The Ur-Quan Masters Discussion Forum

OK, I haven't played Star Control for about 15 years. The old brain cells may be a bit rusty. I apolgise if I am asking a really dumb question.

When I try to outfit my ship with extra stuff (a rear facing weapon, extra storage pods) those options don't seem to be available to me. I can fit fuel pods, crew pods, turning jets and those red things on the side). Even with 6,000 credits, I can't fit any storage pods. Am I missing something obvious.

TIA

Zaphod

Credits are used for buying things from the Melnorme, such as upgrades to the technology available for fitting your ship at starbase orbiting Earth, or for information.  For buying things at Earth how many Resource Units you have determines whether or not you can get the item in question.  If I recall correctly a cargo pod costs 750 RU.  When it comes to guns, where your guns shoot depends on where you place them on your vessel.  First slot shoots forward, second shoots forward spread, 3rd shoots sideways, last shoots backwards.  Also if all of your equipment slots on your ship are full, you'll have to take something off, to add something.

Credits are earned by finding biological information or Rainbow World locations and trading them to the Melnorme.

Resource Units are earned by finding minerals on planets or moons, and returning them to the starbase at Earth.

Thanks for the info. Although it has been a very long time since I played the game, I was aware of that. I've collected lots of minerals. I've traded with the Melmone. Just to re-cap:

I have 6,000 credits.
I have lots of empty space in the ship.
I cannot buy a rear gun, nor a storage pod. Those options are not available to me, despite having plenty of space and plenty of cash.

Any ideas on what is going on? A bug? Something I've done wrong?

I'm using Win 7, pro, 64 bit. I'm also runing it on an XP pro 32 bit box, with the same issues. Must be me, but I can't work out what it is.

Are you actually unloading the minerals you have collected? You need to talk to the StarBase commander to do that.

Credits aren't what you use to upgrade your ship. Credits can only be used to buy fuel and information from the Melnorme. You upgrade your ship with RU (resource units).

Yes, I've been unloading my minerals. Hence the 6,000 credits. Are you guys saying that I need to obtain the technology from the Melmorne to buy storage bays and ion blasters? I thought that stuff was readily available?

Just to ensure we're on the same page:

I just highlight the empty ship slot, then use the Enter key to cycle through choices? Correct?


TIA again for the assistance.

You don't get credits from minerals. You get RUs from minerals. Credits are obtained by selling bio data and rainbow world locations to the Melnorme. If 6000 is actually the number of credits you have, and not the number of RUs you have, you're looking at the wrong number.

Sorry for the confusion. I have 6,000 RUs. At present, I have 52 credits.

I will try a ''dumb stab'' but when you try to buy main area equipment, do you try to move left and right to cycle through the possibility once selected... E.G to add a crewpod you need to press 2 times 1 to select a slot and one to actually buy the item.

I know it is kind of dumb of an answer, but maybe it will help!

YAY! Thanks Glory Device.

Now I feel like an idiot, but I can play the game.

Yikes, what a maroon! (me)

Problem solved.

glad I could help ;)!

Don't feel bad. When I first played the game, I didn't realize I could press up and down to add turning jets and thrusters.

I didn't realize ships had a secondary weapon, or you could type star names in, instead of blindly sliding the cursor around...

Typing star names was added only in the past few years, wasn't it?