User manual GAMES PC EMPIRE EARTH

Empire Earth TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter I: Installation...............................................................................................5 Installing Empire Earth ..........................................................................................................5 Tips to Improve Game Performance ......................................................................................6 Prehistoric (500,000 ­ 50,000 BC) ............................................................................8 Chapter II: What is Empire Earth? ......................................................................10 The Emergence of Empires ..................................................................................................10 Your Role in Empire Earth...............................................................................................11 Features of Empire Earth......................................................................................................12 Stone Age (50,000 ­ 5,000 BC)................................................................................14 Chapter III: Starting Empire Earth ......................................................................16 Launching the Game ............................................................................................................16 Main Menu ...........................................................................................................................16 Learning to Play ...................................................................................................................17 Single Player Games ............................................................................................................18 Playing a Random Map Game .........................................................................................19 Playing the Campaigns.....................................................................................................19 Playing a Stand-Alone Scenario ......................................................................................21 Playing a Saved Game .....................................................................................................21 Multiplayer Games ...............................................................................................................21 Join Network Game .........................................................................................................22 Join by IP Address ...........................................................................................................22 Host Network Game.........................................................................................................23 Play on Internet ................................................................................................................23 Playing a Saved Multiplayer Game .................................................................................24 Game Setup ..........................................................................................................................25 Game Options...................................................................................................................27 Starting a Game ....................................................................................................................31 Single Player ....................................................................................................................31 Multiplayer .......................................................................................................................32 Selecting Your Civilisation...............................................................................................32 Using Custom Civs ......................................................................................................33 Game Settings.......................................................................................................................33 Video ................................................................................................................................34 Audio................................................................................................................................35 Interface............................................................................................................................35 Game Tools...........................................................................................................................36 Saving and Exiting the Game...............................................................................................37 Winning and Losing .............................................................................................................37 Copper Age (5,000 ­ 2,000 BC)...............................................................................38 Chapter IV: Playing Empire Earth........................................................................40 The Game Screen .................................................................................................................40 The Game World ..............................................................................................................41 User Interface ...................................................................................................................42 Resource Inventories....................................................................................................42 Population Count .........................................................................................................42 1 Table of Contents Button Areas ................................................................................................................42 Unit/Cargo Display ......................................................................................................50 Mini-Map .....................................................................................................................50 Game Controls......................................................................................................................51 Mouse Basics ...................................................................................................................51 Controlling Units..............................................................................................................52 Selecting Units.............................................................................................................52 Moving Units ...............................................................................................................52 Orders and Actions ......................................................................................................53 General Actions .......................................................................................................54 Citizen Actions ........................................................................................................55 Military Unit Actions ..............................................................................................58 Using Buildings................................................................................................................62 Selecting Buildings ......................................................................................................62 Training/Creating Units ...............................................................................................63 Rally Points..................................................................................................................63 Researching Technologies ...........................................................................................64 Advancing Epochs .......................................................................................................64 Bronze Age (2,000 BC ­ 0 AD)................................................................................66 Chapter V: Quick Walkthrough .............................................................................68 Choosing a Civ .....................................................................................................................69 Exploration ...........................................................................................................................69 Resources..............................................................................................................................70 Creating Citizens ..................................................................................................................71 Constructing Buildings .........................................................................................................71 Training an Army..................................................................................................................72 Taking the Offensive.............................................................................................................75 Advancing to the Next Epoch ..............................................................................................75 Researching Technologies ....................................................................................................76 Unit Upgrades.......................................................................................................................77 Winning a Game...................................................................................................................77 Dark Age (0 ­ 900 AD).............................................................................................78 Chapter VI: Expanding Your Society ....................................................................80 Citizens .................................................................................................................................80 Your Civilian Workforce ..................................................................................................80 Gathering Resources ........................................................................................................81 Construction and Repair...................................................................................................85 Enhancing Your Citizens ..................................................................................................86 Population .............................................................................................................................87 What Counts Towards Your Population? .........................................................................88 Population Capacity .........................................................................................................88 Technological Progress.........................................................................................................88 Technologies.....................................................................................................................89 Advancing to a New Epoch .............................................................................................89 Middle Ages (900 ­ 1300 AD)..................................................................................90 Chapter VII: City Building.....................................................................................92 City-States ............................................................................................................................92 Fortifications.........................................................................................................................93 Guard Towers ...................................................................................................................94 2 Empire Earth Walls and Gates................................................................................................................94 Fortresses..........................................................................................................................95 The Benefits of Buildings.....................................................................................................95 Morale ..............................................................................................................................96 Economic Production .......................................................................................................96 Protection .........................................................................................................................97 Healing and Repair...........................................................................................................97 Planning an Empire ..............................................................................................................98 Settlements, Town Centres, and Capitals.........................................................................98 Renaissance: (1300 ­ 1500 AD).............................................................................100 Chapter VIII: Warfare ..........................................................................................102 Military