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Welcome to the wulfram3 wiki!
Wulfram is a game of first person hovertank combat and honest tactical strategy, all set in a light science fiction setting of violent planetary colonization. Like many artistic endeavors, it is far simpler to play Wulfram than it seems when explained on paper. Hopefully this introduction will provide enough of a reference for you to discover the full richness of the game on your own.
Two warring factions (called the Crimson Federation and the Azure Alliance, or more simply, the red team and the blue team) arrive at a disputed planet. Each side is provided with a minimal base, and then you, and every other player, get a Tank or Scout built for you to control. Both of these units are built by RepairPads, and whoever destroys all the enemy Tanks, Scouts, and the RepairPads that let them build more, wins the game.
When you first enter a game, you will be required to select a team and then (after your vehicle is built) select a RepairPad to enter from. RepairPads are represented on the entry map by small mounds with flags. The little moving dots are players in either Tanks or Scouts. You can choose which type of vehicle you want from the display on the upper left. Each has their own advantages.
Once you've enter the game, the display will shift to a first person view from within your vehicle. A small miniature map is available in the bottom right, and short range radar is at the bottom left. Tank health is represented by a green bar in the upper left and fuel (or energy) by a yellow bar in top right. Basic turning and aiming is performed by the mouse. The 'w' 'a' 's' and 'd' keys act as movement and Strafing keys, 'q' and 'z' adjust your Altitude (which affects speed and ground clearance), and the keys '0' through '9' on the number pad will select your speed. Tanks are also capable of jumping by pressing the 'j' key.
A speed of '7' (or 7.6 with an Altitude of 1) provides maximum movement at no energy cost. Lower speeds allow energy to be recovered when moving while higher speeds will drain it. See FuelConservation for more information.
Both vehicles come equipped with an AutoCannon which is fired by pressing the left mouse button. Tanks also have a PulseCannon which is fired by pressing the keyboard '1' or the right mouse button. The PulseShells it fires are slow, long range, and heavy hitting. For Scouts, a RepairBeam is installed which locks on to targets. It charges up by harming enemy vehicles and can heal friendly units (both vehicles and base units).
Targeting is accessible by a variety of keys. To target enemy tanks, press 't'. To find a RefuelPad press 'f'. Likewise, 'r' will target a RepairPad. Pressing 'alt' and a targeting key will target the opposite team. (i.e. 'alt-t' will target friendly tanks) Also useful is 'i' for incoming Hunter missiles and 'u' for targeting whatever you are currently aiming at. Targeting an object will help you hit when using your AutoCannon and is required to fire the homing Hunter missiles. Pressing a targeting key will target the closest object. Pressing it again will target the next closest, and so on. Pressing '`' will clear any targeting.
The BigMap is available by pressing the 'm' key. Press it again to return to the view from your vehicle. Targets may be selected from the large map and will stay when you return to the first person view. The large map is a great place to add StoredTargets.
The 'Esc' key will take you to a menu which includes control options and help on which key does what.
Damage will be repaired slowly over time, or quickly by landing on a RepairPad. Fuel will replenish over time at a faster rate than damage is repaired, or very quickly by landing on a RefuelPad. RefuelPads also allow you to arm your vehicle with various additional weapons, such as the damaging Piercer, disorienting Thumper, homing Hunter missile, and more unique items such as Mines, Caltrops, Flares, and even a Maser!
You will also recover fuel and health faster if you land and the effect is also greater if you are near a friendly PowerCell.
Only Tanks can carry Cargo and the Uplink. Cargo is dropped from SupplyShips and appears in CargoBoxes on the ground. Driving over it will pick it up. Enemy cargo can be unlocked by landing on a RepairPad.
The ',' will drop cargo you've picked up and the '.' key will deploy it. You may need to raise your altitude to drop or deploy the cargo. (Remember 'q' and 'z'?)
RepairPads, RefuelPads, and the FlakTurrets, GunTurrets, and MissileLaunchers that protect them, are all powered by PowerCells and cannot be deployed without one nearby. Units which lose their PowerCell become neutral and belong to whoever places a new PowerCell near them first.
A DarkLight is self powered and cloaks areas from radar.
SkyPumps allow the movement of SupplyShips, which is where all this Cargo is falling from in the first place. One SkyPump will let a SupplyShip move into a square (as indicated by a dark square on the map) and two will eventually warp in another ship. You may have up to three ships. The new one will arrive after the WarpGlimpse and WarpPush have occurred, as long as you keep two SkyPumps in the square. A square with two is referred to as DoublePump?ed and is shown as a thicker, brighter square on the map.
Besides providing supplies, SupplyShips can also perform OrbitalStrikes? which will devastate enemy ground targets and can destroy enemy SupplyShips when they are positioned next to, and outnumber, the enemy ships.
Producing supplies and moving both take time, and timing is important. From the timing of attacks, to ship movement, from supply ordering to cargo deployment, proper timing and coordination of actions with your team can win the day.
All orders to the ships are handled by picking up (press 'l' to target it) and installing (with the deploy '.' key) a device called the UpLink. (Press ',' once to uninstall it and again to drop it.) Once installed in a Tank, that player may (from the map screen, remember 'm'?) send orders for supplies and movement to the ships. The person with the UpLink is referred to as the Linker, while everyone else is considered a tanker. (Even, confusingly enough, those in Scouts.)
If you are defeated, you will be given another vehicle as long as there is a RepairPad to build it for you. If you were carrying Cargo, it will be destroyed. If you were carrying the UpLink, odds are the enemy that just killed you will steal it. A stolen UpLink will self-destruct if not recovered. Without it, no orders can be given to your ships. If it does destroy itself and you have a ship remaining, the ship will build you another UpLink. Interestingly enough, the UpLink is extremely lightweight. Also note that it is against the rules to abuse this to punt yours or the enemy's about.
Because of it's importance, it is dangerous to take the UpLink into the midst of battle. This generally leaves the Linker watching the BigMap, BuildingBases, and coordinating the efforts of the team.
Finally, armed with all this newfound knowledge, do not forget that, at it's heart, Wulfram is a team game. Press 'enter' to type a line of Chat text, and 'enter' again to send it. Start your message with '/t' to send it just to the team, '/a' to send it to everyone, or '/name' to send it just to a player in particular. Use '//t' to make team only chat your default. (This works similarly for all and individual messages as well.)
In addition to sending messages, read the messages that are sent. Victory goes to the team that communicates and works together. And it happens every time.
Ask others where to deploy Cargo. Listen to the Linker when he tells you how you can help carry out the plan. Group up and work with other tankers to outnumber the enemy when you engage them. Be polite, even when others are not.
Work with your team to order the right supplies, deploy them properly, position your ships, destroy enemy bases, and defeat the enemy vehicles. Take StrategicInitiative? to develop StrategicPosition?, kills alone do not win games.
Be responsive, supportive, and frequent in your communications, and you'll find that Wulfram can be a very enjoyable and rewarding way to waste your time.