Chip 2000 June/Chip_06_2000.iso/games/CloseCombat4/data1.cab/Data_Files/ReadMe.txt

Text File | 1999-11-11 | 14KB | 206 lines

Thanks for trying our demo. Before we get started be sure to check out the system requirements below.

System requirements:
    Pentium 200 MHz IBM PC or compatible (non MMX is fine)
    32 MB of RAM
    Windows« 95 or 98 - NOTE: This is a Windows game and was not designed to be played
on Windows« NT systems.

Once you start the game, after a couple intro screens you'll be taken to the Main screen. Here you will have four options:
Play a Game, Boot Camp, Create a Scenario, and Mutiplayer. The Create a Scenario button will take you to an information
screen, but this feature will be disabled. All of the other screens are fully functional for your enjoyment.

Play a Game
This is the single player part of the game. When you choose this option you will be taken to the Command screen. From here
you can select which side you would like to play, adjust your and the computers force strength via slider bars, etc. etc.

A quick note here: Recruit level will give you the best possible troops while Hero will make your troops less capable.
And of course there are three levels in between.

You can also configure other features that affect the battle. Like weather you want to be able to always see
the enemy or visa versa. These options are pretty much self-explanatory. Once you have things set the way you would
like, click the Next button. This will take you to another info screen and then to the Battlegroup screen. Here you can
review your troops, listen to weapon sounds, and even rename each unit. Be careful though, when you rename a unit you will
loose its description when you enter the Battle screen.

Deployment Phase
When you first enter the battlefield everything will be "paused". This will give you a chance to place your units and get
to know the area where you will be fighting. Unlike many other games the terrain here makes a big difference on how you
play a battle. Hills, trees, and buildings will actually block or obscure your view. Once you have placed a unit it is always
a good idea to check its line of sight by issuing a fire command (I'll get to that in a minute) and moving your line of fire
around the map. Don't feel bad if things seem a bit complex. It takes hours and hours of play to learn the intricacies of
this game. I have at least 500 hours of playing time and I'm still learning. When you have what feels like a good posture
go ahead and click the Begin button. This is when all hell will break loose.

BATTLEFIELD CONTROLS
Basic Unit Orders
Right-clicking on any unit will bring up a popup menu listing possible orders for that unit. These orders are: Move,
Move Fast, Sneak, Fire, Smoke, Defend, and Ambush. An order may then be selected by left-clicking on the order option.
Order options that a unit cannot perform are grayed out. If you change your mind and do not wish to issue an order,
either right or left-click on the map. This will remove the popup menu. Orders may also be given by key commands once the
unit is selected.

Hot key Orders
All orders can also be given by hot key commands. To give an order by hot key left click on the unit, then press the
appropriate key.

Z    Move
X    Move Fast
C    Sneak
V    Fire
B    Smoke
N    Defend
M    Ambush

Movement Orders
Units have three movement commands: Sneak, Move, and Move Fast. When the movement order is selected, place the cursor
where you want the selected unit to go and left click. A colored dot will appear on the map marking the unit's destination,
and it will proceed by whatever movement type you have selected. The color of the dot corresponds with the type of movement
 order given.

Move        Blue
Sneak        Yellow
Move Fast    Purple

Once created the destination dot can be dragged to another location by left-clicking and holding the left mouse button on
it.

Sneak does pretty much you would expect it to do. Your men move forward cautiously and quietly. This is the slowest of all
movement types. In addition to being stealthy themselves, sneaking troops have an improved chance at finding concealed
enemies. Sneaking troops never initiate combat; this makes sneaking undesirable in potential close combat situations.

Move orders infantry to cautiously advance. Infantry on the move are not quite as stealthy nor as observant as men who
are sneaking, but they are faster. Moving infantry will initiate combat if the opportunity arises.

Move fast orders infantry to move as quickly as they can. While running, soldiers will focus on getting to the destination
and will not seek to use cover at all. They will engage in hand to hand combat if the enemy gets in their way. Running men
are not observant and will tire quickly.

Vehicles are not stealthy, particularly tanks. However, a sneaking tank is at maximum watchfulness and at its slowest speed.
A tank on the move is somewhat faster and slightly less observant. A tank that is sneaking or moving will attempt to
maintain its original armor arc as much as possible. Tanks can fire while following any movement order, although their
accuracy and rate of fire decreases.

Indirect Paths/Waypoints
Rather then move in a straight line, it is possible to order infantry and vehicles to follow an indirect route. Routes are
determined by setting waypoints. To set waypoints, right click on a unit as normal and determine which type of movement,
then press and hold the shift key and plot the path you wish the unit to take. Each number represents a point the unit
will pass through on its way to its destination. When you have completed your path release the shift key and the unit
will proceed as ordered.

Fire
While your soldiers are capable at firing on their own initiative it is often useful to direct their fire. The Fire option
brings up a targeting circle. The targeting circle is connected to the firing unit by a colored line.
When the circle is not sitting above an enemy unit it appears as a thin white circle. When placed on an enemy unit the circle
will either turn green, yellow, red, or black. This color corresponds with the chance that a shot will kill the enemy unit.

