PC Gamer 2.6/1996-07_Disc_2.6.bin/tmus/files.z/readme.txt

Text File | 1996-04-26 | 18KB | 428 lines

Total Mayhem
Demo Version 3/11/96

(C) 1996 Domark Software, Inc.
parts (C) 1996 SciTech Software and (C) 1996 HMI Designs

                           Table of Contents

1] Installation
    1.11] Installing the Demo under Windows 95
    1.12] Installing the Demo under Windows 3.1
    1.2] Uninstalling the Demo

2] Running the game
    2.1] UNIVBE Driver
    2.2] Direct X for Windows 95
    2.3] Running the Network Game

3] Playing the game
    3.1] The Basics
        3.11] Movement
        3.12] Firing
        3.13] Picking things up
        3.14] Using items
        3.15] The Status Bar
    3.2] Advanced techniques
        3.21] Automated Attack modes
            3.211] Defensive Mode (one knife)
            3.212] Standard Mode (two knives)
             3.213] Berserk Mode (three knives)
        3.22] Run mode (Keyboard shortcut F)
        3.23] Keyboard Movement
         3.24] Group/Ungroup (Keyboard shortcut G)
         3.25] Passing items in inventory
    3.3] Mission Objectives
    3.4] Weapons
        3.41] Laser Rifle
        3.42] Minigun
        3.43] Plasma Pistol
        3.44] Grenade Launcher
        3.45] Rocket Launcher
        3.46] Timed Mine
        3.47] Proximity Mine
        3.48] Shaped Charge

4] Network Play
    4.1] Running the Network Wizard
    4.2] Running net games under Windows 95
    4.3] Running net games under Windows 3.1
    4.4] Deathmatch Mode
        4.41] Upgrades
    4.5] Capture the Flag Mode

5] Problems and Troubleshooting

6] Full Version of Total Mayhem

7] Game information

                        T O T A L   M A Y H E M

1] Installation
  If you downloaded the Total Mayhem demo, you need to put it in a temporary
directory before installation. If you received the demo on a CD, you can
proceed to the next step without a problem.

1.11] Installing the Demo under Windows 95
  Double click on the "My Computer" icon and then open the area where the
Total Mayhem demo is located. This will be the temporary directory where you
downloaded the demo (usually on the C: hard drive) or on the CD-ROM that the
demo was found on (usually in the D: directory).
  The Install Shield program will load and prompt you through where you wish
to put the Total Mayhem game on your hard drive. The default directory will
be C:\MAYHEM. The game will take up about 5 megs of disk space, so make sure
that you have that much available before installing.

1.12] Installing the Demo under Windows 3.1
  If you received the demo on a CD-ROM, you will need to located the
INSTALL.EXE program on the demo disk. (Most disks will have it in the
D:\MAYHEM directory).
  Go to the File menu in the Program Manager and click on the RUN item. Next
click on the Browse button and search through the directory tree until you
find where the INSTALL.EXE program is located. This will be on the CD-ROM or
in the destination directory where you downloaded it to. When you have
located it, click on the RUN icon to begin the installation.

1.2] Uninstalling the Demo
  If, for any reason, you wish to take the Total Mayhem demo off of your Hard
Drive, simply click on the UNINSTALL icon in the same folder as the MAYHEM
icon.



2] Running the game
  To begin a game of Total Mayhem, simply click on the Total Mayhem icon in
the Total Mayhem folder on your hard drive. This will bring up the title
screen for the demo, with some brief instructions on how to play the game.

2.1] UNIVBE Driver
  The UNIVBE installer will come up the first time you play Total Mayhem, and
install the necessary video drivers for the game. This driver is (C) 1996
SciTech Software, and is used under license.

2.2] Direct X for Windows 95
  If you do not have the Direct X drivers for Windows 95 installed already on
your system. Total Mayhem will prompt you to do so when you first run the
game. Just follow the onscreen prompts to get the Microsoft drivers installed
for Windows 95.

