PC/CD Gamer UK 10/PCGAMER10.bin/air/read.me

Text File | 1995-04-26 | 25KB | 765 lines

AIRPOWER READ ME - Last Update:                    ;;JIM 26Apr95
=================================================

Copyright 1995 Rowan Software Ltd


This file is an up to date copy of the main part of the Technical
Reference Supplement.

This readme file is concerned with the game Airpower. There is a separate
readme file for the demo called demoread.me. This file contains information
which is common to the demo and the game.




Contents:

    MEMORY
      requirements
      Freeing Memory Under 1MB
      Expanded Memory

    SUPER VGA DRIVERS
      notes on universal vesa option (low speed)

    THRUSTMASTER STICKS

===============================================================================

MEMORY
======

1 Requirements
--------------

    under 1Mb:       485Kb of conventional memory to load program
            +  70Kb of conventional or UMB memory (555K)
              (20Kb for sound and music is included above)
    ems:        2.2 Mbytes for VGA
    ems:        2.5 Mbytes for the High Speed SVGA & VESA drivers
    ems:        3   Mbytes for the Universal VESA driver


NOTE: THE UNDER 1MB FIGURES ARE UNDER REVIEW AND ARE HEAVILY OVER ESTIMATED.

The under 1Mb memory figure given above assumes that the additional conventional
or upper memory is available as one continuous block. It is likely that
slightly higher figures will be required if the memory comes from 2 or more
separate blocks.

For example if you have 540K of conventional (485+55K) and 32K of UMBs free
(additional=55k+32k=87K) you may find that SVGA mode will pop out during the
game with a memory error message even though there would seem be a large
enough total. Estimate an addititional 5K overhead per additional region
(and ignore blocks under 5K in size) when trying to tune your memory map,
or try to merge regions in order to reduce the overhead.

Type mem at the DOS prompt to find the memory available on your computer.
The figures required are "Total under 1MB" third figure (free),
and "Free Expanded (EMS)".

For the demo the main program size is a little lower (about 470K)

2 Freeing Memory Under 1MB
--------------------------

2.1 Introduction
----------------

This section describes how you can make enough memory available for Airpower
to run on almost any machine, even with a CD-ROM, SVGA, and MUSIC drivers
installed.


If you are not using MS-DOS, but are using Novell or DR-DOS then you will have
to assume an equivalence when MS-DOS version numbers are mentioned.




2.2 Security boot disk
--------------------


To release memory for Airpower and other games you will have to make edits to
your config.sys and autoexec.bat files (set-up files). We suggest that you make a security
boot disk now. If your machine stops working as a result of an edit to your set
up files, you can use the boot disk to restore your system.

If you use Stacker or Superstore and Airpower is installed onto the compressed
drive then you will have to use the instructions provided with the compression
software on how to make a boot disk that lets you access the compressed drive.

To make a security boot disk, from the DOS prompt:

1)    FORMAT /S A:

2)    MD A:\OLD

3)    COPY C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT A:\OLD

4)    COPY C:\CONFIG.SYS A:\OLD

5)    remove the floppy


To use the security boot disk:

1)    Place the recovery floppy in the drive

2)    Reboot the machine

3)    COPY A:\OLD\AUTOEXEC.BAT C:\

4)    COPY A:\OLD\CONFIG.SYS C:\

5)    remove the floppy

6)    Reboot the machine

The machine should now behave as it did before you made any edits to
your setup files.


2.3 Game boot disk
------------------

Section 2.5 contains advice on how to modify your setup files. It is
possible to make these edits on either the setup files in your c: drive
or on a game boot disk.



Edits made on your c: setup files will effect your machine every time you
reboot from the hard drive. Edits made on the game boot disk are only
effective when you boot with the game boot disk.

Some edits will work with all software and could be included on your c:
drive setup files. Other edits will not work with some software. Some
experimentation is required once you have successfully configured a
bootdisk that runs Airpower.

In the following text, we will assume that a game disk is being used.

DOS 6.x users may wish to make alternate boot setups.

