autotanks

​A simple real-time strategy game optimized for gamepads and hot seat battles against other players.

Connect up to 4 gamepads and play the battles with your friends using a single computer!

How to play: a quick guide

• Send the starting builder to some nearby sector
• Build builders to expand, you need many sectors
• Order some tanks to defend your bases and to attack the enemy
• When under attack, consider to build a defensive turret (E on keyboard)

Game basics overview

Players start with a base (HQ) and one builder. A builder can be sent to some free sector and capture it by building a new base. Bases (including HQ) can be used to build new units.

Every unit (tanks) consist of two parts: a hull and a turret. Depending on what resources and situation you have, different combinations can be considered optimal. You should always try to utilize your resources in the best way possible.

There are 3 types of resources:

• Iron (metal nugget icon)
• Gold (yellow sphere icon)
• Oil (blue barrel icon)

Normally, a sector has one resource assigned to it. When you build a base in that sector, you will get +1 of that resource per 5 seconds. Starting sectors have a "combined" resource, they produce 1 unit of each resource kind.

When you build a tank, it will stay near the base that produced it. You can select all tanks in the sector by pressing Space, then select a target sector and press Space again to send the units. After you send the units, you can't control them.

If your squad had a builder, it will capture a sector if it is not yet occupied. Note that if manage to build a base, all escort tanks will stay near that newly established base.

Controls

In menu:

• W, S - selects the focused menu button
• A, D - loop through the focused button options
• Enter - activate button / toggle option
• Escape - to the previous screen

In game:

• W, A, S, D - move the sector selector
• Space - select units / send units
• Enter - open sector menu (when owned sector is selected)
• E - build a defensive turret (when owned sector is selected)
• Q - cancel selection / action
• Escape - back to the menu

In sector menu (also in game):

• W, S - select turret/hull entry
• A, S - loop through the selected item (turret or hull) options
• Space - order selected design
• Enter, Q - close the menu

Gamepad controls

We use Xbox controller button names in this section. Up, Down, Left, Right are the buttons from the D-pad.

In menu:

• Up, Down - selects the focused menu button
• Left, Right - loop through the focused button options

In game:

• Up, Down, Left, Right - move the sector selector
• A - select units / send units
• X - open sector menu (when owned sector is selected)
• Y - build a defensive turret (when owned sector is selected)
• B - cancel selection / action

In sector menu:

• Up, Down - select turret/hull entry
• Left, Right - loop through the selected item (turret or hull) options
• A - order selected design
• X, B - close the menu

New game configuration

Extra game rules (can enable more than one):

• Close combat: make starting locations closer to each other.
• Barren center: central sectors have no resources.
• Doubled income: all income is doubled (2 per sector instead of 1).
• Quick start: players start with two bases instead of one.
• Balanced Resources: generate a map with fair resources distribution
• HQ siege: losing an HQ base casuses the immediate defeat.
• No fortifications: building battle post fortifications (turrets) is prohibited.
• Mud terrain: causes tanks to move and turn slower.

Team modes:

• 2 vs 2: slot1+slot2 versus slot3+slot4
• 1 vs 3: slot1 versus slot2+slot3+slot4
• deathmatch: everyone versus everyone
• vs leader: dynamically changing alliances

In vs leader teams mode, you start like in deathmatch, but every few seconds a "leader" is selected, making everyone except that leader allied against that leader. A leader is a player that has the most sectors captured.