"So you like to watch"

I've (Editor: who ?) created a new mode for you. It's a combination peanut-gallery/player's-bench inspired by (but superior to) the INL server observer ports. These changes were introduced with server version 2.2 patch 8. The client patch is still experimental but will probably become patch 4 in January.

"Yeah."

If you're already connected to a paradise server, you can become an observer by sending yourself the message "observe". The next time you enter the game from the outfit screen, you will be an observer.

If you have connected to the game through a special port, you will start out in observer mode and don't need to send yourself that message.

"Makes you hot, doesn't it?"

If you are tired of observing, send yourself the message "observe 0". This will disable observer mode. If you self destruct, you can reenter the game flying a ship. If you are observing a league game, and there's space on your team, you don't even need to self destruct. The game will automatically put you on the outfit screen the second they are short a player.

"Yeah."

There are some restrictions in league play. Typically captains have configured the game for some maximum number of players per side. If this many are already flying, all others will be forced to observe. If you wish to enter the game, convince one of the ships in play to observe in your place.

First you should send yourself the message "observe 0" to signify that you want to enter the game. Then the player who wants to sit out sends himself the message "observe". The next time he dies and enters in observer mode, you will be kicked onto the outfit screen and can enter the game taking his place.

"Makes me hot too. Come over here and I'll show you how hot."

There's not a lot you can do in observer mode to affect the course of the game, but there are a few things you can do. The first thing you'll want to do is lock on to a player with the l key. You can only lock on to friendly players. This gives you the player's point of view and lets you watch his dogfights. Your status reflects his status (if I forgot anything, let me know).

You can also lock on to planets. This way you get a fixed vantage point on a hot battle site that doesn't fade in and out as the players die. You can only lock on to friendly planets, however.

You can still send and recieve messages, so you can function as a spotter for the friendly team. Keep an eye out for oggs, watch enemy carriers to anticipate their targets. Don't be TOO noisy, though; your team might ignore you.

Happy voyeurism!