There are several methods for communicating within the world of Star Conquest.
The first, and most basic, is talking to someone within the same room as you. To talk, simply write what you want your character to say with SAY, " (quote) or ' (single quote) prefacing it.
Example: SAY Hello.
Example: "Hello.
Example: 'Hello.
Result (Your perspective): You say, "Hello."
Result (Others' perspective): Andrea Irkuski says, "Hello."
Beyond simple talking is emoting. To emote an action, use either EMOTE, : (colon) or the letter "a" to preface what you want your character to do.
Example: EMOTE dances!
Example: :dances!
Example: a dances!
Result: Barbara Josef dances!
A more detailed emoting help file is also available.
COMMUNICATORS
Each character starts the game possessing a metachannel FTL communicator. This allows people to transmit on the set of channels viewable only by their alliance as well as the Tactical and General channels, open to all alliances.
To use them, the following commands are used. (Please note that you must be wearing the communicator and it must be on. It must also be YOUR communicator. Do not give your communicator to another player, or swap it. This will stop the communicators working, as they are assigned to the person in question both ICly and OOCly.)
To turn the communicator on and off completely, the command TURN COMM is used.
To turn the Newbie channel on or off, NEWB COMM is used.
To turn the General channel on and off, GEN COMM is used.
To turn the Tactical channel on and off, TAC COMM is used.
To transmit on the Newbie channel, use the command TRANSMIT NEWBIE message (this can be shortened to TRA NEWB message)
Example: TRA NEWB How do I communicate with people?
Result: [Newbie Help] Cameron Jellas transmits, "How do I communicate with people?"
To transmit on the General channel, use the command TRANSMIT GENERAL message (this can be shortened to TRA GEN message)
Example: TRA GEN Hello.
Result: [General Communication] Darla Kinnington transmits, "Hello."
To transmit on the Tactical channel, use the command TRANSMIT TACTICAL message (this can be shortened to TRA TAC message)
Example: TRA TAC There are Battle Thralls in sector 26!
Result: [Tactical Communcation] Ella Lerini transmits, "There are Battle Thralls in sector 26!"
The channels specific to your alliance are slightly different.
You can TUNE COMM TO NUMBER, where NUMBER is a channel number from 1 to 10, to transmit on that channel using the command TRA message.
Example: TUNE COMM TO 1
Result: You tune a metachannel communicator to ALLIANCE | Channel 1.
Example: TRA Hello.
Result: [ALLIANCE | Channel 1] Faye Masters transmits, "Hello."
You can also TUNE COMM TO 0 (the number zero) which puts the communicator in tuner mode, allowing you to hear transmissions on all of your alliance channels. However, this means that the command to transmit to those channels is slightly different. Since the comm is no longer tuned to a specific channel, you must specify the particular channel number you wish to transmit to.
Example: TUNE COMM TO 0
Result: You tune a metachannel communicator to the ALLIANCE tuner.
Example: TRA 1 Hello.
Result: [ALLIANCE | Channel 1] Georgina Norrington transmits, "Hello."
Another form of communicator is the metafrequency FTL transmitter. This device allows groups of people to chat semi-privately on a frequency of their choosing. Metafrequency transmitters must be purchased before use, players do not begin the game with them. These are ICly only for use by the pilot leagues, and can be freely given to others, should you be generous enough. Consider them a sort of Citizens Band radio for Pilots.
To turn a metafrequency transmitter on and off, use the command TURN TRANSMITTER.
Metafrequency transmitters have many channels to choose from, from 1.01 to 599.99.
To tune the transmitter to receive transmissions from and transmit to a particular channel, the command TUNE TRANS(MITTER) is used.
Example:
TUNE TRANS
A small transmitter is currently not tuned to any frequencies. Please enter one now.
[Type a line of input or `@abort' to abort the command.]
342.69
Please enter a label for this frequency.
[Type a line of input or `@abort' to abort the command.]
BFF
You slowly rotate the tuning dial on a small transmitter to 342.69, then save the frequency as 'BFF.'
To speak on this frequency, use the command TRA (label) message.
Example:
TRA BFF Hello.
Result (without an earpiece) On a metafrequency FTL transmitter, you hear Hannah Spearitt transmit, "Hello."
Result (with an earpiece): [BFF (342.69)] Hannah Spearitt transmits, "Hello,"
Note that without an earpiece, anyone in the room with you will hear any transmission made by or to you via a metafrequency transmitter. With an earpiece attached the communication is visible only to people tuned to the channel itself with their own transmitter, unless of course someone else without an earpiece is on that frequency.
SHIP COMMUNICATION
To communicate from your ship's control room, you can use the GENERAL command.
With just the GENERAL command, you will bring up this menu:
General Sector Transmission
Communication Menu:
[1] Greetings
[2] Farewell
[3] Warn of Hostile Intentions
[4] Offer Surrender to Ships
[5] Demand Surrender from Ships
[6] Send Distress Notification
[7] Custom Transmission
Send which?
[Type a line of input or `@abort' to abort the command.]
Choosing from options 1 to 6 will result in the ship sending a generic version of the option, choosing 7 is the same as below:
Using GEN message, however, will transmit a specific message.
Example: GEN Hello.
Result (your perspective): To all ships in the sector, this ship transmits, "Hello."
Result (perspective of other ships in the sector): Via general sector communication, SHIPNAME transmits, "Hello."
Ships can also LINK to one another in order to transmit privately. You must be in space, and the ship you wish to link to must also be in the same sector. They must also allow you to link. Using the LINK command will have the ship computer ask what ship you wish to link to. Once selected, you must wait for that ship to accept or deny your request.
If either linked ship leaves the sector, opens a wormhole or lands, the link will be broken. To break a link manually, use the BREAK command.
Other than that, linked communication is similar to the standard GENERAL ship communication.
MINING COMMS
If you are mining an asteroid, you can communicate with other miners using the CHANNEL command, which can be shortened to just C.
Example: C Hello.
Result: [Mining Communication] Vera Beroski transmits, "Hello."
MAIL
For non-real-time communication, you can also locate a Mail Room or Post Office, purchase a letter from the menu and use the WRITE LETTER command to write the letter, then SEND LETTER to allow you to type a name of a valid player or NPC to whom to send the letter. Keep in mind that the letter will only be received when the person actually CHECKs their mail at a mail room.
