Welcome to Empires, a first-person shooter/real-time strategy total conversion modification for Half-Life 2. Since Empires is unlike most games you've played before, we highly recommend you read through this manual before you first join a server. For more information, visit the Empires website (www.empiresmod.com) and click on the forums link. Our IRC channel, #empiresmod, is on GameSurge (www.gamesurge.net). We also have an Empires Wiki, which contains many hints and tips about every gameplay aspect in Empires at wiki.empiresmod.com.
Starting Off
When you first join a server you will be asked to join a team. Your options include the Northern Faction, the Brenodi Empire, and the non-playing spectators group. The last option, auto-select, will automatically choose a team for you to join. After choosing a team you will be presented with the class selection screen. There are four classes: Scout, Rifleman, Grenadier, and Engineer. Certain classes can choose between multiple weapons, accessible by clicking on the weapons in the class selection screen. When you earn experience you will be able to unlock skills, located under the weapons and locked when you first join the game. Once you have chosen a class and weapons, click Accept. This will bring up the spawn map (if it doesn't, press the spawn map button to bring up the spawn map "Enter" (by default). Select your spawn point by clicking on one of the available points (large, blue or red dots, the color is based on what team you are on). To view the map without spawnpoints, press "M" (by default).
HUD - Team Elements
The player's heads up display shows the most important information regarding the team and player's situation. The upper-right corner shows information about how many resources and reinforcements the team has available. Resources are generated by refineries and are used for construction and research. Reinforcements (also called "tickets") show how many times your team can spawn. Near the resource counter is the minimap which gives an overhead view of the whole map. You can zoom in and out using the zoom keys ("[" and "]" by default). On the minimap, Brenodi Empire units are always blue and Northern Faction units are always red. Players are represented as arrows, vehicles as rectangles, and structures as squares. You yourself are represented as a larger, lighter arrow. Unbuilt structures are colored yellow. Built structures that are under attack will flash white. The minimap also shows the locations of resource nodes, depicted as small yellow dots. If your team has a commander, his name will be shown in the top left corner of the screen and his camera view will be represented as a triangle.
HUD - Player Elements
The lower-left corner displays your health and stamina. Your health will go down when you take damage and can be replenished by medical containers or engineers. Stamina, used when jumping and sprinting, always regenerates over time. The lower-right corner contains information about weapon ammunition. The line of bullets represents the amount of ammo remaining in your current magazine. The number to the right is the remaining ammo you have. The engineer's tool has an infinite supply of slowly regenerating ammo.
HUD - Commander Instructions
The commander may choose to give soldiers direct orders. These allow the commander to easily direct his soldiers to where they will help the team the most. When you are given an order, it will appear on your screen as either a green hexagon (for move and guard orders) or a red diamond (for attack orders). The attack order diamond will follow the unit that you are ordered to attack, giving you both direction and a tactical advantage. When you are given an order you will hear an instruction and one of these shapes will appear on your hud. If you are not looking at the objective the shape will appear on the side or bottom of your screen, telling you which direction you must look to locate it. The size of the shape will also vary; the larger it is, the closer you are to your objective. Once you have completed the order it will dissapear.
Interaction
Located in armories, placed by engineers, and scattered around maps are supply containers. Some containers supply ammunition (including the engineer's container) while others marked with a cross, supply health. To use one of these containers hold down the USE key ("E" by default) when near the container. Similar to containers are the vehicle factory consoles. To access one, move in front of it and then press the USE key.
Empires has many different vehicles. To enter a vehicle, simply go up to it and press the USE key. You can switch positions inside the vehicle by using the function keys (F1, F2, F3, etc). The F1 position is always the driver position. Pressing the USE key again will exit the vehicle.
Scoring
A player's score in Empires is measured by points. There are several different ways to get points:
- Kill an enemy soldier
- Destroy an enemy vehicle or building
- Construct buildings
- Deconstruct enemy buildings and vehicles
- Repair buildings and vehicles
- Command
- Heal teammates
- Revive a teammate
- Assist in a squad
- Defuse enemy mines
- Sabotage enemy structures
Once you earn 10 points, you advance a rank and can choose a new ability from the spawn menu.
To view your score, press "TAB" (by default).
Other Useful Tips for New Players
- You only spawn with one third of the maximum amount of ammo for your weapons, so a pitstop at the armory is always a good idea.
- Join or create a squad to get more rank points. See the squad section.
- As a non-engineer, you can help building a building by holding the USE key ("E" by default).
- Whenever possible, crouch when firing. You'll be much more accurate.
- Remember that the role of commander is incredibly important, and should only be filled by experienced players.
- As the commander, you can restrict players' rights to the vehicle factory.
- It's very important that commanders know the research tree well.
- Be conservative in your vehicle designs so that your commander has more resources to build defenses and research new technology.
- Repair your tank often and know when to retreat. Building another isn't cheap.
- APCs are a good, cheap way to transport engineers early in the game and squadmates later.