PC World Plus! (NZ) 2000 May/PCW_MAY2000.iso/Games/i82demo.exe/data/readme.txt

Text File | 1999-12-02 | 17KB | 378 lines

Interstate '82 DEMO (12/1/99)

Introduction:
You are playing a FREE DEMO of Interstate '82 -- it is not the full product.
In fact what you have in your possession only represents a tiny part of the
single-player portion of the game.  This FREE DEMO will give you a feel for
the gameplay of Interstate '82.  Have fun!

Note Concerning Movies:
This FREE DEMO contains no in-game movies.  They can be downloaded separately
as i82dmov.exe.  Run i82dmov.exe and follow directions to include some of
Interstate 82's cinematic elements.

To download the movies and for more information about Interstate '82, please
vist our web site: http://www.activision.com/games/i82/


TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.   Minimum System Requirements
  - Requirements
  - Note about 'Reference Cards'
  - List of Supported Cards
  - Note about Riva 128 cards
  - Note about Matrox Millennium 2 or ATI Rage 2+
  - Note about Win 95 systems
  - Note about Win 98 systems

II.  Troubleshooting
  - General Sim
  - Video
  - Joysticks & Input Devices
  - Miscellaneous

III.   Gameplay Notes
  - Stuck in terrain and unable to move
  - I thought I 'jacked' the car but got left in the dust
  - Game Hints

IV.  Input Devices & Customizing the Controls
  - Connecting controllers while I82 is running
  - Customizing keys for the Escape Menu
  - Customizing I82 for a Track Ball type of controller
  - Required keys when customizing I82 controls
  - Customizing Windows specific or non-standard keys
  - Deleting or sharing custom control configurations


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

I.   MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

***REQUIREMENTS***
100% Microsoft Windows« 95 or 98 compatible computer system (including
compatible 32-bit drivers for CD-ROM, video card, sound card and input
devices)
U.S. version Microsoft« Windows 95 or 98 operating system
233 (or higher) Pentium(r) processor with 32 MB of RAM (Windows(r) 95 only)or
200 Pentium processor with 64 MB of RAM
Requires 75MB of uncompressed disk space for game files plus 45 MB of
empty disk space for the Windows swap file.
16-bit High Color video card with minimum 4 MB RAM.
Requires DirectX 7 (NOT included) or later.
100% DirectX 7 compatible sound card and drivers.
100% Windows« 95 or 98 compatible mouse and driver.
100% DirectX 7 compatible Joystick (optional).
Direct 3D compatible hardware accelerator card that supports Z-buffering
and has DirectX 7-compliant drivers

***NOTE ABOUT 'REFERENCE CARDS'***
As of the time of its release, this game has been designed to provide the
maximum gameplay experience consistent with the hardware available to
you.  Because it is so advanced, certain issues on hardware accelerated
D3D video cards using the latest manufacturer provided drivers still
exist due to driver immaturity.  Your card chipset manufacturer has
worked with Activision to successfully resolve these driver issues and
the game functions as expected with updated drivers provided by them.
The problem is your video board is manufactured by an OEM company who adds
features and functionalities and releases an enhanced driver set based on
the reference drivers provided by the chip manufacturer.  Carrying these
corrections through to your card manufacturer's driver always lags behind
the resolution of the problems.  This is the case with our game as well
as other 100% DirectX compatible 3D cards.

Certain D3D drivers are ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED for 3D accelerated play. These
drivers, referred to here as "reference drivers", utilize leading
technology with the card.  If you attempt to play our game without these
specific reference drivers, the game may CRASH.  However, if you install
these reference drivers, they will override and eliminate the specific drivers
provided by the OEM manufacturer of your video board.  You will have to reinstall
such OEM drivers if you wish to continue to use them.  Activision will not be
able to provide you with specific instructions with respect to reinstalling
the original drivers as Activision does not possess such information.  We
strongly urge you, therefore NOT to use the reference drivers unless you
have the latest drivers issued by your video board's OEM readily available
to be reinstalled AND you feel comfortable with the process of installing
and reinstalling video drivers on your system.

