Indeed, shaddowcats seem lucrative prey, but I did get my behind handed to me when i tried a hellcat. i wonder if the update nielsbauer are working on next will introduce all the old ship types from S3 back into S4, ----- though thinking about it, i'm not sure if I want those bloody hornits back, ;D.

if by "virtual viewer" you mean the virtual focus, spacebar on any of the controls should work. I suggest you stick focus lock on with ctrl 1, which will keep hal In virtual focus mode perminantly, even when typing in text boxes and things. o recommend turning auto vf off with ctrl 4 or numbpad pluss, depending upon whether your using laptop or desktop config). If you've opened an info window on a planet or other object, ctrl down curser will get you streight to it (as in S3), as in S3, the read line key numbpad 6 (or F8 for me on my laptop at the moment), is very much your friend, especially on the traid window. Betwene these two commands, the galaxy map both in S3 and in S4 is incredibly easy to use.

for the traid window, it's also worth noting that it can appar either at the top or bottom of the screen. If at the bottom, things are usually okay, if it appears at the top and things (such as the earth), are obscured, close the traid window, then click a planet more at the bottom such as earth to have things work properly.

well the bad news is no access changes have been made as yet in version 1.E of S4, but the good news is that nielsbauer is working on the screens for the next update, so hopefully it won't be too long (especially judging by the quickness we saw update E after update D).

Interestingly enough, Nielsbauer himself says S4 works better with Hal than with Jaws, see the topic I mentioned earlier. he's also E-mailed me directly to ask about the galaxy map, so accessibility is obviously on hismind! I just can't wait to buy myself a paladin or other and go off exploring strange new worlds and blowing up what no one has ever blown up before, ;D.

Ah, my mistake. On my one experiment with Jaws I also found the controls a pest, ---- but I think that's probably just from using Hal so much. I don't want to get into a Hal vs jaws debate, but that process of coppying the screen contense into another window so that you can muck about with it and click it sounds a bit long winded to me, ---- or maybe I'm just used to wandering around the screen as it is with hal.

Hmmm, stil sounds rather odd copying things, but as I said that might just be a use thing. i also like the fact that with Hal you use the same controls and view most of the time which helps.

Not being a Jaws user, I'm afraid I don't have any suggestions as to S4. I suspect it's probably because the controls are labled hotspots rather than standard recognizable windows buttons and tab areas. Even some of the quick navigation features in Vf, ---- Eg tabbing round buttons don't work in S4, ---- and with the exception of the equipment screen, don't work in S3 either, but sinse they are labled, they are stil readable and clickable, ---- though not detectable. i din't know the "ship's special ability" thing was anything more than a lable until I read manual. But so it goes, and like most things, it's fine once I'm used to it. I'm sorry your not havin better luck with Jaws.

Hmmm, cp isn't usually a problem with mouse emulation in hal either, and you can lock the screen so as not to change if necessary with the window lock command (though usually that's not necessary. the business about altering text in S4 does seem rather odd to me though, I'm not sure why that's happening at all.

Well that's true. one of the initial evolutions back in Hal V4 from what used to be called reading mode, (which was a curser only used fr reading), and the virtual focus introduced in V5 was that the virtual focus should alter it's appearence according to whatever task was needed without actually doing anything to the normal view of the screen itself, that's one reason it's quite nice in applications like smugglers which just require a mouse, ---- and a couple of random things I've done with it like emulators.

just  different methodology I think, to be honest it sounds a bit over complex to me, but as I've used every version of hal from 3.1 upwards, ---- and have in fact used hal for the last 14 years, I'm probably used to thinking in hal terms. but it's a shame smugglers 4 isn't cooperating.

Btw, any gameplay comments about S4, particularly about the game difficulty, nielsbauer has opened a topic on the forum for people to post their thoughts. this doesn't particularly have anything to do with access (as I said, I think he's busy with that anyway), but any gameplay ideas or opinions, this is the place, and there's no need to register either to post here.

go to http://www.nielsbauergames.com/forum/vi … php?t=1329 and share your thoughts.

Well, not sure if anyone's seen it yet, but the newist smugglers 4 patch has more access changes. I absolutely love whbat they've done wih the sensor screen, it makes piracy and bounty hunting great fun, ---- however the crew combat screen is giving me some trouble. This is either because I'm getting things wrong, or an access issue. in fact if anyone else (prefably with hal), could look it over that'd be appreciated, sinse I keep getting my crew killed!

that's a shame Cx2, sinse S4 is an absolutely fantastic game, and when the access tricks are finished so as to make all screens readable and trading that bit easier, it'll be even better.

you probably ought to talk to che about the scripting though, ---- in fact I think he'd be interested in the support and your feedback. i'm just going on what he said on the audeasy list recently.