Games PC WING COMMANDER ACADEMY User Manual

WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR

After I graduated from the Terran Confederation Space Naval (TCSN) Academy, I was immediately assigned to fly missions against the Kilrathi. The flight simulator at the Academy had taught us basic combat strategies, given us a feel for the different ships and cockpits and acquainted us with fighters from the Kilrathi fleet. But the simulated missions we flew at the Academy were hardly comparable to a real-life dogfight. With the whine of a missile lock indicator and the harsh taunts of a Kilrathi pilot reverberating in our ears, we suddenly faced completely novel situations when we flew our first dogfight. Even back then, I wanted to suggest changes that would make the simulator a more effective preparation for real-life combat. I was about to get that chance, though in a very different way than I had envisioned.

I was flying a reconnaissance mission in the Gwynedd sector when we were attacked by a contingent of J a l k e h i. Instead of obeying my orders and remaining with the escort, my wingman Maniac broke away and engaged two Kilrathi pilots in a dogfight. In my E p e e, I did not stand a chance against the seven accomplished J a l k e h i pilots without cover from my wingman. I ejected from my badly damaged ship just seconds before it exploded. My injuries left me virtually blind in one eye and destroyed my career as a pilot.

Due to my otherwise spotless record, I was offered a teaching job at the Academy. Eventually, I became responsible for instruction in the simulator. The destruction of my ship and many other tragic losses could have been avoided if simulated missions had prepared students more thoroughly for combat in space. Consequently, I’ve tried to make the simulator a more realistic learning tool that will re-enact almost any situation you might run into during your missions. The simulator room has, in effect, become the most important instructional feature of the Academy. We have since implemented new sound effects, varying wingmen personalities and several other features that emulate combat in space like it has never been simulated before. Simulations are on the cutting edge of technology, allowing you to encounter ships and weapons currently still in development. If you can beat the hardest missions in this simulator, you will graduate truly prepared for real-life combat. This manual was compiled as a summary of the most important theoretical knowledge necessary to fly simulated missions. Familiarize yourself with these notes and you will be well prepared for your first lesson in the simulator. With the help of the new TCSN simulator we can teach you how to beat the Kilrathi.

Colonel Jack A. Lombard

TCSN SIMULAT O R

Exit to DOS Simulator Configuration Panel

The Wing Commander Academy trains every student in a variety of different classes and exercises that will adequately prepare him or her for real-life combat in space. In our effort to save the Confederation from the depredations of the Kilrathi, we can only afford to send the very best pilots out to defend our homes. Innumerable hours of training, classes and simulator practice turn our students into ace Confederation pilots before they launch their first actual mission.

In my opinion, the tcsn flight simulator is by far the most important educational tool this academy has to offer. The simulator will not only teach you how to fly, but more importantly it will show you how to survive. In the countless simulated missions you embark on during this part of your training, you will fight Kilrathi ships and Kilrathi pilots in hijacked Confederation ships. You will endeavor to blow enemy capital ships out of space and defend your own space station against attacking forces. Since the simulator is programmed to realistically imitate real conditions in space, it will also teach you how to effectively navigate asteroid and mine fields and retrieve ejected pilots or data capsules from space. The TCSN flight simulator will show you what you really came here to learn. Use it wisely, and the lessons you learn at this console will save your life when you actually face a swarm of Kilrathi in a grueling dogfight.

S I M U L ATOR ROOM

If this is your first visit to the simulator, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with your surroundings before you concentrate on the command console. You enter and exit the simroom through a small door from the DOS area of the Academy. The simroom itself consists of a tiny, oval room with a vaulted dome roof. A screen above the center console lists the high scores that have so far been achieved by other students, given with their call-signs.

O M M A N DCO N S O L E

I M U L AT O RCO N F I G U R AT I O N

To the right of the computer console you see a wall panel. Lean over to the panel and press on it once. The panel slides back into the wall, revealing a simulator configuration menu for Music and Sound FX as well as a joystick calibration option. Pressing the buttons

M U S I C

and

S O U N D F X

once tog-

gles their respective functions between active and inactive. You may also want to calibrate your joystick before you embark on your first simulated mission.

