****************************************** ****************************************** ** ** ** IMPERIUM. ** ** ** ** (C) 1998 ** ** Orbital Software. ** ** ** ****************************************** ****************************************** Introduction. ============= Imperium is Command and Conquer on the Series 5. Command and Conquer was one of the best PC games ever, and now you can play it anywhere! For anyone who has not played it, Command and Conquer is a real time wargame. You have to build up your base, construct units, and attack the enemy. In Imperium you must use your forces to capture strategic buildings and eventually destroy the enemy base. The game is quite complicated so PLEASE read the instructions. If you have any problems email me at sjacobs@palmscape.com but do read these instructions first. Conquest is a simpler version of Imperium which is easy to get in to. You should start by playing Conquest and move on to Imperium. Conquest is included with Imperium, you will be asked which game you want to play when you start Imperium. Installation. ============= SIS Install: Connect your Series 5 to your PC with the link cable. Double click on the Imperium.sis file and it will install itself to the Series 5. You must have version 2.1 of PsiWin for this to work. If you have version 2.0 go to www.psion.com to find out about upgrading. ZIP Install: Create a folder called Imperium in the C:\system\apps directory. Copy all of the files to this folder EXCEPT: ps.mbm and ps.opo should go to C:\system\opl (you may need to create this folder) estlib.dll should go to C:\system\libs (you may need to create this folder) You can install the game to a compact flash card, but the following (small) files MUST be put on the internal C drive: estlib.dll ps.mbm ps.opo Imperium.hlp Mapping IMPORTANT ========= To quit the game press escape (Esc). This is the only way to quit the game. You cannot close the game from the system tasklist. To get help during the game, press h and a help file will appear. To pause the game simply go to a different application. For instance, you could tap the system button or any of the application buttons. The game will pause itself until you go back to it. NOTE: The game actually consists of two programs. The first is called 'Imperium' which is written in OPL, all it does is display the Palmscape logo then start the other program. The second program is called 'Main' and it is the game itself written in C++. What this means to you is that when you have gone to a different application whilst playing the game (for instance by pressing h to launch the help file) you should select the program 'Main' from the system tasklist to return to the game, and not 'Imperium'! Do not attempt to close either program using the 'Close Program' command from the system screen, to exit the game activate the 'Main' program (go to it) then press escape. Registration. ============= Until you register the game you will only be able to use the smaller units. In Imperium you cannot build the heavy factory and in Conquest your heavy units will be downgraded to light tanks or hovercraft. To register the game go to the Palmscape web site at http://www.palmscape.com/ where there is full information about how to pay and obtain your registration code. When you have your registration code you will be able to select the 'register' option at the start of the game. Playing the game. ================= Start the game by tapping on the icon in the extras bar. (See your Series 5 instruction manual if you need more information about using the extras bar.) The game will start by drawing the radar map in the top right of the screen, then the main display will be drawn and the level has started. You must build a base and manufacture military units which you use to fight the enemy for control of strategic resources. Base. ===== The available buildings are: Construction yard. The construction yard allows you to build all of the other buildings, if your construction yard is destroyed you will be in trouble so protect it well. In most of the levels you start with your construction yard, some resources, and nothing else. Light Factory. The light factory can build the smaller units. Heavy Factory. The heavy factory builds the larger units. (Not in unregistered game) Marine Factory. The marine factory builds the Gunboat and the Hovercraft. (The Hovercraft can also be built in the light factory.) Plasma Tower. The Plasma Tower acts as a fixed defensive unit. It is very effective at destroying attacking units. The Plasma Tower must be built next to a wall. Wall. A passive defensive structure, place walls around your valuable buildings. Units. ====== Jeep. A small and weak unit, the Jeep is also fast and cheap. APC. Tougher than the Jeep. A reasonable low-cost unit. Hovercraft. A reasonable unit which can travel over land or water. Light Tank. Small and fast, the Light Tank is more than a match for any of the other small units. A group of Light Tanks can destroy a smaller number of larger units. Battle Tank. Well armed and armoured the Battle Tank is extremely useful for attacking and defending. (Not in unregistered game) Heavy Tank. Extremely powerful but very slow and expensive. (Not in unregistered game) Rocket Launcher. The rocket launcher fires deadly missiles which have a long range and can go right over walls. However the launcher itself is vulnerable with weak armour and a very slow travelling speed. Best used defensively. (Not in unregistered game) Gunboat. A powerful unit but limited to moving over water. (Not in unregistered game) Helicopter. A fast unit which can travel over any terrain. Fires missiles which can go over walls. (Not in unregistered game) Strategic buildings. ==================== The strategic buildings supply resources to their owners. The resources are needed to build both units and buildings. To capture a strategic building move one of your units next to it after destroying any enemy units near the