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Approaching Infinity

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BASIC CONTROLS
By IBOL17
Approaching Infinity: HOW TO
   
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Created by
IBOL17
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Category: Gameplay Basics
Posted
Updated
Feb 16, 2021 @ 7:47am
May 4, 2023 @ 12:43pm
1,224 Unique Visitors
9 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
Other Guides 
KEYBOARD 
HUD 
INFO WINDOWS 
MOVEMENT 
SPACE COMBAT 
AWAY TEAM COMBAT 
OTHER ACTIONS 
MENUS 
Those Other Guides Again! 
Comments
KEYBOARD


This is the first page of the in-game help screen, arrived at by pressing [F1].

It shows you what the various keys do. Use the left and right arrow keys to scroll through all the in-game help pages.




You can re-bind the keys any way you like from the Options menu [ESC].
HUD
There is a wealth of information and interactivity at your fingertips (and eyeballs)!


The HUD shows your current general status (health, supplies, etc.) as well as a little information about almost anything you put the mouse on. It shows what sector you're in, the current star date (an indication of how long you've played), and how much money you have (credits).

It will also tell you about things on the map, such as planets, ion storms, and enemies.
INFO WINDOWS

These user-configurable information windows can show you just about anything you want to know!

Click the 8 buttons along the top to choose which window is displayed where, or you can use the keys shown to scroll through them < , > , [ , ] .

Ship Components shows the important parts of your ship (weapons, defenses, engines, and generator),

Ship devices (2nd window) are items you can install that have many unique effects.

Away team gear (#3) shows what ranged weapon, melee weapon, suit, device, grenade, and swap weapon your landing party currently has equipped.

Cargo (#4) What's in your ship's cargo, or what your away team has picked up. Up and down arrows at the sides can scroll multiple pages.

Artifacts (#5) The names of alien artifacts you've found, and what they do (if you've figured that out).

Race Relations (#6) All the races you've met, and how they feel about you. Also the sector of their most-recently-discovered embassy.

Map legend (#7) shows a quick readout naming what's on your map. In tactical zoom mode, this screen turns into a mini-map!

Activated Skills (#8) When your officers reach level 2, they can equip skill modules for even more powers. You just have to find them first!
MOVEMENT
Use the Numpad keys (the numbers 1-9 move you in a direction, similar to the arrow keys, but including diagonals.) The [5] key is "smart action" and will enter, exit, shoot, etc. If you don't have a numpad or you prefer the classic roguelike keyset, there is a HJKLYUBN pre-set option.

Mouse Movement
You can also right-click on the map to move somewhere.

If right click to move doesn't work:
There is probably something deadly in your path. Clicking directly adjacent squares ignores this rule.

Loot is automatically picked up by moving over it.
SPACE COMBAT
Mouse:
Left-click once to target, and again to fire.

Keyboard:
Press [F] once to select a target, and again to fire.

[+] and [-] will cycle through available targets in range.

Safety:
By default, your weapon's "safety" is on, and it keeps you from carelessly firing at non-hostile targets. You can toggle it on and off by pressing [S].

In space, all your weapons will fire in order, from smallest to largest. Firing won't end your turn, so you can still move after shooting.

If you want to fire a specific weapon, make sure you have a target selected, then bring up the "ship components" info window and click on the specific weapon you want to fire.



Another Way
Another way to choose which weapon to fire is to select "Fire One" on the Top of the UI. After that, when you press F to fire, the game will then ask you which weapon you'd like to fire.


There is no "bump to attack" in space Unless you find the plasma-lance device!
AWAY TEAM COMBAT
On the ground, your landing party can either move *or* shoot during their turn, but not both. The controls are the same as in space, whether mouse or keyboard. Except that clicking on your away team menu in the into window will swap it with your alternate weapon, if you have one.

But your away team carries a melee weapon, and if you move into a monster, you'll use a melee attack. Melee weapons often do more damage, and of different types (better penetration?) than your ranged weapons.
OTHER ACTIONS
  • [5] , [Space] : "Smart Action" : context-sensitive transition or action, like using stairs or firing at a target (5 will shoot, space will not)
  • [D] : dock / land / depart :
  • [W] : Warp to another sector (must be on a warp point)
  • [R] : rest / wait : wait one turn. On away missions, aids the healing process.
  • [A] : Abandon cargo (choose what you want to drop from a menu)

  • [/b]: Peer (Look / Examine) : Move a cursor around the map, getting tool-tip info about everything there.

  • [H] : Hail ship : Talk to aliens in range. They may give information, offer to let you surrender, or re-supply you.
  • [V] : Scan planet : You can learn a lot about planets before you land. Your ships "sensor" component has a "scan" stat that determines how much information you get.
  • [N] : Note : Add a note in your captain's log, about something you want to come back for or avoid.
  • [L] : Read Log : Read all the notes in your captain's log.
Some of these functions have there own dedicated UI buttons too:
Hail, note, log, scan, zoom.
MENUS
  • [Q] : Quest menu : shows the details of any missions you have.
  • [O] : Officers screen : details about all your officers (you are an officer too, captain!) Level up and equip activated skills here
  • [ I ] : Install : Ship components, devices, and away team gear are all installed *here*
  • [C] : Crafting : Once you've found a crafting lab you can start building your own items.
  • [T] : Stats : so. much. info.
  • [Z] : Active Effects : the effects of your devices, skills, *identified* artifacts, and powers.
  • [M] : Achievements : tracked across all games. Not all game achievements are Steam achievements.