***LIST OF SUPPORTED CARDS***
The following video cards and chipsets were tested and are supported by
Interstate '82:

NOTE: This is a partial list based on the information available to us at
this time. The information is subject to change as new cards are released.

3Dfx
Voodoo Graphics
 *Diamond Monster 3D
 *Orchid Righteous 3D
Voodoo 2 Graphics
 *3dfx V2 1000
 *California Graphics 3D Wizard
 *Creative Labs 3D Blaster Voodoo2
 *Diamond Monster 3D II
 *Guillemot Maxi Gamer 3D2
 *Metabyte Wicked3D
Voodoo Banshee
 *Creative Labs 3D Blaster Banshee
 *ELSA VICTORY II
 *Guillemot Maxi Gamer Phoenix
 *Quantum3D Raven
Voodoo 3 Graphics
 *STB Voodoo 3 2000
 *3dfx Voodoo 3 3000
 *3dfx Voodoo 3 3500
NVIDIA
RIVA 128
 *Diamond Viper V330 (please see "Riva 128 Note" below
 *STB Velocity 128 (please see "Riva 128 Note" below
 *STB Velocity 128zx (please see "Riva 128 Note" below
RIVA TNT
 *ASUS AGP-3400TNT
 *Creative Labs Graphics Blaster RIVA TNT
 *Diamond Viper V550
 *ELSA ERAZOR II
 *Hercules Dynamite TNT
 *STB Velocity 4400
RIVA TNT2
 *Diamond Viper V770
 *Creative Graphics Blaster TNT2
 *Elsa ERAZOR III Video
ATI Rage 128
 *ATI RAGE FURY
Matrox G200
 *Matrox Millenium G200
 *Matrox Millenium G200SE
 *Matrox Mystique G200
 *Matrox Marvel G200(-TV)
Matrox G400
 *Matrox Millenium G400 32MB
3Dlabs Permedia II
 *Accelgraphics Accelstar II
 *Diamond Fire GL 1000 Pro
#9 Ticket to Ride IV
 *Revolution IV
S3 Savage 4
 *Diamond Stealth III S540
Intel i740
 *Diamond Stealth II G460
 *Real 3D StarFighter

***RIVA 128 NOTE***
RIVA 128 NOTE: Some graphic anomalies seen on Nvidia Riva 128/128zx
based cards seem to be solved with Nvidia Riva 128/128zx Reference
Drivers 4.11.01.0337

***NOTE ABOUT MATROX MILLENNIUM 2 OR ATI RAGE 2+***
Both the Millennium 2 and the ATI Rage 2+ will be seen by I82 as 3D cards
since they do run D3D acceleration.  However, these cards do not have the
advanced features that I82 requires.  You will need to have a secondary 3D
card installed in your computer to run I82.  Once you start I82 for the
first time, make sure you go to the Options/Graphics screen to select your
secondary card (I82 will always default to the primary card until you set it).

***NOTE ABOUT WIN 95 SYSTEMS***
Windows 95 does not come with a pre-installed web browser.  While a web
browser is not required for any of the game features, a web browser is needed
to link to any web sites from the Interstate '82 Demo installer.

***NOTE ABOUT WIN 98 SYSTEMS***
Windows 98 requires at least 24 MB of RAM at all times.  If your computer
only has 32 MB of RAM, this doesn't leave enough for Interstate '82 to run
at peak performance regardless of CPU speed or the type of video card.
If you only have 32 MB of RAM you will experience some framerate spikes
during play since the game will be accessing your hard drive more than
would otherwise be needed.  To minimize the spikes, we suggest you make
sure nothing else is running in the background, and that you play
Interstate '82 with the graphic settings at the lowest settings.

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

II.  TROUBLESHOOTING

For information on video or sound card specific solutions, see the
Troubleshooting section in the technical help.

