TREK USERS MANUAL

Version 2.0 - January 1981

Description: TREK is a space game for up to eight players. It requires VT100s equipped with the Advanced Video Option.

Cliff Zimmerman
ML1-4/F16
Maynard, Mass
(617)493-6294

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 STARTUP SITUATION

3.0 STARSHIP BASICS

4.0 STARSHIP COMPONENTS
4.1 Warp Drive
4.2 Directional Computer
4.3 Targeting Computer
4.4 Sensors
4.5 Library Computer
4.6 Target List
4.7 Weapons

5.0 THE CONSOLE
5.1 The Viewer
5.2 The Message Area And Status Line
5.3 The Command Keypad

6.0 THE COMMANDS
6.1 Immediate Commands
6.2 Common Commands

7.0 APPENDIX A - SHIP ORIENTATION DIAGRAM

8.0 APPENDIX B - DESCRIPTION OF OBJECTS

9.0 APPENDIX C - DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VERSIONS 1.0 AND 2.0

1.0 INTRODUCTION

TREK is a space game for up to 8 players. It is designed for VT100 terminals that have the Advanced Video Option. Each player plays at a separate terminal logged into a separate job.

The game represents a battle between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire. The object is to drive the opposing side from the galaxy by capturing planets and destroying enemy bases and ships.

The first player to run the game selects either a tournament game or a random game. In tournament games the locations of objects are the same from run to run. To select a tournament game, enter a number from 1 to 9. Enter any other character to select a random game.

A list of ships in play is displayed, followed by a list of available ships. Select the ship you want to control by entering its initial.

If you attempt to enter the game when another player is starting up, you may be asked to stand by until the other player is finished.

2.0 STARTUP SITUATION

Each side begins with four starships and four starbases. The ships operate automatically until a player enters the game and takes control of one of them. The player retains control until he or she leaves the game or until the ship is destroyed.

Ships operating automatically perform normal ship functions. They may attack enemy ships, capture planets, and come to the aid of other ships. They may also attack enemy bases when their side controls more than eight planets.

The starbases serve as refueling points for the ships, as do captured planets. Bases and captured planets attack enemy ships and inform friendly ships when enemies are nearby.

Captured planets look for opportunities to rebel. The fewer bases and planets you control, the more likely your planets are to rebel.

3.0 STARSHIP BASICS

The ship you command is an object in three-dimensional space. You may rotate and move the ship anywhere in the galaxy.

The galaxy has no external reference grid. The location of an object in space is always given relative to the ship you command.

An object location is given as a bearing, an elevation, and a range. The bearing and elevation are simple spherical coordinates. Looking forward along the long axis of the ship, the bearing is the angle to the left or right (negative on the left, positive on the right) and the elevation is the angle up or down (negative is down, positive is TREK Version 2.0 Page 2

up). The range is the absolute distance from your ship to an object. See the diagram in Appendix A.

Each ship begins with 3000 units of ship energy and 2000 units of shield energy, although the total may be somewhat less at the time control is taken. Ship energy is expended when the ship is moved, when weapons are fired, or when energy is transferred from ship to ship. Shield energy is expended when the shields absorb hits from enemy weapons. The shields require at least 100 units of energy or they collapse. When shields are down the effect of enemy weapons is doubled. Energy loss continues until ship energy goes negative and the ship explodes.

Ships may be refueled at starbases or friendly planets. In emergencies energy may be transferred from ship to ship.

4.0 STARSHIP COMPONENTS

4.1 Warp Drive

The warp engines move the ship forward or backward. The distance moved depends upon the warp factor. Initially, the distance is equal to 2 to the power of the warp factor. Warp 0 moves the ship 1 unit, warp 9 moves the ship 512 units. You can change the distances associated with the warp factors.

The energy cost is computed in milliunits equal to the distance squared.

4.2 Directional Computer

The directional computer controls the orientation of the ship. It is activated whenever the ship is rotated. Changing the orientation of the ship changes the relative location of every other object in space.

4.3 Targeting Computer

The targeter controls, among other things, the direction of weapons fire and long range sensor scans. It is analogous to a gun turret that can be aimed in any direction relative to the ship. When the ship orientation changes the target orientation also changes, except when the target is locked on an object.

4.4 Sensors

The ship has short range sensors that scan in every direction and long range sensors that scan in the target direction.

4.5 Library Computer

The library computer maintains a catalog of the last known positions of objects. The library represents a pool of information shared by all of the ships on a side. Initially the library contains the locations of your starbases and the ships on your side. Thereafter any object scanned by the sensors is automatically cataloged into the library. Stars and planetary interceptors are not cataloged.

