PC Action 1996 July (Bonus)

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Text File | 1995-08-16 | 65.1 KB | 1,400 lines

---MW2DEMO ADDITIONAL INFO--- Welcome to the MECHWARRIOR 2 demo! While you are no doubt extremely excited about playing this demo of the hottest game ever, please take the time to examine this file, which should answer most questions and provide essential information to play the MECHWARRIOR 2 demo. This file is a smaller version of the file that is included with the full program. Please see the Customer Service section of this document for more information on obtaining the complete MechWarrior 2 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document via our listserver. --- Table of Contents --- SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS -- Minimum Required -- -- Supported Sound Devices -- -- Supported Input Devices -- -- Multi-player DEMO requires -- -- Hard Disk -- -- Memory -- -- Other Operating Systems -- -- A Special Note for Windows 95 Users -- -- VESA Video Drivers -- INSTALLATION SETUP: GETTING STARTED USING THE DEMO -- Game controls -- NETWORK AND MODEM PLAY -- Network Play: Startup -- -- Modem Play: Startup -- -- Null Modem Play: Startup -- DEMO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- Common demo questions and answers -- -- Multi-player games -- MEMORY -- Memory Managers -- -- Boot Disks -- -- Optimum Configuration -- VIDEO -- What Is a VESA Driver? -- -- ATI -- -- Diamond Video Cards -- -- MATROX -- -- OTHER VIDEO CARDS -- -- Video Questions and Answers -- SOUND -- Miles Design Sound Drivers -- -- Questions and Answers -- INPUT DEVICES (Joysticks, Mice, VR Headsets) -- Questions and Answers -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CUSTOMER SUPPORT SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS In order to run the MechWarrior 2 demo successfully, your system must meet the following minimum requirements: -- Minimum Required -- * IBM PC or 100% compatible * 486DX2/66 MHz processor * 8 MB RAM (7 MB of free Extended memory) * Double-speed CD-ROM drive (300K/sec transfer rate) Note: Although not required for the demo, you will need this for the full product. * Hard disk drive with 22 MB of un-compressed space available * VESA Local Bus (VLB) or PCI video * 256 color SVGA (640 x 480) * MS-DOS 6.0 * 100% Microsoft¿ compatible mouse and driver * 100% Sound Blaster compatible sound card (Digital and FM/MIDI audio) * Dedicated game card highly recommended for joystick -- Supported Sound Devices -- Creative Labs Sound Blaster Basic, Pro, 16 and AWE 32; Media Vision Pro Audio Spectrum Basic, Plus and 16; Gravis Ultrasound; Ensoniq Soundscape; Roland MT-32; General MIDI devices -- Supported Input Devices -- Standard two-button joysticks; CH Flightstick and ProPedals; Thrustmaster Flight, Weapons, and Rudder Control Systems; Thrustmaster F-16 Flightstick; Gravis gamepad and Phoenix joystick; Virtual I/O i-glasses; Suncom Technologies SFX gamepad; Microsoft SideWinder joystick -- Multi-player DEMO requires -- 100% Hayes compatible modem (9600 BPS or faster), Null-modem connection, or IPX/Netbios network -- Hard Disk -- The demo requires 22 MB of UN-compressed free disk space. The MechWarrior 2 demo will not work properly using compressed hard disk space (such as Stacker or Doublespace). -- Memory -- In order to run MechWarrior 2 you need over 6.8 MB of extended memory. If you have between 6.5 MB and 6.9 MB of extended memory, the demo will play, but the mission will run slower. For optimal performance it is best to configure your memory so you have over 6.9 MB of extended memory. -- Other Operating Systems -- MechWarrior 2 demo requires MS-DOS 6.0 or later. Other operating systems (e.g., OS/2 Warp and Windows 95) are not supported. Although the demo may work just fine with them, we have not tested thoroughly with them. If you have a problem using unsupported operating systems it is best to contact the company that makes the operating system to try and work out compatibility issues. -- A Special Note for Windows 95 Users -- MechWarrior 2 demo was released before the commercial release of Windows 95. For this reason we were not able to ensure that the DOS version of MechWarrior 2 would be compatible with the Windows 95 operating system. We are currently working on a Windows 95 version of MechWarrior 2 which will be available late 1995. For more information on obtaining the Windows 95 version of MechWarrior 2, please contact Activision at one of the on-line locations listed in the Customer Support section of this document, or write to us at: Activision, MW2 WIN95 INFO, P.O. Box 67713, Los Angeles, CA 90067. -- VESA Video Drivers -- MechWarrior 2 demo requires that your system have a standard VESA video driver to run your video. Please verify that you have one loaded before launching MechWarrior 2 demo. INSTALLATION To install the demo, simply change to the CD-ROM drive and change to the directory containing the MechWarrior 2 demo files. Type: INSTALL [drive to install from] [drive to install to] Example: if your CD-ROM is located in drive D:, and you wish to install MechWarrior 2 demo to drive C:, you would type the following: INSTALL D: C: and press ENTER. This demo will be installed to C:\MW2DEMO. NOTE: The demo requires that it be installed in C:\MW2DEMO. If you move the demo to another directory, some options in the SETUP program (a DOS batch file) may not work properly. If you want to move the demo to another directory or drive, you can edit the batch file (at your own risk) and change only the references to C:\MW2DEMO to the new drive and directory where you moved the demo. SETUP: GETTING STARTED After you have installed the MechWarrior 2 demo, you must run the SETUP program located in the C:\MW2DEMO directory. It will be started for you automatically after the MechWarrior 2 demo files have been installed on C:. The SETUP program will display the following main menu: 1 = Change Input Device (Joystick/Mouse/Keyboard) 2 = Select Sound Card 3 = View MechWarrior 2 Demo Technical Information 4 = Print MechWarrior 2 Demo Technical Information 5 = Start Game or Exit When you select option 1, you are given the choice of the following items: 1 = CH Flightstick 2 = Thrustmaster Flight Control System 3 = Microsoft SideWinder 4 = Standard joystick 5 = Microsoft compatible mouse 6 = Keyboard 7 = No Change Select the input device that is appropriate for your system. Select option 2 from the Main menu to configure the sound options for your system. Options 3 and 4 allow you to view or print this information file. Option 5 will take you to an additional menu where you can choose to launch the game in either VGA or SVGA mode or exit the SETUP program. USING THE DEMO You may begin the demo in two ways. One way, select either "Standard VGA" or "SVGA Mode" from the SETUP menu. The other way is from the DOS prompt of the demo directory. Here, enter MW2DEMO. This will launch the demo in standard VGA mode (320x200x256). Or, If you have a faster machine, you can launch the demo in SVGA (640x480x256) mode by entering MW2DEMO -SVGA. After the intro movie and a brief disclaimer and credits screen, you will come to the MechWarrior 2 demo "LAUNCH" screen. You will be asked to LOGIN: type in a name and press ENTER. Next you will be asked if you want to play a One Player or a Network/modem game. If you select one player, a 'Mech will appear at the bottom left of your screen. If you choose Network/modem play, you may need to refer to this information file for setup