Empire Deluxe Enhanced Edition

Game Play Interface

The game play interface is where the game is played. There are many options here to explore.

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Game Play Screen Overview

 

Empire Deluxe Enhanced Edition is a game where the map is the primary element of focus. The game has been designed to fit within an 800x600 resolution setting, but you will get the most out of your gaming experience by setting your display as large as possible.

Be aware that when doing network play, if you are not running at least a  full 800x600 window size, the bottom buttons on the Information Window may be obscured. If you are running 800x600, you need to move or hide your system's bottom task bar if you have one.

Also,  Empire Deluxe Enhanced Edition is built to run on 24 bit True Color. If you run 16 bit color, you will see some anomalies in the icon graphics. An alternative graphics set for those that need to run 16 bit color may be available at Killer Bee Software.

 

 

The Game Interface is made up of several components. These are:

Game Play Menu Options

There are many menu options to facilitate information gathering and analysis, as well as game control. Inspect the following topics to get information on each menu option.

Status Bar Features

The Status Bar displays information regarding the current state of the game, as well as offers some control for map scrolling. The components noted are:

This is general information about the currently selected unit or square, or information about action on the map. These messages can be scrolled back by using the + and - numeric pad keys. There is also a menu option to display the important status messages that were recorded under Display - Status Messages.

When a unit is selected, information about its current state is displayed here. You should be able to see the following information:

If a unit is at the extent of its range, it will indicate this with a SHORT ON FUEL message.

If the unit is an orbital unit that has not been launched, it will indicate this with an AWAITING LAUNCH SEQUENCE message.

This indicates the current weather conditions for the current square.

This shows the secondary color of the current active player, and displays the current turn number. If you place the mouse cursor over the turn indicator, a tool tip will reveal the current active player's name.

This button indicates which way the map will scroll if you use the mouse scroll wheel (pictured is North - South). Clicking on this button alternates the direction form North-South and West To East. Clicking down on the mouse scroll wheel will also make this change.

Map Window Features

The Map Window is the active area where most of your commands will be received. Through the input of the mouse and the keyboard, you can invoke several options.

Map Viewing Area, Map Scrolling, and Zoom Commands

The map viewing area displays terrain visible to you over a display area. Terrain not known will be displayed as "Unexplored". Depending on the settings, the map can be scrolled by the use of the horizontal and vertical map scroll bars.  There are also some key commands that can be used to step and page the scroll bars.

 Clicking on a square on the map makes that square the "current" square. If a unit is currently in that square, it also becomes the current selected unit.  Double Clicking on the square performs the same operation, and calls up a tab from the Information Window. The tab that appears depends on the type and contents of the square.

The map can be scrolled by use of the horizontal and vertical scroll bars, if available. The map can also be scrolled vertically and horizontally by using the mouse wheel if available. Pressing the mouse wheel down will toggle the wheel scroll direction between North-South and West-East. The Status Bar has a scroll indicator button that can also be pressed to change directions.

A tool tip can be activated through the Display Menu, and if the mouse cursor is held over a square, more information regarding that square is displayed in the tool tip.

Similarly, the keyboard can be used to turn on a "survey mode" (keys).  This will bring up a secondary cursor, and a tool tip that will describe the square the cursor is in. Using the Numeric pad for movement directions, this cursor can be moved. To simulate a mouse click in the square with the survey cursor, use the "Single Click" and "Double Click" hotkeys.

The map also features six zoom levels, enabling you to view more land, or drill in for more details. The  Display Menu has the zoom setting commands, and you can also use the six zoom hot keys.

Pressing the appropriate hot key will allow you to Center the currently selected location in your map viewing area. There are also hot key possibilities to toggle the view from a Ground Perspective (Ground View), where all icons are the same size, to an Orbital Perspective (Orbital View), where ground based icons are smaller, or to a Terrain Perspective (Terrain View), where no units are displayed.

Selecting a Unit On The Map

The topmost visible unit is always displayed. To select it, simply click the unit shown. Double Clicking on the unit will call up the Information Window.

To select a unit in a square that is not the top unit displayed, right click on the square and select the unit form the "Activate Menu". That unit will become the currently selected unit.

Manipulating Units On The Map

Units can be manipulated on the map by right clicking with mouse over that unit, and selecting a command. See Actions and Commands for the various actions available.

Individual Orders:

As you can see, various actions will be displayed. To perform an action, select it form the menu.

Transported Orders:

Units carrying other units will give you further options to manipulate the transported unit:

The action selected under the "Transported Action" menu option will apply to all of the units carried by the active unit.

Group Selection

A group selection mode can be invoked through either the Control Menu or a hot key. When using the keyboard, the group box can be repositioned by using the keyboard group reset key, or with the mouse via a click and a drag.

Once the box has been defined, invoking the group mode command again will call up the Group Dialog, where you can further manipulate and study the units in that area. The ESCAPE key will cancel the group mode.

