DR. DRAGO'S MADCAP CHASE DEMO VERSION © Blue Byte 1995 Please read this file carefully before you start Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase. It contains important information which may help you, should you encounter problems when configuring your system for the game. In Section 2.1 you will also find a quick guide to the game. In addition, you will find advice about which special aspects of the game you have to consider when playing under Windows. Limitations of the Demo: - The demo version has a time limit of 'two years' (the original has 300 phases) - The screen resolution is permanently set to 640x480 dots (the original also supports 800x600 and 1024x768) - The available play area is restricted (in the original the whole of Europe is accessible) - There is no spoken text - The destination cities follow in strict order (in the original they are distributed randomly throughout Europe) - Only some chance cards can be used - Only some 'events' are activated - The Load / Save / Continue Game functions have been disabled - There is no Master Rally - There is no end sequence or 'reward' for the victor. Contents: 1) Installation 1.1) Minimal Installation 1.2) Normal Installation 1.3) Subsequent Installation of WinG 2) Instructions 2.1) Brief instructions 2.2) Demo Mode 2.3) Lime limit 2.4) Wave movements and Seasons 2.5) Inflation 2.6) Calibrating your joystick 2.7) Quitting and taking over a computer player 2.8) Hot keys 3) Technical Advice 3.1) Screen Saver 3.2) Sound under Windows a) Setting the MIDI Mapper b) Errors and Problem Solving 3.3) Problems with the display 3.4) Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase under Windows a) The water animations b) Joystick Controls 3.5) Task Switching in Windows 3.x 4) In an emergency 1) Installation Start the installation program on your CD by typing INSTALL.EXE while in Windows. Choose "File" in the Program Manager and then "Execute...". When the box appears, enter "[CD-ROM]:\INSTALL.EXE", replacing [CD-ROM] with the letter of your CD-ROM drive. Once you have done this a window will appear, and there you can enter different values in order to adapt the installation to your own system. You can also change the default path name under which Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase is normally installed by amending this in the window marked "Destination Directory". The installation process is initiated by pressing the "Install" button. Before doing this, you can also choose the type of installation by pressing the "Options" button. 1.1) Minimal Installation If you choose minimal installation, then only the program itself and a few essential files are copied to your hard disk. You will need about 880K free memory on the disk to which you have installed the game and about 300K free memory on the disk where Windows is installed. To choose this type of installation select only the item "Program Files (Minimum)" from the Options Menu. 1.2) Normal Installation Apart from the program itself, the other important files it needs to run properly are copied to your hard drive during this process. You will need around 14MB free memory on the hard drive to which you want to install Dr.Drago's Madcap Chase, as well as 300K free memory on the drive where Windows is installed. To choose this type of installation just select the item marked "Data for rapid gameplay (recommended)" from the Options Menu, where the correct installation process has already been set as the default sequence. 1.3) Subsequent Installation of WinG WinG is a graphics library from Microsoft, which is absolutely essential for playing Dr.Drago's Madcap Chase. Normally, it is installed automatically during installation. However, should errors occur during this process, then it can also be installed retrospectively. To do so, you must first deactivate all the items in the Options Menu, and then you can start the installation. Once you have installed WinG, then the first time you start Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase a test window will appear. Don't interrupt this test sequence - it will only take place once. 2) Instructions 2.1) Brief Instructions Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase can be played, using the mouse, the keyboard or a joystick. The left mouse button, the RETURN key and the first joystick button usually confirm a move or a selection. The right mouse button, the second joystick button and the ESC key (also BACKSPACE) cancel a selection (Cancel key). To start a game press the 'Confirm' button which will appear on the title Screen after the Introduction. When the menu appears, choose "New Game". Now enter the number and type of player (metal heads are computer opponents) and then enter the names of the current players. The green button in the lower right hand corner will start the game. The main objective of the game is to acquire the most property by the end of the time allowed for play. The player with the most property wins. To begin with, you will be given a destination for the level. The player who reaches the target city first, receives a victory prize of $100,000. Once a stage has been won, a new destination is randomly selected, and Dr. Drago will attach himself to the player who is furthest away from that destination. Dr. Drago will from now on do his utmost to part that player from his money and property. After each turn by the player whom he is pursuing, he will make his presence felt, usually spending hard-earned money which the player has laboriously built up. On other occasions he will rip up a player's feature cards or block a turn. You will only get shake Dr. Drago off, when you catch and overtake another player or play the "Push Off!" card. Alternatively, you can wait until the next destination has been reached, making sure that this time it's not you who is furthest from that point. You always play by turn. The player whose turn it is, has the opportunity a) to cast a number and draw (a card) b) to play a feature card. If you decide to cast a number, a