Difference between revisions of "GettingStarted"

From The Battle for Wesnoth Wiki
m (The Main Menu)
m (The Land of Wesnoth: minor wikification)
 
(113 intermediate revisions by 54 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 +
{{Translations}}
 +
<div class="tright"> __TOC__ </div>
 +
 
The Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based strategy game with a fantasy theme.
 
The Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based strategy game with a fantasy theme.
  
 
''Build up a great army'', gradually turning raw recruits into hardened veterans. In later games, recall your toughest warriors and form a deadly host against whom none can stand! Choose units from a large pool of specialists, and hand-pick a force with the right strengths to fight well on different terrains against all manner of opposition.  
 
''Build up a great army'', gradually turning raw recruits into hardened veterans. In later games, recall your toughest warriors and form a deadly host against whom none can stand! Choose units from a large pool of specialists, and hand-pick a force with the right strengths to fight well on different terrains against all manner of opposition.  
  
Fight to regain the throne of Wesnoth, of which you are the legitimate heir, or use your dread power over the Undead to dominate the land of mortals, or lead your glorious Orcish tribe to victory against the humans who dared despoil your lands Wesnoth has many different sagas waiting to be played out. You can create your own custom units, and write your own scenarios or even full-blown campaigns. You can also challenge your friends or strangers and fight in epic ''multi-player'' fantasy battles.
+
Fight to regain the throne of Wesnoth, of which you are the legitimate heir, or use your dread power over the Undead to dominate the land of mortals, or lead your glorious Orcish tribe to victory against the humans who dared despoil your lands Wesnoth has many different sagas waiting to be played out. You can create your own custom units, and write your own scenarios or even full-blown campaigns. You can also challenge your friends or strangers and fight in epic ''multi-player'' fantasy battles.
  
<!-- An almost complete description of all GUI components -->
+
=== Welcome to Wesnoth ===
=== Finding Your Way Around Wesnoth ===
+
==== The Land of Wesnoth ====
 +
The Land of Wesnoth is generally divided into three areas: the northlands, which are generally lawless; the kingdom of Wesnoth and its occasional principality, [[Elensefar]]; and the domain of the Southwest Elves.
  
You can use both the keyboard and mouse to navigate around Wesnoth.
+
The Kingdom of Wesnoth lies in the center of the land. Its borders are the Great River to the north, the Lower Hills in the east and south, the Green Swamp to the southwest, and the Ocean to the west. Elensefar, a once-province of Wesnoth, is bordered by the Great River to the north, a loosely defined line with Wesnoth to the east, the Bay of Pearls to the south, and the ocean to the west. There is no government of the Northlands. Various groups of orcs, dwarves, barbarians and even elves populate the region. The northern and eastern borders are not defined, the southern border is the Great River, and the western border is the Ocean.
Some controls respond to mouse only and others to keyboard. Wesnoth supports several languages, so please select your preferred language before playing. You may change the language at any time.
 
  
Some buttons contain features beyond getting started, such as Hotkeys and Multiplay, which are explained in [[WesnothManual]], not here.
+
As you travel around the land you will encounter peaceful villages where you can heal your troops and obtain a good income to support your army. You will also have to cross mountains and rivers, either on foot or mounted, push through forests, hills and tundra, or brazenly cross open grassland. In each of these areas different creatures have adapted to live there and can travel more easily and fight better when they are in familiar terrain. In the hills, mountains and underground caves orcs and dwarves are most at home. In the forests the elves reign supreme while in the oceans and rivers mermen and nagas control the waves.
  
'''For the impatient, we recommend you first set your language, run the tutorial, and then play a campaign.'''
+
==== The Creatures of Wesnoth ====
  
==== The Main Menu ====
+
The world of  Wesnoth contains several [[races]] that have joined forces into different factions. Here, Elves and Dwarves fight side by side against Orcs and Humans. In most campaigns, you will mostly control units from one faction, but often you will have a recruit list with units mixed in from other factions, and will not have some units from a faction available. Basically, your recruit list is determined by the plot of the campaign, not by a predetermined ruleset.
When Wesnoth starts it displays an initial background and a column of buttons
+
 
called the Main Menu. The buttons only work with a mouse. The Main Menu buttons are:
+
Sometimes factions make alliances with others, so you may face more than one faction in a scenario.
 +
 
 +
=== Finding Your Way Around Battle For Wesnoth ===
 +
<div class="thumb tright"><div>
 +
[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/The_Battle_for_Wesnoth-Title_Screen.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/The_Battle_for_Wesnoth-Title_Screen.png/250px-The_Battle_for_Wesnoth-Title_Screen.png]
 +
<div class="thumbcaption"><div align="center">The Main Menu<br>(Click to enlarge)</div></div></div>
 +
</div>
 +
When Wesnoth first starts it displays an initial background and a column of buttons called the Main Menu. The buttons only work with a mouse. For the impatient, we recommend you: click the 'Language' button to set your language; then click the 'Tutorial' button to run the tutorial; and then play the campaign, 'The Two Brothers' by clicking the 'Campaign' button and selecting it from the list provided.
 +
 
 +
The Main Menu buttons are:
  
 
*Tutorial
 
*Tutorial
:The tutorial is a real, but basic, game which teaches you some of the basic controls needed to play the game. Winning or losing is not important here, but learning what to do is. Click the Tutorial button to play. In the Tutorial you are in the role of the young prince Konrad, learning from the Elder Mage Delfador - pay attention or he might turn you into a newt.
+
:The tutorial is a real, but basic, game which teaches you some of the basic controls needed to play the game. Winning or losing is not important here, but learning what to do is. Click the Tutorial button to play. In the Tutorial you are in the role of the young prince Konrad or princess Li'sar, learning from the Elder Mage [[Delfador]] - pay attention or he might turn you into a newt.
  
 
*Campaign
 
*Campaign
:Wesnoth was primarily designed to play campaigns. Click this button to start a new campaign. You will be presented with a list of campaigns available on your computer (more can be downloaded if you wish). Select your campaign and click OK to start or Cancel to quit.
+
:Wesnoth was primarily designed to play campaigns. Campaigns are a series of connected scenarios. Click this button to start a new campaign. You will be presented with a list of campaigns available on your computer (more can be downloaded if you wish). Select your campaign and click OK to start or Cancel to quit.
  
