A few hints for new players

[Karsten75]

Until there is a manual, this may be a good place to put keyboard shortcuts and special characteristics that make playing easier.

1. Multi-select.

If you double-click on a weapon of one type (eg. blaster), all similar units within 6 squares will be selected and you can move them all to a new location. They will arrange themselves as near as they can to that new location.

2. Shift-select

You can hold down Shift while clicking on weapons to select more than one weapon for move orders at the same time. It works the same as multi-select as far as move location.

3. Double-click to reselect

If you have a weapon selected, clicking on another weapon will deselect the first weapon, then clicking on the second one again will select the second. This is useful for things like Repulsors and Creeper makers, where you may want to alter their beam direction, or strength one after the other.

4. Keyboard shortcuts:

"W" - selects the Weapons Tab
"S" Select the Systems Tab

The numbers 1-5 can then be used to select a unit within the weapons or Systems tabs.

"T" selects and dismisses the Tech Table.

"Esc" will dismiss the first Black screen as well as all of the dialogs.
  - You can hit "esc" as soon as the screen appears, you don't have to wait for the fade-in to complete. Or wait, gives you a chance to settle in and get in the right frame of mind to give the creeper a good kicking.

"P" is to pause or resume the game. You can hit "Pause" on the black screen or on the dialogs to  have it take effect before the game starts.

The "Backspace" key will create a screen shot of the entire map at that point in time.
- On Windows, this screen shot is stored in a subfolder in your "Documents" folder named "creeperworld2_screens." Each screen shot will have a numeric number, with the most recent being the highest number in that folder.

I'll add more as I remember them.

[Karsten75]

In case people did not (already) know this:  When the black screen appears, you can immediately click or hot Esc to move on. You do not have to wait for the screen to fully fade in.

[DMCH]

Here is the current strategy guide for Creeper World 2. If you would like to share your strategies for inclusion in the game manual, here is the place to do it! Especially interested in short, general rules of thumb, like in the General Strategy section below! Thanks!

General Strategy

1: Prioritize Energy production at the beginning of each level: build Reactors and collect Crystals.

2: Overbuilding will slow your progress and leave you vulnerable.

3: Excavate terrain if there isn't enough space to build.

4: Mine Ore to create Good Creeper. 

5: Different Artifacts provide different resources: Remnants provide Ore; Crystals provide Energy; Nanochips provide Technytes.

6: Start attacking the Creeper as early as possible; the longer you leave it, the more of it there will be.

7: Don't stretch your weapons too thin. It is often best to tackle Emitters one at a time.


Strategy Guide

1: Use Launchers against dense Creeper.

- Missiles work best against dense Creeper and always target the densest Creeper in range.
- Missiles travel around terrain and do not require a line of sight.
- Always have Launchers nearby when opening a chamber of dense Creeper.


2: Use Blasters against low concentrations of Creeper.

- Blasters attack the nearest Creeper.
- Blasters have a high rate of fire, but are less useful against dense Creeper.
- Position Blasters at choke-points to prevent the Creeper's advance.


3: Use Synthetic Creeper against Hostile Creeper.

- Synthetic and Hostile Creeper slowly destroy one another when they come into contact.
- Synthetic Creeper damages Drones and blocks enemy Packets.
- Use Shields and Repulsors to direct the movement of Synthetic Creeper.


4: Research can tip the odds in your favor.

- The sooner you build Tech Domes, the more technology you will be able to research during a mission.
- Choose upgrades wisely and to fit the mission's circumstances.
- Researching all upgrades on every mission is unnecessary.


5: Beware of Drones.

- Drones target all units and can travel through Micro Rifts to reach undefended parts of your base.
- Only Blasters can damage Drones, so always keep some in reserve.
- Drones often travel in clusters to disguise their actual numbers.


6: Use the terrain to your advantage.

