Controls

This section is in need of revision. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. The reason given is: This page is VERY VERY out of date, but most of the information is still valid. I would however suggest looking at the in-game controls menu instead.

The keyboard and mouse are used to control your avatar and everything else in the game.

Most often, the player is moving their character and looking around, maybe shooting a gun or something. This is Character Input mode, when your mouse and keyboard commands are controlling the physical actions of your character.

Amidst doing those things, the player must occasionally use their character's hands to interact with the game or the environment, such as picking up items, opening doors, clicking on control panels and dialog windows filled with controls. This is Hand Input mode, when the mouse and keyboard commands are controlling something else besides the motions of your character.

Input Modes

Hand Input Mode

Hand Input mode is used to interact with the user interfaces of the game. Appropriately, the cursor changes to an image of a hand when in Hand Input mode. Think of this mode as freeing your character's hand to interact with the game or the environment. Most consoles in the 3D scene can be operated by using your character's hand in Hand Input mode to click on the controls of the console.

Character Input Mode

Most of the time, the game operates in Character Input mode. Many actions related to the operation of your character or their equipment are performed while in Character Input mode. Usually the only cursor visible in Character Input mode is the crosshair at the center of the screen.

When Character Input mode is active, keyboard and mouse actions are routed to your character and any equipment your character is operating, such as a console. When engaged with equipment, the equipment may override character commands; in such cases, the equipment override prevails.

Switching Input Modes

There are three ways to switch input modes.

Right-Click

Right-Click using the mouse to switch between Character Input and Hand Input modes. The selected mode remains in effect until Right-Click is again pressed to switch back to the other mode.

Ctrl

The Ctrl key temporarily enables Hand Input mode as long as the Ctrl key is held down. When the Ctrl key is released, Character Input mode resumes. The Ctrl key provides a convenient way to gain control of the mouse pointer for a quick click on a console button or to open a door.

Enter

The Enter key switches to Hand Input mode from Character Input mode. This method of switching modes is helpful when using the communications toolbar to chat with other players. The input focus is automatically moved to the chat input control when switching from Character Input to Hand Input using the Enter key.

Unit

Unit Selection

Units are selected by clicking on them or by click-dragging with the mouse in Hand input mode; units are also selected using the Orders (Shift+F3) window.

Units can be selected in top-down view and in first-person view. In first-person view, click-dragging has a shorter range than clicking on individual units. In top-down view, there is no range limit to mouse selection actions.

Units can only be selected if you are in command of them. An officer of a spacecraft with troop berths can load troops. Troops on your ship's roster are in your command.

Troops can operate vehicles. When a vehicle is operated by a troop in your command, you can select the vehicle to issue orders to the operator.

In top-down view, units that can be selected are highlighted with a box around them. Enemy units and units commanded by other players can not be selected and so they are not highlighted with a box around them.

In first-person view, click on the head of a unit to select it when you are close to it.

Press the Escape key to deselect all units.

Unit Orders

Selected units are issued orders using the mouse and by using key commands listed in the UNIT KEYS table below; units are also commanded using the Orders (Shift+F3) window.

Orders can be issued to units in top-down view and in first-person view.

Click on the ground or on the deck of a spacecraft to order the selected units to move to that location.

Click on an enemy unit or wild animal to order the selected units to attack it. In first-person view, click on the head of a target when you are close to it.

Character Keys

The following table shows the default key command mapping for your character. Some command descriptions refer to a 'target'. The target is the object in the crosshair at the center of your view.

E

Enter/exit the closest console. Mount/dismount an animal or vehicle when close and targetted. In other words, look at it then press E.

F / Left Mouse Button

Fire weapon/use current item on target.

U / Middle Mouse Button / Press Mouse Wheel

Use current item on yourself. Turn on/off lantern and torch.

Alt+~ / Alt+Tilde

Spawn tie to current city. Must be in a friendly town square. MOST KEYBOARDS REQUIRE THE SHIFT KEY ALSO.

Alt-Backspace

Spawn recall. Recall order is: 1) Ship that lists you on its roster, 2) Last city spawn tied, 3) Capital city of your empire, 4) Capital city of another empire after getting reassigned to that other empire.

Mouse Up

Look up

Mouse Down

Look down

Mouse Left

Turn left

Mouse Right

Turn right

} / Mouse Wheel Away

Select next item in inventory as the current item.

{ / Mouse Wheel Toward

Select previous item in inventory as the current item.

Alt+Number

Maps the current item to a number 0-9 on the keyboard. First, the current item must be selected using the Mouse Wheel. The body position of the item is stored, not the item itself. If the item is moved, the key mapping does not follow it. Likewise, if the item is used up, the mapping is not lost.