:Each campaign has a difficulty level: easy, medium (normal), and hard. We recommend medium as this level is challenging, but not difficult. You may not change the difficulty during the campaign. Once you have selected the difficulty, you will start with the first scenario of the campaign.
+
:Each campaign has a difficulty level: easy, medium (normal), and hard. Some have an extra setting, 'nightmare'.  We recommend medium as this level is challenging, but not difficult. In case you have serious problems fighting your way through easy difficulty, the guide about [[BasicStrategy]] will surely help you. Once you have selected the difficulty, you will start with the first scenario of the campaign. A good campaign to start with is the Tale of Two Brothers. You can find walkthroughs or descriptions of the available campaigns at:
  
:To learn more on Campaigns, see 'Playing a Campaign' and 'Load'. You can also find walkthroughs or descriptions of the available scenarios at:
+
::* [[MainlineCampaigns]]
::* [[MainlineScenarios]]
+
::* [[Guide_to_UMC_Content]]
::* [[UserScenarios]]
+
::* [[BeginnerCampaigns]]
::* [[BeginnerScenarios]]
 
  
 
*Multiplayer
 
*Multiplayer
:Click this button to play network games. A dialogue will appear for you to create or connect to a game server. To learn more, see 'Network Games'.
+
:Click this button to play single scenarios against one or more opponents. You can play the games over the internet or at your computer, against computer or human opponents. When you select this button a dialogue will appear and allow you to choose how you want to play the scenario. To learn more, see [[#Multiplayer|Multiplayer]].
  
 
*Load
 
*Load
 
:Click this button to load a previously saved game. You will be shown a dialogue listing saved games. Select the game and click Ok to load and continue, or Cancel to return to the Main Menu.
 
:Click this button to load a previously saved game. You will be shown a dialogue listing saved games. Select the game and click Ok to load and continue, or Cancel to return to the Main Menu.
  
:If you select a replay game, you can check the Replay check box. The loaded game will make all the moves from the beginning while you watch.
+
:If you select a game that is not a start-of-scenario save, you can check the Replay check box. The loaded game will make all the moves from the beginning while you watch.
 +
 
 +
:If you select a start-of-scenario save, you can check the "Change difficulty" check box. The same difficulty selection as at the start of the campaign will be shown and will affect the rest of the campaign. Changing to a harder difficulty might be harder than designed, as the scenarios will be balanced for an army that's fought more enemies and therefore is expected to have gained more XP.
  
 
*Language
 
*Language
Line 45: Line 58:
 
*Preferences
 
*Preferences
  
:Click here to change default settings. These are explained in more detail in [[PlayingBattleForWesnoth#Preferences|the Manual]].
+
:Click here to change default settings.
  
 
*About
 
*About
:Click this button for a list of major Wesnoth contributors. You may find most of them at irc.freenode.org:6667 on #wesnoth. Or visit http://www.wesnoth.org for news, forums, and Wiki updates. The project is hosted on http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/wesnoth , where you can download the latest production or developer release, review and report problems (bugs).
+
:Click this button for a list of major Wesnoth contributors. You may find most of them at irc.freenode.org:6667 on #wesnoth. Or visit http://www.wesnoth.org for news, forums, and Wiki updates. The project is hosted on https://gna.org/projects/wesnoth, where you can download the latest production or developer release, review and report problems (bugs).
  
 
*Quit
 
*Quit
 
:Click this button to close Wesnoth.
 
:Click this button to close Wesnoth.
  
==== The Game Screen ====
+
This getting started guide provides a basic introduction to Battle for Wesnoth. You can find more details about playing the game in the [[WesnothManual|Manual]].
  
After loading a game or campaign, Wesnoth divides its screen into several
+
=== Play a Game ===
sections, listed here and described below (items marked with a * are undocumented).
+
There are two basic ways to play Battle for Wesnoth:
 +
*Play a sequence of connected scenarios, known as a campaign, against the computer (Campaign)
 +
*Play a single scenario against computer or human opponents (Multiplayer)
 +
(Note: The development of multiplayer campaigns is currently underway).
  
#Menu (button)
+
==== Campaigns ====
#Your total Gold (display)
+
Campaigns can take a long time to complete .... Typical campaigns have about 10-20 scenarios. The main advantage with campaigns is that they allow you to develop your army. As you complete each scenario, the remaining units at the end are saved for you to use in the next scenario. If you choose not to use a unit at all during a scenario it is carried over to the next, so you don't lose units you don't use.
#Your total villages (display)
 
#Your total units (display)
 
#Your total upkeep (display)
 
#Your total Income (display)
 
#Current hex type (info)
 
#Current hex position (info)
 
#Full map, scaled (select) *
 
#Day cycle (graphic)
 
#Last selected Unit profile (info) *
 
#Turn counter (info) *
 
#End Turn (button) *
 
#Map (active) *
 
  
The map covers most of the window and is the most complex, so we describe it
+
The campaign is the primary form in which Wesnoth is intended to be played, and is the recommended way for new players to learn the game. Some Official campaigns also describe the history of Wesnoth as scenarios are completed.
last. The other areas are useful when using the map, so we explain them now.
 
  
*Menu button: Displays a popup, lists the following options:
+
==== Multiplayer ====
 +
Multiplayer games are played with or against other players, which may be human or AI-controlled. There are 4 major options: 1) Join official server, 2) Connect to host/server, 3) Host networked game, 4) Local game.
  
#Scenario Objectives: Lists the victory and defeat conditions.
+
By selecting this option, you may play either competitive games or cooperative games. Competitive games include 1 vs 1's , 2 vs 2's or even free-for-alls (FFA's). Cooperative games or scenarios include survivals and other user made scenarios, which may include RPG elements or other elements which are not present in campaigns or competitive games. In general, cooperative scenarios require downloading from the Wesnoth Add-On Server. In all games, you have the option of assigning any sides control by the AI.
#Unit List: Lists your active units, including their map position.
 
#Recruit: Lists units your commander can recruit from a keep.
 
#Recall (Campaign only): Lists units your commander can recall from a keep.
 
#Status Table: Summary list of visible player units, villages, income etc.
 
#End Turn: On your turn, select it to end your turn.
 
#Save Game: Write the current game position to disk.
 
#Preferences: see the [[PlayingBattleForWesnoth#Preferences|Preferences]] section in the Manual, for details.
 
