Black Prophecy Game Manual

Black Prophecy Game Manual

Quick Start Manual

This manual will give you an overview of the functions within the Black Prophecy Game.

Installation

Before installing the game, please be sure to follow the instructions in the invitation e-mail very closely. Doing so will ensure that you have the correct user name and password to log in to the game. Once you have downloaded the BlackProphecy.exe file via the download link provided in the e-mail, run the file. Windows Vista and 7 users may need to allow the program to run via the user account control dialogue. The Black Prophecy Downloader may install Pando Media Booster, so please take time to read the Pando license agreement carefully. You will then be prompted to set a download destination path. Select the directory you wish to download the Black Prophecy installation files to and click ‘Next’. The game will then be downloaded. This may take a while depending on the speed of your Internet connection.

Once the game has been downloaded, the installer should run automatically. If it does not, or if you wish to install at a later time, then navigate to the folder where the game was downloaded and run the Autorun.exe or Setup.exe file. Again, Windows Vista and 7 users may need to allow the program to run via the user account control dialogue.

Select your language and follow the installation prompts, taking time to read and accept the End User Agreement. You will then be asked to set the game installation path. You can use the default path or can change it if you wish. Next confirm the name of the Start menu shortcut. As in the step above, you may use the default name as displayed or change it to something else.

Next you will be asked to confirm if you wish to add a desktop shortcut and an exception to the Windows firewall for Black Prophecy. We recommend adding the exception to the Windows firewall to prevent connectivity problems later on. You may also wish to add exceptions for any other personal firewall or antivirus software you have installed. Once you have done this, review the details you entered and click “Install”. Installation of the game will now begin.

Once the game has been installed you will be prompted to install the latest version of DirectX and Microsoft .NET Framework. We recommend doing this to ensure that the game will run properly. Please note that DirectX9 is also required to run the game and that DirectX10 is not backwards-compatible. Once this is completed, run the Black Prophecy game launcher from your desktop or Start menu shortcut. When the launcher runs, it will check the current game version and attempt to update the game if required. Once the game is up to date the “Launch” button will light up. You are now ready to run Black Prophecy for the first time!

1. Introduction
Minimum specs
As a result, in order to run the game properly, your PC will require at least:
CPU Intel Core2 Duo 2Ghz / AMD Athlon X2 2GHz or above
GPU Geforce 7900 series / Radeon 3800 or above at the bare minimum
Geforce 8 series / Radeon 4850 or above recommended
RAM At least 2 GB, 3 or more recommended
OS Windows XP, Vista or 7
Internet Broadband Internet connection with less than 100ms latency

2. Getting started
2.1 Login
At the login screen, enter the user name and password of your Black Prophecy Account:
• Please note that these are the account details that you provided when registering for Black Prophecy. Your gamigo or forum account details won’t work unless you decided to use the same details for all of your accounts (we strongly recommend not doing so to ensure greater account security).
• You can look up your account details by logging in to your gamigo account (here, top right) and selecting ‘My Profile’. You can also change your password if you cannot remember it by selecting ‘Details’ from under ‘My Profile’.
• Your user name and password are case sensitive.

2.2 Server selection
On the next screen, select the server and click “Select” to proceed

2.3 Character selection
If this is your first time playing Black Prophecy, you’ll need to create a character. Click “Create” in the
character selection screen

2.4 Character creation
Create a character using the character creation menu. The tabs on the top left are used to switch between the general settings, detail facial morph settings and gadgets/tattoo settings. You’ll also need to choose a name for your character. Select “Create” to finish creating a character

You will then be taken back to the character selection screen. Select your new character and click “Next” to enter the game world with that character. New characters will be taken directly to the first prologue missions.

Options
The options screen can be accessed from the login menu or the main menu in the game (‘Esc’ key). In the game options tab you can switch languages, reset the interface windows, alter the chat window appearance and switch crosshair models. The sound options control the sound settings. The graphics options allow you to tweak the game’s graphics settings to suit your computer.

If the performance on your computer is poor, try the following:
• set “Shadow Quality” to “None”
• set “Anti-Aliasing” to “None”
• reduce the “LOD distance” with the slider (move it to the left)
• reduce the “Quality Preset” setting

The controls options allow you to view and change the keyboard shortcuts as well as configure the mouse
settings.

