11 Things every Newbie Must Know (e.g. The Manual jr.)

This is like a quick version of the manual to get you started. It'll tell you what to do, but you really should read the official one for more info.

1. Vendetta's chat takes place in IRC-like channels. By default, you chat in channel 100. To join another channel, type /join X where X is the number of the channel you wish to join. More on chat

2. Your ship is equipped with a booster. It makes you go faster. Press and hold tab to use it. Note that this uses up energy, which then takes a little while to recharge. More on flight

3. The universe is made up of 30 systems connected by wormholes. Each system has 256 sectors, laid out on a 16x16 grid. Sectors with stations are marked on your map with an S. Sectors with wormholes are marked on your map with a blue swirly thing. More on navigation

4. Serco space is red on the map, Itani space is blue, UIT space is yellow. Everywhere else is grey, and is very dangerous for new players. There is NO PVP FLAG in Vendetta. You CAN be attacked by other players at anytime and in any sector. However, the systems closest to the nation capitols are safer than the grey systems.

5. You have two radars on the bottom of your screen. Left is a 180-degree arc in front of you. Right is a 180-degree arc behind. More on radars

6. Point at something and press B to target it, or hit X to select the closest hostile target (if there is one). You can only select things within 3000m of yourself. Alternately, hit the U key to show everyone in your sector. Bright names are those in range. Click a name to target it.

7. Anything you have targeted will show its name and distance in the upper-right corner of your screen.

8. Names with * in front of them are robots or NPCs. While they may occasionally have something useful to say when hailed, they usually don't make good conversation partners. In gray space they are often pirate that will attack you if you get too close.

9. To mine an asteroid, you need to have a mining beam on your ship. Get one, then go out and find the rock. Target it (press B) and get within 100m of it. The mining beam works like a continuous laser, and you click to turn it on or off. If you want to know what's in an asteroid before you start mining, you need a mining scanner as well. Mining stations offer a tutorial for mining. More on mining

10. The community is in general very helpful. Anything you can't learn here, you can learn from the real manual You can also check out the Vendetta Strategy Guide and the Player Wiki

Anything you can't learn from the real manual, you can learn from other players. Don't be afraid to ask.

11. You need licenses to buy better equipment. You earn experience (XP) in 5 different areas- combat, light weapons, heavy weapons, trade and mining. Missions that you take at a station are the best source of XP. The quickest license for a new player is trade level 1. Complete a few missions for the trade guild and you'll soon be in a shiny new Wraith (type of ship)

DESIGNIATED CHANNELS IN VENDETTA
1 : Help channel
11 : Nation chat (Only members of the same nation can see this chat)
14 : [IA] Recruiting Channel. Itani Alliance
69 : Planetside players channel
70 : German chat
97 : Windows Users Channel
98 : Linux Users Channel
99 : Apple Macintosh Users Channel
100 : General Chat
101 : French Chat
102 : Russian Chat
103 : Spanish Chat
104 : Dutch Chat
105 : Norwegian Chat
106 : Finnish Chat
111 : Help Channel (alternate channel in case channel 1 is crowded)
201 : Itani Convoy Transmissions (not for chat)
202 : Serco Convoy Transmissions (not for chat)
205 : Public Capship info Channel
300 : In-character Role Playing Chat.
411 : EnB events chat.
444 : TGFT Recruitment Channel. The Guild of Free Traders
700 : Political (US) Discussion
701 : Platform discussions
911 : Emergency Channel
946 : Public IDF Channel Itani Defense Force
1313: Elite Guild Recruitment and info channel (public)
1337 : Off-topic chat channel
123567: SCAR Recruitment Channel. Serco Cadre of Armed Renegades

Here are the current tips from the loading screen. More will probably be added:

Most buttons have keyboard shortcuts. Use them for quick menu navigation.

You can increase your character stats by completing missions, hunting bots, or trading cargo between stations. Other options are left for you to explore.

Different factions will offer you different missions at different stations. Keep your eyes open as you explore the universe.

Stations will offer you better ships and weapons at higher license levels. For the best weapons, though, you'll need to have good standing with the local faction.

Ion storms can (and will!) interrupt in-system jumps. Beware!
Ion storms have limited durations, usually only a couple of hours.

Ion storms tend to occur more frequently in sectors with asteroids or other large debris. Plot your course accordingly.

Ion storms made their first appearance in the Dau system in AD 3785, after the inception of the modern jump engine. They have since become commonplace in every known system.

Different missions become available for players who are members of a group. Type /group for more info.

Mentoring new users is a good way to build a positive reputation.
If you've gotten five good mentor reviews, your nation will give you a 5% discount on trade goods and equipment.

Your faction standing can increase or decrease based on the outcome of missions.

Attacking a player in monitored space may lead to a severe faction standing decrease.

Stations pay the most money for items they don't produce. However, certain basic goods (like ores) are traded openly, and can yield a consistent profit.

If you repeatedly sell a commodity to a station, the demand for that type of item will go down and the prices will drop. The demand will go up again with time.

