8 Kingdoms
-
User guide
Czech Version| English Version

Contents
1 Prologue?
2 Installation?
2.1 HW requirements?
2.2 MS Windows?
2.3 Linux?
3 Executing & command line?
4 Control?
4.1 Profiles?
4.2 Main menu?
4.3 Settings?
4.4 Choose a map?
4.5 Local game?
4.6 Network game?
4.7 Interface of the game?
4.7.1 Control the camera?
4.7.2 Actions?
4.7.3 Menu?
4.7.4 Diplomacy?
4.7.5 Events?
4.7.6 Chat?
4.8 Termination?
5 Rules?
5.1 Character of the game?
5.2 The Game?
5.3 The Map?
5.4 Unit?
5.5 Buildings?
5.6 Movement?
5.7 Sight?
5.8 Fight?
5.9 Money?
5.10 Weather?
5.11 Diplomacy?
5.12 Tips?
6 Troubleshooting?
7 Editor?
8 Tutorial?

1 ...
2 Installation
2.1 HW requirements
Hardware

- PC IA-32 800MHz and better
- 60 MB free space
- 256 MB RAM
- 3D graphic card

Software

- OS Linux, or OS Windows
- Library SDL version 1.2.9
- OpenGL 1.1
- Library SDL_mixer
- Library Expat
- Library TCL

2.2 MS Windows
There is a binary distribution for 8Kingdoms running in MS Windows environment, packed in self-extracting archive. It is necessary only to run and extract it to the place specified.
Fig 1:
2.3 Linux
The source code should be unpacked using command:

        tar -xvzf 8Kingdoms-nnn.tar.gz

where nnn is the version. It is assumed that there are required libraries installed. When unpacked, move to its directory and configure, compile and install it using commands:

        cd 8Kingdoms-nnn
        ./configure
        make
        make install

To remove use command:

        make uninstall

3 Executing & command line
In MS Windows environment, and in Linux, if you have followed instructions above, run 8Kingdoms calling bin/8Kingdoms.exe from the home directory of the application (or only 8Kingdoms from the bin directory in MS Windows also). You can use several command line parameters:

Parameter | Description
-m <n> | Load the map having id n.
-l <n> | Load the save game having id n.
-e | Show a list of maps.
-h | Print commands.
-s | Start the server. It is necessary to use command -m also. Parameter -t is optional.
-t <ms> | It waits ms milliseconds for clients to connect.
-c <adr> | Connect to adr as a client.
-x | Development console is available.
-p <name> | Load the profile name, if not used the last used profile will be used instead.

Table:
4 Control
4.1 Profiles
You have to choose your profile first. There are your settings stored.
Fig 2:

1. Input for the name of new profile.
2. Add new profile.
3. List of existing profiles.
4. Log in with selected profile.
5. Deletes selected profile.

4.2 Main menu
.
Fig 3: .

1. choosen profile.
2. Choose different profile.
3. Run the local game. Later you will choose the map and number of AI players.
4. Run the network game. Later you will choose either to run your game or connect to an existing one.
5. Settings.
6. Credits.
7. Exit.

4.3 Settings
Fig 4: Settings.

1. Selected the resolution.
2. Full screen mode.
3. Volume of music.
4. Volume of sounds.
5. Selected language.
6. Speed of units.
7. Announcement of the games to the 8KWW server, which will allow players all around the world to connect to your game.

4.4 Choose a map
Fig 5:

1. Whether to start a new game or load saved one.
2. List of maps available.
3. Basic information about selected map.
4. Start the game. The game will have exactly the same number of players as written above. AI will control the un-used players.
5. Return.

4.5 Local game
Fig 6: Setting up a new game.

1. Basic information about the map .
2. Game type is dependent on end of game condition.
3. Description of the map.
4. Settings of the role.
5. Set the player having the name of selected profile to the selected role.
6. Set another player to the selected role.
7. Set the role to be controlled by AI.
8. List of roles.
9. Start the game.
10. Return.

