MECHANICS.TXT
 by Francesco Orsenigo
 Updated 10 May 2003
 Xarvh Documentation: http://freeweb.lombardiacom.it/xarvh/

 This file describes Xarvh basic game mechanics.

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 Xarvh Game Mechanics:
  - BASICS
  - WORLD TIME
  - BATTLES
  - MOVEMENT

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  - BASICS
 Xarvh is a pure multiplayer strategy game with fantasy setting.
 Is turn-based, but local battles are realtime.
 The player has the role of a powerful wizard in his quest for power, knowledge
 and glory: he must command the armies, govern the cities and (of course!) cast
 spells.



  - WORLD TIME
 Turns are simultaneous.
 Turn finishes when all players declared NextTurn (ie: pressed the NextTurn
 button).

 A player who has declared NextTurn may still act normally, giving orders to
 his units or cities, but the turn may finish at any time, preventing him from
 giving any further command.

 After about 10 seconds a player has declared NextTurn, if turn is not yet
 finished (because others have not yet declared NextTurn) he will begin to
 advance slowly in research.
 So, you have better be fast to give commands, so that your research will
 advance, and you can't be too slow, because this will make advance your
 enemies.
 A mage that does not waste in military and political buisness has more time to
 dedicate to research.



  - BATTLES
 If enemy armies encounter during movement, they'll fight each other.
 Involved players will see the battle symbol (two cross swords) on the cell
 where the battle is happening.
 Clicking there will take to the real-time battle menu.
 The battle always starts as paused: the players may give initial orders to
 units and cast spells.
 This will ensure that none starts first.
 When all players have removed the pause, the battle will begin, but the
 players will still be able to control their units or pause the battle again.
 While a player is pausing even a single battle paused, he won't be able to
 declare NextTurn.
 Once NextTurn is declared, the player won't be able to pause any battle for
 the end of the turn.
 Battles will last 30" each turn, then will be freezed and will continue the
 next turn (that means a player can bring reinforcements into the battle!)

 To speed up gameplay the player may choose between different AI behaviors
 instead of controlling directly his units, or he may set a list of orders for
 any unit.
 Different battles may happen simultaniously and players will be able to jump
 from one to another or to the main overland menu.



  - MOVEMENT
 Units usually move by 1 map cell each turn.
 In some cases, movement may reach 3 cell per turn.

 Each unit or group of units has 6 movement points available.
 Depending on unit abilities and terrain, each move may cost 2 or more points.
 A unit may not enter a cell requiring more movement points than it has
 available.
 This will result in inability to cross mountains and forest for most units,
 and in an increased importance of the MOUNTANEER and FORESTER skills, as well
 as creating natural barriers.
 Available base movement types are:
    WALK	Normal land travel.
    SWIM	Unit swims.
		Non-swimming units have a malus to hit SWIMming units.
    SAIL	Unit sails: faster than swimming, but subject to winds.
    FLY		Unit moves 3/turn, but may be slowed by adverse winds.
		FLYing units may not be ingaged in melee combat by non-FLYing
		units.
    NOC		Unit moves 2/turn everywhere, and is imnpervious to non-magical
		weapons.
    TELEPORT	to define.
    MERGE	to define.
    STREAM	to define.

 Movement modifyers acting on the whole group:
    PATHFIND	Move faster on any land, may move in forests/mountains.
    FORESTER	May move in forests.
    MOUNTANEER	May move in mountains.
    WINDWALKER	The whole group fly. (No battle effect)
 Note that haveing both PATHFIND and FORESTER/MOUNTANEER on a group may be
 actually useful.

[EOF]