information. WARNING: If you select N for Network play, make sure to press ENTER to be able to select your 'Mech. In Network play, pressing other keys before pressing ENTER will end the demo. Now, select a 'Mech chassis by pressing on the large arrows right and left of "MECHS". If you like, you may choose one alternate weapons configuration for each basic 'Mech by pressing the small arrows. Once you are satisfied, click on <LAUNCH>. The following list of controls will tell you how to use the game in both the "LAUNCH" screen and the simulation. When you are in the "LAUNCH" screen, you can press F1 for a graphical set of help screens. -- Game control list -- "LAUNCH" SCREEN CONTROLS Move to next option TAB Select 'Mech Left or Right Arrows Select 'Mech Variant [ or ] COCKPIT WEAPON CONTROLS Fire SPACEBAR Select Weapon/Group ENTER Chain-Fire/Group-Fire Toggle \ Add Weapon to Group 1, 2, 3 SHIFT + 1, 2, 3 Fire Group 1, 2, 3 Num Lock, /, * (Keypad) Jettison Ammunition K Cycle Through All Targets T Previous Target R Target Nearest Enemy E Target Friendly (Starmate) F Target Object Underneath Reticle Q Inspect Targeted Object I Targeting OFF CTRL + T HUD SYSTEM CONTROLS Cycle Through Multi-Function Display F1 Displays Radar Display (Normal/Full Screen) F2 Wire-Frame Damage Display F5 HTAL (Head/Torso/Arms/Legs) F6 Armor Damage Report F6 Enable/Disable HUD F11 Systems Status U Objectives/Briefing Summary F12 Cameras Target View F4 Rear View F7 Down View F8 Weapon View F9 Weapon View (Full Screen, After Launch) F10 MECH PILOTING Direct Throttle (Stop to 100%) 1 to 0 Increase/Decrease Throttle +/- Steer Left and Right Left & Right Arrows Reverse Direction BACKSPACE Torso Twist < and > Recenter Torso / Recenter Legs to Torso M Jump Jet (on applicable Mechs) J Jump Jet Steering and Turning 6-Key "Home" Keypad Select NAV Point N Autopilot ON/OFF A MASC ON/OFF V Manual Shutdown/Restart S Override Automatic Thermal Shutdown O Pilot Ejection CTRL + ALT + E Auto-Ejection ON/OFF CTRL + E Self-Destruct CTRL + ALT + X Commanding Starmates CTRL+ F1 or B Command Point 1, 2 CTRL + F2, F3 PILOT VIEW CONTROLS Zoom In Z Zoom Out SHIFT + Z Reset Zoom Magnification CTRL + Z Glance Left, Right Keypad 7, 9 Pilot Eye Control CTRL + ARROWS Low-Light Amplification ON/OFF L Enhanced Imaging ON/OFF W Satellite Uplink ON/OFF F3 Radar/Satellite Uplink Zoom In X Radar/Satellite Uplink Zoom Out SHIFT + X External Tracking Camera (XTC) ON/OFF C External Camera Controls CTRL + ARROWS NON-GAME CONTROLS Options/Battle Parameters ESC Pause ALT + P/PAUSE Snap a Screenshot CTRL + P Abort/Exit Mission to Clan Hall CTRL + Q NETWORK AND MODEM PLAY -- Network Play: Startup -- To participate in head-to-head play over an IPX or Netbios compatible network, you must first make sure you have all the proper network cards and software installed on the computers you will be using. First, go to the directory that contains your network files. Type NETBIOS and press ENTER. If everything is working correctly, you will get the message that Netbios has been installed successfully. You must then go to the MechWarrior 2 demo directory and type NETB2 and press ENTER. You will then be taken to the network communications screen. Type a message to your opponent to ensure you are properly connected. Once both opponents see their messages, press ESC and you will be returnewd to the DOS prompt. At the DOS prompt, type MW2DEMO and press ENTER. You will be taken to the MechWarrior 2 combat screen. Type in your name at the LOGIN: prompt and press ENTER. Select "Network/modem game" by pressing N. You will see a picture of a 'Mech appear in the lower left window. Choose your 'Mech by clicking on the larger right or left arrows. There are four different 'Mechs to choose from. You can choose different variations of 'Mechs clicking on the smaller left and right arrows. Each 'Mech has two variations to select from. You can type messages to your opponent by clicking your mouse in the small black window below the different terrains. Simply click in the window, type your message and press ENTER. Now you're ready to fight! Just click on the <LAUNCH> button and prepare for battle! -- Modem Play: Startup -- To play MechWarrior 2 against an opponent via modem, make sure your modem is ON and switch to the C:\MW2DEMO directory, type MS and press ENTER. You will see the modem control window. Select a slot and choose E for Edit and type in your name or the name of the person you're going to call. Then choose the COM port your where your modem is installed, usually COM 2. Next, both players should select a baud rate of 9600 and press ENTER. Then, one player should type in the other's phone number and press ENTER while the second player should simply press ENTER when asked for a phone number. Then, keep pressing ENTER until all menu items are chosen. REPEAT: Only one plays should enter a phone number. By pressing ENTER without a number, the other player should select "ANSWER". After completing these steps, select C for connect and you will be dropped to a DOS prompt. At the DOS prompt, type in MODEM and press ENTER The modem will either dial your opponents phone number for you or answer their incoming call depending on which mode you have chosen. Once the two modems connect, you will see the chat/communication screen. Type a message to your friend to verify your connection and then press ESC. At the DOS prompt type MW2DEMO and press ENTER. You will see the MechWarrior 2 communications screen. Type in your name at the LOGIN: prompt and press ENTER. The two machines will connect. Choose your 'Mech and click on <LAUNCH>. You will then meet in your chosen machine at your selected battlefield ready for intense head to head combat. TECHNICAL NOTE: To play, you must have a 16550A UART chip on the COM port you are using to play. You can use the Microsoft Diagnostic (MSD.EXE) utility provided with Windows 3.1 and later to determine if you have this chip on your COM ports. -- Null Modem Play: Startup -- To play MechWarrior 2 in Null Modem Mode, connect two computers via their serial ports with a null modem cable. Switch to the C:\MW2DEMO directory and type COMIO 2 and press ENTER. Once the two machines connect, you will see the chat/communication screen. Type a message to your friend to verify your connection and then press ESC. At the DOS prompt type MW2DEMO and press ENTER. You will see the MechWarrior 2 communications screen. Type in your name at the LOGIN: prompt and press ENTER. The two machines will connect. Choose your 'Mech and click on <LAUNCH>. You will then meet in your chosen machine at your selected battlefield ready for intense head to head combat. DEMO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS --Common demo questions and answers-- Q: Where can I buy the game? A: At your local computer software retailer. Q: How much memory do I need? A: 6.9 MB free extended memory. Q: Do I need Expanded memory for MechWarrior 2? A: No. MechWarrior 2 uses Extended memory to cache its data. Q: What do I type to run the demo? A: Basically, run INSTALL from the MechWarrior 2 demo directory on the CD. This will install the demo on your hard disk. (You will need at least 22 MB of uncompressed disk space.) Run SETUP program to select your soundcard and your joystick or mouse. Lastly, enter the game through SETUP or type MW2DEMO from the DOS prompt of the demo directory on your hard disk. Q: I started the game and then changed my mind. I don't want to play right now. Can I leave? A: Cowardice is always an unfortunate