Ubisoft Anno 1404 User Manual

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Warning: Read before playing

A very small percentage of individuals may experience epileptic seizures when exposed to certain light patterns or ﬂashing lights. Exposure to certain patterns or backgrounds on a computer screen, or while playing video games, may induce an epileptic seizure in these individuals. Certain conditions may induce previously undetected epileptic symptoms even in persons who have no history of prior seizures or epilepsy.

If you, or anyone in your family, have an epileptic condition, consult your physician prior to playing. If you experience any of the following symptoms while playing a video or computer game -- dizziness, altered vision, eye or muscle twitches, loss of awareness, disorientation, any involuntary movement, or convulsions -- IMMEDIATELY discontinue use and consult your physician before resuming play.

Table of contents

Installation............................................................................................................ 4

Safety warnings..................................................................................................... 4

Uninstallation/Reinstallation............................................................................... 5

Playing the game................................................................................................... 5

Introduction.......................................................................................................... 6

Quick entry........................................................................................................... 6

Menus ................................................................................................................... 8

Game modes ......................................................................................................... 9

Handling ............................................................................................................. 10

Technical support ............................................................................................... 18

Warranty............................................................................................................. 19

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Uninstallation/reinstallation

If you encounter problems while playing the game or the game was not installed properly or you would like to uninstall Anno 1404, do the following on Windows® 2000/XP: Click on START on your Windows® taskbar and choose UNINSTALL from your Anno 1404 program folder and follow the instructions. To install the game again, please follow the instructions given above.

For Windows®Vista you need to follow these steps:

- Go to START – SETTINGS - CONTROL PANEL – PROGRAM AND FEATURES

- Select “Anno 1404”

- Select Uninstall

- Follow the Uninstall instructions.

Playing the game

Close all running applications, including those running in the background (e.g. virus scanner software). Place the Anno 1404 DVD into your DVD-ROM drive and wait for the Autorun menu to appear.

Note: If the Autorun menu does not appear automatically, click on START on your Windows® taskbar and select RUN. Enter “D:\autorun.exe” and click OK. The Autorun menu will appear. If your DVD-ROM drive has a different drive letter than “D” change it accordingly.

Select PLAY GAME.

Note: The DVD-ROM of Anno 1404 has to be inside the DVD-ROM drive in order to play the game.

You may also start the game via the Program folder. On Windows®2000/XP follow the following path: START-PROGRAMS-

UBISOFT-ANNO 1404 and select Anno 1404. On Windows®Vista follow this path: START-PROGRAMS-GAMES. Select

GAMES EXPLORER and then Anno 1404.

Installation

Start up Windows®.

Close all running applications, including those running in the background (e.g. virus scanner software). To install Anno 1404 on your PC, place the DVD into your DVD-ROM drive and wait for the Autorun menu to appear.

Select INSTALL.

Follow the installation instructions.

During the installation you will be asked to install DirectX®. It is recommended to install it, even if you already have a version of DirectX® on your PC, to make sure everything is working properly. Please also follow these installation instructions and restart your PC afterwards.

What is DirectX®?

DirectX® is a part of Windows® which enables the operating system to have fast access to several interfaces in your PC, so that most recent games run smoothly. New technologies, e.g. the most recent video cards also support DirectX®.

Safety warnings

In order to make sure Anno 1404 runs smoothly, you need to have the most recent version of DirectX® installed. More information on DirectX® can be found on the following website: http://www.microsoft.com/directx

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The News system

informs you about recent events and assignments.

The Mini map

gives you an overview of the world map and shows you the amount of people living on all your islands, as well as your recent balance. You may also cycle through your ships and warehouses using the small buttons.

The Main menu

contains all important menus: The Construction menu, Diplomacy screen, Route planning, all available Achievements, the Quest log, an overview of your cities, armadas and armies, the Action archive, the Pipette and Demolish modes, as well as the Options menu.

1. Introduction

T’was in the year of the lord 1404, T’was the time of adventurers and explorers.

