Introduction

Welcome to Star Trek, the Emulator.ca Systems implementation of the classic 1971 starship command simulator originally written by Mike Mayfield.

In the early days of mainframe computing, when terminals were teletype machines and storage was measured in kilowords, a game emerged that would captivate a generation. Published in David Ahl's legendary 101 BASIC Computer Games (1973), Super Star Trek transformed university computer labs into starship bridges. Students would queue for hours, waiting their turn at the terminal, scribbling galaxy maps on scraps of paper while the line printer hammered out sector scans.

The premise is deceptively simple: you command the USS Enterprise through an 8x8 galaxy, hunting Klingon warships before time runs out. But beneath that simplicity lies a rich tactical game of energy management, navigation, and combat that has endured for over fifty years. Every decision matters -- fire phasers too liberally and you will lack the energy to reach a starbase; raise shields too late and a Klingon ambush will cripple your systems; chart your course carelessly and the stardates will slip away.

This implementation faithfully recreates the experience with a modern terminal interface. The 8x8 galaxy, the three-digit quadrant codes, the starbase docking mechanic, the torpedo calculator -- it is all here, exactly as generations of players remember it.

Each game generates a new galaxy with randomly placed Klingons, starbases, and stars. No two missions are alike. The quadrant names are drawn from the classic stellar catalogue: Antares, Rigel, Procyon, Vega, Canopus, Altair, Sagittarius, and Pollux.

Quick Start

Ready to take command? Follow these steps:

Dial the Enterprise line: ATDT555-1701
Press ENTER at the welcome screen to begin your mission
Read the mission briefing -- note the number of Klingons, starbases, and your time limit
Type SRS to perform a Short Range Scan of your current quadrant
Type LRS to scan surrounding quadrants and begin mapping the galaxy
Raise shields with SHE if Klingons are present

Keep a pencil and paper handy. Draw an 8x8 grid for the galaxy and fill in the three-digit codes (Klingons-Starbases-Stars) as you scan each quadrant. This map is your most valuable tactical asset.

Getting Started

Upon dialling ATDT555-1701, your modem will connect to the Enterprise bridge simulator. The system presents a welcome screen with the game title and historical credit.

Connection Settings

Setting	Value
Phone Number	555-1701
Baud Rate	300 or 1200
Terminal	VT100 / ANSI
Data Format	8N1

Press ENTER to proceed from the welcome screen. The system will display your mission briefing, including:

Current stardate and time limit
Number of Klingons to destroy
Number of starbases in the galaxy
Your starting quadrant and sector position

If Klingons are present in your starting quadrant, a RED ALERT will sound immediately. Raise shields before doing anything else.

When you enter a quadrant containing Klingon warships, your condition changes to RED. Klingons will fire on you after every action you take. Raise shields with the SHE command before engaging the enemy.

The Galaxy

The galaxy is an 8x8 grid of quadrants, each identified by row and column coordinates (1,1 through 8,8). Each quadrant also has a name drawn from the stellar catalogue -- for example, ANTARES I or POLLUX IV.

Within each quadrant is an 8x8 grid of sectors where the actual gameplay takes place. Sectors may contain:

Symbol	Entity	Description
`E`	Enterprise	Your ship
`K`	Klingon	Enemy warship
`B`	Starbase	Federation supply depot
`*`	Star	Celestial body (blocks movement and torpedoes)
`.`	Empty	Open space

Condition Indicators

Your ship's alert condition is displayed with each command prompt:

Condition	Colour	Meaning
GREEN	Green	No threats, energy adequate
YELLOW	Yellow	Energy below 300 units
RED	Red	Klingons present in quadrant
DOCKED	Cyan	Docked at a starbase

Quadrant Names

Each quadrant bears a name from the stellar catalogue, combining one of eight star names with a Roman numeral (I through VIII):

Antares, Rigel, Procyon, Vega, Canopus, Altair, Sagittarius, Pollux

For example, the quadrant at row 3, column 5 might be called PROCYON V. These names appear in your Short Range Scan header and in the Galactic Record.

Navigation

The Enterprise has two propulsion systems: impulse engines for movement within a quadrant, and warp drive for travel between quadrants.

Course Direction

Navigation uses a compass-style degree system:

         0 (N)
           |
270 (W) ---+--- 90 (E)
           |
        180 (S)

Course is specified in degrees from 0 to 359, measured clockwise from North.

Impulse Movement (Warp < 1)

Setting a warp factor below 1.0 engages impulse engines for intra-quadrant travel. The distance in sectors equals the warp factor multiplied by 8. For example, warp 0.5 moves you 4 sectors.

Energy cost: approximately 1 unit per sector
Advances the stardate by 0.1 (negligible)
Movement is blocked by stars, Klingons, and starbases in your path

Warp Movement (Warp 1-8)

Warp factors of 1.0 and above move you between quadrants. The warp factor determines how many quadrants you traverse in a single jump.