#Quit Game: Close the game, without saving, and return to the Main menu.
 
  
*Your Total Gold, villages, units, upkeep, and income (info)
+
Multiplayer games can take anywhere from 1 hour to 10 hours (or more, for very rare map settings), depending on how many players there are (and the size of the map). The average time is between 3 to 7 hours. Games can be saved and loaded as many times as you like. So, it's possible for some games to last 1 or 2 weeks, even though the play time is only a few hours. You cannot carry over units in multiplayer from one scenario to the next, so building up your army's strength is possible only within the scenario.
:Quick way to check how your army is doing. A negative income means you'll lose Gold, a positive means you gain Gold. Upkeep is the Gold you pay your units. Villages shows how many you own, each village will give you Gold.
 
  
*Current hex
+
===== Join Official Server =====
:Shows the terrain type and position of the hex pointed to by the mouse. If a unit is on the hex, its terrain Resistance is shown after the position. The position is in column, row order.
+
By selecting this option, you will be connected to the official Wesnoth server via the Internet. This option will allow you to play with other players from around the world.
  
*Day Cycle
+
===== Connect to Host/Server =====
:This is the picture underneath the mini-map to the right. Putting your mouse over it will bring up a helpful tooltip.  Note that Wesnoth has a 6-turn day and that different alignments have bonuses depending on the time of day.
+
This option allows you to connect to other computers or servers, including the official Wesnoth server. You may use this option to join a multiplayer game via a local access network (LAN).
  
<!-- End of GUI description -BB -->
+
===== Host Networked Game =====
 +
This option allows you to create a game that can be joined by other players via a LAN network.
  
<!-- not sure this is important in a starting guide, the idea is to show
+
===== Local Game =====
wesnoth isn't a quick shoot-em-up, and also warn them what they're getting
+
This option allows you to play a game involving 1 computer only. You may still assign control for other sides to other players/AI.
into timewise -->
 
  
=== Save and Load ===
+
=== The Game Screen ===
At the start of each scenario, you have the option to save it.
 
If you are defeated, you may load it and try again. Once you have succeeded,
 
you will again be asked to save the next scenario and play that.
 
If you have to stop playing during a scenario, you can save your turn
 
and load it again later. Just remember, a good BFW player never needs to
 
save '''during''' a scenario. However, most beginners tend to do so rather
 
often. ;)
 
  
=== Recruit and Recall ===
+
Regardless of whether you are playing a scenario or a campaign, the basic layout of the game screen is the same. The majority of the screen is filled with a map which shows all of the action that takes place in the game. Around the map are various elements which provide useful information about the game and are described in more detail below.
At the start of each scenario, your commander is placed in a castle on a
 
special hex called a keep. From here, you can recruit or recall
 
your troops. Each recruit is placed on an empty castle square. Once you
 
have filled the castle, you cannot recruit any more until units move off.
 
Your opponent's commander is similarly placed on its castle keep and able
 
to recruit troops. When you right-click on an empty castle hex, a context
 
menu will come up that includes "recruit". Use the menu that comes up to
 
recruit more units. You must wait until your next turn to move recruits
 
off your castle.
 
  
At the end of each successful scenario, all your remaining troops are
+
Across the top of the screen from left to right are the following items:
automatically saved for you. At the start of the next scenario you may
+
#Menu button
recall them in a similar way to recruiting. Recalled troops are often more
+
#Actions button
experienced than recruits and usually a better choice.
+
#Turn counter *
 +
#Your gold
 +
#Your total villages
 +
#Your total units
 +
#Your upkeep
 +
#Your income
 +
#Timer or clock
 +
#Current hex type
 +
#Current hex position
  
You may only recruit and recall when your commander is on the castle's keep
+
Down the right of the screen from top to bottom are:
hex. Since most castles have a keep, you can move your commander to any
+
#Full map, scaled *
castle's keep to recruit and recall.
+
#Time of day indicator
<!-- need to read up on factions more -->
+
#Unit profile for last selected unit*
 +
#End Turn button *
  
=== Factions and Races ===
+
(Items marked with a * are currently undocumented)
  
The world of  Wesnoth contains several races that have joined forces
+
*Menu button: Displays a drop-down menu with the following options:
into different factions. Here, Elf and Dwarf fight side by side against Orc
 
and Human. In most campaigns, you will mostly control units from one
 
faction, but often you will have a recruit list with units mixed in from
 
other factions, and will not have some units from a faction available.
 
Basically, your recruit list is determined by the plot of the campaign,
 
not by a predetermined ruleset.
 
  
Sometimes factions make alliances with others, so you may face more
+
#Scenario Objectives: Lists the victory and defeat conditions.
than one faction in a scenario.
+
#Statistics
 +
#Unit List: Lists your active units, including their map position.
 +
#Status Table: Summary list of visible player units, villages, income etc.
 +
#Save Game: Write the current game position to disk.
 +
#Load Game
 +
#Preferences
 +
#Back to: Return to previous turns without opening the Load Game dialog. Not available in all games.
 +
#Help
 +
#Quit Game: Close the game, without saving, and return to the Main menu.
  
<!--
+
*Actions button: Displays a drop-down menu with the following options:
The peaceful villages will heal your troops and earn you a good
+
#Next unit
income to support your army. Cross mountains and rivers, either on foot or
+
#Recruit: Lists units your commander can recruit from a keep.
mounted, push through forests, hills and tundra, or brazenly cross open
+
#Recall (Campaign only): Lists units your commander can recall from a keep.
grassland, its all here in Wesnoth.
+
#Show enemy moves
-->
+
#Best possible enemy moves
 +
#End Turn: On your turn, select it to end your turn.
  
=== Life and Death - Experience ===
+
*Your gold, villages, units, upkeep, and income
 +
:Quick way to check how your army is doing. A negative income means you'll lose gold, a positive means you gain gold. Upkeep is the gold you pay your units. Villages shows how many you own, each village will give you Gold.
  
As your troops gain battle experience, they will learn more skills and
+
*Current hex
become stronger. They will also die in battle, so you'll need to
+
:Shows the terrain type and position of the hex pointed to by the mouse. If a unit is on the hex, its resistance on that terrain is shown after the position. The position is in column, row order.
recruit and recall more when that happens. But choose wisely, for each has
 
strengths and weaknesses a cunning opponent will quickly exploit.
 
