Provided by: triplane_1.0.8-2_amd64 
NAME
Triplane - a side-scrolling dogfighting game.
SYNOPSIS
triplane [OPTION]...
DESCRIPTION
Triplane Classic is a side-scrolling dogfighting game featuring solo missions and
multiplayer mode with up to four players. It is a port of the original Triplane Turmoil
game for DOS and aims to match the original game exactly so that high scores remain
comparable to the original.
OPTIONS
-fullscreen
Start the game in fullscreen mode (this is the default).
-nofullscreen
Start the game in windowed mode.
-nosound
Start the game without sounds. Note: This option also disables sounds in the
configuration file so sounds will be disabled also the next time you start
triplane. To enable sounds set Physical Examination->Hearing->Sounds on in the
game menus.
-2, -3, -4
Scale the 320x200-pixel game window 2x, 3x or 4x using software scaling. This
helps you play Triplane on displays that cannot switch to such low resolutions.
-2svga Scale the 800x600-pixel window 2x using software scaling, to produce a
1600x1200-pixel window. This resolution is used only in multiplayer mode.
Note that triplane does not warn about unknown options.
GETTING STARTED
After starting the game, click through the splash screens to see the main menu. Then
click ROSTER and click the pen on the right to create a new pilot entry. Type your name
and press enter. Click the keys on the left to get back to main menu. Click ASSIGN
PILOTS and check the SOLO check box beside the red plane (top left) to select the German
plane for solo game. Click on the background to get back to the main menu.
Click TAKEOFF TIMES and MISSION I. Read your assignment carefully and click on the arrows
to look around the map. Your objective is to destroy the buildings identified by red
boxes around them. When you are ready click FLY and use the following controls:
• press S (roll) to get out of hangar
• hold TAB (power) down to accelerate
• use X and W to steer the plane
• use 1 to drop a bomb
• use S to roll the plane upside down
When you have destroyed all the targets try to land by releasing power and gliding to the
runway. Holding up and down simultaneously activates the air brake system. When the
plane is stopped on the runway, press S to re-enter the hangar and resupply bombs and
fuel.
N.B.: If you have a new computer you may encounter serious keyboard errors. This is due
to the cost savings of the keyboard manufacturers. The current keyboards cannot handle
more than 3-6 keys simultaneously. If you encounter keyboard problems, see the "on/off
power" option below.
SOLO GAME MODE
See the "ASSIGN PLAYERS MENU" chapter on how to select the solo game country.
Winning a solo game requires that:
• all mission targets have been destroyed
• all protection objectives are met
• all enemy airplanes are destroyed, and
• at least one plane is left and stopped on a runway.
Scoring is mostly based on how many planes you have shot down. Extra points are awarded
from destroyed enemy ground installations and infantry without regard to who destroyed
them. You will get penalty points for shooting down allied planes and for destroyed
allied ground targets and infantry.
MULTIPLAYER MODE
See the "ASSIGN PLAYERS MENU" chapter on how to select players for multiplayer mode and
visit the "REQUEST TRANSFER" menu to select the multiplayer level.
To configure plane controls for multiplayer mode, visit the "PLANE MECHANICS" menu.
Choose a country and then configure either the keyboard or a joystick (a game pad is also
OK).
If you want to change the keyboard layout for the chosen country, click the keyboard and
you will be prompted to press buttons for all six controls needed to fly. The order is
Up, Down, Roll, Engine power, Bombs and Guns. Remember that brake is always Up+Down
simultaneously.
Joystick configuration is still a bit experimental and it is not easy to play the game
with a joystick. Start by clicking Joystick 1 or Joystick 2 and follow the on-screen
instructions. There are two types of joystick actions. You can hold down a joystick
button and press Space on the keyboard. Alternatively you can move a joystick to a
different position (left, right, up or down) and press Space. Finally, by pressing "D"
you can disable a control completely. You can use this for example if you have configured
up and down actions to be buttons so that you can hold them together and thus do not need
a separate brake control. Disabling the roll control enables autoroll, which keeps the
plane upright.
HANGAR MENU
This is a special menu. This appears when the actual game is in progress. There are
three columns: Bombs, ammo and fuel. Use the Bomb and Guns buttons to select one of the
columns, and adjust the value using the Up and Down buttons. Press Roll or Power to exit,
and a mechanic will push your plane onto the runway. If you want to return to the hangar,
just press Roll or Bomb, and the mechanic will push your plane into the hangar.
ASSIGN PLAYERS MENU
This menu is used to select players for solo and multiplayer modes. There are four boxes,
one for each country.
