Escape Velocity Nova

Revision 2 - 7/24/15 - The First Guide Expansion

This guide is designed to quickly teach players how to:

• Install the game for modern Windows PCs (as of writing, those capable of running Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10).
• Create a character
• Get a handle on the game, its UI, controls and general look 'n feel
• Begin your first trade route in order to make money to spend on all the things
• (Editor's note: Potential future additions: modding information (including cross-platform compatibility quirks), faction information, basic ship information, starting points for each faction storyline)

DISCLAIMER: This guide's still under construction and is subject to change.

Windows Installation

This guide unfortunately doesn't cover Mac OS X (or ostensibly Linux through Wine?) as this guide-writer does not have an Intel Mac, but one would assume installation is similar to that done with games on PowerPC Macs running Mac OS X manufactured up until late-2005. If any duders want to chip in on cross-platform installation/retro support tips, I'd appreciate it!

• Download the game (or demo) from Ambrosia Software's EVN page. I'd suggest you first test the game by installing the demo, to ensure that EV Nova is capable of running on your computer.
• Install the demo/full game as per usual. Choose an installation directory, shortcut creation, taskbar icon creation, etc.
• Run the game/demo. If the game refuses to run, try running in compatibility mode for Windows XP Service Pack 2, disable visual themes and desktop composition and/or run as administrator. Due to the nature of the Windows port (basically identical to the Mac OS X version, itself a port of the Mac OS 9/earlier version, even down to menu composition) the rendering system tends to behave in weird ways at times and it may take a bit of tweaking to get the game running.
• If playing the demo, you'll first be greeted with Ambrosia's shareware screen notifying you of the demo's 30-day time limit. After this time limit you will have to purchase the game in order to register an activation code necessary to turn the demo installation into the full version. Otherwise, this screen will not appear and you will be greeted with the game's main menu alongside Gustav Holst's Mars, the Bringer of War.

Main Menu

• New Pilot - Creates a new pilot profile (effectively your save file) for use in EV: Nova
• Open Pilot - Loads a pilot profile -- necessary before playing, as if memory serves there's no "Continue" option
• Enter Ship - Starts the game
• Set Prefs - Options menu
• About Nova - Game credits menu
• Quit Nova

First Steps

If this is the first time you've played before, go ahead and create a new Pilot profile by clicking New Pilot. The next screen allows you to choose the name of your character and that of your starting ship, a used Sigma Shipyards Alpha-class shuttle. Upon completing this screen, you're thrust into the blackness of space, beginning the game in the Sol system.

I'd suggest you land on Earth, where if memory serves a tutorial on basic inter-system navigation, trading and combat should begin upon landing. During the events of the tutorial you will be introduced to the basics of establishing a trade route (buy low at point A, sell/buy high at point B, etc.) as well as the intricacies of galactic map navigation, hyperspace jump routes and ship combat.

Basic Controls Tutorial, or How To Actually Do Things

• Arrow Keys - ship maneuvering controls
• J - Hyperdrive jump (aka hyperjump)
• M - galactic map
• L - request landing clearance at targeted destination/land at targeted destination
• Mouse U/D/L/R and Left-Click - target reticule/target selection

In order to land at Earth, left-click it to select it as your target, and then press L. You should hear a confirmation sound effect. Gently accelerate your ship with the Up arrow key (be careful, velocity is preserved in this basic ship) until it passes over the Earth, and then decelerate using the Down Arrow until your ship comes to a complete stop. Press L again and you will have landed on Earth.

You'll then be presented with the planet's, for lack of a better term, overworld menu where you can catch up on galactic news, gamble, purchase ships, weapons and other items and accept missions as well as refuel your ship's hyperdrive. You should also see a dialogue box pop up immediately after landing in which a friendly old-timer offers to show you the ropes on how to get your shiny metal box around the galaxy and make money in the process. If this is your first time playing, be sure to take this, as it provides some very valuable information not covered in this guide at the moment.

User Interface

The UI of EV Nova in-game is divided into two main sections - the in-game window and vital ship information stacked into a column on the right side of the screen.

At the top is your radar system. Initially when purchased, your ship will usually come with a monochrome radar system, although an upgrade will change this to a multi-color variant which displays friend-or-foe information in color at a glance.

Dots represent ships and other objects, while hollow circles varying in size represent celestial bodies in the current star system and stations you can potentially land on. The white dot in the exact center represents your ship, red dots are enemies, blue dots are allies and yellow dots are neutral. This color scheme is shared with celestial bodies, space stations and other points of interest in the current star system.

Ship Stats: Below the radar system is a stack of horizontal bars, representing your ship's current statistics. The top-most horizontal bar represents your ship's remaining shield strength, which depletes when your ship comes under weapons fire by enemies. The shields bar will slowly refill depending on the strength of your ship's shield generator and whether or not certain energy-generation enhancements have been added to your ship's systems. When the shields bar is fully depleted (or you are attacked with weapons capable of ignoring shields entirely) your ship will begin to take direct hull damage.

The second bar is your ship's current hull integrity, which when depleted spells the end for your spacecraft (and potentially yourself, without an escape pod installed). Lastly, the bottom bar represents your ship's hyperjump energy, which depletes in discrete chunks each time you jump to a different star system in the galaxy, and unless recharged passively with ship upgrades or refueled at inhabited stations/planets will not recharge.

Navigation: Next, below your stats bars, is your current navigation mode (i.e., Hyperspace or Stellar Navigation) and local star system.

Target Info: If you have selected a target in the local system with the mouse, no matter whether a ship, station or planet, information on the selected target will appear below the last section.

Economics: Lastly, information on the amount of empty cargo space, possession of special items in your ship's cargo hold and your current credits balance will appear below the Target Info section.

The Galaxy

Details: information on the in-game galaxy, including political factions, companies, statistics on numbers of planets, the hypergate system, and other stuff to be added later

I hope this guide helps new and old players of Escape Velocity Nova alike in their quest to make something of themselves in the galaxy.

For more information on the game, including that on modding, ships, the game's factions, consult the links below

This should be more or less what you need to get started.

Originally written by: arbayer2(contact on GB if any comments or questions)

Useful Links

EVN Wiki