Games PC MECHWARRIOR 4-MERCENARIES User Manual
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SAFETY WARNING
ABOUT PHOTOSENSITIVE SEIZURES
A very small percentage of people may experience a seizure when exposed to
certain visual images, including ashing lights or patterns that may appear
in video games. Even people who have no history of seizures or epilepsy may
have an undiagnosed condition that can cause these “photosensitive epileptic
seizures” while watching video games.
These seizures may have a variety of symptoms, including lightheadedness,
altered vision, eye or face twitching, jerking or shaking of arms or legs, disorientation, confusion, or momentary loss of awareness. Seizures may also cause
loss of consciousness or convulsions that can lead to injury from falling down
or striking nearby objects.
Immediately stop playing and consult a doctor if you experience any of these
symptoms. Parents should watch for or ask their children about the above
symptoms—children and teenagers are more likely than adults to experience
these seizures.
The risk of photosensitive epileptic seizures may be reduced by taking the following precautions:
• Play in a well-lit room.
• Do not play when you are drowsy or fatigued.
If you or any of your relatives have a history of seizures or epilepsy, consult a
doctor before playing.
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CONTENTS
INCOMING MESSAGE 2
PREBATTLE CHECKLIST 3
INSTALLING AND LAUNCHING THE GAME 3
GETTING HELP 3
OPERATIONAL SCREENS 4
ROSTER 4
MAIN MENU 5
COMMAND CENTER 6
STAR SYSTEMS
7
ORBITAL VIEW
8
MISSION VIEW 9
FREE MARKET 10
SOLARIS VII ORBITAL VIEW
11
SOLARIS VII MISSION VIEW 12
UNDERSTANDING THE COCKPIT 13
FINDING SOME ACTION 16
CAMPAIGN 16
INSTANT ACTION
17
MULTIPLAYER
17
MULTIPLAYER GAME TYPES
19
BATTLE STRATEGIES 20
BATTLEMECH SPECIFICATIONS 23
WORKING IN THE MECHLAB 32
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INCOMING MESSAGE
DATE: 17 DECEMBER 3064
TO: MERCENARY COMMAND APPLICANT NO. 7912
FROM: MERCENARY REVIEW AND BONDING COMMISSION (MRBC)
SUBJ: APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
CONGRATULATIONS,
your application for membership in the MRBC is
approved. You are hereby granted an interim license to do business
as a MechWarrior mercenary company with the same privileges
afforded a full member. You are authorized to proceed under the
following condition(s):
1. (A) You must nd a sponsor to underwrite your company and
provide guidance during your initial year.
(B) As a courtesy, we provide you with the following names of
mercenary regiments that have expressed interest in sponsoring
you. Please make contact at your earliest convenience.
WOLF’S DRAGOONS
NORTHWIND HIGHLANDERS
KELL HOUNDS
GRAY DEATH LEGION
POSTSCRIPT:
Given recent events (to wit, the Federated Commonwealth Civil War),
the need for experienced BattleMech® pilots will likely increase in the
Lyran sector.
TRANSMISSION OVER...
PREBATTLE CHECKLIST
INSTALLING AND LAUNCHING THE GAME
Insert Microsoft® MechWarrior® 4: Mercenaries video game
Disc 1 into your CD-ROM drive. When the Setup screen appears,
click Install, and then follow the instructions on the screen. You’ll be
given the option to place an icon on your desktop. For subsequent
play, double-click the icon to start the game.
If Setup does not begin automatically, or for other pertinent
information, refer to the Readme le on MechWarrior 4:
Mercenaries Disc 2.
GETTING HELP
ROLLOVER TEXT Help is provided for most user interface screens
in the form of rollover text. As you pass the mouse pointer over any
screen feature, Help text is displayed in the ComStar Information
Network box in the lower part of the screen.
TUTORIAL To learn how to play MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries, click
Training
on the Main Menu.
INFO ON THE WEB To learn more about MechWarrior 4:
Mercenaries or other games developed by FASA Studio™, visit
http://www.fasastudio.com.
EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS
For further details on BattleMechs,
weapons, vehicles, and terrains included in this game, see the
Specs.pdf le in the Goodies folder on MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries
Disc 2.