- Excavating terrain can create extra space for building.
- Excavate around dense terrain when possible as it costs more Energy to excavate.
- You can excavate terrain to influence the flow of Creeper.

[Fisherck]

3: Use Synthetic Creeper against Hostile Creeper.

- Synthetic and Hostile Creeper slowly destroy one another when they come into contact.
- Synthetic Creeper damages Drones and blocks enemy Packets.
- Use Shields and Repulsors to direct the movement of Synthetic Creeper.

Oh great, not another one. What have we got now? Good, benign, synthetic, bad, evil, and hostile! To many! :D

It all seems very good. The only thing I kind of disagree with is #7 in the general strategy. I often multitask to the extreme, in missions, attacking 4 or even more emitters/Gateways at a time.  But since this is for the novice, it is the right starting strategy and they should be able to work out what strategies they like once they get CW2 down. So it seems good to me.

[Grauniad]

Actually, naming the Creeper was still a WIP. It is now decided. In the game there will be Creeper and Anti-Creeper. :)

Happy hunting.

[Link327]

I'm still calling them Creeper and Goodies (Good--ies)
For me it's obvious :D

[UpperKEES]

The only thing I kind of disagree with is #7 in the general strategy. I often multitask to the extreme, in missions, attacking 4 or even more emitters/Gateways at a time.

Same for me, but I can imagine fighting at multiple fronts isn't very easy for a beginner. Tip 0: pause a lot!

6: Start attacking the Creeper as early as possible; the longer you leave it, the more of it there will be.

I'm also not sure about this one. I rather build up my force first and generate all the energy I'll (probably) need. Some digging in advance won't hurt and actually saves time, but I won't open any chambers before I'm completely ready. I only use weapons during the build up phase when I need to defend myself (just like for CW1). This ensures all energy is used to generate more energy (which grows exponentially). Once I go, I fight several chambers simultaneously (see above).

[DMCH]

Thanks all for the tips and observations! Keep them coming  :)

[UpperKEES]

this may be a good place to put keyboard shortcuts

I'll add more as I remember them.

F1 = return to Windowed mode
Q = (de)activate
A = (dis)arm
X = destroy
E = Experimentals tab
SPACE = next
Right-mouse = cancel
Arrow-up = scroll up
Arrow-down = scroll down
Ctrl-C = quick save
Ctrl-V = quick load

The numbers 1-5 can then be used to select a unit within the weapons or Systems tabs.

1-6

[Grauniad]

Thanks, I'll alert our writer. Actually, we have some (most?) of them already, but I'll still ask him to have a look.

Edit:

SPACE is similar to "Cancel," is it not?  WHen you say "Next," in what context is that? If you have a unit selected, Spacebar deselects that unit.

[Link327]

The numbers 1-5 can then be used to select a unit within the weapons or Systems tabs.

Isn't it 1-6? I just tried out selecting rifts/coils by pressing the "6". That'w working too, so you should change the 1-5 to 1-6.
I just wanted to say^^

[thepenguin]

F1 = return to Windowed mode

Typo: F11

[Fisherck]

It's not a typo. It works just fine.

[thepenguin]

grr, virgil changed it again  >:(

[UpperKEES]

we have some (most?) of them already

Just added the ones not mentioned in the top post.

SPACE is similar to "Cancel," is it not?  WHen you say "Next," in what context is that? If you have a unit selected, Spacebar deselects that unit.

Oh, didn't know it worked like 'cancel'. I use it to get to the next dialog of the conversation, but probably right-mouse would do the same then.

Isn't it 1-6? I just tried out selecting rifts/coils by pressing the "6". That'w working too, so you should change the 1-5 to 1-6.
I just wanted to say^^

Did you even look at my post?

Typo: F11

grr, virgil changed it again  >:(

*sigh* .... *counts to 10* .... *makes it 20*

Only 7 builds ago....

DONE: Pick something other than F11 for fullscreen exit (won't work on mac).  Chose F1.