Flying the ship
The ship is controlled by using the mouse and keyboard.
W Accelerate
S Stop
A Strafe left
D Strafe right
Q Roll left
E Roll right
6 Increase cruise speed
7 Decrease cruise speed / reverse

Press ‘Space’ to activate what is known as “mouse mode”. This highlights all objects and ships within radar of your ship and lets you select them with your mouse. It also opens the top icon bar that you can use to access various information screens.

Left to right: Starmap, Sector Overview, Inventory, Storage, Mission Log, Character, Ship Info, Clan, Encyclopedia & News, Game Menu, Premium Shop

Sector target list (keyboard shortcut: U)
Hostile targets are on the left, friendly targets in the middle, and neutral targets on the right. A single click on something on the list will target that object, double-clicking will target the object and close the menu. Rightclicking will open a menu with context-sensitive options.

Targeting
You can target any object within radar range (~2000 meters) by entering mouse mode and targeting it with your mouse, by using the sector target list, or by using one of the several keyboard shortcuts available for targeting:
T Target closest enemy
, Next target (includes friendly and neutral objects)
. Previous target


Starmap (keyboard shortcut: M)

Shows all the sectors you currently have access to. Simply select a sector you want to go to and click “Jump”. Please note that jumping out of a sector during a mission will cancel the mission, and that if you leave the sector while you are playing the prologue missions, the missions will be reset.

3. Playing the game

What can I do in Black Prophecy?

After the first two story missions, you’ll find yourself in the Spire hub. Note that hub sectors are no-fire zones. By targeting and docking with the station (keyboard shortcut: P), you can access its vendor and its dynamic missions. Alternatively you can talk to Commander Noah outside the Spire station and access his open world missions (jobs). These will unlock several new sectors that you can jump to in your starmap. Open world sectors are persistent and you can encounter other players to complete the missions with or to fight a PvP battle against.

To continue with the story mission, talk to Admiral Gira by using the “Contact” option on the Spire hub (keyboard shortcut: O). A new mission sector will appear in your starmap – jump to it to start the story mission. Additional story missions are generally unlocked by talking to NPCs in stations in hub sectors. Starting missions

Enter the space station by targeting it and selecting the “Dock” command symbol on the top left of the screen or by choosing the option in the context menu. Inside the station, the topmost icon in the right-hand icon bar opens the mission terminal. By default, all available dynamic missions are listed. Clicking on one of the different mission types listed at the top will select that mission type (i.e. click on “group” to see only group missions). There are also filters for PvE and PvP missions.

Alternatively, you can quickly enter a mission using the ‘Quick Play’ button located on the radar while you are undocked.

To leave an active mission, open the starmap (M key) and jump back to one of the hubs. To start an open world mission (job), talk to an NPC who is offering those missions (like Commander Noah in the Spire hub) and accept his job(s). This will add a new sector to your starmap. Simply jump to the sector and start completing the objectives. Once the objectives are completed, jump back to the hub the NPC is in, contact him, select the job and click “Finish”. Debriefing

When you complete a mission successfully, the Debriefing button will appear and will offer you a reward. You can choose from a small selection of different items. Clicking the Debriefing button will show you the rewards you can choose from. Choose your reward and click “OK” or “Leave sector” You will be sent a notification about what has been transferred to your inventory on the screen and chat. Chatting & forming groups

Press ‘Enter’ to type a message directly into the chat box. If you have activated mouse mode, you can switch the active channels and customize which chat is displayed in each by right-clicking on the three chat tabs. To switch between chat modes, just prefix your message with the channel you want to talk in. These are:

• /s, /sector – sector chat message
• /f, /faction – faction chat message
• /t, /trade – trade chat message
• /w, /whisper – private chat message
• /p, /team – team chat message
• /c, /clan – clan chat message
• /a quit – quit game
• /a show_connection [0|1] – show network statistics (latency, packet loss)

The chat box will then remember your last channel for subsequent typing. An icon above the chat box opens the Communicator window. By default it will display all players in the sector you are in, friends, and team members. Use the drop-down box on top to switch between the different display modes.

Right-clicking a player’s name will open the context menu with all the available options, like adding the player to your friends list or inviting the player to your group. Please note that you cannot start a single-player mission if you are in a group with other players. Starting a group mission

Invite up to 3 other players, target the station, and dock. Select the group mission and then click on “Auto- Assign” to assign the players to the mission slots. Please note that only the group leader can start a group mission.

