Tutorial for the beginning of Privateer 2

Tutorial for the Beginning of Privateer 2: The Darkening

This tutorial is sort of a walk through for the beginning portions of Privateer 2. I have done this page in a manner that it is easy to print this tutorial out on your printer. Before you read this tutorial you should read all the printed material that came with the game. This tutorial will not be "in-depth" on space combat and flying. (For help with space combat in this game, go to my Hints and Cheats section of this site.

TUTORIAL

By John Carpenter

KEY: When the tutorial prompts you to do an action regarding the game, the text will be underlined and in bold.

Tutorial Begin:
At the title screen for Privateer 2-

Choose "New"
This starts the introduction movie to the game. (Pay attention to this movie, as it has background information that deals with the main plot of The Darkening.) At the end of this movie, you arrive on the planet of Hermes. You then make your way to the Sinner's Inn (The most notorious bar in the Tri-System area.)
Talk to Joe the bartender.
When the interactive menu appears prompting you to choose a response, highlight:
"Maybe I can get a bargain..."
After you finish conversing with Joe.
Exit the Sinner's Inn.
Your PAD, or Personal Access Device(Directory), will appear. The PAD is in Transit mode, and has automatically chosen your destination at "Customs".
Click on "EXIT"
You are now at the main area on Hermes. From here you can:

Exit to Transit
Enter the Booth
Leave the Planet (If you try to leave Hermes at this time, your PAD will pop-up telling you "Sorry, you first need to buy a ship before you can take-off.")

Enter the booth.
The booth or CCN (Commerce and Communications Network) is located on all planets, and most stations. While logged on to the CCN you can do the following:
At the Ship's section-

Purchase a ship (Later on in the game you will sell ships to acquire new ones here as well.)
Repair a ship.
Purchase and sell equipment.

At the Bulletin Board section-

Hire cargo ships.
Hire wingmen.
Accept missions (when they are available).

At the Public Records section-
You can search through information on:

People
Companies
Vehicles
Planets

At the Commodities section-

Buy and sell commodities.
Hire and fire a standard cargo ship.

At the News Bulletins section-

Check on the latest News Bulletins.

Go to the Ships section.
Go to Purchase/Sell Ship.
You will notice that you have 13,500 credits.
Cycle through the ships, using the up and down arrows near the word "SHIPS".
As you cycle through the available ships, you will notice a rotating picture of the highlighted ship and its statistics on the right side of the screen. The only ship you can afford right now is the "STRAITH".
Highlight the "STRAITH" and click the "BUY" button.
At the top left corner of the screen, you will see the Straith listed as your current ship and the value of it.
Exit the ship's section by clicking on the arrow at the top-right of the screen.
Click on Purchase/Sell Equipment.
From here you can sell and buy equipment for your ship. A picture of your ship, and a picture of the coolant unit Mk I is present here. There are three areas of your ship to equip.

Modules
Missiles
Guns

Click on the gun icon to the right and bottom side of the ship picture.
You have space for two guns. You will notice that you have 3,500 credits. Purchase two Stream Lasers by clicking the "BUY" button twice. (To find out more information on the highlighted gun, click the arrow button to the right of the rotating gun.)
You will see that the two guns were added to the ship picture, and the appropriate credits were deducted.
Go back to the module section of the ship by clicking on the icon to the left and upper side of the ship picture.
Cycle through the available modules.
Don't buy any modules at this time. (The only things you can afford, you don't need.)
Click on the missiles icon at the bottom and left side of the ship picture.
Cycle through the available missiles and stop at the Python missile.
Buy two Python missiles by clicking the "BUY" button twice.
Two missiles are added to the ship picture.
Exit the equipment screen.
Click "DONE" on the ships section screen.
Click "Logoff" at the booth's main menu screen.
It is almost time to leave Hermes and explore the Tri-System, but first check out your PAD a little.
Hit the "P" key on your keyboard to access the PAD.
You will see a screen that has an animated cursor and four different sections to chose from.
Click on the ship icon to access the ship inventory screen.
Here you see your ship name, your modules, missiles, software, and guns that are loaded on your ship. You also see your ship's status percentages. Those percentages will decrease if your ship takes damage.
Click on the "UF" icon to view the Cargo Inventory screen.
Click on the paper icon at the top to access your Status Diary screen.
This screen will help you progress through the game. Your entries will show you what you need to do next, whether it's a main plot sequence, SOS mission, bulletin board mission, or other event that needs to be "taken care of" by you. Your credit status, rating, and number of kills is also listed here.
Click on the small silver ball next to "NEXT DIARY ENTRY".
Up in the entry block a message appears telling you "Maybe I should pay a visit to the hospital that treated me."
Next, click on the small computer icon.
This is the game options screen. Among other things, you can save and load games from here.
You should save your game now.
Click on the green ball next to "SAVE GAME".
Click on the first empty slot. Type in a save game name (whatever you would like to save it as.) Next, either press "ENTER" or click on "SAVE" at the bottom to register your save.
Exit your PAD.
Leave Hermes. Click on the area next to the guy banging his head against the wall.
Once in space, press and hold the "ALT" key and press the "O" key.
This is the in-flight options screen. You can set-up and calibrate your joystick from here.
Click on the "Exit" button to return to the flight screen.
Press and hold the "ALT" key and press the "H" key to bring up the list of hotkeys.
There are two pages of hotkeys. Cycle back and forth between them by clicking the "Next" button.
Important keys to remember always are:

KEYBOARD KEY	What this key does
"TAB"	Hold this key down to activate the afterburners
"+"	Increase speed
"-"	Decrease speed
"]"	Set speed to maximum
"A"	Select next target
"RETURN"	Fire missile
"O"	Activate/Deactivate SOS receiver
"T"	Activate tractor beam
"C"	Communications
"D"	Damage control
"DEL"	Release Mines/Decoys

Click the "Exit" button to return to the flight screen.
Press and hold the "ALT" key and press the "D" key.
This will bring up the Electronic Diary screen. The same message about visiting the hospital is here. You can cycle through your diary by:
Clicking the "Next diary entry button".
Exit this screen.
You should probably visit the hospital that treated you. (Note: This is part of the main plot. Many of the early parts of the main plot do not involve fighting, besides random enemy encounters. Do not progress through the main plot too quickly, as you will need a very good ship with powerful equipment to complete some of the later main plot missions that involve a lot of intense fighting.)
Press and hold the "ALT" key and press the "N" key.
You have now accessed the navigational or "Nav" map. From here you plot your courses through the Tri-System.
Click on the light blue planet near the middle of the screen.
This is Crius. This is predominantly a medical planet. Since you are searching for a hospital, Crius would be a good place to start. Notice that Crius is located at Nav point 4, which is 5 jumps away from Hermes. (Note: Another way to find planets/stations and Nav points in Privateer 2 is to use the "F" find function.)
Do this:
Press the "F" key. Type "CR".
The nav cursor moved to "CR"ius.
Hit the "Enter" key to confirm this destination.
Just for fun, find Nav point 96.
Press the "F" key and type in "96".
Press the "Enter" key to confirm this destination.
Now, get back to Crius.
You want this to be your destination.
Click on the "Exit" button.
Crius is now locked into your Nav computer.
Before you can jump to the next nav point, your jump meter must be full and be the color green. It will be green when:

There are no hostilities present.
You have chosen a different Nav point destination other than the one you are currently at.

The jump meter will be red when hostilities are in the area. It will be orange when you are at the nav point designated in the Nav computer as your destination.
If there are enemies in your area now, you must:
Eliminate them.
otherwise
Press the "J" key to jump to the next Nav point.
Repeat this until you arrive at Nav 4. (The planet of Crius), Your destination.
Before you reach Crius, you will probably receive an e-mail message from -Xavier Shondi-. He has a high paying mission for you. He is also located on Crius.
Once you reach Nav point 4, you need to land on Crius.
Fly straight towards the planet.
When you get very close to the planet,
Open your comms VDW by pressing the "C" key.
If "Planetary Control" is one of the communication options:
Press the corresponding number, usually #1, then chose "Permission to land".
You will then automatically land.
As soon as you land on Crius, a cinematic movie will start. After the short movie concludes, you find yourself at the Crius customs area.
Open your PAD
Go to your Status Diary.
You now have two different entries.
Read both and then exit your PAD.
Exit to transit on the customs screen.
Click on "Hospital", and then click "Exit".
You are treated to a transit cut scene.
At the Crius Hospital:
Talk to the receptionist.
You will make your way to see Dr. Loomis. When the interactive menu appears during your conversation:
Choose a response.
It does not matter which one on this conversation.
When Dr. Loomis finishes talking, you return to the receptionist's desk.
Exit Crius Hospital
Your PAD appears.
Click on "Surgeons Blunder Bar" then click on "Exit".
When you arrive at the bar.
Talk to Xavier Shondi.
Accept his mission.
You receive 8,000 credits up front.
Make your way back to customs and load up your ship.
Hire a wingman to help you with this mission.
Go to the Bulletin Board section through the CCN.
Choose a wingman.
(The more expensive they are to hire, the better they are in combat, *usually*.)
Leave the planet and embark on your first mission.

Good luck! You are now on your own.
Remember to save often, and visit my Hints and Cheats section for more help.

END OF TUTORIAL