Second Life Tech Warfare Guide

By Xah Lee. Date: . Last updated: .

This page is a guide to the game Tech Warfare in Second Life.

tech warefare
A 5-player vs 5-player long-distance team match in Tech Warefare.

Game Info

Store Location

This game is created by Eckhart Dillon, ~2006. You can purchase a copy at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Epimetheus/144/42/72 Be sure to also get the Tech Warfare Generator Rezzer.

Game Locations

As of , arenas are available at the following locations:

Game Community

There is also a inworld Tech Warfare group, called “Tech Warfare RTS” you can join for free. When you feel like playing, just call in the group.

Tech Warfare in Second Life

GAME DESCRIPTION

This is a real-time strategy game. In this game, there are 2 opposing teams, colored Red and Blue. Each team can have 1 or more players. The game is played in a rectangular arena (usually 40 meters by 60 meters), with 1 Base of each color at the end sides of the arena, and structures called Generators in the arena for each team. Each player can create (drop/rez) robots (bots) into the arena. The bots will move by themselves, and will automatically attack nearest enemy bots, enemy Generator, or enemy player. If nothing is in firing range, it will head to the enemy base and attack the base. The goal of the game is to destroy the enemy's base. The winning play, is the one who rezes the right bots at the right place with right timing.

There are a total of 14 different bots a player can drop. Each bot has a different firing range, speed, and armor. The bot will be rezzed at the location where the player's av is at. You can rez bots anywhere in the arena except within 10 meters radius of enemy base.

The bots will automatically attack nearby enemy bots, or enemy Generators, or enemy player, that is in the particular bot's firing range. If none is in range, the bot will head towards enemy base.

Each bot has a cost. Each player starts with 30 energy points in the beginning of the game. The arena has a structure called Generator. The Generators will periodically add bonus energy to the players of the same color. Generators can be attacked by bots. Each Generator has a health meter shown above it. When the health meter reaches 0, it becomes enemy's Generator indicated by changing color.

Each player also has a health meter, shown above the player's av or the green bar in the hud. Bots will attack nearest enemy players in range. When a player's health is 0, he will “die”, meaning that he will no longer be able to rez bots, effectively putting him out of the game play. A player's health will recover gradually.

The Base also has a health meter, shown as a floating text above the Base. When the Base's health is 0, that team looses, and the game ends. If all players of both teams are killed, the game immediately ends in a draw.

Player Rule: When playing TW, you must not fly, and no jump, and must stay in the arena at all times. You can however, run. (in the menu [World ▸ Always run])

Generator Configurations and Game Variations

Generators are located at predefined positions in the Arena. Usually, there are 1 Generators per team. However, there can be 2 or more Generators per team, depending on how the game owner set up the game. There is also a variation where the Generators are moving in circles like a merry-go-around.

Bot Info

Second Life Tech Warfare Guide Bot Info

GUIDE TO FIRST TIME PLAYERS

If you have not played this game before, here is what to do:

  1. Pay $1 linden to the red or blue board.
  2. Click the GET HUD, then wear it.
  3. Click READY.
  4. When the game begin, click round buttons on the HUD to spawn bots.
  5. When being attacked, run away.

That's it! One game will usually take about 10 minutes.

Don't ask any questions, just do it. It is far easier simply to play a game first.

AFTER you have played your first game, then ask questions.

GUIDE TO BEGINNERS

The following are tips for beginners. Simply follow them, and your play will immediately beat any other beginner or even intermediate players.

1 vs 1 Games

Team Play

If you are a beginner and in a team play, the following strategies will maximize your play for the team's chance of winning. You can pick one of the following and stick to it in the beginning 2 minutes of the game.

  1. Run to a enemy's Generator and drop a Saw Bot. KEEP DOING THIS.
  2. Whenever you see a Gunner, run into it and drop a Saw Bot on it.
  3. Pick a strong enemy player, then follow him and drop whatever he drops.
  4. Follow one of your team's experienced player, and whenever he drops something, you drop one of Gunner, Scorpion, or Marauder.

Bad Moves Beginners Make

GUIDE TO INTEMEDIATE PLAYERS

The following are some tips for intermediate players, roughly listed in the order of importance. All pro players know them by heart.

• In the beginning of the game, your priority is to fight for the Generators. Periodically, each generator of your color will give your team 10 extra energy points.