Advances...............................................................................................................102 Improvements.................................................................................................................103 Upgrades.........................................................................................................................105 Combat ...........................................................................................................................106 Commanding Your Units................................................................................................107 Ground Forces ................................................................................................................110 Naval Vessels and Combat at Sea ..................................................................................110 Aircraft and Air Combat ................................................................................................113 Cybers.............................................................................................................................118 Healing and Repairing Units ..............................................................................................121 Imperial Age (1500 ­ 1700 AD).............................................................................122 Chapter IX: Alliances ............................................................................................124 Allies and Enemies .............................................................................................................124 Diplomatic Stances.........................................................................................................124 Tributes...........................................................................................................................125 Communication ..................................................................................................................126 Chatting with Other Players...........................................................................................126 Industrial Age (1700 ­ 1900 AD) ..........................................................................128 Chapter X: Religion...............................................................................................130 Priests..................................................................................................................................130 Conversion......................................................................................................................130 Prophets ..............................................................................................................................131 Calamities (List).............................................................................................................131 Invoking Calamities .......................................................................................................133 Protection from Calamities ............................................................................................134 Temples...............................................................................................................................135 Atomic Age (1900 ­ 2000 AD): World War I.......................................................136 Chapter XI: Heroes ...............................................................................................138 Heroic Actions ....................................................................................................................138 Warriors and Strategists......................................................................................................138 Producing a Hero................................................................................................................140 Heroes (List) .......................................................................................................................141 Atomic Age (1900 ­ 2000 AD): World War II .....................................................154 Chapter XII: Wonders...........................................................................................156 Wonders of the World.........................................................................................................156 Victory with Wonders .........................................................................................................157 Constructing Wonders ........................................................................................................158 The Wonders (List) .............................................................................................................159 3 Table of Contents Atomic Age (1900 ­ 2000 AD): Modern...............................................................162 Chapter XIII: Buildings ........................................................................................164 Civil Buildings....................................................................................................................164 Technology Buildings.........................................................................................................168 Military Buildings ..............................................................................................................170 Digital Age (2000 ­ 2100 AD)................................................................................176 Chapter XIV: Choosing a Civilisation .................................................................178 Civilisations ........................................................................................................................178 Historic Civilisations......................................................................................................178 The Civilisation Builder.................................................................................................179 Bonuses......................................................................................................................179 Creating Your Own Civilisation.................................................................................180 Nano Age (2100 ­ 2200 AD) ..................................................................................182 Chapter XV: Scenario/Campaign Editors...........................................................184 Scenario Editor ...................................................................................................................184 Starting the Scenario Editor ...........................................................................................185 