Press

C A L I B R A T E J O Y S T I C K

and follow the instructions that appear in the joystick slot. If you have configured Music and Sound FX to your liking and you want to save your selection, touch the option menu anywhere except the two selection buttons. The simulator will save your selection and the wall panel will slide back in place.

If you have already designed a mission and you want to fly your last mission again, you can push the buttons located on the right side of the simulator console once to activate the simulator and execute the mission immediately.

COMPUTER CONSOLE

Configuring Your Mission

You are now ready to turn your attention to the heart of the flight simulator: the computer console. Once you have taken a seat, click on the computer screen in front of you to activate the simulator. While you are configuring your mission at the computer console, you may select your choices by clicking with the left or the right mouse button. Once you are in the cockpit of your simulated fighter, however, you must take care to distinguish between the left and the right mouse button. Please check the Reference Card for further details.

The large view screen in the upper half of the console is the “drawing board” of the simulator. The green triangle in the center of the screen represents your “ship.” You are free to place various combinations of enemy ships, capital ships, space stations, obstacle fields and other objects around your ship.

• To select a specific kind of opponent, hazard or object, click on the appropriate button located below your view screen.

• A single click on one of the buttons causes a rotating graphical representation of the object to appear in the window at the lower left of the console. The thin box just above the rows of buttons identifies the object you chose.

• Select the particular ship or object you wish to include in the mission you are configuring by clicking on it. Hitting E

• You must also specify the difficulty level (intelligence level) of each hostile ship before placing it in the action sphere around your fighter. Use the arrow keys of the difficulty level option at the bottom left of your console to choose an intelligence (from 1 to 4) for each hostile ship. The higher the intelligence number, the more accomplished your opponent will be.

• Once you have decided where you want this hostile fighter or object to appear relative to you, single-click on the desired position on your view screen.

• If you have positioned a hostile fighter, a red triangle appears to indicate its position.

• Capital ships and the friendly space station are identified by a red triangle surrounded by a circle.

• Asteroid fields appear as large red circles on the mission display screen.

• Mine fields appear as yellow circles on the mission display screen.

• Data pods and ejected pilots are represented by yellow diamonds.

• You may place up to eight different objects in the action sphere around your ship. You can only place one obstacle field and a maximum of four Ralathas in each action sphere. (No ship has enough ammunition to destroy more than four of these formidable fighters.)

• As mentioned above, moving the cursor over each object causes a description to appear in the thin box between the drawing board and the rows of buttons.

• If you made a mistake or you simply decide to remove a particular object from the action sphere, click on remove in the bottom row of the object buttons. Then move your cursor to the ship or object you want to remove and single-click on it. Clicking on the clear button in the right column on your option menu (or typing C) removes all objects you have placed in the action sphere surrounding your ship at the currently selected nav point. If you hit clear again, the simulator will ask you whether you want to clear all nav points. Press Y to clear all nav points.

• You may want to configure a mission with a variety of objectives at different nav points. Once you have placed all desired objects in Nav 1, select Nav 2 with the nav button to the upper left side of your console. Selecting a new nav point automatically clears your “drawing board” and allows you to design a new sub-mission. You can configure missions with anywhere from one to four different nav points in this manner.

N T E R

selects any object currently located under your cursor.

Nav Point Currently Being Drawn

Name You’ve Given This Mission

Hostile Fighter

Capital Ship (friendly or hostile)

Asteroid Field

Data Pod or Ejected Pilot

Your Ship

Random Placement

Difficulty Level of Opposing Pilots

Identity & Intelligence of Selected Object

S a r t h a

D o r k a t h i

S a b r e

Data Pod

D r a k h r i

R a l a t h a

C r o s s b o w

Ejected Pilot

J a l k e h i

F e r r e t

M o r n i n g s t a r

Space Station

G r i k a t h

R a p i e r

W r a i t h

R a n d o m i z e

S t r a k h a

B r o a d s w o r d

Asteroid Field

J r a t h e k

E p e e

Mine Field

R e m o v e

Cursor over Hostile Fighter to Select it

O M P U T E RCO N S O L E

E L E C T I O NBU T T O N S

Randomizer and Gauntlet Options

If you prefer the unexpected, try the Randomizer and Gauntlet options. The Randomizer button is located in the bottom row of buttons. Select the this feature will generate unpredictable patterns of objects and hostile ships at the selected nav point. This option is particularly useful in preparing you for the unpredictability of combat in space.