Energy cost: warp factor squared, multiplied by distance, multiplied by 10
Advances the stardate by 1.0 per jump
You arrive at a random sector in the destination quadrant
A course that would take you outside the galaxy is rejected

Navigation Procedure

Type NAV at the command prompt
Enter course in degrees (0-359), or -1 to cancel
Enter warp factor (0.1-8.0), or 0 to cancel

If the warp drive is damaged, your maximum warp factor is limited to 0.2. You will need to reach a starbase for repairs before travelling at full warp.

To travel east at warp 2: type NAV, enter course 90, then enter warp factor 2. This costs approximately 40 energy units and advances the stardate by 1.0.

Combat

Two weapons systems are available for engaging Klingon warships: phasers and photon torpedoes.

Phasers (PHA)

Phasers are energy weapons that automatically target all Klingons in the current quadrant. Energy is distributed equally among all targets, with damage falling off with distance.

Specify the amount of energy to allocate (drawn from your main energy supply)
Damage is divided equally among all Klingons in the quadrant
Closer Klingons receive more effective hits
A random factor (80% to 120%) affects each individual hit
Damage formula: (energy per target) x (1 - distance/10) x random factor

Tactical note: Concentrate more energy than you think necessary. A Klingon with 200 energy at distance 5 may require 400 or more phaser units to destroy reliably.

Photon Torpedoes (TOR)

Torpedoes travel in a straight line along the specified course and destroy the first target they hit. They are the most energy-efficient weapon but require accurate aim.

Specify course in degrees (0-359)
Torpedoes destroy Klingons in a single hit
They also destroy starbases (be careful!) and are absorbed by stars
You carry a maximum of 10 torpedoes
Use the Library Computer's torpedo calculator (COM > 3) for precise targeting

Klingon Counter-Attacks

After you fire weapons, surviving Klingons will return fire. Each Klingon's attack damage depends on its remaining energy and distance from the Enterprise. Shields absorb incoming damage first; any excess strikes the hull directly and may damage ship systems. If total damage exceeds 50 units or hull is hit directly, there is a 20% chance of system damage per hit.

Shields (SHE)

Transfer energy to shields before engaging Klingons. Shields absorb incoming damage, protecting the hull and ship systems.

Energy transferred to shields is deducted from your main energy supply
Shields can be lowered by setting a lower value (energy returns to main supply)
While docked, shields are automatically lowered to zero
Shields do not regenerate on their own -- you must manually allocate energy

Before entering a quadrant with Klingons, raise shields to at least 300. Use the torpedo calculator to fire precise shots at nearby Klingons first, then mop up survivors with phasers. Always check your energy level -- running out of energy is as fatal as a Klingon barrage.

Ship Systems and Damage

The Enterprise has eight systems that can be damaged during combat. Damaged systems operate at reduced capacity or become entirely inoperative.

Ship Systems

System	Command	Effect When Damaged
Warp Engines	NAV	Maximum warp limited to 0.2
S.R. Sensors	SRS	Short Range Scan unavailable
L.R. Sensors	LRS	Long Range Scan unavailable
Phaser Control	PHA	Cannot fire phasers
Photon Tubes	TOR	Cannot fire torpedoes
Shield Control	SHE	Cannot adjust shields
Damage Control	DAM	Repair rate halved
Library-Computer	COM	Computer functions unavailable

Damage and Repair

When a Klingon attack penetrates your shields, there is a chance of system damage. Each damaged system requires 1 to 5 stardates to fully repair. Systems repair themselves gradually as time passes.

Normal repair rate: 1 stardate of damage repaired per stardate elapsed
If Damage Control itself is damaged, the repair rate is halved
Docking at a starbase instantly repairs all systems

Damage Report (DAM)

Type DAM at any time to see the current status of all ship systems. The report shows each damaged system and the estimated stardates remaining until full repair.

Damage Control is the most critical system to protect. When it is damaged, all other repairs take twice as long. If you lose Damage Control early in a battle, consider retreating to a starbase rather than fighting on with a crippled ship.

Starbases and Docking

Federation starbases are your lifeline. Docking at a starbase provides:

Full energy replenishment (back to 3,000 units)
Shield energy reset
Torpedo reload (back to 10)
Complete repair of all damaged systems

Docking Procedure

Navigate to an adjacent sector (within 1.5 sectors of the starbase)
Type DOC to dock
Status changes to DOCKED; shields are lowered automatically

While docked, Klingons in the quadrant will not attack you. The next NAV command undocks you automatically.

Starbases are scarce -- typically 2 to 4 in the entire galaxy. Plan your route to pass near starbases when your energy runs low. The Library Computer's starbase calculator (COM > 4) can locate the nearest one.

Library Computer

The Library Computer (COM) provides five functions essential to tactical planning. If the computer system is damaged, none of these functions are available.

