RETURN TO SWITCHBOARD |
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1A. How to Play a Game |
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1B. How to
Host a Game |
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1. Introduction to
VGA Planets |
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7. Minefields
Sub-Menu |
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2. Race Information Sub-Menu |
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8. Combat
Sub-Menu |
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3. Friendly Codes Sub-Menu |
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9. Ion Storm
Sub-Menu |
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4. Planet Information Sub-Menu |
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10. Misc.
Information Sub-Menu |
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5. Starbase Information Sub-Menu |
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11. Strategy
and Strategy Guides |
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6. Ship Information Sub-Menu |
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12. Add-on
Information |
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INTRODUCTION TO VGA PLANETS: |
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What is VGA Planets: |
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VGA Planets is a DOS
driven, play by email war game created by Tim Wisseman circa 1990. |
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There is also a Windows
version which is compatible with the DOS version. |
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The game is a fairly
simple, space combat game with just a touch of economic stability to keep the
game real. |
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About VGA Planets: |
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Up to eleven Players,
each representing a different Race, vie for control of the galaxy, known as
the 'Echo Cluster'. |
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One person hosts the
game, while up to eleven others play the game. The Host will generate RST
files to send |
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out to the Players. The
Players do their turns and send back to the Host TRN files, which the Host
uses |
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to determine the results
of the turn. New RST files are generated and so on and so forth. |
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The game can be played
for free, using Shareware versions of the game, or it can be played with
Registered copies |
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of the game. The
Registered version allows the Players access to more advanced technology in
the game. |
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Since the Registered
file is on the Player's end, the game can be mixed, Registered and Shareware. |
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However, if this is the
case, the Registered users will have a substantial advantage. |
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If two Players both use
the same Registered version in the same game, they will be attacked by the
'Tim Continuum' |
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(That is, an anti-cheat
program built into the game). |
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All the information
needed to play the game is included in this Guide. (Hopefully) :
) |
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About the Game: |
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Each Player begins the
game with the following: a Homeworld, a Starbase (Hconfig), and 2 Freighters
(Hconfig). |
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Each Player represents
the leader of his/her Race. The Homeworlds are where each Player begins his
attempt |
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at galactic domination. |
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There are 500 Planets in
the galaxy and they are the central means to buidling an economy (and an
Empire). |
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The Homeworld will begin
with the following: |
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Colonists: used to
colonize other Planets and attack enemy Colonists. |
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Megacredits: used to
purchase just about everything in the game. It's money. |
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Supplies: used to build
just about everything in the game. |
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Mineral Mines: used to
extract Minerals from a Planet's core. |
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Factories: used to create
Supplies. |
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Defense Posts: used to
defend the Planet from invasion. |
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Minerals: there are 4
types of Minerals: |
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Neutronium is fuel for
Ships. |
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Duranium, Tritanium, and
Molybdenum are used for buiding Starbases and Ship Hulls and Ship Components. |
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Some Minerals will
already be mined and on the surface of the Planet ready to be used. |
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The bulk of the Minerals
will still be in the Planet's core and will need to be mined. |
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The Home Planet will be
the central Planet in a Player's empire for a long time, if not the entire
game. |
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Use the resources
available to expand your empire to other Planets to be able to use their
resources as well. |
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Each Planet can only
have 1 Starbase. Starbases are used to build Ships. |
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If the Homeworld does
not begin with a Starbase, build one as soon as possible. |
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If
the Homeworld does not begin with any Ships in orbit, build a Freighter as
soon as possible so you can |
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colonize new Planets. |
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Colonize
Planets by dropping Colonists and Supplies and Megacredits onto the Planet
from a Ship in orbit. Do not actually use the |
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Ship Mission 'Colonize'.
That Mission will destroy the Ship. Just drop the Cargo using transfer
commands. |
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Once a new Planet is
colonzied, build Factories for Supply production, Mineral Mines for Mineral
production, and |
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Defense Posts to keep
those nasty enemies away. |
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After you have built a
Planet's economy, build a Starbase at that you can build more Ships at that
Planet location. |
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The Starbase is
primarily used to build Ships, Fighters, and Weapons. |
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There can be only
1 Starbase in orbit of a Planet. |
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There are 4 technology
levels that each Starbase is capable of utilizing and they range from 1 to
10: |
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Ship Hulls: the higher
the Ship Hull level at a Starbase, the more unique Ships Hulls you will have
access to building. |
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Engines: all Ships
require Engines to move. The higher the tech level of Engines, the more fuel
efficient a Ship is. |
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Beam Weapons: the
primary weapon on most Ships. Generally, the higher the Beam tech, the more
damage it does. |
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Beams are also used to
Sweep away enemy Minefields. |
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Torpedo Tubes: similar
to Beams in that the higher the tech, the more powerful Torpedoes can be
built. |
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Torpedoes are also used
to create Minefields. The higher the Torp tech, the more Mines it can create. |
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Starbases also build
Fighters to be launched from Carrier Ships and Torpedoes to be launched from
Torpedo Ships. |
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Starbases can hold 60
Fighters for Planetary defense. |
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Starbases can also
repair damaged Ships, recycle old Ships that are outdated technologically,
and can force enemy Ships |
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to surrender and become
yours. |
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A Starbase can hold an
unlimited number of Ship Components in
storage. But it can only assemble one Ship per turn. |
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A Starbase can also
Clone an enemy Ship that you have captured, one that you would not normally
be able to build. |
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Ships are the essence of
VGA Planets. Without them, you will not be able to do much. |
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Ships are used to move
Colonists, Supplies, and Megacredits to new Planets for colonization. |
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Ships are used to combat
enemy Ships and Planets. |
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Ships are used to move
Minerals to Starbases to be used for building more Ships. |
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Some Ships have special
Abilities unique to that particular Ship and some Ships can perform actions
that are unique |
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to an individual Race. |
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There are several types
of Ships: |
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Freighters: are Ships
designed for hauling Minerals and Colonists. Freighters have no weapons. |
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Capital Ship: Capital
Ships are Ships that have at least 1 Beam, 1 Torpedo Tube, or 1 Fighter Bay. |
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Beam Ships: are Ships
that have at least one Beam Weapon. Generally, if a Beam Ship also has
Torpedo Tubes or |
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Fighter Bays, it is
referred to as a Torp Ship or Carrier. |
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Torpedo Ships: are Ships
that have Torpedo Tubes for launching Torpedoes. Most Torpedo Ships also have
Beam Weapons. |
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Carriers: are Ships that
have Fighter Bays for launching Fighters. Most Carriers also have Beam
Weapons. |
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NO SHIP CAN HAVE BOTH
TORPEDO TUBES AND FIGHTER BAYS. |
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Only Ships with Fighter
Bays can carry Fighters. |
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Only Ships with Torpedo
Tubes can carry Torpedoes. And then, they must be matching Torpedoes and
Tubes. |
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Only Ships with Torpedo
Tubes can create a Minefield. They can also recover a Minefield and convert
the Mines into Torpedoes. |
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Only Ships with Beam
Weapons can Sweep (destroy) a Minefield. |
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That's it! You now know
what to do in VGA Planets… |
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Colonize and
economically develop Planets to gain access to the resources of the Planet to
expand your empire. |
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Build more Starbases so
you can build more Ships every turn so you can use them to expand your
empire. |
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Build more Ships at your
Starbases so you can use them to move Colonists to new Planets to expand your
empire. |
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Build more Ships to
destroy your enemies' Ships and expand your empire. |
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Rape, Pillage, and
Plunder! Oh yes, and expand your empire! |
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Sounds easy doesn't it. |
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