gambling machine appears. Press the Confirm key to start the drum. Pressing the key again will stop the drum, and a number between 1 and 6 will be displayed. This number tells you how many squares you may move. Pressing the Confirm key once more will cause the gambling machine to disappear again. Now you can move your figure. A move means moving from one square to another. If you have drawn a 6, then you may move exactly six squares. The Info box in the bottom right hand corner indicates how far you are from the destination city and how many squares you can still move. The white arrow in front of your vehicle shows you the shortest route to your destination, but this does not necessarily mean that it's the best one! You may move your vehicle and look for your destination until you reach a final square (Moves = 0) and press the Confirm key. You have now finished your go and it's the next player's turn. Pressing the Escape key during the draw will produce a View Menu which offers a number of choices to help you plan your next move better. Each colour of the squares has a different meaning. a) Blue Squares If your game character lands on one of these you win some money. b) Red Squares Here you lose money. ATTENTION! If your account goes into the red and you are the proud owner of property, then you'll have to sell and continue selling your properties until you are back in the black. However, you may keep any plots of agri- cultural land in your possession (marked with an agricultural land symbol). c) Yellow Squares Land on these and you receive a feature card. d) Grey / Striped fields These are towns where you can buy properties. Every property yields a monthly rent (the amount is shown in the second column from the right, once you reach a town) which will considerably improve your wealth. If you manage to acquire all the properties in a town, then you have a monopoly and receive double rent every month. e) Purple Squares Here you can buy and sell feature cards. f) Tourist attraction Squares These have no actual impact on the game, but if you are interested in a tourist attraction, then you can spend a little while on that square. Just press the Confirm key. The feature cards have a very important role in the game. Those of you who learn how to use them skilfully will have the best chances of finishing up high among the list of winners. They have the following functions: Christmas If this card is played during December, Santa Claus appears and brings the player a present. Sell The player may sell his properties in a town at 150% of the normal price. Buy The player may buy all the properties in a town at 75% of the normal selling price. Gold The player may purchase all the properties in a town at 50% of the normal selling price Platinum The player may buy all the properties in a town at 10% of the normal selling price. Rent The player may rent another player's property in a town rent free. Purchase The player can buy a town or property from another player. Take The player can take a property from another player. Debts The player can pass his debts over to another player. Taxes A tax collector is let loose on another player. Account The bank accounts of all the players are evened out to an average figure. Zero The player's bank account is set to zero. No Steering A fellow player's steering is sabotaged. Sugar Sugar is tipped into another player's tank, so putting the vehicle out of action. Block A fellow player's feature cards are blocked. Sleep A Mickey Finn is slipped to one of the players. Earthquake The area where the player is located is flattened by an earthquake. Nails The player blocks the road by throwing nails on to it. The player may choose the direction of the throw. Goodbye A fellow player or the player himself is whisked to another location. Punch The player forces another player who is right behind him to the side of the road. Conference All the players gather in the place where the current player is located. 2 Reels The player spins the gambling machine with 2 reels. 3 Reels The player spins the gambling machine with 3 reels. 4 Reels The player spins the gambling machine with 4 reels. 5 Reels The player spins the gambling machine with 5 reels. Flight The player can fly into one of Europe's capitals. 1 or 2 The player spins a 1 or a 2 1 Space The player can move precisely one square. 2 Spaces The player can move precisely two squares. 3 Spaces The player can move precisely three squares. 4 Spaces The player can move precisely four squares. 5 Spaces The player can move precisely five squares. 6 Spaces The player can move precisely six squares. Push Off The player sends Dr. Drago off to harass another player. Snowplough Snow and water that are blocking the road can be cleared. Insurance The player is insured against natural catastrophes. This works automatically. Clear Nails Nails on the road are cleared away. Nessie The player is insured against damage caused by the Loch Ness Monster. This works automatically. Gamble With a little luck, the player can multiply the points obtained. Double The player can use a card without having to return it to the deck. 2.2) Demo Mode We've inserted a demo mode into the game. You can activate this from the appropriate menu item in the Start Menu. To quit the demo mode, press the ESC key during the computer's turn. The computer will then end its current go and return you to the Start Menu. 2.3 Time Limit If you have activated the time limit and this has been reached, you will hear a warning signal, like an alarm clock, and Dr. Drago will start to withdraw money from your account. You should then try to complete your go as quickly as possible. 2.4) Wave Movement and Seasons Since the wave animation as well as the representation of the seasons need access to features which a number of graphics cards do not support, the seasons are automatically switched off when you turn off the wave animation. Instead you'll see a summerscape with "frozen" waves. 