Computer Functions

Function	Name	Description
1	Cumulative Galactic Record	Map of all scanned quadrants (KSB codes)
2	Status Report	Time remaining, Klingons left, starbases left
3	Torpedo Calculator	Direction and distance to each Klingon in quadrant
4	Starbase Calculator	Direction and distance to nearest starbase
5	Direction Calculator	Reference diagram for compass directions

Galactic Record

The galactic record shows all quadrants you have scanned (via LRS or by visiting them). Each entry is a three-digit code:

First digit: Number of Klingons in the quadrant
Second digit: Number of starbases
Third digit: Number of stars

Unscanned quadrants show ***. This is your strategic map -- use it to plan routes that target Klingon concentrations while staying within reach of starbases.

Torpedo Calculator

The torpedo calculator (function 3) displays the precise course in degrees to each Klingon in your current quadrant. Feed these values directly into the TOR command for accurate hits.

Starbase Calculator

The starbase calculator (function 4) provides the direction and distance to the nearest starbase in the galaxy. Essential for planning resupply runs when your reserves are low.

Command Reference

All commands are entered as three-letter abbreviations at the command prompt:

NAV - Navigate (set course and warp factor)
SRS - Short Range Scan (view current quadrant)
LRS - Long Range Scan (scan surrounding quadrants)
PHA - Fire Phasers (energy weapons, auto-targeting)
TOR - Fire Photon Torpedoes (manual aim)
SHE - Adjust Shield Energy
DAM - Damage Control Report
COM - Library Computer (5 sub-functions)
STA - Status Report
DOC - Dock at Starbase (must be adjacent)
HLP - Help screen
QUI - Quit game

Appendix: Quick Reference Card

+=====================================================+
|            STAR TREK QUICK REFERENCE                |
+=====================================================+
|                                                     |
| NAVIGATION                COMBAT                    |
| ──────────────────────   ────────────────────────── |
| NAV  Set course/warp     PHA  Fire phasers          |
| Course: 0-359 degrees    TOR  Fire torpedoes        |
| Warp: 0.1 (impulse)      SHE  Adjust shields        |
|       1-8 (warp)                                    |
|                                                     |
| SENSORS                  COMPUTER (COM)             |
| ──────────────────────   ────────────────────────── |
| SRS  Short Range Scan    1. Galactic Record         |
| LRS  Long Range Scan     2. Status Report           |
|                          3. Torpedo Calculator      |
| SHIP                     4. Starbase Calculator     |
| ──────────────────────   5. Direction Reference     |
| DAM  Damage report                                  |
| STA  Status report       MAP SYMBOLS                |
| DOC  Dock at starbase    ────────────────────────── |
| HLP  Help screen         E=Enterprise  K=Klingon   |
| QUI  Quit game           B=Starbase    *=Star      |
|                                                     |
| ENERGY: 3000 max | TORPEDOES: 10 max               |
| SHIELDS: Drawn from energy supply                   |
| COURSE: 0=N 90=E 180=S 270=W                       |
+=====================================================+

Appendix: Troubleshooting

Cannot Navigate

Problem: The NAV command reports "Cannot navigate while docked."

Solution: Your first NAV command after docking will undock you automatically. Simply issue the NAV command with your desired course and warp factor.

Phasers Have No Effect

Problem: You fire phasers but Klingons survive.

Solution: Phaser damage falls off with distance and is split among all targets. If three Klingons are present, each receives only one-third of your energy allocation. Move closer or allocate more energy.

Torpedoes Miss

Problem: Torpedoes do not hit the intended target.

Solution: Use the torpedo calculator (COM > 3) for the exact direction to each Klingon. Course is in degrees, so even a few degrees of error may cause a miss at long range.

Time Running Out

Problem: The stardate is approaching the deadline with Klingons remaining.

Solution: Each warp jump costs one stardate. Plan an efficient route through remaining Klingon quadrants. Impulse movement within a quadrant does not significantly advance time. The time limit is 25 stardates plus half the total number of Klingons in the galaxy.

Energy Depleted

Problem: Energy has dropped critically low.

Solution: Navigate to the nearest starbase immediately. Use the starbase calculator (COM > 4) to find the closest one. Even with damaged warp engines, you can still travel at warp 0.2.

All Systems Damaged

Problem: Multiple ship systems are offline.

Solution: Dock at a starbase to repair all systems instantly. If no starbase is nearby, wait for systems to self-repair over time (each stardate that passes repairs damage). Prioritise reaching a starbase if Damage Control is among the damaged systems.

Appendix: Glossary

Term	Definition
Quadrant	One of 64 sectors of the galaxy (8x8 grid)
Sector	One of 64 positions within a quadrant (8x8 grid)
Stardate	Unit of time; each warp jump costs 1.0 stardates
KSB Code	Three-digit code showing Klingons, Starbases, Stars in a quadrant
Impulse	Sub-warp movement within a single quadrant (warp < 1.0)
Warp Factor	Speed setting for inter-quadrant travel (1.0 to 8.0)
Docking	Parking adjacent to a starbase for resupply and repair
Phaser	Energy weapon with automatic targeting and distance falloff
Photon Torpedo	Directional projectile weapon; one-hit kill on contact
Galactic Record	Library Computer map of scanned quadrants