Moving the Camera........................................................................................................185 Making Movies ..............................................................................................................185 Loading, Saving, and Testing Scenarios ........................................................................186 Map Creation Screen......................................................................................................186 Map Elevations Screen...................................................................................................187 Terrain Screen ................................................................................................................188 Unit Placement Screen ...................................................................................................188 Triggers Screen ..............................................................................................................190 Player Setup Screen .......................................................................................................193 Story/Instructions Screen ...............................................................................................196 Civilisation Builder ........................................................................................................196 Campaign Editor.................................................................................................................196 Appendix A: Civilisations......................................................................................198 Prehistoric to Dark Ages.....................................................................................................198 Middle Ages to Industrial Age ...........................................................................................204 Atomic ­ Nano Ages ..........................................................................................................210 Digital ­ Nano Ages ...........................................................................................................216 Appendix B: Hot Keys ...........................................................................................220 View Keys...........................................................................................................................220 Selection Keys ....................................................................................................................220 Game Commands ...............................................................................................................221 Unit Commands..................................................................................................................222 Buildings.............................................................................................................................224 Appendix C: Unit Relationships...........................................................................228 Credits .....................................................................................................................230 Index........................................................................................................................236 4 Empire Earth CHAPTER I INSTALLATION Thank you for purchasing Empire Earth! This chapter describes how to install Empire Earth on your computer. It also provides some tips on how to maximize the performance of the game on your computer system. For those who would like some hands-on instruction about the basics of the game, we recommend that you play through the Learning Scenarios, accessible on the Single Player menu, after you have installed the game. This manual is a complete reference guide for the game. Chapters III and IV provide all the information you need to setup and play any kind of single player or multiplayer game of Empire Earth. Chapter V is a written walkthrough for starting a Standard game on a Random Map. It includes tips and suggestions to get you on your way to building a great empire, and is recommended for those who already have a little experience with real-time strategy games. The rest of the manual provides detailed information on all of the features in the game as well as tips, advanced user information, and lots of historical background. Installing Empire Earth To install Empire Earth, put the Empire Earth CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive. When the installation screen appears, click the Install Empire Earth button and then follow the on-screen instructions. NOTE: If for some reason the installation screen does not appear (if you have Autoplay disabled, for example), double-click on the My Computer icon on you desktop and then double-click the icon for the CD-ROM drive. Then doubleclick the Autoplay.exe file in the file list. The installation screen will then appear. NOTE: You must have a working sound card installed in your computer to play Empire Earth. If you do not, Empire Earth may not start properly. If you have a working sound card, a speaker icon (to control sound volume) will be visible on your Windows taskbar. When the installation is complete, click the Finish button. If you chose to view the Readme file (recommended), it will open so you can see any important last-minute information about Empire Earth. The installation screen remains open so that you can play the game. Other ways to launch the game are explained in Chapter III. 5 Installation Tips to Improve Game Performance Empire Earth has been designed to support multiple players controlling hundreds of units on large, fully-3D maps. Care has been taken to ensure the game runs well on a wide variety of computer systems, but you can always increase the performance of the game on your system by trying some or all of the options listed below. Close all open applications (e.g., email programs, ICQ, web browsers, etc.) before running Empire Earth. Close any unnecessary programs that are running in the background, including disabling your screensaver. Choose a lower screen resolution in the Video section on the Game Settings screen. Note that 16-bit colour is more performance-friendly than 32-bit. Choose Best Performance in the Video/Graphics Options section on the Game Settings screen. This turns off many graphics options that can impact performance. Note that the quality of some unit models may decrease. Turn off the Music in the Audio section of the Game Settings (under Music Quality). You can also set the maximum number of sounds to Best Performance. The level of zoom can affect performance. Try playing zoomed in a little to increase your frame rate. Play a Single Player game (Multiplayer games use more of your system's resources). In Random Map games, try the following options available on the Game Setup screen: Play games with fewer total players (e.g., one-on-one). Play games with no more than one computer player. Choose a Map Size of Tiny or Small. Select a lower Game Unit Limit to decrease the maximum number of total units in the game. Play at the Slow Game Speed. Play the earlier Epochs, which require that less art be stored in memory compared to the later Epochs. Additional Recommendations The following recommendations are general suggestions that can help improve the overall performance of you computer. They are actions that you can take on your own, if you choose to, which will also help Empire Earth run at its best. Consult the relevant documentation (e.g., the user's manual for your computer) if you aren't sure how to try a particular recommendation that is listed. 