4.6 Network game
Fig 7: Choose type of game.

1. Start new network game.
2. Join an existing game.
3. Return.

Fig 8: Joining an existing game.

1. Enter IP address
2. Announced games at the Internet.
3. Games in Local Area Network. The list is automatically updated when there is any change.
4. Connect to selected server. If it is unable to connect to the server, it is probably due to a firewall or network settings.
5. Return.

Fig 9: Starting a new game.

1. Basic information about the map.
2. Game type is dependent on end of game condition.
3. List of roles.
4. Settings of the role.
5. Set the role to the one of the connected players.
6. Set the role to be controlled by the AI.
7. Description of the map.
8. Chat room for connected players.
9. Start the game.
10. Cancel the game and return.

Fig 10: Loading the game.

1. Status bar.

4.7 Interface of the game
Fig 11: Interface of the game.

1. Display the menu.
2. Display diplomacy
3. Display events.
4. Name of the player.
5. Collected money.
6. Index of selected hex.
7. Main scene.
8. Minimap - shows the map from greater distance
9. Switch the minimap to show terrains.
10. Switch the minimap to show heights.
11. Switch the minimap to show kingdoms.
12. Switch the minimap to show magical units occurrence.
13. Information board. Displays information about either building or unit. If a unit is inside the selected building there will be button to pick the unit.
14. Action Bar. Displays potential actions of the unit or building.
15. Turn done. Next player will be on turn, units nor buildings cannot be ordered to do anything.
16. Selecting "previous" unit.
17. Selecting "next" unit.

4.7.1 Control the camera
You can move using arrows and the mouse. If you hold an arrow you will move in that direction. The same happens if you move the mouse cursor to the edge of the window. You can move faster if you press the mouse above the minimap. You can rotate the camera when holding ALT and moving the mouse. Use the mouse wheel or keys P and L to zoom in or out.
4.7.2 Actions
The game is controlled from the ActionBar and by choosing objects in the main scene. In the ActionBar you can see these buttons:

Icon | Action | Hot Key | Description
| Movement | M | Movement is the action of units. When pressed hexes within the range will get green accent. The unit will move when specific green hex will be selected.
| Attack | A | Attack is the action of units. When pressed hexes with enemy units or buildings within reach will get red accent. When choosen, unit will attack.
| Healing | H | Healing is the action of units which are wounded. It takes whole turn to heal the unit.
| Disband | D | Disband is the action of units. The unit is disbanded.
| Build a building | B | Building is the action of builder. When selected there will appear a list of buildings the unit can build here. Later, when the building is selected, hexes where this building can be placed will get gray accent (there is a rule common for all of buildings - it can be built on a flat terrain, which means that the height of surrounding hexes must be the same as the height of hex where the building is to be built). Afterwards, when the hex is selected, it is possible to rotate the building, using arrows in Action Bar. When the building is ready to be built confirm that by hitting the hex again.
| Repair a building | R | Repairing is the action of builder. Generally the unit has to be inside the building to be able to repair it.
| Stop building | S | Stopping is the action of builder when it is building. Later the unit can finish the construction using the Repair command.
| Draft peasants | U | Healing is the action of units which are in buildings or in the city. TODO
| Hire elite soldiers | E | Healing is the action of units which are in buildings. TODO
| Recruit an unit | R | Recruiting is the action of vacant buildings. New unit will be available next turn.
| Purchase a bonus | B | Purchasing of bonuses is the action of some non-vacant buildings. When pressed, list of available bonuses will appear. Each unit cannot have more than 3 bonuses.
| Destroy | D | Destroying is the action of buildings. The building (and the unit inside if any) will be destroyed.

Table: Actions.
4.7.3 Menu
Fig 12: The menu.

1. Save the game is available at the server.
2. Settings.
3. Return to the game.
4. Leave the game.

Fig 13: Settings in the running game.

