Menu and Options
From CustomWiki
Contents |
Basic Controls
By default, you use the arrow keys to navigate menus. "Z" (A button) is confirm and "X" (B button) is cancel. You can also use the Mouse, with the left button being "A button", and the right button being "B button".
Title Menu
- New Game: Play a game of Custom Wars.
- Design Maps: Design and edit maps to play on.
- Options: Set up general game options.
New Game
- New: Start a new (non-online) game. See "Starting a Game" below.
- Load: Load a (non-online) game.
- Network Game: Start a direct-connect Network Game. You will need to have set the IP of your opponent in the Options menu.
- Load Replay: Watch a saved replay.
- Create New Server Game: Starts a new game on the server for others to join.
- Join Server Game: Joins an existing game on the server. Use Login to Server Game to play games you have already joined.
- Login to Server Game: Lets you login to a game on the server you have joined.
- Open Online Lobby: Opens the Custom Wars IRC chat client.
Design Maps
When you open Design Maps you'll be given an empty map to work with. You can use either the keyboard or the mouse to work on your map. "A button" is used to place tiles, "B button" is used to select the tile type the cursor is currently over. Default menu keys are as follows (press the same key to dismiss the menu):
- S - Selected army Menu. Units and properties you place will belong to this army.
- C - Terrain Menu.
- V - Unit Menu. Use this to place predeployed units.
- D - Delete. Pressing this while holding the cursor over a unit will delete it.
- N - Minimap. Preview a minimap of the map.
- M - General Menu. The following options appear:
- Scale: Increases the scale of the game resolution. There are four zoom levels.
- Fill: This will fill the entire map with the currently selected tile type.
- Save: Brings up a dialog to save your map.
- Load: Brings up a dialog to load a map.
- Set Map Info: Sets a few in-game descriptor tags for the map. You can enter the name of the map, the name of the author, and a brief description.
- Map Size: Makes a new map with the given height and width values.
- Map Resize: Changes your existing map to the given height and width values. The dimensions are measured from the upper left of the current map.
- Resize Screen: Lets you enter a tile height and width for the screen area. (Currently dummied out)
- Mirror Map: Doubles the size of the map by mirroring it in the indicated direction. Useful for creating symmetrical maps.
- Random Map: This will generate a barebones random map for you to be creative with.
- Return to Main: Returns to the Title Menu. You will lose any unsaved changes to your map.
Options
- Music: Can be turned on or off.
- Random Numbers: Use this to set a new random number generator seed. (Currently dummied out)
- Balance Mode: Set Balance Mode to on or off by default. Balance Mode can be turned on or off when making a game.
- Set IP: When playing a Network Game, you must enter the IP of the other player here, as well as the port number you'll be using.
- Autosave: Automatically saves your game each turn. On or off.
- Record Replay: Records replays of your games. On or off.
- Cursor: Choose your favorite cursor style.
- Remap Keys: Let you change the default keyboard controls.
- Battle Background Image: Turns the wallpaper that appears in the background of the window during games on or off.
- Snail Mode Server: Lets you change the server used for Server Games.
- Default Bans: Selects the default unit bans. Bans can be changed when making a game.
- CW - Only Oozium are banned
- AWDS - Oozium and CW new units are banned
- AW2 - AWDS and CW new units are banned
- AW1 - AW2, AWDS and CW new units are banned
- No bans - No units are banned
- All bans - All units are banned!
- Main Screen CO: Changes the CO shown on the main menu
- Sound Effects: Can be turned on or off.
Starting a Game
There are a few extra steps involved for setting up a Server Game than for starting other kinds of games.
Starting a Server Game
A series of dialogs will pop up when you choose to make a new Server Game.
- You will first be asked to create a name for your game.
- Next you will be asked to create a master password. Other players will need this password to join your game. If you leave this blank, there is no password and anyone can join.
- After that you will enter your username for the game.
- Then you will enter your personal password that you will use to login to the game.
- At this point you will select a map (see below)
- You will be given an opportunity to enter a comment for the game, which appears in the server list. This is a good spot to mention bans and such.
- Finally, you will choose which side to play as. Generally, the creator of the game should take Side 1 so that the game can begin immediately.
- You will now be at the Server Game screen (see below).
Joining a Server Game
Joining a Server Game is fairly straightforward.
- You will first enter the name of the game you wish to join.
- You will then be asked to enter the master password (if applicable).
- Now you will choose your username for the game.
- Then you will enter the password you will use to login to the game.
- Finally you will choose which side you wish to play as. You must choose a side labeled "empty".
- You will now be at the Server Game screen (see below).
Logging into a Server Game
When you log into a Server Game, you will:
- First enter the game name
- Enter your username
- Enter your password
- You will now be at the Server Game screen (see below).
Map Selection Screen
The first menu that comes up when starting a game will be a map selection screen.
- 1 - Current map folder. You can change the folder by pressing left or right on the keyboard, or by clicking it with the mouse.
- 2 - Map list. The maps in the current folder. Press up or down on the keyboard to highlight a map, and click the "A button" to choose one, or click on one with the mouse. Click the arrows at the top and bottom of the map list to scroll it up or down.
- 3 - Player filters. You can filter maps by the the number of players.
- 4 - Minimap. You can see a small preview of the map here.
- 5 - Mapmaker. This is the author of the map.
- 6 - Comments. A brief description of the map, if available.
- 7 - Property count. A tally of how many of each kind of property is on the map.
CO Selection Screen
- 1 - Country tabs. Click on these to change the selected country.
- 2 - CO window. Click on the CO you wish to play as here. You will first select your first CO, then a second CO; if you are playing a single CO game, choose "No CO" as your second CO.
- 3 - Intel. Gives the name and a brief description of the CO. To view a more in-depth dossier of the CO, highlight them and press "C".
- 4 - Selected COs. CO 1 is your first CO, who you will begin the game as. CO 2 is your second CO, who you can tag with (if applicable).
- 5 - Options window, for things like CO Force Ranks. Not currently implemented.
- 6 - A picture of the highlighted CO.
Game Settings Screen
- Visibility: You can choose between a Full Visibility (normal), Fog of War, or Mist of War game.
- Weather: You can select Clear (no weather), Rain, Snow, Sandstorm, or Random Weather.
- Funds: This adjusts how much income each property you own will provide. Default is 1000, and is the recommended amount for most maps.
- Start Funds: If you wish, players can start with a set amount of funds in addition to their income.
- Turn Limit: The game will end after the set amount of turns. This game feature if off by default.
- Capture Limit: The first player to capture the specified number of properties wins the game! This game feature is off by default.
- CO Powers: If turned off, COs will have no effect on the game, except aesthetic. All D2Ds will be bland and there will be no powers.
- Balance Mode: Balance Mode settings can be turned on and off. If off, the game plays just like AWDS.
- Record Replay: If on, a replay will be recorded and you will have the option to save it when the game ends.
- Unit Bans: Click on a unit to ban or unban it. Banned units are greyed out, and cannot be built. Banned units that are predeployed on the map will still be there, however.
Server Game Screen
- 1 - Game log. Clicking on Syslog will show you a log of the game turns; clicking on Chat will show messages that have been sent. Click on Send to send a message that the other players can read in the chat log.
- 2 - Game name.
- 3 - Your username.
- 4 - Current day/turn. The first number is the day; the second number is the player number whose turn it is.
- 5 - Player list. The players are listed in their turn order.
- 6 - Refresh button. Update the Server Game Screen (it's not done dynamically).
- 7 - Play button. Click this to play when it's your turn!
When you end your turn in a Server Game, you will be brought back to this screen.