T’was the time, when the Emperor lay ill and the cure lay way beyond the horizon’s line…

Lonely in his quest Lord Richard Northburgh embarks on a quest to save the Emperor and you shall be the one to accompany him. An unexplored world lies before you. A single ship, limited supplies and a few trusted men. Set sail to seek your fate in yet uncharted waters. Find new land, ﬁnd new cultures, ﬁnd new allies, ﬁnd new friends. Face daunting challenges. This is Anno 1404.

2. Quick entry

If you want to play straightaway, this page gives you a quick overview of the ingame menus. You will get additional help throughout the game, especially from Lord Richard Northburgh. Hover your cursor over on-screen features and tooltips you give your further information.

The Info bar

Tells you how many gold coins you have and your honour level, as well as the building materials available on the island centre-screen.

The Fertility bar

Tells you which plants will grow on the island and which raw materials can be collected.

Via the Third party window

All your opponents will interact with you. Here you also get information about selected objects e.g. houses and ships.

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4. Game modes

Anno 1404 offers various single player modes like Quick start, Continuous play, Campaign and Scenarios, which will be explained in this chapter in more detail.

4.1 Quick start

Quick start takes you straight into the heart of Anno 1404. The ﬁrst time you play this button will take you to the ﬁrst campaign on an easy level. If there is an existing saved game for the selected proﬁle, this saved game will be loaded.

4.2 Continuous play

Here you can choose to start Continuous play in either easy, normal or difﬁcult or to modify the settings beforehand. You may also start a game, using the last used settings. If you wish to modify the default settings select Adjust settings and browse through ﬁve pages of setting options to create your individual game. Navigate left and right using the arrows at the side of the menu. Hover your cursor over the buttons to get additional information via tooltips.

4.3 Campaign

The Emperor is very ill. Help Lord Richard Northburgh to erect a giant Emperor’s dome, to plead for God’s mercy and for the Emperor’s convalescence… A thrilling adventure awaits you, packed with mystical characters and mysterious cultures. Each campaign mission can be played in three different levels of difﬁculty: Easy, medium and hard.

4.4 Scenarios

You can choose from six different scenarios to master. Besides the shown winning conditions several other assignments will await you. Prepare to be surprised.

3. Menus

Anno 1404 offers a large variety of settings for your convenience, to make the game experience as pleasant as possible. Before you start the game you may create an individual proﬁle and adjust the video, menu and sound options to match your personal taste.

Note: At the end of the installation Anno 1404 checks your PC for performance and automatically adjusts the settings to match the existing hardware and assure a smooth gaming experience. These settings can be modiﬁed at any time in the Options menu.

3.1 Creating and modifying profiles

The Proﬁle menu can be opened by clicking on the lowest button on the Start menu. The default proﬁle is called “ANNOnymous”. Here you may create new proﬁles or modify existing ones. Here you can view your Medals and Successes as well as the Bonus content you have activated and that can be activated. Some ﬁelds offer additional information and tooltips if you hover your cursor over the entry. Please note, titles and coat of arms are only available once they have been activated.

3.2 Start menu

From here you have direct access to the world of Anno 1404. If you can’t wait to get started, Quick entry offers a way to go straight into the game. If you select Continuous play you can choose from three different difﬁculty level presets, which you can adjust to match your personal preference before starting the game.

3.3 Gateway to the World

Anno 1404 offers you the possibility to upload your proﬁle data, Medals and Successes, screenshots and saved games to a dedicated web page, to share them with the Anno 1404 community. Gateway to the World manages this interchange.

3.4 Options

For experienced users. Anno 1404 checks your system’s hardware after installation, and creates settings to match your PC perfectly, ensuring a smooth gaming experience. You can modify the video, interface and sound settings at any time. Additionally you may modify the keyboard layout (hot keys). If you hover your cursor over the buttons, you will get additional information via tooltips.

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Demolition mode

You can demolish buildings either by hitting the DEL key or by activating the Demolition mode. When activated, the cursor transforms into a pickaxe. If you click on a building with the pickaxe, it will immediately be demolished. Depending on the game’s settings, you will get the building costs, tools and building materials back, which were used to construct the building.

Diplomacy menu

Here you can set up diplomatic relationships with your opponents and foreign cultures. Once you have found an opponent or foreign culture, they will automatically appear in the Diplomacy menu.