1. Speed.
2. Volume of music.
3. Volume of sounds.
4. Confirm changes and return.
5. Discard changes and return.

4.7.4 Diplomacy
Fig 14: Diplomacy.

1. Relationships.
2. Diplomat.
3. Current state.
4. Offered state.
5. Reaction of the player who displayed the menu.
6. Return.

4.7.5 Events
Fig 15: Events in the game.

1. List of events.
2. Show/hide warnings.
3. Show/hide information messages.
4. Show/hide comments.
5. Move camera to the place of the event (not shown for all events).
6. Return.

4.7.6 Chat
During the network game it is possible to send a message to the other players. Press c to start typing. To send the message press enter, to cancel the message press enter.
4.8 Termination
Fig 16: Results of the game.

1. End of game message.
2. Statistic.
3. Return to the main menu.

5 Rules
5.1 Character of the game
8 Kingdoms is a fantasy strategic game for either one or more players.
The players represent rulers who tries in the playing world (schematize by the hex map) to conquer most of the land and wealth. The players their selves do not occur in the game directly, however, they control the land and command the units.
The players play one by one, during each turn only one player can give orders, the others can only observer. The order of players is fixed for the whole game.
The map is simplified world, as we know it, however, including magic creatures (elves, dwarfs). It is divided regularly into hex tiles. Each hex is described by its height and terrain: forest, plain, rocks, river, town etc.
On such a map there are unit moving, constructing buildings and fighting. The units represent groups of soldiers or single heroes. The player might obtain some number of these in the beginning, then the players have to pay, with money earned in the game, for the new ones. To basic actions of units belongs movement, attack, fight or healing themselves.
Special units called "builders" can construct buildings. The buildings help to defend cities and the land and as a savehold for wounded units as well. It is possible to buy new units or improve owned units qualities.
The players can move their unit when they are on turn. But not every unit can move for the same distance. Each unit gets Movement Points (MP), which are spent during the movement. Movement in different terrain and elevations costs different MP.
If the unit moves in the unexplored territory, it explores it and widens the players view over the map. The land where no unit of the player has gone before are hidden, as well as the places, where the units left from.
The units can attack both buildings and units, in a way which specify them: face-to-face attack, shooting etc. Each unit has several "lives", which loses during the fight. If they fall to zero, the unit dies and disappears from the map. However, the unit gains experiences during the fight (there are 7 levels of experience), which helps the unit to fight and defend better.
The money the player earns is dependent on the land under his control.
The current situation is also affected by the weather - it changes randomly from sunny, to rain and blizzard. The weather changes the fight conditions and even movement difficulty.
The players sign treaties among themselves. They can fight, or they can help each other, fighting common enemy.
5.2 The Game
In the first step, before the game starts, it is necessary to choose the map and assign players or AI to the roles. Further, when the map is choosen the end of game conditions can be changed: either eliminating all of opponents or conquering the majority of cities in the map.
When the game begins, the players change their turns in the fixed order. The length of one turn is not limited.
The game ends when the end condition is met or when just one player remains in the game (e.g. due to disconnection of other players in case of network game).
5.3 The Map
The map is divided by regular hexagonal net. Each hex is described by its height (values from 0 - the sea level, to 4 - peaks of mountains) and by its terrain (plain, town, swamp, rocks, forest, deep forest, river, shallow, sea), Both of these affect (differently for each unit) the MP spend by the unit when it moves.
There can be only one unit and one building on each hex. If the unit moves on the hex, where there is a building, it is took as entering the building. If the building belonged the other player it will be conquered.
The hexes having terrain "town" creates cities, which earns the owner money - the bigger the city is, the more money it produces. Conquering (changing owner of the city) occurs, when there is at least one unit of the attacker and there are not any other units of the other players.
The map is also divided into kingdoms, which are limited by their borders (bollards). Players can conquer any kingdom if they conquer all cities in the kingdom. This results in even more income.
5.4. Units
There are a couple of basic types of units. Each type has its advantage and disadvantage. The units can be build in one set building, except for magic units - the elves and dwarfs, whose occurence is restricted and they can be bought just in barracks which were built in the magical territory with occurrence of the race.
Each unit is described by its lives, movement points, experience and wounds. It is worth mentioning, that units like the mage or builder has several lives as well. We refer to lost lives when we talk about these units, on the contrary to lost men in the other units.
When the unit is attacked some of its men can be killed or wound. In the first case the unit lost men (lives) in the second case the unit can heal itself (within next 2 turns) and prevent itself from losing more men (lives). The unit can still replace lost men (lives) in buildings where it was created or in cities.
The unit is earning experience during the fight. These are represented by the stars on the unit picture. When the unit is bought it has 0 experiences and can end up to 7th level of experiences. Attacking and defense ability are increased when the unit gains new level. However if the unit replaces lost men in town (or in the building) using command "Draft peasants" (see Actions of units) it will lose some of the experiences. The experiences are not lost if after action "Hire elite soldiers".
Attributes of units are summarized in the table:

