I've solved the problem

I've previously used this game and have recently re-downloaded it and have run into some kind of bug, I can paint material but I can't press any other buttons. The game still recognizes when I mouse over things, like switching the material category when I mouse over its respective button, but it doesn't recognise me clicking them. Please help, I have a windows 10 machine.

no, neither of those are the problem, I'm encountering the bug (or whatever it is) the moment the game boots up, from a fresh install, without any additional files/folders/scripts (I also didn't get very deep into the mechanics and potential of the game, I mostly annihilated cities in a variety of ways)

oh, and hotkeys also still work, my problem doesn't seem to be with the game being able to do what I'm asking it to do, but with it regcognizing my clicks (I'm also not very savy with software)