/*************************************/
/	SoftWars: Beta		      /
/				      /
/ Rendering Engine:    Ed Roman       /
/ Networking/Hud:      Brett Klooster /
/ AI/Special Effects:  Brett Harris   /
/ AI/Design:           Al Koenig      /
/				      /
/*************************************/

1. Introduction
2. Overview
3. Interface
4. Controls


1. Introduction:

Softwars is a Real-Time Strategy game that takes place on the inside of a computer, where software battles it out with robotic armies for ultimate supremacy.  The focus of this game is on fast paced and exciting battles for both single players, against the challenging AI, or for up to 4 players over a Local Area Network.  Our primary focus was on gameplay and balance; we wanted to create a fun game that we would want to play when we finish, rather than a tech demo with little gameplay.



2. Overview

In Softwars, the goal is to quickly build an army and defeat your opponents by destroying all of their buildings and units.  You gather resources by building CPU Nodes on top of resource spots, and you use these resources for building units, building structures, and using special abilities.  There is also another resource called Memory that is gathered simply by building Memory Controllers or Kernels.  You must have available memory in order to be able to build your structures and units.  Memory can be equated with a population limit.


Buildings:

	Kernel: 
		- the heart of your force, protect at all costs
		- builds all other structures and the special Installer unit
		- provides some memory
		- can be upgraded to access higher technology

	CPU:
		- generates cycles (money)
		- can only be built on resouce spots

	Blink Tower:
		- defensive structure that can shoot enemies
		- can teleport enemies away from itself

	MemCon:
		- provides additional memory

	Compiler:
		- trains basic combat units
		- can research upgrades for those units

	Library:
		- trains support units (mages)
		- can research upgrades for those units

	War Factory:
		- trains advanced combat units
		- can research upgrades for those units

Units:

Some unit types are more effective against certain other unit types.
Shooters are vulnerable to Brawlers.
Brawlers are vulnerable to Fliers.
Fliers are vulnerable to Shooters.
Support units (mages) are vulnerable to everything, but enhance the combat effectiveness of other units.

Brawlers have very short-range attacks, fliers have medium range attacks, and shooters have long range attacks.

Fliers can move over other units and structures

	Installer:
		- can build a new Kernel

	Little Brawler:
		- can use Dash ability to move more quickly for short time

	Little Shooter:
		- can activate Siege Mode to do more damage at longer range, but move more slowly

	Little Flier:
		- can activate Phase ability to take no damage for a short time

	Offense Mage:
		- can activate Slow to make single enemy units attack and move slower
		- can activate Haste Aura to make all nearby friendly units move and attack faster
		- can use Disrupt to prevent an enemy unit from using any abilities

	Defense Mage:
		- can activate Repair to restore health to single friendly units and structures
		- can activate Guard Aura to decrease the damage taken by all nearby friendly units
		- can use Shell to protect a friendly unit from negative effects (i.e. Slow)

	Big Brawler:
		- can use Taunt to draw the fire of all nearby enemies

	Big Shooter:
		- can use Ion Cannon to deal massive damage to single enemy unit or structure

	Big Flier:
		- can use Mass Teleport to instatly move a cluster of friendly units
			. activate Mass teleport
			. select a target friendly unit
			. that unit and nearby friendly units are moved to the Big Flier's location





3. Interface:

The top two-thirds of the screen is a view of the game world, while the bottom third is the HUD.
The left side of the HUD is the mini-map. It shows at a glance the location of all friendly entities and any visible enemies.
In the center of the HUD is information about the currently selected unit(s) and/or building(s)
On the right side of the HUD is the abilities or commands available to the selected unit or building.




4. Controls:


Camera movement:

Moving the mouse cursor to the edge of the screen will scroll the camera in that direction.  You may also scroll with the arrow keys.  Using a mouse wheel or page up and page down allows you to zoom the camera in and out.

Unit control:

Left clicking on a unit will select that unit.  Holding down the left mouse button and dragging across the screen allows you to select multiple units.  Once a unit is selected, the HUD will update to show the specific abilities of that unit.  You can left click the button to use the ability or use the hotkey displayed in the pop-up text.  
Once a unit is selected, Right clicking in a location will cause the unit to attempt to move to that location.  If a unit is selected and you right click on an enemy structure or unit, the selected unit will move towards and attack the enemy unit or structure.  Structures that can attack, such as Towers, can also be selected and ordered to attack a unit or structure with right click.
There are also other actions that a unit can perform, such as patrol.  To perform these other actions, select the unit and click on the action or use the hotkey specified in the pop-up text.  
A unit can also be ordered to follow a friendly unit by selecting the unit that will be following and right clicking on the unit to follow.

Building Units and Structures:

In order to build a structure, you must first select your Kernel.  The HUD will update to display the buildings that can be built.  You may select the building by left clicking on the button with the mouse or using the hotkey specified in the pop-up text.  Once you have selected the structure to build, you will see a ghost image of the building on the mouse cursor.  Move the building to the location you want to build it and left click to build.  If the building cannot be built on its current location, the ghost will highlight red.  The buildings must also be built within range of one of your Kernels.
Once the desired building is finished being constructed, you will be able to select the building and see all of the units and upgrades that are available to that building.  Selecting the unit or upgrade will place it in the build queue, and when all of the previous requested build queue items have been created, the requested unit or upgrade will begin to build.  If it is a unit, it will appear next to the building once it is finished being constructed.  If it is a research, it will be removed from the HUD display of that building and the units, structures, or abilities given by that upgrade will be available.

Special Abilities:

All units have at least one special ability that that unit can use.  For many units, those abilities require an upgrade to the unit to be researched.  For others, the abilities are always available to the unit.  To use the ability, select the unit and then left click on the button that correlates to the desired ability.  Once the ability is activated it will either go into effect automatically or require you to select a target.  If the ability requires a target, the mouse cursor will become a target, and you may left click on the unit, structure, or location for the ability to take effect.



Cheats -

F1 - turn off AI
F2 - add 1000 cpu cycles
F3 - reveal the map