6 Empire Earth Ensure that your device drivers are up to date. This includes drivers for your video and audio cards. Manufacturers of computer hardware usually post the latest drivers for their devices on their web sites. Make sure Windows is up to date by installing the critical Windows updates that are appropriate for the version of Windows you are running. You should have at least 300 MB of free disk space on your hard drive after installing the game. If your hard drive is getting full, try deleting files you know you do not need anymore. You can also defragment your hard drive to decrease the time it takes to access files. Upgrade the RAM of your computer from 64 MB to 128 MB (or more). Upgrade to a faster 3D Video card with more on-board RAM. If you currently have an older card, a newer card can significantly increase performance. For better multiplayer performance, you can upgrade to a faster dial-up modem, get a cable modem, or get a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL). (You'll likely have to pay a monthly subscription fee for Internet access.) Of course, upgrading to a faster computer ­ that is, one with a faster Central Processing Unit (CPU) ­ is a sure-fire way to increase performance! TIP: During a game, press the F11 key on your keyboard. The first time you press this key it shows the current game speed and the elapsed game time (top of the screen, on the right). Press F11 again to display the current frame rate given in frames per second ­ this can help you see if something you've tried has improved the game's performance ­ a higher frame rate indicates higher performance. Press F11 again to turn off the display. 7 Prehistoric 8 Empire Earth Prehistoric (500,000 ­ 50,000 BC) Little is known for sure about the time before recorded history. Learning the secret of fire, however, was certainly a tremendous leap forward for early humans. Fire provided light and heat, cooked food, and kept predators at bay. Later, fire was used to clear land for agriculture, make pottery, and forge metal. Though dependable techniques for making fire were not available until around 7,000 BC, the unearthed remains of simple hearths provide unquestionable evidence that controlled fire was in use at least 500,000 years ago. Primitive town centres were little more than the fire pits where members of a nomadic tribe would gather socially, perhaps to celebrate a successful hunt. Food meant survival, so when hunters returned with a kill it was cause for rejoicing. Given the immense importance of obtaining food, tribes must have come into conflict with one another for control over fertile hunting grounds and foraging areas, especially in times of overall scarcity. These early struggles for survival were the likely precursors of the largescale battles and wars that have dogged our species throughout recorded history. 9 What is Empire Earth? CHAPTER II WHAT IS EMPIRE EARTH? Empire Earth is a real-time strategy game of epic scope. You control the destiny of a fledgling civilisation through as many as 500,000 years of human history. From meagre beginnings you must exploit the natural resources around you to build an empire capable of dominating the Earth. But your rise to supremacy will not go unchallenged. As was the case throughout history, rival civilisations are certain to oppose you every step of the way. If you plan wisely and execute your strategies well, you just might lead your civilisation to greatness. The Emergence of Empires A half-million years ago ­ before the dawn of civilisation, when our ancestors first gathered around their primitive fire pits ­ humankind took its first tentative steps down a path towards dominating the Earth. We began to surpass all the other animals, to become the planet's preeminent species, thanks largely to our intelligence and adaptability. Since that time, the only major rival with which people have had to contend is other people. These rivalries undoubtedly date back to the earliest nomadic tribes ­ indeed, struggles for territory and resources remain common to this day. All the great civilisations of recorded history have had their share of great rivals: the Greeks had the Persians, the Romans had the Carthaginians, the English had the French, and so on. Often, individuals arose who were instrumental in guiding their civilisation and people to prominence. Legendary leaders such as Alexander the Great and Napoleon expanded their empires rapidly, dominating local and foreign populations with their charisma, diplomatic guile, and military strength. Such conquerors became heroes to many... and villains to many others. Conquest, however, is not the only thing for which prominent civilisations and cultures are remembered. The Great Pyramids in Egypt, though nearly 5,000 years old, still fill visitors Depiction of the Battle of Formigny, April 15, 1450 ©Archive Photos 10 Empire Earth with a sense of wonder today. Ancient Greek philosophy and mathematics became the foundations of Western science. Rome, a persecutor of early Christians, reversed its position under Emperor Constantine and eventually became known as the Holy Roman Empire. Thus, victory on the battlefield has not been the only way to achieve greatness. Your Role in Empire Earth To succeed in Empire Earth, you and your civilisation must accomplish many things. You will need to explore your surroundings to find food, wood, iron, and other important natural resources. Resources are needed to increase your population, construct buildings, and research new technologies. You also need resources to progress to more advanced historical periods or "Epochs." Food is crucial for increasing your civilisation's population. Citizens require a one-time expenditure of food when they are produced. Many