Spaceflight Guide

So you need to get across the galaxy? This handy guide will give you step-by-step instructions for how to get from one place to another, explaining the commands you'll need to know along the way. 
==No ship? No problem! ==
For those characters who don't own or have access to their very on spaceship, there are still options. 
===Shuttle System===
Dark Horizons has an extensive shuttle system that is quick and easy to use. This system does not go everywhere, however, so shuttle users are limited to certain systems. 
Most public spaceports have a shuttle terminal listed in the room's items. Look at the terminal (ex. 'l Coruscant Shuttle Terminal') for destinations, fees, and instructions on traveling.
===Hitching a Ride===
The most RP-heavy and flexible way of getting from place to place without a ship of your own is to hitch a ride, ICly. There are almost always characters who are willing to help you get from one place to another - although usually for a fee. 
You can work this out ICly, by hanging around a spaceport, or feel free to ask on the Public channel if anyone would be willing to work something out through RP. You can almost always find a player who'd love the chance to come play.
==Getting a ship ==
Ships cost money, and lots of it. If you've started with the financial advantage, you may have enough to buy a cheap ship to start with - although check to be sure it has a hyperdrive! 
Many factions provide their members with the use of ships for travel, especially military factions. If your character is poor but wants to see the galaxy, you might consider joining such a faction.
=== +control===
Before you can fly any ship, you'll need +control of it. The owner of the ship can +control/add you to enable you to fly it - this does not mean that you own the ship, just that you can use it! 
==Quick Guide==
This is a quick list of the commands you generally need for spaceflight, in the order in which you generally need them. For fuller explanations, see individual help pages or the example below.
+unlock --> +board --> +liftoff --> +fly --> +map or +navigate --> +hyperjump --> 
+fly --> +passcode --> +land --> +unlock --> +leave --> +lock 
==Coruscant to Alderaan - an example==
We'll take a trip from Coruscant to Aldera, on Alderaan, in a typical spaceship and we'll deal with the various code possibilities along the way. To start, we're hanging out in the spaceport where our ship is located. We don't want anyone to steal it, so it's been locked - which means that we need to +unlock <ship name> before we can go anywhere. You can use any unique word or beginning of a word in the ship's name as a shortcut. 
Enter the ship by typing '+board <ship>'. If it's a small ship, you're ready to go. If it's a larger ship with several decks, you'll need to go to the bridge or cockpit. Once there, you can also see info about your ship (including whether it has a hyperdrive) by typing '+ship'.
Time to get moving - '+liftoff' to shake the dust off your boots and get into space. Once you're spaceborn, you'll want to '+fly <flight path>' - usually, you'll start by flying up or outward a few times. 
In space rooms, flight paths are listed on the left in yellow, landing options are on the right in teal, and hyperlanes are on the right in bright blue.
We're going to Alderaan, so '+fly up', '+fly outward', '+fly outward'. Now you'll see hyperlanes listed: [Coruscant Wheel Back and Forward] and [Direct to Rienna].
There are two ways to figure out a path. The first is by using +map. +map will show you a map of the galaxy and will also list the codes for various hyperlane routes. You can then type '+map <route code>' to see that route highlighted, with a color code to list direction. Most hyperlanes are big circles, although a few are direct lanes or + shaped.
On +map, you can see that there is a direct line from Coruscant to Alderaan. That line is part of the Yidri Cruise, so type '+map yc' to see the hyperlane. 
The room we're in has hyperlanes, but not the Yidri Cruise lane. Type '+fly outward' once more, and now we see [Bothawui Gauntlet Back and Forward] [Core Artery Back and Forward] and [Yidri Cruise Back and Forward]. 
Another quick way to check where the hyperlanes in a room go is to type '+navigate'. Type it here - you'll see that Yidri Cruise Back leads to the Alderaan system. 
To jump, '+hyperjump yidri cruise back' or '+hyperjump ycb'. Now we're in Alderaan space! '+fly inward', and you see that we can fly coreward or rimward. Finding your way around space is mostly logic combined with trial and error. Here we can guess that coreward is probably back toward Coruscant, and we see that rimward also says into In the Alderaan System. So '+fly rimward'. '+fly rimward' once more, and now we see Alderaan proper - '+fly alderaan'.
Now we're in the planet's orbit and we have options for where we go - in this case, two cities, Hijera and Aldera. '+fly aldera', and now we see landing options: [Police Landing Bay] [Royal Landing Pad] and [Aldera Public Spaceport]. Usually you're looking for a public spaceport. 
To land, type '+land <landing platform>' - in this case, '+land aldera public spaceport'. 
When trying to land, you may see An energy deflection screen prevents you from landing in Alderaan: Aldera - Public Spaceport and you do not have a proper code clearance. - This means that the spaceport shield (or sometimes a ship) is blocking traffic, usually for safety reasons, and that you need the correct passcode to land. 
For most Republic worlds, this passcode is Free Trade. It it's not, it probably means you can't get on without proper clearance and you might be out of luck - although if you look around, you might find a 'back door' you can sneak into. To set your passcode, type '+passcode free trade'. Now '+land' again. 
We're here! A few more things to wrap up. Your ship automatically locks when you +liftoff, so type '+unlock' to unlock it. '+leave' to exit your ship (if you have several decks, you'll need to change decks again to do this), and then don't forget to '+lock <ship name>' again after you leave. 
Have fun on Alderaan!
Category:Guides
Category:Space System