Jumping into and out of an empty sector is a good way to lose pursuit.

When you purchase items that don't fit into your ship's cargo hold, they're automatically placed in the station hold.

Friendly pilots appear green on your radar. Pilots that are potentially hostile are marked in red. Be careful who you shoot!

Flight Assist Mode is on by default, but certain combat advantages can be gained by turning it off. Experiment with both modes and see which you prefer.

Joining a group mid-mission may cause the mission's objectives to change.

You can make a profit on the side by trading cargo as you travel. Cargo delivery missions will sometimes leave you with extra room in your ship's hold.

Different stations sell different equipment and trade goods. Explore!

You can battle another player without faction standing loss if you engage them in a duel. Type /duel for more options.

You cannot be damaged by other members of your nation, unless one of them falls into bad standing.

Standard "Global Chat" is in channel 100. Type "/join 100", and use "t" to talk.

Most stations have a no-fire zone around them. If you attack another player within this space, the station's defenses will come to their aid.

The rogue AI hives are a constant nuisance for travelers. However, they've literally transformed the mining industry into a scavenging industry, as collector bots make easy prey.

AI hive bots and their queens were the predominant mining tools of UIT corporations for over 200 years. In AD 4217, a configuration glitch caused the first hive queen one to go rogue.

Hive queens were programmed to balance fleet production against cargo shipment, but when one was launched without a shipment destination, its fleet production went crazy.

AI hive queens are particularly adept at scavenging technology and integrating it into their own designs. Thus, while the queens cannot design new armaments, they've borrowed from 200 years of human innovation.

Sarahanne, can we add channel 4357 to the list? It's the Viper Guild channel used by both Vipers and non-Vipers for reporting pirate activity and requesting escort or assistance.

can we update the channels list in general?
Only ones currently in use

1 : Help channel
11 : Nation chat (Only members of the same nation can see this chat)
111 : Help Channel (alternate channel in case channel 1 is crowded)
201 : Itani Convoy Transmissions (not for chat)
202 : Serco Convoy Transmissions (not for chat)
300 : In-character Role Playing Chat.
444 : TGFT Recruitment Channel. The Guild of Free Traders
911 : EMS Medical Assistance Channel
4357: VPR Guild Channel, Pirate Activity Channel

Also the specific language channels might be important to keep too!

1800 : Phoenix Alliance official channel

It's probably worth knowing that you can target anything less than 5000m from yourself, not just 3000m.

Would this be a good place to include some basic new character start up tactics?

= fast start tactics
== Tutorial Missions
Not knowing basic game mechanics will slow you down. Spend the time needed here to know the basics. It will pay off in the long run.
== Flight test
Fast one time level jump, also a requirement to open up many other missions.
== Heavy Power Cell
Take the basic combat mission. Use a Centurion with plasma hx to destroy orun / dentec collectors in mass. Avoid higher level bots. Learn to aim while dodging. Sometimes a simple dodge like holding a strafe key and tapping a roll key as needed will be sufficient to dodge collector fire. Keeping the hx on target while dodging is good practice. Upgrade your power cell as you level.
== Fast Charge power cell
Once you have access to the fast charge power cell, you will be able to travel farther and faster. Your trade ships will run smoother. Combat ships will fly farther. There will be times when you may still wish to use the heavy power cell, but it is helpful to be able to pick the best power cell for the occasion.

=== Advanced combat mission to level 4 combat
Use the centurion and hx to target the most advanced collector, or use a vulture MkIII with a single neutron blaster to target assaults. Avoid guardians.
=== Delivery and procurement missions to level 4 trade
Procurement missions if you have the credits to back it up.

== Ships
There are too many great ships to list them all here. I will point out those that are useful and easy to get, or are top end.

=== Combat ships
The centurion has very good turbo speed but low combat speed. The vulture MkIII is both fast and good in combat. The great combat fighters are the itani and orion centurion variants and the serco and corvus vulture variants. Also note the Itani Valkyrie.
=== Fast ships
The warthog mkII is very fast over distance because of it's low turbo drain. The hornet MkII is also fast over distance and has better cargo space. Special note of Orion Hornet. Top end: Corvus Wartwog, Itani Valkyrie.
=== Trade Ships
For trading look at the cargo space of the ships available to you. Look at the wraith, atlas, centaur, behemoth. If you are very serious about trade also look at the TPG Atlas X and TPG Behemoth XC.

== Weapons
Neutron blaster MkII.

== Mining
Do not forget to stop by a mining station and take the mining tutorial mission for a head start on mining levels.

== Faction standing
One of the fasted ways to raise standing with a faction is procurement missions. Longer is better.

== Credits
At combat level 3 you can take escort missions. Shorter may be better.

== Grey space
Avoid grey space unless you have a very fast ship. grey space is typically infested with pirates and villains.

You are now in a good position to explore the galaxy. Enjoy.

These video tutorials by Phaserlight give a solid introduction to one possible path a VO pilot could take.