2.5) Inflation At the end of each year the prices in Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase are increased. However, this does not affect the properties or feature cards and only applies to the blue and red squares, to the profits and to the actions of Dr. Drago. In this way you actually get the opportunity, as the game progresses, to acquire some of the more expensive properties. 2.6) Calibrating your Joystick If you have connected a joystick and made a mistake during calibration, you can re-calibrate it during the game by pressing the 'C' key. You must press this key when one of the game characters is having its turn. The Calibration Menu will then appear. 2.7) Quitting and taking over a Computer Player If one or more computer players are participating, you can take these over and play for them. To do so, press the Escape key when the computer player is having its turn. 2.8) Hot Keys Some of the keys have special functions. You should press these when a player is having his turn. Q Quit the game SPACE Centre the current player in the play area ENTER Zoom on/off DELETE Zoom on/off C Re-calibrate joystick BACKSPACE Same functions as ESC key 1-4 Control speed of text messages from Computer player. 3) Technical Advice If you have problems running Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase, you will find some useful hints below. 3.1) Screen Saver Screen savers can clash with Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase, and these should be turned off before you start the game. 3.2) Sound under Windows Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase supports MIDI music and Sound FX under Windows. It is important, however, that your sound card (assuming you have one) is correctly installed, together with the appropriate drivers for Windows. If you do not have these, then you should consult the appropriate manuals to find out how you can obtain the correct driver disks. Below you will find some tips about what to do, if the music doesn't sound like you think it should, or if you have problems with the sound effects. a) Setting the MIDI Mapper To obtain correct MIDI music, the MIDI Mapper must be properly installed under Windows. Since this is not always the case with certain sound cards, we will attempt to explain this procedure briefly. - Open "System Controls" by clicking on the symbol with that name in the main group. - Choose the MIDI Mapper icon. - Now choose "Setups' and click on the "New..." button. - Enter a suitable name (e.g. Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase) and confirm with "OK". Under "Connection" for "SrcChan" 1 to 10 choose the sound driver for your card (BE CAREFUL! Don't select an OUTPUT connection!) and then "None" for the "SrcChan" 11 to 16. - Conclude the process with "OK" and save the Setup. - Select "MT-32" from "Patchmaps" and "Keymaps". - Close the MIDI Mapper. b) Errors and Problem Solving The default volume settings for the music and effects in Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase ensure that there is a reasonable balance between them during normal gameplay, and that the overall volume is comfortable. However, should you find that the music or sounds are too loud, then the individual volume settings can be adjusted by using the mixer accompanying the sound card package. - If there is no music, then please check that your sound card and its Windows driver have been installed correctly. You should also check in the game's Options Menu whether the music and sound effects have been turned on. - If the sound or music repeats (loops), then the interrupt settings of your sound card have been wrongly installed. Please check these, consulting your sound card manual. - With very simple sound cards problems can arise when there is an attempt to play several effects and music at the same time. In such cases you will have to turn off the sound effects and voices of Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase. - If errors still occur, despite correct installation, then experienced users can adapt the values in the WAVEMIX.INI file to suit the built-in sound card. - Where Soundblaster 16 cards are used, the effects can sometimes loop, i.e. they will play repeatedly. To prevent this, you should go to the Windows directory and remove the semicolon (";") from ";WaveBlockLen=4096" in the [general] section of the WAVEMIX.INI before this statement is entered. 3.3) Problems with the display As already mentioned in the manual, Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase uses Microsoft's WinG graphics library to sustain rapid and very fluid screen refreshment. Since this library only functions properly when the screen is set to 256 colours, it is essential that your copy of Windows is set accordingly. Otherwise display errors can occur, causing the program to crash. 3.4) Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase under Windows NT a) Water Animation Since Windows NT prevents direct access to various peripherals, problems can arise through the water animation sequences in Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase. We therefore recommend that you turn off the water animation in Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase when playing it under windows NT. b) Joystick Control Joystick control is not possible in Windows NT. 3.5) Task switching (multitasking) in Windows 3.x For various technical reasons multitasking is not always possible when playing Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase. To switch tasks, you are advised to use the STRG+ESC key combination. If you then return from another task to Dr. Drago's Madcap Chase, you should, before anything, else activate the window with the mouse. Just click the left mouse button - this also switches the keyboard (or joystick) controls on again. 4) In an Emergency - In the event of the computer player freezing and being unable to complete its turn, you can take it over, using ESC and "return" it to the computer via the Main Menu. This problem can be caused by screen savers or task switching. We hope you enjoy the game! Your Blue Byte Team