ESCAPE VELOCITY NOVA Version 1.0.10 (no pluggin) Vell-Os Guide V1.0.10 By Laclongquan Index: 1.00 Introduction 2.00 Background on Vell-Os: the race, the weaponry and etc... .01 The Vell-Os: a cursory attempt on filling the background .02 The Vell-Os:unique weapons, outfits, and 'ships' 3.00 Vell-Os main storyline 4.00 Vell-Os' stuffs .01 Ships .01 Dart .02 Arrow .03 Javelin .02 Weapons and oufits(integrated) .01 Flower of Spring .02 Summer Bloom .03 Autumn Petal .04 Winter Tempest .05 Topographic Sense .06 Physical Sense .07 Hostility Sense .08 Distract Sensors .09 Create Dart .10 Telekinetic boost .11 Marine Platoon .03 Something to pay attention to when playing as Vell-Os 5.00 Credits 1.00 Introduction Escape Velocity Nova is the 3rd in a brilliant series of game by Ambrosia Software's brilliant. Escape Velocity is set in the future where Space ships dominant the Galaxy. With a completely redesigned gaming engine, EV Nova thrusts you into a sprawling universe dominated by a myriad of warring factions, each sharing a common bond, but so philosophically different as to make conflict inevitable. You start as a lonely Pilot of a weak shuttle. By your wit, your skills, your might of arms you acquire more weapons, bigger ships, and assemble a fleet of your own. Though the game doesn't have an ending as such, you can choose a goal for yourself: complete a storyline out of six, dominate the whole Known Space (thousands of planets)... This guide help you deal with Vell-Os storyline, Vell-Os weapons, tactics and strategy, as well as some unique problems arised only when you playing as one. Much like Priest guide for Icewind Dale, or Monk guide, it’s concentrated on only one part of the game. Indeed, there’re some walkthrough and guide same as mine, concentrated on Vello-Os. Problem is, I am not satisfied with the way they deal with Vell-Os. Not walkthrough for storyline, not weapons usage, not tactics. I set out to make my own guide, in the hope that I can help you guys deal with this aspect of a totally awesome game. I am sure it's not a perfect guide for the task, but I can try. 2.00 Background on Vell-Os: the race, the weaponry and etc... 2.01 The Vell-Os: a cursory attempt on filling the background The Vell-os are descended from an Indian prince named Vell-os and his followers who left Earth 2977 years before the game begins, around 980 AD, using their telepathic powers. They now have sophisticated telepathic powers, which are assisted by their biomechanical nanites. Their nanites are produced by an additional organ, which is the only physical difference between the Vell-os and other humans. Among their abilites are thought- speech, mind-reading, confusion of minds, and the creation of projections of mental power which they use instead of ships and weapons. Vell-os and ordinary humans can interbreed, but the resulting child is always Vell-os. The Vell-os were members of the former Colonial Council for several centuries. However, after they intervened and destroyed a Colonial Council expeditionary force sent to conquer the Polarans, the Vell-os were defeated and enslaved by the Council using mind control and anti-telepathic devices. They are now used as a weapon by the Federation, but live in hope of a future of freedom predicted in the Korrell Prophecy. THEIR STORYLINE BEGINS WITH A DELIVERY MISSION TO EARTH FOUND IN THE MISSION BBS. IMPORTANT NOTE: if you don't want to play Vell-Os storyline yet, or want other storylines instead, either never choose a delivery mission to Earth, or refuse the Vell-Os request for help. Once refuse, only replay help you choose this story again. 