• You must know which bots that target air only, ground only, or both, and their relative fire power, firing range, and armor of each bot. Knowing them by heart is critical to advance your play skill.

• The bots will target the nearest enemy bot or generator. You need to be precise about where you drop them.

• A Generator's health is indicated in the floating text above it. When choosing a Generator to attack, pick the Generator that has low health.

• When attacking a Generator that has a low health (for example below 30%), you do not necessarily want to drop a Saw. Saw is expensive, and basically becomes useless after it is used on the Generator. You may just drop a Gun turret. Or, drop 1 or 2 Marauders, or a Gunner, so that they will move on to attack enemy base.

• A player's health is indicated above him. If you see a player with low health, rez a Scorpion or Marauders to kill him off.

• Do not drop bots in the open. Always drop a bot with a purpose, attacking a particular target you have in mind.

• In 1 vs 1 game, you must always know where your enemy is, and what he is doing.

• When there are a concentration of enemy bots around a Generator, for example, 2 Saw Bots, you may not want to fight it. You will expend a lot energy with risky outcome. Instead, find other Generator to attack.

SOME NOTES ABOUT TEAM PLAY

General principles for 1v1 play also applies to team play. However, in team play, there are a few things one must know, especially when there are 3 or more players per team. The following are most applicable when there are 3 or more players per team.

• In team play, you must periodically check what's going on in the whole war, to see what needs be done where.

• In team play, remember that concentration of fire power is important. Suppose each team will rez 3 factories in total. The team with all 3 factories in one location will be stronger than the team with 3 factories spread out in 3 locations.

• A planned, surprising blaze attack on enemy base from a single location, can often be successful if the enemy is not prepared. This is however a risky strategy, because, in order to have a blaze attack, you need a accumulated amount of energy; while you accumulate energy, your team mates are fighting a majority. By the time you have accumulated enough energy for a blaze attack, your team's situation may be bad if not hopeless. So, if your blaze attack failed, you team will lose the game. To be safe, consider blaze attack only if there are 4 or more players.

• Choose a strongest enemy player, then player-kill him. Have team members follow him and rez Scorpion or Marauder on him. This can be successful if done quickly. For example, in the beginning, have all team members suddenly come to him and rez Scorpions.

• Have the team agree on 2 particular Generators as the top priority. (so that fire power in Generator fight is more focused)

• One weak team player, can focus on defense. For example, if you are a inexperienced player and want to play defense, then a good play is to rez 1 or 2 Gun Turrets or Cannon Turrets placed about 6 meters to Generators. Keep doing this until your team have more Generators than enemy. Then, go rez a factory behind the base.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF TECH WARFARE

• Fighting for Generators is the most important in the beginning of the game.

• Always keep a eye on attack on your base. In particular, watch out blaze attacks.

• Don't get killed. When your health is low, keep a distance from any enemy bot.

• When in a dogfight, one most important concept is that 2 bots created at the same time will beat the same 2 bots that came one after another. This is because, the combined firepower will shorten the first bot's life span.

This means, when in a dogfight with another player, concentrate your firepower on one enemy bot at a time, to eliminate it quickly.

For example, if 2 Gunners are coming towards you in parallel, side by side about 1 meter apart, and you are going to rez 2 Gunners to face it. If you rez 2 Gunners together to the side of one of the incoming Gunner, then your 2 Gunners will destroy your enemy's 2 Gunners one by one. If you made 1 second delay in rezing the second Gunner, your enemy's Gunners destroys yours one by one. If your 2 Gunners are also in parallel 1 meters apart, then all Gunners will be destroyed.

• You must know the relative strengths and weaknesses of the different bots.

If both players know perfectly the strengths and weakness of all bots, the winner will be the one who has better precision in location and timing of rezing bots. (assuming there's no blaze attack on the base or Player Kill or other surprises)

Acknowledgement

Various people have helped me learning the strategy of the game. Mostly, thanks to Pono Proudhon for patiently teaching, and also thanks for Tata Witte for support. Also thanks to Outy Banjo, and many regular players (Jag Lioncourt, Straitjacket Overlord, Dex Tones, Itchy Stiglitz any few others) for the fantastic games.

Another page describing Tech Warfare. The Art of Tech War By Wagner James Au. At http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2006/05/the_art_of_tech.html