Route planning

You will ﬁnd an overview of the game world where you can create trade routes for all your ships.

Achievements

Once your people have reached Citizens level, this menu will be activated. You will see achievements you already have accomplished and those you are still to accomplish.

Game options and advanced game menu

Quest log

This shows you all open assignments or you may toggle to see those already accomplished.

Cities, Armadas and Armies

This menu gives you an overview of all your warehouses, and ships, as well as all armies you command. You may sort the list in different ways. Hover your cursor over the arrows to get detailed information on the respective list options.

Actions archive

The Action archive gives you access to the following actions:

Screen shot

Creates a screen shot which will be saved in the folder [USER]/Documents /Anno1404/ in Windows®Vista and in the folder [USER]/My Documents/ Anno1404 in Windows®XP. A screen shot may then be uploaded to your personal Anno 1404 proﬁle web page via the Gate to the World Menu.

5. Handling

After you have chosen one of the game modes, adjusted settings, and started the game, you will see the in-game screen. The following chapter will show you how you ﬁnd your way around here.

5.1 Handling conventions

Anno 1404 can almost always be controlled by mouse. For many commands there is also a keyboard shortcut available. Usually you open menus, select and construct buildings and select ships by clicking the left mouse button. You can select more than one ship by clicking and drawing a frame around the desired group of ships. Click outside the menus on the game screen to close them. You can also do this by hitting the Esc key. If no menu is open, hitting the Esc key opens the Option menu.

5.2 Game screen

The game screen shows you everything that is happening in the world of Anno

1404. You can zoom in and out using the scroll wheel on your mouse, alternatively you can do this using F2-F4 or Page up/Page down. With Z and X you can rotate the view clockwise and anti-clockwise. This can also be achieved by pressing and holding the mouse wheel and moving the mouse left or right. To move the view left and right or up and down there are several possibilities: You may use the cursor keys or move the mouse cursor to the sides of the screen, or to the top or bottom. The view will then smoothly scroll in the desired direction. If you press and hold the right mouse button, the view will instantly scroll in the direction you move the mouse to.

5.3 Main menu

The Main menu is located in the lower right corner of the game screen. It holds the following sub menus:

Construction menu

The Construction menu holds all important types of buildings you need to build a ﬂourishing settlement. The Civilisation level determines which buildings are available. Later on in the game this also depends on your relationship to the Orient. For most of the buildings a certain amount of citizens is required.

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Options menu

Here you adjust screen resolution, sound and music volumes as well as the keyboard layout. You can save and load save games. You can restart the current map, go back to the start menu or quit Anno 1404 and go back to your Windows® desktop.

5.4 Object menu

The preview window shows basic information about the selected object: For ships it will display the attack power, cargo capacity, running costs as well as orders you can give the ship. For buildings, it displays basic information like running costs and inhabitants, and special commands like the upgrade button for market buildings and warehouses.

5.5 Mini map

The Mini map at the bottom left corner of the screen shows a minimized view of the world map. The map can be hidden at the start of a game and slowly revealed whilst travelling with a ship from island to island. The numbers at the top of the Mini map indicate the overall amount of inhabitants in all your cities as well as your actual balance. If you hover your cursor over the hourglass you will see the actual time and how long you have been playing Anno 1404 in total and how long you have been playing this particular map. Two small buttons will allow you to cycle through your warehouses and ships.

5.6 News system

On the left side of the screen, small icons indicate important events, which require your attention. If you hover your cursor over one of these icons, you will get a short summary in a tooltip. Left-clicking opens the menu or centres the camera on the event location.

5.7 Info bar

The Info bar on the upper-left corner of the screen shows you the content of you treasure chamber and the honour you have collected so far. If the view centres over an island, you will see the amount of building materials and tools stored on this island. Additionally you will see which plants grow well here and if additional planting is possible. Left-clicking on the Fertility bar opens an additional window, that shows you the mine-able deposits on this island e.g. Stone, Salt, or Iron or if there are hunting grounds.

Quick save

Save a game quickly.

Quick load

Load your last quick saved game.

Pause

Pause the game and relax.

Postcard view

Activate this view and ﬂy across the Anno 1404 landscape using the cursor keys. Use the mouse to rotate the camera. Go back to the game by hitting the Esc key.

