Manual

Pioneer is a space adventure game set in the Milky-way galaxy at the turn of the 31st century. The game is open-ended, and you are free to explore the millions of star systems in the game. You can land on planets, slingshot past gas giants, and burn yourself to a crisp flying between binary star systems.

This work-in-progress manual provides a brief overview of the game.

Main menu

• Quick Load: Loads the game you saved using quick save (ctrl+F9)
• Start at Earth: You start the game in the Solar system, on Earth, at London Spaceport with an outfitted Sinonatrix. It can be considered an easy start. Sol is the capitol of the Solar Federation
• Start at New Hope: You start in Epsilon Eridani, the capitol of the Commonwealth of Independend Worlds. Your Pumpkinseed stands on Itzalean Spaceport on New Hope. This is a bit more difficult starting point than Earth. Itzalean is in an area of frequent solar eclipses.
• Start at Barnard's Star: You start on the dock of High Security Prison Tranquility, orbiting Barnard's Star, not far from Sol. You have a poorly outfitted Xylophis, so you can consider it a difficult start.
• Load Game: You can load previously saved games here. Saves created with older versions of Pioneer might not load. This usually happens when some mayor thing changes in the game.
• Options: you can access Pioneer's Settings Menu. You can set up graphics, controls, volumes or language for example.
• Quit: Exit the game.
• Build: this number is the build of the game you are running. Basically a version number, useful for reporting bugs for example.

Flight

Flight physics in Pioneer is Newtonian, which means there's no arbitrary limit to speed, orientation or position. The ships don't slow down in space, until it actively thrusts in the opposite direction it's flying. Or hits something. Ship acceleration depends on ship mass and engine thrust. Speed only have a meaning relative to something, so you have to pick a point of reference. This is automatic, based on the distance to the bodies. You can reach very high speeds compared to what we are used to here on the face of a planet. On the magnitude of thousands of km/s.

There's an aided flight mode which compensates for the drifting in the vacuum of space, called Set Speed mode. It tries to maintain a set speed to the direction the ship is facing, using the maneuvering thrusters. The performance of this aid varies ship to ship, and the cargo load could also have an impact on it.

Ships in the game are quite powerful in terms of acceleration, cargo and delta-v capacity compared to real spacecrafts. It's entirely possible to travel to the edge of a star system even with the smallest shuttle. It will just take significantly more time.

Gravity is simulated on a two-body level. You can orbit any planet or moon, but only the closest body's gravity affects your ship. This is the same body you measure your speed to. This also means that you have to take the planets gravity into account when you are flying close to it, landing, or taking off. You can also use this to your advantage to alter your course using less fuel for example. Distances are realistic, so space travel can take several days or even weeks in a large system. Time could be accelerated up to 10000 times to shorten travel for the player. This doesn't correspond with any device or technology in the game universe though. It's just a UI/Gameplay feature.

Flight UI

When you pick your starting point, you will get behind the controls of your ship.

There are several things on the flight UI:

• Prograde marker: The direction you are flying relative to the point of reference,
• Speed relative to reference body: The speed of the ship relative to the point of reference ("System" in this example).
• Prograde marker & speed (target): Direction and speed of the ship relative to the target (which itself moves around a star for example)
• Target: The target, selectable by using the Left Mouse Button. You can set any system object as the point of reference with Ctrl+Left Mouse
  • Distance to target: Shows the distance to the selected object. The unit is km for shorter distances and AU for large.
• Speed lines: A visual aid showing the direction and speed of motion.
• Fuel reserve: The % amount of fuel (propellant really) the tanks contain. You can refill is during flight using the Info View screen (F3).
• Scanner: Scanner display which shows nearby contacts. Only works if the ship has a Scanner equipped. This area also shows any messages you receive, like completion or failure of a mission for example.
• Dashboard:
  • Time and time acceleration:
    
    • Shows the current date and time.
    • The Pause, Play, and Fast Forward buttons can be used to speed up time to shorten long trips. Or to wait for better missions or ships on a station. Maximum level of time acceleration might be restricted, especially in the vicinity of stations or planets. Pressing the pause again while paused brings up the settings.
    • This restriction could be overridden by holding ctrl when activating it. Use this with caution, because it could easily wreck your ship.
  • Screens:
    
