*****************Silent Thunder Patch v1.01******************* I. INSTALLING THE PATCH II. THINGS FIXED IN VERSION 1.01 III. ADDED FEATURES IV. ADDITIONS TO 1.00 README V. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT ************************************************************** I. INSTALLING THE PATCH Floppy version: 1) Insert the disk into your A: or B: drive. Open your Windows Explorer by clicking START, then PROGRAMS, then WINDOWS EXPLORER. 2) On the left hand side of your Windows Explorer, underneath ALL FOLDERS, click on your A: or B: drive. 3) Then on the right side of your Windows Explorer, underneath CONTENTS of '3 1/2" Floppy A:', you will need to double-click on the STPATCH.EXE file. 4) Select the drive and directory you have installed A10-II into (example: C:\SIERRA\A10_II) and click OPEN. In the case that you do have the game installed into the default directory, do the following after you have double clicked STPATCH.EXE: *Click the down arrow next to Look In (at the top of the open box) and select your C: drive. *Double click the SIERRA folder, then double click the A10_II folder. *Click OPEN and the patch will install. Downloaded Version: 1) Download ST101.EXE from any of our on-line services. Then go to the directory the patch was downloaded to and run ST101.EXE. (You can do this by typing it at a DOS prompt, or double clicking the icon in Windows Explorer). 2) Then Double click STPATCH.EXE, then select the drive and directory you have installed A10-II into (example: C:\SIERRA\A10_II) and click OPEN. Follow the prompts and this will install the patch. ************************************************************** II. THINGS FIXED IN VERSION 1.01 The v1.01 patch corrects some minor problems and adds program enhancements to the original Silent Thunder Game. Below is a list of the changes that the patch makes. Joystick: The patch adds a joystick calibration routine in the sim, and includes some enhanced joystick code. This should make response on analog joysticks more precise and responsive. It is necessary to calibrate the joystick after installing the patch since changes to the joystick code will negatively affect your joystick performance until it is calibrated for the first time. It may be necessary to recalibrate the joystick occasionally, as well. To run the joystick calibration routine within the game do the following: After you have properly calibrated your joystick in Windows 95, start Silent Thunder. Then start a mission. At the beginning of the mission hold down SHIFT-P on the keyboard. This will bring up the preferences section with a Calibrate Joystick feature. Use this to improve the joystick calibration within the game. Sound: The support for sound cards that use software emulation of DirectSound support has been enhanced. If you have one of these cards, be sure that DirectSound is disabled, and use the adjustment for SOUND DELAY in the Preferences menu in the sim to adjust the delay to the minimum that your card will support. Instructions are given in the prefs menu. DirectDraw: DirectDraw support has been enhanced. You may find that DirectDraw is now more stable on your system. Flight Model: Some minor improvements have been made to the flight model to make it feel more realistic. Roll coupling has been added to rudders. The A10 now has a tendency to roll level when you are banked. Additional back-stick input is now required to turn quickly when banked. **************************************************************** III. ADDED FEATURES *Added joystick calibration feature. (See section II) *DirectSound can now be turned on and off from the preferences section. You may also adjust the sound delay within the game. (See section II) *Ordnance: Due to popular demand, weapons still perform exactly as before if you have the lock or release cue, but it is now possible to drop weapons anywhere, regardless of whether you have a lock or not. This can actually make the game much harder, since you can now drop weapons on targets against which they are largely ineffective, and you can also waste weapons by dropping them when you aren't near any targets at all. However, it can be very effective, for instance, to drop an FAE in the middle of a truck convoy. **************************************************************** IV. ADDITIONS TO 1.00 README: QUESTION: I am having problems with views using the "hat" for my joystick; views are behaving erratically, or sticking. ANSWER: Some joystick "hats" do not respond well under Win 95. To correct the problem, go to the joystick setup in the Joystick