option. Press ESC at any time to leave the demo. Q: What do I do after reading the ever-important disclaimer? A: Press the SPACEBAR to enter the "LAUNCH" screen. You're just about ready to play, but first, you'll need to register as a MechWarrior. Notice the flashing green cursor just below "MESSAGES" and directly right of the green "LOGIN:". Type your name and press ENTER. You may now choose between "Network/Modem game" and "One Player" by pressing N or O; however both Network and Modem play requires that you have first operated separate commands from outside the game (see the question on how to begin two-person play). Q: I have selected one-person play, and unless staring at a picture of a 'Mech and reading mission objectives is a game, I haven't started playing. What should I do? A: Once you have read your mission briefing (below "MESSAGES") and selected your 'Mech, just click on <LAUNCH>. Q: How do I change 'Mechs? A: From the "LAUNCH" screen, you can select one of four 'Mech chassis. Click on the large arrows farther right and left from the "MECHS" heading. The 'Mechs available in this demo are the Jenner, the Summoner, the Timberwolf and the Marauder. In the complete MechWarrior 2, you have access to over a dozen 'Mechs. Q: When I click on the small arrows beside the word "MECH", why does the 'Mech name change and what does "(Alt. config A)" mean anyway? A: I didn't tell you to click on that, but you'll need courage and guts for MechWarrior 2, so I forgive you. In the complete MechWarrior 2, you can customize your 'Mech to carry your favorite gear. To give you an feeling of this, we have provided two varieties of each 'Mech, with different weapons combinations. Of course, in the complete game, you may also vary your jump jets, armor, heatsinks, engine and even add specialized gear. Q: When I look at the 'Mechs in the "LAUNCH" screen, I don't understand the weapon information. Could you explain it? A: Mechs wield ten different types of weapons. You can test nine of them in this demo: LLASER, MLASER, SLASER -- Large, medium and small lasers. Accurate and fast, the laser produces a lot of heat, but in bursts can tear through the thickest 'Mech armor. LPLAS, MPLAS, SPLAS -- Large, medium and small pulse lasers. Firing in burst of two, these lasers produce less damage and less range than their cousins, but also produce less heat. MGun -- Machine gun. This is the only weapon that produces no heat. A short range wonder, the machine gun does little damage per shot, but delivers a repeated and sustained assault. SRM6 -- Short range missile with pods of six missiles. The old standby, the short-range missile packs twice the punch of a long-range missile, but without radar tracking or range. While not as accurate as lasers, the explosion from a near miss can do considerable damage to friend or foe. SSRM 4,6 -- Streak short range missile with pods of four or six. An advanced version of the SRM, the streak missile uses radar to lock on and home into any target, unfortunately, the added radar equipment adds weight and takes up valuable space on the mech. LRM5, 10, 15, 20 -- Long range missiles with pods of five, ten, fifteen and twenty missiles. These radar-guided missiles can turn open fields into 'Mech graveyards. While pods of twenty provide a deadly punch, they require considerable time to reload, potentially leaving a 'Mech vulnerable. For advanced pilots, try unloading a LRM20 into a wall from point-blank range to learn the meaning of "splash damage." PPC -- Extended range particle projection cannons. The PPC delivers a massive punch of both heat and energy. Unfortunately, it is a slow punch. Most 'Mechs will dodge the PPC at long range; at short range, the concussive force of its explosion is as dangerous to the shooter as to the target. GAUSS -- The Gauss rifle. A distant relative of cartridge weapon of the twentieth century, the formidible Gauss uses an electro-magnet railgun to accelerate a shell to deadly speeds. With unmatched range and damage, the Gauss is only limited by its massive weight and bulk. xAC10 -- For those who love the machine gun's speed, but find it reminiscent of a swarm of bees, annoying but not fatal, the Auto-Cannon will cure your blues. Delivering a killing punch at close range, only weight and bulk limit its field use. Of these weapons, only PPC and lasers require no ammunitions. You should take note of this for two reasons. First, while a pistol can be used to beat someone to death, pistols tend to be deadlier when filled with live rounds, so conserve your ammo. Second, when thrown into a fire, ammo will often explode. In an overheating 'Mech, ammo explosions can cause as much damage as enemy fire, so remember, ammunition is not popcorn. Q: What are the differences in the Mechs' armor? A: In the demo version, there are four types of armor light, medium, heavy and assault. The Jenner has light armor, the Summoner and Timberwolf both are protected by heavy armor, while the Marauder is the sturdiest of them all with assault armor. Q: What are JUMP JETS? A: Imagine strapping a jet engine to your back and turning up the throttle. If you are human, this will doubtless cause you to die. If you are a Battlemech, you will appear to fly. Using jump jets to maneuver and even to execute a death from above (DFA) can radically alter the shape of a battle. Press the J key to gain altitude, and the home keys to change direction and to propel the 'Mech forward. Remember to land softly by pressing the J key for a gradual touch down. Q: What are HEAT SINKS? A: Heat sinks are the 'Mech's form of a radiator. Without heat sinks, a 'Mech's engine would overheat and melt down, which is bad for a car with an internal combustion engine, and even worse for a 'Mech with a fusion reactor. Because of the danger presented by overheating, your 'Mech will try to shut down if heat levels become critical. You can override a shutdown by pressing O; true, shutting down makes you a sitting target, but blowing up makes you a dead one. Q: What causes heat? A: Heat is created by firing weapons, by using jumpjets, and by taking damage from lasers or explosions. Of your weapons, particle pulse cannons (PPC) create the most heat per salvo, followed closely by large lasers (LLASER). Gauss rifles create the least heat, but only machine guns (MGun) create no heat. Without memorizing the exact numbers, you can also figure that for all weapons except lasers, doubling the size of the weapon (LRM5 to LRM10) will also double the heat you generate. With lasers, each step up in size approximately doubles maximum damage and triples the heat per salvo. Also, rapid and continuous weapon fire tends to overheat 'Mechs and force shut down. Accuracy pays. Q: Is there any way to stop the shut down process if I do begin to overheat? A: Skilled pilots have been known to fearlessly override the shutdown process by pressing O during combat. While this will keep your 'Mech running, only time and heat sinks will return your 'Mech to safe heat levels. Q: How fast can my 'Mech go? A: You can get a general idea of this by reading TOP SPEED figure next to each 'Mech, but environmental factors (gravity, terrain, etc.) will affect this. Comparatively though, the Jenner will always be the fastest, the Marauder the slowest. But then a Marauder has never been known to flee from battle. Q: What if I want to change my name? A: We do not provide legal services. Q: What if I want to login as a different warrior? A: To change your login, guide the mouse to the thin rectangle