Hints

• The game can be launched in 'safe' (beginner) mode. (Select a launch link with 'safeMode' attribute set on html launch page).

  In 'safe' mode other ships are less aggressive and everything is labelled for identification.

  If you destroy any saucers/ships it switches into 'standard' mode.

  If you are having problems in standard mode. Start in 'safe' mode. Practice flying, docking and rock breaking, before killing anything.

• If you have not already done so ... FIGURE OUT HOW THE 'RADAR' AND 'COMPASS' WORK. These are 'small' things but central to staying alive.
• Getting shot by NP ships?

  Always keep one eye on the radar.

  If something red is aproaching do soemthing about it.

• Getting rammed by saucers?

Always keep one eye on the radar.

If something cyan is aproaching rapidly do soemthing about it.

• Missiles going in 'odd' directions?

  They are launched relative to the ships current speed. You may be drifting sideways. Use '?' to stop the ship before fireing.

• Sometimes rocks don't break?

  This is generally because they are big rocks that are out of range (the universe is a REALLY big place) get closer.

• How to get close to a rock:
  1. Observe direction of rock's movement.
  2. Aim cross hairs slightly ahead of rock's trajectory.
  3. Acceletate. This will move you closer to the rocks trajectory.
  4. When you get close use '?' to stop.
  5. Repeat above.

• How to dock:
  1. Fly to to side of the station with the docking bay
  2. Manauver until you can see the cross at the back of the bay.
  3. Stop
  4. Line the centre of the cross up with your HUD sights.
  5. Gradually accelerate (say to 50 m/s).
  6. Once inside the bay use decelerate/acceletate keys to get speed below the required 10m/s.
  7. Wait untill you dock.
  8. For now there is no need to match rotation with the station.

• Minerals can be shot:

  When firing at large rocks hold down the fire button. When shooting at small rocks fire single shots or you may destroy the products.

Dog fights

As has been observed by other commentators, and despite what's shown in the movies, dog fighting in zero G has little to do with traditional 'fixed wing' aerial combat.

• There is no 'up'.
• There is no gravity. So no potential enegy to be managed.

• A ship does not have to maintain 'air speed' (there's no air!).

  This also apears to make forward facing weapons a bad option. You need turreted weapons (like the Millennium Falcon) which can traverse rapidly. Not fixed weapons (like an X wing) where you have to turn the whole ship - But then you are going to need a 'pet wookie' (second set of controls) to manage the weapon.

• The game concept of 'maximum speed' is also spurious. At the, well below relativistic, speeds of the game you should be able to accelerate forever.

Non player ships have a, fairly dumb, AI that works well enough. Saucers 'cheat'. As to how to counter it I have no idea - go figure something out.