Game guide

After launching the game you`ll get in to the Main menu screen. Here are you can choose one of four buttons:

• Solo - start a campaign/scirmish battle
• Options - configure TA3D options
• Multiplayer - start/join multiplayer game
• Quit - quit TA3D

Solo

You see a game selection menu.

• Campaign - Play TA campaign.
• Skirmish - Play a skirmish battle.
• Load - Load a previously saved game.

Campaign

Here you can chose side and mission to play.

You can also adjust difficulty level.

Skirmish

If you chose skirmish - you`ll see a game setup screen.

Here you can specify your race (ARM/CORE by default), add enemy AI players, change players color, teams and start resources.

You can also choose a different AI script to play TA3D with different rules and adjust Fog_of_War type. See more about scripts below.

• off - Fog_of_War is off, all map and units visible.
• grey - Fog_of_War is on, all map visible, enemy units - no.
• black - Fog_of_War is on, all map and enemy units not visible.
• on - Fog_of_War is on, all map and enemy units not visible, FOW removing permanently.

On the right side of the screen you can change a map (click on the minimap picture).

Choosing map

You see all maps found in TA3D dir. Clicking a map shows it's minimap on the right side of the screen. Click "OK" to select the map and "Cancel" to go back to the game setup screen with default one. "Enter" and "Esc" do the same as "OK" and "Cancel"

Choosing AI scripts

Selecting different scripts allows to change AI behavior and game rules. For example, choosing defence.lua script allows you to play against periodically spawned enemy forces. Every several minutes a wave of enemy units will spawn and attack you. If player survive several attack waves - he`ll win the game.

Scripts can be modified in ta3d/scripts/ folder. Feel free to experiment!

Options

• fps_limit - sets max fps
• wireframe - on/off wireframe models
• particle - on/off particles
• waves - on/off waves
• shadows - on/off shadows
• height line - on/off planes altitude
• detail texture - on/off detail textures
• draw console while loading - on/off console while loading
• fullscreen - on/off fullscreen for TA3D
• language - sets language package (english, french, ...)
• screen -sets resolution of TA3D (640x480, 800x600 etc.)
• shadow quality - sets shadow quality
• water quality - sets quality of water drawning
• Current mod - select active mod
• Player name - player name
• game speed - sets game speed
• antialiasing - sets full screen anti-aliasing

In the Audio setup part of menu you can arrange audio files, which will be playing during the game. To add new audio simply copy your mp3 (ogg, wma) music in ta3d/music/ folder. Also you`ll find other settings conserning camera preferences and some others.

Getting started...

Resources

There are two types of resources, like in Total Annihilation: Metal and Energy

• Metal is extracted by building metal extractors over metal deposits
• Energy is generated by solar panels, geothermal powerplants and nuclear powerplants, ...

Game starts with only one unit: the Commander.

Unit control

Selection - with left click (shift to add it to current selection) or drag the box around several units so select them all.

To order a unit to move, select it and click where you want it to go, right click to deselect.

Building

To order a unit to make a building, select the unit, click the building you want to make in the left menu, then on the map where you want your unit to build it.

Building can not be build everywhere. Structures can be built on the flat surfaces.

In order to build a unit the corresponding factory must be built (k-bot lab, airport, vehicle plant and so on...) and left click on unit icon on the left side of the screen.

Game ends

After the game is finished you`ll see a result screen, where major scores are shown.

Camera control

Camera shows a view similar to Total Annihilation's one, with ability of viewing angle change.

It ranges from 45 to 90 degrees (Total Annihilation camera angle 63.44 deg.) and can be modified with your mouse wheel (also activates Mega Zoom feature like in Supreme Commander). You can move the camera using the minimap or with your mouse holding down your middle button. At the left bottom of the screen an icon allow you to (de)activate the free camera mode. In free camera mode use arrows to move, with your mouse wheel you can go forward/backward and if you hold down the middle button you can look around.

In-game interface

Here are the commands available:

• CTRL+0..9 to save unit selection
• ALT+0..9 to restore a saved selection
• CTRL+C select the commander
• CTRL+Z select units of the type of already selected units
• CTRL+D Toggles selfdestruct of selected unit
• ")" ("`" or "²" under windows) show/hide the console
• F1 shows info screen about selected unit
• F12 take a screen shot

Shortcuts:

• "A" - attack
• "R" - repair
• "M" - move
• "L" - load a unit (transporters only)
• "U" - unload
• "P" - patrol
• "E" - reclaim
• "T" - toggle camera's tracking mode