2.02 The Vell-Os:unique weapons, outfits, and 'ships' Vell-os 'ships' are actually projections of their pilots' mental power. They are fast, move without inertia, also have advanced sensory and jamming capabilities. When jumping from system to system they don't have to slow down or change directions like other ships, making their combat jump (jump under heavy fire) quite fast and safe. SPEED is their most noticeable characteristic. Dart, Arrow, then Javelin is three types of Vell-Os spaceship. Vell-Os ships require no other outfits (only Marine Platoons can be fitted). It save your money for other things, like bigger later ships if you so like. A ship for penny-pinching trader (like me). In combat, Vell-Os ship is for veteran hit-and-run close-combat fighters (which is not me by the way). If you don’t know or don’t feel comfortable with fighters, with twitch relex, you wont like fighting in a pure-fighter Dart much. Arrow is better since its turreted Summer Bloom help you aplenty. After Vell-Os storyline end I change to other ship pretty damn quick. The telepathic weapons of the Vell-os are the most powerful in EV Nova. The weakest, Flower of Spring can be carried by fighter-class Dart, is a beam of light that can swat other fighters like fly. A swarm of Darts beaming at you can make your headache explode (please pardon my pun).Winter Tempest simply cuts straigh through shields and goes right for the armor. Shots consumes energy quickly, but definetely worth it. The weakness of Vell-Os weapons lie in their nature: they are mental power so they eat directly from the stored energy. A fully stocked Dart can burn through its entire stored energy in one battle, in the hand of an inexperienced pilot. So afterburning maneuver too much and you shall not have enough to shots >_<' The oufits of Vell-Os have some unique stuffs compared to other races.Exploring the galaxy is simplified enormously in a Vell-Os ship. Even if you choose other ship models than Vell-Os you still get benefits from Vell-Os. 3.00 Vell-Os main storyline Read the NOTE carefully please. There’re some annoying features I noted there for your displeasure. Mission 1: This mission begins, when you accept a mission from the Mission BBS to transport 6-8t of goods to Earth, 15k of fee. When you complete the mission it says something about a Vell-Os. If you don't want to play Vell-Os line, just ignore all kind of jobs to Earth. Mission 2: Visit Vell-os Homeworld In Earth's BAR a Vell-Os asks you to visit his homeworld to the West. After visit Vell-Os planet in the Vell-Os system, report back to Earth and you got jumped, collared and enslaved. Next thing you know, you have to travel to New England in Wolf 359 to get brief and receive jobs. Madame Commander Krane will send you to infiltrate the Rebellion. But first you must return to Earth to get training. NOTE: starting Vell-Os will stopped other major storyline and some minor quest. Refuse to help them visit Vell-Os will lead to Polaris storyline. Once you get training T3 rank from Vell-Os you will automatically sell your ship to get a Vell-Os ship, a Dart. You shall NOT be able to buy better ships than an used Valkyrie, only Light Blaster, Raven Rocket and Stellar Grenade. If you buy Terrapin you may get its standard Medium Blaster. Mission 3: Return to Earth for Training From the Bar of New England, now you have to return to Earth's Kane Band bar to get training. You will gain the T5 rank of Vell-Os, and gain one ability: Vell-Os topographic sense. Mission 4: infiltrate the Rebellion You need to head to the Rebel Space station: Rebel II, located in the Koria System. The Rebels will then send you to Merrol in the Aldebaran system and make you do food smuggling missions. These missions are simple delivery FEDex but you mustnt get scanned by the Federation. As long as you get scanned, you wont advance to the next mission, even though you can get paid. Mission 5: Rebel Food Drop DON'T GET SCANNED. Do it the same as other FEDex types. 15k for each trip, you can get more money by making trade run medicals from Alderbaran to Nesre Primus, then medicals from Vega to Nesre Primus. Once you succeed in NOT get scanned you will be given the next mission. Mission 6: Rebel Equipment Drop DON'T GET SCANNED. Do it the same as other FEDex types. 25k each trip, but you can get more money by making medicals run from Alderbaran to Menin/Lesten then buy more equipment in Menin to sell at high profit in Alderbaran. Once you succeed in NOT get scanned you will be given the next mission. Mission 7: Rescue Agent DON'T GET SCANNED. Do it the same as other Ferry passenger types. 