Microsoft NBA Inside Drive 2000 Trial Version README File June 1999 (c) Copyright Microsoft Corporation, 1999 ========================================================= This file contains information about Microsoft NBA Inside Drive 2000 Trial Version. To get news and product updates for Microsoft NBA Inside Drive 2000 or other Microsoft games, check out our World Wide Web sites at http://www.microsoft.com/games/ and http://www.microsoft.com/sports/insidedrive. ----------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: To read this file in Notepad, click Word Wrap on the Edit menu. For the best readability, maximize this window. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================= CONTENTS ========================================================= A. Game Basics: How to Play B. Game-Play Issues C. Other Issues D. Hardware and System Requirements > Requirements E. Video Troubleshooting > Software mode and 3D acceleration > Higher-resolution conflicts > Resolving other video-driver conflicts > Unsupported high screen resolutions > List of video-driver web sites ========================================================= A. Game Basics: How to Play ========================================================= Here're the basics on what you need to know to get the most out of the NBA Inside Drive 2000 Trial Version. To begin playing NBA Inside Drive 2000 Trial Version: 1. On the Windows Explorer task bar, click Start, point to Programs, point to NBA Inside Drive 2000 Trial Version, and then click 2. On the Start Up screen, click Single Game. 3. On the Team Select screen, on the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen, click User Control. If you want to customize your controller, see the procedure below, "To customize your controller." 4. Drag a controller to the player you want to control. 5. Click Play Game to start playing. You'll play four two-minute quarters. To customize your controller: 1. On the User Control screen, after you've dragged a controller to the player you want to control, click Customize at the bottom of the dialog box. 2. In the Customize dialog box, click the button you want to assign a set of actions to, and then press that button or key on your controller. That button number or key will be displayed in the button in the dialog box. Click the arrows on the scroll bar to see more choices. 3. When you're satisfied with your changes, click OK. Basic game pad & joystick controls Control On offense, with ball On offense, without ball On defense ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ D-pad Move player Move player Move player Button 1 Shoot: hold, then release Jump for rebound Jump to rebound or block/put hands up Fake shot: tap Button 2 Pass Switch player Switch player Button 3 -- Call for pass Steal Button 4 Crouch, protect ball -- Crouch, guard player Button 5 Call for pick Set pick Take a charge Button 6 Pivot -- Trap Button 7 Turbo (double tap for deke) Turbo Turbo Button 8 Turbo (double tap for deke) Turbo Turbo Basic Keyboard Controls Control On offense, with ball On offense, without ball On defense ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ARROW keys Move player Move player Move player SPACEBAR Shoot: hold, then release Jump for rebound Jump to rebound or block/put hands up Fake shot: tap Left ALT key Pass Switch player Switch player X key -- Call for pass Steal CTRL key Crouch, protect ball Box out defender Defensive crouch Z key Call for pick Set pick Take a charge C key Pivot -- Trap SHIFT key Turbo (double tap for deke) Turbo Turbo Feel free to explore other parts of the NBA Inside Drive 2000. * On the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen, click Sports Pages to see the stats on Knicks and the Spurs. * On the Start Up screen, or in the upper-right corner of most screens, click Options to change the sound, video display, or performance. * During the game, press ESC, and then take a look at the Game Details screen, where you can see how your teams are performing statistically, as well as take time-outs. NOTE: Some features of NBA Inside Drive 2000 Trial Version are not available, but all the features are available in the retail version. ========================================================= B. Game-Play Issues ========================================================= ---Don't use the PAUSE BREAK key--- If you use the keyboard as your user controller, and you're customizing controller assignments, don't use the PAUSE BREAK key; it will crash the game. ========================================================= C. Other Issues ========================================================= ---Changing desktop display settings while the game is running--- Don't try to change or confirm desktop display settings with the Windows control applet while NBA Inside Drive 2000 is running. If you need to make changes to desktop settings, exit the game