1- First install the game, then launch “rott.txt” from the icon on your desktop. Enter your nickname using anywhere from three to nine letters in English—registration isn’t even required!

2- Choose your home city (important because your HQ will be automatically deployed in this city), then click on the Server button to start your game.

3- Political life in ROTT is divided into two in-game political circles: Primaries and Elections. Politicians can submit their candidacy for a Governor’s, Presidential, or Prime Ministerial seat only during the primaries. Those who miss the submitting their candidacy during the primaries will not be able to participate in political activities during the subsequent (or upcoming) Elections.

4- Only Politicians can participate in political life in ROTT. Politicians can submit their candidacy in any region they choose of the country in which they are citizens. Once you’ve submitted your candidacy, your name will appear in the Regional or Federal political menu window. Note that the number of in-game candidates who can participate in elections is limited. A maximum of 4 candidates can participate in regional elections; similarly, a maximum of 4 candidates can participate in Canadian federal elections. However, only as many as 2 candidates can participate in US federal elections.

5- During elections your main task is to raise your Popularity score (measured as a percentage) so that it surpasses your opponent’s within each political game circle. Each city will have its own popularity rating for your individual candidates automatically, but you can use advertising to improve it. One advertising campaign will boost your popularity by 5% in the chosen city. However, be aware that the price of advertising is generally determined by the number of HQs (corresponding with the number of residents) in a given city. For example, if a city has three separate HQs, the one-time advertising campaign would cost $600 (HQ of 3 * $200/per ad campaign).

6- Players are able to vote too. Clicking on the VOTE button allows you to toggle between the Regional and Federal elections menu screens. Once you vote you cannot change your choice or re-cast your vote. By voting, each player can add 10% popularity for a politician in their city of origin (where their HQ is located). Players will also be able to vote for candidates in their home region (known as absentee voting) even if they are currently away from their place of origin.

7- To be able to see the detail list of your popularity in cities, countries, or regions open up the “Headquarters” menu and click on “Rating of Popularity”. This will help you strategize, and will assist you in determining how to use advertising s and political rallies to boost your popularity in different cities and other kinds of areas.

8- Once you have become a leader in your region or country you will have the access to the state budget, political missions, statistical details and construction menu. Your main goal as an elected leader is to secure, promote, and improve your region or country’s prosperity. How you do this is up to you. You can gauge prosperity in-game within ROTT by looking at the “QL” score – or “Quality of Life”. There are two types of QL rating in the game – regional and federal. QLs are also connected to your Budget and Political Missions options. This makes how you spend your budget very important, so be careful—a bad decision might decrease the QL of your State.

9- The final QL score is a summary of all Regional + Federal QLs added together and then divided by the number of regions in the country (so the total would be divided by 8 in the USA, or divided by 4 in Canada). The players who control the country with the biggest final QL scores will receive benefits at the end of the game. Be sure you won’t disappoint your citizens!