The Navigation Console - EM Expansion

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Marvin
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The Navigation Console - EM Expansion

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Section I. Navigating 3-Dimensional Space


A. In-Sector Navigation. When you first start the game, you'll probably find yourself in a star system called Sapphire. Upon opening the Navigation Console (F1 is the default key), this is what you might see:

Image
Figure 1


The Console is divided into sections. In the upper-left is your current position. The X, Y and Z coordinates (highlighted by a red box, Figure 1) are your "in-sector" coordinates. They define your 3-dimensional location within the big square ... which is called a sector.

Right now, your ship is placed very close to the trade station ... the station's icon making it difficult to see your own location. So, let's start this tutorial by moving away from all objects ... while remaining in the same sector. You do that by left-clicking on wherever it is you want to go. Like so:

Image
Figure 2


Notice that, when you left-click, a white X is plotted over the place you want to go (see Figure 2). If you switch back to cockpit view (F1) and turn your ship to align the nose with the white X seen on radar (the middle screen on the console), the yellow NAV marker (displayed on your HUD) will be centered.

Image
Figure 3


Even with a Class 1 jumpdrive, you can reach any navigation point within the same sector by pressing default F2 ('though I strongly suggest you re-map that key to a location on the keyboard which is far away from F1 and F3).

After jumping, the navigation map should look something like this:

Image
Figure 4


Destination coordinates are located in the windows to the right of your Current Position (Figure 4). Because you've just now jumped to your destination, the current and destination coordinates should almost match. Due to drift after exiting hyperspace, they probably won't match exactly ... but they'll be close.

Whenever you left-click to set a navigation point, the destination coordinates will change accordingly. So far, you've only made changes to the map while it's in the top (overhead) view. For 3-dimensional navigation, you also need to use the rear (side) view.

To the right of the map is a button currently labeled "Rear View" (see Figure 4) ... left-click on it to swap over to the rear view. (Yes, the button is now labeled "Top View" but that's because it always displays whichever option is next.) After the flip, your map should look something like this:

Image
Figure 5


Notice the destination windows in Figure 5. Your Y coordinate is currently reading zero (or thereabouts). That's because, when you set that first nav point, you only used the top view ... and the top view only sets a jump point along the horizontal (X and Z) coordinates.

You can adjust your position in the vertical by left-clicking while in the "Rear View" mode of the 3-dimensional map. When you do, the Y coordinate in the destination windows will change accordingly ... like so:

Image
Figure 6


Jumping to the new nav point will then offset your current position in the vertical.


B. Sector Navigation. Besides in-sector coordinates, the Current Position and Destination Position windows display sector coordinates. If you haven't already done so, click on the "Top View" button to switch the 3-D map back to an overhead view.

Three boxes are located directly to the left of the map. Two buttons, close together in the top box, allow you to zoom the map in and out (see Figure 6). At the bottom of the next box down, the current zoom range is displayed ... and it should now be showing a zoom factor of 1X (Figure 6).

Click twice on the "Zoom Out" button to extend the range to 3X ... giving you this view of the map:

Image
Figure 7


Now, here's where many new pilots get into trouble. Or, rather, where they get confused, thinking there's a bug in the map.

Usually, you can set a nav point for any of the objects displayed on the map by right-clicking on the object. For example, place your cursor over the purple icon at the far left edge of the map and right-click. This is what should then happen:

Image
Figure 8


The map has zoomed in on the object. If you right-click on it again, it will set a nav point directly to the object. Like so:

Image
Figure 9


Make note of the destination coordinates. Not only have the in-sector coordinates changed, so has the X sector (SX) coordinate (see Figure 9). That's because each big square represents one sector ... and you've set a nav point that's two sectors due west, which is along the X axis. If you had, instead, clicked on the star icon one sector due north of your current location (see Figure 7), the SZ coordinate would've changed. And, if you'd clicked on the far-right asteroid icon, both the SX and SY coordinates would've changed. (Go ahead, zoom out and give it a try.)

Now zoom back out to 3X ... and try the same operation on the white station icon at the bottom-left of the map in Figure 7. When you do, this is what you'll see:

Image
Figure 10


Nothing. No icons. Just blank space.

