#1 Question: What the heck do I do in this server? (long version)

To join a Mercenaries, Inc. server, you have to edit your keymap file to allow you to log in. The login system allows restricted access to player accounts, necessary to prevent malcontents from draining everyone else's money.

To edit your keymap, start by making a copy of the keymap file you use, found in your /Starsiege/keymaps folder. Do not use the _def*.cs keymap files. Rename your keymap to Mercenaries.cs (or anything you want), and open it in your favorite text editor -- Windows Notepad will do if you have nothing better.

Scroll to the bottom of the file, and paste in this line:

bindCommand(keyboard0, make, control, "m", TO, "remoteEval(2048, Mercs::Login, \"password\");");

This sets CTRL-M as the login command for Mercenaries, Inc. You can change this if you like, as long as you know what you're doing. You should definitely change the word password to something else, though.

Start up Starsiege, and join a Mercenaries, Inc. server. If you do not start out in the Mercs lobby (a mostly empty map on Mars), you will have to wait until the other players have finished their mission and returned to the lobby before you can join.

Drop onto the map, and load your new keymap file -- press F11 to bring up the options screen, and select your new keymap from the list.

WARNING! Do not try to edit your new keymap using Starsiege's built-in keymap screen. Opening a file that you have edited in this fashion will crash your game.

Now press CTRL-M, or whatever you bound the login command to. This logs you into the game, allowing you to launch and join missions. The first time you join the game, you will receive some money to equip your vehicle. This also locks your name and password in on that server. Further attempts to log in (in the lobby only) will inform you how much money you have in your account. If you leave the server and come back, you will have to log in again (although you won't get any free money anymore).

After logging in, you can scan the generator structure repeatedly to scroll through the mission list on the server. This scrolls the list for everyone in the game, so that other players can see the mission they might be playing next. When you find a mission you like, shoot the structure, and if everyone is logged in, the mission will launch in 5 seconds. Otherwise, the server will wait for everyone to log in and then launch the mission. You can shoot the structure a second time to skip the wait, leaving non-logged in players in the lurch (probably a temporary feature only).

Once the mission starts, you can select a config from your vehicle bay and try to join the map. If you don't have enough money to pay for your config, the server will destroy your vehicle. Choose a less expensive configuration -- vehicle costs are based mostly on combat value, except that certain components are free (standard Talons, small lasers, light autocannons, basic computers, micro reactors, light engines, carlam armor). All other equipment requires that you have enough money to cover the cost, although you will get this money back (minus transport fees) if you win the mission.

After dropping onto the map, your vehicle will continually shutdown. Log in again (CTRL-M if you pasted in the keyboard command above), and when all players are logged in, the mission will begin. When the players have completed the mission, whether you succeed or fail, the server will send everyone back to the lobby plus or minus their winnings and losses, where you can choose a new mission to run.