    • These buttons provide access to certain screens like Info View or Maps. You can also use the corresponding F-keys to access them. From left to right:
    • View (F1): Switches between internal and external views. You can switch back to these views from any other screen using this button or key.
    • Maps (F2): Sector and System Map and System information screens. You can plan your trip here.
    • Info (F3): Information screens, about the ship, the player, missions, cargo and crew.
    • Comms, Station screen (F4): Opens communications and autopilot controls during flight or Station Screen while docked to a spaceport.
  • Controls:
    
    • These are flight related controls, corresponding F-keys could be used also.
    • Flight Mode (F5): Switches between Set Speed and Manual flight mode.
      Also switches off the autopilot or could be used to undock or take off.
    • Landing gear (F6): Rises or lowers the landing gear (undercarriage).
    • Hyperdrive (F7): Engages hyperdrive. Needs a reachable hyperspace target selected on the Sector Map, and enough fuel for the trip.
    • Low Thrust (F8): Sets the percentage of low thrust (Thrusting while holding Left Shift)
    • It also displays the desired speed in Set Speed flight mode. The small button next to the text toggles rotation damping.
    • 
      These are controls for Scanner mode, Missile firing and ECM respectively.

Flight controls

A brief summary of flight controls. A more detailed list can be found at Keyboard and mouse controls.

• Orientation:
  • W, S: Pitch
  • A, D: Yaw
  • Q, E: Roll
  • R: toggle rotation damping
  • Right mouse button: hold to activate mouse control
• Movement:
  • I, K: Forward and backward thrust
  • J, L: Side thrust
  • U, O: Up and down thrust
• Left Shift: use lower thrust
• F8 : Set low thrust percetangle

• F5: change flight mode, or undock, takeoff
  • Manual flight: everything is manual
  • Set Speed Mode: the ship tries to maintain the set speed in the direction the ship is looking. Using the thrusters override it temporarily
    • Return: Increase speed
    • Right Shift: Decrease speed
• F6: toggle landing gear
• F7: Engage hyperdrive
• Weapons:
  • Space: Fire cannon
  • M: Fire missile

Map

This is where navigation takes place. You can open the Map view with the F2 key or the button on the dashboard.

There are several maps you can use.
You can reach them by using their F-key, or the button on the right side of the dashboard. If you come back to the map view you will return to the map screen you were at when you switched to another view. Orbital Map and System info shows the information of the system which is selected on the Sector map.

Sector Map

The sector map shows the stars in the galaxy, and you can plot your hyperspace route here, or you can just hunt for interesting systems for later visits.

The map is divided to 8 light year cubes called sector. Each sector has a coordinate on each axis, and the 0,0,0 point is Sol. The galaxy is not a flat disk, you can travel quite far on all three axes before you reach the edge of it. Map view UI:

• Current system: The system you are currently in, with sector coordinates and a brief info about it. The button next to it centers the view on it.
• Hyperspace target: The system selected as hyperspace target. Shows the coordinates, distance, needed fuel and travel time needed to reach it, and a brief info about it. It can be locked with Space bar, that way it stays as target even if another system is selected.
• Selected system: Shows the same info as Hyperspace target if that's not locked. If locked, it shows the same info for the selected system. Useful for system comparison or travel planning.
• Map view settings:
  • Draw vertical lines: draws a vertical line from the stars to the plane of the map to show the height relative to that plane. Clarifies system positions a bit. It only shows for systems in range.
  • Label out-of-range systems: Toggles label display for systems that are out of range. The map only shows labels for systems in range by default, so it's a useful option if you look for a specific system for example.
  • Label uninhabited systems: Toggles label display for systems that are uninhabited (no settlements, spaceports).
• Hypersace range: the map draws a transparent sphere to show which systems are in jump range. Jump range depends on hyperdrive class, fuel on board and the total mass of the ship.
• View position: On the lower left corner, distance and coordinate data are displayed regarding to the current view.

Map controls:

• Translation: You can move around on the sector map using the arrow keys and Page Up and Page Down for vertical (forward/backward) movement. Movement is based on the view rotation.
• Rotation: The view can be rotated with the W A S D keys, or with holding the Right Mouse button.
• Zoom: You can zoom with the + and - keys, or with the Mouse wheel, or using the two buttons on the top right.
• Faster controls: Holding Shift speeds up movement and zoom. Use Right Shift for smaller speedup and Left Shift for quite fast movement.
• Selecting system: Moving around on the map will automatically select the system closest to the center of the view. You can also select any system with the mouse.
  • Lock selection: You can lock your selection as the hyperspace target with the Space bar. This allows for selecting another system to plan a route, or could be useful for comparing systems.
  • Center: Pressing C centers the view on the system you are in. G centers on Selected system and H centers on the Hyperspace target.
• Reset view: R resets view rotation, and zoom.
• Search: You can type in the name of the system to the Search field on the lower right and it will select the system if it can be found. Note that it doesn't search the entire system, only in a few tens of sectors range. You can also enter coordinates to move the map to any area.
• Tab: Switches the left side info panel to faction filter.