Once again, zoom out to 3X and left-click on that white station icon to put your navigation point somewhere within the station's sector. Then click on the "Rear View" button to flip the 3-D map. When you do, this is what you should see:

Image
Figure 11


Notice where your nav point is located: in the proper position ... but only in the horizontal. Why? Because the actual destination is one whole sector above everything else (including your ship). Check the destination sector coordinates in Figure 11. SX and SZ are in the ballpark but the SY coordinate is still set to zero.

You can only set the Y and SY coordinates when the map is in the rear view (unless you do it manually). And you cannot right-click to zoom in while in the rear view. So, left-click anywhere in the station's sector (indicated by the red arrow) to set the SY coordinate. Like so:

Image
Figure 12


Now SY is set to the proper vertical coordinate (in this case, SY=1). Switch back to the top view and right-click to zoom in on the correct sector.

Image
Figure 13


Right-clicking again will center the nav point over your intended target.


C. A Word Of Caution. When using the jumpdrive to get to a navigation point, do not use the Alt key in conjunction with the jumpdrive key (default F2). The combination Alt+F2 is only used in emergencies; it ignores the current nav point and, instead, sets a new nav point to a location directly in front of your nose at the maximum distance of your current jump drive.


Section II. Traveling Via Autopilot


A. In-Sector Hyperjumping. Whenever a navigation point is beyond the range of your current jump drive, use autopilot. If your destination is in the same sector, you have the option to use either autopilot or your jump drive.

If employing autopilot within your current sector, the jumpdrive is not engaged. The ship travels at whatever maximum velocity is set via the IDS multiplier. The multiplier is increased or decreased using the default Numpad 7 and 9 keys and the current setting is displayed in the IDS window on the left side status monitor (see Figure 14). When engaged, the autopilot will turn toward your current nav point and automatically throttle up to maximum IDS velocity.

Image
Figure 14


Using the jump drive is almost always faster for in-sector travel. Unless, of course, you're either very close to your destination ... or you've accidentally discarded the jump drive.


B. Hyperjumping Between Sectors. When using the autopilot to travel long distances, your current jump drive is employed until the destination is reached. The navigation computer will calculate the maximum distance of each jump (depending on the class of your jumpdrive) and plot waypoints, one after another, until the ship is within range of your destination coordinates.

There are a number of ways to get get coordinates, some of which are: (1) pick them off the quadrant map; (2) copy them from a chat message; (3) find an out-of-game source.

Usually, when a pilot wanders away from populated space, the easiest way to find coordinates back to civilization is to use the quadrant map. Left-click on the "Quadrant" button, located in the lower box to the right of the map.

Image
Figure 15


The map looks like this:

Image
Figure 16


A light-green arrow (in top view) or dot (rear view) signifies you current location on the map. Use your plotted location to determine which star system is closest.

Since your destination is probably beyond the maximum zoom range of the navigation map, you'll need to enter coordinates manually (see Figure 17). Luckily, most star systems are on or near the galactic equator (where SY=0) ... which is why only the SX and SZ coordinates are displayed on the quadrant map (below the name of the corresponding system). To enter coordinates manually, click on the destination SX and SZ windows, type in the coordinates and press Enter. In the example shown in Figure 15, a pilot has drifted beyond range of Sapphire. Using the quadrant map, our pilot sees that the coordinates back to Sapphire are (0,0) ... and enters a zero in both the SX and SZ windows.

Image
Figure 17


C. Exception To The Rule. If you accidentally used the Alt key to initiate a jump (see Section I.C) and you were pointed up or down at the time, then it's likely you'll find yourself somewhere off the galactic equator (SY=0) when you exit hyperspace. In such a situation, simply change the destination sector coordinate for SY to zero before engaging autopilot.


D. Helpful Hints. There are a few tricks to optimizing the trip so that you get to your destination in the shortest time, using the least amount of fuel.
  • 1. Install the best possible jump drive. There are five classes of jump drive, the Fulcrum C1 through C5. The class number corresponds to the maximum number of sectors your ship can travel in a single jump. There is also an experimental jump drive, called the Mantis, which can traverse up to ten sectors at a time. Your jump drive can be installed in any available equipment slot.

    Image
    Figure 18


    2. Divert maximum power from your shields to energy. The PWR window on the console readout (left side of cockpit) can be adjusted using the default left and right bracket keys. You want them to read "-5S/5W" ... a setting which will re-energize your jump drive the fastest.