2.3] Running the Network Game
  In the main folder for Mayhem is a file called Network Mayhem. This will
begin a networked game for use on an IPX, Modem or TCP connection. Network
games in the demo are limited to 4 players.
  If the Network icon does not appear or has been deleted, you will need to
create a Shortcut for the Mayhem icon. To do this right click and hold on the
Total Mayhem icon in the Total Mayhem folder. Next drag the image off the
original but stay within the same folder. Release the right mouse button and
you will be prompted with a few choices one of which is "Create Shortcut
Here". Left click on this option.
  With the shortcut created, you need to modify the command line parameter
that runs the game. Single right click on the Shortcut you created. At the
bottom of this menu will be an option called Properties. Left click on this
option.
  This brings up the Properties dialog box, with two tabs at the top General
and Properties. Click on the Shortcut tab and add the following to the Target
box (if there are quotes around the Target text, put this OUTSIDE the
quotes): NETWORK.

Ex:
"C:\Mayhem\MAYHEM.EXE" NETWORK

  Next click on the OK button at the bottom of the dialog box. You'll now want
to rename the Shortcut icon to NETWORK, by single left clicking on the text
until it becomes highlighted and you can edit it. Press [Backspace] to clear
the text and enter "Network" and then [Enter] to rename the icon.



3] Playing the game
  Double click on the Total Mayhem icon to begin the game.

3.1] The Basics
  This section should be read before your first game to maximize your
enjoyment.

3.11] Movement
  To move, simply move the cursor over any valid movement point and left
click. A valid movement point is one that makes the cursor turn into five red
arrows, four pointing to a central location, and one pointing down.
  To move through doors, either click with the movement buttons on the other
side of the door, or (more reliably), move the cursor over the door until it
becomes the Door Cursor and left click. If a door has a colored lock, such as
Green, Red, or Blue, you will need a Key to enter. Simply pick up the
appropriate key and left click on it when you are standing in front of the
door you wish to unlock.
  To move up and down stairs, simply move the cursor over the stair until it
becomes the Stairs Cursor and left click.

3.12] Firing
  To fire, click and hold the Right Mouse button. This turns the cursor into a
red crosshair.
  Then, with the right button held down, click the Left Mouse button to fire.
All weapons (except the Minigun) require you to click multiple times for
rapid fire. With the Minigun, you just need to hold down both buttons.

3.13] Picking things up
  To pick up an item, simply have the soldier you wish to pick it up walk over
the item. It will then be added to the inventory.

3.14] Using items
  To use an item, simply left click on the item in your inventory. Left click
on the Battery when your robot runs out of power, and the Medkit when he is
seriously injured.

3.15] The Status Bar
  At the bottom of the screen is a bar showing you the vital stats of your
soldiers. Next to your soldiers pictures are three bars, one Red (your
health), one Blue (your shield), and one Yellow (your energy).
  Next to the pictures of your soldiers, it shows the currently selected
soldier's inventory. To switch weapons, simply click on the new weapon. It
won't let you select a weapon you do not have ammo for.

3.2] Advanced techniques

3.21] Automated Attack modes
  Should you wish for the soldiers to pick out and fire at their own targets,
you can click on the three knife icons in the lower right corner of the
screen. These are:

3.211] Defensive Mode (one knife)
  Will attack any enemy of lesser strength than them when they come within
Line of Sight. Will not pursue.

3.212] Standard Mode (two knives)
  Will attack any enemy of equal or lesser strength than them when they are
within Line of Sight. Will pursue to the best of their abilities.

3.213] Berserk Mode (three knives)
  Will attack any enemy, regardless of strength, when they are within Line of
Sight. This will use up a LOT of ammo.

3.22] Run mode (Keyboard shortcut F)
  Clicking on the icon of the running man in the lower right corner of the
screen will cause your soldiers to move in double time.

3.23] Keyboard Movement
  With the Num Lock off on your keyboard, you can choose to move your
soldiers with the Keypad instead of the mouse. This is very useful if you
are aiming and trying to avoid being hit simultaneously.

3.24] Group/Ungroup (Keyboard shortcut G)
  Clicking on the icon of the three men in the lower right will separate your
soldiers into individual elements for more fine-tuned controls. Clicking on
this button again will put the soldiers back into a group. (Note: When in a
group and the soldiers are far away from one another, all soldiers will
follow all orders to the best of their ability. If this means firing into a
wall or walking down unexplored stairs they will.)

