Machines at War Help File

Get the MEGA hit game and more like it at Isotope 244

Machines at War is available for Windows, Macintosh, Windows Mobile Pocket PC, and the Smartphone.

 

Contents

 

Introduction

Command an army of forces across the battlefield with ease in this real time strategy game.  You are challenged to construct an epic war machine and use it to become a dominating world power.

Machines at War features a random map system so every game you play is unique and poses new challenges.  Build bridges to cross water, mow down forests to clear a path to the enemy, build walls to defend your position, track tread marks left by enemy tanks to their base, hide under trees for an ambush attack, these are just some of the unique game play elements available.

Expand your city with over 40 structures and units to choose from.  As your empire grows you can research technologies to guide the focus of your strategy.  Choose to be a economic powerhouse and flood the enemy with an endless barrage of units.  Or upgrade your defensive forces and build an insurmountable fortification of turrets and fortresses surrounded by walls and gates.  If blitzkrieg is your style, then embolden your offensive forces with unique weapon upgrades and demoralize the enemy with an unstoppable force.

Build vehicles and aircraft to take control of the land and air including tanks, jeeps, trucks, helicopters, jets, VTOLs, turrets, and more.  After each battle detailed statistics are displayed showing the how the tides of war changed for each player.

 

User Interface

 

The screen is divided into four main areas:
1) Status - Displayed are the number of credits you have, the current power level, and your forces population. Credits are gained by collecting ore. Power is increased by building generators.
2) Command - A set of clickable icons allows you to build additional structures and units. The icons change based on what unit and tab you have selected.
3) Minimap - The map displays an overview of the landscape showing the location of units, resources, trees, and water. Click in the map to move the view.
4) Shortcuts (only on Mobile devices) - Buttons labeled X (exit) ? (help) C (clear selection) 1-4 (group 1-4) S (set group) H (view headquarters)


 

Game Play Tutorial

Activate the in game tutorial and help page by pressing the ? button twice or the 'H' keyboard key.

Starting Area
 When the game begins you will see a headquarters and scavengers. Scavengers collect ore which is processed and yields credits to purchase more structures and units. The headquarters building allows you to build additional scavengers and scouts.

Command Box
 Notice in the command box there are several tabs to view more pages of units and structures. Click on the Bldg tab to see which buildings you can create. Notice if you hover over the icon a description of each unit will display. On the Pocket PC to view descriptions without creating a unit release the stylus while it's not on the icon.

Building a Garage
 After you gain 300 credits, click on the garage icon then place the garage somewhere around your base (you can only build in viewable locations).

Getting Started
 Now click on your HQ and build a few more scavengers. You will notice Scavengers automatically find and mine new ore. After the garage is complete you can build offensive vehicles to attack the enemy.

Building an Army
 To build offensive units, select the garage, then in the command box click the Units tab, and finally click the unit icon you want to build. You will see a blue progress bar over the garage indicating the build progress.

Selection
 To select units click and drag over the area containing the units. To select one unit click on it. To add to your selection hold the shift button. To select many units of one type double click a unit.

Moving
 To move units, select units, then click on the ground where you want them to move to.

Attacking
 To attack, move your units into range of the enemy, then click on the enemy.

More Power
 Each structure uses power, you will need to build power cells (under the Engr tab) in order to build more structures.

New Structures
 As you create more buildings, new units and structures will be available.

Research
 To research new technologies build a Lab then open the Technology Tree by selecting the Lab and clicking the Tech tab, then Research icon. You automatically get 15 research points to spend on new technologies to upgrade your structures and units.

More Help
 To find out more information about units and structures, you can click the ? shortcut then click on any object to see more information.


Advanced Game Play Topics

Grouping
 Usually attacks are carried out by multiple units, to help you coordinate this you can group units together so they can be selected by clicking a group shortcut. To set a group on mobile devices press the set shortcut button S then select a group shortcut button 1-4. Using the keyboard you can set 10 groups using the keys 0-9, to set a group use Control 0-9, and to recall a group press 0-9.
Mobile:  Use the shortcut buttons S then 1-4, or keyboard buttons as defined in the control settings.
PC:  Use Control+0-9 to set a gropu, and 0-9 to recall a group.

