Before you start the game, you should have a look at the configuration file "possible_config.txt" and set all values to your preferences.
Technical Information can be found in the file "misc.txt", which is German only.
 

This page explains how to play the game and control your ship.
As a convention, keyboard commands for corresponding actions are printed in green.
Hidden Eastereggs are printed in Pink ;)
 
 

Contents

Quick Overview

How to play

After the Splashscreen and the intro sequence, you'll be prompted with a demo mission running automatically and the Main menu.
Generally, to hide / unhide / exit a menu, press Esc.
You might start a new game or load one of your previously saved game here, or just watch the Credits sequence.

Loading a game or starting a new game takes you to the Game menu that enables you to select your next mission or save your current progress.

Before you start into your selected mission, you should read the mission briefing carefully as it will explain your mission goals and the current state of your campaign.
 

Basically, to complete a mission you must do the following:

Orientation:

To complete a mission, it is advised that you stay close to your designated route. Align your ship so that the heading of your next waypoint and your craft coincide, then accelerate and head for the waypoint.
If you are close enough, you should notice a white cross on your radar that represents your currently selected waypoint. Watch the depth of the waypoint on your middle display, you cannot determine the height difference by looking at the radar! Once you are in the vicinty of the waypoint (about 100 meters), it is counted as checked and your ship's computer will automatically select the next waypoint. You can also cycle them manually by pressing backspace.
 
 
 

Your ship

Controlling your ship is a bit sophisticated and you probably need some practice do do the maneouvers you intend to do quickly and elegantly. The vessel can be rotated about all three axis and travel forward or backward. Strafing movements are not available.

The cockpit
 

Your ship is equipped with an efficiently designed dashboard that provides you with all the information you require, whilst not obscuring the pilot´s vision on his surroundings. Information is represented by 3 T-TFT displays and an artificial horizon gauge.
All displays are laid out with double functionality. You can switch display capabilities with q / w / e for left, middle and right display, respectively.
For convenience, you can also adjust the display translucency with 9 / 0.
 

Left display:
Toggle caps with q

Primary functionality: Map screen
An approximate map of the surrounding seafloor territory, based on GPS and sonar data, is displayed. The bright triangle in the middle of the screen represents your ship. You can zoom the map in or out with o / p.

Secondary functionality: Target information
If your targeting system is currently locked on a target object, the following information about your target is displayed:
Name
Hull Strength
Velocity
Heading, relative to your position
Distance
 

Middle display:
Toggle caps with w

Primary functionality: Ship info
Provides information about your ship:
Heading
Velocity
Depth
Atmospheric Pressure
Distance to ground (sonar)

Also provides information about the recommended route that is stored in your ship´s computer. It is represented by waypoints that are laid out across the map. If you reach a Waypoint, the computer automatically selects the next one. If you want to cycle the waypoints manually, press Backspace repeatedly.

Next Waypoint
Distance to next waypoint
Depth of next waypoint
 

Secondary functionality
Display Mission Objectives
 

Right display:
Toggle caps with e

Primary functionality
Radar. Displays objects in your vicinty as colored strips. The color dpeends on the mass of the object, so you can distinguish classes of ships by their radar color.
An upwards strip marks the object is below you, a downward strip represents an object above you.
You can zoom the radar extents with k / l.
Your currently selected target will be marked by a light blue bounding box.

Secondary functionality
Onboard systems information. Lists
Hull Strength
Weapon status for all hardpoints

Easteregg
You can also play PONG against your ship's computer if you're bored with underwater cruising ;)
To start pong, enter primary display mode and press Esc, then select PONG !
 

Artificial horizon:

Eases instrumental navigation if no floor or sealevel is visible. If the gauge turns completely blue, it means you are diving straight down. You´ll quickly get the hang of it.
 
 

The Headlight

Your ship is equipped with a bankable headlight beam. This might come handy at large depths to brighten up your surroundings a bit.
To switch your headlight on / off, press 0 on the keypad.
To alter the beam angle, hold down Keypad 1 and use the cursor keys.

Easteregg:
For additional fun, you can alter your headlight's color by holding down Keypad 0 and pressing
7 / 4 (red factor)
8 / 5 (green factor)
6 / 9 (blue factor)
 

The camera

You can watch the action from many different perspectives. The default Camera position is right in the cockpit of your craft, which is the only perspective that offers the dashboard with its gauges. If playing seriously, you´ll spend most of your time here.

You can switch to other perspectives with keys 1-7 on the main keyboard cluster as follows

Additionally, you can also view the currently selected target craft (see Combat) from any of the above perspectives except the Cockpit view. To switch the Camera position to your current target, press 8, then select any Camera mode you wish.
To get back to your own ship, press 8 again. Note that this is never done automatically, even if your selected target is destroyed.
 
 

Combat

All ships are equipped with a number of weapon hardpoints that can be fitted with different armory.

To fire a weapon, press Space

To cycle through your available weapons, press Tab
 

You are encouraged to use your targeting system to gather information about your enemies.
Press x repeatedly to target all possible objects you might want to shoot. Note your left display will switch to Target info mode automatically.
Press c to untarget your current target. This will also put your left display into map mode.

Your current target will be surrounded by a red box.
 
 

Hints

Head-to-head encounters with enemies are a very bad combating technique as you will most likely take a lot of hits. A good technique would be to approach an enemy from the side, the stick close to his rear when he tries to get away.

Targeting selects the closest object first, then continues to cycle through the objects at increasing distance. If you have a nasty enemy right in your face and seem to be unable to target it quickly, hit c to untarget, then x, which will begin with the closest target again.

Make use of your missiles - that's what they are for
 
 

Cheatcodes

There are a number of cheatcodes in Possible Worlds to make life for the developers easier. The codes are still in the game, but using such a code once in a mission means you cannot successfully complete this mission.

To activate / deactivate the codes hold down the following keys while playing:

G + O + D: God mode
N + R + G: full energy
F + I + N: completes the mission
t + r + g: allows you to target ALL objects of the current mission, not only nearby ones