Inside each box there are four radio buttons and two text fields:
first radio button (red circle)
This country is disabled.
second radio button (SOLO)
This country is used to play a solo mission. Other countries are automatically
disabled. Remember to set pilot name in the text box to the right of this radio
button.
third radio button (computer)
This country is played by a computer pilot in multiplayer mode. The text box to the
right is not implemented.
fourth radio button (human)
This country is played by a human pilot in multiplayer game. Remember to set pilot
name in the first text box.
If you activate the solo mode the computer will automatically adjust the other countries
to NO-PLAYER mode. (If you want to play the solo missions, now just exit and click the
take-off times flyer in the main menu.) For example, assume that you want to be the German
player, your friend wants to be the Japanese player and computer wants(?) to be the
Finnish player. Choose "Human pilot" in the German and Japanese boxes, "No player" in the
English box, and "Computer pilot" in the Finnish box.
Note: If you select the last multiplayer level (CAVERN) and you set the computer to be the
Finnish or the English plane, these planes will be disabled when game begins. (Computers
cannot handle takeoffs in caves.)
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION MENU
This is the options menu, where you can define game-related parameters. On the right side
you can see four tabs:
VISION
Shots visible?
If deactivated, no flying ammunition will be seen (planes & infantry).
AAA shots visible?
If deactivated, no ammunition of flak battery will be seen.
AA-Mg shots visible?
If deactivated, no ammunition of ground machine gun will be seen.
Flags? If deactivated, all flags will disappear.
Structure flames?
If deactivated, the bombed structures will not burn.
Use 800*600 window (in MULTIPLAYER)?
Activate this option to play multiplayer games in a 800*600 window.
HEARING
Sounds on?
Activate this to enable or disable all sound. Note that the -nosound command line
option turns this off.
Musics on?
Play music in the menus, if the "Sounds on?" option is also activated.
SFX on?
Enable various sound effects in the game, if the "Sounds on?" option is also
activated.
Explosion sounds?
If deactivated, a sound will be not heard when a bomb collides with ground.
Gunfire sounds?
If deactivated, a sound will be not heard when a plane fires its guns.
AAA fire sounds?
If deactivated, a sound will be not heard when ground defenses fire (machine guns &
flaks).
Water splash sound?
If deactivated, a sound will be not heard when a bomb collides with water.
Infantry death sounds?
If deactivated, infantry soldiers will not scream when they die.
Do you want on/off power?
When activated, the behavior of the engine power button will be dramatically
changed. On/off power allows toggling the engine on or off by pressing the Power
button, instead of having to hold it down. Use this option if you encounter
keyboard problems, because this decreases the number of keys pressed down
simultaneously.
Do you want a reversed power switch?
Turns the behavior of the engine power button upside-down: when you are not holding
the power key down, the plane accelerates. When held down, the engine will be
deactivated. This is not the same as braking, you still need to use Up+Down to
brake.
The following options are for multiplayer only.
Are all the planes the same?
Sets all planes' attributes to a specific country. For example: Choose the German
plane on the left, and every plane has 4 bombs etc. This affects all plane
abilities.
Collisions on?
If active, a collision of two planes results in an immediate destruction of both
planes. Both players lose one point in collision.
Flying parts?
If enabled the parts which appear when a plane crashes cause damage to other
planes.
Battle ends after n points
End the game after one of the players has this number of points. The number can be
increased by pressing it with the left mouse button and decreased with the right
mouse button. UnLtd means unlimited, where the multiplayer game will not end
before you press Esc.
Alliances enabled?
Enables alliances. The sides are selected at the box in the lower left corner.
AA-MGs?
If deactivated, all ground machine gun batteries will disappear.
AAAs? If deactivated, all flak batteries will disappear.
Infantry?
If deactivated, all infantry will disappear.
Unlimited ammo?
If activated, you can shoot even when you have no gun rounds left, but you cannot
adjust your ammo load.
Unlimited fuel?
If activated, the plane will still fly even when you have run out of fuel, but you
always have to take the full load of fuel when leaving the hangar.
PLANE TYPES
Country Germany Finland England Japan
Ammunition ** ** *** *
Maneuverability ** * * ***
Fuel ** ** *** *
Speed ** *** ** *
Bombs ** * ** ***
Endurance ** *** ** *
The German plane is very deadly in dogfight because it is designed for it. It does not
have any particular strengths or weaknesses.