    Image
    Figure 19


    3. Turn toward your navigation point.

    4. Engage inertial mode by pressing the default space bar. When in inertial mode, the IDS readout will change from "IDS" to "INERTIAL" ... and the ship will maintain a set speed instead of burning additional fuel in an attempt to come to a full stop after each jump.

    Image
    Figure 20


    5. Engage autopilot by clicking on the "Auto" button located in the upper portion of the HUD (to the left of the compass).

    Image
    Figure 21


    6. Open the Navigation Console, zoom all the way out, and monitor your progress. Be ready to disengage autopilot should a jump point place you at or near a solid object.
E. A Word Of Caution. If you think you're already near a star system (and, consequently, near one or more solid objects), you might contemplate calling up the navigation map prior to initiating that first jump. You can then engage autopilot either through the keyboard (default Alt+F) or by clicking on the "Autopilot" button located on the left side of the Navigation Console.

Image
Figure 22


With autopilot engaged, the "Autopilot" button disappears and the "Form With Target" button is replaced with a "Cancel Autopilot" button (Figure 23) ... click on that button to disengage autopilot. Otherwise your ship will either continue on course (not a good idea if your nav point is set to the center of a planet) or continually burn fuel as it strives to maintain position.

Image
Figure 23


Section III. Traveling Via Jumpgate


A. The Quadrant Map. To shorten travel time, many star systems are connected by jumpgates. The connections are depicted on the quadrant map as straight lines, indicating which systems are connected.

Image
Figure 24


Most star systems have more than one gate ... and Sapphire has many. Some of the gates only connect one sector of the same system to another sector ... and those connections are not shown on the quadrant map.


B. The Navigation Map. Known jumpgates (those not hidden) are plotted on the navigation map and, up close, the icon looks like this:

Image
Figure 25


When looking at the navigation map, you'll notice a number of different icons. In order to better identify only the jumpgates, left-click the "Text On" button.

Image
Figure 26


When you do, another button will appear below it ... click on that button to cycle through all the options until the button reads "Gates" ...

Image
Figure 27


... then click one more time so that only jumpgates are labeled.

Image
Figure 28


If you're in Sapphire and the map is zoomed out, labels will still overlap, making it difficult to find whichever gate you want. You can diminish that problem by clicking on the "Zoom Map" button (see Figure 28) which increases the size of the map like this:

Image
Figure 29


Each jumpgate label lists the sector coordinates of the gate, the exit coordinates and the exit point's closest star system.

Image
Figure 30


If a gate is within range of your jump drive, you can jump directly to it. Otherwise, use autopilot until you're within range. As with any object on the navigation map, if your ship is located on the same SY coordinate as the jumpgate, you can right-click on the icon to set a nav point directly to the gate.


C. Helpful Hint. To turn text labels off, click on the "Highlight" button. You can then view selected labels by placing your cursor over individual icons (as shown in Figures 9 and 13).


D. More Helpful Hints. There are tricks to quickly entering and exiting a jumpgate.
  • 1. All gates are oriented north-south. If you decide to jump to a gate, your ship will exit hyperspace facing the direction it was facing when you engaged the jump drive. Ergo, if you're heading either north or south (and your nose is on the horizon) when you jump, you'll be headed directly toward the gate when you exit hyperspace.

    Image
    Figure 31


    2. If you jump while pointed anywhere other than north or south, then you'll be offset to the left or right of the gate upon exiting hyperspace. If you jump with your nose pointed either up or down, then you'll find yourself either above or below the gate.

    3. If currently in hostile territory, you'll want to maintain inertial speed and make use of afterburner to get through the gate as quickly as possible.

    4. If the gate takes you into hostile territory, you'll still want to maintain inertial speed ... making quick use of afterburner. Then, in all due haste, open the Navigation Console, plot a nav point to the next jumpgate (or to some less-inhabited area of space) and engage your jump drive.