Button Shortcuts
 Most of the controls in the game can be issued via hardware buttons or keyboards. These are customizable in the games settings.

Mass Building
 Some units which you need to build a lot of, allow building several at a time, such as walls and power cells. To build many at a time, click the unit icon, then in the game play area click and drag which will create a line of units.
To build several units at a factory, select several factories by double clicking one of them, then click a unit icon in the command area, a unit will be queued in each factory selected.

Mass Selection
To select all units of the same type on the screen double click any unit, you can also add to, and remove from the selection using keys, see the customize controls screen.

Population
 Only mobile and static armed units count towards the population limit.

Build Scaling
 The more structures you build at the same time (except for walls), the slower they will be built.

Power Scaling
 The more power reserves you have, the faster structures will be built. For example if your total power usage is 500, and your total reserves are 1000, 1 structure will be built twice as fast.

Unit Orders
 When all units are created their default order is Attack. To change a units standing orders select the unit, then press the CHANGE ORDERS key to toggle through them. If you change multiple units orders at once, all units will be set to the new orders given to the first unit in the selection. You can set scouts and scavengers to Hold and they will stop automatically scouting and scavenging.
Hold - Don't move or return fire even if attacked.
Defend - Don't move but do return fire.
Attack - Return fire and move and attack enemy units within view.
Move+Attack - Cancel move orders and attack any new target encountered while en route to a new target.
Patrol - Continuously move between the current location and the next location given, attack any new target in range.

Setting a Building Rally Point
 When you have 1 building selected hold the SET SELECTION key then click where you want to set the rally point. On the Smartphone the ACTION key sets the rally point.

Cancel Placing a Structure
 Press the EXIT key. On the Pocket PC you can also click on the 'C' shortcut.

Destroy a Structure
 Select the structure then press the DELETE UNITS key. On the PC this is the ESCAPE key, on the Pocket PC the D key, and on the Smartphone the J key. If your device doesn't have a keyboard you will have to remap the key in the settings menu.

Memory Errors
 See the readme.txt file in the games directory for more information on game settings, memory usage, and performance.

Pocket PCs with Keyboards
 If your device has a keyboard which slides out and changes the screen rotation the arrow keys may not work correctly with the game. To fix this slide the keyboard out before opening the game, or remap the arrow keys in the control settings.


Smartphone Controls (Windows Mobile 6 Standard)

If your device has no touchscreen the game is fully playable via hardware keys, by default these are:
Button 1 = Select unit under cursor, move units to cursor, make selection
Butotn 2 = Change tabs in the command area
Home Key = Move view to last built headquarters
Back Arrow Key = Clear selection, back out of menus, open menu
If your smartphone has a keyboard many keys will already be mapped, check the customize control settings menu for a full listing of keyboard keys.
NOTE some devices the keys may be different or mapped incorrectly, simply enter the games controls menu and customize them for your device if this is the case.



Buildings

Headquarters
The center of operations for your campaign. The only place you can create scavengers from.
Cost 1500 - Time 50 - Health 4000 - PowerReserve 400 - ViewRad 150.0 - Classes Building, Recycler

Cooling Tower
Place cooling towers around extractors to help them operate more efficiently, increasing their output.
Cost 55 - Time 25 - Health 100 - PowerUsage 50 - ViewRad 32.0 - Classes Building - Requires Extractor

Extractor
Extractors mine ore from deep below the ground yielding a large amount of ore over time. The mining rate decreases as the drill digs deeper.
Cost 1200 - Time 80 - Health 600 - PowerUsage 500 - ViewRad 100.0 - Classes Building, Extractor - Requires Lab

Lab
The lab allows you to research new technologies which let you build new types of structures or units, or upgrade your existing units.
Cost 800 - Time 60 - Health 500 - PowerUsage 500 - ViewRad 50.0 - Classes Building

Power Cell
Power cells supply structures and units with power. The more power reserves you have, the faster structures are built.
Cost 100 - Time 12 - Health 500 - PowerReserve 125 - ViewRad 50.0 - Classes Building, Power Cell

