This document contains last-minute information about Homeworld: Cataclysm and other information about the program not found in the Help Files. This README file includes information that pertains to general problems and questions you may have concerning the game or your computer. Should you experience any problems with Homeworld: Cataclysm, please refer to this file for additional help on answering questions about the game and solving technical difficulties.
- Windows Me/2000/98/95/NT 4.0 (w/service pack 4.0) CD-ROM
Minimums:
- Pentium« II 266+, 32 MB RAM
- 250 MB HD Space (Plus 50 MB Permanent Swap File)
- 4x CD-ROM Drive
- 4 MB PCI Video Card (16-bit color, DirectX compatible)
- 16-bit DirectX compatible Soundcard
- Win-compatible Mouse
Internet/Multiplayer:
- 32-bit Internet Service Provider with 28.8+ kbps Modem or LAN
DirectX 7.0a is required to run the game. It is included on the Homeworld: Cataclysm disc. Additionally, you may point your browser to Microsoft's DirectX download web site at: http://www.microsoft.com/directx/homeuser/downloads/default.asp
II. GENERAL TECHNICAL ISSUES
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- Most video compatibility problems can be resolved by hitting the TROUBLESHOOT button in the video options screen or by pointing your browser to use http://www.won.net/re/hwcatdrivers.html or http://www.sierrastudios.com/games/homeworld/noflash/c-support.html. We recommend using the TROUBLESHOOT button in D3D or software video modes as task switching in OpenGL mode has been known to cause problems on some systems.
- If you have a dial-up Internet connection, we recommend you establish your internet connection before you click on the INTERNET or TROUBLESHOOT buttons in Homeworld: Cataclysm.
- We recommend minimizing or closing all programs with "always on top" windows (i.e. ICQ) before starting Homeworld: Cataclysm. Leaving them maximized will cause the Windows Operating System to switch from Homeworld: Cataclysm to those programs when you click on certain parts of the screen.
- Windows NT and Windows 98 users can alt-tab out of Homeworld: Cataclysm, and then back, in both D3D and Software modes, but doing so may cause undefined problems on some system configurations. This is especially true if you run another 3D application when Homeworld: Cataclysm is minimized. Alt-tab is not available under OpenGL. In any case, we recommend avoiding task switching while running Homeworld: Cataclysm. You do so at your own risk.
- Hitting the Windows Key is equivalent to alt tabbing and can have similar undefined results on some configurations, especially OpenGL. The Windows key is disabled in D3D.
- You must have enough free disk space available on your swap drive in order to run Homeworld: Cataclysm. Use My Computer->Properties->Performance->Virtual Memory to see what drive your swap file(s) will be on. We recommend running with a fixed-size swap file if you have the disk space or ensuring there is at least 50MB of free space on the drive you have installed Homeworld: Cataclysm to.
- Taking screenshots has been known to cause hardware lock-ups using certain hardware accelerators. This is unavoidable due to video timing issues. Note that this is extremely rare and only occurs with hardware acceleration. Screenshots are completely safe in software and quite safe in hardware. Make sure you have enough free disk space to save your screenshots.
III. GENERAL GAME ISSUES
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Updates to the Manual:
A) At times you may notice a ship turn to wire-frame mode when the camera goes through it or when it is cloaked. This is a design feature and not a bug.
B) When mimicking ships, the right-click menu will contain ship types that can be selected by pressing on the keyboard the number listed to the left of the ship name (you can also select them by left-clicking on them).
C) When playing internet or LAN games with CPU opponents, the CPU opponents may die when human players die. This is because the CPU opponents are distributed across the human players to lessen the processor load on the captain. This is not a bug.
D) Screenshots (which can be taken by pressing Scroll Lock when the game is running) will be placed in the Screenshots directory. They will also be used as background images when loading multiplayer games.
E) Last minute changes and type-o's under research technology