    5. If traversing from one gate to another, usually you need not adjust your heading or pitch. Whenever you exit a gate, your heading will almost always be zero (north) and your pitch will be also be zero (on the horizon).
Section IV. Miscellaneous Buttons and Options


A. The "Form With Target" Button. Allows you to fly in formation with any non-hostile target. An entire flight of ships can form up in trail with one another and remain in formation through multiple hyperjumps and long trips across the entire Evoverse ... leastwise, until the lead ship uses a jumpgate. Once somebody in the flight decides on who follows whom, forming up is easy.
  • 1. Target the intended ship. Once locked into your computer, the target's data readout will be displayed in the monitor on the right.

    Image
    Figure 32


    2. Click on the "Form With Target" button (see Figure 32) ... and enjoy the ride.

    Image
    Figure 33


    3. To disengage from your target, click on the "Cancel Form With Target" button.

    Image
    Figure 34
B. The "Launch" Button. Executes a jump through hyperspace to any navigation point within range of your jumpdrive. Use this button instead of the "Jump" button on the HUD (see Figure 33, button on left side of compass) if you decide to leave the navigation map open when initiating a jump.

Image
Figure 35


C. The "Set Loc" Button. Sets your destination coordinates to match those of your current location. After clicking on this button, the numbers in the Destination Position windows should be the same as those in your Current Position window.

Image
Figure 36


D. The Cursor Readout. Whenever the cursor is hovering over part of the navigation map, you'll get a readout of the cursor position. Both in-sector and sector coordinates are listed in the middle box on the left side of the map. You can test it out by moving the cursor around the map and watching the coordinates change. Whenever the cursor is moved outside the map's borders, that part of the box is blank.

Image
Figure 37


E. The FD Range and Distance Window. FD stands for fulcrum drive. The number underneath the "FD Range" header indicates the maximum range of your currently installed drive (either Fulcrum or the experimental Mantis). In the example below (Figure 38), the maximum range is two sectors (2S) which equates to 400,000 subsectors (400K). The number under the "Distance" header indicates the distance from your ship to the current nav point. In the example, that equates to four sectors (4S) or a total of 896,000 sub-sectors (896K).

Image
Figure 38


F. The "Ping" Button. This button is a multiplayer option for sending your current in-sector position to other players. Whenever you click on "Ping" it places a green box at your current location (see Figure 39). Other players will see your location as a small green dot if you carry a clan tag and the other players satisfy the following conditions.
  • 1. They also have a clan tag.

    2. They have you set as a friendly. To set as a friendly, any member of a different clan must do the following:
    • Target your ship.
    • Press the default Numpad minus key.
    3. They're in the same sector.
Members of your own clan can also see your green dot on the Quadrant map, making it possible for members of the same clan to track one another throughout the mapped part of the Evoverse.

Image
Figure 39


G. The "Map Log" Button. Calls up a list of saved locations. When you first start playing Mercenary, the log is empty ... it's up to you to add whatever entries you deem worth saving (see Section IV.H). Log entries are numbered and those numbers (along with a small blue x) are displayed on the navigation map.

Image
Figure 40


Once you have something listed, you can then click on the "Map Lob" button to call up the log (Figure 40) and left-click on your saved location to set a nav point in the Destination Position windows. Right-click on an entry to delete it from the log.

Image
Figure 41


Click on the "Nav Map" button to return to the navigation map.

Image
Figure 42


H. The "Add to Log" Button. Use this option to add destination coordinates for places of interest or as a quick reference to locations which are otherwise hard to find. Click on the button to make an entry to the log.

Image
Figure 43


When you click on the button, the map switches to an entry line where you can type in the description for any location currently set in the destination windows (Figure 44). You do not need to type the coordinates ... after you press the Enter key, the log takes your description and automatically appends it. It also adds a log number and blue x to the navigation map (see Figure 40).

Image
Figure 44


Note: Often, a location you want to save will be one you've flown to manually. In such a situation, it's likely your destination coordinates are not co-located with your current position. Be sure to either set a nav point (see Sections I.A and I.B) or use the "Set Loc" button (see Section IV.C) prior to adding the entry to your log.


I. The "Enable DC" Button. DC stands for distress call. To see distress calls listed in chat and hear the alarm, click on the button (Figure 45). If you only want the distress calls to show up in chat, click on the button again to mute the alarm. If, at some point, you no longer want to receive distress calls, click on the button one more time.

Image
Figure 45


J. Map Arrows. With the map zoomed all the way in (Range: 1X), there are two ways to move the map from sector to sector. The first is to click on the blue arrows located along the each side of the map ... this method advances the map one sector at a time.

