GALACTIC TRADER by Douglas G. Cariston Peace has finally come to the war-torn Central Galactic System, united into a single federation by the Imperial Forces of Galactica (see Galactic Empire - from BRODERBUND SOFTWARE). The end to the fighting has cost you your job as Commander of Galactica's Imperial Forces, but it has simultaneously opened up new opportunities in trade for the person with the vision and ambition to exploit them. You once commanded a fleet of hundreds of ships. Today you have only one. You led armies of millions a short year ago. Now you pilot your single ship alone, aided only by two loyal comrades who remember what you were and have faith in what you may become. Navigator Kirman of your old starship refused an opportunity to join Galaco, the interplanetary rocket fuels cartel, and elected to come with you. Even more surprising, Computer Central, the heart of your starship, stuck by you. Perhaps its judgment has been clouded by emotions after all, as Major Bayliss alleged. The principles of trade are not difficult. The farther a product is from its world of origin, the greater its value. All one has to do is buy or trade for cargo, take them farther from their home world, and trade them for other commodities. In practice it is not that simple, of course. You don't know the place of origin of the products, at least at first, nor is anyone likely to tell you. Until you develop experience on each planet, you don't know the rates of barter there, and the locals will try to exploit your ignorance by fleecing you if they can. All your experience can be worthless, too, if you are so incautious as to ply one route too often, for the largest trading firms keep their ears open, and they have the economic muscle to deal you out of any route that appears too attractive. There are other problems as well. You will find that no trader will accept the coin of the realm except on Galactica. On every other planet, barter is the medium of exchange. Your credits are only good at the fuel depot, and even the cartel will barter for commodities if you are short of cash (they are particularly extortionate when they feel they have you over a barrel, however, so it is generally better to buy fuel with cash). Local rates of barter can be hard to discern, too. If a local trader thinks you are asking too much for part of your cargo, he may refuse to discuss barter of that item any further. That can be expensive, when one considers the cost of bringing those goods to his doorstep. Your most important cost consideration is fuel. The ship is powered by microscopic fusion modules, sold across the galaxy at the fixed price of 2 credits per millit. The amount of fuel you need for a journey depends both upon the total mass of ship and cargo and upon the distance to be traveled. Fortunately, Computer Central is an old hand at these calculations and can be relied upon to do much of the brain work. The formula, for those interested in the precise details, is as follows: (LIFT OFF THRUST + DISTANCE/2) X (CARGO MASS + SHIP MASS) Lift off from most systems requires 3 millits/mkg, from Galactica 5 millits/mkg. The ship weighs 10 mkg and each item on the cargo manifest weighs 1 mkg. (As mentioned before, Computer Central will make these computations for you. For more details, see the ship's manual below.) Your goal, as always, is power. In time of peace, power is most easily gained through personal wealth, which enables you to buy the services of men whose abilities you can no longer demand as servant of the Imperial Purple. In your darker moments, you believe that in the near future you may need a personal army. The Emperor is a young man, full of passion and spit, and you are understandably uneasy over the future of the empire you worked so devotedly to create. Prince Tawala does not like or trust you, either. You were too popular among the enlisted men, too renowned for your military prowess. It is not inconceivable that Tawala might mask his own incompetence by claims of treason which, coincidentally, eliminated those most qualified to succeed him. So you are a trader. It gives you the freedom of outer space, whether to flee an Emperor's assassin or to maintain contacts throughout the galaxy. Without a power base of your own, however, the contacts will mean nothingÄexcept another job under another ambitious peer, perhaps no more competent than the present one. You want more than that. A billion credits will give you the power you need to command attention to your vision of a nobler future. For those unfamiliar with GALACTIC EMPIRE, the following manual will guide you through the capabilities of your vessel. Read it carefully. You have many useful tools at your disposal. Your ability to use them to their fullest advantage will greatly improve your success at this new venture. Because space travel severely stretches the average life span, you will have 1000 Stardates to ply the skies with your wares. During this time you will age no more than 8 physical years. By the end of that time, developments on Galactica will certainly have progressed to a critical point. Your part in the inevitable GALACTIC REVOLUTION may depend upon your success during the next few years. Good luck, bwana. May you find your new profession an enriching and eye- opening experience. SHIP'S MANUAL 1. THE COMMAND CONSOLE A) Viewport - in upper left portion of console permits visual orientation in space displays name of current location B) Calendar - in upper right portion of console displays current Stardate C) CRT - in lower left part of console displays messages from Computer Central D) Cargo Manifest - on right side of console keeps track of all goods in the hold, as well as fuel and cash on hand. 2. CONTROLS A) =C= Computer Central When called, Computer Central will offer a choice of the following