To make the boot able disk:

1)    Place the recovery floppy in the drive

2)    COPY C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT A:

3)    COPY C:\CONFIG.SYS A:

4)    Edit a:CONFIG.SYS

5)    All lines starting DEVICE=\something become DEVICE=C:\something

6)    Similarly, any    DEVICEHIGH=\something becomes DEVICEHIGH=C:\something
            INSTALL=\something becomes INSTALL=C:\something
            INSTALLHIGH=\something --> INSTALLHIGH=C:\something
            SHELL=\something becomes SHELL=C:\something


7)    Save the file

8)    Edit a:AUTOEXEC.BAT

9)    Insert 1 new line at the start which reads:
        C:

10)    Save the file

Now, if you reboot the machine with the floppy in the drive, it will boot
somewhat slower, but the messages on the screen will look the same.

If this is successful then you can move forward. Anytime from now on that we
mention AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS we will mean the versions on A: floppy.


2.4 Config.sys and Autoexec.bat
-------------------------------

This section describes some of the likely contents of the two setup files.
Please try and identify the equvalent lines in your setup files so that you
will be able to modify them as described in (2.5).

First, Config.SYS:

1) A memory manager - one of:

    DOS:    Device=c:\dos\himem.sys
        Device=c:\dos\emm386.exe

    or    Device=c:\windows\himem.sys
        Device=c:\windows\emm386.exe


    QEMM:    Device=c:\qemm\qemm386.sys

    386Max:    Device=c:\386max\386max.sys

2) Memory: files and buffers

    To get DOS out of conventional memory in Dos5 or Dos6:
        DOS=HIGH,UMB

    To minimize the size of DOS and still run Airpower:
        FILES=10
        BUFFERS=30     <- in DOS 5 or 6. In others BUFFERS=1
        FCBS=1,0
        STACKS=0,0

    The figures above are ideal for Airpower. Yours may be different.


The following lines are in CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT.
Please go through CONFIG.SYS for points 3,4,5,6,7.
Then, if neccessary, edit AUTOEXEC.BAT and check through the points again.

3) Disk cacheing software to speed access to the harddisk and possibly
   speed up the CD drive as well:
   CONFIG.SYS may contain     DEVICE=C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.SYS

   AUTOEXEC.BAT may contain    SMARTDRV
            or    \DOS\SMARTDRV
            or    \WINDOWS\SMARTDRV
            or    lh SMARTDRV
            or    loadhigh SMARTDRV

   Cacheing software is also provided in the NORTON UTILITIES and PC TOOLS:
   CONFIG.SYS:        Device=C:\NU\NCACHE-x.SYS
        or    Device=C:\PCTOOLS\PCCACHE.SYS

   AUTOEXEC.BAT:    C:\NU\NCACHE-x
        or    C:\PCTOOLS\PCCACHE

4) A mouse driver - something like:

    In Config.sys:        device=c:\mouse\mouse.sys
    or
    In autoexec.bat:    c:\mouse\mouse

    "c:\mouse\" might be "c:\dos\" or "c:\windows\"

5) To run the CD version you need 1 line each in Config.sys
   and Autoexec.bat to enable your CD:

    The line in config.sys is provided by your CD manufacturer
    so it varies a lot. The following sould give you some idea:
    In Config.sys:
            Device=c:\cddrv\cddrv.sys /d:"something"

    The line in autoexec.bat is pretty standard. There are only 3
    different styles:
            c:\dos\MSCDEX /L:r /D:"something" /M:xx

        or    c:\windows\MSCDEX /L:r /D:"something"  /M:xx

        or    c:\cddrv\MSCDEX /L:r /D:"something" /M:xx

6) If you run any disk compression then the lines in Autoexec.BAT or
   Config.SYS associated with the disk compression MUST NOT BE DELETED.

7) If you need to load any device drivers to access the hard disk where
   Airpower is installed then the line that loads this driver
   MUST NOT BE DELETED.


