Star Map Function Buttons
This is a sample of the starmap.
Top right corner buttons.
This is your Logout button. When you wish to leave the game, fly to base or a DMZ and press this button to properly log out. If you don't click this button and just close your browser window, your ship will be left in map for 10 minutes. If you do this while not in a DMZ, your ship could be destroyed by aliens or another player.
This is the Help button. Clicking on it will take you to BigPoint's main
Dark Orbit Help Page. Hovering your mouse pointer over this button will display info on all open sub-windows withing the star map.
This is the Settings button. Clicking on this will bring up the in-game settings options:
Gameplay Tab
Automatic weapons upgrade by activating lab CPU - If you own one of the 3 available Lab CPUs (NC-AWB CPU, NC-AWR CPU or NC-AWL CPU) placed in an Extras slot, selecting this will turn on the feature. This will upgrade your weapons automatically using the ore that you have pre-selected. If you have no ore of this type, nothing will happen.
Change ammo/rocket type automatically - Having this checked will enable to the game to switch your selected ammunition/rocket type should you happen to run out of what is currently selected. Unchecking this means that when you run out of the selected ammunition/rocket type, you will stop firing (if you run out of x1, you will only be firing rockets) until you manually select another type.
Auto-refine raw materials - If your account is Premium, you have the ability to automatically refine the ore you pick up throughout the maps. If your account is not Premium, this option is still selectable, but has no effect.
Start and stop attacks using the shortcut bar - Having this selected enables you to attack or stop firing by clicking on the ammunition type you have selected in the shortcut bar.
Log into client automatically - When first selected, it will bring up a warning; "Use this setting carfully. When the game is loaded, you will automatically be logged in to the client, and other pilots will be able to attack you immediately."
Double click to to launch attack - Pretty self-explanatory. If you double-click a target in the space map, you will begin attacking it. Be careful as this also applies to players from your own company!
Display Tab
Resolution: Allows you to adjust the resolution of the UI (User Interface or Client). Some of the options visible may not be available to all players as you are limited by the Display Settings of your personal computer.
Show Player Name: This will display or turn off the player names below each ship.
Show Resources: This will display or turn off the resources in the Lowers maps (Prometium, Endurium & Terbium).
Show Bonus Boxes: This will display or turn off the Bonus Boxes (glowing purple boxes) in the maps.
Show Increasing Hit Count: This will display or turn off the visual indicator of a hit being made to an NPC or a ship (including your own damage that you take).
Show Drones: This will display or turn off the visual of each ship's drones (yours and other players). If un-selected, below each ship will be an F: or an I: with dots. The dots will indicate the number of each type of drone (F: = Flax, I:= Iris).
Show Cargo Boxes: This will display or turn off the ability to see cargo boxes in the maps.
Show Cargo Boxes Which Are Not Free: This will display or turn off the ability to see cargo boxes which belong to other members of the same company. These boxes will appear blue (some say grey). Picking up these boxes will result in negative honor, so be careful as you can quickly attain Outlaw status if you pick up too many!
Show Chat: This will display or turn off the in-game chat window.
Show Explosions: This will display or turn off the visual indicator of a ship or an NPC exploding upon destruction.
Show Background: Will display or turn off transparencies for the windows within the UI.
Always Allow Dragable Windows: This will enable or disable the ability to re-size or move the windows within the UI.
Preload Ships: This will enable or disable the pre-loading of ship images as the space map loads. Disabling this feature may speed up the loading of the space map, but it may cause temporary visual discrepancies within the game (you may see a triangle instead of an NPC or ship, or an incorrect image may temporarily be applied to an NPC or Ship).
Simplify Ships: If selected, you will have a more 3D view of the individual ships. De-selecting this will give a more "flat" top-down view of the ships.
Show Engine Tracks: This will enable or disable the visual trail from the ship's engines.
Sound Tab
Play Music: This will enable or disable the playing of background music.
Play Sound Effects: This will enable or disable the audio effects from the game (lasers, rockets, etc.)
Trade raw materials. Unless you own the Trade Drone, this option will be disabled unless at the Space Station. Level 17 and higher will be able to sell cargo at any station, not just the ones in their own company. Selling at an enemy station will not give you the Honor Bonus however.
This is your Jump button (hotkey "J"). If within a DMZ, activating this will jump you to the next map.
This is the "Fast Repair" button. To use this, you must have a minimum of 10 Repair Credits as it utilizes 10 Repair Credits to instantly repair your ship after you have popped. NOTE: Does not repair shields, only the ship hull.
This will bring up your refining window. Players who do not have Premium can manually refine their ore this way.
....
On to Part II.