header.jpg (9115 bytes)

READ ME

Created: 4:20 AM 3/7/2000

=============================
Soldier of Fortune README.TXT
=============================

AUTOPLAY:
========
If the Windows« Autoplay feature is enabled on your computer, the Soldier of Fortune Launch screen will automatically appear when you insert the Soldier of  Fortune CD into your CD-ROM drive. Simply click on Install and follow the on-screen instructions to continue the installation.

If the Autoplay feature is disabled, you can begin the installation by doing the following:
a) Go to the Start Menu and select Run. 
b) Type D:\LAUNCH.EXE (assuming D is your CD-ROM drive letter) and press
Enter. 
-or-
a) Double-click on your CD-ROM drive icon. 
b) Double-click on LAUNCH.EXE.

WON CD KEY:
===========
- To play Soldier of Fortune, you will be prompted to enter the WON CD authentication string located on the CD packaging when you first run the game. You will also need to have the Soldier of Fortune CD in your CD-ROM drive to play.

MULTIPLAYER OPTIONS:
====================
- The following settings can be configured from the Multiplayer Options Menu:
1. Spectator Mode: This setting allows you to join a game as a Spectator (you can watch the action and talk to the players, but no one can see or hurt you).
2. Obituary Filter: This allows you to screen out the Obituary messages that are printed on the screen when players are killed.
3. LAN Play Only: Turn this setting ON if you will be playing on a Local Area Network. This will turn off WON account login until you return to Internet play.
4. Connection Speed: This sets the rate at which your game connects to the Internet. Pick the Connection speed that best matches your configuration.
5. Weapon Switching: This setting lets you decide if you want your weapons to automatically switch to a better weapon when you pick one up. If you choose "Best Safe" you will only switch to better weapons that will not damage you. "Best Unsafe" will auto-switch you to weapons that are potentially self-damaging. "None" turns off auto weapon switching.
6. SOCKS 5 Support: Players behind a firewall can use a proxy server to get to the Internet. If the proxy server supports SOCKS5 (i.e. UDP packets), then you can use that proxy server to connect to Soldier of Fortune Deathmatch games on the internet.

VAMPIRE TRAILER:
================
- In order to view the Vampire Trailer included on the Soldier of Fortune CD, you will need to update your Windows Media Player beyond the version that is included with Windows 95 and Windows 95 OSR 2. 

MONITORS:
=========
- Please make sure your monitor supports the game resolution you are trying to play in. To check what resolutions your monitor supports, do the following:
1. Open up My Computer 
2. Double-click on Control Panel 
3. Find the Display icon and open it. 
4. Choose the Settings tab.
5 Locate the resolution pointer in the Desktop Area box and drag it to the 
far right. 

The resolution choice shown is the maximum resolution your monitor is capable of displaying. If you do not want to change to this resolution now, select cancel. Your Desktop Area should be set to the game resolution you are trying to play in or higher. 

NOTE: Please make sure your monitor type is properly specified to insure correct reporting of available video resolutions.

VIDEO CARDS:
============
- TNT2: Users running Windows 2000 with TNT2 video cards may experience problems launching Soldier of Fortune unless the TNT2 Windows 2000 reference drivers are installed (you may not even be able to launch the game with the manufacturer drivers).

- Matrox G200 cards will perform slightly choppy on Windows 2000 once the Release drivers for windows 2000 are installed, but the card has issues with changing video settings. After changing the video settings once, you will get a blue screen if you attempt to change settings again. Clicking on the video tab will cause the computer to reboot itself.

- ATI Rage 128: on Windows 2000, you will not be able to run the game. The following error will come up:
"Error: Could not initialise OpenGL rendering enviornment!" Make sure you have the latest drivers installed and make sure your desktop has more than 256 colors.

- When the Diamond Stealth III S540's texture quality settings are changed in Windows 2000, some texture dropout occurs. When Texture Quality is set to very low, strips of purple and pink lines can be seen through the walls. When quality is set to Low, some step textures appear as red and white.

- VOODOO 3 cards will display a black screen if you task-switch (ALT+TAB) and return to the game. You must quit out and use the Default Mode Soldier of 
Fortune shortcut to restart the game.

SOUND PROBLEMS:
==============
- With Aureal Vortex 1 cards and windows 2000, the settings for A3D and auto-detect do not function. Only default sound can be used.

- Users with SB PCI512 sound cards will experience system slowdown if you change the driver settings to EAX. Settings have to be changed back to 
default to run smoothly.

CAPTURE THE FLAG:
=================
- If you have selected a player model that lacks a team affiliation and you attempt to join a multiplayer Capture the Flag game, your model and/or skin will be randomly changed by the server so that you will be able to join one of the teams.

SCALABILITY OPTIONS:
====================
- The "Model Expressions" and "Skin Variety" settings on the Scalability Menu cannot be altered while you are connected to a game (either Single or Multi-player). What this means is that you will have to quit the game and restart in order to change these settings. Or, if you have enabled the console, you can use the " ~ " key and type "disconnect" to quit out of the map. Press "ESC" to return to the Main Menu and you may alter the settings as you please.

DEDICATED SERVERS:
=================
- You can launch a Dedicated Server from the shortcut on the Windows Start Menu. You can find more information on Dedicated Server commands in the Compatibility document of the Help System.

OTHER:
======
- Force Feedback issues: On a windows 98 system with a Logitech Force Feedback mouse installed, Soldier of Fortune plays with slight delay. When you exit the game, your Force Feedback drivers will crash. Your computer will freeze and must be restarted.

- VENDOR LIST: In the Soldier of Fortune Help System, some of the vendor information is out of date.

* Nunber Nine: The tech support number listed under Number Nine returns a "call cannot be completed as dialed" message when dialed. Please look for updated support information for Number Nine at http://www.nine.com

* The number given for nVidia returns a message that the call could not be completed as dialed. Also, at the link to their site, it says "Support Inquiries: Contact your Board/PC manufacturer" when you scroll through the contact information. Please refer to the support information at nVidia's web page:
http://www.nvidia.com/company.nsf/htmlmedia/contact_nvidia.html

* Orchid: The tech support number for Orchid Technology returns a "number has been disconnected" message.

* Paradise/ Philips Electronics: the Bulletin Board Service number for this company returns a "number has been disconnected and to direct all calls to the main number" message when accessed. Philips support information is available from http://www.philips.com

* S3: The Help System info for S3 differs from the S3 web page listing. This is probably because of the recent S3/Diamond merger but if you follow the link below, you will see the updated information on the S3 site: http://www.s3.com/customer_caretechnical_support_info.htm

* Trident: The Help System reports incorrect CS e-mail info. The Trident website says that the email address to get support is: "techsupport@tridentmicro.com" 

* Tseng Labs: The listed CS number (215-968-0502) returns a message that the number has been disconnected. No updated infomation is available for Tseng Labs support at the time of this writing.