3.25] Passing items in inventory
  Simply right click and hold on the item or ammo you wish to transfer and
drag it onto the status bar picture of the soldier you wish to receive the
item.

3.3] Mission Objectives
  The demo mission has 4 mission objectives:
* Destroy Golem-class Bots in green coded room.
* Destroy exterior Turret.
* Retrieve Red code key for access to Blue code key.
* Destroy reactor materials.

3.4] Weapons
  All weapons have four different types of ammo, in order of destructive
power: Green, Blue, Yellow, Red.

3.41] Laser Rifle
  The basic weapon of the Mayhem soldier. Everyone is issued one of these with
a Green Laser coil.

3.42] Minigun
  Rapid fire excitement. To maintain fire, simply hold down on the left mouse
button.

3.43] Plasma Pistol
  Slow firing, but very deadly.

3.44] Grenade Launcher
  Causes a small explosion radius, useful for taking out small groups of
enemies.

3.45] Rocket Launcher
  Causes a large explosion radius, useful for taking out large groups or
fragile wall sections.

3.46] Timed Mine
  Explodes 15 seconds after being dropped. Useful when you are being pursued.
Timed Mines also act as Proximity Mines during their inactive period (see
3.47)

3.47] Proximity Mine
  Explodes when an enemy moves within the detection radius. In multiplayer
games, mines are invisible to all players except the person who dropped them.

3.48] Shaped Charge
  When placed on a wall, creates an explosion similar to a rocket, destroying
fragile walls and causing lots of collateral damage.



4] Network Play
  Double click on the Network icon to begin the Network Wizard.

4.1] Running the Network Wizard
  You will need to have one player create a session on his computer. We
recommend that the fastest computer be made the server in this case. Once that
player has entered a name, the other players will see his game appear in the
"Choose a session" page. Select this game and you will be asked to enter your
name as well. Your name is limited to 8 characters.
  When all players are in the game, and a game type (either Deathmatch or
Capture the Flag) is chosen, you will be asked to select a color. Color only
really makes a difference in Capture Flag where all same-color players will
be on the same "team" defending the same flag. In all games, everyone's names
will appear above their robots.

4.2] Running net games under Windows 95
  You need the Direct X drivers installed on your machine. If the drivers have
not been installed, Total Mayhem will install them for you the first time you
run it.

4.3] Running net games under Windows 3.1
  You can not run any network games from Windows 3.1.

4.4] Deathmatch Mode
  In Deathmatch Mode, you will be trying to kill everyone you see and get the
most amount of kills in the shortest amount of time. Weapons and ammo will
reappear on the level 60-90 seconds after they are picked up, so everyone can
get the weapons.
  When you are killed, you will drop the weapon you were currently using and
all ammo for it, and any keys you might have picked up. Press [Spacebar] after
the death message goes away to re-enter the game. You will start in a randomly
chosen location.
  Radar will only function to show you other players if they are already
within your Line of Sight. This is handy when you walk outside or into a large
room that is too big to fit in you entire screen.
  Be careful scrolling around the map looking for targets, someone may sneak
up on you while you are scanning an area far away and toast you.

4.41] Upgrades
  There are various "instant upgrades" for your robot labeled Power, Armor,
and Shield and numbered 2 through 5. Each of these will improve your robot's
performance in the Deathmatch until you are killed.

4.5] Capture the Flag Mode
  In Capture the Flag your objective is different than Deathmatch. You will
be in charge of destroying your opponents flag while defending your own. You
will start and restart next to your own flag, so you will need to seek out and
destroy the flag of your opponent's color. There can be up to 4 teams of
players, and up to 4 players in a Capture the Flag game.
  When your flag is destroyed you and all your allies are destroyed along with
it, so make sure someone stays back to defend your flag!



5] Problems and Troubleshooting

Q] I'm playing a network game and my soldiers seem to jump around on the screen.
How can I fix this?
A] Some networks support both the IPX and TCP/IP protocols.  Try to run MAYHEM
with the protocol that's native for your network (i.e. if you know you have a
Novell or Microsoft server, use IPX, or if you have a Unix server, run TCP/IP).