***GENERAL SIM***

Q:  During play, my car got stuck in a ditch and I can't get out.
A:  You can self-destruct your car.  Press 'Esc' to bring up the Escape
    Menu.  This will pause the game.  While in the menu type 'nukeme'
    (no quotes), then 'Esc' again to return to the game.  You  will be taken
    to the 'Mission Failed' screen.  Please drive safely!

Q:  I am experiencing long or delayed load times.
A:  Make sure all background programs except for Explorer and Systray
    are shutdown.

Q:  I have my system connected to a LAN.  While playing I sometimes get a
    framerate spike (where the game slows and speeds up). What can I do?
A:  Since you are connected to a LAN, you may have your file sharing
    property on. When this is on, the system periodically checks to see
    if the connection is still live.  More than likely, this is what is
    causing the spikes.  If you disable file sharing in your network
    properties, the spikes will go away.

Q:  I have 32 MB of RAM in my computer.  I am experiencing random framerate
    spikes.
A:  Windows 98 requires at least 24 MB of RAM at all times.  If your computer
    only has 32 MB of RAM, this doesn't leave enough for Interstate '82 to run
    at peak performance regardless of CPU speed or the type of video card.
    If you only have 32 MB of RAM you will experience some framerate spikes
    during play since the game will be accessing your hard drive more than
    would otherwise be needed.  To minimize the spikes, we suggest you make
    sure nothing else is running in the background, and that you play
    Interstate '82 with the graphic settings at the lowest settings.

Q:  I have a Soundblaster Live.  Occasionally while I'm playing, the game will
    freeze or crash.
A:  Check to see which version of the drivers you're using.  The LiveWare 2.x has
    some instabilities.  If you're using 2.x, consider updating your drivers to
    LiveWare 3.x or greater.

Q:  I have a Diamond Monster 3D (3DFx Voodoo board).  While playing there are
    audio problems (occasionally sounds become corrupted or static sounding).
A:  At the time this document was written, Diamond had only released Direct X 5
    compatible drivers.  Interstate '82 requires Direct X 7 drivers.  If you
    experience these problems, please contact Diamond for updated drivers.

***VIDEO***

Q:  When I try to start the game I get a message that says,
    "Interstate '82 is unable to set your chosen screen resolution.
    This can occur if your monitor is not properly installed.
A:  The game requires your monitor to support a resolution size of
    800X600 even if your monitor is set for something other than
    800X600. If your display settings do not show an 800X600 setting
    then you need to get an updated monitor.inf file from your monitor
    manufacturer or change your monitor type to SuperVGA 1024x768 in your
    computer's monitor settings.

Q:  I am experiencing choppy graphics during play. What can I do?
A:  You can go to the Options/Graphics screen from the I82 main menu and
    move the light bars to the left. This will decrease your graphic
    details while making the game less choppy.

Q:  I am experiencing strange video problems, like the HUD not showing
    up. What is wrong?
A:  Go to your I82 Graphic Options and change your color resolution to 16-bit
    high color only. If this does not help, please contact your video card
    manufacturer.

Q:  I am experiencing sorting errors on certain maps with my ATI Rage Pro (for
    example, water seems to be drawn on top of roads).
A:  If you increase the graphic settings under the I82 Option menu, it should
    clear these up.  However, the game may run slower.  If this does not solve
    the problem, please update with the latest drivers.  Contact the hardware
    manufacturer for acquirement and installation instructions.

***JOYSTICKS & INPUT DEVICES***

Q:  My Gravis Firebird/Firebird 2 does not seem to work with the game.
A:  Interstate '82 does not support the Firebird/Firebird 2 joysticks.

Q:  I can't get my track ball controller to work well in the game.
A:  Interstate '82 does not support the use of track balls.

Q:  I've got more than 1 gaming device installed in Windows.  I want to use one
    with Interstate '82, but the game only seems to see one of my controllers.
A:  Interstate '82 will only see the first controller listed in the your Windows/
    Control Panel/Game Controls list.