Slow down game

Slow down the game’s speed, so you do not miss a thing.

Speed up game

Bored of waiting for your ship to reach its destination? Tired of hanging around for new building material? Speed up the game!

Cycle through ships

Use this button to ﬁnd ships easily. Each click will jump to the next ship of your armada.

Cycle through warehouses

Works in the same way as for ships, showing all the warehouses on your islands.

Pipette mode

Activate this mode and you can copy any building you have already built by left clicking on the building you want to copy. This saves you from browsing through the Construction menu.

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5.8 Keyboard shortcuts

F5 Quick save

F9 Quick load

Print Screenshot

P Pause game

Num + Speed Up Game

Num - Slow Down Game

SHIFT+A Toggle subtitles

B Open Construction menu

F6 Open Strategy map

F7 Open Diplomacy menu

F10 Open Achievement menu

F8 Open Quest log

I Hide interface

F1 Postcard view

F2 Camera close

F3 Camera medium

F4 Camera far

HOME Camera looks North

END Unlock / lock camera

SPACE Jump to last event

K Cycle through warehouses

T Cycle through Military units

TAB Cycle through Ships

. Rotate building clockwise

, Rotate building anti-clockwise

C Change building's model (only inhabitant’s houses)

V Demolish mode

N Activate Pipette mode

M Display Military mode

Page Up Zoom in (Steps)

Page Down Zoom out (Steps)

U Upgrade house

Delete Demolish buildings and units

Up Scroll forward

Down Scroll backwards

Left Scroll left

Right Scroll right

Z Rotate camera clockwise

X Rotate camera anti-clockwise

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Notes

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Warranty

Ubisoft guarantees to the original purchaser of this computer software product that the compact disc (CD)/cartridge supplied with this product shall not show any default during a normal use period of ninety (90) days from the invoiced date of purchase. In the ﬁrst instance please return the faulty product to the point of purchase together with your valid receipt. If for any reason this is not possible, (and it is within 90 days of the purchase date), then the faulty compact discs/cartridges should be returned to Ubisoft at the below address, along with a dated receipt, location of purchase, a statement describing the fault, and all original packaging.

Address for returns:

Ubisoft, Chertsey Gate East, London Street, Chertsey, Surrey, United Kingdom, KT16 8AP

Where a CD key is required to access on-line game play, this cannot be reproduced or replaced. It is the responsibility of the original purchaser to keep this CD key secure. Lost, stolen or damaged CD keys cannot be replaced.

Technical support

If you experience difﬁculties playing your Ubisoft game, please ﬁrst contact our 24-hour on-line solution centre at www.ubi.com/uk. Our 24-hour automated telephone service is available on 0871 664 1000. The Live service option is available from 11am until 8pm, Mon-Fri (excluding bank holidays). Please make sure you are in front of your pc when calling our support team to enable us to troubleshoot your query for you.

PC Game:

If you experience difﬁculties running your pc game please contact our support teams ﬁrst. When calling us, please ensure you are in front of your pc with the game installed, to enable us to troubleshoot for you. Alternatively, if contacting us by web-mail, please attach your operating system ﬁle (dxdiag) to your incident so that we may have your system speciﬁcations.

Finding your dxdiag ﬁle

Windows XP: To open your DirectX Diagnostic tool go to: Start Menu – Run. Type dxdiag in the window, select OK and save your information.

Windows Vista: enter the Start Menu, type dxdiag in the search bar to locate the ﬁle.

Faulty Game:

If you believe your game is faulty, please contact our support team before returning your product to the retailer. A discrepancy between your operating system and the required game speciﬁcations may result in errors during gameplay, such as: your screen returning to desktop or freezing, jerky graphics or error messages.

Damaged Game:

If your game is damaged when purchased, please return it to your retailer with a valid receipt. If your receipt has expired and you are within the 90 day warranty period please contact the Ubisoft support team for veriﬁcation.

Australian technical support

Technical Support Info Hotline 1902 262 102 (calls are charged at $2.48 per minute including GST. Higher from public and mobile phones).

Please note that we do not offer hints & tips at our technical support centre.