LINKART GAMES

Manual v. 1.0

1. Introduction Empire is a strategy game about conquering a world. In order to do this, You must build armies, claim more cities in order to produce more armies, etc. The world can be quite big so one game may take many hours, especially if You play with other human players.

2. Prerequisites The game requires Windows XP or higher. Any video card is OK. 2GB of memory are recommended, although the game will probably run with less. You need about 500MB of hard disk space or more, if You create Your own maps and have a lot of saved games. The game can run on Windows 32 and 64bit, although on 32bit You are limited in map size to 2000x2000. On 64bit You can use map size up to 4000x4000.

3. Installation Simply install it via Steam. The executable file is named “Empire64”. If You are running Windows 32bit, You can use “Empire32” instead.

4. Gameplay In the first screen, You can choose: a. Starting a new game b. Loading a previously saved game c. Starting a map editor d. Open settings e. Quit game

I. Starting a new game If You choose to start a new game, following screen will appear:

Top left panel: - Load map – You can load a map provided with the game or You can load a map created by You. - Load random map – loads a random map from the game directory - Create random map – creates a random map. You can enter the size that You want. Minimum size is 100, maximum 4000 fields.

Medium panel: You can choose how many players You want to play. You can choose between human or computer players. If choosing computer player, You can choose how smart the computer player will be. Unimportant what computer level You choose, the win/loose probability is always the same. Smarter computer means he will react much better for Your actions, will better coordinate attacks, etc.

Lower left Panel: - Local game - Network game - Internet game Local game is simply a game against computer players or against other humans utilising the „hot seat” concept – each player plays his armies on the same computer. Players have to change the seats according to the messages on the screen. Network game – if You choose this option, You can play only against human players. Internet game – same like network game, just the input of the parameters is different. Network game can be used for both local and internet game. To start an Internet game, You must open a tunnel through Your router. Please consult Your router manual how to do this. In the future version of the game we will implement network game using Valve Steam mechanisms.

Lower right panel - Fog of war – if enabled, You will only see map if You discovered it with You units. If disabled, You will see full map immediately - Computer moves visible – enabling this will let You see the movement of the computer.

If You made Your choices, press the green START button on the lower right side. If the button is dark red then You do not meet the requirements to start a game (You must have at least one player)

1. Local player game If You have chosen a local player game and option „Load map”, You will see a panel which allows You to select a map that You will play on. On the left side You see a list of maps. If You click a map, a graphics of the map will appear on the right panel and a brief description below, stating size of map and number of cities. If You choose a map (the name of the map will turn red) You need to press „OK” button to proceed. The game will instruct You whose turn it will be (if You will play with multiple human players) or You will see an information on the upper right panel if the computer is on the move.

2. Network player game If You selected a local network/internet game, You will see a multiplayer screen with some options. Upper left panel: - Server/Client. By selecting this, You can either start a server or join a game on a server started on another computer. Depending on the option the green button on the upper right side will show either “Start server” or “Join game” - Starting a server: In the options right You can choose following options: o Game name o Player name o Port number Game name has to be a name for Your game. You can select anything, but if someone wants to join You, he has to insert the same name of the game for local network games or Your IP-address for games over internet. “Player Name” can be Your name, it will be easier to identify the players during the game Port number – make sure You use a unique port number. Port numbers are used also by other programs or games. You can enter a number between 5699 and 45599. EMPIRE uses a default port of 6000. The client must use the same port number. To start a multiplayer game You need to: ▪ Start the server ▪ Load some map – this map will be loaded by all clients ▪ Press the red button on the right next to Your name, in the column “Ready’. The button will turn green indicating You are ready to play. ▪ Other players have to join Your server ▪ If all players have pressed the ready-button, the START button will be enabled. II. Loading a previously saved game

You can load a previously saved game by choosing “load game” and selecting a game name. You will continue from the position where You saved Your game. You can also load a network game. If all players who played when the game has been saved are present and have pressed “Ready” button, You can press the “Load Network Game” button. The order of connected players doesn’t matter, the only limitation is that the player who acts as server must be the same as game saved.

III. Starting a map editor

If You select “Map editor”, You will have the possibility to edit Your map. The initial size is set to 100x100, You can change it to a maximum of 4000x4000 (or 2000x2000 for 32bit).

From the upped right panel, You can select land tiles, sea and cities. If You draw land, computer will set correct tiles accordingly to shore lines. You can use the auto creator by pressing “Auto” button. In the current version the autogenerator has some parameters that can’t be changed, it will be added in later revisions. By pressing “Map” You will see an overview if the map. You can move the visible window. To close the map simply press left mouse button somewhere on the map.