Reactor
More efficient and cheaper per MW than power cells.
Cost 600 - Time 35 - Health 900 - PowerReserve 850 - ViewRad 75.0 - Classes Building, Power Cell - Requires Lab

Fusion Plant
This plant pumps out 4000 MW by fusing atomic nuclei together which releases massive amounts of energy.
Cost 2500 - Time 120 - Health 3000 - PowerReserve 4000 - ViewRad 75.0 - Classes Building, Power Cell - Requires Reactor

Radar Tower
Detect enemy positions far away and in invisible locations.
Cost 500 - Time 60 - Health 1000 - PowerUsage 400 - ViewRad 200.0 - RadarRad 400.0 - Classes Building, Radar - Requires Lab

Refinery
Scavengers can drop their collected ore at refineries. Locate them to minimize scavenger travel distance.
Cost 400 - Time 30 - Health 2000 - PowerUsage 300 - ViewRad 125.0 - Classes Building, Recycler - Requires Headquarters

Processor
This is a small refinery with dual miniguns for built in protection. It also features more strength and an extended view range.
Cost 500 - Time 40 - Health 2500 - Range 90 - PowerUsage 450 - ViewRad 125.0 - Attack 2.6 - RepeatRate 0.3 - AmmoSpeed 150.0 - Classes Turret, Building, Recycler - Requires Refinery, Factory

Fortress
The biggest structure in the game. The fortress features awesome firepower with four long range cannons.
Cost 3000 - Time 180 - Health 4000 - Range 115 - PowerUsage 2000 - ViewRad 175.0 - Attack 50.0 - RepeatRate 0.8 - AmmoSpeed 160.0 - Classes Turret, Building, MultiBarrel - Requires Factory, Lab

Garage
The garage allows you to build offensive vehicles.
Cost 300 - Time 40 - Health 1000 - PowerUsage 200 - ViewRad 100.0 - Classes Building - Requires Headquarters

Factory
A factory allows you to build defensive turrets and specialized vehicles.
Cost 550 - Time 40 - Health 1000 - PowerUsage 300 - ViewRad 100.0 - Classes Building - Requires Headquarters

Airport
Launch air attacks from airports and dominate the skies.
Cost 800 - Time 40 - Health 1000 - PowerUsage 500 - ViewRad 113.0 - Classes Building - Requires Garage, Factory

Outpost
A cheap buliding to keep a lookout for advancing enemy troops.
Cost 50 - Time 15 - Health 100 - PowerUsage 50 - ViewRad 175.0 - Classes Building



Units

Apache
The Apache fires anti-tank guided missiles designed to destroy heavily-armored machines.
Cost 350 - Time 20 - Health 200 - Armor 75 - Speed 60 - Range 90 - ViewRad 100.0 - Attack 42.0 - RepeatRate 0.6 - AmmoSpeed 150.0 - Classes Medium Armor, Airborne

Raptor
The Raptor fires super high rate dual chain guns to mow down medium armor units.
Cost 400 - Time 25 - Health 150 - Armor 30 - Speed 70 - Range 75 - ViewRad 125.0 - Attack 8.0 - RepeatRate 0.2 - AmmoSpeed 200.0 - Classes Airborne, Light Armor

Osprey
The Osprey is outfitted with a massive 80mm cannon for destroying light armor units with ease.
Cost 300 - Time 15 - Health 400 - Armor 60 - Speed 50 - Range 80 - ViewRad 125.0 - Attack 60.0 - RepeatRate 1.0 - AmmoSpeed 75.0 - Classes Heavy Armor, Airborne

Archer
This long range artillery vehicle is very useful for taking out turrets and buildings.
Cost 500 - Time 20 - Health 100 - Armor 50 - Speed 15 - Range 110 - ViewRad 110.0 - Attack 200.0 - RepeatRate 5.0 - AmmoSpeed 100.0 - Classes Light Armor, Artillery

Challenger
It may be slow, but once it gets there, this tank will annihilate both light armor units and buildings with its 120mm cannon.
Cost 250 - Time 15 - Health 200 - Armor 150 - Speed 25 - Range 60 - ViewRad 75.0 - Attack 60.0 - RepeatRate 1.0 - AmmoSpeed 150.0 - Classes Heavy Armor, Mobile Ground