The

G A U N T L E T

to yet another kind of combat experience. Using this option, you fly against wave after wave of enemy fighters. You can fly up to fifteen different levels comprising three waves each, although few students at the TCSN Academy have successfully completed the gauntlet even once. As you progress from wave to wave, difficulty will increase along with the skill of your formidable opponents.

If you manage to achieve a high score, you will be asked to enter your call-sign. Your high score and your call-sign will be displayed on the screen above the console in the simulator room so you can compete with yourself and other pilots in training at the Academy.

option button, located in the top left corner of your simulator console, introduces you

R N D

button, click anywhere on the viewscreen and

Selecting Your Ship

The strategies you employ in any given mission depend not only on the situation you are facing, but also on the kind of ship you are flying. You need to know what weapons you have at your disposal and whether you can rely on help from a wingman or not. The TCSN simulator allows you to select your fighter and your wingman.

E L E C TSH I P

Weapons Loadout of Highlighted Ship

Wingman Stats

E L E C TWI N G M A N

Pressing the

S E L E C T S H I P

button, in the upper right corner of your console, (or hitting P on your key- board) brings up an option screen with the different ships you can choose to fly. When you select a particular ship by single-clicking on it, the screen will also indicate the ship’s weapon loadout. Once you have decided which ship you want to fly this mission, and have clicked on it, hit

S E L E C T

to save

and return to the main option screen. Press

C A N C E L

if you want to return to the main option screen

without saving your choice.

Selecting Your Wi n g m a n

We have taken four pilots from the ranks of the Terran Confederation and used their profiles to model the wingmen in this simulator. You may recognize some of these fighters from your readings in class. The

W I N G M A N

button located in the right column on your console (or W on your keyboard)

calls up an option screen with five different wingmen options. If you choose

N O N E

, you will fly this mission alone. Selecting one of the wingman names by single-clicking on it shows you a portrait of the pilot and informs you about piloting and dogfighting skills as well as attitude. Choose the pilot you want on this particular mission (or choose

N O N E

) and hit

A C C E P T

to save your choice.

C A N C E L

returns you to the main screen without saving a wingman choice.

Saving a Mission

If you have created a mission that you wish to save, you must first type a name for the mission into the slot allocated in the top left corner of the console. When you select the slot (press T

A B

until you

highlight the slot you want, or click on the slot), a cursor will appear. You can now use B

A C K S P A C E

t o

erase the current name in the slot. Enter the new mission name and select the

S A V E

button in the right hand column of your computer screen (or hit S on your keyboard). A new option menu with numbered slots will pop up. When you click on a numbered slot, the mission name you just entered will appear. You are also free to move this mission to any slot you wish by dragging it. (Click-and-hold the pointer on the name, drag the pointer to your preferred slot, and release the mouse button.) Once you have placed the mission name in the desired slot, hit

S A V E

to return to the main console. You may save a total of 24 games in this manner. If you decide to save a new mission in a slot which already contains a mission name, the simulator will overwrite the old data with the new mission. You will be asked whether you want to overwrite the currently saved mission or not. If you change your mind and decide not to save your mission after all, you can escape to the main screen by clicking

C A N C E L

Name You’re Giving to Mission Being Saved

AV I N G AMI S S I O N

Press to Display More

Saved Mission Slots

Saving a Mission on a Floppy Disk

If you want to save a mission onto a floppy disk, you must first save the mission in one of the allocated slots. Note the slot number(s) of the mission(s) you are transferring to a floppy, then exit to DOS on the simulator computer and insert a disk into the desired disk drive. From the C: prompt, type:

C D\W C A\M I S S I O N S

(If you installed the game in a directory other than the default directory, type the name of that directory instead of “ missions subdirectory of

WCA

” here, and anywhere else it appears in this section.) You are now in the

WCA

. At the prompt, typing

DIR

will provide you with a list of all available saved missions. The missions are listed by numbers and not by their names, so you must remember the slot number of the mission you wish to save. To copy onto your disk, type:

C O P Y C

: \

W C A\M I S S I O N S\M I S S I O N

.<mission number> <destination drive>

For example, you might type:

C O P Y C

: \

W C A\M I S S I O N S\M I S S I O N

.007 B:

When you want to upload this mission from disk and save it as a certain mission number, insert the floppy disk into the disk drive and type:

C O P Y

<source drive>:\

M I S S I O N

.<mission number> C: \

W C A\M I S S I O N S\M I S S I O N

. <desired mission

n u m b e r >

For example, you might type:

C O P Y B

: \

M I S S I O N

.007 C: \

W C A\M I S S I O N S\M I S S I O N

. 0 0 8

(If you inserted the disk into drive A:, enter A: instead of B: as the source drive.) Now the saved game will appear as a saved mission in slot number 8.

