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[TOC] ¶

# Basic Interface ¶

This part of the Game Help explains the buttons on the starting screen, options and multiplayer. ¶


## Starting the game ¶
When you start Widelands you first see the splash-screen and get then to the starting menu: ¶

[![image_main_menu_small.png](/wlmedia/wlimages/image_main_menu_small.png)](/wlmedia/wlimages/image_main_menu.png) ¶

The options are: ¶

* _'Play Tutorial'_ - Leads directly into a game with tutorial to learn the basics: how to build streets and different buildings, how to expand your territory, how to train your soldiers and how to start a battle with another tribe. ¶
* _'Single Player'_ - Let you play tutorials, campaigns or load a previous saved game. See chapter [New Game](/wiki/GameHelpbasicInterface#new_game) ¶
* _'Multi Player'_ - Allows you to open a multiplayer game for several human players. See chapter [Multiplayer](/wiki/GameHelpbasicInterface#multi_player) for basic usage and article GameHelpmultiplayer for technical information ¶
* _'Watch Replay'_ - See [Watch Replay](/wiki/GameHelpbasicInterface/#watch_replay) ¶
* _'Editor'_ - With the wiedelands editor you could design your own map. See [EditorHelp](/wiki/EditorHelpHelp) for more information ¶
* _'Options'_ - See [Options](/wiki/GameHelpbasicInterface/#options) ¶
* _'View Readme'_ - Actual information about the project and helping information ¶
* _'License'_ - License information ¶
* _'Exit Widelands'_ - Quit the game :-( ¶

####New Game ¶
Allows you to open a game in order to play alone or against the computer. ¶

To start a new single player game, click 'Single Player', 'New Game' and choose the map you want to play on. At the right side you see the map description. After having chosen a map, you may chose the starting positions (click on the flag), the tribes and the number of computer players. You can always lower the number of computer players, you can even play completely alone on a multiplayer map. To deactivate a computer player, just click on the checkbox next to the player's name. ¶

Another important choice is the win condition: ¶

* 'Endless Game' ¶
* 'Autocrat': You're the winner when there are only your buildings left ¶
* 'Collectors': Collecting military wares gives points, the player with the most points after a certain playing time is the winner. You get more information in the message box in-game. ¶
* 'Territorial Lord': The player who possesses more than the half of the land for some time is the winner. ¶
* 'Wood Gnome': The player with the most trees (living on the map) in his territory after a certain playing time is the winner. ¶

For one map ('The Green Plateau') you can choose to play it as scenario (with Barbarians). To play the scenario, click 'Load Map as scenario' after you have chosen this map (on the same screen). ¶

####Campaigns ¶
Here you learn step by step the history and economy of the different tribes. To present, there are two campaigns, one for Barbarians (first to play) and one for Empire (can be played after the Barbarians campaign). In future, there will also be an Atlantean campaign. ¶

####Load Game ¶
Loads a previously saved single-player-game (with one human and 0 to x computer players). ¶

### Multi Player ¶
Allows you to open a multiplayer game for several human players. ¶
For more technical information on this subject, check out the GameHelpmultiplayer. ¶

In recent development snapshots and from build 16 on there is a new Menu when ¶
you join or open a new Multi Player Game: ¶

####Client settings ¶
![menu_tab_watch.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/menu_tab_watch.png) ![genstats_enable_plr_01.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/genstats_enable_plr_01.png) ![genstats_enable_plr_02.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/genstats_enable_plr_02.png) ![genstats_enable_plr_03.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/genstats_enable_plr_03.png) ![genstats_enable_plr_04.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/genstats_enable_plr_04.png) ![genstats_enable_plr_05.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/genstats_enable_plr_05.png) ![genstats_enable_plr_06.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/genstats_enable_plr_06.png) ![genstats_enable_plr_07.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/genstats_enable_plr_07.png) ![genstats_enable_plr_08.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/genstats_enable_plr_08.png) ¶
You can choose to be a spectator or a player with a certain color. As a spectator, you'll see the whole map and the contents of all buildings of all players. You will also be able to chat with the players but you cannot participate in the game. ¶
As a player, you can choose all colors marked „open“ in the Player settings ![continue.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/continue.png) or that others players have already taken. The color defines your starting position on the map. If two clients (humans) have chosen the same color, they both control the same player, so they have a common headquarter, a common vision and can both control the same things on their common land. ¶

####Player settings ¶
To the right of the client list, next to the player color flags you can choose your tribe (Barbarians, Empire, Atlanteans), your initialization (headquarter or castle village) and -if you want to - you can create teams. ¶
Two players (widelanders with different colors) in a team can‘t attack one another and share a common vision. They do have their own stock and can only control their own land. The two team players do not need to be of the same tribe. ¶


![ai_aggressive.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/ai_Aggressive.png) ![ai_normal.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/ai_Normal.png) ![ai_defensive.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/ai_Defensive.png) ![ai_none.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/ai_None.png) ¶
The players (widelanders) which are not controlled by humans can be controlled by a computer client. You can choose if it should be aggressive, normal, defensive or none (which means a headquarter standing around and doing nothing). ¶


![shared_in.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/shared_in.png) ¶
„Shared in“ means this starting position is controlled by one of the other players (widelanders with a certain color - may they in turn be controlled by one or several humans or AIs). ¶
Example: On the yellow starting position you have chosen „shared in“ the red player. So there will be no yellow player (widelander) in the game. The position once marked yellow on the map will have a second red headquarter. The red player can see two red starting positions and can control the widelanders in both of them. It is like one widelands nation on two distinct map points. They are automatically the same tribe. The stock, message box and the statistics are also shared. ¶


![stop.png](/wlmedia//wlimages/stop.png) ¶
If a starting position is closed, there will be no player (no widelanders) on this starting position of the map. ¶


####Map settings ¶
You can see information about the map here. There is also a button to load another map or saved game. ¶
Below this you see the chosen win condition (see here for [definitions of the win conditions](http://wl.widelands.org/wiki/GameHelpbasicInterface/#new_game)). ¶


### Watch Replay ¶
Allows you to watch the replay of a previously saved game. This can be useful to hone your tactics or compare your's to the enemy's. Please note that a replay can only be watched without errors if you have exactly the same version of the game for watching as for creating the replay. ¶

### Editor ¶
Opens the Widelands Map Editor, which you can use to create your own maps, scenarios and campaigns. For further information on this subject, check out the EditorHelphelp. ¶

### Options ¶
Allows you to set game options, such as: ¶

* resolution: you may choose between a resolution of 640x480, 800x600 and 1024x768 with 16 or 32 bit colours respectively ¶
* fullscreen: if checked, you see the game in fullscreen; otherwise in window mode ¶
* grab input: if checked while in window mode, the mouse will never leave the window ¶
After choosing your desired options, click 'Apply' to use them and return to the main screen. ¶

# Links ¶

* GameHelp ¶
* TheTribes ¶
* BarbariansPage ¶
* ImperialsPage ¶
* AtlanteansPage ¶
* GameHelpQuickstart ¶
* GameHelpBuildingANewEconomy ¶
* GameHelpMilitaryAndWarfare ¶
* GeneralInfo ¶
* [Forum Technical Help](http://wl.widelands.org/forum/forum/1/) ¶
* WidelandsFaq ¶

####[Discuss this article](https://wl.widelands.org/forum/topic/1599/)