Cougar
The cougar sports a 14.5 mm heavy machine gun particularly useful against medium armor units.
Cost 170 - Time 12 - Health 400 - Armor 60 - Speed 40 - Range 50 - ViewRad 100.0 - Attack 7.0 - RepeatRate 0.2 - AmmoSpeed 200.0 - Classes Light Armor, Mobile Ground

TOW Humvee
This fast truck fires a Tube launched, Optically tracked, Wire command link guided missile which are great against heavy armor units.
Cost 120 - Time 8 - Health 150 - Armor 120 - Speed 45 - Range 55 - ViewRad 75.0 - Attack 20.0 - RepeatRate 0.8 - AmmoSpeed 75.0 - Classes Medium Armor, Mobile Ground

M779 Cannon
This powerful cannon is equiped with a massive 155mm caliber which obliterates light armor units.
Cost 200 - Time 25 - Health 360 - Armor 300 - Range 95 - PowerUsage 60 - ViewRad 100.0 - Attack 50.0 - RepeatRate 1.0 - AmmoSpeed 150.0 - Classes Heavy Armor, Turret - Requires Factory

Flame Cannon
This point defense weapon features a super hot flame which melts through light armor.
Cost 300 - Time 30 - Health 400 - Armor 300 - Range 90 - PowerUsage 60 - ViewRad 100.0 - Attack 150.0 - RepeatRate 2.0 - AmmoSpeed 40.0 - Classes Heavy Armor, Turret - Requires Advanced Vapor Control, Factory

Minigun
A small chain gun to protect scavengers or your base from early attacks. Excels vs aircraft.
Cost 125 - Time 15 - Health 300 - Armor 200 - Range 75 - PowerUsage 40 - ViewRad 85.0 - Attack 2.6 - RepeatRate 0.2 - AmmoSpeed 150.0 - Classes Light Armor, Turret - Requires Headquarters

Bertha
The longest ranged weapon in the game, it can kill most units with one shot.
Cost 2000 - Time 90 - Health 1500 - Armor 1000 - Range 500 - PowerUsage 800 - ViewRad 100.0 - Attack 600.0 - RepeatRate 15.0 - AmmoSpeed 150.0 - Classes Light Armor, Turret - Requires Factory, Radar Tower

AP250
This turret fires a double chain of 50mm Armor Peircing rounds which chew through medium armor units.
Cost 200 - Time 30 - Health 800 - Armor 200 - Range 90 - PowerUsage 100 - ViewRad 110.0 - Attack 2.6 - RepeatRate 0.1 - AmmoSpeed 200.0 - Classes Light Armor, Turret - Requires Factory

M300 MRLS
The Multiple Launch Rocket System rapidly fires a dual stream of rockets which destroy heavy armor units.
Cost 200 - Time 30 - Health 500 - Armor 300 - Range 90 - PowerUsage 75 - ViewRad 110.0 - Attack 20.0 - RepeatRate 0.9 - AmmoSpeed 75.0 - Classes Medium Armor, Turret - Requires Factory

Scout
A very lightweight vehicle useful for discovering new areas or tracking the enemy.
Cost 100 - Time 12 - Health 150 - Speed 55 - Range 50 - ViewRad 60.0 - Attack 1.0 - RepeatRate 0.3 - AmmoSpeed 200.0 - Classes Light Armor, Mobile Ground, Scout

Repair
This truck can repair damaged units and buildings.
Cost 500 - Time 30 - Health 270 - Armor 120 - Speed 15 - Range 55 - PowerUsage 200 - ViewRad 75.0 - Classes Repair




Technologies

To research technologies you must build a Lab.  Researching technologies allows you to greatly increase your units firepower, health, armor, and speed.  You can also gain special units and structures not available normally.  You are given 15 points to spend on technologies.  You will only be able to research a fraction of the available technologies, so choose them wisely.  The technology tree is divided into three main categories, Economic, Defensive, and Offensive, with a few technologies outside of these categories.  The most powerful technologies are located at the bottom of the tree, and require you to devote a large percentage of your technology points to one strategy to research it.  This makes the game more interesting as you will fight opponents with different bonuses and strategies than yourself.