8) If you have an SBPRO, SB16, or AWE32 then you will find additional
   lines in AUTOEXEC.BAT that reference the C:\SBPRO or C:\SB16
   directory. DO NOT DELETE THESE LINES if you want to hear the sound
   effects and music. Also, do not delete the statement: SET BLASTER=


Notes:

Whereever DEVICE= is mentioned above, your CONFIG.SYS might say DEVICEHIGH=

2.5 Modifying Config.sys and Autoexec.bat
-----------------------------------------

Once you have familiarised yourself with the commands mentioned in 2.4 you
can attempt to tune the setup by trying the following modifications.

You should try each of these options in turn, and see how much your memory
has improved towards the targets listed at the start of this file.

A) If you find any lines in the setup files that are not mentioned in 2.4,
   you should be able to delete them. They should not be required to run
   Airpower. On the other hand, other software that you run may require
   the lines.

B) Use the optimal values for the following lines in CONFIG.SYS:
    To get DOS out of conventional memory in MS-Dos5 or MS-Dos6:
        DOS=HIGH,UMB
    To minimize the size of DOS and still run Airpower:
        FILES=10
        FCBS=1,0
        STACKS=0,0
    In Dos 5 or DOS 6 set:
        BUFFERS=30
    In Dos 4 try:
        BUFFERS=30 /x
    In Dos 3 try:
        BUFFERS=1


C) You can reduce the size of your CD driver (2.4.5). Find the line in
   AUTOEXEC.BAT for MSCDEX. Search for the parameter /E. If it is not
   there then add it. You may now wish to increase the /M:xx buffers.

D)   Some software "grows" when loaded high in UMBs, using more
     memory than it does when loaded in conventional memory.  In
     particular, some CD drivers have this problem.  Try changing
     "DEVICEHIGH /x =" to "DEVICE =" in config.sys and removing
     LOADHIGH or LH from the front of commands in AUTOEXEC.BAT.
     If the total below 1Mb increases, then your only worry is
     whether there is at least 475K of conventional memory left
     for loading the program.  If you don't have this
     conventional memory, you will have to selectively reverse
     these changes and identify which software "grows" when
     loaded in UMBs.

E) EMM386.EXE (2.4.1) can be modified to give DOS users more memory.

   You should expect MEM to say that the TOTAL UPPER memory is at
   least 96K.

   You should ensure that the parameter ON is on the line, not OFF
   or AUTO. Unless running the UNIVERSAL VESA SVGA driver
   DOS 5 and 6 users will also have a RAM parameter.

   First, any X= statements for network cards or scanner scan be removed,
   as Airpower will not access this hardware.
   Do not remove any X= statements required by your DISK CONTROLLER.
   Of course, you will need to use the normal boot for other programs
   to access this hardware!

   Second, you can add the statement I=B000-B7FF to give Dos5 and Dos6
   32K extra memory. Note that normally Dos 5 users will be unable to
   run WINDOWS with this parameter set.

   Dos 5 users of PCs (not PS2) may also add I=E000-EFFF to get 64K extra.

   It is good to place the page frame at one end to provide contiguous
   memory. The parameter FRAME=C800 or FRAME=E000 will do this.


F) Disk caches (2.4.3) really speed up disk access, but can take a lot
   of memory. SMARTDRV.EXE provided in dos 5 and 6 takes 20K. Removing
   this line will save memory, but slows the game down a little.

   Norton's NCache-s.EXE will only take 5K if you use EMS.

G) It is convenient to use a mouse (2.4.4) with Airpower, but not essential.
   removing your mouse driver may free up to 15K. There are special mouse
   drivers that take very little memory and work mainly from EMS.

H) Sounds and Music

   High quality sound effects requires a 20K buffer
   Low quality sound effects requires 10K

   Music requires a buffer of 13K

   At the start of the game 1 buffer is declared to the largest of these
   sizes. Thus, by using low quality sound effects and music 7K is saved
   compared to high quality sound effects. 3K more is saved by having no
   music, and the whole 20K is saved by having no sound effects or music.



I) The following modifications to EMM386.EXE will make even more memory
   available to Airpower, but should only be attempted after all else
   fails:

   In order to use the UNIVERSAL VESA SVGA driver many users will already
   have had to insert the statement I=A000-AFFF. If you don't mind the
   danger of Airpower crashing when you exit, but running fine, then you
   can also add the parameter I=B800-BFFF.