Number

Selects an item as the current item. The item selected by the number key is configured by pressing Alt+Number.

` Left Quote

Spot the target or terrain. Calls out information about the target onto the current Communicator channel and the screen. If nothing is targetted, information about resources present in the sighted terrain is called out. When the current Communicator channel is invalid, e.g. Intercom channel when not aboard a spacecraft, the information is called out on your screen but no other player receives the message.

The following commands are available when NOT engaged with a console.

W

Move forward

S

Move backward

A

Move left, Turn left when mounted

D

Move right, Turn right when mounted

C

Move up. Starts flying if you can fly. Starts your mount flying if your mount can fly.

Z

Move down

Shift

Run when combined with W

X

Prone/stand toggle

Caps Lock

Crouch while held

The following commands are available when sitting at any control station. Display screen adjustments are saved in your local settings for each different character.

Alt+[

Lower the display screen.

Alt+]

Raise the display screen.

Alt+; (Semicolon)

Push the display screen farther away from you.

Alt+' (Apostrophe)

Pull the display screen closer to you.

Shift+

(Colon)

Tip the top of the display screen away from you.

Shift+" (Double Quote)

Tip the top of the display screen toward you.

The following commands are available when sitting at a Captain's Chair.

Alt+C

Captain's chair display is removed; only the chair remains.

Alt+E

Engineer station is displayed if an engineer station aboard the ship is manned.

Alt+F

Fire Control station is displayed if a fire control station aboard the ship is manned.

Alt+H

Helm station is displayed if a helm aboard the ship is manned.

Alt+N

Navigator station is displayed if a navigator station aboard the ship is manned.

Alt+S

Sensor station is displayed if a sensor station aboard the ship is manned.

Alt+D

Shield station is displayed if a shield station aboard the ship is manned.

Unit Keys

The following table shows the default key command mapping for selected units. Some command descriptions refer to a 'target'. The target is the object in the crosshair at the center of your view.

Escape

Deselects all selected units.

Shift+Number

Creates a squad out of the selected units.

Ctrl+Number

Selects the units in a squad. Deselects all other units.

Ctrl+A

Attack Target - Orders the selected units to attack the target.

Ctrl+C

Close Door - Orders the selected units to close the door closest to them.

Ctrl+D

Defend Area Posture - Orders the selected units assume an area defense posture, attacking threats they detect that come within close range. At a battle station, does not fire on wild animals.

Ctrl+E

Defend Self Posture - Orders the selected units to assume a self defensive posture, attacking only if attacked. At a battle station, only attacks enemy units and wild animals that have damaged the ship.

Ctrl+F

Follow Target - Orders the selected units to follow the target.

Ctrl+G

Get Item - Orders the selected units to get the target item.

Ctrl+H

Come Here - Orders the selected units to come to your location.

Ctrl+I

Get In - Orders the selected units to get into your vehicle or spacecraft.

Ctrl+K

Berserk Posture - Orders the selected units to assume a berserk posture, attacking all enemy units including civilians and farm animals.

Ctrl+L

Hold Fire - Orders the selected units to hold their fire, even if attacked.

Ctrl+M

Follow Me - Orders the selected units to follow you.

Ctrl+N

Stations - Orders the selected units to operate the nearest turret or control station. Troops will man turrets if the ship they are aboard belongs to their empire. Crew will operate control stations if their empire is at least neutral toward the ship they are aboard.

Ctrl+O

Get Out - Orders the selected units to get out of their vehicle or spacecraft.

Ctrl+P

Open Door - Orders the selected units to open the door closest to them.

Ctrl+R

Garrison - Orders the selected units to release their berth and guard their current location. Troops are assigned to guard a base in this way; they will eventually desert if ordered to garrison anywhere but a base. Passengers will join the local population; they can be ordered to garrision any developed tile of a city.

Ctrl+S

Stay - Orders the selected units to stay at their current location.

Ctrl+T

Go To Target - Orders the selected units to go to the target location.

Ctrl+V

Offensive Posture - Orders the selected units to assume an offensive posture, initiating attacks on threats they detect. At a battle station, will fire on wild animals.

User Interface Keys

The following table shows key commands that affect the user interface of the game.

Right-Click

Switches between "Character Input" and "Hand Input" modes.

Enter

Release mouse from "Character Input" mode.

Ctrl

Release mouse from "Character Input" mode while held down.

, Comma

Reduce crosshair and Head-Up-Display (HUD) intensity.

. Period

Increase crosshair and Head-Up-Display (HUD) intensity.

/ Slash

Change on-screen message text intensity. Cycles between four different intensity levels.