Configuration menu in the Control Panel and create a custom setup that does not have support for the "hat." You may wish to contact your joystick manufacturer to see if they have an updated driver or a solution that will allow the "hat" to function properly. QUESTION: I'm running in HI COLOR and the game runs slowly. ANSWER: HiColor mode takes up enough system resources that some machines may run Silent Thunder slowly. The easiest solution is to switch to 256 colors. QUESTION: I'm getting the online manual in German (or French). What did I do? ANSWER: Our install checks for the regional settings on your computer. If it is set to German or French, it will install the German or French manual. Change to USA before installing. QUESTION: I'm playing off of a removable drive and get unusual lockups or sound effects and voices sound funny. What is the problem? ANSWER: Silent Thunder "streams" a lot of data off of the HD when it is playing. Removable drives often run significantly more slowly than fixed HDs, and it may be taking too long for data to load. We do not recommend installing on these drives. QUESTION: I'm using a Sidewinder joystick and am having a lot of problems. ANSWER: If you are using a Sidewinder, make sure you have the Joystick settings in the Control panel set to Sidewinder. Having it set as 2-Button, 2_axis joystick can cause erratic problems. QUESTION: I have my joystick plugged into port 2. Is this a problem? ANSWER: If there is no joystick plugged into port 1, but there is one in port 2, Silent Thunder will not operate properly. QUESTION: I have two joysticks enabled. I can't seem to get the A10 to throttle up more than half way. Why? ANSWER: Silent Thunder is reading the second joystick as a throttle and, since it is centered, thinks you want the throttle set at 1/2. Remove the second joystick, or treat it like a throttle. ************************************************************ V. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT If you continue to experience any problems, or if you have any questions concerning any of the above steps, our Technical Support Team will be more than happy to assist you. Please call (206) 644-4343 between 8:15 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Friday. We can be reached by Fax at (206) 644-7697, or by mail at the following address: Sierra On-Line P.O. BOX 85006 Bellevue, WA 98015-8506 Attention: Technical Support You can also reach our Technical Support Team on one of the following services: Compuserve GO SIERRA America Online Keyword: Sierra Internet support@sierra.com or http://www.sierra.com Please outline the problems along with the specific information about your computer system, and we will gladly respond to your letter, fax, or BBS message as soon as possible. When contacting us by fax or BBS please allow 24-48 hours for turnaround. During weekends or holidays, there may be some delays. To better serve our European customers with technical problems and disk replacements, Sierra U.K Customer Support or Coktel Customer Support can be reached at the following address: Sierra On-Line Limited Coktel Vision Unit 2, Theale Technology Centre, Parc Tertiaire de Meudon Station Road Immeuble "Le Newton" Theale, Berkshire RG7 4AA 25 rue Jeanne Braconnier United Kingdom 92366 Meudon La Forêt Cedex Main: (44) 1-734-303171 France Fax : (44) 1-734-303201 Main: (33) 1-46-01-4650 BBS : (44) 1-734-304227 Fax : (33) 1-46-31-7172 Sierra Technical Support provides this documentation as a reference to Sierra customers using Sierra software products. Sierra Technical Support makes reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in this documentation is accurate. However, Sierra makes no warranty, either express or implied, as to the accuracy, effectiveness, or completeness of the information contained in this documentation. SIERRA ON-LINE, INC. DOES NOT WARRANTY OR PROMISE THAT THE INFORMATION HEREIN WILL WORK WITH ANY OR ALL COMPUTER SYSTEMS. SIERRA DOES NOT ASSUME ANY LIABILITY, EITHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL, FOR THE USE OF THE INFORMATION HEREIN, INCLUDING ANY AND ALL DAMAGE TO OR LOST USE OF COMPUTER HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE PRODUCTS, LOSS OF WARRANTIES, OR LOST DATA BY THE CUSTOMER OR ANY THIRD PARTY. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY SIERRA, ITS EMPLOYEES, DISTRIBUTORS, DEALER OR AGENTS SHALL CHANGE THE RESTRICTION OF LIABILITY OR CREATE ANY NEW WARRANTIES. IN NO CASE SHALL SIERRA'S LIABILITY EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE SIERRA SOFTWARE PRODUCT.