PC GAMER OCTOBER 1998 SECOND CD README FILE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for trying PC Gamer's extra-special second CD for the October '98 issue! We've tried our best to put a ton of Gaming Goodness on this CD, so instead of reading this, maybe you should get cracking on playing some hot demos! However, if you want to stay current on what's going on with our CDs, you might want to check out: http://www.pcgamer.com/static/magazine/cdromnews.shtml The CD News and Updates page will let you know the latest information about any of our spectacular CDs. For this particular issue, rather than have disc pages, information about each of the demos on the CD is contained on the back of the CD card, that big paper thing that the CDs were glued to when you bought it at the store. Read the back of the card for installation paths and technical support phone numbers for each of the demos. The front end also contains tech support E-mail, as well as a quick and easy way to install the demos. Still reading? Well, here's a few other things you can keep track of about the CD: DIRECTX 5.0 Some of you still aren't reading the Disc Pages! If you try playing a demo, and you receive the error message, "Cannot find DINPUT.DLL," it means you need to install the latest version of DirectX. Currently, it's version 5.2. You can do this by choosing to install DirectX 5.0 through our front end, or install it manually by running the DXSETUP.EXE file in the \DIRECTX directory on The CD. Also, pay attention to the requirement boxes for each demo in the Disc Pages. It will list whether or not the demo requires DirectX. Remember, folks, READ THE DISC PAGES! That's what they're there for! FRONT END STUFF Our new front end is designed to be easy to use and very intuitive. However, you can consult the Disc Pages in the the magazine for more information on how to use certain buttons. A couple things to note: MESSED UP PALETTE OR STRANGE COLORS The front end is created to run under 256 colors, but not all palettes are created equal. If you see distorted colors or otherwise ugly graphics, change your color depth to 16-bit color. You can do this under the Control Panel, Display. Choose the Settings tab, and under Color Palette, select High Color (16-bit). LOAD TIMES Because it's a new front end, we're not too sure what load times will be on different machines. If you experience serious difficulty, or the audio is simply way out of sync, please let us know. You can write to us at "cd@pcgamer.com" The front end will only improve with your input! Remember, you can always bypass our front end all together by manually installing the demos, as described on pages 8 and 9 in the magazine. GENERAL CD STUFF We've gotten quite a few reports of high-speed CD-ROM drives having difficulty reading our CDs. We're not sure why yet, but we're working on it. This issue's CD was created using different software than the last six issues. So if you had problems, let us know if this CD works better for you. Please E-mail us at mwolf@pcgamer.com if your problems go away with this issue. However, if it still doesn't work, and you think it might be a damaged CD, you can get a replacement CD from "subscribe@pcgamer.com" TECHNICAL SUPPORT If you have any difficulties with any of the demos on The CD, please contact the manufacturer of the demo. The technical support numbers for each publisher are listed on The CD, as well as in the Disc Pages. These demos are culled from a variety of independent sources, and we provide them "as is." We can't even guarantee that every demo will run on your system. If you have problems, contact the manufacturers -- they know more about their product than we do. However, if you're having problems with the front end itself, (like video not playing, or lack of sound), you can send in a report by going to our support site at: http://support.imaginemedia.com Fill out the form, and we'll try to get a response to you as soon as possible. For Customer Service inquiries, like renewing a subscription or getting back issues, you can write or call the numbers listed below: Customer Service PO Box 51199 Boulder, CO 80322 subscribe@pcgamer.com (800) 898-7159 Remember, all other inquiries should be directed to our support site at: http://support.imaginemedia.com Michael Wolf William Harms Disc Editor Multimedia Editor