Every new computer system you enter in
as you travel, has its own memory capacity. You will notice that the middle ring on the system memory screen will feature more or less memory blocks as you move through the various systems. It is up to you, when you enter each new system, to configure your subroutines within this ring as memory permits. Subroutines are self-contained programs that can easily be added or removed at any time, to assist you with your current environment.System Memory Screen (Subroutine Menu) - Pressing the F1 key enters and exits this screen
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Outer Ring The outer ring acts as a library for all unused subroutines. The three procedural subroutines Defragment, Disinfect, and Port are also on this outer ring. When you acquire a new subroutine, it will appear in the Combat, Defense, or Utility inventory slots, depending on its function. Use the arrows beside the slots to see more subroutines off-screen, that may be available. |
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Middle Ring Throughout the game, you will travel to different computer systems. The middle ring reflects the current system's memory capacity and structure. It is broken up into sectors made up of Memory Blocks (free memory for adding subroutines), and Base Code (inaccessible memory that's already used). You can remove all the installed subroutines from this ring, by clicking on the Clear button in the lower right corner of the screen. This will put them back in their appropriate inventory slots. |
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Inner Ring The inner ring lists your performance ratings. These include Health, Energy, Weapon_Efficiency, Transfer_Rate and Processor. For more information, see below. It also indicates how many Build Notes you've collected, so far. |
Performance Ratings
Performance Ratings affect your attributes, giving you some control over Jet's characteristics. This allows you to create a character that works best with your playing style. The ratings are broken down into five categories, which can be changed every time you reach a major version upgrade (e.g. going from v1.0.0 to v2.0.0). You start off affecting the base rating of each attribute, by adding points to each one. Whichever ratings you choose to improve are totally up to you. But remember that once points are used on a certain rating, they cannot be removed again and spent elsewhere.
If you manage to increase the performance of a rating all the way to its maximum, that attribute will enter what's called Surge Mode. This is an extra bonus added, for reaching a rating's maximum, that improves the attribute's effectiveness even further.
| Health |
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| Energy |
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| Weapon_Efficiency |
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| Transfer_Rate |
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| Processor |
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Subroutine Types
| Combat | Modifies primitives into other weapons. |
| Defense | Provides armored protection. |
| Utility | Augments Jet with various special abilities. |
| Procedural | Fundemental maintenance subroutines that repair damaged memory sectors, disinfect subroutines, and port foreign code. Procedural subroutines are always installed by default, and aren't affected by changes in a system's memory requirements. Procedurals are also immune to virus infection or corruption. |
Subroutine States
 Normal |
A normal subroutine will be unaffected by any negative factor, that could influence its performance. Its appearance will convey this by displaying a standard icon. |
  Infected |
An infected subroutine in inventory will have a greenish, corrupt streak appearing within the icon. An installed subroutine will show a greenish, creeping infection throughout the memory blocks that the routine occupies. Any infected subroutines left installed, will slowly spread the infection to adjacent subroutines in the middle ring. If only one subroutine is infected, you can immediately drag it to the disinfect procedural to help prevent further corruption. But if more than one subroutine is infected, remove them all and put them back into your inventory slots. The virus will not spread between subroutines, when they are in your inventory. Then disinfect them, one by one. Subroutines can start off infected, right from the source where you originally downloaded them. Or, more likely, they will become corrupted during combat with Thorne's Z-Lot and Rector Script minions. |
 Incompatible |
An incompatible subroutine (also called "unknown" or "foreign") will show the icon presented on the left, until you use the port procedural to convert it to something that Jet can use. |
Using Subroutines
Subroutines can be acquired from Archive Bins, Core Dumps, or other Programs in Single Player. Subroutines are obtained from Powerups in Multiplayer.
Subroutines must be installed into System Memory, in order to use them. To install a subroutine, first move the cursor over the Combat, Defense, or Utility sections of the outer ring. Use the Left Mouse Button to click on the subroutine you want, and then drag it to empty blocks in the middle ring. Alternatively, you can use the Right Mouse Button and the subroutine will be placed into slot(s) for you, if enough are still available. Remove subroutines from the middle ring by doing the reverse. Use the Left Mouse Button to drag a subroutine back to its appropriate inventory slot, or the Right Mouse Button to do it automatically.
Optimizing Subroutines
 Code Optimization Ware (C.O.W.) |
The Optimizer is a piece of code you will sometimes encounter, that allows you to increase the level of a single subroutine by one (i.e. Alpha to Beta, or Beta to Gold). Optimizing a subroutine increases its effectiveness, and decreases its memory use at the same time. Having more efficient code is crucial to enabling Jet to use more subroutines at once, as you progress through the game. To use the Optimizer, move the reticle over it and press the action key (default of F). Jet's System Memory screen will be displayed. The Optimizer appears in the middle of the screen, replacing the inner ring. Using the Left Mouse Button, click and drag the subroutine you want to optimize on to the Optimizer. |
 Alpha |
An Alpha subroutine will have a red circle around it in inventory, or it will appear as a large red block that takes up 3 memory sectors of the middle ring. Alpha subroutines are the least effective, and use the most memory. It will be difficult to use more than a few subroutines, if they're kept at this stage. |
  Beta |
A Beta subroutine will have a green circle around it in inventory, or it will appear as a smaller green block that takes up 2 memory sectors of the middle ring. Beta subroutines are more effective, and use less memory than Alpha routines. These make it easier to use several subroutines at once, since they use fewer sectors. |
  Gold |
A Gold subroutine will have a gold circle around it in inventory, or it will appear as a very small gold block that takes up 1 memory sector of the middle ring. Gold subroutines are the most effective, and use the least memory. With most of your subroutines at Gold level, you will be able to easily have many of them installed at once. |
Procedural Subroutines
 Defragment |
Repairs bad blocks in Jet's System Memory. Drag and drop fragmented blocks on to this procedural and hit the F1 key to begin the process. |
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 Disinfect |
Disinfects subroutines infected with a virus. Drag and drop corrupted subroutines on to this procedural and hit the F1 key to begin the process. |
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 Port |
Converts subroutines written in a non-compatible language to a usable form. Drag and drop incompatible subroutines on to this procedural and hit the F1 key to begin the process. |
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