Shift+ESC

Show/hide the User Interface (Health/equipped item/reticle/HUD).

F1

Show/hide all windows. Restores windows from last session when used after program start.

Shift+F1

Show web-based documentation at http://www.Hazeron.com.

F2

Show/hide Mail UI to exchange messages with other players using an in-game mail system. Receives status reports from cities that are in your chain-of-command.

Shift+F2

Show/hide ship's orders.

F3

Show/hide Communicator UI for immediate communication with other players and with cities for trade purposes.

Shift+F3

Show/hide Orders UI for commanded units.

F4

Show/hide Inventory UI to manage items in your personal inventory.

Shift+F4

Show/hide Equipment UI for commanded units.

F5

Show/hide Hold UI to transfer items between your personal inventory and the spacecraft you are aboard.

F6

In Design Studio: Show/hide Design UI to design spacecraft deck plans.

Not In Design Studio: Show/hide Damage Report UI to show repairs needed by the spacecraft you are aboard.

F7

Show/hide Locator UI to show your galactic position, latitude, longitude and compass direction.

F8

Show/hide Bio UI to view detailed information about your character.

F9

Show/hide Story UI to check for new story lines and to manage story lines that are in progress. New story lines become available when conditions permit. For instance, some story lines require you to be inside a certain type of building before they will become available.

F10

Show/hide Labor UI to perform labor and handcraft items.

Construction Site: Fetch materials and apply labor

Manufacturing Facility: Select manufacturing processes, fetch materials and run processes

Spacecraft Factory: Select spacecraft designs for manufacture and private purchase.

Design Studio: Enter spacecraft design studio instances.

F11

Show/hide Construction UI to plan the construction of new towns, roads and buildings and to upgrade or destroy existing buildings and roads. You must be in the chain-of-command of a planet to start a new city there. You must be in the chain-of-command of a city to construct or destroy anything there. NOTE: Construction and destruction may not be performed in a city that has any unrepaired battle damage.

F12

Show/hide Government UI to manage policies, regulate commerce, establish rewards, and adjust taxes for your empire; only the Executive and Vice-Executive officers can manage these settings. The "Spacecraft" page manages the crew roster of the spacecraft you are aboard; only an officer of the vessel may manage the crew roster.

Shift+F12

Show/hide Settings UI to adjust program settings.

Alt+F4

Close the program.

Alt+Enter

Switch between full screen and window mode.

Alt+P

Take a screenshot.

Backspace

Switches between First Person view (the default) and Top Down view, for a tactical/planning view of terrain and the spacecraft you are aboard.

The following commands are available in top-down view:

\ and |

Changes the subset of building names displayed. Helps to declutter the display.

[ and ]

Changes the birds-eye-view camera height above your head.

+ and -

Aboard a spacecraft, raises and lowers the currently displayed deck.

= or NumPad *

Aboard a spacecraft, toggles between the deck you are on and the exterior model of the spacecraft.

Spacecraft Control Station Keys

Spacecraft systems are controlled by crew stations. The following tables show the key command mappings for the various control stations found aboard spacecraft.

Tab

Display Spacecraft Design Specifications

Captain's Chair

L

Exterior Lights On/Off

I

Interior Lights On/Off/Dim

J

Crew Doors Lock

Shift+J

Crew Doors Unlock

K

Hull Doors Lock

Shift+K

Hull Doors Unlock

M

Remote Door Switch

B

Close All Hull Doors

Engineering Console

O

Wormhole drive power toggle

N

Wormhole drive polarity toggle

C

Wormhole drive commit

G

Gravity drive power toggle

Up Arrow

Turn rate tune up

Down Arrow

Turn rate tune down

Left Arrow

Turn rate tune left

Right arrow

Turn rate tune right

Home

Turn rate tune hold

A

Acceleration tune left

D

Acceleration tune right

Z

Acceleration tune hold

P

Power plant power toggle

W

Power plant tune up

S

Power plant tune down

X

Power plant tune hold

Helm

End

Increase vertical throttle

Home

Decrease vertical throttle

Page Up

Increase forward throttle.

Shift+Page Up

Increase throttle to maximum forward.

Page Down

Decrease forward throttle. Reverse throttle when at zero.

Shift+Page Down

Decrease throttle to maximum reverse.

Backspace

Increase reverse throttle.

Delete

All stop. Forward and vertical throttles to zero.

A

Turn left

D

Turn right

W

Pitch up

S

Pitch down

Z

Roll left

C

Roll right

L

Exterior light toggle

I

Interior light toggle. Off, On, Dim

G

Gravity drive power toggle.