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5
OPERATIONAL SCREENS
ROSTER
On the Roster screen, you create new pilot pro les and company
names or edit existing ones. When creating a new pro le, you
must choose from one of four sponsors: Wolf’s Dragoons,
Northwind Highlanders, Kell Hounds, or Gray Death Legion. A brief
description of each is provided, so you can compare the bene ts and
consequences of selecting one over another. Once you have aligned
a pilot with a sponsor, that pilot maintains the association with that
sponsor for the duration of the game.
MAIN MENU
TRAINING Learn how to play MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries.
INSTANT ACTION
Play individual scenarios. Victory and defeat have
no effect on other scenarios.
CAMPAIGN Become part of the MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries story.
What happens to you on the battle eld affects future missions.
MULTIPLAYER
Engage others in online combat.
MECHLAB
Customize your ’Mech®.
ROSTER Create a pilot pro le and select a mercenary sponsor for
your unit.
OPTIONS Edit game settings for graphics, audio, controller, and
multiplayer play.
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COMMAND CENTER
The Command Center shows your account balance and the status of
your reputation.
MRBC RATING Check your rating in the MRBC’s system, which ranks
mercenary units’ capabilities and professionalism.
NEWS Read up on current events. You never know what you
might learn.
UNIT STATS Track your statistics, such as ’Mech kills, C-Bills
earned, and so on.
STAR SYSTEMS
Seek work as a mercenary in various planetary systems. Each
system has its own campaign—problems that could use talent like
yours. One system in particular offers you the chance to earn money
by entertaining the masses. For more on that opportunity, see
“Solaris VII Orbital View,” page 11.
Before you commit to action, check the readout on the left side for an
overview of each campaign. If you need to travel to a different system
than you’re in, you’ll have to pay a jump fee. The fee is automatically
deducted from your account when you launch the campaign.
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ORBITAL VIEW
Each planetary system has its own set of troubles. The Orbital
View screen provides summaries of the missions within a given
star system.
Before jumping in, read up on mission particulars. Check the
ComStar Information Network box at lower left for details. To learn
about current events, check the news feed at upper left.
MISSION VIEW
The Mission View screen provides mission brie ngs and lets you
select pilots for your primary and secondary lances. A lance is a unit
of up to four ’Mechs.
MISSION BRIEFING Mission goals and objectives are displayed in
the ComStar Information Network box, and the Mission Map shows
key locations such as drop points and navigation (or nav) points.
PILOT SELECTION It is your task to select pilots from the duty
roster and assign each a ’Mech. Most missions let you deploy a
primary lance. In some, you can also deploy a secondary lance; to do
so, you’ll need a pilot who is quali ed as a lance commande
r.
DROP WEIGHT The combined tonnage of your lances cannot exceed
the total weight of the drop.
DROP FEE You pay a drop fee for each mission undertaken.
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FREE MARKET
In the Free Market, you can hire and re personnel and buy and sell
’Mech chassis and weapons. Get rid of a deadweight pilot, or make a
few quick C-Bills by selling materiel. When a transaction is nalized,
your account is credited or debited accordingly.
PERSONNEL To acquire the services of a pilot, drag that pilot’s icon
from the Market Items personnel list to the Transaction window at
center, and then click
Buy/Hire. To dismiss a pilot, drag that pilot’s
icon from your Current Inventory personnel list to the Transaction
window, and then click
Sell/Fire.
EQUIPMENT To acquire new chassis or weapons, drag items from the
Market Items list to the Transaction window, and then click Buy/Hire.
To sell off your chassis or weapons, drag items from your Current
Inventory list to the Transaction window, and then click Sell/Fire
.
SOLARIS VII ORBITAL VIEW
Solaris VII is not a mission so much as an opportunity—an
opportunity for you to make some serious C-Bills fast. Ever thought
of yourself as the gladiator type? If you’re in need of cash, or if you
just like ghting for the sake of ghting and don’t mind thousands of
rabid fans cheering you—or jeering you—you’re going to like Solaris
VII. Choose among three arenas: the Factory, the Jungle, and the
most prestigious of them all, the Coliseum.
Competition begins with the light ’Mech class. You’ll have to work
your way up to the assault class. Prize money is based on weight
class. The heavier the competition, the more C-Bills you can earn.
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