  
<!-- [[ToDo]]:
+
*Time of day indicator
Many challenges and rewards await you as you begin Your Battle for
+
:Putting your mouse over the indicator will bring up a tooltip showing the effect of the time of day.  Wesnoth has a 6-turn day and different alignments have bonuses depending on the time of day.
Wesnoth.
 
  
From your castle keep, recruit and recall a powerful
+
==== Recruit and Recall ====
army to gain victory. Proceed from battle to battle to advance your cause.
+
When you first start a scenario or campaign you will only have a few units on the map. One of these will be your commander (identified by a little crown icon). Your commander is usually placed in a castle on a special hex called a keep. Whenever your commander is on a keep (not only your own, but also the keep of any enemy castles you capture) and you have enough gold, you can recruit units for your army. In later scenarios you can recall experienced units that survived earlier scenarios. From here, you can start to build your army to conquer the enemy.
  
We first introduce you to your army, outline the different ways you can
+
The first thing you will probably want to do is recruit your first unit. Press 'ctrl-r' (or right click on an empty castle hex and select 'recruit') and you will be able to recruit a unit from a list of all the units available to you. Each recruit is placed on an empty castle square. Once you have filled the castle, you cannot recruit any more until units move off. Your opponent's commander is similarly placed on its castle keep and will begin by recruiting its troops -- so don't dilly-dally looking at the scenery, there's a battle to be won.
play, and then focus on basic tatics and strategies.
 
  
-->
+
At the end of each successful scenario, all your remaining troops are
<!-- Units must be reworked..this sucks -->
+
automatically saved. At the start of the next scenario you may
 +
recall them in a similar way to recruiting. Recalled troops are often more
 +
experienced than recruits and usually a better choice.
  
=== Army Units ===
+
==== Your Army ====
  
 
All game types use the same soldiers, called units. Each unit is identified
 
All game types use the same soldiers, called units. Each unit is identified
 
by Race, Level, and Class. Each unit has strengths and weaknesses,  
 
by Race, Level, and Class. Each unit has strengths and weaknesses,  
 
based on their Resistance, current Terrain, and Level.   
 
based on their Resistance, current Terrain, and Level.   
Full details are in the [[UnitTables]] and [[MoveTypeTables]].
+
See http://units.wesnoth.org/
  
=== Method of Game Play ===
+
==== Life and Death - Experience ====
  
You can play The Battle For Wesnoth as a campaign, a single scenario,
+
As your troops gain battle experience, they will learn more skills and
multiplayer, or hotseat.
+
become stronger. They will also die in battle, so you'll need to
 +
recruit and recall more when that happens. But choose wisely, for each has
 +
strengths and weaknesses a cunning opponent will quickly exploit.
  
; Campaign : A sequence of scenarios that allow you to develop your army by recalling surviving units from previous scenarios.
+
==== Money ====
; Scenario : A single Life and Death battle where you pit your forces against one or more computer players.
+
Your army does not fight for free. It costs you money to recruit units and money to maintain them. You start each scenario with money carried over from previous scenarios (although each scenario ensures you have at least a minimum amount of gold to start if you didn't carry over enough from previous scenarios) and can gain more by meeting scenario objectives quickly and, during a scenario, by controlling villages. Each village you control will give you two gold pieces income per turn. When you first start a scenario it is usually worthwhile to gain control of as many villages as you can to ensure you have sufficient income to wage war. You can see your current gold and current income at the top of the screen as described in the section on [[#The_Game_Screen|the Game Screen]].
; Multiplayer : A scenario played over a network with human and computer players.
 
; Hotseat : A scenario played by several people using one computer. When a player takes their turn at the computer, they're in the ''hotseat''.
 
  
You can also combine hotseat and remote play. The person setting up the game should set up one position for each remote computer and set up extra positions as 'local player' with the setups desired by the players that will be playing those positions.  
+
==== Save and Load ====
Once the game starts, the person who set up the game can use the :control side playername command to give control of positions to players using remote computers. Side is numeric turn order.  
+
At the start of each scenario, you have the option to save it.
Playername is the name used to connect to the game server for the machine the player will be using.
+
If you are defeated, you may load it and try again. Once you have succeeded,
 +
you will again be asked to save the next scenario and play that.  
 +
If you have to stop playing during a scenario, you can save your turn
 +
and load it again later. Just remember, a good BFW player never needs to
 +
save '''during''' a scenario. However, most beginners tend to do so rather
 +
often. ;)
  
 
+
=== Getting the Most Fun Out of the Game ===
 
 
=== Time to Play ===
 
 
 
==== Campaign ====
 
 
 
Campaigns take a very long time to complete, ranging from weeks to months.
 
Typical campaigns have about 20 to 30 scenarios. The main advantage with
 
campaigns is developing your army. As you complete each scenario, the
 
remaining units at the end are saved for you to use in the next scenario.
 
If you choose not to use a unit at all during a scenario it is carried over
 
to the next, so you don't lose units you don't use.
 
 
 
 
 
The campaign is the primary form in which Wesnoth is intended to be played,
 
and is probably the most enjoyable.
 
 
 
==== Scenarios ====
 
 
 
A single scenario takes about 30 minutes to 2 hours to complete.
 
This is the fastest way to play, but your units are not saved and you cannot use
 
campaign units. Depending on the scenario, you may play with an artificial
 
player or against several.
 
 
 
==== Hotseat ====
 
 
 
Hotseat games will take about the same time to play as games played remotely.
 
The time will be greatly affected by the size of the map.
 
 
 
==== Multiplayer ====
 
 
 
Multiplayer games can take anything from 1 hour to 10 hours, depending on
 
how many players there are (and the size of the map). The average time is between 3 to 7 hours.
 
Games can be saved and loaded as many times as you like.
 
So, it's possible for some games to last 1 or 2 weeks, even though
 
the play time is only a few hours. Currently, you cannot carry over
 
units in multiplayer from one scenario to the next, so building up
 
your army's strength is possible only within the scenario.
 
 
 
==== Battleworld Training ====
 
 
 
If you are new to Wesnoth, but have experience playing turn-based hex combat games, here is a way to find out how the terrain and units interact:
 
 
 
# Go to Multiplayer, and play the AI on one of the larger maps.
 
# Choose "Rebels". Give yourself two or three times as much gold as you give the AI.  Set the leveling percentage to 70% and "gold per village" to 2x if you want to practice with the "standard" multiplayer settings.
 