just under the WARRIORS designation, which shows in white capital letters either your name, or ANONYMOUS if you didn't select a name when entering the shell. Press BACKSPACE until you have erased this name; type your new moniker, and then press ENTER. -- MULTI-PLAYER GAMES -- Q: How many people can I play the MW2DEMO with? A: This version supports One player mode and Two player mode over a network, modem and null-modem. Q: In two-player games, can I talk to my opponent? A: You can only talk to your opponent in the "LAUNCH" screen. There, sandwiched in between the mission briefing and the mission select area is a small line (just beneath the MESSAGES sign), click here and type away. Press ENTER to send your opponent your mortal insult. Q: What do I do to play a two-player game? A: You have three ways to engage the two-player mode via Null Modem, Modem, or Netbios. Q: How do I connect with NETBIOS? (over a LAN) A: To participate in head to head play over an IPX or NETBIOS compatible network, you must first make sure you have all the proper network cards and software installed on the computers you will be using. After entering Netbios to run Netbios, both players must enter NETB2 in the MW2DEMO directory. Once communication is established and you have checked that both players can chat, press ESC to exit out to DOS, and then enter MW2DEMO. When the "LAUNCH" screen appears, login. Then, when the demo requests that you select either One-player or Network, type N. Q: How do I connect with Null modem? A: First, get two computers and a NULL MODEM cable. Connect the NULL MODEM cable from COM port 2 on the first machine to COM port 2 on the second machine. Next both players must enter COMIO 2 at the DOS prompt in the demo directory of MW2DEMO. (You'll know you're in the right directory if it also contains "mw2demo.exe"; enter "dir mw2demo.exe" if you are unsure). Once you have entered, COMIO 2, you should see two chat screens. Try chatting through the computer (both players should see the typing of both players); if you can, you're connected so press ESC and return to DOS. Now enter MW2DEMO, and at the "LAUNCH" screen, login and then press N. Q: How do I connect by MODEM? A: MechWarrior 2 requires two 9600-baud modems for modem play. The process may appear complex, but if you work through it step-by-step, you will find it an easy process. First, talk to your friend and decide who will be designated as player one and who will be designated as player two. Unless you have two phone lines or you are in the same room, hang up. At the DOS prompt in the demo directory, both players should enter MS. You will see a screen titled, "MSET Utility". From the seventeen numbered rows, select an unoccupied row by moving the grey bar up and down with the arrow keys and then pressing E to edit the row. If you have never used Mset before, don't panic. The edit consists of nine steps, each on clearly labeled. Besides, you need only worry about steps one through four. Three of these are the same for both player one and two; the fourth is different. At step one, enter your name; at step two, enter the COM port corresponding to your modem. At step three, when the program asks for Baud Rate; enter 9600. At step four, your tasks diverge: player one enters the phone number for the modem of player two while player two simply hits ENTER. In the "Phone" column on player two's screen, one should now see "* ANSWER *"; on the other hand, player one should read player two's phone number in the "PHONE" column. Now, both players should hit ENTER five times, and then press C. (If you lose count, keep hitting ENTER until a yellow line appears running down the middle of the grey input line at the bottom of the screen, then press C.) To connect, players must enter modem then wait for the modems to dial and to connect. Once you have confirmed that you can both chat, press ESC. Now enter MW2DEMO, and at the "LAUNCH" screen, enter your login and press N. TECHNICAL NOTE: To play, you must have a 16550A UART chip on the COM port you are using to play. You can use the Microsoft Diagnostic (MSD.EXE) utility provided with Windows 3.1 and later to determine if you have this chip on your COM ports. TECHNICAL NOTE: Certain modems may not want to work properly with NetMech DEMO. Here is a list of initialization strings that may help you to get the Modem portion of the program working with your modem. There may be several strings in this list for your modem, so if one does not work, try another. ----------------------------------------------------------------- AT&T Dataport 2001: AT &F%VFX7S62=0%VG9\Q2\N0&W AT&T Dataport: AT &F X7 S62=0 \Q2 \N0 &W ----------------------------------------------------------------- Boca AT &Q6 %C0 &K0 Boca 14.4 Fax/Modem AT S46=0 S37=9 N0 &Q0 &D2 &K4 Boca 14.4k AT S46=0 S37=9 N0 &Q0 &D2 &K0 %C0 Boca 14.4 internal AT &C0 S37=9 N0 &Q0 &K0 W0 S36=3 S48=128 %C0 Boca 14.4k (external) AT &F S0=1 S36=0 &K0 &Q6 N0 S37=9 &D2 Boca M1440i (internal) ATS48=0S37=9S46=136%C0%E0%M0&K0&Q0&R1&C1&D2\G0\N1N0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Cardinal AT &F W0 &Q0 &D2 Cardinal 14.4k AT &F N0 S37=9 &Q0 &D2 \N1 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Computer Peripherals 14.4 AT &F S37=9 S46=0 N0 &Q0 &K0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Digicom Systems (DSI) (softmodem) AT Z \N0 &D2 &K0 S48=48 Digicom Systems Scout Plus ATZ*E0*N3*M0*S0*F0&D2 Digicom connection 96+Softmodem: AT \N1 &d2 %c0 s37=9 &K0 Digicom connection 96+Softmodem: AT Z \N0 &D2 &K0 S48=0 Digicom connection 96+Softmodem: ATZ*E0*N3*S0*M0*F0&D2 ----------------------------------------------------------------- GVC 14.4k (internal) AT &F B8 \Q0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Gateway Telepath AT &F S37=9 %C0 &K0 &Q6 \G0 Gateway Telepath 14.4k AT S46=0 S37=9 N0 &Q0 &D2 &K0 %C0 Gateway Telepath I: AT S0=1 &N6 &K0 &M0 Gateway Telepath I: AT &F S37=9 &K0 &Q0 %C0 N0 \G0 &D2 S46=0 S0=1 Gateway Telepath II AT S0=1 S37=9 %C0 &Q0 &K0 Gateway Telepath II: AT &F &K0 &M0 &N6 S0=1 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Generic 14.4k Fax/Modem AT S46=0 S37=9 N0 &Q0 &D2 %C0 \G0 &K0 Generic v.32bis 14.4k AT \N0 %C0 B8 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Hayes 28.8k V.FAST Modem AT &Q6 &K S37=9 N %C0 \N0 Hayes Optima 28.8/14.4 AT &F S37=9 N0 &Q0 &K0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Infotel 144I: AT &Q0 S37=9 N0 &D2 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Intel 14.4k AT \N0 %C0 \Q0 B8 Intel 14.4k (internal) AT Z B8 Q1 \C0 \N1 %C0 \V Intel 400/i Fax/Modem: AT Z\N0 %C0 "H0 S31=9 &Q0 &D ----------------------------------------------------------------- Macronix AT S36=3 S37=9 &K0 %C0 \G0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Microcom QX/4232bis AT %C0 \N0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- NOKIA ECM 4896M TRELLIS V.32. AT Z %C0 /N0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Netcomm M7F AT &E &K0 B0 \V0 X4 &D2 \N1 \Q0 #J0 #Q9 %C0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Nokia ECM 4896M Trellis V.32. AT Z %C0 /N0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Practical Peripherals 14400FX v.32bis AT S46=0 &Q0 &K0 &D2 Practical Peripherals 14400FX v.32bis AT Z S46=0 &Q0 &D2 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Supra AT &F0 S46=136 %C0 SupraFaxModem 14.4: AT &K0 &Q6 &D2 \N0 %C0 Supra (external) AT &K0 &Q0 &D0 \N1 Supra 14.4k v.32bis AT &F0 S46=136 &Q0 &D2 SupraFaxModem 14.4: AT S37=9 &Q0 &D2 N \N1 &K SupraFaxModem 14.4: AT \N0 &D2 &K0 S48 = 8 SupraFaxModem: AT &F0 N S37=9 Supra AT N0 Q0 V1 W1 &K0 \G0 \N0 \%C0 %M0 S37=9 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Telebit 3000/Worldblazer AT S50=6 S180=0 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Telepath 14.4k AT &F &M0 &K0 &N6 &H0 S0=1 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Turbo Modem Plus AT &F B8 %C0 /N1 ------------------------------------------------------------------ USR Sportster 9600 AT &M0 &K0 &N6 USR 14.4k AT &K0 &H0 &D0 &I0 &R1 USR 14.4k AT &F0 B0 S34=1 &N6 &K0 &I0 USR Sportster AT &F0 &K0 &M0 &B1 S34=1 &N6 &I0 USR 14.4k AT &B1 &M0 S27=16 &H0 &I0 &K0 &N6 USR 14.4k AT &M0 &K0 &N8 &D0 B0 USR 14.4k AT &A0 &B0 &D0 &H1 &I0 &K0 &M0 &N6 &R1 S34=1 USR Courier 16.8: AT &A0 &M0 &K0& N6 B0 S0=0 X7 USR Courier v.32bis AT E1 Q0 V1 S7=60 &C1 &D2 &K0 &N6 &A3 &H0 &M0 USR Sportster 14.4k AT E1 Q0 V1 S7=60 &C1 &D2 &K0 &N6 &A3 USR Sportster 14.4k: AT &F0 &K0 &M0 &A0 USR Sportster 14.4k AT &F0 &M0 &K0 &N6 &H0 USR Sportster 14.4k AT &F0 &K0 &M0 &N6 &H0 &I0 &B1 &R1 USR Sportster 14.4k: AT &K0 &M0 &N6 &H0 &I0 &B0 &R1 USR Sportster 14.4k: AT &N6 &K0 &M0 &B1 &H0 &I0 USR Sportster 14.4k: AT B0 X4 E1 Q0 V1 &M0 &K0 &R1 &N6 &A3 &H0 &I0 USR Sportster 14.4k AT S7=60 E1 Q0 V1 &C1 &D2 &K0 &N6 &A3 &M0 &H0 USR Sportster 14.4k: AT S7=60 E1 Q0 V1 &C1 &D2 &K0 &N6 &A3 USR 14.4k Dual Standard AT B0 X4 Q0 &R1 &B1 &N6 &A0 &D2 &H0 &I0 &K0 &M0 M1 USR DS v.32bis v.42bis AT &M0 &N6 &A0 &R1 &H0 &K0 &I0 &S0 &B1 X1 USR Courier HST/DS 16.8k AT X4 B0 &A0 &B0 &H2 &I0 &K0 &M0 &N6 ------------------------------------------------------------------ ViVa 14.4k AT &F &Q6 \N0 %C0 &D2 N0 S37=9 Viva 14.4 Fax/Modem: AT S11=50 S37=9 S95=52 L0 N0 S46=0 &Q0 &D2 \N1 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Wang 14/14 modem: AT S46=0 S37=9 N0 &K0 %C0 %M0 &Q0 &D2 \N1 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Zoom Init AT &F &Q6 S37=9 N0 &K0 %C0 Zoom Init AT &F &Q0 S37=9 N0 &K0 S46=0 Zoom 14.4k VFX AT &Q6 S37=9 N0 %C0 \N0 Zoom Init AT &Q6 S37=9 N0 &K0 S46=136 S36=1 S48=128 %C0 Zoom OEM Modem AT &Q6 S37=9 N0 &K0 Zoom: AT &Q6 S37=9 N0 &K0 %C0 Zoom: AT &Q0 S37=9 N0 &K0 %C0 Zoom: AT &Q6 &K0 &D2 \N0 %C0 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Zyxel (E+): AT &N3 &K0 Zyxel U-1496E+ AT Z &N4 &K0 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Q: I don't get it. I did what you said, and the program wants something called "NETB2" before I can play with the modem. What can I do? A: If this happens to you, try, try again until you succeed. Did you think war was easy? Q: My modem is not connecting. Why not? A: NetMech DEMO requires a connection through two 100% Hayes compatible modems at 9600 BPS and a 16550A UART chip on the COM port you are using to play. If you do not have a Hayes compatible modem or a 16550A UART, NetMech DEMO might not function properly, if at all. You can use the Microsoft Diagnostic (MSD.EXE) utility provided with Windows 3.1 and later to determine if you have this chip on your COM ports, or you can mess with your initialization strings. Q: How do I set the initialization string on my modem? A: Using the MS utility, you can change this parameter. Q: I cannot get NetMech DEMO to run on my Windows network. Why not? A: NetMech DEMO does not support Windows NETBIOS. Q: When my friend and I try to launch, only one of us is successful. What do we do? A: Occasionally this will occur. Simply click on <LAUNCH> again to attempt a connection. It may be necessary in some cases to restart NETDEMO from the DOS prompt again to enable both users to launch properly. Q: When I run NETB2 I get a message stating that other players are already registered. What does this mean? A: This message indicates that other people are currently playing NetMech DEMO on the network. Fortunately, NETB2 provides four sockets to connect through. To use a different socket type "NETB2 x" where "x" is the number of the socket (1 through 4). Unless there are four games going on, you should be able to find an open socket. Both players need to type in the same socket number to play against each other in NetMech DEMO. Q: Does NetMech DEMO support Lantastic? A: NetMech DEMO should function properly on a Lantastic network or any other network that supports NETBIOS or 100% NETBIOS compatible software. Q: In two-player games, my frame rate is choppy and I get "memory low" messages on my screen. Why is this? A: In the heat of battle, sometimes more memory is required out of your computer due to the increased demands on the processor by the multiplayer version. If you are running the network version on an 8 MB machine, you may occasionally get memory low banners or experience choppy frame rates. Try to free up more memory to run the program. Ideally, the NetMech DEMO should be run in computer with more than 8MB. Q: Why doesn't MechWarrior 2 support a higher resolution? A: Actually, it does. To play in SVGA mode, either enter SETUP and select the SVGA option, or enter MW2DEMO -SVGA from your DOS prompt. Make sure there is a space after MW2DEMO! Q: How do I change my input.map? A: Have you been snooping into the drawer of your superiors? How do you know about my input.map? It's KP for you, wet nose. Q: How do I change from mouse to joystick? A: You show proper respect, free birth. Enter SETUP and then enter 1 and follow the direction. Q: How do I change my sound setup? A: At the DOS prompt in the demo directory, enter SETUP and choose option 2, then select the sound device of your choice. Q: How many missions are there? A: That would depend on whether or not you survive. Actually, one in one player mode, one in the two player mode. A VERY small fraction of all the missions in the regular game. Q: Ok, I'm playing the first mission...I've started on top of some mountain. How do I go anywhere? A: Press 0 on your keyboard. Q: I followed your directions and ran off the mountain at full speed damaging both of my legs. Is that what's supposed to happen? A: Only if you press 0. More cautious players press 2 or 3, walk to the edge of the mountain, then turn sideways so that they are walking almost parallel to the mountainside when they walk over the edge. This way, they come down the mountain in small drops. Q: Will the reported mathematical error in the Pentium chip affect the performance of MechWarrior 2? A: MechWarrior 2 does not use floating point arithmetic. The performance of the game will not be affected by any floating point arithmetic flaws that exist in the Pentium processor. Q: Why is my frame rate choppy? A: Frame rate is based on a number of factors. The easiest (and less expensive) way to increase the frame rate during missions is to turn off the detail levels in the escape menu of the game. The DOS performance of your video card and its bus type also affect your frame rate. For this reason, MechWarrior 2 requires a VESA Local Bus video card. Additionally, many of the video cards specifically designed as Windows accelerators neglect DOS performance and the performance of MechWarrior 2 will suffer accordingly. Lastly, your processor will greatly affect the frame rate. Upgrading a 486 to a Pentium will make a great difference in performance and will allow you to run in high resolution modes. Q: My screen is really dark. Is there something I can I do? A: Well, first try turning on the power to your monitor. This will solve most "blank screen" problems. (Just kidding) In the escape menu of the simulator, under the "Device Calibration" option, you can increase the brightness of the display using the monitor slider. This