The goal of this file is to explain how to play with Attal!
First, install the game (read INSTALL for any question) You can use the installer in windows or use the binary data package on linux. Some distributions like ubuntu have an attal package available.
Start the executables:
You can launch :
Start simply the client:
Linux:
$ ./attal-client &
Windows:
attal-client
If you want to start a multiplayer server game, start the server, the ai-client is started only for debugging purposes
the server:
$ ./attal-server &
the ai-client:
$ ./attal-ai &
IMPORTANT NOTE: all the executables need to find the theme (medieval theme for the moment) and so the folder 'themes', which have to contain the 'medieval' theme, is found if is:
present in the current directory (where there are the binaries) only if you play in local directory
can be set with --themepath switch at command line
can be set with environment variable ATTAL_THEME_PATH
Using
make install these steps are not necessary if the game is installed
( make install ).
For linux only:
If you have some problems to find libraries set
the environment variable LD_LIBRARY_PATH to local directory like
this:
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=.
If you want to play a scenario press
startGame on file menu in client.
It appear the Start Game widget.
To start a new game, simply press Start Scenario and choose a predefined scenario.
To start a saved game, press Load Scenario
To start a campaign press Start Campaign
To load a campaign press Load Campaign
It is also
possible to start the server from client (Fast Server action in menu
file in attal-client) and to fill the others players of scenario
with ai (action Fill with Ai in menu Game in attal-server), this old
behavior is present for debugging purposes.
An internal Ai now
autostart to fill lacking players at the start of game.
Connect your clients to the server: attal-client have a menu with
a 'connect' item (or use CTRL+C as shortcut).
It requests you to
set the IP address of the server (if you are playing in local, you
don't have to change anything).
Each player connected is shown
on the server interface.
Choose a scenario in the server:
By default, you have 2 demo
scenarios directly available from the server interface but you can
choose another one (the demo scenarios are not really
exciting!).
Default scenarii are available in
/themes/medieval/scenarii
You could find some new scenarii on our
website (www.attal-thegame.org
in the section 'd/l scenarii'). Of course, you can edit your own
scenarii with the scenario editor provided with Attal.
Now click on 'Start' button in the server to launch the game. Each player has to play at his turn.
In adventure mode, you manage your lords and bases. The interface is composed by:
menus, for global actions:
File menu:
Start Game: start the game
Save Game: save game (only if is a local game)
End Game: end the game ( only if is a local game )
Connect to Server: connect to a remote server: you can choose the IP of server and the game that will appear in chat. Note: the name that you choose to connect will be saved for future connections.
Fast Server: old feature, is a method to start a multiplayer game in a faster way, starting the server interface from client.
Disconnect: disconnect to server
Quit: quit the game
Game menu:
Minimap: hide/show minimap
Fullscreen: hide/show chat, minimap e some info to make space for map.
Enable music: enable/disable music
Enable sound: enable/disable sound
Scenario Informations: show scenario objectives
Screen menu:
Force some game resolutions: free size, 800x600 , 1024x768, 1280x1024
Help menu:
Help: this document
About: some informations about the game
main view, which displays the map (adventure mode)
chat window, for talking with other players and also see some message from server
Mini-map where you can see the whole map (click on it for centering the main view where you want)
To move the lord on map you have to select lord in the list at the right and press the destination cell: if a cell is marked with a green X the cell is reachable in one turn, otherwise you have to pass turn and wait.
Pressing on bonus ( resource miniatures ) give you some help.
Pressing on creature can be dangerous: they have different behavior: they can fight or offer to join you.
Pressing on buildings you own the building that will add more resource or population.
Pressing on bases :
if you own the base, you simply enter
if is not owned by you enter in the base and add the base to your reign
if is owned by an enemy and an enemy lord is present, you will have to fight and win before enter.
Attal is a turn by turn game, so you play only when it is your turn to. There is no time limitation for the moment. Only some scenario could require it. When it is not your turn to play, you can only chat with other player or, if you are attacked by another player, defend yourself (in fight mode).
You can select a lord through the list of lords or on clicking on
it in the main view. Then you can make it move in clicking elsewhere
on the map (you will see first a path on the ground and if you click
again the lord will move).
If you click twice on a lord (on the
map or in the list), you can see the characteristics of the lord (and
change his artefacts, his
units...).
If two 'friend' lords encounter, you can do some
exchange between them (units, artefacts...) but if they are opponent,
they fight! (see (6 - Fight mode))
You can select a base through the list of bases or on clicking on it in the main view. If you click twice on a base (on the map or in the list), you can see the inside of the base and act inside (add new buildings, buy units, trade in the market).
You have some different building actions implemented:
Main building: you can buy other buildings
Market: where you can trade your resources
Tavern: buy lords
Castle: a complete list of all units available
Various building where you can buy units
New units
are produced every monday (but it will be customizable), replacing
old units available.
When you buy an unit, it will be placed on
the unit window (click on lord face (or no lord face) to activate
this window).
They are two lord status in a base: visitor and garrison: it is possible to have two lords in a base, one garrison and another visitor: it is possible to defend a base only if a garrison lord is present, otherwise all units produced are lost.
To set a lord garrison is necessary to place lord face on the base name in unit window.
The economic
part in Attal is quite complex: you have to manage bases, buildings,
lord and units. All internals buildings and units can have a
maintenance cost that is paid every week.
The external building
can produce a fixed number of resource or one random number between
two ranges, zero and the coeff of ressource.
The external
buildings can give other bonus or increment your population.
Every
base have a population: the population growth every week by a ratio
that based on base type. Every base lose population every time the
base change owner by a percentage value based on base type.
The
money (gold) give by to you is equal to your total population plus
the money earned by some particular buildings like gold mines, so
take care to defend the most populated bases. Every base can have a
market and these prices depend on type of base, so different players
have different strategies about resources.
The prices of resources
depend on type of base you own: you pay the best prices for resources
if you own bases of different races.
All these proprieties are
theme-dependant, so you can see that in theme-editor.
When two opponent lords encounter, or if a lord attacks a creature stack on the map, the game enter in fight mode. It is a turn-by-turn fight, where you can move each lord's units on the ground.
To hit a unit you have to click on enemy unit ( not enemy cell )
and it appear a cursor with an hand-form. A forbidden cursor mean
that is not possible to perform an action on this cell.
A current
unit is automatically selected and has to be played. When the player
who owns it has finished (make it move, or fight a neighbor unit...)
the next unit is selected and so on.. The fight have an end when a
lord lose all his units or when he flees. Then, the winner gain some
experience and the game returns in adventure mode, as usual.
In fight mode they are some buttons on bottom left of interface: the feature currently implemented are flee ( the lord lose the fight ), wait ( pass unit turn ) and option.
In option dialog you can set three params: see/hide cells, animation active/not active, animations speed.
If a player complete a quest or defeat all enemies he win. If a player don't complete the quest ( ex: time exhausted ) or lose all its lords and bases, he has lost the game.
ScenarioEditor is used to write or edit maps: you can create a map based on various elements.
You can load a map ( a scenario .scn extension or a saved map .gam extension ) and modify the map, the resources, the lords, etc.
( TODO)
Attal is a themeable game: you can customize most part of the game: you can change parameters and even properties of single building.
ThemeEditor also allow you to write new themes: now the default theme is the medieval one.
This editor allow you to have a panoramic view on all the characteristics of themes.
(TODO)
Server can be managed in client chat window
Server commands:
/gameinfo : informations about the game
/gamelist : list players of a game
/list : list players connected to a server
/kick <player> : kick a player
/version : show server version