first. ========================================================= D. Hardware and System Requirements ========================================================= Minimum system requirements ========================================================= To play Microsoft NBA Inside Drive 2000, you need: * Multimedia PC with a Pentium II 166 MHz processor * Microsoft Windows(r) 95 or Windows 98 operating system (NBA Inside Drive 2000 will not work with Windows NT) * 32 MB of RAM * DirectX 6.0-compatible 2 MB local-bus video card and sound card * 90 MB of available hard-disk space (50 MB of additional hard-disk space for virtual memory) * 6X CD-ROM drive * Speakers or headphones required for audio * Microsoft mouse or compatible pointing device * 16-bit video system This will give you approximately 10-11 fps. Recommended system requirements ========================================================= All the above, plus: * Pentium II 266 MHz or higher processor * 64 MB of RAM * DirectX 6.0-compatible 4-MB 3D accelerator * 8X CD-ROM drive * Gamepad * 150 MB of available hard-disk space (50 MB of additional hard-disk space for virtual memory) If you set all display options to maximum, but with reflections turned off, this will give you approximately 20-25 fps. Optimal system requirements ========================================================= All the above, plus: * Pentium II 350 MHz or higher processor * DirectX 6.0-compatible 8-MB 3D accelerator * 16X CD-ROM Drive * 325 MB of available hard-disk space (50 MB of additional hard-disk space for virtual memory) If you set all display options to maximum, this will give you approximately 30 fps. ========================================================= E. Video Troubleshooting ========================================================= Software mode and 3D acceleration ========================================================= When you start Microsoft NBA Inside Drive 2000, it will be in software mode. If you have a 3D accelerator on your graphics card, you'll want to turn 3D acceleration on in NBA Inside Drive 2000 in order to take advantage of it. To play NBA Inside Drive using a 3D accelerated card: 1. On the Start Up screen, click Options. 2. Click the Performance tab. 3. Under 3D Graphics Driver, click anything other than Software, and then click OK. If you click Primary Display Driver (or another item other than Software), and nothing appears under 3D Graphics Device, you'll have to use Software mode. Higher-resolution conflicts ========================================================= NBA Inside Drive 2000 supports two screen resolutions in addition to the standard 640x480 resolution: 800x600 and 1024x768. You'll be able to play the game in these resolutions only if you have a video card installed that supports these two additional resolutions. However, if you set the game to a resolution higher than 640x480 and that resolution is not supported by your card (for whatever reason), the game will be displayed in 640x480. If you go to Options, the Video tab, under Screen Resolution, you may still see a resolution higher than 640x480 selected. Resolving other video-driver conflicts ========================================================= This section is arranged alphabetically by video card or driver. ---2D cards--- Some 2D cards, such at the Matrox Millennium I, may be improperly recognized as 3D cards. If you know you have a 2D card, and you're on the Performance tab of the Options dialog box, don't select Primary Display Driver under 3D Graphics Driver--the game will crash when you try to play it. With 2D cards, you can only play the game in Software mode. ---Multimonitor software--- Don't try to play Microsoft NBA Inside Drive 2000 with your multimonitor software. Just don't. Turn off your multimonitor software: 1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click Display. 3. Click the Settings tab. 4. At the bottom of the dialog box, uncheck Extend My Windows Desktop Onto This Monitor, and then click OK. ---3Dfx Voodoo II or Riva TNT card--- You might get an increase in performance, particularly in the frame rates, if you turn off anti-aliasing and turn off your sync-to-refresh rate: 1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click Display. 3. On the 3Dfx tab, click Advanced, and then uncheck anything that looks like "anti-aliasing." 4. Check anything that looks like "disable sync-to-refresh rate." ---ATI Rage Pro-- If you're seeing parts of the court lines disappear, be sure that you don't have the Stadium Detail set to Low: 1. Click Options. 2. On the Performance tab, under Stadium Detail, click Medium. 