Icon | Name | Description
| Light infantry | The basic and cheap military unit.
| Heavy infantry | Stronger and tough unit, which is more expensive than light infantry. Due to their armour they are a bit slower.
| Pikemen | Unit caring big lances, which is extremely useful against mounted units.
| Light cavalry | Fast unit useful for exploring new land and conquering empty cities.
| Heavy cavalry | The strongest unit which frighten all enemies. However, exceptional abilities have to be paid in large sum of gold.
| Archers | On the one hand unit with low defense, on the other deadly attacker from the distance.
| Mounted Archers | Fast unit capable of shooting from the distance. However, this distance is not that great as in case of archers.
| Builder | The only unit which can construct new buildings and repair the old ones, including bridges.
| Catapult | Slow and weak defense of this unit is greatly compensated when enemy is under siege.
| Sappers | One purpose unit. Their wish is only to attack enemy buildings, however they cannot withdraw from the gigantic blast.
| Dwarfs | Tough unit with great attack and defense. However, it is quite rare to find their home.
| Elves | Weak on plains, unbeatable in forests. It is good luck to find their home.
| Mage | Powerful unit, whose spells are able to hit even units hidden in buildings while the building itself is left undamaged.

5.5 Buildings
The game 8 Kingdoms allows players to build 6 different types of buildings. There is a rule common for all of buildings - it can be built on a flat terrain, which means that the height of surrounding hexes must be the same as the height of hex where the building is to be built. Each type of building has its specific functionality, its cost and construction duration. Each building except for the bridge gives the units safehold, and increases their defense while they are inside. The state of the building is described (as in case of units) by lives (although it could be a bit confusing). During the construction the building earn lives and if attacked it loses them. If the lives drop to zero, the building is destroyed and disappaers from the map. The unit builder can prevent this from happening using the repair ability.
Some of the buildings can train units, some of them improve units abilities (the buildings sell bonuses) - the unit can get attack, defense or shooting ability or number of lives or range of attack improved.
List of the buildings:

Icon | Name | Description
| Blacksmith | Sells bonuses, produces builders.
| Barracks | Produces different kind of units.
| Bridge | Does not produce or sell anything, however, it can be used to overcome rives and bays.
| Castle | Provides the highest defense to the units (in comparsion with other buildings) and produces sappers and catapults.
| Fortress | Produces heavy infantry and heavy cavalry.
| Mage Tower | Produces Mages and sells magical bonuses (the most valuable and expensive).