should solve any brightness problems. If not, adjust the settings on your monitor. Q: The autopilot function runs my 'Mech into walls and buildings. Is this intended? A: MechWarriors are known for their piloting and gunnery skills. Use of autopilot as the exclusive means of travel between navigational points is considered dishonorable among the ranks of the MechWarrior, although you will not be penalized for its use. Consequently, development of sophisticated autopilot computers has not been a concern of the clans. The best use of autopilot is as a directional aid. Selecting a NAV point and hitting autopilot will turn your 'Mech in the direction of the NAV point. Q: Why does my light amplification not function sometimes? -OR- Why do my satellite map and other displays flicker during the missions? A: When your 'Mech takes damage from enemy fire, your systems began to shut down. Eventually you will lose certain systems in your HUD and other displays. Screens will begin to flicker and eventually go dead. The solution is simple: Kill or be killed. Q: Does MechWarrior 2 function under Windows 95? A: Windows 95 was still under development during the creation of MechWarrior 2 and has not been released as of the date of this document. Consequently, MechWarrior 2 does not officially support Windows 95. However, MechWarrior 2 has successfully run under some beta versions of Windows 95. If you have any problems, reboot to DOS or, if you have a dual boot, bypass Windows 95 and run MechWarrior 2 under DOS. Activision plans to release a specific Windows 95 version of MechWarrior 2 by the end of 1995. MEMORY You need at least 6.9MB of extended memory to run MechWarrior 2. This can be attained by removing (REMming out) unnecessary lines in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, like SMARTDRV and RAMdisks. -- Boot Disks -- If you experience problems playing MechWarrior 2 or receive messages that you do not have enough memory to play, you will probably need to create a boot disk. A boot disk lets your machine boot from a floppy disk and will not load memory-eating programs, freeing more memory up for MechWarrior 2. -- Optimum Setup -- The information listed below should help you to create a boot disk that will allow MechWarrior 2 demo to run on your system. NOTE: In the examples below, the text shown is exactly that, examples. Your system may vary as to the pathnames used in your PATH statement or to find files or the installed directory of a certain driver. Step 1: Place a diskette in your A: drive. The next step will destroy any data on the disk, so a brand new blank floppy disk should be used. Make sure that the disk is the same density as the drive (Use a 1.44 MB disk in a High Density 3.5" drive, etc.). Step 2: At the C: prompt, type FORMAT A: /S and press ENTER. The DOS Format utility will format the disk and add the necessary DOS files required to boot from the floppy disk. Step 3: Change to drive A by typing A: and pressing ENTER. Then type EDIT CONFIG.SYS and press ENTER. The DOS Edit program will appear. If you are making your own Boot Disk manually, then type in the lines following [CONFIG.SYS] in the example below. When you are finished typing the lines, press ALT-F to bring up the File menu, and then press X to Exit the DOS Edit program. When it asks you if you want to save your file, choose Yes. [CONFIG.SYS] DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS DOS=UMB FILES=40 BUFFERS=15,0 STACKS=9,256 DOS=HIGH DEVICEHIGH=C:\CDROMDRV\D011V109.SYS /D:MSCD000 In the CONFIG.SYS file shown above, replace the last line in the example with the line from your current CONFIG.SYS file on drive C: that runs your CD-ROM drivers. It is important that you use your CD-ROM line and not our example, otherwise your CD-ROM drive will not function properly. You may also have special lines in your C:\CONFIG.SYS file that help your sound card to function properly. It is very important that you copy those lines into this new file on A: so your sound card will work. Place the appropriate lines from your CONFIG.SYS file at the end of the example shown above. Step 4: Type EDIT AUTOEXEC.BAT and press ENTER. The DOS Edit program will appear. If you are making your own Boot Disk manually, then type in the lines following [AUTOEXEC.BAT] in the example below. When you are finished typing the lines, press ALT-F to bring up the File menu, and then press X to Exit the DOS Edit program. When it asks you if you want to save your file, choose Yes. [AUTOEXEC.BAT] @ECHO OFF PROMPT $P$G SET PATH=C:\DOS;C:\VIDCARD;C:\SNDCARD LH C:\DOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD000 SET SOUND=C:\SBPRO SET BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 T4 C:\MOUSE\MOUSE.EXE C: CD\MW2DEMO MW2DEMO In the AUTOEXEC.BAT file shown above, you would replace line 4 with the line from your current AUTOEXEC.BAT file on drive C: that loads your CD-ROM drivers. It is important that you use your CD- ROM line and not our example, otherwise your CD-ROM drive will not function properly. You may also have special lines in your C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT file that help your sound card to function properly. It is very important that you copy those lines into this new file on A: so your sound card will work. Replace the examples on lines 5 and 6 with the appropriate lines from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Additionally, if your graphics card requires a VESA driver it should go here as well. (See the following section on VESA video drivers.) Step 5: Reboot your system with the boot disk still in drive A. The game should start and everything should be working properly. NOTE: Once this boot disk is finished and functioning properly, and if you still do not have enough memory free, use it to boot up your system and then run the DOS MEMMAKER utility with the boot disk in the drive. MEMMAKER will ensure that you have squeezed every little bit of RAM out of the boot disk. Run the DOS command MEM before and after running MEMMAKER to see what kind of memory increase you get from this step. -- Memory Managers -- When using MS-DOS 6.x and loading EMM386.EXE, you will need to have the EMS size set to NOEMS. See your DOS manual for information on how to do this. If you are running QEMM in Stealth mode, MechWarrior 2 may fail to recognize your VESA driver built into the video card BIOS. IN order to correct this problem you will need to run in Frame Mode as opposed to Page Mode. To do this, change the "ST:M" parameter in your QEMM statement to "ST:F". See your QEMM manual for more information on how to do this. We actually recommend that you do not run QEMM in Stealth mode while playing MechWarrior 2. VIDEO MechWarrior 2 is a pretty advanced simulation, as well as a bitchin' game. Therefore, it takes a pretty powerful computer to run it. That's why we default the game engine to 320x200 resolution. If you have the processor power (Pentium) to run it in high-res (640x480) then launch the demo by typing: MW2DEMO -SVGA It looks pretty darn good in low-res, but it looks GREAT in high-res, so try it out if you've got the processor to spare. -- What Is a VESA Driver? -- For one thing, it's something needed to play our demo. More specifically, VESA stands for Video Electronics Standards Association. It is a standard that allows software companies to write programs that work on many video cards without having to know how each card works. The VESA driver is the program that handles this. Almost every video card available