Starting a PvP mission

PvP missions are only available in hub sectors after the prologue because all players are Sapiens (human) in the prologue. A PvP mission requires 2 players from each faction. Each faction’s players have to form a team and they should also meet in the same sector. The team leader of one team docks in the station and selects a PvP mission. To do so, click “Auto-Assign” and then “Start”. If it was a mission with a gray icon, you will see the message “Mission starting…” and need to wait for the other team. The leader of the other team will now see a PvP mission that has a blue icon in his mission list. This is the same mission as the one the leader of the first team just initialized. Select that mission and click “Auto-Assign”, then “Start”. This launches mission. Buying items

Dock in a station to get access to its vendor. The second icon in the icon list on the right opens the vendor’s item list and the third icon from the left in the top icon list opens your ship’s inventory. To purchase items, simply drag them into your inventory and click “Accept” when you’re done shopping. Please note that the number displayed in the item icons is not the price, but the item’s level. The three yellow symbols indicate the item’s mass: one symbol means light, two means medium and three means heavy. If an item is red, it means you do not meet the skill requirements to equip it. If you press ‘Shift’ while dragging an item stack, a dialogue will appear that allows you to choose the number of units to move. If you don’t press ‘Shift’, only one item will be moved from the vendor. Ship configuration menu

Ship set-ups can only be modified when docked in a station. The hangar is accessed by using the third icon on the icon bar on the right. To equip an item from your inventory, simply drag it from the inventory window into the corresponding ship slot.

The total mass of the ship as well as the engine’s mobility values greatly influence how your ship handles and turns. If your ship feels sluggish and turns slowly, you probably built a very heavy ship with high armor values and heavy weapons. Ships like that work well when combined with lighter ships in group or PvP missions, but are not really recommended for single-player missions, so you might want to try out how the ship feels with some lighter equipment. The meter on the bottom right of the ship configuration menu shows an approximation of the ship’s mass/mobility ratio. Character menu

The character menu is opened through the top menu or by pressing the ‘C’ key. The first tab shows general information as well as character stats. When you first start the game you will have a small number of skills points you can assign. You can do this under the “Skills” tab. As you level up, you will gain more skill points that you can distribute amongst the various skills. To equip higher level items, you will need to level up the appropriate skills. For example, with an engine skill of 10, you can equip engines up to level 10. Skills

• Ship (unlocks cockpits)
• Energy (unlocks energy weapons)
• Mechanical (unlocks projectile weapons)
• Engine (unlocks engines)
• Shield (unlocks shields)
• Hull (unlocks wings and missile launchers)
• Explosives (unlocks missiles)
• Tactics (unlocks different tactics, but not any items)

Concentration

Concentration describes the character’s stamina and ability to learn. Each character is only “receptive” for a
certain amount of time each day, which is displayed in the concentration bar. This bar is refilled each day –
regardless of the amount consumed on the previous day.

Once the concentration bar reaches zero, the character will only receive the regular amount of XP. If the
character is concentrated enough, the character will receive a bonus in addition to the regular XP.
The chance of success in constructor processes also increases if the character has enough concentration.
Each player has 160 concentration points at the beginning of each day. As long as you have one
concentration point, the bonuses will remain active.

The following actions reduce the concentration level:
• Repairing items and removing modifications
• Playing missions
• Sector jumps (will not be added when playing missions)
• Constructing clan stations

Ship menu

The ship menu shows the ship’s equipped items (it is, however, impossible to equip different items in this menu. That can only be done in a station’s hangar).

Clicking on one of the numbers next to a weapon activates or deactivates a weapon for that particular weapon group. Weapon groups allow you to fire a particular combination of weapons at the same time. To switch between the different weapon groups during combat, use the 1-5 keys.

Encyclopedia

Accessible via the menu at the top, the encyclopedia is a detailed guide to everything in the Black Prophecy universe! Information is added as you encounter things in the game.

Stellarvox News

Accessible via the menu at the top, visit the Stellarvox News to keep up-to-date on the latest in-game news and stories.