military personnel require additional or different resources; for example, training a Simple Bowman requires wood and gold. Your civilisation is also capable of producing great heroes, prophets, and other specialized individuals. The construction of buildings is vital to the growth of your civilisation as well. Buildings are where you produce your citizens, train your military, and research new technologies. Some, like Universities and Hospitals, provide valuable localized benefits to your people. Your Capital, at the heart of your civilisation, is perhaps the single most important structure you own. You may also choose to construct amazing Wonders of the World. Besides being a major accomplishment, Wonders give your civilisation special abilities. Historically, advances in technology often gave one civilisation an immediate advantage over its rivals. Your civilisation can research many different technologies to enhance its capabilities. For instance, some technologies increase the productivity and health of your citizens, while others improve your buildings. Empire Earth is divided into 14 historical Epochs. Your civilisation can progress from 500,000 BC through the Bronze Age and the Renaissance, all the way to the Nano Age of the 22nd Century (depending on which Epochs you choose to play). New technologies, buildings, and weapons become available as your civilisation progresses through history. But bear in mind that advancement does not necessarily mean success. Your civilisation might flourish during one Epoch only to be crushed in the next. A civilisation can come to dominate its rivals in many ways. Similarly, you can choose to play Empire Earth any way you want. There is no "best strategy" or "perfect plan" in a game as dynamic and rich as history itself. 11 What is Empire Earth? Features of Empire Earth Epic scope ­ spans over 500,000 years, from the discovery of fire to laser technology and beyond. 14 different Epochs ­ replay all of human history or just the span of time that interests you. Train more than 200 different kinds of units. Battle on land, sea, and air ­ in addition to armies, you can build a wide variety of ships and aircraft. Fight wars of the future with advanced robotic and anti-gravity units using secret weapons. Enlist great historical Heroes ­ such as William the Conqueror and Napoleon ­ to enhance your military abilities. Customize your military units by improving their strength or equipment. Play in Standard mode for a more-strategic empire building game or Tournament mode for faster-paced action. Have your Prophets devastate opponents by calling down Calamities such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and deadly plagues. Engage in historic siege warfare ­ breach an enemy's walls with catapults, rams, and siege towers. Increase the morale of your soldiers to improve their offensive and defensive capabilities. Match wits with the cunning AI or co-ordinate attacks with your computer-controlled allies. Construct 20 types of buildings and research 150 technologies. A helpful technology tree foldout is included. Temples, Universities, and other buildings provide additional defensive measures beyond simple walls and towers. Create your own civilisation from 100 different attributes or choose from 21 predefined civilisations. Choose your path to victory, from military conquest to constructing Wonders Of The World. Six different Wonders, each with its own special power. Graphical effects such as a day/night cycle, weather, translucent water, smoke, and special attack effects. 12 Empire Earth Experience expertly balanced gameplay ­ each unit has its own strengths and weaknesses. Gather 5 different resources that vary in importance depending on your strategy. Play four epic single-player campaigns that each follow a civilisation's extraordinary rise to power. Training scenarios guide you through the basics of game play. Highly detailed random maps of various types and sizes for the ultimate replayablity. Create your own original maps, scenarios, campaigns, and even movies with the in-game editors. 13 Prehistoric 14 Empire Earth Stone Age (50,000 ­ 5,000 BC) Many advances in stone working and tool making took place during the Stone Age. One particularly important innovation was "hafting" ­ the attachment of a handle to an existing tool, such as a stone blade. The first hafted implements were spears. Tipped with a fine stone point or "microlith" the resulting weapon was sharp, durable, and deadly. It was used primarily for fishing and bringing down large game, but spearmen surely employed them against human enemies as well. Religious practices also evolved during this epoch, becoming increasingly complex and sophisticated. People's awareness of their own mortality ­ humans in the Stone Age lived, on average, less than 30 years ­ brought about the practices of ancestor worship and ritual burial. Early holy men known as shamans were believed to have the power to commune with spirits. Rock and cave paintings from this period suggest that these religious figures may have practiced rituals akin to magic, helping to ensure a successful hunt or favorable weather. The presence of such individuals implies that human societies were diversifying, with different people filling different roles. As societies grew in complexity, the need for organized leadership increased. By the close of the Stone Age hierarchical social structures were leading to centralized authority and the origination of government. Evidence of this trend has been inferred from ancient settlement patterns found in Greece and on the Iberian peninsula. 15 Starting Empire Earth CHAPTER III STARTING EMPIRE EARTH Empire Earth is a flexible game with many ways to play. Options for both Single and Multiplayer games are available, including different types of random maps, map sizes, resource allocations, victory conditions, Epoch choices, and more. These options allow you to modify the game to create different gaming experiences, based on your preferences. This chapter explains all the game options, game settings, and how to start both Single Player and Multiplayer games. Launching the Game After you have installed Empire Earth, there are several ways to launch the game. Whenever you put the Empire Earth CD in your CD-ROM drive, a window will appear on your screen once the CD has been accessed (assuming you have Autoplay enabled). To launch the game from this window, just click the Play Empire Earth button. NOTE: You must have the Empire Earth CD in your CD-ROM drive to play Empire Earth. You can also launch the game by simply double-clicking on the Empire Earth icon on your desktop. If you opted during the installation not to have an icon placed on your desktop, you can always launch the game via the Start menu. Click the Windows Start button and select Programs. In the Programs list, select the Sierra folder, then select the Empire Earth folder, and finally select Play Empire Earth to launch the game. NOTE: You must have a working sound card installed in your computer to play Empire Earth. If you do not, Empire Earth may not launch properly. If you have a working sound card, a speaker icon (to control sound volume) will be visible on your Windows taskbar. Main Menu Once the game has loaded, the Main Menu appears. Here you have several choices. Single Player ­ Takes you to the Single Player menu, which provides access to all of Empire Earth's Single Player options, including the Campaigns and the Learning Scenarios. Multiplayer ­ Brings up the Multiplayer menu, which allows you to join or host games of Empire Earth with other players over a LAN or the Internet. 