# Experiment with the different factions (which will give you different units) and fighting against different opponents.
 
# When you consistently overrun the AI, move the gold back to normal or even give the AI more.  This will prepare you for the campaigns and to a much lesser extent for multiplayer against other humans.
 
 
 
 
 
==== Getting the Most Fun Out of the Game ====
 
  
 
Remember, the idea of a game is to have fun! Here are some recommendations
 
Remember, the idea of a game is to have fun! Here are some recommendations
Line 249: Line 195:
  
 
* Consider playing the campaign on 'Medium' difficulty level, especially if you have prior experience with strategy games. We feel you'll find it much more rewarding.
 
* Consider playing the campaign on 'Medium' difficulty level, especially if you have prior experience with strategy games. We feel you'll find it much more rewarding.
* Don't sweat it too much when you lose some units. The campaign was designed to accomodate the player losing some units along the way.
+
* Don't sweat it too much when you lose some units. The campaign was designed to accommodate the player losing some units along the way.
 
* Don't abuse saved games. Long ago, Wesnoth only allowed saving the game at the end of a scenario. Mid-scenario saving was added as a convenience to use if you had to continue the game another day, or to protect against crashes. We do not recommend loading mid-scenario saved games over and over because your White Mage keeps getting killed. Learn to protect your White Mage instead, and balance risks! That is part of the strategy.
 
* Don't abuse saved games. Long ago, Wesnoth only allowed saving the game at the end of a scenario. Mid-scenario saving was added as a convenience to use if you had to continue the game another day, or to protect against crashes. We do not recommend loading mid-scenario saved games over and over because your White Mage keeps getting killed. Learn to protect your White Mage instead, and balance risks! That is part of the strategy.
 
* If you must load a saved game, we recommend going back to the start of the scenario, so that you choose a new strategy that works, rather than simply finding random numbers that favor you.
 
* If you must load a saved game, we recommend going back to the start of the scenario, so that you choose a new strategy that works, rather than simply finding random numbers that favor you.
* But remember, the aim is to have fun! You may have different tastes to the developers, so do what you enjoy most! If you enjoy loading the saved game every time you make a mistake, looking for the 'perfect' game where you never lose a unit, by all means, go right ahead!
+
* But remember, the aim is to have fun! You may have different tastes than the developers, so do what you enjoy most! If you enjoy loading the saved game every time you make a mistake, looking for the 'perfect' game where you never lose a unit, by all means, go right ahead!
  
=== At the start of a scenario ===
+
==== At the start of a scenario ====
* First, read the scenario objectives. Sometimes you do not have to kill enemy leaders instead it is enough that you survive number of turns, or pick up a particular object
+
* First, read the scenario objectives. Sometimes you do not have to kill enemy leaders; instead it is enough that you survive for a certain number of turns, or pick up a particular object
*  Look at the map: the terrain, the position of your leader and the other leader.
+
*  Look at the map: the terrain, the position of your leader and the other leader(s).
 
* Then, begin to recruit units. Cheap units are useful to soak up the first wave of an enemy's attack; advanced units can then be brought in as support. Fast units can be used as scouts, for exploring the map and to quickly conquer villages.
 
* Then, begin to recruit units. Cheap units are useful to soak up the first wave of an enemy's attack; advanced units can then be brought in as support. Fast units can be used as scouts, for exploring the map and to quickly conquer villages.
  
=== During the scenario ===
+
==== During the scenario ====
 
* Try to capture and keep control of as many villages as possible to keep the gold coming in
 
* Try to capture and keep control of as many villages as possible to keep the gold coming in
* Keep units in packs so the enemy cannot attack from as many sides, and so you can outnumber each enemy unit. Put your units in a line so that the enemy cannot attack any one of your unit from more than two sides.
+
* Keep units in packs so the enemy cannot attack from as many sides, and so you can outnumber each enemy unit. Put your units in a line so that the enemy cannot attack any one of your units from more than two sides.
 
* Different units have different strengths and weaknesses depending on terrain and who they are attacking; right click on units and select "Describe unit" to learn more  
 
* Different units have different strengths and weaknesses depending on terrain and who they are attacking; right click on units and select "Describe unit" to learn more  
 
* You can use lower level units as cannon fodder, to slow down enemy. e.g. you can use them to block enemy reaching your important units
 
* You can use lower level units as cannon fodder, to slow down enemy. e.g. you can use them to block enemy reaching your important units
 
* You can cause damage to enemies with advanced units and then finish them with lower level units - to give them more experience (and finally make them advance to next level)
 
* You can cause damage to enemies with advanced units and then finish them with lower level units - to give them more experience (and finally make them advance to next level)
* When you have a White Mage (advances from Mage) or Druid (advances from Shaman), put it in the middle of a circle of units to heal them as they move across the map
+
* When you have a White Mage (advances from Mage) or Druid (advances from Shaman), put it in the middle of a circle of units to heal them as they move across the map (Shamans can do this too, but not as well)
 
* Losing units is expected, even advanced units
 
* Losing units is expected, even advanced units
 
* Time of day really matters:
 
* Time of day really matters:
Line 271: Line 217:
 
** chaotic units do more damage at night and less damage at day
 
** chaotic units do more damage at night and less damage at day
 
** remember to always check the time of day on the right side of the screen. Plan ahead - think about what it's going to be next turn as well as this turn.
 
** remember to always check the time of day on the right side of the screen. Plan ahead - think about what it's going to be next turn as well as this turn.
* Some units are resistant or vulnerable to different kind of attacks. Mounted units are weak vs pierce attacks. Fire and holy destroy undeads. To see how much a unit resists an attack type, right click on the unit, select 'Unit Description', then select 'Resistance'. It will show you how resistant a unit is to different types of attacks.
+
* Some units are resistant or vulnerable to different kind of attacks. Mounted units are weak vs pierce attacks. Fire and holy (arcane) attacks destroy undead. To see how much a unit resists an attack type, right click on the unit, select 'Unit Description', then select 'Resistance'. It will show you how resistant a unit is to different types of attacks.
  
