Apricot Mapping Service.
Internal Memo.
From : John Slice CEO
To : All Pilots
Subject : Computer Software fitted to ships.

It has come to my attention that there is some confusion about the role of certain software packages fitted to our ships.  In order that the right software is fitted to the right ships, the following is a listing of available software and its purpose.

• Trade Command Mk.1 : Allows a ship with a homebase set to buy wares and sell wares for the homebase.
• Trade Command Mk.2 : Adds no new commands but allows for Custom built commands to be added.
  
• Trade Command Mk.3 : Allows independent trading as a Sector Trader or Universe Trader.  Pilots are assigned and must learn how to use this on the job and are ranked according to their progress. Universe trading cannot begin until Level 8.
• Fight Command Mk.1 : Adds Attack All Enemies command, and Attack Enemies and Protect Ship commands to turrents.
  
• Fight Command Mk.2 : Provides Gun Auto-Aim on Hud, Adds Attack My Target and Attack Nearest Enemy commands and adds Missile Defense command for turrents.
  
• Special Commands Software : Allows the automatic collection of wares and collectable asteroids in sector,  Station construction by TL's, Move Pilot command and other special commands that may be added to ships for specific purposes.
• Navagation Software : Advanced navigation aids for ship movement, including the new Jumpdrive commands.
  
• Trade Extention : Allows remote communication with stations for wares purchases where a ship has landed or a satelite is providing coverage. Only needed on the ship that initiates a transaction (not needed on the ship thats docked for the transaction).
  
• Docking Computer : Auto-docks immediately from within 5km, accessed from command interface of target.
• Seta : Speeds up the passage of time on long journeys. Only needed on a ship giving commands to others, but recommended on all.
  
• Ecliptic Projector : Establishes the plane of a sector on the hud.
• Strafe Extension : Allows strafe drive for combat. Pre-fitted to all ships.
  
• Best Buys Locator : Only needed on a ship directing trade operations, it identifies the best location to buy all wares on sale in a sector.
• Best Sell Locator :  Only needed on a ship directing trade operations, it identifies the best locations to sell within a sector, all wares on the ship.
  
• Mineral Scanner :  Scans a targetted asteroid to determine what sort of dirt it is rich in and the yeild.
  
• Freight Scanner :  Scans a targetted ship and reveals its shielding, guns and cargo bay contents. Illegal to use if you do not have a local Police License.
• Police License : Race specific, this pays a bounty on all enemy ships killed in that race's space, and allows legal use of a freight scanner.
  
• System Override Software : Allows the claiming and salvage of Abandoned ships without leaving the cockpit, with a limited range of about 30 meters. Illegal to possess one in space controlled by most races.

The following are non-standard software, installed by executive decision only.

• System Override Software Mk.2 : Allows claiming and salvage of Abandoned ships from 5km away. Undetectable to freight scans.
• Advanced Mineral Scanner : Scans all asteroids within scanner range when ship is moving slowly or stopped.
• DockTL : Allows a transporter device to beam a TS or TP ship onboard a TL or M1 ship for freight delivery.
  

Software can be purchased from the following places :

Equipment Docks : Trade 1 & 2, Fight 1 & 2, Special, Navigation, Trade Extension, Mineral, Freight, Docking, Seta, Ecliptic.
Trading Stations : Police License.
Teladi EQ Docks : Best Buy, Best Sell, Trade 3, Advanced Mineral Scanner.
Terracorp HQ : Trade 3.
Goner Temple : Argon Police License.
Pirate Bases : System Override 1 & 2

End Memo.


Apricot Mapping Service.
External Memo.
From : John Slice CEO
To : Julian Brennan
Subject : Its so hard to get good staff these days.

Julian my friend, how are you keeping ?

Are you sure I cannot interest you in a job here ?

Your odd job work for us in the past has been exemplary and I could do with you on staff permanently.

Dont think I've given up on you yet. HaHa. Its so hard to get decent staff these days. Even some of the brighter pilots got themselves killed after the Khaak invasion, many of the better ones got conscripted into the race military forces, and quite a few of the new ones simply dont know which way the ship flys.

Do you beleive the memo I had to sent to all pilots the other day ? I've attached a copy for your amusement.

Most of them had no idea what command was attached to what bit of software, and when we inventoried all the ships, we found that most of them had software missing. I swear some of the pilots routinely bounce their ships off asteroids, take damage to fittings and software modules and carry on without noticing anything ! Not to mention combat damage.

I think out of the whole lot of them, only a few of them are even aware of the onboard scripting system, which as you are aware, allows for custom commands to be set up within the computer, or loaded in from another. Where would be be without DockTL for example. A classic example of a 3rd party command which the script engine will load into the ships command interface.

I mean, calling it all "non-standard" software is about all they can understand I think.

And they dont seem to understand that you choose your ship software according to the role of the ship.

I mean, I ask you ? One of my pilots outfitted a ship for remote trading and included one of everything on it. The ship will never have a pilot, will only ever be under the control of the auto-pilot, and yet this ...(I cant find the right descriptive word here) .... installed seta, docking computer and even an Argon Police License. Yigads !

Another one did the exact opposite. His role was to remote trade a group of freighters and he put the same basic equipment and software on all the ships, including his own. Silly turkey went out into space without a seta (and sent in a memo about boredom in the cockpit), no docking computer (and yes you guessed it, a memo came in on the difficulty of manual docking), and no trading extention on his ship (and yes, I got a memo about the stupidity of having to dock at each station along with the ship doing the trading). Needless to say, this pilot is now driving an M5 (a very old one !) along the Xenon frontier.

BTW, Bob Der, our estwhile and excentric Chief Mechanic, dropped past my office the other day. He has a few more dodges he wants to try out on your ship ! I told him I'd pass the message on. I dont want to know what you have done to that ship of yours, and as long as Bob is not doing it to my ships, I shall remain happy !

In the meantime, he said to point out that the Script Masters have some new and interesting stuff for you if you care to look in edress http://forum2.egosoft.com/viewforum.php?f=66. A few of the new factory management scripts are due to be implemented here shortly. Let you know how they go, you may want to use them yourself. The updated list of Mainline 'non-standard' scripts is now at edress http://forum2.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=96340.

Next time your in Antigone Memorial, drop in for a drink.

Take care of yourself.

John.