The Finnish plane is the fastest and the toughest but it has a poor bomb capacity and
great skill is needed to pilot it because of its low turning rate.
The English plane never runs out of anything (except bombs). Its only disadvantage is the
low maneuverability.
The Japanese plane has the biggest bomb capacity and it is even more agile than the German
plane. Too bad it always runs out of fuel.
MEDALS, RIBBONS AND RANKS
Like in a real Air Force, you will be awarded with higher ranks and medals when you have
served your country well. The medals are shown on top of your pilot in the roster menu.
Every rank has its own ribbon which is located beside your pilot in the roster menu. When
you start a new pilot you have no medals and you have only one ribbon, 2nd Lieutenant.
When you advance ranks you do not lose your previous ribbons like you would in real life.
Best pilot in the country - Medals
When you complete a sequence of solo missions (six of them) you will be awarded the "Best
pilot in the country" medal. Every country has its unique medal, but the main color of
the medal depends on the country so it will be very easy to see which country has awarded
you with it.
Special medals
There are two special medals. The first is the veteran medal, Golden Star. It will be
awarded to you when you have flown 1000 missions. The second is the hero medal, Silver
Eagle. It will be awarded to the pilot who has killed the most and died the least. There
is only one Silver Eagle medal in the world, so be careful, it will change its owner very
quickly.
Ranks and their abbreviations
Here is a list of ranks appearing in Triplane. In the roster an abbreviation of the rank
will be automatically added to your name (for example: 2nd Lt. Dragst). Both solo and
multiplayer games will affect it so you probably will not gain a lot of promotions by just
playing one of them.
The ranks are:
Second Lieutenant (2nd Lt.)
A simple blue ribbon with one golden column
First Lieutenant (1st Lt.)
A blue ribbon with 1 golden column and 2 stars
Captain (Capt.)
A blue ribbon with 2 golden columns and 2 stars
Major (Major)
A blue ribbon with 2 golden columns and 4 stars
Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col.)
A blue ribbon with a Golden Shield of the Air Force
Colonel (Colonel)
A blue ribbon with a Golden Eagle of the Air Force
If you are ever promoted to Colonel, you have probably played for some time. But
remember, it is not impossible to gain it, you just need play a little longer.
TIPS AND TRICKS
• Remember that stalling is a VERY good way to brake fast, but do not even think about it
unless you can handle the plane very well.
• When flying the Finnish plane remember to deactivate the power when turning.
• There are several Ace missions which are quite easy to complete, but great effort is
needed for receiving a higher score. Patriot Flight is a very good example of this, it is
possible to get at least 169 points in it.
• The Japanese plane can even outmaneuver the German plane, but only with an empty bomb
load. The German plane is still a bit better in dogfight.
• Remember to use hit and run techniques when playing the Finnish plane.
• There is no need to leave any bombs behind if you are playing with the Finnish plane,
because it does not make any difference.
• In the missions with a lots of enemy air activity, try protect your AAAs.
• In solo missions you should learn to use the Radar markers, because that makes it easier
to avoid enemy airplanes.
• Avoid shooting too many bullets at the enemy plane, because it will probably explode.
In the solo game you cannot deactivate the part collision, so this is quite vital.
• Remember that Japanese plane will always run out of fuel, particularly with six bombs.
FILES
Triplane finds its configuration directory by searching the following directories in this
order:
• 1) $TRIPLANE_HOME
• 2) $HOME/.triplane (created if missing)
• 3) the current directory (if step 2 fails for some reason).
The configuration directory contains the following files:
• triplane.cfg
Main configuration file.
• roster.dta
High score file.
• keyset.dta
Keyboard configuration file.
Triplane tries to locate its data directory by looking at which of the following
directories exist, in the following order:
• 1) $TRIPLANE_DATA
• 2) TRIPLANE_DATA set at compilation time (if step 2 fails)
• 3) current directory.
The data directory contains only one file:
• fokker.dks
Game data file containing levels, graphics and sounds.
HISTORY
The original Triplane Turmoil was developed by Markku Rankala, Teemu J. Takanen and
Henrikki Merikallio. Some work was also contributed by Risto Puhakka, Antti Lehtoranta and
Mikko Kinnunen.
The portable SDL version, Triplane Classic, was created from the original source by Timo
Juhani Lindfors (timo.lindfors@iki.fi), Teemu J. Takanen (tjt@users.sourceforge.net), and
Riku Saikkonen. We also thank Timo Lilja for his earlier Xlib porting efforts and Sami
Liedes for spellchecking and optimization ideas.
TRIPLANE(6)