today has VESA drivers available for it. These drivers may be stored in a chip on the video card, or they may be a program that the user has to load by hand (or with a batch file). Some cards (such as the Diamond Viper) have the driver on the video card, but need the user to run a special program to activate the driver. If the VESA driver is an external program, it will probably be found on the disks that accompanied your video card. If you don't have a VESA driver you should contact your video card manufacturer. We have included a list of Customer Service and BBS numbers for major manufacturers at the end of this document. Using most 'external' (programs that you must run) VESA drivers is as easy as typing the name of the driver at the DOS prompt. For instance, if the driver was called VVESA.COM, you would type "VVESA.COM" and then press ENTER. If you have any difficulty running MechWarrior 2 at a higher resolution, contact the maker of your video card for the latest VESA driver for your card. The next few sections explain some problems and solutions that we encountered during our testing with various video cards. -- ATI -- Usually located within the MACH32 or ATI directory on your hard drive (or the directory into which all of your video drivers were installed) should be a file called VVESA.COM. (If it is not there, it should be on your ATI driver diskettes which came with the card.) This file must be run prior to launching MechWarrior 2. There are two solutions: 1. Type "VVESA" prior to running MechWarrior 2, each time. 2. Include the following statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT: C:\MACH32\VVESA.COM This should allow you to run the "shell" without any video problems. -- Diamond Video Cards -- Q: My screen goes blank after I have started the game. A: If you have a Diamond Stealth 64 video card, the problem is probably with the Diamond Power management system that was installed with your video card. In some machines, the activity of the MechWarrior 2 game does not register as activity with this power management system. To solve this, type the following command before running MechWarrior 2: C:\>S64DDPMS U If DOS gives you a " Bad Command" error, the Stealth 64 driver directory must not be located in your path. Change to that directory (for Stealth 64 DRAM users, that directory is typically S64D), and retype the command. If you do not have a Stealth 64 video card, determine if you have a DOS power saver loaded for your video card. If you do, disable it prior to running MechWarrior 2 -- Diamond Viper Cards -- The Diamond Viper has its VESA driver on the card, but you need to run an external program to activate it. This program is called VPRMODE.EXE. To use VPRMODE to activate the VESA driver, type: VPRMODE VESA, then press ENTER. The VPRMODE program should have been installed by the software that came with the Diamond Viper card. Q: I have a Diamond Stealth/Viper and I get funny lines on my display. Why? A: This is a problem with MechWarrior 2 and some early versions of the Diamond drivers. There are software patches available for both the Stealth and Viper to alleviate this problem. The Stealth patch is available as a software program called STLBIOS.EXE or as a hardware upgrade. For the Diamond Viper, a software upgrade called VPRM202.EXE will contain a patch. All of these are available directly from Diamond. -- MATROX -- Located within the MGA or MATROX directory on your hard drive (or the directory into which all of your video drivers were installed) should be a file called MGAVESA.COM. (If it is not there, it should be on your video card driver diskettes.) This file must be run prior to launching MechWarrior 2. There are two solutions: 1. Type "MGAVESA" prior to running MechWarrior 2, each time. - OR - 2. Include the following statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT: C:\MGA\MGAVESA.COM This should allow you to run MechWarrior 2 without any problems with video. -- OTHER VIDEO CARDS -- If you do not have one of the cards listed above, try to locate the VESA driver for your video card in your video card's directory on your hard drive, or on the disks supplied by the card's manufacturer. Run the VESA driver as shown above each time before you start MechWarrior 2 or put it in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. -- Video Questions and Answers -- Q: When I try to run missions in 1024x768 mode, I get a "Divide Overflow" error and I drop back to the debriefing screen. Why can't I run the missions? A: We believe this is a problem with certain VESA video drivers. It occurred most frequently on ATI Mach32 video cards. Also, some video cards don't support this resolution, or they may require a video memory upgrade in order to display this mode. Consult your video card manufacturer for newer VESA drivers. They may correct this problem. Q: My screen goes blank or is garbled after the Intro movie. Why? A: MechWarrior 2 is designed to operate with any SVGA video card that supports standard VESA video modes. Most, if not all, video cards support VESA, either directly in the video hardware or through an external driver. Some of these cards require you to load a VESA driver prior to starting MechWarrior 2. In these cases, the drivers will most likely be found in the directory into which all of the video card files were installed. If you do not have a VESA driver for your video card, you will not be able to run the game until you obtain one. SOUND ----- The MechWarrior 2 installer will attempt to automatically detect what kind of sound card you have in your machine and select the proper driver. However, on some machines you may need to pick your sound card out of the lists provided. The installer will then try to verify the presence of that sound card in your machine. If your sound card is not shown and is 100 percent Sound Blaster compatible, you should be able to install for "Creative Labs Sound Blaster or 100% compatible" and hear sound and music within the game. -- Miles Design Sound Drivers -- MechWarrior 2 sound support is accomplished through the use of the John Miles Design AIL audio driver libraries. Like VESA drivers, these help software companies support many different sound cards without having to know how each card works. The Miles Design Drivers are automatically installed when you select which sound card you wish to use for digital audio and MIDI in MechWarrior 2. -- Sound Questions and Answers -- Q: Will MechWarrior 2 work with my Pro Audio Spectrum 16 Sound Board? A: Yes, but Pro Audio Spectrum 16 sound cards must have the following settings to work with MechWarrior 2. Pro Audio Spectrum Side: Sound Blaster Side: Port = None Port = 220 Interrupt (IRQ) = 3 Interrupt (IRQ) = 5 DMA Channel = 3 DMA Channel = 1 (Must be 1) The PAS 16 consists of two sections, and the Sound Blaster section should use the settings shown above. You may be able to use a different IRQ, but the DMA channel must be 1. Problems with the PAS 16 card are usually due to the two sides of the card sharing a port, Interrupt or DMA Channel. The two sides of the card must have different settings, or the card will cause the system to lock up. Look at the setting in the SETUP utility for this sound card for more information. Q: I have an Ad-Lib/Ad-Lib Gold card, and I can't get any digital Sound FX to play. How come? A: An Ad-Lib card does not have a DAC (Digital Audio Converter) to play digital effects, therefore you will only hear synthesized musical effects. Q: How come the music volume control does