16 Empire Earth Game Tools ­ The Game Tools menu provides access to Empire Earth's Civilisation Builder, Scenario Editor, and Campaign Editor. Game Settings ­ Lets you set your video/graphic, audio, and game preferences. Adjusting these settings can help increase game performance on slower computers. Exit Game ­ Exits Empire Earth. Main Menu Learning to Play Whether you are new to computer games or a seasoned RTS veteran, it's easy to get up to speed with Empire Earth. In addition to this manual, Learning Scenarios are available to teach you how to play the game. Once you are familiar with the basics you'll be ready to explore EE's many advanced features, which provide extra levels of functionality and control. Learning Scenarios If you want to learn the basics of Empire Earth, we highly recommend playing through the Learning Scenarios. The Learning Scenarios provide a hands-on overview of how to play EE, from the essential elements of game play to more advanced features. The Learning Scenarios are conveniently divided into "lessons" that combine learning how to play EE with an enjoyable single player game. To play the Learning Scenarios, click the Single Player button on the Main Menu. Then, in the Single Player menu, click the Learning Scenarios button. On the Learning Scenarios screen you can browse through the list of all the Learning Scenarios and choose which you want to play. If you are new to RTS games, it's best to start with the first Learning Scenario and work your way through them all. If you are a more experienced gamer, choose a scenario that covers an aspect or feature of the game that you want to try out. Learning Scenarios do not need to be played in order. When you select the scenario in the list that you want to play, a brief introduction lets you know what you'll be doing in the game. Click the Start button to load the scenario. On the Intro/Briefing screen, read over your objectives and then click the Start button (with the big check mark) to begin playing. Further instructions on what you are supposed to do are provided during the game. 17 Starting Empire Earth EE Manual The Empire Earth manual provides detailed information on every feature and option available in Empire Earth. There are also tips, hints, and lots of historical examples to illustrate Empire Earth's extensive game play. Chapter 5 is a walkthrough tutorial of many of the game's basic elements. It is intended for players who would like to jump right into a Random Map game, but who also want a little instruction or direction. Information on the predefined civilisations and the unit relationship charts are provided in the Appendices. Also, don't forget to consult the Technology Tree Foldout, which provides information on all the units, buildings, and technologies in the game. Single Player Games Empire Earth's Single Player options are accessible by clicking the Single Player button on the Main Menu. Empire Earth includes two basic kinds of Single Player games: Random Map games and Campaigns/Scenarios. Random Map games allow you to try out your strategies and skills against EE's cunning computer opponents. The 4 Campaigns shipped with Empire Earth are each divided into parts (scenarios) that collectively tell the story of a notable civilisation's rise to power. You also have the option to load a stand-alone scenario or a previously saved Single Player game (in addition to starting a Learning Scenario). At the top of this screen is a text box where you can enter your player name. Player Name ­ Enter your player name. Play Random Map ­ Play a Random Map game against the computer. Takes you to the Game Setup screen. Play Campaign ­ Play the Campaigns. Choose which one via the Play Campaign screen. Play Scenario ­ Play a stand-alone scenario. Takes you to the Play Scenario screen. Play Saved Game ­ Load a previously saved single player game via the Play Saved Game screen. Learning Scenarios ­ Play the Learning Scenarios. Choose which one on the Play Campaign screen. Main Menu ­ Returns you to the Main Menu. 18 Empire Earth TIP: When playing against a computer opponent, there are four ways to affect the difficulty of the game. Each is explained more fully in the Game Setup section, later in this chapter. 1. 2. Set the Level of Difficulty to Easy, Medium, or Hard. Select the number of computer opponents. Obviously, it will be harder to defeat two opponents than just one, especially if they are allied with one another. Set the Starting Citizens for yourself and the computer player(s). You can give yourself an initial advantage by starting with more Citizens than the computer player. Select a Resource level. Computer players in Random Map games begin with some additional resources. Selecting higher starting Resources makes it easier for the Human player. 3. 4. Playing a Random Map Game Playing a Single Player Random Map game is very similar to playing a Multiplayer Random Map game. Both kinds of games make use of the Setup screen, which is covered in the Game Setup section, later in this chapter. Playing the Campaigns Four epic campaigns are included with Empire Earth. They are the Greek, English, German, and Russian Campaigns. In each of the 4 Campaigns, players must play through the scenarios in order ­ in other words, a scenario will become available only after all the previous scenarios in the Campaign have been completed. TIP: While playing a scenario, you can click the Briefing button to return to the Intro screen to see your objectives. When new objectives are added, the Briefing button blinks to let you know. You can also re-read previous messages sent during the scenario (or any type of game) by clicking the Previous Messages button. See Chapter IV for more details. 19