
your screen. The navigation map appears.
When you open your navigation system, you’ll see a series of icons, each of
which indicates a unique location known to your ship’s computer. Locations
of which you’re aware but have not yet explored are denoted by question
marks; if you’ve explored a location (or it came pre-programmed into your
ship’s computer), you’ll see a miniature version of its icon.
To select a location, click on it in the navigation map. Doing so
targets the location, and your computer will draw a travel path for
you.
To warp to a targeted location, press the Warp button. Your computer
automatically navigates from point-to-point as you travel.
You may also select your starmap by pressing the circular button in
the upper left of the navigation map. The starmap displays a map of
all star systems and sectors (areas within star systems) that are
known to you, as well as a series of lines showing the gates that
travel between them.
Use your mouse wheel or right mouse button to zoom your navigation
map. You may also left-click and drag your cursor to move around the
map.
>>TIP:
Your navigation map is your friend. We recommend using it!
INTERACTING WITH OBJECTS
We’ve made it easy for you to interact with the Earth & Beyond universe!
Most objects you encounter in space have actions you may take upon
them.
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Left-click on an object to target it. The object is now displayed in your
targeting interface and a series of context-sensitive buttons appear
that may be pressed to interact with the object you have targeted.
22..
Press one of the context-sensitive buttons to try that action upon the
object.
Common actions include a Gate button to travel through stargates, a
Dock button to dock at space stations, and a Follow button to follow a
creature or another player.
To learn more about an item in Earth & Beyond – for example, your
ship’s engine – right-click on it. A window appears that displays more
information for you.
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