   If you are NOT using the UNIVERSAL VESA driver, but are still desparate
   for memory then you may have to remove the RAM parameter and add the
   parameter I=B800-BFFF.

   Note that Airpower will still find your UMBs in this configuration even
   though DOS couldn't, so you only have to ensure that there is 490K
   available at the DOS prompt with all your device drivers and TSRs loaded
   low.

   Airpower is also able to help users of DOS versions 3 and 4 who's
   EMM386.SYS will accept I= arguments, or users of hardware EMS cards
   by generating UMBs in the included areas. Try some of the following:
    FRAME=E000
    I=C800-DFFF  or INCLUDE=C800-DFFF     - this is worth 96K
    I=B000-B7FF  or INCLUDE=B000-B7FF     - this is worth 32K
    I=B800-BFFF  or INCLUDE=B800-BFFF     - this is worth 32K
   These are not guaranteed to work, but may work with some vendor versions.

J) Quarterdeck's QEMM can greatly increase available UMBs, and hence free
   more main memory by moving and hiding the ROMs. However this 'stealth'
   technique is not compatable with that certain Video cards such as CIRRUS.
   We have found that the CIRRUS and some other cards will work OK
   under stealth in two different ways which will maximise your UMBs:
   1) ST:M FRAME=C000 means that the video ROM is hidden, but not moved.
    UMBs are available from D000-FFF0 giving 190K
   2) ST:M XST=C000 FRAME=C800 un-stealths the video, but stelths the system.
    The region from D800 to FFF0 is UMBs giving 170K

   If ST:F works with your machine then try disabling shadowing in the
   boot-up bios options, and try OPTIMIZEing again.
   We have found that it is often better to stealth over the video ROM using
   ST:F FRAME=C000 than the system ROM using ST:F FRAME=EC00 as QEMM will
   often map over parts of the system ROM anyway.

   QEMM Stealth version 7 is also able to 'hide' DOUBLESPACE, and move lumps
   of DOS. I have seen 650,000 bytes at the dos prompt! (640K=655,360 bytes).

   I don't expect users of QEMM or 386 MAX to have major problems finding
   enough memory, especially with the QEMM stealth features.


2.6 Example Configurations
--------------------------

NOTE THAT THESE MEMORY FIGURES ARE UNDER REVIEW AND ARE HEAVILY OVER ESTIMATED.

The highest memory requirement for Airpower is 622k.


2.6.1 Hard Disk user
--------------------

A hard disk user's machine under dos 5 or 6 can easily have the
following configuration:

630K at the DOS prompt
96K of UMBs (+64K page frame) filled with:
    EMM386.SYS     2K
    SMARTDRV.EXE    20K
    mouse        15K
            ===
            40K  leaving 56k free


available memory:    630+56 = 686k

Of course, a further 40K would have disappeared if DOUBLESPACE was installed.




The config.sys will look something like:

    DOS=HIGH,UMB
    DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS
    DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE ON RAM FRAME=E000 2500
    STACKS=0,0
    FILES=10
    BUFFERS=30
    FCBS=1,0
    devicehigh=c:\mouse\mouse.sys


(for the universal driver line 3 might read:
    DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE ON  FRAME=E000 I=A000-AFFF 3000
)


The autoexec.bat will look something like:

    @echo off
    c:
    PATH=C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS
    c:\mouse\mouse
    LH C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE


2.6.2 CD users
--------------

For a CD user, the following configuration is easily achieved:

610K at the DOS prompt with MSCDEX loaded low.


128K of UMBs (I=B000-B7ff and page FRAME=E000) filled with:
    EMM386.SYS     2K
    CDDRV.SYS    30K
    SMARTDRV.EXE    20K
    mouse        15K
            ===
            70K leaving 58k free

available memory:    610+58 = 668k - so the I= is not necessary

A further 40K would disappear if DOUBLESPACE was installed
then the I= may be necessary, or SmartDrv may have to be removed.


