Activate the following cheats by starting the game with the corresponding command line parameters:

CHEAT FUNCTION - CHEAT CODE
1024x768 screen resolution - /1024
1280x1024 screen resolution - /1280
16-bit colors - /d16
1600x1200 screen r resolution - /1600
24-bit colors - /d24
36-bit colors - /d36
640x480 screen resolution - /640
8-bit colors - /d8
800x600 screen resolution - /800
Feedback received stored in a text file in game folder - /textfeedback
All ships are boxier - /boxes
Play LAN game with other versions - /forceLAN
Auto-skip all FMV sequences - /disableAVI
CPU players are more determined - /determcompplayer
Debug mode - /debug
Disable 3rd Mode error - /nodebugInt
Disable AI retreat tactics - /noretreat
Disable all voices - /noSpeech
Disable bi-linear filters - /noFilter
Disable end-of-match text reports - /captaincyLogOff
Disable front-end textures - /NoFETextures
Disable KNI - /disableKatmai
Disable multi-player logs - /logOff
Disable polygon smoothing - /noSmooth
Disable hints from SM - /nohint
Disable packed textures - /disablePacking
Disable wallpapers - /niltextures
Disable window borders - /noborder
Eliminates all CPU players - /noCompPlayers
Enable slow screen blips - /slowblits
Enable Stats text files - /statlogon
Enable text files after battle - /captaincyLogOn
Enable text files after multi-player match - /logOn
Enable verbose logging files - /logonverbose
Press [Home] to set camera at the center of map - /smCentreCamera
Force OpenGL - /gl
Gather statistics - /gatherstats
Global memory size heap setter - /heap
Light lines shown in debug mode - /lightlines
Log AI player data in text files - /aiplayerlog
Log data files loaded - /logfileloads
Make integer 3 when a sync error occurs - /intonsync
NIS testing - /testNIS
NIS testing using the SCRIPT files - /testnisscript
No backgrounds - /noBG
Output converted to .WAV - /waveout
Override [Alt] + [Tab] command when process is running - /noMinimise
Overrides BIG files for mods - /overridebigfile
Play demo - /demoplay
Play packet recordings - /packetplay
Record demo - /demorecord
Record packets and auto-saves frequently - /debugsync
Record packets during multi-players skirmishes - /packetrecord
Resets renderers to default - /sw
Reverse stereo sound - /reversestereo
Ignore BIG files for mods - /ignorebigfiles
Set path to CD drive - /cdpath
Set path to open files - /prepath
Ships will not show damage - /noshowdamage
Show docking lines; default is on - /docklines
Show target line; default is on - /gunlines
Start in full screen; default is on - /fullscreen
Start in windowed screen - /window
Stipples renderer alpha - /stipple
Subtitled intermission sequences - /closeCaptioned
No auto-pause when [Alt] + [Tab] or [Windows] is pressed. - /noPause
Use KNI - /forcekatmai
Use 24-bit color with sharper rendering - /truecolour
Use Direct 3D - /d3d
Use Direct Sound driver - /dsound
Use RGL device - /device

If you get destroyed, but still have a carrier, you can keep playing. Disadvantages are: you will be unable to research; you cannot build anything beyond frigates; and your "support units" will go down to approximately 192. However, you can continue to destroy your opponent.