=== Healing ===
+
==== Healing ====
An important part of succeeding at Battle for Wesnoth is keeping your units healthy. When your units take damage you can heal them by moving them onto villages or next to special healing units (e.g. the Elvish Shaman and White Mage). Some other units you will encounter, such as Trolls, have the ability to heal themselves naturally. You can find more detailed information about healing in [[PlayingBattleForWesnoth#Healing|Chapter 2]].
+
An important part of succeeding at Battle for Wesnoth is keeping your units healthy. When your units take damage you can heal them by moving them onto villages or next to special healing units (e.g. the Elvish Shaman and White Mage). Some other units you will encounter, such as Trolls, have the ability to heal themselves naturally.
  
=== Winning a scenario ===
+
==== Winning a scenario ====
 
* Advanced units are needed to quickly kill enemy commanders, and to avoid losing lots of units.
 
* Advanced units are needed to quickly kill enemy commanders, and to avoid losing lots of units.
 
* The quicker you win a scenario, the more gold you get; you will get more gold from winning early than from all of the map's villages for the rest of the turns.
 
* The quicker you win a scenario, the more gold you get; you will get more gold from winning early than from all of the map's villages for the rest of the turns.
 
* Killing all enemy leaders usually gives instant victory.
 
* Killing all enemy leaders usually gives instant victory.
  
=== More general tips ===
+
==== More general tips ====
* After slaughtering scenarios (where your ass gets seriously kicked) there are usually "breathing room" scenarios where you can rather easily gain some gold and experience (advanced units)
+
* After slaughtering scenarios (where you take lots of punishment) there are usually "breathing room" scenarios where you can rather easily gain some gold and experience (advanced units)
 
* Advanced units have higher upkeep than lower level units (1 gp per level), loyal units are an exception.
 
* Advanced units have higher upkeep than lower level units (1 gp per level), loyal units are an exception.
 +
 +
=== Reporting Bugs ===
 +
 +
Wesnoth is a mature game, however, please report any bugs that you may encounter at http://bugs.wesnoth.org. More detailed instructions may be found at [[ReportingBugs]]. The developers rely on users like you to report bugs and make feature requests, so that each release is better than the one before it!
 +
 
<noinclude>
 
<noinclude>
 +
 
=== See Also ===
 
=== See Also ===
 
* [[WesnothManual]]
 
* [[WesnothManual]]
 
* [[AdvancedTactics]]
 
* [[AdvancedTactics]]
 
+
* [[MP_Tutorial]] learn how to play multiplayer games.
  
 
{{Play}}
 
{{Play}}
 
</noinclude>
 
</noinclude>

Latest revision as of 15:08, 7 April 2023

The Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based strategy game with a fantasy theme.

Build up a great army, gradually turning raw recruits into hardened veterans. In later games, recall your toughest warriors and form a deadly host against whom none can stand! Choose units from a large pool of specialists, and hand-pick a force with the right strengths to fight well on different terrains against all manner of opposition.

Fight to regain the throne of Wesnoth, of which you are the legitimate heir, or use your dread power over the Undead to dominate the land of mortals, or lead your glorious Orcish tribe to victory against the humans who dared despoil your lands Wesnoth has many different sagas waiting to be played out. You can create your own custom units, and write your own scenarios or even full-blown campaigns. You can also challenge your friends or strangers and fight in epic multi-player fantasy battles.

Welcome to Wesnoth

The Land of Wesnoth

The Land of Wesnoth is generally divided into three areas: the northlands, which are generally lawless; the kingdom of Wesnoth and its occasional principality, Elensefar; and the domain of the Southwest Elves.

The Kingdom of Wesnoth lies in the center of the land. Its borders are the Great River to the north, the Lower Hills in the east and south, the Green Swamp to the southwest, and the Ocean to the west. Elensefar, a once-province of Wesnoth, is bordered by the Great River to the north, a loosely defined line with Wesnoth to the east, the Bay of Pearls to the south, and the ocean to the west. There is no government of the Northlands. Various groups of orcs, dwarves, barbarians and even elves populate the region. The northern and eastern borders are not defined, the southern border is the Great River, and the western border is the Ocean.

As you travel around the land you will encounter peaceful villages where you can heal your troops and obtain a good income to support your army. You will also have to cross mountains and rivers, either on foot or mounted, push through forests, hills and tundra, or brazenly cross open grassland. In each of these areas different creatures have adapted to live there and can travel more easily and fight better when they are in familiar terrain. In the hills, mountains and underground caves orcs and dwarves are most at home. In the forests the elves reign supreme while in the oceans and rivers mermen and nagas control the waves.

The Creatures of Wesnoth

The world of Wesnoth contains several races that have joined forces into different factions. Here, Elves and Dwarves fight side by side against Orcs and Humans. In most campaigns, you will mostly control units from one faction, but often you will have a recruit list with units mixed in from other factions, and will not have some units from a faction available. Basically, your recruit list is determined by the plot of the campaign, not by a predetermined ruleset.

Sometimes factions make alliances with others, so you may face more than one faction in a scenario.

Finding Your Way Around Battle For Wesnoth

250px-The_Battle_for_Wesnoth-Title_Screen.png

The Main Menu
(Click to enlarge)

When Wesnoth first starts it displays an initial background and a column of buttons called the Main Menu. The buttons only work with a mouse. For the impatient, we recommend you: click the 'Language' button to set your language; then click the 'Tutorial' button to run the tutorial; and then play the campaign, 'The Two Brothers' by clicking the 'Campaign' button and selecting it from the list provided.

