LAUNCH
Keywords: LAUNCH
=== USER MANUAL ===
Usage: launch
Description:
Lift your docked ship into space. The ship closes its hatch
(if open), tops up its systems, accelerates to max speed, and
enters its launch sequence.
Launch is the inverse of land: it transitions a docked ship
back into flight state.
What Launch Does:
Close hatch ......... Auto-slams the personnel hatch before
lift-off. Anyone still on the pad is locked
out.
Refill systems ..... Hull, shield, and energy reset to
their maximum values. Launch effectively
functions as a free repair at any
docking location.
Rearm weapons ...... Primary and secondary weapon states
reset to READY.
Max speed .......... Ship sets speed to maxspeed for the
lift-off burn.
Enter launch state . Ship state transitions to SHIP_LAUNCH;
full flight controls (accelerate, course,
calculate, etc.) become available once the
launch completes.
Requirements:
Pilot seat ......... Must be at the ship's helm.
Pilot access ....... Must own the ship or be a listed pilot.
Spacecraft ......... Stations and non-spacecraft hulls cannot
launch.
Currently docked ... Ship state must be SHIP_DOCKED and
located at its last dock point. Otherwise:
"You don't seem to be docked right now."
or "The ship is not docked right now."
Drive intact ....... "The ship's drive is damaged, no
power for take off." blocks disabled ships.
Echo:
Launch sequence initiated. (pilot)
The ship hums as it lifts off the ground. (ship-wide)
<ship> begins to launch. (docking pad)
If the hatch was open, two additional messages fire before
the above:
The hatch on <ship> closes. (docking pad)
The hatch slides shut. (ship entrance)
Notes:
- Launch fully repairs the ship. Combat damage, energy
drain, and weapon-cooldown state all clear on take-off --
docking and re-launching is a cheap way to top off.
- Launch closes the hatch unconditionally. Crew must be
aboard before the command fires; anyone left on the pad
stays behind.
- The launch sequence is not instant. The ship goes through
a SHIP_LAUNCH transition before reaching flight-ready
state. Movement, weapon fire, and calculations must wait for
SHIP_READY -- the game will tell you if you try to act
too early.
- Launching from a bay (carrier hanger / station) is the
same command; the ship exits whichever pad it was parked on.
Related Helpfiles: LAND, OPENHATCH, BAYDOORS, BOARDSHIP, BUYSHIP, ACCELERATE, COURSE, CALCULATE
=== END MANUAL ===