Joint Strike Research Team
Recruit a team of top engineers to to research offensive upgrades.
Points 4 - Time 45

Fuel Refinery
A higher octane fuel provides your ground forces 15% more speed.
Points 2 - Time 60 - Requires Joint Strike Research Team

Laser Etched Barrels
A more precise barrel manufacturing technique increases your ground units range by 20%.
Points 1 - Time 60 - Requires Fuel Refinery

FLIR Prism Focusing
Ground units have 20% increased visability thanks to a new imaging technology.
Points 1 - Time 70 - Requires Laser Etched Barrels

Explosives Research
Refine the chemical recipe for your ground units increasing firepower by 15%.
Points 2 - Time 90 - Requires FLIR Prism Focusing

Carbon Fiber Turbines
Lighter weight turbines allow your aircraft to travel 15% faster.
Points 2 - Time 40 - Requires Joint Strike Research Team

Laser Guidance System
Aircraft can lock onto targets 25% farther.
Points 1 - Time 40 - Requires Carbon Fiber Turbines

Advanced RADAR Waveguide
Precision manufacturing leads to 20% performance increase aircrafts radar.
Points 1 - Time 40 - Requires Laser Guidance System

Shell Casing Research
Airborne units firepower is now 25% more lethal.
Points 2 - Time 50 - Requires Advanced RADAR Waveguide

Think Tank Compound
Create a center to carry out intensive research on defensive techologies.
Points 4 - Time 30

High Strength Barricades
Reinforce your walls with 20% more steel.
Points 1 - Time 30 - Requires Think Tank Compound

Molecular Hardened Steel
Surround all buildings with a special blend of steel to increase the damage they can withstand by 25%.
Points 2 - Time 45 - Requires High Strength Barricades

Advanced Vapor Control
Research gas spraying technologies to build a power flame cannon.
Points 3 - Time 90 - Requires Molecular Hardened Steel

High Volume Charges
Increase the powder charge of turret shells by 10% yeilding better range.
Points 1 - Time 25 - Requires Think Tank Compound

Advanced Ceramic Armor
Add ceramic plating to all turrets to increase the damage they can take by 20%.
Points 1 - Time 45 - Requires High Volume Charges

Specialized Optics
Creating special optical components for turrets yeilds 20% better view.
Points 1 - Time 30 - Requires Advanced Ceramic Armor

Dirty Ordinance
Outfit turrets with chemically laced ammo to increase their damage by 20%.
Points 2 - Time 60 - Requires Specialized Optics

Topological Lightweight Armor
Improve armor technology for vehicles through the topological arrangement of multiple materials to achieve 15% more armor.
Points 1 - Time 45 - Requires Think Tank Compound

Dual Property Steel Armor
Manufacturing technology to fabricate covers for critical components yields a 20% increase in aircraft protection.
Points 1 - Time 45 - Requires Topological Lightweight Armor

Department of Engineering
Create a team of analysts which specialize in economic development.
Points 3 - Time 30

LIDAR Trackers
Light-Imaging Detection and Ranging optical sensors are attached to all scavengers giving them 100% increased visability.
Points 1 - Time 30 - Requires Department of Engineering

Titanium Alloy Casing
Increases excavation vehicles armor by 70%.
Points 1 - Time 30 - Requires LIDAR Trackers

Enhanced GPS Surveying
Scavengers use satellite positioning to find open ore locations 15% faster.
Points 1 - Time 35 - Requires Titanium Alloy Casing

Ultrasonic Drill
Scavengers drill ore 20% faster.
Points 1 - Time 30 - Requires Department of Engineering

Diamond Nanorod Bits
Increases excavators drilling power by 30%.
Points 2 - Time 40 - Requires Ultrasonic Drill

Refinery Armor
Fortify your refineries with armor increasing their strength by 100%.
Points 1 - Time 40 - Requires Department of Engineering