35k each run. You can keep doing it again and again even though the next quest appear. Once you succeed, your information pad (the 'I button' thingy) will display the quest Report back to Earth. Mission 8: Receive Instructions from Krane Go to Earth to receive intruction to visit Wolf 359. From now on, whenever you transport a Rebel agent you shall bring them here (Wolf 359). Mission 9: Rescue Rebel Mission 10: Rebel Insertion Mission 11: Insert agent into Rebellion The rebels you rescue, transport them to Wolf 359 to transport Bureau agents (mission 11) back to Alderbaran. The agents that Rebellion want to insert into other planets, you transport them to Wolf 359 for capture (mission 10). Once you succeed in inserting Bureau agents, you get the next mission. But before that, you can visit Earth to get more training in Vell-Os discipline. Mission 11a: (succeed in Insertion) Learn the Rules... Earth's bar, Sol, you get taught T4 rank, an afterburning ability: Telekinetic Boost. After that, travel to Wolf 359 to get more training. Mission 11b: (after 11a) Learn About Vell-os Once trained you will be granted T3 rank, abilities: Distract Sensors (missile defense), Physical Sense, Hostility Sense, Flower of Spring and Vell-os Dart. Once you get Dart you shall automatically sell your ships will all your outfits on it at half price. So it's best you sell all your outfits before goto Wolf 359 to report. Mission 12: Scout Moash territory New England, of Wolf 359 system, Commander Krane will reassign you to work against the Auroran Empire in the South. You shall scout Moash homesystem. After you return, you'll have to lead a task force to a system near Moash as a diversion while the main federation force takes Moash itself. You will be taught to create the Dart Spacecraft and the Flower of Spring, 1st telepathic Weapon. Mission 13: Distract Moash House You will then, once again, Have to go to Moash. Leading a task force of Fed Carriers (3-5), you shall attack Moash Rep. MAIN objective is defeat all the force on this sector then board the station Courageous. Board it under fire is not recommended. When the commander are satisfied we can get home (Wolf 359. You know you succeed this mission when you get paid in Wolf 359. Not get paid? Not succeed! Not succeed? You do the mission again. Once succeed you get the next. You can get Wormholes to jump to NtO or Chirt, then jump 3 more systems to get to Moash Rep. Once you pacified that system, you can board other disabled ships, set them to sell at the next station (if they are fighters), board Courageous to do the mission and also get a load of money (from selling ships) When you return to Wolf 359, you should get a message and 50k. If not it means you fail the quest somehow. You shall do the quest again. Q&A: I got killed repeatedly in this sector and cant land on it. How? You dont need to kill all the defending force, its’ just for profit. You only need to land on the station. You can try a maneuver like this: jump into the system, immediately turn 180 and afterburning your way out like a bat out of hell. Any fast ships catch up to you, fry them. Running about five-six display screen then stop, rest a bit to recover your fuels and wait for your escort (not necessarily). Now run toward your target, and afterburning when you get near the inner system. All the defending force got drawn out by your earlier entry now are sluggish trying to return… wish them luck, cause you are fast enough to blitz by them and land on the station. This tactic is trademark of Scott "Admiral Slathkill II" Wilson, of EVN webboards. Q&A: I landed on station, and return, but no message for me on Wolf 359, and I have to do the quest again. Bloody hell? Possible cause: jump to a nearby wormhole/HG then travel there to attack; (mostlikely) your Fed escorts got killed one or two , or your Fed flagship carried the general got fried. Fix: travel there by normal jumps, hire a full escort group of Valk so that they draw hostile firepowers toward them, spare you and your Feds. Mission 14 Talk to Moash Elders Krane want you to negotiate with the captured Elders in Moash. Go there. Mission 15 Return with favourable response Negotiation with mind powers is a snap. Return to Wolf 359 with good