Green    100-60%
Yellow    59-30%
Red    29-10%
Black    9-0%

Line of Sight and Range
The color of the line connecting the targeting circle to the firing unit indicates line of sight.
For direct fire weapons the line is light green for clear lines of sight, dark green for lines of sight obscured by foliage
or smoke, and red for lines of sight that are blocked. Infantry line of sight is determined for each soldier individually,
so enemies visible to one soldier might not be seen by another.
For indirect firing weapons the connecting line is orange for targets in line of sight and brown for targets beyond line
of sight. Teams that fire indirect weapons, such as mortar squads, do not need line of sight to hit their targets. However,
having line of sight greatly increases the accuracy of indirect fire.
The number by the targeting circle represents the distance from the firing unit. This distance is particularly important
for infantry who's anti-tank weapons and flamethrowers have short effective ranges. The distance number by the targeting
circle also indicates range effects.

Green    Within effective range.
Yellow    The distance is too close or too far away; the weapon will have reduced effectiveness.
Black    The distance is too close or too far away for the weapon to fire at all.

Smoke
There are times in battle when the ability to conceal yourself from the enemy, even partly, can be the difference between
victory and death. Vehicles and infantry on both sides are often equipped with smoke grenades. Units hiding behind smoke
are harder to detect, and if they are detected it is impossible to target them specifically. Smoke has roughly the same
effect as partial obstruction by foliage; units may still Fire in a general area behind smoke in the hopes of suppressing
the enemy. The Smoke command brings up a targeting circle for firing smoke grenades. Mortar teams can lay down smoke
virtually anywhere on the map, a standing soldier can throw smoke grenades 30 meters, and a prone infantryman can throw
15 meters.

Some vehicles and artillery have the ability to fire smoke rounds, which can reach out to the weapon's maximum range.
If a unit has smoke rounds, the Smoke command is available on the unit menu.

Defend
Units that have been ordered to Defend will stop, seek whatever cover is available, and engage any target of opportunity.
When ordered to Defend a blue arc will appear above the unit; this indicates the direction of facing.
To change the direction of defensive facing, left click the highlighted arc; a blue circle will appear above the unit.
Move the cursor to the arc, drag the arc to the point on the circle that you wish the unit to face, and left click again.
Units that are defending will fire on targets of opportunity that they have at least a 30% chance of killing.
That's equivalent to a yellow or green targeting circle.

Ambush
Ordering a unit to Ambush is similar to the order to Defend. As in Defend the units will stop in place and seek
cover, but ambushing units will only attack when an enemy comes within 30 meters. When a unit is ordered to Ambush
 a green arc will appear above the unit. This works in the same way as the blue arc in the Defend order.

Artillery and Air Strikes
If available, Artillery and Air Strikes can be selected from the icons on the tool bar on the lower left side of the screen.
A new targeting crosshair will appear; left click on where you want the air strike or artillery barrage to occur.
It is important to remember that once the Air Strike or Artillery is used, it will not be available for the rest of that
engagement.

Truce
The Truce command offers the enemy a chance to call it a draw. If the enemy offers a truce you may accept by clicking the
Truce button. If one side offers a truce and the other does not accept the offer fighting will continue. If a truce is agreed
to, both sides may recover their wounded. The battlefield will remain contested and in mixed control.

Flee
After you have clicked the Truce button and the enemy isn't interested in calling it quits you can click on the button which
is now labeled Flee. Using the Flee command you will exit the battlefield surrendering all of you units. It's not an
attractive option but one that will save the lives of your men.

Combat Messages
The Combat Messages window informs you of the situation on the battlefield. If the message regards a unit you may center the
view on that unit by clicking on the message.

Team data
Team data defaults as on and displays all the teams on your side of the battle on the bottom of the screen and shows their
current status. You may also select a team by clicking on it from this window. Team Data can also be turned on and off with
the F5 key.

Insert Map
Insert Map is a miniature map of the battlefield that appears on the screen. This map may be repositioned on the screen by
right-clicking and dragging it. Left-clicking on a portion of the Insert Map will center the screen in that location.
The highlighted rectangle on the Insert Map represents the current screen. The Insert Map can be toggled with the F6 key.

Soldier Monitor
Soldier Monitor gives detailed reports on whatever unit is currently selected, showing the weapon type, ammunition level,
and state of morale for every man in the unit. If a soldier has low morale or is under fire, his current action can be very
different from what you order him to do. The Soldier Monitor can be turned on and off with the F7 key.

Victory Locations
On each map there are a number of victory locations. These  represent either important strategic locations or other points
of political interest. Depending on your game settings if either side controls all victory locations on a map, the opposing
force is given two minutes to recapture at least one location or be forced to retreat off the map. Each victory location is
marked with a flag. Victory locations controlled by neither side are represented by a mixed flag.

Boot Camp
Here you can learn the basics of our game through five interactive lessons. We recommend you try them out to get the most
out of your experience.

To exit this screen use the navigation buttons in the bottom right corner.

Multiplayer
Here you can test out your skills against another human player that also has a copy of our game demo. You have seven
available methods for multiplayer. Our game is not a frag fest so it may take a couple minutes before you enter the Battle
screen. TCP and UDP will be the connection method you need to use for Internet play. TCP is a more reliable connection method
than UDP. However, if you are experiencing a great deal of lag try using the UDP option, it will be a little faster.
MSGaming Zone and MPlayer also support our demo. Their services make finding an opponent a bit easier. For those of you with
a LAN this option is also supported. Or you can quick connect two computers using a Serial connector and using that option.
Lastly for those of you with friends in town, (Friends, what are those?) we also support the good old Modem connection.

Note: The demo and retail games are not compatible.

The host controls all of the options for the game they are hosting. To modify these setting the host clicks on the host
clicks on Select a Battle. From here you can make all the modifications that you would to a single player game.


MSGaming Zone and MPlayer are a registered trademarks.