Scavenger Sentry
Allows you to build a elite scavengers which have gun turrets.
Points 3 - Time 90 - Requires Refinery Armor

Enhanced Concrete Mix
Upgrade all buildings with a specially formualated concrete mix increasing their strength by 15%.
Points 1 - Time 45 - Requires Scavenger Sentry

Secret Agents
Implant agents in the enemies research centers giving you detailed intel on their research status.
Points 2 - Time 90

UWB RADAR
Convert your RADAR towers to use ultra-wideband technology to increase their range by 30%.
Points 1 - Time 20

High Efficiency Generators
All power cells produce 20% more power.
Points 1 - Time 25

Mass Fragmentation
Mines are 30% more powerful.
Points 1 - Time 15

IMS Countermeasures
Allows you to build intelligent munitions systems mines which only attack enemy units.
Points 1 - Time 20 - Requires Mass Fragmentation

Interlocking Barricades
Increases wall strength by 15%.
Points 1 - Time 40



Mobile Game Settings

You only have to worry about these settings on the Mobile platforms.  These are game settings which greatly affect memory and performance.

Map Size: Because the number of environmental objects and the worst case time of path finding increases quadratically with the map size, increasing the map size can affect game performance a lot. It also uses a lot more memory. A huge map size requires 7 MB of memory for the map data alone, while the normal map size requires about 3 MB.

Trees: This controls how many trees are on a map. The more trees, the more units the game has to draw and test bullet collisions with. Each tree is destroyable and can provide cover for your units, so they are a tacticle advantage. I wouldn't mess with this at all, only lower it if you are experiencing slow performance.

Particles: If you have a fast Pocket PC (600mhz or higher) and a QVGA screen, you can probably set this to High. The high setting will draw some really cool black smoke effects.

Idle Sounds: This enables sounds for all units on the screen (trucks engines, building sounds) and effects memory usage and performance since more sounds are playing. I suggest leaving this off.

Population: I don't suggest going over a population of 100 unless you have at least a 600mhz processor and have only 2 Players.

Memory Errors
If you are running out of memory when starting a game try the following, do one at a time then test the game to see if any progress is made.

PDA/Device Settings:
 Check your memory settings. If you have at least 25 MB of free Program Memory then continue with the Game Settings below. If not move the memory slider so 15 MB or more is showing under Program Memory.
Close all running programs using the Task Manager.
Remove any old unused programs that occupy your main storage memory.
Make sure the game is not installed the same memory as program memory.
Soft reset your device, this will clear all used program memory and defragment it.

Game Settings:
 Turn the sound option Stereo off.
Decrease the map size.
Set number of players to 2.
Turn Idle and Voice sound options off.
Set the Music Volume to 0.
Set the Graphics Options Trees to 0.
Set the Graphics Options Particles to Off.
Set the Sound Effects volume to 0.
Set cached blit to off the restart the game.

The absolute minimum for the game to run is about 8-9 MB of free memory, set all options as suggested above and set the map size to tiny.

AUDIOVOX SMT5600
I personally have this phone and it has very little free program memory, open the task manager application to see how much you have, after a soft reset (toggling the power) you should have 10.5 MB of memory which is enough to run the game with the following settings.

10.5 MB Settings
Sound and Music on
Voice on
Trees 0.2
Particles Medium
Map Size Small
Cached blit off

If you still can't get it working please send the log.txt file in the games directory to support@isotope244.com and I may be able to help you out.



Mobile Music Upgrade

Because of the limited storage space on mobile devices the default sound and music sampling rate is very low to reduce the install size. If you have extra room and want higher quality audio you can copy the Desktop PC sound and music files to your mobile device for higher quality sound and music. To do this install the demo OR full version for the PC, then explore to the games install directory. For sound copy the sound.zip file to your mobile device and overwrite the old ones in the games directory. For music copy the *.ogg files in the music directory to your mobile device. WARNING: Using the higher quality music will not effect game performance or memory usage, but using the higher quality sound will, since all sound samples are preloaded into memory, be sure you have at least 25 MB of free program memory before doing this.

Copyright 2007 Isotope244 Graphics LLC. All rights reserved.