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<h1 align="left">Welcome to Hardwar.info</h1>
<p align="left">Elite was the best space combat/trading game of it's time<br>
but now it's is a fond but distant memory (you can still play a version
of it but it's just not the same)<br>
Hardwar is the spiritual rebirth of elite, brought into the world of solid
3D games like unreal tournament althought don't be expecting the same graphics
"quality". <br>
<br>
This is my tribute to Hardwar & my endevour to bring this game to your
attention<br>
<br>
Besides the updated graphics & a planet based setting you now have the
possibilty of online multiplayer games<br>
I've been playing it on and off for about 3 years & only recently explored
the online possibilities</p>
<p align="left">I've added a walkthrough of the game, with a few hints/tips
& comments, I suggest you try to play the game for a while without reading
it then when you've exhausted what you think you can discover by yourself
see what software refinery really had in mind for you to do.</p>
<h1 align="left">Aims of Hardwar.info</h1>
<p align="left">As well as my own content & discoveries/tips etc. A main
aim of this site is to bring together links to the best hardwar sites on
the web & also keep those links up to date. I've also uploaded some
files you'll find useful in exploring the possibilities of hardwar. </p>
<p align="left">Check out my news link for news of site developments here
and elsewhere in the hardwar community</p>
<p align="left"><font color="#999966" size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial" pointsize="18">By
far the best site i have found so far is captain zedo's see the link on
my nav bar to explore that for yourself. </font></p>
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<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>Hardwar itself is an open ended game inheriting something from
elite (showing my age i know but i played that game when it was
new), but bringing it kicking and screaming into this century like
no other game I have found.</p>
<p>You fly a solar powered moth (earth bound "spacecraft")
which you can upgrade with various weapons, fit a cargo pod to trade
goods throughout the moons craters adding a drone lets you scavenge
for cargo dropped by other moths normally when they have been killed
by pirates (you can be that pirate, for a quick profit & a price
on your head), carrying valuable cargo can draw hostile attention
to yourself so you can choose to stay and fight or run and sell
your cargo, unlike most of the space trade games i've played in
the past "including elite" the trade action is fast no
more trying to fly for 15 dull minutes before you get to somewhere
to sell your cargo. There is a point to all this trading money really
does make the world go round, you can upgrade your moth to faster
more robust moths and buy hangers where you can repair damage to
you moth for free & offer that service to other pilots for a
fee.</p>
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<h1>Quoting the Intro from Hardwar In-Flight Manual</h1>
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<blockquote>
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<p>"Titan, A freezing moon within our own solar system. A
neglected mining outpost, established centuries ago within a
series of craters. Once, it proved to be a profitable enterprise,
but the corporations backed out, leaving the staff and colonists
to fend for themselves. This is the bleak city of Misplaced
Optimism.</p>
<p>Factions have formed in the intervening years. A political
and military stalemate has evolved, where organisations hoard
and grudgingly trade the scare resources in an attempt to survive.
All the time, they watch for a break that may tilt the balance
of power in their favour.</p>
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<p>The factions themselves are not the wholesome corporations
they once were. Their distrust has led to the use of some extremely
unorthodox methods, always keeping the power and control among
a select few. Centuries of interbreeding, mass cloning, genocidal
class cleansing, sterilisation and other spiteful operations
have all contributed to shape a race that can only tenuously
be labelled "Human". After two hundred years of isolation,
the inhabitants have become both morally and genetically corrupt.
Little will motivate these souls, but there is one common desire:
To leave this cold, harsh rock.</p>
<p>Those who earn their wings can make a good living, whether
they work as traders, or become entwined in the ferocious power
struggle that has emerged from the ever growing social tension.
Information, thoughts, feelings and rumours are echoed around
the city by the neutral, but informative Hardwarp FM. For many,
it's a way of holding onto sanity, but for others? It's an opportunity..."</p>
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<h1>The Plot</h1>
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<p>Above and beyond flying and trading and bounty hunting (killing
a pirate for a police reward) there is an underlying plot to this
game that adds atmosphere and a sense of being part of a bigger
picture to this world, your ultimate aim if you chose to follow
the plot is to escape the gravity of this world and leave for good,
thanks at times to the walkthrough at zedo's I managed that myself
a few weeks ago, despite having this game for years i was so caught
up in the action flying and trading and killing i'd never explored
that very far before... it's well worth doing so at least once it
explains a lot about the game and gives you a great insight into
what all the families and gangs are fueding over.</p>
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<p><img src="pilot.jpg" width="400" height="300"></p>
<h1 align="left">Hardwar Community</h1>
<p align="left">Hardwar has a loyal following and a growing community of online
players despite the poor online performance.<br>
<br>
Check out the planethardwar link on my nav bar to contact them and join
us. <br>
<br>
After a while you'll develop the skills to kill the computer AI pilots without
giving them much chance to fight back, that's when online play really comes
into it's own, there's nothing to beat flying against a skilled human pilot.
</p>
<h1 align="left">How to get hardwar</h1>
<p align="left">It's pretty much a matter of luck if you can find it for sale
at this time, some of the folks on the forums might have an extra copy they've
picked up.<br>
<br>
You can download a demo of the game patches to the latest release &
other programs that ad extra features to the game, like the excellent hardluck.exe
which lets you view the world through the eyes of the other pilots flying
around plus other things I haven't had time to explore yet.</p>
<p align="left">I guarantee you once you get hooked on this game you'll stay
hooked</p>
<p align="left">If you haven't got and have exhausted all your local stores
trying to find a copy you can buy theirs a patched demo version now available
for download here. You can play the full game but won't have in game music
tracks or video clips, also it will mean you can play online with other
hardwar players. But I recommend you continue to look for the full game
as these extra's add a lot to your enjoyment and understanding of the game.</p>
<p align="left"><a href="downloads.htm">Downloads</a></p>
<p align="left"><a href="gameip.htm">Online Play</a></p>
<p align="left"><a href="forums.htm">Forums</a></p>
<p align="left"><a href="sites.htm">Links to hardwar sites</a></p>
<p align="left"><a href="walkthrough.htm">Walk through</a></p>
<p align="left"><a href="challenges.html">Challenges</a></p>
<h1 align="left">Developments</h1>
<p align="left">Software refinery was working on further enhancements to this
and other aspects of the game, but unfortunately they had to quit &
have shut down. </p>
<p align="left">For now <br>
Wez logging out.</p>
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<p align="center"><img src="wez.jpg" width="198" height="94"></p>
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