Image
Figure 46


K. The "Slide Mode" Button. The second way is by dragging the map incrementally. With the map range at 1X, the "Slide Mode" button appears in the bottom-right corner.

Image
Figure 47


Clicking on the button replaces the standard navigation map with the one shown in Figure 48. To slide the map around, hold down the left mouse button then use the cursor to drag the map in whatever direction you want.

Image
Figure 48


When you've found the sector you're looking for, click on the "Select Mode" button. The navigation map will return to its normal display ... but will still be centered on your selected sector.


L. The Navigation Map and Contracts. Whenever you accept a contract from someone at a trade station or city, the corresponding waypoint will automatically be plotted to your navigation map. On top of the waypoint will be a nav point.

Image
Figure 49


You can adjust the nav point so that, when you exit hyperspace, you'll enter the contract area somewhere other than its center (which is a good idea if the center turns out to be in the middle of combat with a hostile capital ship and its escort). But, once you approach the location of the contract, the waypoint will disappear. If, for some reason, you then move your nav point and jump away from the contract area (say, for example, to make repairs to your ship) then you'll probably need some method of finding your way back to the contract area. That would be the blue box.

Image
Figure 50


To quickly return to the contract area, do the following.
  • 1. While in top view on the map, set a nav point in the center of the box.

    2. Go to rear view and adjust your nav point, as required.

    3. Engage your jumpdrive.
Now you should find yourself back in the action, where you can complete the contract.


M. The Quadrant Map and Star System Specifications. Besides displaying jumpgate connections between mapped star systems, the quadrant map can also assist the pilot in other ways. With the standard quadrant map open, you then have the option to select either the territory map ...

Image
Figure 51


... or the economy map by clicking on the appropriate button.

Image
Figure 52


Of the two, the economy map is probably the most important. It displays the basic technology level of each star system. And the higher the technology level, the better the class of available equipment. For example, if you want to purchase that Class 5 Fulcrum jumpdrive, look for it at one of the trade stations or cities in a high-tech system.

N. Limitations On Building And Deploying. As you go about your day-to-day activity in the Evoverse, you'll eventually come across two equipment items which can help: (1) the build constructor and (2) the deploy constructor. Build constructors enable you to expand, hold and improve territory. Deploy constructors aid in combat, exploration and defense.

But there are limitations as to where you can use either type. Examine any of the screenshots of a single sector (Figure 2, for example) an you'll notice that the sector is divided into squares: four large squares in the center surrounded by twelve squares of the same size. Anything you wish to build or deploy must be situated within those four central squares. And only one of each type can be built in a sector. Additionally, when building trade stations, they must be situated at least two sectors apart.
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The Navigation Console - EM Expansion

Post by Nigel_Strange »

Beautifully done, Marvin, and a good public service.

I salute you.
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The Navigation Console - EM Expansion

Post by Marvin »

:cool: Thanks. If you see anything which has changed or is incorrect, post it here.
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The Navigation Console - EM Expansion

Post by Dingo »

From post: 152207, Topic: tid=10062, author=Marvin wrote::cool: Thanks. If you see anything which has changed or is incorrect, post it here.
Figure 2a subsection 15 is flat wrong.
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The Navigation Console - EM Expansion

Post by Marvin »

:cool: Where have you been hiding?
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The Navigation Console - EM Expansion

Post by Viper »

My god it's really him! :o
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The Navigation Console - EM Expansion

Post by Maarschalk »

LOL...;):P:P:P:P:P:P:cool:
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The Navigation Console - EM Expansion

Post by Pedrovasquez »

Excellent job ! Very helpfull for me !
Thanks !
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The Navigation Console - EM Expansion

Post by Busch »

Another SunRail gimmick Ding ? ;)

@Marv: Well done ! :) :cool::cool:

[Edited on 1-2-2013 by Busch]
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The Navigation Console - EM Expansion

Post by Maj. Tom »

Thanks for the info, Marvin. It's a big help to newbs like myself.
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The Navigation Console - EM Expansion

Post by Marvin »

:cool: No problem. As usual, though ... Vice has made changes to the graphics. And keeping up with his changes is a near impossibility. :o
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