building. When a building is captured it will remain yours until an enemy unit manages to get next to it. You should defend your strategic buildings and attack the ones belonging to the enemy because if the enemy owns more strategic buildings than you he will be able to produce more tanks than you. Winning and losing. =================== All of the buildings can be destroyed except for the strategic buildings. You can win a level by destroying the enemy base and all enemy units, you will lose if the enemy destroys your base and your units. When a base has been destroyed the game will stop and display a message telling you that you have won/lost. The game will then exit. If you lost then the next time you start the game the same level will load. If you won then the next time you start the game the next level will load. The levels get progressively bigger and harder. Display. ======== The display is split into three areas. The left control panel, the main display area, and the right control panel. The main display area shows part of the game map, you can see your units, buildings, and the landscape which they are on. You can scroll to different parts of the battle area using the four arrow keys on the keyboard or, if you find them more convenient, the q,w,e, and s keys on the keyboard. You can also jump to different parts of the battle area using the radar map which is explained below. The left hand control panel is used to display information on the currently selected object and to control groups of your units. There is a picture of the currently selected object, a text box with the name of the object, and another text box with appropriate information about the object (either the owner of the object, or the cost to build it). There is also a health readout which applies to units and buildings. The four group buttons are used to activate a group of your units, tap on a group button to activate that group. Tap on the unselect button to deselect the group (you will need to do this if you want to activate an individual unit, if you have a group active and you tap on a unit it will be added to the group not selected individually, see below for more information on controlling groups). The unselect button deselects the current active object. The right hand control panel contains the radar map and the building options. The radar map is a picture of the entire battle area. You can tap on the radar map to centre the main display on that point. Building a unit or building is done using a number of different controls. First select the group of options you are interested in, either buildings, light units, heavy units, or marine units, by tapping one of the four buttons to the left of the radar map. The relevant units/buildings will be displayed in the boxes below. Tap on the one you are interested in and it will become the active object in the left hand control panel. To build the selected object tap on the main display at the point you want it to appear. You must have enough resources to build it. To build a building you must have a construction yard (on one level you start with a base but no construction yard, on other levels the enemy may destroy your construction yard) and you must place the building near the construction yard. Plasma towers must be placed next to a wall. To build a unit you must have the correct factory for that type of unit and you must place the unit next to the factory. The right hand control panel also displays your current resources. Controls. ========= Press escape (Esc) on the keyboard to quit. This is the only way to quit the game, Ctrl-E has no effect. Attempting to close the game from the system task list has no effect. To quit the game you must press escape while the game is active. Groups: Tap on a group icon to select the group. Tap on a unit to add/remove it from the group. Press space on the keyboard to clear all units from the selected group. Tap on the unselect button on the left control panel to deselect a group. Building things: Tap on one of the four buttons by the radar map to select that group of building options. Tap on one of the pictures below to select that item, it will appear on the left status panel. Tap on the map in an appropriate position to build it. You must have enough resources. Buildings must be placed near to your construction yard. Units must be VERY near the correct factory. If you have a group or an individual unit selected you can give orders by tapping on the map display. Depending on what you have tapped on your units will move to that point (if you tapped an empty part of the map), attack the enemy unit/building (if you tapped an enemy unit or building), or go to the strategic building (if you tapped on a strategic building). Tapping on one of your buildings will activate it. Tapping on an enemy unit or building when the current active object is not a group or one of your units will select the enemy unit or building. Contrast: I have found that the best contrast setting for playing the game is a few steps down from the best setting for normal use. When you first start the game try adjusting the contrast to see what difference it makes. If the contrast is too low you will not be able to see the background properly, if it is too high you will have trouble seeing the units against the background. A few seconds of experimentation will make the game much easier and more enjoyable to play. Sound. ====== The game makes a small sound when units fire their weapons. This alerts you that a fight is taking place somewhere on the battlefield. You can prevent the game making this noise by turning off sounds in the system control panel. Disclaimer. =========== This program works on my Series 5, but you use it at your own risk. If you do have any trouble installing or using the program please email me at sjacobs@palmscape.com and I will do my best to help you. You should always have a backup of any important information which is stored on your handheld computer.