3. Click OK. You might also see some superimposing of the introduction screens going on when you start NBA Inside Drive 2000. You'll need to get the latest ATI drivers if you want to fix this minor problem. ---ATI Rage Pro 3D driver, version 4.10.1.2266--- You might notice that the basket is flashing while you are playing the game. This problem is fixed if you get the latest driver from ATI. ---ATI Rage Pro 3D driver, version 4.10.2318--- You might not see most game textures. This lack of game textures happens only with THIS driver version. Go get the latest driver from ATI. Their web address is in the section below. ---ATI versions 5.21 or 5.24 drivers--- If you're running Windows 98, certain fonts in the game, especially in larger point sizes, may appear blocky and corrupt. This occurs most frequently with higher color depths, such as 16 bpp, 24 bpp and 32 bpp. To fix this, turn off Windows 98 Font Smoothing: 1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click Display. 3. Click the Effects tab. 4. Under Visual Effects, clear the Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts check box, and then click OK. If you have the Microsoft Windows 95 PLUS! pack or the Microsoft Font Gray Scaling update in Windows 95, use these steps: 1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click Display. 3. Click the PLUS! tab. 4. Under Visual Effects, clear the Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts check box, and then click OK. ---Creative Labs Graphics Blaster Exxtreme--- If you see flashing multicolored lights in the black area between and behind the spectators, upgrade your driver to at least version 4.10.1.2111. ---Creative Labs Graphics Blaster 3D--- If you see reflected lights in the game as just white blobs on the floor, change the level of Stadium Detail: 1. Click Options. 2. On the Performance tab, under Stadium Detail, click Medium. 3. Click OK. ---Creative Labs Graphics Blaster RIVA TNT--- If you notice that the player names and/or positions next to the players in the game are not displayed correctly, this problem is fixed with the latest drivers, version 4.10.1.2109. ---Diamond Monster Fusion--- If you see a corrupt screen when you try to install NBA Inside Drive, first download and install the most recent drivers from Diamond's web site. If you still have a problem, try this: 1. Right-click on the Windows desktop, and then click Properties. 2. Click the Settings tab. 3. Under Colors, select 256 Colors, and then click OK. 4. Restart your computer. If that doesn't work, try this: 1. Right-click on the Windows desktop, and then click Properties. 2. Click the Settings tab. 3. Click Advanced. 4. Click the Performance tab. 5. Under Graphics, drag the Hardware Acceleration slider to None or, at the most, about one-third of the way between None and Full, and then click OK until all dialog boxes are closed. 7. Restart your computer. ---Older Diamond Stealth 3D 2000 (S3 Virge) drivers--- If you receive an error message about creating video memory texture surface, the problem doesn't occur with the latest S3 Virge web drivers: ver. 4.03.00.2111-3.12.01, so upgrade your drivers if you have this problem. ---Diamond Stealth 3D 2000--- If the court floor looks corrupt from some angles, with multiple floors drawn on top of each other, or if you are seeing player textures randomly disappearing and the problem is not fixed by installing driver version 4.10.1.69, run the game in Software mode rather than using Direct3D HAL: 1. Click Options. 2. On the Performance tab, under 3D Graphics Driver, click Software. 3. Click OK. ---Older Diamond Stealth S220 drivers--- The game may crash. This problem doesn't occur with the latest S220 driver, version 4.10.1.110. Get the latest Diamond Multimedia System drivers. ---Diamond Stealth II G460--- If the game crashes while you are playing it, upgrade to the latest driver. ---Hercules Stingray 128/3D Series--- If you are running the game in software mode with 1024x768 resolution, you may notice that there are two mouse pointers on the screen. This problem is fixed with the latest drivers, version 4.10.1.2072. ---Matrox MGA Mystique PowerDesk--- If you notice that the shadow of the basketball is a black circle surrounded by a white square, turn off shadows in the game: 1. Click Options in the upper-right corner of any setup screen. 2. On the Performance tab, under Shadow Type, click None. 3. Click OK. ---Matrox Millennium 3D--- If reflections and shadows don't seem to be displaying correctly, upgrade to the latest driver. ---Rage Pro Turbo--- Some software configurations in Hewlett Packard computers with Rage Pro Turbo display adapters running Windows 95 or 98 may prevent NBA Inside Drive 2000 from running. This might be caused by one of the custom add-on software packages that Hewlett Packard includes to enhance the functionality of these computers. When Windows 95 or 98 is freshly installed on these same computers, the problem is resolved. Contact your original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for support if you want to reinstall Windows. ---Rendition Verite 1000--- If you're seeing the crowd textures surrounded by white, or white squares under players instead of shadows, driver version 4.10.0.1555 fixes this problem. If you are seeing problems with the arena lights being displayed improperly, try installing the latest drivers. If that doesn't work, try this: 1. Click Options in the upper-right corner of any setup screen. 