The Main Menu buttons are:

  • Tutorial
The tutorial is a real, but basic, game which teaches you some of the basic controls needed to play the game. Winning or losing is not important here, but learning what to do is. Click the Tutorial button to play. In the Tutorial you are in the role of the young prince Konrad or princess Li'sar, learning from the Elder Mage Delfador - pay attention or he might turn you into a newt.
  • Campaign
Wesnoth was primarily designed to play campaigns. Campaigns are a series of connected scenarios. Click this button to start a new campaign. You will be presented with a list of campaigns available on your computer (more can be downloaded if you wish). Select your campaign and click OK to start or Cancel to quit.
Each campaign has a difficulty level: easy, medium (normal), and hard. Some have an extra setting, 'nightmare'. We recommend medium as this level is challenging, but not difficult. In case you have serious problems fighting your way through easy difficulty, the guide about BasicStrategy will surely help you. Once you have selected the difficulty, you will start with the first scenario of the campaign. A good campaign to start with is the Tale of Two Brothers. You can find walkthroughs or descriptions of the available campaigns at:
  • Multiplayer
Click this button to play single scenarios against one or more opponents. You can play the games over the internet or at your computer, against computer or human opponents. When you select this button a dialogue will appear and allow you to choose how you want to play the scenario. To learn more, see Multiplayer.
  • Load
Click this button to load a previously saved game. You will be shown a dialogue listing saved games. Select the game and click Ok to load and continue, or Cancel to return to the Main Menu.
If you select a game that is not a start-of-scenario save, you can check the Replay check box. The loaded game will make all the moves from the beginning while you watch.
If you select a start-of-scenario save, you can check the "Change difficulty" check box. The same difficulty selection as at the start of the campaign will be shown and will affect the rest of the campaign. Changing to a harder difficulty might be harder than designed, as the scenarios will be balanced for an army that's fought more enemies and therefore is expected to have gained more XP.
  • Language
Click this button, select your language, and click OK to use it, or Cancel to continue with the current language. The first time Wesnoth starts, it defaults to English, but once you change it, it will start in that language.
  • Preferences
Click here to change default settings.
  • About
Click this button for a list of major Wesnoth contributors. You may find most of them at irc.freenode.org:6667 on #wesnoth. Or visit http://www.wesnoth.org for news, forums, and Wiki updates. The project is hosted on https://gna.org/projects/wesnoth, where you can download the latest production or developer release, review and report problems (bugs).
  • Quit
Click this button to close Wesnoth.

This getting started guide provides a basic introduction to Battle for Wesnoth. You can find more details about playing the game in the Manual.

Play a Game

There are two basic ways to play Battle for Wesnoth:

  • Play a sequence of connected scenarios, known as a campaign, against the computer (Campaign)
  • Play a single scenario against computer or human opponents (Multiplayer)

(Note: The development of multiplayer campaigns is currently underway).

Campaigns

Campaigns can take a long time to complete .... Typical campaigns have about 10-20 scenarios. The main advantage with campaigns is that they allow you to develop your army. As you complete each scenario, the remaining units at the end are saved for you to use in the next scenario. If you choose not to use a unit at all during a scenario it is carried over to the next, so you don't lose units you don't use.

The campaign is the primary form in which Wesnoth is intended to be played, and is the recommended way for new players to learn the game. Some Official campaigns also describe the history of Wesnoth as scenarios are completed.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer games are played with or against other players, which may be human or AI-controlled. There are 4 major options: 1) Join official server, 2) Connect to host/server, 3) Host networked game, 4) Local game.

By selecting this option, you may play either competitive games or cooperative games. Competitive games include 1 vs 1's , 2 vs 2's or even free-for-alls (FFA's). Cooperative games or scenarios include survivals and other user made scenarios, which may include RPG elements or other elements which are not present in campaigns or competitive games. In general, cooperative scenarios require downloading from the Wesnoth Add-On Server. In all games, you have the option of assigning any sides control by the AI.

Multiplayer games can take anywhere from 1 hour to 10 hours (or more, for very rare map settings), depending on how many players there are (and the size of the map). The average time is between 3 to 7 hours. Games can be saved and loaded as many times as you like. So, it's possible for some games to last 1 or 2 weeks, even though the play time is only a few hours. You cannot carry over units in multiplayer from one scenario to the next, so building up your army's strength is possible only within the scenario.

Join Official Server

By selecting this option, you will be connected to the official Wesnoth server via the Internet. This option will allow you to play with other players from around the world.

Connect to Host/Server

This option allows you to connect to other computers or servers, including the official Wesnoth server. You may use this option to join a multiplayer game via a local access network (LAN).

Host Networked Game

This option allows you to create a game that can be joined by other players via a LAN network.

Local Game

This option allows you to play a game involving 1 computer only. You may still assign control for other sides to other players/AI.

The Game Screen

Regardless of whether you are playing a scenario or a campaign, the basic layout of the game screen is the same. The majority of the screen is filled with a map which shows all of the action that takes place in the game. Around the map are various elements which provide useful information about the game and are described in more detail below.

Across the top of the screen from left to right are the following items:

  1. Menu button
  2. Actions button
  3. Turn counter *
  4. Your gold
  5. Your total villages
  6. Your total units
  7. Your upkeep
  8. Your income
  9. Timer or clock
  10. Current hex type
  11. Current hex position

Down the right of the screen from top to bottom are:

  1. Full map, scaled *
  2. Time of day indicator
  3. Unit profile for last selected unit*
  4. End Turn button *

(Items marked with a * are currently undocumented)

  • Menu button: Displays a drop-down menu with the following options:
  1. Scenario Objectives: Lists the victory and defeat conditions.
  2. Statistics
  3. Unit List: Lists your active units, including their map position.
  4. Status Table: Summary list of visible player units, villages, income etc.
  5. Save Game: Write the current game position to disk.
  6. Load Game
  7. Preferences
  8. Back to: Return to previous turns without opening the Load Game dialog. Not available in all games.
  9. Help
  10. Quit Game: Close the game, without saving, and return to the Main menu.
  • Actions button: Displays a drop-down menu with the following options:
  1. Next unit
  2. Recruit: Lists units your commander can recruit from a keep.
  3. Recall (Campaign only): Lists units your commander can recall from a keep.
  4. Show enemy moves
  5. Best possible enemy moves
  6. End Turn: On your turn, select it to end your turn.
  • Your gold, villages, units, upkeep, and income
Quick way to check how your army is doing. A negative income means you'll lose gold, a positive means you gain gold. Upkeep is the gold you pay your units. Villages shows how many you own, each village will give you Gold.
  • Current hex
Shows the terrain type and position of the hex pointed to by the mouse. If a unit is on the hex, its resistance on that terrain is shown after the position. The position is in column, row order.
  • Time of day indicator
Putting your mouse over the indicator will bring up a tooltip showing the effect of the time of day. Wesnoth has a 6-turn day and different alignments have bonuses depending on the time of day.

