

Congratulations on your purchase of the 2376 Campbellator cargo transport vessel. With careful use and maintenance the Campbellator should give you and your organisation many years of useful service. That's assuming you don't intend to use it to hunt the Galactic Police for sport.



GETTING STARTED

The first thing that must be done before you can use your ship is to install the piloting software. To do this, go through the following steps:

1. Unzip the contents of GFW.zip into a new directory, such as C:\GFW.
2. Double-click winsetup.exe to configure your video and audio settings.
3. Double-click GFW.exe and follow the on-screen prompts.



THE CONSOLE

When you've finished your session, press the Escape button to bring up the Console. From this menu you can save a record of the day's events, look back over previous records, or close down the ship for the night.



YOUR CREW

It is of course both illegal and very very stupid to attempt to use your Campbellator without a fully-qualifed crew. Fortunately the minimum number of crewmen the Campbellator requires to operate is three, so all you need is to get together with two friends who happen to have passed appropriate courses at the local polytechnic.

Please fill in the names and details of your crew in the spaces provided:

CAPTAIN

Name: Bromide
Race: Laurentian
Education: Degree in Space Economics, 2 years experience under Space Captain Blake Lazar (as Sidekick)

PILOT

Name: Eric
Race: Gengy Industries Intelligent Toupee (catalogue no. 0011772)
Education: 2 years experience on top of Space Captain Blake Lazar (as Hairpiece), degree in piloting from Whistler Correspondence School

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Name: Hole
Race: Unknown due to congenital defect
Education: Bachelor of Communication Technology (University of Ganymede), majoring in Verbal Abuse, 2380 Youri Award for Weirdest Deformity

SCIENCE OFFICER (Optional)

Name:
Race:
Education:

PASTRY CHEF (Optional)

Name:
Race:
Education:



STANDARD SHIP COMPONENTS

Your Campbellator comes equipped with all of the following in the standard package:

- 'Burning Nebula' Warp Drive

The basic model for faster than light travel. When you want to make use of it, follow these directions:

1. Tell your pilot where you want to go.
2. Say 'engage' in a firm tone of voice.

If you run into problems at any point in this process, make sure you are speaking a language the pilot can understand, and that your voice is loud enough for him/her to hear. Also, never ever embark on a warp journey when you have insufficient fuel.

- 'Doctor Cargo' Diagnostic Scan

Doctor Cargo's display along the top of the main viewing screen will show you how much of each basic ship resource you still have. From left to right, the display shows how many missiles you have, how much money, how many shields, how much fuel and how many Redshirts (see Redshirts).

In order to save you the trouble of going all the way down to the cargo bay to see what your ship is carrying, Doctor Cargo can also run a quick internal scan and display exactly how much of each major type of cargo you are carrying. Don't try using it yourself because you'd only cock it up. Get your pilot to do it.

- Subspace Communicator

A long-range videophone which allows you to open communication with anyone else with a videophone in the near vicinity (a distance of, say, from planetary orbit to the surface). You can also receive calls from much longer distances, but not make them. Ask your communications officer to fire up this device when you arrive at a spaceport and want to chew the fat with the locals.

The communicator can also be used to access the galactic bulletin board, of which one exists for each of the three zones. Check up on the boards regularly to stay in touch with galactic affairs!

- Bargello Two-Way Subspace Teleporter

A functional subspace teleporter capable only of repositioning organic matter and whatever the organic matter in question is wearing. As well as beaming crew members up and down to space stations and planet surfaces, the teleporter leaves a subspace imprint on whatever it transports, so that organic matter in close proximity to already transported matter can also be locked onto and beamed up. Please note that it will not transport moving objects, and therefore will not transport individuals who do not wish to be transported, before you get any ideas.

- Subspace Toolbelt

Every crewmember is allowed access via a tiny pocket singularity generator to a small pocket dimension in which a potentially infinite number of small tools and items can be stored. In effect, every crewmember is carrying exactly the same objects.

- 'Bang Bang' Lasers

A self-defense measure, becoming increasingly important since the rise of the Culthorpe. We of course accept no responsibility for the misuse of laser cannons that ends with splatter death.

- 'Wahey Let's Blow Things Up' Missile Tubes

The ship starts with room for three missiles, but there is plenty of room for expansion should you ever feel you need to increase your capacity to destroy things.

- 'Glass Ceiling' Protective Shield

With the capability to withstand 30 low-level laser shots, the Glass Ceiling could be just the thing you need to hold the fort while you flee from vengeful pirates.

- 'Verbose Sailor' Information Database

A space on the ship computer to store information and trivia on the universe that you may want to consult later. You won't be able to add new items until you acquire an external or handheld scanning device, however.

The ship also has room for the following improvements, which can be purchased and installed at your leisure:

- 'Voyeur' External Scanner
- 'Clingy Auntie' Tractor Beam
- 'Convenience' Singularity Generator
- 'Highlander' Shield Regenerator

There is also plenty of room on board ship for almost unlimited extensions of the cargo bay and fuel tank, available of course from most spaceship dealers.



EXTERNAL FACILITIES

These are the services and facilities scattered throughout the galaxy that you should be aware of.

- Spaceports

Every sector marked with a yellow cross on the tactical map houses a Spaceport, where you can replenish your fuel and missiles and repair your shields for a small fee. Simply park nearby and open communications with the spaceport to use their services. Each spaceport is also twinned with a Trading Post, where you can buy and sell the four major galactic imports for local prices.