For the CD user the config.sys will look something like:

    DOS=HIGH,UMB
    DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS
    DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE ON RAM FRAME=E000 I=B000-B7FF 2500
    DEVICEHIGH=C:\cddrv\cddrv.sys /D:"name"
    STACKS=0,0
    FILES=10
    BUFFERS=30
    FCBS=1,0
    devicehigh=c:\mouse\mouse.sys

(for the universal driver line 3 might read:
    DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE ON FRAME=E000 I=A000-AFFF I=B000-B7FF 3000
)

For the CD user the autoexec.bat will look something like:

    @echo off
    c:
    PATH=C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\cddrv
    c:\mouse\mouse
    MSCDEX /L:r /E /M:30 /D:"name"
    LH C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE




3 Expanded Memory
-----------------

You will be reading this if mem does not report enough Free Expanded (EMS).


If you have no "Total expanded" or the section does not exist, then you need
to put the line
    DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE ON RAM 3000
near the top of your CONFIG.SYS on a new line after DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS.

If The line DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386 is already there then see if there is the
parameter OFF or AUTO on the line. If there is then you need to remove that
parameter and replace it with ON. This will reduce your UMBs, and you may
then not have enough memory under 1Mb.

If you have less than the required amount of Free Expanded then take the
following steps in turn until your problems are solved (we hope!):

1) Look at the line Extended (XMS). If the total XMS is much more than the
   total EMS and the free XMS is enough to make up the amount you need
   then edit Config.sys and find the line with
   DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.SYS
or DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE
or DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE
   and increase the number by the difference in K.
   Reboot, and see if you have gained enough EMS to run Airpower.


   QEMM, 386MAX, DR-DOS and DOS6 treat EMS and XMS as a common memory pool,
   unless you have configured with a maximum EMS, so the figures for EMS and
   XMS will be approximately the same.

2) Either Total Expanded or Total Extended should be over the figure you
   need, i.e. 2,500K or you will have to fit more memory to your machine.
   A 4MB machine should provide 2,900K of expanded memory, or 3,000K XMS.

3) You will have to remove a driver that is using your Expanded or Extended
   memory in order to make room for Airpower. These include RAM disks and
   disk caches.

   Edit your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files and look for lines starting
   with the following:

   DEVICE=c:\dos\RAMDRIVE.SYS
or DEVICEHIGH=c:\dos\RAMDRIVE.SYS:
       Airpower does not make use of RAM disks, so this line should be
    disabled by inserting REM in front
    (i.e. REM DEVICE=c:\dos\RAMDRIVE.SYS)

   DEVICE=C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.SYS
   SMARTDRV
   lh SMARTDRV
   loadhigh SMARTDRV
   \DOS\SMARTDRV
   \WINDOWS\SMARTDRV
    Airpower can be speeded up by using a disk cache, but they
    can use a lot of memory. To reduce SMARTDRiVe's memory look for a
    number after the text listed above.

    If there is a number reduce it by the amount of EMS you need (in K).
    If there is no number then try putting 256 (The default is 2,000K).
    If this does not give enough EMS then comment out the line
    by putting REM in front (eg REM \DOS\SMARTDRV)

   Your RAM disk or disk cache may be provided by some-one other that microsoft.
   The NORTON UTILITIES and PC TOOLS both contain cache and ram disk utilities.

   There are other ways you could be using up your XMS or EMS - a printer
   buffer for example, or a network cache.

   After making these edits save out and reboot. Type MEM again to see the
   gain in free XMS and EMS memory.

   The result may have freed either XMS or EMS, depending how the ram disk
   or smartdrv was configured. If there is now enough XMS, but not enough EMS
   free then you need to repeat step (1) above.


===============================================================================


SUPER VGA DRIVERS
=================

After you have installed the Airpower program disk set you will be
able to run the game in standard VGA mode.

You can then run SVGATEST. This program will attempt to set up an SVGA library
for your graphics card. If it is successful, then a high resolution
version of the title screen will be displayed.

This indicates that you will be able to run Airpower in high
resolution. At this stage you should install the SVGA graphics disk set.

We have provided custom SVGA drivers, a High Speed VESA driver and a
Universal VESA driver. The Universal driver should work on most cards but
is slower than the other two options.
Please run SVGATEST to decide which driver to use.