5.6 Movement
Each kind of unit has different movement points (MPs). This number affect the distances the unit can travel - it exactly represents the number of hexes on flat plains it can move (except for elves, where the number represents the number of hexes in forest). The other terrain usually demands more MPs to use. The rives can be crossed only over bridges and shallows. Some of the units cannot move in the forest and no unit can move in the deep forest.
If the unit enters any building it will cost the remaining MPs in this turn. The same case happens when the unit attacks any target.
5.7 Sight
The players' sights are increased by their units, buildings and towns. Each unit and building has different sight, which covers circular area around the unit.
5.8 Fight
Fight is most important phenomenon in the game. Each unit, except for builders, can attack enemy unit or building. There is low-cost infantry, hardened but slower and more expensive heavy infantry. Mounted units are generally faster and stronger, however pikemen are deadly for them. Catapult might be useful siege weapon, but has to be protected due to its low defense. Similar unit is sappers, who attack buildings by explosives, but dies after the attack. The mage is unit rather expensive, however its spells can penetrate buildings walls and greatly affect units inside. Dwarfs are tough fighters , on the other hand elves rules forests.
Each unit can attack only once in one turn. Similarly to movement, after the attack the unit cannot perform some other actions - like healing - in the remaining time of the turn.
During the battle defending units or buildings lose lives and in case of type of face-to-face attack even attacker loses lives. The result of the battle is dependent on the strength of units, terrain where it happens, on the experiences of units, on number of lives of the unit, but there is also a random part.
5.9 Money
Money is necessity in the game. Players have to pay wage to the soldiers, spend money on new buildings and units and bonuses. The only income is taxes from cities and kingdom, which they own. The bigger the cities are, the bigger income they provide. However, even a player who does not have any city or kingdom gets a small amount every turn.
5.10 Weather
The weather changes - from sunny weather to rain or blizzard. During rain or blizzard some of the units can move slowly or attack poorly. Also the probability of hit of shooting units can be reduced.
5.11 Diplomacy
The players do not have to war among themselves. They can sign peace, or declare war to the enemy. If player A wants to sight peace with player B, player A suggests peace in his turn. When player B is on turn, he either accepts or rejects the offer. In the first case the treaty will have became valid at the beginning of next turn of player A, in the second it will not.
Peace forbids attacks among units and buildings of the players who signed the treaty or conquering their towns or buildings. State Neutrality is a bit looser, skirmish between units are allowed, however the rest is not. Hostility forbids just attacking units in cities and conquering them. In case of breaking any rule the treaty will be canceled and the attacker will be charged a penalty.
5.12 Tips

- It is advisable to conquer most of cities and kingdoms, which provides you with sufficient income.
- If you have only one builder protect it and build an armory as soon as possible. If you lose the only builder, you will not be able to construct any buildings.
- Plan your defense, you might also destroy your own buildings when they cannot be protected against an enemy.
- Let the archers attack first, the units will be weaker in face-to-face attack later
- Let your units attack preferentially units against whom they have any bonus.
- Use Mage, if you want to conquer enemy buildings
- Let at least small defense in cities and buildings in area near borders
- Watch your income carefully. If you buy too many units it can decrease rapidly.
- Heal wounded units so they will not lose lives. Recruit new men in buildings or town to prevent your experienced units from decimation.

6 Troubleshooting
The game is slow. Why?
8 Kingdoms is quite demanding game. You will need more advanced graphic card or the processor.
I own powerful computer with Linux and the game is still slow. Why?
You might not have installed graphic card drivers (try downloading them from the graphic card manufacturer web site - nVidia, ATI ...), which generally are not in the default distributions.
Is it possible to run the editor in Linux?
Editor is just for MS Windows. Try running it in Wine (have not been test so far).
I want to start a (network) game but the computer freezes. What should I do?
Check, if your firewall does not block the outgoing connection.
7 Editor
Using the editor
New maps can be created in the editor. The maximum size of maps is 30x70 hexes.
Creating plain new map
Fig 17: .

1. Editing tools.
2. Create a new map with parameters specified later.
3. Open an existing map.
4. Save an opened map.
5. Set the diplomacy.
6. Creates a random map with parameters specified later - number of peaks, number of forests, whether change terrain to deep forest only on hexes where there is forest, number of forests around to change terrain to deep forest, number of rivers, the minimal height of springs, steepness, forest spreading probability (their size), probability that the terrain of hex which meets the requirements will change to deep forest.
7. List of layers and turning on/off. Buttons Up and Down will change the order of painting of the layers.
8. List of the roles, selecting the "active" one.
9. Close the editor.

