Star Control II Gameplay FAQ
This is the list of frequently asked questions (with answers) regarding the actual game of The Ur-Quan Masters. For technical questions or questions about the The Ur-Quan Masters project, check our other FAQs.
If you have any further questions, you can ask them on the general discussion board.
If you think you have found a bug, please report it in the Bugzilla database.
The Full Game
Is there a time limit to the game?
Yes. In the PC version of Star Control II the Melnorme volunteer some information about this. As there is no spoken text for this in the 3DO version, it is also missing from The Ur-Quan Masters.
- How nice to see you again, Captain.
- Before we go on, I have a small announcement.
- As you may know, in our travels throughout the galaxy
- we Melnorme have found many strange and interesting alien artifacts.
- One of these devices is the MetaChron, a kind of trans-time alarm system.
- In a nutshell, it warns me of future dangers by predicting its own demise
- which is most likely linked to my own well being, since I keep it under my pillow.
- The unit is a small pyramid and, when all is well, white in color.
- But if we are proceeding along a timeline which will eventually result in the destruction of the MetaChron
- the unit slowly darkens. Presumably, it will be destroyed at the same time as it turns completely black.
- When we first entered this region of space, the MetaChron was white.
- Now it is light gray.
- At its present rate of change, something will destroy the MetaChron
- in the early part of the year 2159.
- In order to avoid this unpleasantness, we may be leaving just before this time
- so if you have business you wish to conduct with us
- I suggest you do so before January 2159, or February at the latest.
Is there a printable starmap available?
Pages of Now and Forever has a collection of Star Control maps. The maps in the "Manuals" box on the files page are the maps that came with various releases of Star Control II. They show the constellations as well as the spheres of influence of the races as they were known in the year 2133 (just before the humans were defeated by the Ur-Quan).
Combat in the full game goes much too fast
You probably have Cyborg mode turned on. This means the computer is actually fighting your battles for you. You can turn it off in the Settings submenu of the Options menu.
Some people (myself) feel that the actual game speed in combat is too fast. I am not aware of any settings or programs that will slow down the combat speed, but it's obviously much faster than in Star Control 1. This may just be a design feature of SC2, but I think that it may have to do with the emulation and the speed of modern computers.
Melee
How do I defeat ship x with ship y?
Look at the List of Ships for information on the specific ships. There are also a number of external web sites which provide combat information:
Bugs
I can't tell the Mycon to go to Organon
You are actually asking on the wrong planet. There is a remark by the Mycon on Beta Brahe in the PC version of Star Control II which clarified this, but as no speech was recorded for it for the 3DO, it is also missing from The Ur-Quan Masters. The missing text goes as follows:
- This is a special place
- filled with Juffo-Wup.
- But it is not the source.
- Juffo-Wup springs forth from 629.1, 220.8.
- We must not allow this place to be soiled by the Non.
And when you mention Organon to them:
- We do not interpret the will of Juffo-Wup.
- Only the source is so empowered.
- Until instructed otherwise, Juffo-Wup requires that we remain here.
Other questions
I have some other question
The The Ur-Quan Masters Forum is a good place to ask.