                        Ultimate Universe help file 1.a
                           Day one essential devices

DEVICE LIST

        device number           description                     cost
        38                      Auto Pilot [20]                  98675
        70                      Auto Pilot Safety Stop          524300
        119                     Port Report Silencer              2750
        125                     Attack Drone Coordinator         34500
        165                     Danger Pack                     108000
        177                     Speed Pack                       90000
        220                     Fusion Cell                       3500
        276                     The GoSub                       913000
        281                     C.E.C.C. Calling                  1005
        293                     'No Trail' Drive Shielding       32400
        411                     Special Devices Detection Pack  500000

optional devices
        161                     Starter Pack                    128695
           (in place of device 220, Fusion Cell)
        164                     Identifier Pack                2135700
           (in place of device 165, Danger Pack)

        Above is a list of essential devices that we have found to be useful
and necessary for survival in the hostile Ultimate Universe environment.
The list was compiled mainly with two objectives in mind.  First, to minimize
credit expenditures on the first couple days of play and secondly, to supply
us with the information and tools necessary for effective play.
        In the first couple days of play, credits are best used to upgrade
ship to maximum holds, some reserve fuel (store in Fusion Cell or Starter Pack),
as many anti-cloaks as possible and about 100 plasma warps.  Plasma warps
are expensive, but a new player in the game gets a discount on the price,
in the first three days of play.  After that, the price is fixed at the normal
rate.

A LITTLE EXPLANATION OF THE DEVICES

        Devices 38 and 70, Auto Pilot [20] and Auto Pilot Safety Stop are
necessary for effective multiple sector movement.  The Auto Pilot [20] is
capable of plotting the shortest course to the destination sector and the Auto
Pilot Safety Stop shuts down the Auto Pilot and stops the ship if it detects
a hazard that could destroy the ship.

        Devices 119, 177, and 276 are particularly useful in trading.  Device
119, Port Report Silencer when activated, turns off the port report.  This
allows quicker trading cycles.  Word of caution, make sure the ports used in
trading have adequate amounts of products, once you turn off the port report,
you have no way of tracking the amount of product in the ports.  If one or
both go to zero, you'll just waste fuel going from port to port.  Device 177,
Speed Pack allows for quicker docking at ports and landings on planets.
Device 276, the GoSub is one of the most essential devices in any inventory.
Once locked on a home sector, usually one of the sectors 1-10, it allows one
to return to that home sector in one step from any other sector in the universe,
and tags that sector as the originating sector for return to when the GoSub is
activated again.  Sounds a little confusing but you'll see what we mean when you
use it.  Absolutely essential for replenishing supplies and devices.  Always
be sure to lock it on to sector 1.

        Device 125, Attack Drone Coordinator is useful in scouting out routes
to travel in the universe.  Why use your ship, when you can send drones.  Much
less riskier and more cost effective.  Drones encountering hostile drones and
mines are destroyed, thus flagging that sector as hostile.  Drones entering a
Black Hole just stop transmitting back.  Dead giveaway for a Black Hole sector
or something that mimics a Black Hole.

        Devices 165 and 411, Danger Pack and Special Devices Detection Pack
supply information about the universe around the ship.  This combination of
sensor packages is a cost choice.  If you've got the credits, device 164,
Identifier Pack can be used in place of device 165.  Whatever combination is
chosen, you need to have the sensors.

        Device 220, Fusion Cell is for fuel storage.  Fuel is expensive,
but absolutely necessary.  You need to have a ready reserve on hand, don't
run out of fuel away from the Federation Space or Home planetary sector.
        A variation on the theme that would also work, and we've personally
used is a Starter Pack, device 161 in place of Fusion Cell, device 220.  The
point is that you have some sort of extra fuel storage capacity.

        Device 281, C.E.C.C. Calling, when you find the Cabal, report them for
credits.  A good way to supplement your trading income.  Later on in the game,
it is one of the primary ways to obtain credits.  If you've got the resources,
i.e. drones or beam weapons, destroy the Cabal drones AFTER you have reported
them for a daily paycheck credit, the credit first goes to ship debt, then to 
a paycheck accumulation.  Requesting a mission and completing it, is also a way
to reduce or pay-off the ship debt.

        Device 293, 'No Trail' Drive Shielding.  Just as it says.  Why leave a
trail that everyone else can follow.  Has to be manually turn on, toggles
to macro command string v;293.

        That pretty much covers the initial devices needed to survive in the
game.  This list is just a suggestion, not necessarily the best way or the
only way to survive and play effectively in the initial stages of game.  The
devices in this list will let you survive long enough to determine if you
want to invest the time and effort to become an active Ultimate Universe game
player.  As you get experience playing, the device list will change to follow
your playing style and needs.

        The macros, we've designed for Ultimate Universe play are configured to
use these devices and others that we have found necessary in our own playing of
the game.  There is a macro in the Beginner's AutoBuyer Menu that will purchase
the devices in the above list at their respective ports.  All devices numbered
from 2-242 are obtained in port 6.  Devices 251-490 are obtained in port 8.

						