news. Mission 16-17 Deliver instructions You need to deliver instructions to Moash Elders: A backstab plan help Moash become strongest House in Auroran Empire. Mission 18a-b Assassinate/Capture traitor Actually these kinds of missions exist for a while now. Target is a ship located in an adjacent system to where you receive the BBS missions (which mean if you received it in a culdesac you only have one system to check). Destroy for assassinate, disable then board for capture. When you get autumn petal it seem assassination missions stop appearing. The ship more often than not is of Lightning or Valkyrie class. Spring flower can disable or destroy it good. Summer bloom can destroy it outright. Too little profit and too saddening actually. I prefer trading or attacking pirates for cash and ships. Mission 19 Meet with Krane Part 1: Meet Llyren at the spaceport of any Fed planet to achieve T2, and create an Arrow. Part 2: Meet Krane in Sol to receive quest Find Muhari HQ Mission 20 Find Mu’hari HQ From Sol you will run all the way to Muhari in eastern edge of the map. Route: Tichel – Kania – Polaris – Outbound – nilkvee – Trinipu – Kmarak – Trevasar - nehelipar – nilpesetra – Muhari. Land on the Muharo planet then return. 50K. Mission 21 Confirm Muhari spy You will do a BUNCH of this before the next mission appear (it’s a matter of percentage apparently). Receive mission, land on target planet, return to Wolf 359. You can receive and done all 16 mission of confirm before returning to Wolf 359. 15k each. Mission 22 Report to Krane Part 1: meet Fllyraen in spaceport of Fed planets (50%). Learn to create Javelin, Create Dart, Autumn Petal. Mission 23 Report Muhari spy A alternate version of mission 21. Do a bunch of it. Mission 24 Liase with Auroran A backstab plan within a counterintelligent campaign coupled with a straight forward assault operation. First part is to go to Sender to receive your escort of Auroran forces. Mission 25 Invade Polaris space Second part is leading these forces to Kel'ar Iy in Kel'ariy. Assault the sector. Third part is ensuring ALL Auroran escort got destroyed before you land on the planet. The defending forces are ferocious Polaris. You may get killed repeatedly before you get near the planet. The trick is orders all of them to FIGHT, stay outside then jump to the next sector when Polaris attack you personally. Check your force to see how many Auroran left. Once they are all dead, run straight ahead at the planet, then braking like hell to land. You are safe now. Land on the planet help learn Winter Tempest, most devastating attacks in the game. Achieve T1 and buy other ships if you so wish. The limitation on ships and outfits you can buy are now lifted. Mission 26 Speak with Llyren. NOTE: Once you finish this mission and leave Earth you shall be persued by Bureau fleets. You can hire escorts in bar if you want. IDA frigates look nice. Also if you want to do quest you damn well better do it before landing on Earth. End note. Return to Earth you confirm with Llyren some stuffs you have suspicions about. Now, onwards to Vell-Os! Mission 27 Speak with Krypt Land on Vell-Os and speak with that alien mind there. Destruction to the Bureau! First part of the plan is to leak the plan in South Manchester so that you will be ambushed on Wolf 359. GO! Mission 28 Assault the Bureau After evade or destroy any ships foolish enough to pursue you, land on New England. BAM! Then we now go to Korell, with one more escort. Warning NOTE: if you go to Korell this Vell-Os story line end. You can get a asteroid miner along or change your ship to other models then buy a scoop. Hire more cargo ships if you want. Mission 29 End of Story. Land on Korell and finish the story. You now is transported to S7evyn, the area with fun stuffs to do. If you leave here (via the obvious wormhole nearby) you wont return here without help of pluggin. S7evyn got some interesting stuffs to do: 1. buy the unique ship Kostrell in the game with 12 millions. Talk about pricey! 2. mining then selling Opal (hence the scoop or asteroid miner). 3. attack ATMOS programmers (if you can). 