User Bulletin:IMAPACHE002-3

Apache - April 25, 1996 - Head To Head Using a Modem

A new patch is available for Apache which enhances the Head to Head play
over a modem.  This patch is available via download of the file: apchptch.exe.
Both players must have the new version downloaded onto their machines to play
Head to Head via modem.

Improvements:

- Modem communications have implemented a "Guaranteed Packet Delivery"
  system.  This allows the game to detect and retransmit dropped or corrupt
  data passed between the two players.  This corrects many of the lockup
  and aborting problems of previous versions.
- Enhanced machine to machine communications during the startup and menu 
  screens after the connection is established.  This adds several features:
  only one player needs to press the "Start Game" on the menu screen or
  "Exit" on the map screen, and both machines respond; errors in mode
  selection can be corrected and the game started again; once a game is
  over the modes can be changed and restarted without breaking the connection.
- In Leader/Wingman mode, when one of the players dies, that player will
  assume a "chase view" and watch the surviving player complete the mission.

Installation:
  Floppy
      - Place the floppy in drive.
      - Select the floppy drive (e.g. A:)

  Internet
      - Create a temporary directory.
      - Change directory to the new directory (e.g. cd <tempdir>).
      - Download the apchptch.exe file into the new directory.
      - Type: apchptch.exe 
           This will extract the files into the current temporary directory.

  Both Floppy and Internet
  - Type: UPDATE <optional directory name>
    which will install the new Apache.bat, Apache95.exe, and Prefs.cfg
    files into the c:\di\apache\ or <optional directory name> directory.
  - Change directory to the Apache directory (e.g. c:\di\apache\).
  - Run "Apache" and reenter the Preferences screen information.
  - When entering the two player screen for the first time, be sure to select
    the proper "COM" port, (and IRQ if non standard), prior to pressing the
    "Modem" button.  When the wrong COM port is selected, a "Time out" error
    will occur several times and then prompt the user to validate the modem
    connection. Press the "Direct" button and select an alternate COM port.
    For external modems, always check that the modem is connected and turned
    on.

General:
Modem communications are always a problem to resolve due to the sheer number
of different modems and phone companies.  The following recommendations are
provided to enhance Apache's performance and improve the Head to Head game
play.

- Insure all connections to external modems and to the phone line are well
  seated and tight.
- Select the initialization sequence that best matches your modem.  (i.e. all
  responses are "OK" with no errors).
- Select a speed that is equal to or at most one speed higher than the
  expected line connection speed.  Example:  the expected connection is
  28,800bps, select the modem communication of 28,800bps, or 38,400bps at
  most. Increasing the modem to computer communication speed may actually
  decrease the performance of the game.
- If an external modem is used, watch the receive / transmit lights during
  the initial parts of the game. If the lights hesitate at a constant rate,
  the connection is fairly good.  If the lights flicker with unsteady beats,
  or intermittent hesitation, the line connection is noisy.  It may be wise
  to exit the game, (e.g. Cntl Q),  and hang up the modem, (e.g. hang up
  button), and re-dial to get a new connection.  Once a good connection is
  made, you can hang on to it when exiting the game and starting a new game.
- If a connection is lost for any reason, and the menu screen indicates that
  it has reinitialized,  depress the "hangup modem" button and then the
  "Modem" button to be sure everything is reset.  This may not be necessary,
   but is performed just to be sure everything is still OK.


Advanced:
- Review your modem manual and the selected initialization sequence to ensure
  the following modes are selected:
- CTS/RTS hardware hand shake enabled.
- V.42/MNP4 or other error correction negotiated between modems.
- Data Compression disabled.  Data compression at higher speeds may slow
  frame rate.
- If the modem has a programmable "line quality monitor / retrain" mode,
  turn it off.  Look for "%E0" for Hayes compatible modems  This works
  well for bulk data transfers like file downloads, but in time critical,
  low latency dependent transmissions like game play, the modem changing
  baud rates or error correction style can be fatal.  A single "retraining"
  cycle for a modem can be several seconds. This time delay may cause the
  game to "time out". Secondly, if the resultant negotiations result in a
  much slower Baud rate, each data transmission, (i.e. packet), could
  "time out" on every transfer since the game was calibrated to the initial
  connection response times.  An additional selection window has been added
  for this purpose, "Hayes X-Retrain".
- With US Robotics modems, it is recommended that you force the modem to
  modem baud rate to a non standard baud rate (i.e. not 14400, or 28,800).
  Modem to  modem baud rates of 12000, 24000, or 21600 work much better.
  This is accomplished by adding a AT&N7,  AT&N12, or AT&N11 respectively
  via the command field.   Two additional modem selections have been added
  for this purpose, "US Robotics 14.4", and "US Robotics 28.8".
- Observe that no errors are reported during initialization.  If so, correct
  them.


Other Improvements:
- The bug which caused the pilot log to omit some completed campaigns has
  been fixed.
- Joystick polling has been adjusted to avoid problems with the mouse
  functioning improperly on the preferences screen.
  Should this problem persist, try using the /j parameter followed
  by a number between 0 and 10000.
  Ex:  Apache /J500
- A new parameter, /Q, can be used to change the orientation of
  the throttle.
  Ex:  Apache /Q1  or Apache /Q0