Loading a Mission

If you want to play a mission that was previously saved, you can retrieve it by clicking on the button, in the right column of your computer console (or typing Lon your keyboard). The new option screen will show you 24 numbered slots with the saved missions. Select the game you want to load and click on

L O A D

to confirm your choice. This will return you to the main menu on the

console. If you change your mind, you can always go back to the main screen by hitting

C A N C E L

L O A D

Other Console Functions

C A N C E L

. Should you decide you are not ready to fly a mission right now, you can click on the

C E L

button, in the right column of the computer console, (or hit E

S C

on your keyboard) to deactivate the simulator. You can exercise this option if you wish to re-configure your Music and Sound FX selections in the wall panel of the simulator room or if you want to leave the simulator room through the DOS area of the Academy.

E X E C U T E

. Selecting the

E X E C U T E

button (or typing X ) will let you fly the mission you have just configured or loaded. The walls of the simroom light up and then fade away. In a few seconds you find yourself in the cockpit of the ship you have chosen to fly.

C A N

IN THE COCKPIT

Once you have instructed the simulator to execute your mission, you find yourself in the cockpit of your chosen fighter. The introductory class Confederation and Kilrathi Ships has already provided you with basic information on ships and fighter cockpits. However, this will be your first experience in a “real” cockpit. When the TCSN simulator begins to execute your mission, the gauges and indicators of the ship you have chosen appear as the simulator emulates a real fighter. Initially, you see space through the front view screen of the simulator cockpit. You may also select rear and side views, as well as chase plane, missile, battle, tactical and tailing views.

The TCSN simulator allows you to choose between nine ships to fly. Even though each cockpit may look very different, all but one differs only in the way their instruments and readouts are arranged. (The F e r r e t has one less display than other ships.) Evaluating the information from all controls and gauges at one glance should become second nature to every competent fighter pilot. In combat, you will only have a split second to assess the situation and act on the information given to you. Your ability to remain on top of every development may mean the difference between life and death to both you and your wingman. If you require more time to plan your next move, you can always hit P on your cockpit keyboard to pause the simulation. You should keep in mind, though, that this is not an option you have when you are flying real-life missions in the dangerous vacuum of space.

Views During Spaceflight

The front view screen provides you with a clear view of space directly ahead of you. A green circle with cross-hairs indicates where your ship’s guns are aimed. Brackets appear around the ship you have currently targeted. Hostile targets are framed by red brackets, friendly vessels by blue brackets. A ship communicating with you will be indicated by white brackets. As soon as a target is locked, the brackets turn into a solid box.

Hit F 2 on your cockpit keyboard if you want to go to the left view (or the left turret, if there is one available on the ship you are flying). Similarly, you can call up the right view(or the right turret) by pressing F 3. If your fighter has a rear turret or you want to see the rear view, hit F 4.

In addition, the simulator has implemented additional views that are designed to help you evaluate your situation and the movement of your fighter. Chase plane view, battle view, tactical view, missile camera view and tailing views are called up by F 5, F 6, F 7, F 8 and F 9 r e s p e c t i v e l y .

• In chase plane view (F 5), the camera tails your ship so you can view your fighter from immediately behind it.

• The battle view (F 6) provides you with a panoramic shot of all ships and their respective positions from a distance. This view makes it easier to evaluate your current situation.

• The tactical view (F 7) shows you another battle view from farther away and at a different angle. Neither battle nor tactical view may be activated unless you are being attacked by enemy ships.

• The missile camera view (F 8) keeps a missile in its sights after it has been launched, following it to its target. This perspective provides you with a dramatic view of the effectiveness of your deadly weapons loadout.