Also, while in group selection mode, you make invoke any of the Group Commands and it will be enacted on all of the units within the specified region. Please note that this includes cities. You must call up the Group Dialog to filter out the units you don't want to act upon.

Move To And Patrol Path Orders

The mouse and keyboard can also be used to give units Move To and Patrol Commands. The difference between these two is simply that Patrols are a Move To command with instructions to repeat the orders.

Movement Paths can have middle points representing several legs on a path, as shown below:

 

Mouse Move To:

To make a movement path for a unit with the mouse, do the following:

  1. Click and hold the Left Mouse Button until the movement line appears

  2. Move the mouse cursor towards the location you want the unit to move to.

  3. If you wish to make a midpoint, Right Click the mouse at the location desired, (left mouse button still down). If you wish to remove the last midpoint, hold down the shift-key and press the right mouse button.

  4. To complete the path, release the left mouse button.

To make the path a Patrol Path (a repeated path), hold down the shift key before releasing the Left Mouse Button. Be aware not to hold down the shift key until your path has been fully constructed and you are ready to release the left mouse key. When the unit finishes the path, it will move towards the initial point and repeat the path.

Press Escape to cancel the path creation.

Like a repeated path, a Base-Patrol path can now be setup with the mouse. To enable this, the unit must be currently active and hosted by the intended base. Draw the path with the mouse as desired, then hold down the CONTROL key as and release the  Left-Mouse Button. This will give the unit the Base Patrol order along the path.

Keyboard Move To:

To make a movement path for a unit with the keyboard, do the following:

  1. Enter into Move To Mode by hitting the appropriate key.

  2. Use the movement keys to move the path towards the desired location.

  3. To make a midpoint, press the Make Path Midpoint  key. To cancel a midpoint, press the Cancel Path Midpoint key.

  4. To complete the path, exit the Move To mode by hitting the appropriate key.

To make the path a Patrol Path (a repeated path), press the "End Move TO With Repeat" key.

Press Escape to cancel the path creation.

 

General Unit Movement

Besides  Using Move To commands with the mouse and keyboard, units can be moved by other directional keyboard commands.

Forced Over-Flight

These commands can be manipulated to make an air unit fly over a unit it would otherwise land on. This is called "Force Over-flight", and is done by holding down the shift key as you press the directional movement key. More Details.

Fast Key Commands

At times, you may be using the direction keys to move a cursor or line instead of a unit. The Fast Key commands enable the cursor to move a previously specified number of squares (defined in the Player Preferences).

Single Click Movement for Adjacent Squares Option

With this option enabled, players can click on a square adjacent to the active unit and that will instruct that unit to attempt to move in that square. This will only work if the square is empty.

To enable this option, in player preferences find the Processing Pauses Menu, or in Game, find the Control Processing Pauses menu, and enable/disable the Single Click Move toggle.

Viewing A Unit's Path

If a unit is currently under Move To Orders, you can view its movement path by selecting the unit and selecting to the Display Current Orders option from the menu.

Showing The Potential Steps Of A Unit

You can view the current steps of any friendly unit to a location by selecting the menu option "Show Steps To Loc". You may now click on any location on the map, and the current steps of the path to get to that location will be displayed. You can also drag the mouse as if giving the selected unit a Move To command, including making legs, and the steps on the path will be displayed. You must select this option again or press Escape to exit this mode.

Be aware that paths are reevaluated every step a unit makes, because of the dynamics of the game. So as they say, "actual results may vary".

Order Points Dialog

The Order Points Dialog is a means of assigning orders to a location, and giving it a specification of which units will use these orders if they do not have any.

When a unit is active and has no orders, it will check to see if it meets the criteria specified in the Orders Point. If so, it will take those orders and begin to execute them.

How To Make Order Points

Order Points can be created and edited by selecting the location where the orders are to be executed. Then, open the Terrain Tab of the Information Window, to edit or create the order point.

The interface is very similar to that of the Orders Tab. In addition to an orders queue, the unit types and levels to determine what units execute the orders must be specified. Also, the Order Point may be named to distinguish itself from others at that location.

Quick Order Points (Old Style Movement Paths)

Earlier versions of Empire Deluxe had Movement Paths, which would instruct a unit to start at one point and move to another. These are now represented as order points. Empire Deluxe Enhanced now has "Quick Order Points", which is a fast way to build an Order Point with only a Move To Order. 

To Make A Quick Order Point:

With The Mouse:

1. Enter Quick Order Points Mode by pressing the appropriate hotkey or selecting it from the menu.

2.  Then you will left click and hold at the location you want to order point to start at, and then draw a path as if you were making a Move To command when moving a unit. Be aware that you have to hold down the mouse for a little longer before you move (i.e. until the move to line would start drawing - a dot will appear to indicate this). To abort this mode and cancel the path, hit escape or the Quick Order Points Mode Key again.

3. When you release the left mouse to complete the path, a dialog will appear enabling you to set the level (s) and the type (s). The filter buttons are used to help select/deselect unit types.