***MISCELLANEOUS***

Q:  Why doesn't Alt+Tab minimize the game on my dual monitor system?
A:  Multitasking while running Interstate '82 is unsupported since
    the game requires such a large amount of the system's resources.
    If you attempt to Alt-Tab to other programs while the game is
    running, you may experience crashes or other anomalies.

Q:  Where can I go online for more info?
A:  The Interstate '82 page at http://www.activision.com/games/i82/


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

III.   Gameplay Notes

***STUCK IN TERRAIN AND UNABLE TO MOVE***
  Interstate '82 features the ability to drive your car over realistic
  terrain.  Like real terrain, some places are not meant for cars.  A
  player can get stuck in a nook or cranny in any mode of play.  To
  self-destruct your car, press 'Esc' to bring up the Escape Menu.  This
  will pause the game.  While in the menu type 'nukeme' (no quotes), then
  'Esc' again to return to the game.  You will be taken to the 'Mission
  Failed' screen.  Please drive safely!

***I THOUGHT I 'JACKED' THE CAR BUT GOT LEFT IN THE DUST***
  Carjacking a car with a living driver is an art.  Don't expect the
  original owner to hand the car over without a fight.  Sometimes you'll
  need to try a few times to kick them out.  Oh - and once you take the
  car, don't wait around to change the radio station - DRIVE AWAY! The
  former occupant of the car won't happily stand around to help.  Expect
  them to try to unseat you in return.


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


IV.  Input Devices

***CONNECTING CONTROLLERS WHILE I82 IS RUNNING***
For most joystick combinations we have created configurations to
maximize your gaming experience with Interstate '82. For more elaborate
control configurations there may be additional steps to configuring your
controls to work properly with Interstate '82.

If you connect and attempt to configure a controller while Interstate '82
is running, you will see an error message when you start playing.  To
avoid this, you must first configure your joystick in Windows.  Here are
the steps:
1.  Exit I82 so that you are in Windows 95/98 without other applications
    running.
2.  Connect the controller you want to use to your computer.
3.  Go to Settings/Control Panel/Game Controllers and configure the game
    controller.
4.  Start I82, go to the Options menu, then click on Controls.
5.  Load a pre-set configuration for your controller or design your own.

***CUSTOMIZING KEYS FOR THE 'ESCAPE MENU'***
The I82 keyboard can be fully customized from within the Options menu.
If you choose, you can assign a different key to activate the 'Escape
Menu.'  This also serves as a 'pause' feature for single player.  However,
deactivating the 'Escape Menu' (to un-pause) will always remain the 'Esc'
key on the keyboard.  This is to prevent players from accidentally pausing
and being unable to un-pause (forcing a reboot of the computer).

***CUSTOMIZING I82 FOR A TRACK BALL TYPE OF CONTROLLER***
Interstate '82 does not recommend or support using a track ball controller
to play.

***REQUIRED KEYS WHEN CUSTOMIZING I82 CONTROLS***
When you customize your controls within the I82 Options menu, it is important
to remember that each function listed must be assigned to a key.  You should
also keep in mind that no key can have more than one function.

***CUSTOMIZING WINDOWS SPECIFIC OR NON-STANDARD KEYS***
Many keyboards come with keys designed to work as shortcuts within
Windows 95/98.  The keys can usually be found between the 'Ctrl' and 'Alt'
keys.  Interstate '82 does not support their use within the game.  Hitting
one of those keys will often close the game and return the player to their
standard Windows desktop.  Some keyboards come with special 'Internet' or
other shortcut keys.  These have not been tested with Interstate '82 and we
do not recommend using them during play.

***DELETING OR SHARING CUSTOM CONTROL CONFIGURATIONS***
Once you create and save a custom configuration, it is kept within your
Interstate '82 folder (where you installed I82), in a directory called
Bindings.  You will find both your preset and custom configurations there.
To delete them from the game, all you have to do is remove them from the
Bindings directory.  If you'd like to share one with a friend, you can
copy any of the files from your Bindings folder to theirs.



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