4.6 Target List

The target list connects the sensors and the library with the targeter and the directional computer. The target list contains up to four objects obtained from either the sensors or the library. Coordinates from the list can be fed directly into the target and directional computers by referencing the number that precedes the list entry.

4.7 Weapons

The ship is equipped with phasers and photon torpedoes. Both weapons apply energy to a target that must be absorbed by the target's shields. Phaser energy may be anything from 1 to 1000 units (default is 200 units). Torpedo energy is fixed at 200 units per torpedo.

Phasers have a maximum range of 1024 units. Torpedoes have a maximum range of 2048 units.

Phasers have a firing cost computed in milliunits equal to the phaser energy squared. In addition, there is a time delay in milliseconds equal to a hundredth of the firing cost to allow the phasers to cool and recharge. Torpedoes have a fixed launch cost of 20 units.

5.0 THE CONSOLE

5.1 The Viewer

The viewer at the top of the screen displays the forward view into space along the long axis of the ship. The cursor in the center of the viewer is the 0,0 point for bearing and elevation measurements. If the target is within the range of the viewer but not at the center it is displayed as a second cursor.

The numbers along the top and bottom of the viewer frame are bearing angles. The numbers along the sides are elevation angles.

See Appendix B for a description of objects as they appear in the viewer.

5.2 The Message Area And Status Line

The message area at the lower left contains a status line and a blank area for messages. The target list is displayed here. The status line contains displays for ship energy, shield energy and status, and warp factor. The shaded field is the command echo area.

5.3 The Command Keypad

The command keypad at the lower right corresponds to the VT100 numeric keypad.

6.0 THE COMMANDS

There are immediate commands and common commands. Immediate commands are executed as soon as the command key is pressed. Common commands are executed when the EXE key is pressed. To repeat a command press the EXE key again.

6.1 Immediate Commands

SHORT RANGE SENSOR SCAN (PF1-4)

The four function keys at the top of the keypad activate the short range sensor. A short range scan scans space for any object of a given type within 1024 distance units of the ship, as follows:

Note that stars are ignored by the short range sensors.

LONG RANGE SENSOR SCAN (LR SCAN)

The LR SCAN key activates the long range sensor. A long range scan scans at the target coordinates for the nearest object within 2048 distance units.

6.2 Common Commands

The common command format is a command abbreviation followed by one, two, or no modifiers. The modifiers may be one or two numbers or a combination of a direction and a number.

The command abbreviation is one or two letters. If the abbreviation contains two letters, both must be entered. A command can also be entered from the keypad by pressing the appropriate keypad key.

Numbers, including the minus sign, can be entered from the keypad or from the main keyboard. Two numbers are separated by a period, a tab, or a space.

If two numbers represent bearing and elevation, the bearing is the first number, the elevation the second number.

Directions are entered using the arrow keys or the special function (PF) keys on the keypad. The PF keys are functionally identical to the arrow keys. You may enter direction and number or number and direction.

The keypad ERA key erases a single field.

The common commands are listed below:

7.0 APPENDIX A - SHIP ORIENTATION DIAGRAM

                        +Z(up)               P(object)
                         .                   .
  
  
  
  
  
                                             .             +X(forward)
                                             A              .
                                r                      .
    -Y(left)                                           B
     .                          e
  
                                b
  
                         .
                        O
  
  
     .                                       .
    -X(reverse)          .                  +Y(right)
                        -Z(down)

Draw lines connecting the dots next to the following points:

The ship faces forward along line X. In the viewer, the line Z is up and down, the line Y is left to right.

The angles OBA, OAP, and PAB are right angles.

The object P is in the upper left of the viewer. Its bearing angle is the angle between lines OA and OB. Its elevation is the angle between lines OP and OA. Its range is the distance from point O to point P.

In this case P has a negative bearing (to the left of center) and a positive elevation (above center).

8.0 APPENDIX B - DESCRIPTION OF OBJECTS

Objects are displayed in the viewer as follows:

The further away an object is, the smaller it becomes. All objects except stars eventually disappear.

9.0 APPENDIX C - DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VERSIONS 1.0 AND 2.0

The main difference between versions 1.0 and 2.0 is that all eight ships are active in version 2.0. In version 1.0 the only active ships were the players' ships. As a consequence, the objective of the game has changed in that it is officially over when all four ships on a side have been destroyed.

Another major difference is that a new queueing mechanism is used in version 2.0. The old routines sometimes caused illegal UUOs or lock-ups with LED L1 on. This shouldn't happen in version 2.0.

Other differences are that planets can rebel in version 2.0, you can set rapid-fire mode phaser energy and torpedo counts, messages are displayed at the bottom of the screen, and there are a few new commands. The ST command has changed its meaning from self-test to status. RT replaces it. Also, an option has been added that allows the KL version of the game to be compiled to run on KI's.