Parameters of new map
Fig 18: .

1. Map name.
2. File name.
3. Size (including hexes in the border area).
4. Map description.
5. Selecting roles and their initial money.
6. Create the map / return.

Modifying of terrains and heights
Fig 19: .

1. Range (radius) affected area.
2. Height.
3. Terrain.
4. Different heights - from 0 to 4.
5. Different terrains.
6. Selected hex information.
7. Coordinates of the position of the cursor.
8. Selected hex.
9. Hex with the cursor.

Cities
Fig 20: .

1. Modifying terrain and height at the same time.
2. Adding a city.
3. City information, when changed, press Save Town Values to save changes. Role owner is the owner of the city. When is the button >> pressed, the owner will be changed to the one selected in Role selection.
4. It is allowed to modify height and terrain in the border area.

Units
Fig 21: .

1. Units.
2. Inserted unit (catapult).
3. Unit information, when changed, press Save Unit Values to save changes.

Buildings
Fig 22: .

1. Buildings.
2. Inserted buildings (bridge).
3. Building information, when changed, press Save Building Values to save changes. Change the orientation of the building by pressing L or R button. The arrow shows where the entrance of the building is. It is essential to set orientation especially for bridges, which modifies access hexes to the bridge. If the arrow points directly to the center of another hex, the entrance to the bridge will be just from this hex and the one where the end of the arrow points. In case, the arrows points between 2 hexes the entrance will be from both these hexes and from 2 hexes on the other side of the river.

Fig 23: .

1. Kingdoms.
2. Whether to place just one hex of the kingdom or the center.
3. Generate the kingdoms from their centers or remove whole kingdom.
4. Center of the kingdom.
5. Borders of the kingdoms - colours of kingdoms do not refer to its owner. Still the red player can own e.g. green kingdom.
6. The specific layer must be turned on to modify kingdoms.
7. Kingdom information and modifying owner.

Magical units
Fig 24: .

1. The specific layer must be turned on to add magical units.
2. List of magical units and setting their occurrence.

Save the game
When the button Save Map is pressed the validation of the map take place. It means that several rules are followed: units cannot be placed in the border area or in the foreign buildings. The buildings must be placed on plat terrain (the height of the surrounding hexes must be the same as the height of the center one). The cities must be whole only in one kingdom. All found problems would be shown with possibility to locate them on the map. Unless any problem is found the game will be saved.
8 Tutorial
In this chapter, we will demonstrate basic principles in this game. To be able to follow this tutorial, please start Local Game and choose the map Introduction. Further, set Role2 to AI Hard. The next screenshot displays the screen.
Obrázek 25: Map settings.
When the game starts, think about the strategy. To demonstrate the very basic, we will follow one specific plan. At the beginning, we will select the builder and build () a bridge in the north. Use the arrows to rotate the bridge, so it will not lead into the town but the neighbouring plain.
Obrázek 26: Building a bridge.
When the builder starts the work, we choose the light infantry and move it () to the closes hex of neutral city in the SW of the map. Since the city is empty, the town is captured, which will result in higher income next turn.
Obrázek 27: Light infantry conquers a city.
Now, let the archers shoot at () the enemy.
Obrázek 28: Ambush.
Because we can expect revenge in the next turn, we will strenghten our army. In the barracs in SE of the map we will recruit a new unit() and select dwarfs.
Obrázek 29: New unit.
During next turns we have to try to conquer enemy cities and buildings. As the current diplomatic state is neutral, we declare war to prevent any penalties from breaking the treaty.
Obrázek 30: Declaring war.
Our units are exhausted now. Therefore we press Turn Done and observe carefully what will happen. The future is in your hands. Good luck!