Finding your Space Quest Trainer

If you accidentally delete your waypoint to the Space Quest Trainer, you can use this method to re-locate your chosen trainer.

• Locate the "Trainers" tab on the right-side pane of the planetary map interface. 
• Double-click "Trainers" to open a list of trainer categories.
• Double-click "Pilot" to expand the list of specific NPC Space Quest Trainers (you can also double-click "Shipwright" to expand the list of specific NPC Shipwright Trainers). Each Space Quest Trainer's name and factional affiliation will appear here.
• Right click on the Space Quest Trainer that interests you.
• Select "Waypoint" from the menu that appears when you right-click. This will create a waypoint in your datapad.
• Close the planetary map window (CTRL+V by default).
• Activate the waypoint to your quest trainer by opening your datapad (CTRL+D by default), selecting the "Waypoints" tab, and right-clicking on the waypoint object that you just created. The waypoint object will bear the name of the Space Quest Trainer by default. Choose "Activate" from the right-click menu.
• Close the datapad (CTRL+D). 
• Follow the waypoint indicator - the blue arrow on your radar - to your trainer. As you near the waypoint, it will become visible as a beacon of bluish light on the horizon.

Gaining your first Pilot Skill box

To gain your first piloting skills, you'll need to talk to your Trainer. You can automatically start a conversation by double-clicking on the Trainer or using the radial menu and choosing the "Converse" option.

Once you've started a dialogue, follow the conversation options to sign up for your Novice Piloting skill box. Upon receiving your Novice Piloting skill box, you'll earn at least one starship certification (which gives you "license" to pilot a specific type of ship) and your "starter ship".

Privateer Pilot Commands

Privateer pilots aren't necessarily all pirates and mercenaries, but they certainly use unorthodox tactics. With no allegiances or traits in common (other than personal self interest), the Privateer's starship tweaks and tricks cover a wide range of basic operational themes and effectiveness.

IFF Transponder Scramble
/iffscramble

With this command, a pilot can scramble his ship's on-board identification code. This allows the starship to temporarily broadcast a "friendly" recognition code to an enemy currently attacking the ship. If the transponder scramble is successful, attackers will cease fire. They will react if attacked, or eventually realize that they have been fooled by a transponder scramble and re-engage.

Emergency Thrust
/ethrust

In some battles, a little extra speed can mean the difference between life and death. The Emergency Thrust command temporarily increases the starship's speed by short-circuiting several subsystems and confusing engine/reactor sensors, the pilot can divert a ludicrous percentage of power from the starship's reactor and straight into the engines. The tradeoff is that most of the power routed to the engines is stripped from weapon and shield systems. Weapons will be disabled and unable to fire, and shields will no longer regenerate and will being to slowly dissipate. The duration of this effect varies with how well the pilot executed the command. Once the effect ends, the ship's systems will reset to default operational parameters.

Pirate Trap 1
/ptrap1

Sometimes a diversion is better than a fast ship. This command sends out a fake freighter distress call in an attempt to lure pirates to the area. The pirates attracted to this distress signal will create a major distraction that the pilot can use to ambush enemies or escape.

When this command is executed, the number and type of pirates that arrive is dependant on the level of success. If the pilot has a target, the pirates will attempt to attack that target. If the pilot doesn't have a target, the pirates will engage any ship in the area. If the pilot was generally successful with the initial command, the pirates won't come after the pilot (at least not initially). However, it the pilot is horribly unsuccessful, the pirates will recognize the ruse and, resentful of the ploy, attack the pilot mercilessly.

Pirate Trap 2
/ptrap2

With familiarity of the pirate comm channels comes the ability to circumvent and pervert these communications. Pirate Trap 2 attracts more powerful, and potentially more dangerous pirates.

Energy Pulse 1
/epulse1

This command creates a series of dangerous system overrides that short-circuit the starship's weapon capacitor, causing the vessel to emit a powerful and damaging omni-directional pulse of energy. This pulse is marginally under some semblance of control, and only enemy ships nearby will take damage. In addition to the brute-force external damage, there is a very slight chance that the pulse will cause damage directly to internal systems of nearby enemy vessels.

This command completely drains the weapon energy capacitor and can only be fired if the capacitor currently contains a minimum amount of energy. If a pilot fails the skill check for this ability, the energy pulse will fizzle before it is emitted. If the pilot fails dramatically, the pulse will blowback through the pilot's own systems and generally wreak havoc on the ship.

Energy Pulse 2
/epulse2

This more advanced form of the energy pulse is easier to control and is designed to damage and possibly even disable ship-subsystems. This command has much the same effect as Energy Pulse 1, but is more powerful. It's also a bit more difficult to execute successfully.

Energy Pulse 3
/epulse3

This version of the energy pulse command is an exercise in the sheer insanity. It not only pulls energy from the weapon capacitor but also taps the shield batteries to funnel an outrageous amount of power into the pulse. This energy pulse has very little finesse, and nearby friendly vessels have as much to fear as enemy vessels. A wise pilot would be well-advised to warn their friends away before triggering this command. With greater power comes a much higher damage output to both external components and internal systems. Energy Pulse 3 also has a much higher chance of disabling internal systems.