• You may toggle through tailing views for several different ships by pressing F 9 repeatedly. The tailing view provides you with a chase plane view for all ships in the area.

If you wish to return to the front view screen, hit F 1.

Radar Display

A D A RSC R E E N

The circular screen in your cockpit is a radar display. This screen does not indicate distance to a particular ship. Instead, the six sections of the display show you how far you must rotate to be able to see that ship through your front view screen. While this is the single most important screen in your cockpit, it may sometimes also be the least intuitive. Use your experience in the simulator to become an expert at radar interpretation. In space combat, your ability to evaluate the provided radar information may save your life.

Objects detected by your radar system are displayed as dots. A dot in the outer ring tells you your enemy is behind you. The innermost ring indicates the position of ships ahead of you. The other four sections place the detected object alongside, above or below you.

The dots on your radar are color coded:

• red indicates an enemy ship

• blue indicates a friendly fighter

• gray indicates the friendly space station

• yellow indicates an ejected pilot, data capsule or enemy missile streaking toward you

Top Vi e w

Side Vi e w

Epee

Radar Display

Epee

Left VDU (Visual Display Unit)

Damage Status. From time to time, the left VDU shows a profile of your fighter and its current status. When you begin taking damage, this profile appears on your left VDU along with a message indicating which system was damaged or destroyed. Pressing D also brings up a damage report, indicating how seriously your ship has been hit. Undamaged components appear in green, while damaged systems are displayed in red, along with an identification of the affected system.

Weapons. You can call up your weapons display by pressing W or G on the keyboard of your sim- ulator console. The text on the screen tells you which guns and weapon systems are currently active. One type of gun and one weapons system can always be active at the same time. With the

FULL GUNS

is located and which are damaged or missing. If you press W repeatedly, the simulator cycles you through available weapons systems (missiles, torpedoes, chaff pods). Typing A cockpit keyboard at any time during flight releases chaff pods into space. Pressing G allows you to see the different possible guns. (Weapons of the Terran and Kilrathi Fleets lists “guns;” all other systems are accessed through W.) With the giving you maximum firepower. However, this option also consumes power at an alarming rate, so it should be used sparingly.

Note: The F e r r e t is the most primitive patrol fighter in the simulator and has no left VDU in its cockpit. Pressing W, Gor D will have no effect in this ship.

option, all guns are active simultaneously. The ship profile displays where each weapon

L T

- E

N T E R

on your

FULL GUNS

option, all guns are fired simultaneously,

Right VDU

The right VDU displays important information essential to the successful completion of a mission.

Communication Screen

Pressing C on the keyboard brings up the Communications screen, which shows you your communication options. These options include such important actions as giving your wingman orders or taunting the enemy. C also clears incoming communication messages from the VDU screen. V toggles between enabling or suppressing the video that accompanies incoming communication.

Targeting Screen

When you fire your ship’s guns, the Targeting Screen appears automatically, indicating the status of the ship you are currently targeting. This screen can also be brought up by pressing T on your keyboard.

Note: The center VDU in the F e r r e t functions as the right VDU.

A rmor and Shields Indicators

Displays on the screen of your cockpit indicate the status of your ship’s shields and armor. These protective devices diminish with increasing damage to the ship. Shields gradually regenerate unless the shield generator has been destroyed. Once shields have been penetrated, armor begins taking damage. Unlike shields, armor cannot regenerate.

Fuel Indicator

This display tells you how much fuel you have. Using your afterburners may well be the best strategy to extricate yourself from a dangerous situation or zero in on the enemy, but your afterburners also expend a great amount of fuel.

Speed Indicator

The speed indicator consists of two gauges. “Set Speed” indicates the speed your fighter tries to maintain on its own (comparable to the cruise control in a car). “KPS” shows the ship’s current speed in kilometers/second. Press + to increase your speed. To slow down, press – . (If you are fly- ing your mission using a joystick or mouse, please refer to the Reference Card for the equivalent commands.) If you need to ignite your afterburners, press T

A B

, double-click joystick button #2 or double-click the right mouse button. The longer you press, the longer they will remain active. However, don’t forget that they require an enormous amount of fuel.