4.00 Vell-Os' stuffs This section will give you detail info on various Vell-Os ships,weapons, outfits, stuffs to buy for your Vell-Os ship, some notes. Thus the word ‘stuffs’ on the section name. Almost all the data are harvested from http://arpia.be/ and http://www.evula.com/survival_guide If you want pretty pictures, even more detailed info, and html guide, you should visit there. On the other hand, if you are like me, dislike all those cool features for some obscure reasons that no one care about but you, READ ON! 4.01 Ships All ships are very high speed for their classes. They can jump very fast, unlike other models who have to turn around to check directions. They also are inertialess, turn 180 with full speed is very handy trick. All ships can buy very limited outfits. They all got builtin sensory apparatuses to compensated for that. They can buy marine platoons to help capture ships. They CANT buy armor, shield upgrade, other upgrades… Although they are very good, the last features are what limited their popularity (as you cant do expansion or retool to get more configuration space) 4.01.01 Dart Speed: 600 (about the second or third best in entire game) Accel: 1250 Turn: 100 Shields: 150/125 (BAM! And fare thee well! Don’t get caught. Accel to outrun guided missiles) Armor: 8/1 Guns: 2 (max) (flower of spring) Turrets: 2 (max) Space 10 tons = 2 marine platoons Cargo 5 tons = ferry passenger quest, not enough for delivery. Fuel: 5 jumps ( if you accel or shoots, you wont have enough to jump out. If you are in javelin, call them home to refuel – C) Length: 10m Mass: 6 tons Crew: 0 Cost: 0 AI Type: 4 (Interceptor) Strength: 250 (for combat rating purpose) Deionize: 50 Max Ion.: 200 Buy Random: 0% Hire Random: 0% (meaning you only get dart through Vell-Os storyline, you cant buy/capture/hire it otherwise) 4.01.02 Arrow Speed: 425 Accel: 650 Turn: 60 Shields: 990/70 (soso, but don’t get caught. Runaway and firing summer bloom at pursuers) Armor: 30/4 Guns: 2 (max) (Summer Bloom and Flower of Spring. SB rocks as you can run away while splashing those speedy pursuer with hot bloom. Eat hot wet Mental plasma you tweets!) Turrets: 2 (max) Space: 20 tons = 4 Marine Platoons Cargo: 60 tons = quite okay. Hire more cargo drones or terrapin if you want more cargo capacity. (still cant mass expansion or retool) Fuel: 15 jumps = quite good actually. Summerbloom don’t burn as much as spring flower on a dart comparatively Length: 30m Mass: 60 tons Crew: 0 Cost: 0 AI Type: 4 (Interceptor) Strength: 500 (for combat rating) Deionize: 60 Max Ion.: 350 Buy Random: 0% Hire Random: 0% (cant buy, cant hire, cant capture). I have more fun playing Arrow than Dart. Dart is speedy, but one mishap and you smoke vacuum. Arrow is sturdier. Beside Dart got so little stamina. 4.01.03 Javelin Speed: 375 (Mmhmm. Very good for its class) Accel: 500 Turn: 40 Shields: 1740/85 (look like it’s very much, but if you get caught in a crossfire of polaris you still be screwed. Don’t get cocky!) Armor: 60/8 Guns: 2 (max) (SB, FP, Autumn Petal and later on Winter Tempest. Without plug, AP is not as good as SB. Winter Tempest is best ingame though it burn energy like no tommorow. But your Create Dart can give you 3 Dart to stall those other buggers, give you a little breather.) Turrets: 2 (max) Space: 50 tons = 10 Marine Platoons. When I want to plunder something I don’t want it explode under my feets. Cargo: 100 tons = good eh! Fuel: 20 jumps = stay off the Tempest and you will have enough for anything. Length: 100m Mass: 200 tons Crew: 0 Cost: 0 AI Type: 3 (Warship) Strength: 750 Deionize: 70 Max Ion.: 500 Buy Random: 0% Hire Random: 0% (lalalala cant buy cant hire cant capture) When ALL 3 Darts get destroyed, land on a planet and you can meditate to get Create Dart 3 to create them. 4.02 Weapons and oufits(integrated) All 4 weapons of Vell-Os get discussed here. And one outfit that can fit in a Vell-Os ship. 4.02.01 Flower of Spring Most basic Vell-Os weapons. In Fighters vs Fighters dogfights, Flower is not something you can underestimate lightly. 