You can draw maps using the editor or any external software like Windows Paint. You must set then the size of the picture to anything between 100x100 and 4000x4000 (or 2000x2000 for 32bit). Sea must have an RGB value of Red 0, Green 0, Blue 255 (only blue), cities must be red (Red 255, Green 0, Blue 0), everything else will be treated as land. To import a map, You must save it named “import.png” in the “Data” directory of the game. Then press IMPORT button in the map editor, change whatever You want and save the map under some name. Names for the cities will be assigned automatically. You can change them by pressing right mouse button over a the city.

IV. Settings

You can open the settings at the main menu or during the game. Form here, You can:

- Change the visibility of the flight paths (F) – You will see the connections between the cities, that will be used by planes - Change the visibility of the production (Q) - Switch on/off the possible moves indicator – green fields show fields that You can move on, red where You can’t move - Music loudness - Sound effects loudness - Computer moves delay – if You play with computer and have enabled the “Show computer moves” option. The longer the delay, the slower the computer will move so You will have a chance to track his movements - Change the language on the fly

V. General gameplay

Depending on settings, You can play alone, against a computer, against other human players on the same computer (hot seat) or against network players. If You play against other players, each of You can set the production in the cities and move his units. If You’re done with setting the production and moving units, next player can do the same. When all players have finished their moves, it will be Your turn again.

Production panel:

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1. Repeat – if You wish the production to bet set automatically to the same product after previous production has been finished. Otherwise after each finished production You will be prompted to set a new production 2. Production items – You can choose what to produce. If the indicator is red, then You can’t produce this unit in that city (like ships in a city without connection to water) 3. Turns – how many turns does it take to manufacture that unit 4. Under constr. – how many units of that type are You producing now.

Top right panel:

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1. Player 2. Turn number 3. Unit number 4. Location 5. Health/Maximum health 6. Movements left in this turn

Top left panel:

1. Map – open map to see the whole world. To close map, press anywhere on the map 2. Menu – Setting (see description earlier in this manual) 3. Save/Load 4. Reports – To see the number of cities and units for each player 5. Help – a description of units and all key bindings 6. Battle report – to see the battles that happened with Your units when other players moved (like attacking Your units or cities). When something happened You will see a symbol of a lightning appear over the BATTLE REPORT button.

VI. Movement

To move a unit, simply click on a field next to the unit or use the numpad on the keyboard. Be aware that naval units can’t enter land and land unit can’t go into water. Each field can be occupied only by one unit.

To board a ship simply move an army onto a transport (or a plane onto the carrier). If You can’t do this then the ships are already full. All units that boarded a ship will become inactive and won’t show up in the movement queue. You can activate them manually by selecting “Unload Ship”/

To enter a city simply move the unit to a city. There is no limit of units inside a city. Be aware that unimportant how many units You have in a city, that city fights with the strength of 1 army. If a city will be captured by enemy all of Your units will be lost.

You can enable an additional help that shows You allowed moves – green fields and forbidden moves – red fields (toggle that help with “B”).

5. Units

Below You can find a description of the units

Unit Moves Health Firepower Description per turn Army 1 1 1 Basic unit Plane 5 1 1 Moves maximum 20 fields until fuel runs out. Can refuel in a city or carrier Destroyer 3 4 4 Fast ship, weak guns Cruiser 2 8 8 Medium armor and guns Battleship 2 12 12 Powerful armor and guns Transport 2 3 1 Can carry up to 6 armies Submarine 2 3 3 Will be detected only by a destroyer or if another units enters by accident the same field or if the submarine performs an attack Carrier 2 8 2 Can carry up to 8 planes

When a ship will be damaged, it will have less health. If the health drops below 50% it’s speed will be reduced to 1 field per turn. Ships can be repaired in the cities – 1 health point per turn.

6. COMMANDS Left mouse button: move units, choose options Right mouse button: Open options menu (over cities or units) Middle mouse button: move map (press and hold middle button)

Keys: 8 - move up 9 - move up + right 6 - move right 3 - move down + right 2 - move down 1 - move down + left 4 - move left 7 - move up + left

Cursor keys: move map

B - Toggle allowed move SHIFT - show allowed move F - Toggle Flightpaths Q - Production visible M - map

G - Goto H - Go Home R - Go Random P - Patrol to S - Sentry W - Wait C - Center map U - Unload Ship

SPACE - Skip Move

F9 - Load Game F5 - Save Game F11 - Next music F12 - Previous music

Flightpaths – You can create a flightpath between cities. If You create a flightpath from City A to City B then all planes built in City A will automatically get an order to fly to City B.

Go To – Commands a unit to move to chosen location

Go Home – Commands a unit to go to the nearest city owned by You

Go Random – Units chooses a random direction

Patrol to – Unit will patrol to designated location and then go back to the starting point. That move will be repeated until cancelled

Sentry – Unit switches into Sentry mode. It won’t be selected for move any more until unit will be activated or encounters an enemy

Wait – Unit will be pushed to end of movement queue

Center map – Map will be centered at selected unit

Unload ship – All units on board of ship will become active