How to Play Asteroid Defender!

This is an in depth and detailed guide explaining how to play Asteroid Defender!

PILOT INTRODUCTION

FLIGHT SYSTEMS

Enter the cockpit of the advanced and versatile X-33 space fighter and prepare to defend the planet.

BASIC FLIGHT CONTROLS

• Use the WASD keys to pilot the X-33 forwards or backwards, and to strafe left and right

  

• Use the Q and E keys to roll your ship left or right

  

ADVANCED FLIGHT CONTROLS

• Press SPACEBAR to activate engine thrusters and increase your flight speed temporarily

  [unlockable upgrade]
  

WEAPON SYSTEMS

The X-33 space fighter comes equipped with a powerful laser cannon. This will be your primary weapon in defending the Earth from incoming asteroids.

PRESS LEFT MOUSE TO FIRE THE LASER CANON. HOLD THE MOUSE DOWN FOR AUTO-FIRE OR FIRE AT YOUR OWN PACE BY CONTINUING TO CLICK THE LEFT MOUSE BUTTON.

Your ship also supports a wide range of weapon and defensive system upgrades. Complete side missions, destroy asteroids, and protect the Earth to earn mission credits. Once you earn enough credits, seek out and dock with the orbiting command shuttle to acquire powerful upgrades for your ship.

UNLOCKABLE WEAPON UPGRADES

HOMING ROCKETS

Identify your target, lock on, and fire a homing rocket that will seek and destroy

PULSE EMITTER

Use the short range pulse emitter to send a deadly shockwave out in all directions, instantly destroying anything nearby.

DEFENSE SATELLITE

Launch a defensive satellite into low Earth orbit for a short period of time. The satellite will automatically target and destroy any incoming asteroids within range.

PROXY MINES

The best offensive is a strong defense.

MISSION SYSTEMS

Your primary mission objective is to destroy any incoming asteroids before they reach Earth, however there are several administrative tasks that require constant attention.

EARTH SHIELD

Earth is protected by an energy shield that helps dissipate and absorbs the damage of any impacting asteroids. However, each asteroid strike on the Earth Shield will cause a power drain - the amount of which is dependent on the size and speed of the impacting asteroid.

POWER PYLONS

The shield is powered by four power pylons, located in orbit above the planet. To stay online and operational each of the four power pylons requires constant installation of power cells, which are used to draw energy and transfer it to the Earth shield.


Each asteroid strike upon the Earth Shield causes additional drain on the power pylons, above the normal constant slow power drain to just simply keep the shield online. During your mission it is critical that you keep the power pylons online and active, by collecting any power cells you can find and installing them in the pylons.

COMMAND SHUTTLE

The orbiting command shuttle serves as mission control and is your base of operations. Quickly warp to the shuttle at any time using the mission control console.


Fly into the bay of the command shuttle and dock your ship to acquire powerful upgrades, check mission stats, or request additional mission supplies. Once you have successfully powered up the solar array, it will constantly generate power cells that you can collect from the command shuttle bay.

RESEARCH SAMPLES

Some asteroids will break apart into smaller fragments once destroyed. These fragments will glow yellow and will drift through space for a short period of time. These small fragments can be collected as research samples, and once you aquire enough samples they can be analyzed back at the command shuttle. Successful analysis will provide random benefits, such as a slight damage bonus to any asteroids you shoot.

ADVANCED SYSTEMS

MISSON CONTROL CONSOLE

Anytime during the game you can open up the mission control console by pressing R. This console provides real time mission data, along with informing you of any side missions currently available. It also allows you to access the warp gate menu for rapid travel.

SIDE MISSIONS

During the game you will be presented with several optional side missions. While not required, completing these side missions will provide useful rewards.