Zooming out far

Zooming out far switches to an overview that only shows color-coded dots for systems based on faction, and brings up the faction filter to the right where you can hide any faction. Map controls are the same as before.

Info View

You can access various information by pressing F3, or the Info View button on the dashboard.

Ship Information

Shows information regarding your spaceship

• Hyperdrive & Hyperspace range

The class of hyperdrive installed on the ship. Higher class hyperdrives are heavier, but can jump to greater distances. Common hyperdrives consume Hydrogen, which can be bought on stations, or could be scooped from the atmosphere of gas giants, if the ship has a Fuel Scoop installed.

Military Drives are generally faster, but they use Military fuel, which is more expensive, harder to obtain. Military drives turn fuel into Radioactives you need to get rid of.

Current Hyperspace range is displayed based on ship mass and the amount of fuel in the cargo hold. You can see the theoretical maximum range shown in brackets.

• Mass data
  • Weight empty: Dry mass of the ship, without any cargo or propellant.
  • Capacity used: Used and available cargo and equipment capacity of the ship.
  • Fuel weight: Amount of propellant, and the maximum capacity of the tanks. Propellant is Water. Tanks are refilled upon docking or landing on a station, if the player has enough money ($1-6 usually). It's possible to buy extra Water in the Commodity Market for in-flight refill.
  • All-up weight: Sum of hull, cargo and propellant mass.
• Weapons

Cannons installed on front and rear facing hard-point.

• Fuel & Delta-v

Propellant and delta-v reserves. Delta-v shows, how much speed change can be done using the propellant in the tanks. Generally, more delta-v means faster in-system travel.

For a brachistochrone transfer (accelerating halfway, then decelerating) you can use up half of the delta-v. If you exceed that, then you will be unable to stop your ship. It's useful to save a good amount of delta-v (about 500-1000 km/s) for course corrections and landing.

Delta-v display doesn't take additional Water in the cargo hold into account, so refilling can increase it. Ship mass can also change delta-v capability dramatically.

• Accelerations

Shows the acceleration the ship is capable with it's current load. Displayed both in m/s^2 and Gee. A ship with higher acceleration will feel faster, especially around station. It affects travel times less then delta-v.

If Up acceleration is higher then the gravity of the planet, then the ship might not be able to take off or land, especially using the autopilot.

Acceleration increases while the ship uses it's propellant, and can be further increased by jettisoning cargo. Selling cargo or equipment can help too.

• Crew

Minimum crew shows the needed head count to fly the ship (currently ignored). Crew cabin shows the crew capacity of the craft.

Crew can control the ship, engage the enemy or repair damages. Each crew member has strengths and weaknesses, their abilities improve by time.

• Equipment

Shows the list of installed equipment.

Personal Information

Shows information about your character. Currently only rank and combat ratings are available.

You can also change your name and gender. Face can be changed here too.

Economy & Trade

Shows the contents of the cargo hold in detail, and allows in-flight refueling. You can find the list of cargo in your hold, and you can jettison any of them here. Refueling transfers 1t of Water to the propellant tanks, if there's available. Available and occupied cabin space can be checked here too.

Missions

Shows information about accepted missions.

Crew Roster

You can access information of your crew. You can issue commands to them here too.

Station view

Access this menu with F4 or the comms icon on the dash board.

BBS

You will find misisons of all sorts here. Keep in mind that some might not be suited for your ship in terms of distance and deadline. Some missions are in-system, and will not require any hyperdrive, but will in turn pay less.

Some stations have private black market goods dealers, although some might be undercover police. You can also hire new crewmembers if you are in need. Make sure to have good candidates on the BBS before buying a new ship.

If no mission suits you, then something new might pop up over time.

Shipyard

Buy sell ships.

Police

If you have any fines you need to pay them or else risk getting shot down by agry law enforcement.