not affect the volume of the music I hear while playing the game? A: Some CD-ROM drivers do not have the ability to raise or lower the volume. For these drivers the sound is either on or off. In these instances, the volume slider for music will be non- functional except to turn it on and off. Q: The volume levels of my music, sound effects and/or game voices are too low for me to hear. What can I do? A: Check your speakers to see if the volume can be turned up. This is the easiest solution. However, if this cannot solve your problems, try adjusting the volume sliders in the escape menus of the game. Finally, your sound card may have a volume or mixer utility that can raise the volume of your sound output or the volume know on the back of some sound cards. Consult your sound card manual for more information. NOTE: Some CD-ROM drives may have the volume level for Redbook Audio (CD music) set too low or off in their CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If you are not hearing music in the game, consult your CD- ROM driver manuals or the manufacturer of your CD-ROM drive for assistance. You may simply need to make a small change to a command in your startup files to fix the problem. Q: I do not have any sound in the game. What do I do? A: There are a number of things that may cause this problem. First, ensure that your speakers are properly plugged into your sound card and are turned on. Second, type SETUP in the C:\MW2DEMO directory and choose the appropriate sound card in "Configure Sound Devices". Make sure that you have the appropriate settings. If all else fails, the problem may be with your sound card. Consult your sound card user manual and run any diagnostic utilities that the manufacturer supplies. Q: Why is the sound fuzzy on my Sound Blaster Pro 2 sound card? A: This may be due to a compatibility problem between the Sound Blaster Pro 2 and certain video cards. We discovered it with an Orchid Kelvin card installed. A small amount of distortion plays near the beginning and ends of sound effects. We have no solution for this at this time. INPUT DEVICES (Joysticks, Mice, VR Headsets) -------------------------------------------- The following section will cover many of the most common issues encountered with these controllers. MechWarrior 2 requires a Microsoft-compatible mouse to run. Most mice today (including Logitech, Mouse Systems, and Kensington) are Microsoft-compatible. In order for the mouse to work properly in MechWarrior 2, a mouse driver must be loaded before running the game. The mouse driver must also be fairly current and VESA compatible. Contact the manufacturer of your mouse or the dealer who sold the mouse to you to see if your driver is the most current available. In MW2DEMO, the SideWinder joystick supports the following sound cards: SoundBlaster 16 SoundBlaster Pro SoundBlaster AWE 32 SoundBlaster Pro 2 Reveal SC 400 Ensoniq Sequoia Sound Galaxy 16A Gravis Ultrasound (with a minor hiccup) -- Questions and Answers -- Q: Which Thrustmaster products are supported by MechWarrior 2? A: MechWarrior 2 supports several configurations of the following Thrustmaster input devices: Flight Control Systems Mark I & II Weapons Control Systems Mark II vrs. 5.08 Rudder Control Systems F-16 Flight Control Systems Q: My computer freezes when calibrating or does not calibrate the CH Flightstick Pro properly. A: We believe the problem results from conflicts in some sound card game-ports. One possible solution to this problem is to plug the joystick cable into a Y-adapter plugged into your sound card game port. The best alternative is to install and use a dedicated game port on a separate I/O card and disable the game port on your sound card. Q: I am having problems calibrating my joystick to work with MechWarrior 2. What should I do? A: MechWarrior 2 is designed to be very sensitive to joystick controls to allow for more precision. The trade-off is that you must be delicate in configuring your joystick. Please follow the screen directions very closely and slowly. The most common problem encountered by MechWarrior 2 players is caused by rushing through the joystick configuration screens. As anxious as you may be to play MechWarrior 2, take your time to configure properly. Remember to wait until the dot appears to move your joystick and follow the stick movement and button click sequence precisely. Q: What do I do with the grey switch on the back of my SideWinder just below the cord? A: Good question, wetnose. For this demo, face the joystick cord away from you and the four grey buttons towards you; then, reach behind the joystick and push the grey switch all the way to the right. Q: How do I calibrate my SideWinder? A: Press ESC once you have begun your battle, then select option number two, <Device calibration> and follow the instructions. Q: My SideWinder joystick does not work properly, the buttons fire but I can't steer my mech. What can I do? A: You should re-launch the mission. Q: When I use my joystick, my 'Mech does this crazy thing of rotating and tilting around. What is this? The latest 'Mech dance craze? A: Press </> or <5> on your keypad to re-center your joystick. Q: My 'Mech seems to be drifting to the right. What can I do? A: Press </> or <5> on your keypad to re-center your joystick. Q: I have a Honeywell mouse and it does not work with MechWarrior 2. Why? A: The Honeywell Mouse is not compatible with Microsoft standards and does not work with MechWarrior 2. Q: I told the SETUP to use my mouse to play the demo, but it won't work. What should I do? A: Most likely, a mouse driver has not been loaded. MechWarrior 2 needs a DOS mouse driver (as opposed to a Microsoft Windows mouse driver). This driver along with instructions on how to load it should have been included with your mouse. The less likely problem is that the mouse driver is being correctly loaded, but it is an older version that is not supported. You should contact the manufacturer (or dealer) of your mouse to get a more up-to-date mouse driver. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS MechWarrior 2 Update is written and prepared by Members of Activision Studio's Customer Support, Quality Assurance and Production Departments. Written by: Jon Doellstedt Dave Arnspiger Jack Mamais John Lafleur John Spinale Tim Morten Josh Resnick Matt Candler Pete Blumel Daiva Venckus William Westwater The Activision Quality Assurance Department would also like to thank XXCal, Inc. Testing Laboratories for their assistance in the testing of this project. CUSTOMER SUPPORT If you have any comments, questions or suggestions about MechWarrior 2 demo, or any other Activision product, you can contact us at (310) 479- 5644 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) Monday through Friday, with the exception of holidays, or contact a customer service representative through the following on-line services: Activision BBS: (310) 479-1335 * Available 24 hours a day * Up to 14,400 baud * Settings: 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit (8, N, 1) Compuserve: 76004,2122 or [GO GAMBPUB] to find our support area in Game Publishers Forum B. Prodigy: ACTI10B Genie ACTIVISION America Online: MEDIAJAKE or use the keyword "ACTIVISION" to locate the Activision forum. Internet: support@activision.com World Wide Web: http://www.activision.com For information on how to use our listserver, please send email to Csbulletins@activision.com with the word "help" in the subject line. 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