Blaster Indicator

This gauge indicates the power level of your ship’s active guns. If you use your guns frequently, the power level of the gun capacitors tends to diminish. Neutron guns, reaper cannon and particle cannon use up blaster power more quickly than laser cannon or mass drivers, so use them with caution. The

F U L L G U N S

option depletes your blaster power even more quickly. Your guns will not fire at all if you (temporarily) run out of power — you have to wait until the capacitors have at least partially recharged. A gun’s power regeneration is slower if your shields are regenerating at the same time.

Eject Wa rn i n g

If your fighter has sustained significant damage, the eject warning light will begin to flash. At this point you must assess the situation and decide whether or not to abandon ship. If you decide to keep fighting, your ship will probably “explode,” with you in it. The ramifications are much more severe in real life than in the trainer — don’t get in the habit of ignoring the eject warning just because you can safely do so in the simulator.

If you eject (by pressing C

T R L

-E ), the flight simulation will end and you will find yourself seated at

the simulator console ready to fly a new mission. In real life, however, you would probably have to suffer a tongue-lashing, disciplinary action, a reduction in rank or even capture. On the other hand, you would probably also live to see another day. The choice is yours.

Gauntlet Mode

During a gauntlet run, typing S on your cockpit keyboard will command the TCSN simulator to show your current score, level and wave on your right VDU. In this way, you can keep track of your kills even during the simulation.

Other Cockpit Commands

Music and Sound Effects. Should you decide you want to activate or deactivate music or sound effects during your simulation, don’t interrupt your space-flight. Typing C toggle on and off music and sound effects, respectively.

P a u s e . If the action gets too hot or the outside world intrudes, press P to pause the game. Press any key or button to resume play.

E x i t . If your time in the simulator is up or you want to interrupt your flight for some other reason, you can deactivate the simulator and return to the DOS area immediately by typing A

Change Speed. If ships in the simulator are too fast for you, press A frame rate. If they are too slow, press A

L T

- – to increase the frame rate.

T R L

-M and C

L T

- + to slow the simulator’s

T R L

L T

- X.

-S w i l l

IN-FLIGHT SYSTEMS

Ta rgeting System

When the Targeting System is activated by pressing T, your Targeting screen displays a profile of the ship you have targeted, as well as any damage the target has already suffered.

When the targeting feature is active, one ship in your view screen will automatically be targeted. Red brackets indicate an enemy ship. Friendly ships will be bracketed in blue. Even if there is more than one ship visible through your front view screen, brackets will only appear around one ship. Press T repeatedly to toggle through the different ships in sight and select your desired target.

Your targeting system automatically locks onto ships that appear through your view screen, providing you with a tracking mechanism that keeps an enemy ship in its sights. If you press Lwhile a target is in your view screen, your targeting system will continue tracking the ship even if it disappears from view, allowing you (for example) to keep track of a particular ship you’ve already damaged. A perpetually locked target is indicated by a solid box instead of brackets. This targeting lock just keeps track of the position of various ships around you. It does not correspond to the locking system automatically used by an active missile to lock onto a target within a certain range before it is launched.

I m p roved Ta rgeting and Tracking System (ITTS)

Many of the more sophisticated fighters employ the ITTS, a system that calculates how much you must lead your target in order to maximize your chance of a hit. When you lock onto a target while flying a ship with an ITTS, a red cross appears on the screen. If you line this cross up inside your main crosshairs, you are much more likely to hit your target. The F e r r e t and R a p i e r are not equipped with ITTS.

Tractor Beam System

To activate the tractor beam system (if you have one), go to your rear turret. Hit G to cycle through your guns until the tractor beam is selected. Once you have selected the tractor beam, a solid yellow box automatically appears around any retrievable object (a data capsule or an ejected pilot) within range. To activate the tractor beam, hit the fire button on your mouse, joystick or keyboard. Be sure

that you have selected the tractor beam, not an actual gun, before firing!

Autopiloting System

To shorten the length of travel from nav point to nav point, you will normally want to engage the autopilot feature. The autopilot activates only if there are no hazards such as enemy ships, mines or asteroids in the area. When the coast is clear, press A to activate autopilot and there are still hazards in the area, the autopilot function will not activate.

Autopilot disengages a few thousand meters from your destination, or any time there is a threat n e a r b y .

A U T O

will light. If

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