4. Save and Close will save the order point. You may edit it further via access in the Terrain Tab.
 

With The Keyboard:

For the keyboard you must also enter survey mode, make the path with the movement keys, and other keys will set a waypoint on the path, erase a waypoint, and the Quick Order Points Mode key will set the path and call up the dialog to make the settings.
 

City Selection Dialog

If configured in the rules tree of the Rules Option Tab, the game will allow you to select your starting cities. In this situation, all of the cities on the map become visible as neutrals, and players alternate their selections.

A player's selection may be denied, and this will be due to another player already making that choice.

Players alternate selecting cities. Every time it is your turn to select, the map is active and ready for you to make your selection. You can choose the city you desire by clicking on it on the map. If you wish to inspect the map and the cities on it first, and you should uncheck the "Next map click is a selection" box.

You can hide the dialog by pressing the Hide button, and recall it with a Right Click of the mouse.

If you select "Skip Selection", your turn will be skipped, and you will start the game with one less city than you otherwise would have had.

If the game requires a Capital, the first city selected will be the Capital city.

Buy Points Dialog

If configured in the rules tree of the Rules Option Tab, the game will allow you to purchase units with "Buy Points". When this is the case, the Buy Points Dialog will appear.

It looks very much like the Production Dialog. It lists all of the units available for purchase, shows how many you have bought, and how much each one costs.

To purchase a unit, Left Click on the button for that type. To reduce the number purchased, Right Click on the button for that type. If you hold the shift key while Left or Right Clicking, it will increment/decrement by 5. If you hold the Control Key while Left or Right Clicking, it will increment/decrement by 10.

The Buy Points you have left are displayed at the top of the Dialog. If you've spent too much you will not be allowed to continue until you correct this.

Unit Placement Dialog

If you have purchased units with buy points, you will then be prompted to place the units. Each unit must be placed individually.

Players alternate turns placing units. Every time it is your turn to place, the map is active and ready for you to make your placement selection. You can choose the unit type from the combo box in the dialog. If you wish to inspect the map first, and the units already placed, you should uncheck the "Next map click is a placement" box.

You can hide the dialog by pressing the Hide button, and recall it with a Right Click of the mouse.

If you select "Skip/Remove Placement", the selected unit type will be removed. You will not have an opportunity to place it again.

Auto Production Dialog

If the player starts a game with enough cities to meet his Auto-Production Tolerance, the Auto Production Dialog will begin at the start of the game. This will give you the option to set the production of all your cities to the same type, or set each production individually. If the latter is chosen, you will then go through a First Turn Production Dialog for every city you own.

First Turn Production Dialog

The First Turn Production Dialog appears at the beginning of the game, and whenever a city has been captured and it needs initial production orders. The dialog is exactly like the options available in the Production Tab of the information window. Please look there for details.

When you have made the your production decision, click on the Set Production button.

Selecting Pause Processing When Done will pause the unit processing of the Active Unit Queue for the turn so that you can give the producer detailed or alternative orders if you wish.

Reports Dialogs

During the game, a player can review his units and the enemy units in several generated reports. He can also use the unit listings in these reports to manipulate the units.

Types Of Reports

There are several different types of reports available. These are:

In each report there can be several rows of data. Each row represents an individual unit or sighting.

If you select a row, you can Right Click on it to call up a list of available actions on that unit.

The columns of the table can be sorted by clicking on the column headers.

The column data for the various repots are:

You can move between the report types by making a selection at the bottom of the dialog.

On the right, you can filter out specific unit types by clearing the check box next to the type code.

Battle Odds Calculator

The Battle Odds Calculator allows you to estimate the combat probabilities that occur when units are in conflict.

The calculator will display the combat mini round adjusted probability, as described in the Combat Mechanics section of the Rules and Concepts chapter.

The conditions for the attacker must be set as follows:

The conditions for the defender must b set as follows:

The percentage appearing at the bottom is the adjusted probability for the combat mini-rounds.

To see some odds if the combat were played out several times, click on the Battle Calc button.

Watching A Playback Or Computer Only Game

The game also has a viewer feature that can be used to watch a recorded game or a game with only Computer Players.

 

Recorded Games

If properly set up in the Game Setup, a game can be recorded. Once the game has ended, it can be saved as a Final Saved Game, and then reloaded and played at anytime in the future.

Computer Only Games

If there are only computer players in the game, you will still be able to watch the action unfold through a game play back. Be aware that this can be a very "CPU-intensive" exercise for your computer, as the Computer players quick trade turns with each other.

 

Interface For Viewing These Games

Whether watching an AI game unfold, or watching a game play back the interface looks very similar to that of the regular game play interface. However, the menu options are different.

They consist of :

For Playbacks:

Escort Mode

If this hot-key is bound, pressing it will activate Escort Mode. In this mode, the next unit clicked is the unit the active unit will escort,. Press ESCAPE to exit the mode without making a selection.