- Wormholes

Vast artificial wormholes are set up connecting each of the three galactic Zones, and are the only permitted method of travel between them. You will be required to pay a small toll of 25 credits for each time you make use of a wormhole.



A LITTLE ABOUT THE GALAXY

So, you've got a ship, and now you want to jet off into the big black to start your new interstellar career. Well, slow down, sailor! You'll want to know some things about the big black before you go mad.

THE THREE ZONES

Since the collapse of the Galactic Government and the dissolution of the Presidency, the galaxy has been divided into three distinct Zones, with the authorities of each one under a mutual agreement to not interfere with each other. They are as follows:

- The Protected Zone

The only zone still answerable to law, controlled by the Galactic Police, who stringently enforce their code to the point of immediately opening fire upon suspected pirates and smugglers. That said, the PZ is the centre of civilisation, playing host to both the educated Remus 3 and the high-tech Frumious Prime, the only place to go for ship upgrades. It should also be noted that dealing in Armaments and Pornography, while frequently very profitable, is strictly forbidden, and smuggling is harshly dealt with.

- The Free Zone

Disgruntled at being abandoned by the Galactic Police, the grouping of planets on the outskirts of the galaxy decided to band together to form their own authority. Sadly the ruthless Culthorpe pirate family quickly seized control, and now the place is riddled with corruption. Culthorpe ships frequently ambush travellers in this zone and demand a tribute, usually a percentage of whatever the victim is carrying. For this reason it is best to carry as little liquid cash as possible while exploring the FZ, tying up your money in cargo and assets.

- The Lifeless Zone

Right between the two 'ordered' zones lies the Lifeless Zone, a completely anarchic string of largely uninhabited planets, through which hostile void monsters and rogue pirates hunt unwary adventurers. The best strategy is to just cut through the LZ as fast as possible.



REDSHIRTS

Since the galaxy has become increasingly dangerous, it has become increasingly rare for qualified crewmembers to personally beam down onto stations and planet surfaces, there to fall victim to all kinds of hazards and criminals. Redshirt Security Agency realised this niche and now run a profitable trade in cloned security officers with minimal intelligence (usually clones but, less frequently, kidnapped individuals from insignificant planets), who can be beamed down onto a planet as a representative of the ship, perform whatever duties are necessary, then get killed in place of actually valuable people.

The Redshirt Security Agency can be found on Frumious Prime, and a job lot of 5 Redshirts costs 100 credits.



WAYS TO MAKE A LIVING

It doesn't matter what you intend to do in the galaxy - explore, holiday, save the universe from destruction - sooner or later you're going to have to find a way to make some credits. Here are some of the more popular methods.

- Trading

The all-time favourite. There are four major assets that are frequently traded - Armaments, Baconburgers, Chocolate and Pornography - which can be bought and sold at any trading post. Prices vary from world to world depending on demand and production, so the trick is in knowing who sells what cheapest and who buys it dearest. Here's quick introduction to trading:

1. Go to Tarabis 6.
2. Ask your communications officer to get in touch with the trading post.
3. Buy as much pornography as you can.
4. Warp to nearby Cary 7.
5. Sell pornography, then buy baconburgers.
6. Warp back to Tarabis 6.
7. Sell baconburgers.
8. Repeat.

There are all kinds of profitable trade routes you can exploit. Smuggling the illegal goods (Armaments and Pornography) in the Protected Zone can be the most profitable of all, but that will bring down the Galactic Police, and unless you know someone who can get you cheap respray jobs they'll hound you to death.

- Salvaging

What with all the ships getting attacked and destroyed in or near to the orbit of a planet, the surfaces of uninhabited planets can often be gold mines for lost cargo which, thanks to the extremely sturdy containers used for cargo nowadays, can easily be recovered and sold for profit at trading posts. To make a career out of it you'll first need a tractor beam to bring the goods up and secondly a great deal of Redshirts to scout around the surface, because the average lifespan of a Redshirt on an average planet is 10 minutes.

- Bounty Hunting

If you can upgrade your ship into a top level warrior's vessel (good weaponry, good shields) then you can try to make a living from hurting people. Ask your pilot to take the vessel on a short range hunt and you'll almost always find something to kill sooner or later. The rogue pirates and Sparkle Crabs in the Lifeless Zone always leave goods behind for trading, and, if you're brave enough, Culthorpe ships will drop special objects which can be taken to the Centre of Justice in the Protected Zone in exchange for bounties.

Of course, hunting innocent traders in the Protected Zone is what is generally known as 'piracy', and we don't condone it at all, no matter how funny you think it is.

- Freelancing

You should always look at the bulletin board every time you arrive in a new Zone. There will always be people with odd jobs that need doing. It's not steady work, but hey, who wants to get tied down to a career?



CONCLUSION

Hopefully now you should be ready to begin your rewarding and profitable career in interstellar travel. Allow us, then, to be the first ones to welcome you to the galactic community. Here goes. Welcome to the galactic community! Don't step on any Culthorpe.






Adventures in the Galaxy of Fantabulous Wonderment
by Ben 'Yahtzee' Croshaw (www.fullyramblomatic.com)
AGS Engine by Chris Jones (www.bigbluecup.com)