Tactics

Tactics are special flight maneuvers that can be used during combat. While a maneuver is being performed, the player has no direct control of the ship other than its weapons. Tactics are triggered by using the analog stick on a gamepad or the movement keys on a keyboard. Tactics are unlocked at specific skill levels of the “Tactics” skill.

To use these tactics, a certain amount of “adrenaline” is required (represented by a rising bar next to the speed bar on the HUD). Adrenaline is gained while shooting at other ships and while being shot at.

The following tactics are currently implemented (based on default key mappings):
Boost WW Tactics level 1
Stop SS Tactics level 1
Looping down WSS Tactics level 14
Looping up SWW Tactics level 14
U-Turn left WAS Tactics level 1
U-Turn right WDS Tactics level 1
Double Bend left AA Tactics level 15
Double Bend right DD Tactics level 15
Barrel Roll left ADD Tactics level 25
Barrel Roll right DAA Tactics level 25
Zigzag ADWS Tactics level 25
Adrenaline Value Passive Tactics level 1
Retaliation Passive Tactics level 1
Combat Readiness Passive Tactics level 1

Note: Double Bend left/right are only available to the Tyi faction only and Barrel Roll left/right are only available to the Genide faction.

Repair kits

Repair kits can be bought from vendors on stations and provide you with an essential lifeline during battle. You can use these kits both during and out of combat. Note that there is a cool-down timer to prevent misuse of these kits. They can also be bought at various levels. The F1 key triggers the lowest level repair kits, F2 triggers the next level, etc.

Crafting

You can create your own ship parts and weapons by choosing from a variety of blueprints for different levels. These can then be combined with the materials required for crafting in the constructor. How long it takes to craft a specific item depends on the level of the blueprints.

What’s next?

After finishing the 10 story missions, you can join either the Tyi or Genide faction. After that, continue leveling up to unlock new mission hubs at various points. You can also create a clan and develop your own sector with a station.

Forming a clan

To create a clan:

• Have a character of Level 14 or higher with 20,000 corons (credits). • Go to the Spire station and contact the Spire Administration NPC from space. • Agree to the NPC’s price to obtain a Clan License. • Proceed to a faction-friendly station and dock there. • Click on the Clan Admin button • Fill in your clan details and click “Create”

Now you will be able to click on the Clan Admin button and access clan features such as members, accounting, ranks and sector creation.

Clan Station Construction

As a leader of a clan you have the opportunity to build a station in your clan sector with features like a dealer, a hangar, a mission terminal and a constructor. To upgrade your modules, the faction module will need to be at least one level above the other modules. You will need materials like gas, metal and plasma to upgrade the modules.

Good luck, pilots!

4. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

4.1 Gameplay

• Can I use my joystick to play Black Prophecy?
Joystick use is enabled but there is not currently a list of supported models. So it is possible that not all buttons can be utilized.
• The mouse controls are very sensitive and I’m having a hard time aiming at enemy targets. How can I improve the controls?
You can adjust your mouse settings in the “Options” menu. You can adjust mouse sensitivity and mouse deadzone to fit your needs.
• I spent my skill points on the wrong skills and would like to reset them. Is this possible?
This is not currently available. In the future we will offer a special item that will allow you to reset your skills.
• I’m not finding any new prologue missions after finishing Commander Noah’s missions. What can I do?
Fly to the Spire Station sector and contact the station.
• I always have to have “W” pressed to keep up my speed. Is there some kind of “Autorun” available?
Yes, hit the keys “6” and “7” to adjust your ship’s cruise control to the speed you want.
• How can I select a faction?
You will be able to select your faction after you have completed the prologue.
• No matter how much I fly towards a waypoint, I can’t reach it! Why?
You may need to target the waypoint, then either enter mouse mode and click the Autopilot button under your target info (top right) or press ‘G’.

4.2 Reporting a bug / the latest information

In order to improve the quality of Black Prophecy, we need feedback from you about any issues or bugs you may encounter while using the software. Please report these issues and bugs in the Forum. There you will also find all the latest information about the game as well as help with any technical problems you may encounter.

How do I report bugs?