3 Darts with Flower is also a team can threaten medium to heavy battleships. The weakness, of course, is its light shield and poor stamina. If you cant hit it, try making it shoot itself dry. And stay out of Dart’s nose, Flower is a chase weapon. All 4 Vell-Os weapons drain fuels when you are not in a Vell-Os ship. 4.02.02 Summer Bloom My beloved. Alittle more damaging than Flower, its main strength is its turreted. Chasing Arrow is not something to undertaken lightly as mental energy can bloom out of Arrow’s ass to fry you. Bleak! Without plugin Summer Bloom dethrone Autumn Petal as the main weapon of Arrow and Javelin. All 4 Vell-Os weapons drain fuels when you are not in a Vell-Os ship. 4.02.03 Autumn Petal A longer range Summer Bloom, main weapon of Javelin. A beam bug making Petal inferior to Bloom. Get a fix: http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/Qaanols_Plug- ins.zip?path=evn/plugins&file=Qaanols_Plug-ins.zip written by Qaanols, crazy extraordinaire players. Read the readme then fix the damn bug. (it’s admiring tone by the way, for some one curious as to why I cursed Qaanols) All 4 Vell-Os weapons drain fuels when you are not in a Vell-Os ship. 4.02.04 Winter Tempest The much-feared Winter Tempest cuts straigh through shields and goes right for the armor. It consumes energy quickly like there’s no tomorow. Much like Flower on Dart, actually. The only Vell-Os weapon that can ionize ships. All 4 Vell-Os weapons drain fuels when you are not in a Vell-Os ship. 4.02.05 Topographic Sense A free and constant Galatic Map that update itself as you jump through sectors after sectors. No longer you have to land on planet with an outfitters to buy a galactic map. All Vell-Os abilities help free space on your ships so you can play around with other oufits. But you can buy same device for your ship to increase ability. 4.02.06 Physical Sense A free Vell-Os Gravimetric Sensor. All Vell-Os abilities help free space on your ships so you can play around with other oufits. But you can buy same device for your ship to increase ability. 4.02.07 Hostility Sense A free Vell-Os IFF Decoder. All Vell-Os abilities help free space on your ships so you can play around with other oufits. But you can buy same device for your ship to increase ability. 4.02.08 Distract Sensors A free Vell-Os Missile Jamming Device. All Vell-Os abilities help free space on your ships so you can play around with other oufits. But you can buy same device for your ship to increase ability. 4.02.09 Create Dart An ability to house 3 Dart on your ships. When all three get destroyed you can land on a planet to meditate to get it back. Free. All Vell-Os abilities help free space on your ships so you can play around with other oufits. But you can buy same device for your ship to increase ability. 4.02.10 Telekinetic boost A free Vell-Os Afterburner. All Vell-Os abilities help free space on your ships so you can play around with other oufits. But you can buy same device for your ship to increase ability. 4.02.11 Marine Platoon A general outfit, its uniqueness is that it can be integrated into a Vell-Os ships. MP is the reason why your Vell-Os ship got a tradein price in the Shipyard. Remember to sell them before trade your ship for another. 4.03 Something to pay attention to when playing as Vell-Os All 4 Vell-Os weapons drain fuels when you are not in a Vell-Os ship. Buy Solar panels or Reactors to counter that effect. All Vell-Os abilities help free space on your ships so you can play around with other oufits. But you can buy same device for your ship to increase ability. 5.00 Credits: Special thanks to Ambrosia Software for making this fabulous game. Space Rangers series are good but sometimes you cant help but wanting to play a less bulky game than that. EVN fit the needs perfectly. I do read the walkthrough and data from http://www.evula.com/survival_guide http://www.arpia.be/walkthrough/ http://www.ambrosiasw.com/forums/index.php?showforum=38 the webboards of EVN and some minor sites. The most problematic I met is that data is very decentralized. You can read whole 50 pages of info and you may not get a clear picture of how to do what. Maybe it’s just me; Who know? So I made this walkthrough in the hope that some firstimer to the game will have some valuable help. That’s all, honest!