At the beginning of SVGATEST a list including the following chipsets
will be displayed:

        Cirrus
        ET4000
        Trident
        #9 GXE
        ATI Mach 32 - requires that the provided VESA TSR has been run.


There are a number of manufacturers' brand names. In the following list, brand
names are matched with their driver:

        Hercules Dynamite    ET4000
        Genoa 8500VL        Cirrus
        Genoa 3989VL-12        ET4000
        Trident 8900        Trident
        Trident 9000        Trident
        Cirrus Logic GD-54xx    Cirrus
        Older Diamond Stealth    Vision
        Newer Diamond Stealth    ET4000

If you don't know which chipset you have, then select "OTHER" , then
"Technical Information" in the SVGATEST.

The following cards have been tested and work with the High Speed VESA driver:

        Cirrus Logic GD-54xx
        ET3000
        ET4000
        Trident
        #9 GXE
        Older Diamond Stealth
        Newer Diamond Stealth
        ATI Mach 32
        ATI Mach 64 - requires UNIVBE to be run.



The following cards have been tested and work with the Universal VESA driver:


        S3 cards including Orchid Fahrenheit S3
        Pegasus
        Paradise

Note that to use the UNIVERSAL VESA driver the card must be LOCAL BUS
(VLB or PCI) to get an acceptable framerate during the ground section,
and a DX2/66 or Pentioum 66 MINIMUM is needed to fly using the
UNIVERSAL VESA drivers.

Please contact Mindscape for the latest
information on these drivers.

In Europe:    Customer Services:    ***to be added
In US:        Technical Support:    ***to be added

Notes on universal vesa option (low speed)
------------------------------------------

You must make ONE of the following edits to your CONFIG.SYS file,
depending on the memory management software you are using.
As these edits can effect the function of other software we advise that
you follow the steps above to MAKE A BOOT DISK.

On DOS versions before DOS 5 on the line starting DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.SYS:
    Add the parameter:         i=A000-AFFF

On DOS versions 5 and after on the line starting DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.SYS:
    Find, and remove, the word:     RAM
    And add the parameter:         i=A000-AFFF
    Also, find the line saying DOS=HIGH,UMB and change to DOS=HIGH
    or,  find the line saying  DOS=UMB and insert REM in front.

For Quarterdeck QEMM 386, on the line starting DEVICE=C:\QEMM\QEMM386.SYS:
    Add the parameter:           VREMS

        -If you do not have a monochrome monitor you can avoid rerunning
         OPTIMISE by also adding the following parameter:
                                         RAM=B000-B7FF

    We have not managed to get WINDOWS to accept this unless you insert
    X=B000-BFFF -in which case you will have 32K less UMBs, and you will
    have to re-run OPTIMIZE.

For 386 MAX, on the line starting DEVICE=C:\386MAX\386MAX.SYS:
    Add the parameter:           I=A000-AFFF
    I don't know what effect this has on Windows :->


After the "DOS 5 and after" edit some software won't work until the edit is
reversed. You may wish to make a bootable floppy especially for Airpower.
See the section above on memory optimisation to do this.
Then, perform the edit described above on A:\CONFIG.SYS


===============================================================================

THRUSTMASTER STICKS
===================




The Thrustmaster option on the preferences screen refers only to the Mark I
joystick.

If you have the F16 stick then select the standard joystick option. The coolie
hat and switches can be programmed using the Thrustmaster utilities.

If you connect a Weapons Control System to your Mark I stick then you can
either:
        set the hat switch to analog and the red switch to digitial
        or calibrate. In this case the coolie hat will
        function in the same way as if the WCS was not connected.

or:
        set the hat switch to digital and the red switch analog or
        calibrate. In this case the coolie hat will not function but
        the WCS throttle will be available. To calibrate select
        the "Joy-Throttle" option on the Preferences page.


In both cases, if the red switch is set to calibrate, all the red buttons are
disabled. Otherwise the buttons can be programmed using the Thrustmaster
utilities.


We have provided the file ROWAN.M50 which is a macro list
of all the keys in the game. Your can use this file to produce your own button
file. The file ROWAN.M50 can be renamed to ROWAN.MDF for use with the WCS
mark II