Rules for reporting bugs:
1. Check that your issue has not already been reported by searching the forums.
2. Try to find the correct sub-forum for your bug report.
3. Make a new thread for every issue and give it a self-explanatory thread name. Do not put several
different issues in one thread.
4. Check the bug reports you have posted to see if a developer or the GM team has any more
questions.
Information that you should provide with your bug reports:
• Client version (can be found in the launcher)
• Character name (do not post account names)
• Name of the sector or mission
• If you are having issues with the graphics, post your video hardware and the graphics settings at which you are running Black Prophecy
• A thorough description of where the bug was encountered
• Frequency (always happens, sometimes happens, happens randomly)
• Latest error log files, which are found under DocumentsReakktor MediaBlackProphecyLOGBlackProphecyGameClient
• You should copy the error log file when a crash or an error occurs.
• Make sure you attach the log file from your latest play session – check the file timestamp to determine the latest one.
• Please convert images to .jpg or .png and attach them directly to your post. Please do not use public image hosting services.
• Please try and provide as much information as possible in your original post.

What do I need to consider when reporting bugs?
Please make sure to stick to the aforementioned rules and always attach your game client log files to each bug report.

Where can I find the game client log files?
You can find the game client log files at DocumentsReakktor
MediaBlack ProphecyLog

5. Troubleshooting

5.1 Logging in to the game

• Which account details do I need to use to log into the game?
You will need the Black Prophecy account details you provided when you registered for Black
Prophecy testing. You can look up your account details by logging into your gamigo account here.
You can find all your active game accounts under “Account System” and then “My Profile”.

• I keep receiving the error message “Account not registered” when I try to log in. What’s the problem?
Please make sure you are using your Black Prophecy game account details and not your forum or
gamigo account details. You can look up your game account details under “My Profile” after logging
into your gamigo account here. If you still have trouble logging in, it might help to change the
password of your Black Prophecy game account via the “Details” button. It may take a few minutes
for the password to change.

• I keep receiving the error message “Wrong password” when I try to log on. What’s the problem?
Please make sure you are using the correct password for your Black Prophecy game account. You
can change your password under “My Profile” after logging into your gamigo account here.

• I crashed out of the game and when I try to log back in I receive the error message “Account is online”. What can I do?
Your account remains online on the server if you instantly quit the game client and also if you crash
to the desktop in order to prevent character data loss. Please wait 5-10 minutes to allow the system
to log out your account properly.

5.2 Performance issues

• When I enter the game, the textures load very slowly. What does that mean?
Texture pre-loading is still a work in progress, so it might take a few seconds to load all textures
entirely, depending on your PC.
• The game is crashing frequently. What can I do?
Please lower the quality settings in the graphics options for “Texture Quality” and “Shadow Quality”.
Using very high settings for this can be a reason for frequent client crashes
• I am encountering network lag while playing. How can I see my connection information?
Write the following command in the in-game chat line:
◦ /a show_connection 1 (displays connection details)
◦ /a show_connection 0 (hides connection details)
You can then see your connection details in the right-hand corner at the bottom of your screen.
Please include this information along with your geographical location when reporting lag issues to
the forum.

• The game runs very slowly in terms of its graphics. How can I improve performance?
If the performance on your computer is poor, try the following:
◦ set “Shadow Quality” to “None”
◦ set “Anti-Aliasing” to “None”
◦ reduce the “LOD distance” using the slider (move it to the left)
◦ reduce the “Quality Preset” setting

6. Appendix – default keyboard controls

You can customize all key-bindings to your liking in the Game menu,
by clicking on the Controls section.
Speed up W
Brake S
Strafe Left A
Strafe Right D
Roll Left Q
Roll Right E
Left Left
Right Right
Down Down
Up Up
Ascend Page Up
Descend Page Down
CC (cruise control) up 6
CC (cruise control) down 7
Fire LMB / X
Fire (secondary)
Pulse Wave
Quick Chat Enter
Quick Selection Ctrl-L
Mouse Mode Space
Target Enemy T
Select closest friend
Next Target ,
Previous Goal .
Sector overview U
Starmap M
Inventory
Log L
Character Information C
Ship info
Clan information
Stellarvox News
Scan F
Interaction G
Loot R
Trade I
Contact O
Dock P
Weapon group [prev.]
Weapon group [next]
Weapon group 1 1
Weapon group 2 2
Weapon group 3 3
Weapon group 4 4
Weapon group 5 5
Special 1 F1
Special 2 F2
Special 3 F3
Special 4 F4
Show names Shift-L
Screenshot F11
Change View V
HUD Details
Page 25