H

Gravity drive full vs park power toggle. Gravity drive must be on.

P

Power plant power toggle.

M

Bay door remote control. Opens or closes the nearest large hull door.

N

Reference mode cycle: Auto, Planet, System, Sector

B

Close All Hull Doors

Navigation Console

N

Neighbor sectors toggle

O

Orbit rings toggle

H

Wormholes toggle

A

Pan solar system display left. Rotate sector display left.

D

Pan solar system display right. Rotate sector display right.

W

Pan solar system display up. Rotate sector display up.

S

Pan solar system display down. Rotate sector display down.

K

Center solar system display. Top view sector display rotation.

Home

Pan to ship.

M

Front sector display rotation.

J

Left sector display rotation.

I

Back sector display rotation.

L

Right sector display rotation.

Page Up

Zoom In

Page Down

Zoom Out

Sensor Console

X

Top view

A

Rotate left

D

Rotate right

W

Rotate up

S

Rotate down

Page Up

Increase magnification

Page Down

Decrease magnification

Home

Normal magnification

L

Lock on selected blip

Backspace

Unlock from selected blip

I

Scan selected blip

Vehicle Keys

The following tables show the key commands for the various vehicles that can be operated in the game. It is generally advisable to remap the enter/exit key ("E") to a different key in order to avoid accidentally jumping out.

Motor Bike

W

Increase Throttle

S

Decrease Throttle

A

Turn Left

D

Turn Right

Space

Brake

L

Headlight On/Off

P

Engine Power On/Off

M

Bay door remote control. Opens or closes the nearest large hull door.

K

Refuel and Repair

Sail Boat

W / Page Up

Raise Sail

S / Page Down

Lower Sail

A

Turn Left

D

Turn Right

Space / Delete

No Sail, Stop

B

Move back one seat position in sequence.

N

Move to next seat position in sequence.

M

Bay door remote control. Opens or closes the nearest large hull door.

K

Refuel and Repair

Space Fighter

W

Pitch Up

S

Pitch Down

A

Turn Left

D

Turn Right

Z

Roll Left

C

Roll Right

Left Arrow

Thrust Left

Right Arrow

Thrust Right

Up Arrow

Thrust Up

Down Arrow

Thrust Down

Space

Brake Forward/Backward

Q

Brake Laterally and Vertically

Page Up

Increase Throttle

Shift+Page Up

Increase Throttle to Maximum Forward

Page Down

Decrease Throttle

Shift+Page Down

Decrease Throttle to Maximum Reverse

Delete

No Throttle

L

Headlight On/Off

P

Gravity Drive Power On/Off

M

Bay door remote control. Opens or closes the nearest large hull door.

K

Refuel and Repair

Space Rocket

W

Pitch Up

S

Pitch Down

A

Turn Left

D

Turn Right

Z

Roll Left

C

Roll Right

Left Arrow

Thrust Left

Right Arrow

Thrust Right

Up Arrow

Thrust Up

Down Arrow

Thrust Down

Space

Brake Forward/Backward

Q

Brake Laterally and Vertically

Page Up

Increase Throttle

Shift+Page Up

Increase Throttle to Maximum Forward

Page Down

Decrease Throttle

Shift+Page Down

Decrease Throttle to Maximum Reverse

Delete

No Throttle

L

Headlight On/Off

P

Engine Power On/Off

B

Move back one seat position in sequence.

N

Move to next seat position in sequence.

M

Bay door remote control. Opens or closes the nearest large hull door.

K

Refuel and Repair

Submarine

W

Pitch Up

S

Pitch Down

A

Turn Left

D

Turn Right

Z

Roll Left

C

Roll Right

Left Arrow

Thrust Left

Right Arrow

Thrust Right

Up Arrow

Thrust Up

Down Arrow

Thrust Down

Space

Brake Forward/Backward

Q

Brake Laterally and Vertically

Page Up

Increase Throttle

Shift+Page Up

Increase Throttle to Maximum Forward

Page Down

Decrease Throttle

Shift+Page Down

Decrease Throttle to Maximum Reverse

Delete

No Throttle

L

Headlight On/Off

P

Engine Power On/Off

B

Move back one seat position in sequence.

N

Move to next seat position in sequence.

M

Bay door remote control. Opens or closes the nearest large hull door.

K

Refuel and Repair

SUV

W

Increase Throttle

S

Decrease Throttle

A

Turn Left

D

Turn Right

Space

Brake

L

Headlight On/Off

P

Engine Power On/Off

B

Move back one seat position in sequence.

N

Move to next seat position in sequence.

M

Bay door remote control. Opens or closes the nearest large hull door.

K

Refuel and Repair