User manual GAMES PC MECHCOMMANDER 2-THE MECHWARRIOR-GAME OF TACTICAL COMMAND

[. . . ] Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, is subject to change without notice. Unless otherwise noted, the example companies, organizations, products, people and events depicted herein are fictitious and no association with any real company, organization, product, person or event is intended or should be inferred. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation. [. . . ] If, however, the situation is hopeless and the pilot is too stubborn, it may become necessary to override his judgment to save his life. To issue an eject order Hold down the END key, and then click the 'Mech whose pilot you want to eject. The pilot is immediately propelled from the cockpit and off the battlefield to safety. !Human Resources You can always buy a `Mech, but a good pilot is irreplaceable. Command and Control 59 Situational Awareness Knowing where you are and where your enemies are--this can be more important at times than having a loaded gun or armor on your 'Mech. Planning, tactics, and the perfect weapons loadout are useless if you cannot orient yourself in foreign environments and find your enemies . . . before they find you. Battlefield Viewscreen The main battlefield viewscreen is a real-time satellite-relayed image. There are three ways to change the coordinates of this display: · You can move your mouse cursor to the edge of the screen to scroll the viewscreen in that direction. Alternatively, you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the viewscreen in the desired direction. You can reorient your viewpoint by clicking any location on the tactical map. You can also right-click any unit on the Deployment Team Bar to center the viewscreen on that unit. · · 60 Camera Control In addition to changing the coordinates viewed on the battlefield, you can also change the direction and elevation of the camera. This field of view is always shown on the tactical map, represented by the yellow-shaded trapezoid (see page 29). To move the camera right or left and up or down Hold down the right mouse button while moving the mouse. To pan the camera right or left Hold down the SHIFT key while pressing the RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW key. To tilt the camera up or down Hold down the SHIFT key while pressing the DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW key. To zoom in or zoom out Roll the mouse wheel, or press the PLUS or MINUS key. To reset your camera to its standard viewpoint Press the mouse wheel button or the HOME key. Camera angles and zoom levels may be saved by pressing CTRL+F2 through F5. Thereafter, pressing F2 through F5 will recall those saved settings. Zoomed In and Out Situational Awareness 61 Sensor Contact Intervening terrain and other environmental features may prevent you from seeing enemy units. Sensors detect enemy units before your pilots can visually sight them. The range of your sensors depends on the electronic detection equipment on your 'Mech. 'Mechs such as the Raven and Cyclops have superior sensors with correspondingly larger ranges. Sensor range is indicated on the tactical map by the diameter of green circles around units containing sensors. When minimal sensor contact occurs, a diamond-shaped wire frame is displayed on the battlefield viewscreen, denoting a unit. No information on the object will be available other than its location. Pilots with special sensor training (see page 69) automatically increase sensor contact quality as their rank increases. As contact quality improves, the generic diamond-shaped frame becomes either a cylinder, indicating a vehicle, or a cube, indicating a 'Mech. If the quality of sensor contact is further improved, the object's weight class (Light, Medium, Heavy, or Assault) can be discerned and ultimately even the exact unit model. Sensor Specialty Skill Add a pilot with special sensor skills to your team. Sensor specialization gives you more data. 62 Line of Sight Even if an enemy unit is within visual range, it may be hidden by intervening terrain or buildings. Line of sight, or LOS, refers to direct visual contact of another unit (typically an enemy). [. . . ] For Applications, the PID is a 20-digit number that you can find by clicking the i button on the Main Menu. Paid Assisted Personal Support: If you need help after hours, or if you have used up or are not eligible for no-charge Personal Support, you can use Pay-Per-Incident Support via the Web on Personal Online Support or the telephone. Support fees are billed to your VISA, MasterCard, or American Express card. Note: If your Microsoft product was preinstalled or distributed with your personal computer or dedicated system (Windows CE­based device), or provided by an Internet service provider (ISP), and your PID contains the letters "OEM" after the first five digits, you are welcome to use the many online no-charge self-help or paid assisted support offerings provided by Microsoft. [. . . ]