categories: =A= Star maps =B= Trading records =C= Fuel use computations The purpose and function of each is as follows: STAR MAPS: You are given a choice of Galaxy map or a range finder. The map displays a view of the galaxy from above. (The galaxy is 3-dimensional, of course, although it is only about half as deep as it is wide.) A blinking control bit may be found at the top of the display. There are 2 ways to identify star systems. First, if you know the name of the system, merely type in the first letter of the name. The full name and coordinates will be displayed at the bottom of the screen, and the appropriate star on the map will flash repeatedly. A second method is to move the blinking control bit by use of the keyboard arrows until it is superimposed upon one of the stars on the map. The system is then identified at the bottom of the screen. In the Applesoft version of Galactic Trader, the blinking cursor dot on the star maps is moved by means of four keys (the two arrows, plus the = Return = button to move up, and the "/" to move down). The = Repeat = key may be used in combination with any of the above. Typing"?" will identify the name of the star system closest to the current position of the cursor. To use the range finder, just enter the first initials of 2 systems. Computer Central will then calculate the distance between them. TRADING RECORDS: Computer Central keeps track of all your trade dealings on systems throughout the galaxy, as well as a list of current prices on Galactica. FUEL USE COMPUTATIONS: Computer Central will calculate the fuel requirements for any trip you plan. You enter your destination when requested and the cargo weight. CC shows you the entire computation and then allows you to try various alternatives by varying the destination and cargo weight figures. B) =E= Embark This command calls Navigator Kirman to the bridge. He will take your order as to destination and immediately execute it. It is vital that you assure your fuel requirements before setting destination or you may end up lost in space. C) =T= Invitation to Trade This command is generated automatically when you first land on any planet (and at the beginning of your trading career). Your negotiations with local traders can be accomplished by single letter responses (eg. Y for yes, N for no or nothing), except where responses involve numerical entries. Although you need never use the = ENTER = or = RETURN button, its use will speed the computer's responses. At any point during the negotiations, you may call for assistance from Computer Central by pressing =C=. In this manner you may negotiate while keeping the current price lists of commodities on Galactica before you, for example, or review the course of your bargainings to date. You will find that it is possible to carry on a trading session and consult with CC simultaneously. D) =F= Fuel Cartel Offices You may buy fuel at the price of 2 credits per millit. If you do not have enough money for the amount of fuel you have requested, the cartel will accept in kind payments. However, the cartel gives only about 50% of the local value for such payments. E) Non-visible Controls You have two additional controls not mentioned elsewhere. R stands for "return" and is used to exit from any mode and return you to the previous mode. =Q= stands for "quit" and functions only when you are in the command mode (i.e., when your 4 major controls are listed on the CRT). =Q= is used to interrupt the game and determine your score, which is based upon the value of goods and credits you have accumulated to that time. 3. STRATEGY & TACTICS If you do not make a profit on your first few trade runs, you will almost certainly end up out of money, farming fungibles on some backworld system. It is vitally important, therefore, to get off on the right foot. Take a look at the commodities for sale on Galactica and purchase a variety of low cost items. Do not buy as many as you can afford, because you won't be able to pay the cost of transporting them any great distance-thirty or forty items are probably sufficient. Then turn to the galaxy map in Computer Central. Find Galactica and then find a region of the galaxy twenty to twenty-five light years away. Record the names of systems of varying distances from your current location and then turn to the fuel use program in the computer banks. Determine which system is near enough to enable you to reach it with the fuel and money you have (and to return) and far enough away to make the items you have purchased rare and valuable. (Do not cut your fuel needs too close, by the way. CC's computations are only approximate, and it is a terrible thing to be lost in the void of space, drifting helplessly, out of fuel.) When you reach the system you have selected, keep CC's chart of Galactica's prices before you and try to obtain the most valuable commodities in exchange for your wares. Often tremendous bargains are available which you will not be able to take advantage of because of the limitations of your fuel supply. You may have to dump much of your cargo at the fuel cartel offices, merely because you haven't the fuel to carry it all. Use your trading experience on various worlds to figure out which regions the eight commodities come from. Remember, the closer you are to its home world, the cheaper each will be. Two final caveats: Be careful to vary your routes to an area. Any route traveled more than once, in either direction, is likely to be taken away by one of the large trading firms. And finally, once you have a little money to work with, stay away from Galactica as much as you possibly can. Galactica is the Emperor's stronghold-even if he does not order you liquidated, there are many on that planet eager to ingratiate themselves with him, and it is well known there that he dislikes and fears you.