Recruit and Recall

When you first start a scenario or campaign you will only have a few units on the map. One of these will be your commander (identified by a little crown icon). Your commander is usually placed in a castle on a special hex called a keep. Whenever your commander is on a keep (not only your own, but also the keep of any enemy castles you capture) and you have enough gold, you can recruit units for your army. In later scenarios you can recall experienced units that survived earlier scenarios. From here, you can start to build your army to conquer the enemy.

The first thing you will probably want to do is recruit your first unit. Press 'ctrl-r' (or right click on an empty castle hex and select 'recruit') and you will be able to recruit a unit from a list of all the units available to you. Each recruit is placed on an empty castle square. Once you have filled the castle, you cannot recruit any more until units move off. Your opponent's commander is similarly placed on its castle keep and will begin by recruiting its troops -- so don't dilly-dally looking at the scenery, there's a battle to be won.

At the end of each successful scenario, all your remaining troops are automatically saved. At the start of the next scenario you may recall them in a similar way to recruiting. Recalled troops are often more experienced than recruits and usually a better choice.

Your Army

All game types use the same soldiers, called units. Each unit is identified by Race, Level, and Class. Each unit has strengths and weaknesses, based on their Resistance, current Terrain, and Level. See http://units.wesnoth.org/

Life and Death - Experience

As your troops gain battle experience, they will learn more skills and become stronger. They will also die in battle, so you'll need to recruit and recall more when that happens. But choose wisely, for each has strengths and weaknesses a cunning opponent will quickly exploit.

Money

Your army does not fight for free. It costs you money to recruit units and money to maintain them. You start each scenario with money carried over from previous scenarios (although each scenario ensures you have at least a minimum amount of gold to start if you didn't carry over enough from previous scenarios) and can gain more by meeting scenario objectives quickly and, during a scenario, by controlling villages. Each village you control will give you two gold pieces income per turn. When you first start a scenario it is usually worthwhile to gain control of as many villages as you can to ensure you have sufficient income to wage war. You can see your current gold and current income at the top of the screen as described in the section on the Game Screen.

Save and Load

At the start of each scenario, you have the option to save it. If you are defeated, you may load it and try again. Once you have succeeded, you will again be asked to save the next scenario and play that. If you have to stop playing during a scenario, you can save your turn and load it again later. Just remember, a good BFW player never needs to save during a scenario. However, most beginners tend to do so rather often. ;)

Getting the Most Fun Out of the Game

Remember, the idea of a game is to have fun! Here are some recommendations from the development team on how to get the most fun out of the game:

  • Consider playing the campaign on 'Medium' difficulty level, especially if you have prior experience with strategy games. We feel you'll find it much more rewarding.
  • Don't sweat it too much when you lose some units. The campaign was designed to accommodate the player losing some units along the way.
  • Don't abuse saved games. Long ago, Wesnoth only allowed saving the game at the end of a scenario. Mid-scenario saving was added as a convenience to use if you had to continue the game another day, or to protect against crashes. We do not recommend loading mid-scenario saved games over and over because your White Mage keeps getting killed. Learn to protect your White Mage instead, and balance risks! That is part of the strategy.
  • If you must load a saved game, we recommend going back to the start of the scenario, so that you choose a new strategy that works, rather than simply finding random numbers that favor you.
  • But remember, the aim is to have fun! You may have different tastes than the developers, so do what you enjoy most! If you enjoy loading the saved game every time you make a mistake, looking for the 'perfect' game where you never lose a unit, by all means, go right ahead!

At the start of a scenario

  • First, read the scenario objectives. Sometimes you do not have to kill enemy leaders; instead it is enough that you survive for a certain number of turns, or pick up a particular object
  • Look at the map: the terrain, the position of your leader and the other leader(s).
  • Then, begin to recruit units. Cheap units are useful to soak up the first wave of an enemy's attack; advanced units can then be brought in as support. Fast units can be used as scouts, for exploring the map and to quickly conquer villages.

During the scenario

  • Try to capture and keep control of as many villages as possible to keep the gold coming in
  • Keep units in packs so the enemy cannot attack from as many sides, and so you can outnumber each enemy unit. Put your units in a line so that the enemy cannot attack any one of your units from more than two sides.
  • Different units have different strengths and weaknesses depending on terrain and who they are attacking; right click on units and select "Describe unit" to learn more
  • You can use lower level units as cannon fodder, to slow down enemy. e.g. you can use them to block enemy reaching your important units
  • You can cause damage to enemies with advanced units and then finish them with lower level units - to give them more experience (and finally make them advance to next level)
  • When you have a White Mage (advances from Mage) or Druid (advances from Shaman), put it in the middle of a circle of units to heal them as they move across the map (Shamans can do this too, but not as well)
  • Losing units is expected, even advanced units
  • Time of day really matters:
    • lawful units do more damage at day and less damage at night
    • chaotic units do more damage at night and less damage at day
    • remember to always check the time of day on the right side of the screen. Plan ahead - think about what it's going to be next turn as well as this turn.
  • Some units are resistant or vulnerable to different kind of attacks. Mounted units are weak vs pierce attacks. Fire and holy (arcane) attacks destroy undead. To see how much a unit resists an attack type, right click on the unit, select 'Unit Description', then select 'Resistance'. It will show you how resistant a unit is to different types of attacks.

Healing

An important part of succeeding at Battle for Wesnoth is keeping your units healthy. When your units take damage you can heal them by moving them onto villages or next to special healing units (e.g. the Elvish Shaman and White Mage). Some other units you will encounter, such as Trolls, have the ability to heal themselves naturally.

Winning a scenario

  • Advanced units are needed to quickly kill enemy commanders, and to avoid losing lots of units.
  • The quicker you win a scenario, the more gold you get; you will get more gold from winning early than from all of the map's villages for the rest of the turns.
  • Killing all enemy leaders usually gives instant victory.

More general tips

  • After slaughtering scenarios (where you take lots of punishment) there are usually "breathing room" scenarios where you can rather easily gain some gold and experience (advanced units)
  • Advanced units have higher upkeep than lower level units (1 gp per level), loyal units are an exception.

Reporting Bugs

Wesnoth is a mature game, however, please report any bugs that you may encounter at http://bugs.wesnoth.org. More detailed instructions may be found at ReportingBugs. The developers rely on users like you to report bugs and make feature requests, so that each release is better than the one before it!


See Also

This page was last edited on 7 April 2023, at 15:08.