Q] My sound is breaking up, or when playing sound effects, the game seems to
halt for a little bit.  How do I fix this?
A] If the sound is breaking up, or causing the game to halt, right click on the
TOTAL MAYHEM icon, select 'properties' from the popup menu, click on the 'shortcut'
tab in the properties dialog box, and enter NOMUSIC after the "c:\mayhem\mayhem.exe"
in the Target edit box.

Presently the audio system used in MAYHEM may not correctly identify your sound
card if you use Windows 95 but did not upgrade from Windows 3.1.  In this case,
the sound drivers will attempt to use the less reliable Windows WAVE output, which
may not work correctly on your system.  The release version of Mayhem will correctly
detect all audio cards in Windows 95.

Q] When I run Total Mayhem, all I get is trash on my screen.
A] Sci-Tech software has graciously allowed us to use a beta version of their UNIVBE
video drivers for this demo.  If you experience problems with these drivers, and
have a VESA 2.0 video card, or have downloaded and installed Sci-Tech software's fully
tested UNIVBE 5.1a (available at www.scitechsoft.com) you can disable the Total Mayhem
beta drivers.  To disable the internal drivers, click on the TOTAL MAYHEM icon, select
'properties' from the popup menu, click on the 'shortcut' tab in the properties dialog
box, and enter NOVBELIB after the "c:\mayhem\mayhem.exe" in the Target edit box.

Q] When I run Total Mayhem all I get a black screen with a little cursor in
the corner. What happened?
A] You've chosen that your monitor was Energy Saving in the UNIVBE set-up
when it actually isn't. Re-install Mayhem and choose the other setting.

Q] I picked up a weapon, but I can't select it. Why?
A] You have no ammo for that weapon. Trade the weapon to someone who has ammo
for it.

Q] It says "So and so is out of power" and now he won't move or fire. What do
I do?
A] Click on the status bar picture of the guy in trouble (he'll be the one
without any yellow bar). Next click on the Battery icon in his inventory for a
recharge. If he has no batteries, trade one from a soldier who does.

Q] I can't open this door at (various location). Why?
A] The door most likely requires a color coded key. Check the panel on the
door for the color of key you need to open it, and then, while standing in
front of the door, click on that color key in your inventory. If you don't
have that color key yet, you have to either find the key on the level, or
find another way in (hint, hint).

Q] I can't get the demo to run under my Diamond Stealth 3D card with 1meg of
ram.
A] By default the STG2000 and NVidia NV1 chips store the wavetable MIDI data
for DOS applications in framebuffer memory, so you cannot use all the
framebuffer memory for graphics applications. In this case your graphics
card will be configured for 768Kb of graphics memory, which less than what
is required to run Total Mayhem. We highly reccommend upgrading the memory on
your card to at least 2 meg.

6] Full Version of Total Mayhem
The full release version of Total Mayhem will include:

* Full Windows 95 support.
* 20 levels of action packed excitement.
* More NetPlay levels, specifically designed for multiple players.
* Full CD audio soundtrack by the group Xymox.
* Cinematic intro and cut scenes.
* Between mission resource management.
* More enemies, including tanks, mobile bombs, and two heavy Bots.
* Multiple terrain types including Desert, Arctic, and Jungle.
* New Mission Objectives.
* New devices such as the Inviso Device, Controller, and AI Scrambler.
* Multiple traps, including the dreaded Spike Crusher.
* 8 Player network support.
* Available 2nd quarter 1996!
* Visit your local Electronics Boutique, Egghead, or Software, Etc. and
  pre-order your copy today, or call 1-800-695-GAME.

7] Game information

Total Mayhem was programmed and designed by Cinematix Studios, Inc. and is
published by Domark Software, Inc. part of the Eidos Group of companies.

Domark Software, US
1900 S. Norfolk St. Suite 110
San Mateo, CA 94403
Technical Support:
[phone] X111
[e-mail]

Visit our Website at http://www.domark.com

Cinematix Studios, Inc.
1811 S. Alma School Rd Suite 260
Mesa, AZ 85210

Cinematix's Website is at http://www.indirect.com/www/bzpriest

Thanks and I hope you enjoy playing Total Mayhem as much as we had working on
it!

Matt Miller, Domark Software
Ben Cooley, Cinematix Software