2. On the Performance tab, under Display, click Reflections to Off. 3. Click OK. If that doesn't work, try this: * On the Performance tab, under Stadium Detail, choose Medium or High. --Revolution IV HawkEye-- If you find that the crowd textures are switching between low and high resolution, try setting you stadium detail level to low: 1. Click Options in the upper-right corner of any setup screen. 2. On the Performance tab, under Stadium Detail, click Low. 3. Click OK. ---STB Velocity 3D--- If you find that the court textures look flattened and stretched, this problem is fixed with the new driver, version 4.3.0.2111. ---STB Velocity 4400--- If you task switch (ALT+TAB) out of the game during gameplay, and then task switch back to the game, you may see that the court floor is slightly corrupted (you may see small, random textures that look like bits of a basketball). This problem is fixed if you install the latest drivers. To temporarily fix this problem, task switch out of the game, and then task switch back to the game. ---Virge Gx2--- If you see that the reflections of the lights in the game are too strong, here's how to fix that: 1. Click Options in the upper-right corner of any setup screen. 2. On the Performance tab, under Display, click Reflections to Off. 3. Click OK. ---Voodoo2 cards--- On some Voodoo2-based cards, with reflections turned On, the basket reflection on the Charlotte Hornets court may flash strangely in some camera views when a shot is missed. If you see this problem, either turn off reflections or try another camera view. 1. Click Options in the upper-right corner of any setup screen. 2. On the Performance tab, under Display, click Reflections to Off. -or- On the Camera tab, under Camera Settings, choose a different camera. 3. Click OK. Unsupported higher screen resolutions ========================================================= NBA Inside Drive 2000 is capable of running in resolutions higher than 1024x768 on certain video cards. Although this feature isn’t supported by Microsoft Product Support for NBA Inside Drive 2000, you can try to force the higher resolution by creating a special shortcut to the program. Don't attempt this for video cards with less than 16MB of onboard RAM or cards that are known to not support 16-bit color at the resolution you want. How to create the shortcut for a higher resolution: 1. Navigate to the Release folder where NBA Inside Drive 2000 was installed. 2. Right-click NBA2000.EXE, and then click Create Shortcut. 3. Right click on the shortcut, and then click Properties. 4. In the Target text box, at the end of the text, press SPACEBAR, and then type: -xres 1280 -yres 1024 Here's an example of how the Target line should look: "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\NBA Inside Drive 2000\Release\NBA2000.exe" -xres 1280 -yres 1024 5. Click OK, and then start NBA Inside Drive 2000 using this modified shortcut. Alternatively, you can use an xres value of 1600 (horizontal resolution in pixels) and a yres value of 1200 (vertical resolution in pixels). To return to normal operation, start NBA Inside Drive 2000 using one of the original program shortcuts, click Options on the Startup screen, click the Video tab and, under Screen Resolution, choose either 640x480, 800x600, or 1024x768. If you have problems, do not call Microsoft Product Support. Resolutions higher than 1024x768 are not a supported feature. If you cannot force NBA Inside Drive 2000 to a higher resolution, play the game with one of the supported resolutions. List of video-driver web sites ========================================================= To get the latest information about video drivers and NBA Inside Drive 2000, as well as being able to download the most recent video drivers, visit our web site at http://www.microsoft.com/sports/insidedrive/ You should go to your video-card manufacturer's web site to get the latest drivers for you video card. ATI - http://www.atitech.com/ Canopus - http://www.canopuscorp.com Creative Labs - http://www.creaf.com Diamond - http://www.diamondmm.com/ Hercules - http://www.hercules.com Matrox - http://www.matrox.com/ Number Nine - http://www.nnine.com STB - http://www.stb.com/ You may also be able to find drivers from these chipset manufacturers: 3Dfx - http://www.3dfx.com/ 3D Labs - http://www.3dlabs.com/ Cirrus Logic - http://www.cirrus.com/ Intel - http://www.intel.com NEC - http://www.nec.com/ Neomagic - http://www.neomagic.com/ nVidia - http://www.nvidia.com/ Rendition - http://www.rendition.com/ S3 - http://www.s3.com/ Trident - http://www.trid.com/ Video Logic - http://www.videologic.com/