DP Tool Club 15/CD_ASCQ_15_070894.iso/vrac/gkpat.zip/README

Text File | 1994-01-10 | 15KB | 438 lines

             Gabriel Knight - PC Floppy Version
              Patch to Update to Version 1.0b
                     January 4, 1993

INTRODUCTION

This diskette or archive file contains the necessary files
to update your copy of Gabriel Knight to version 1.0b.  This
update corrects several problems described below.  Check
your installation disks to verify which version you have.  This
patch also patches version 1.0a to 1.0b.

PLEASE NOTE:  IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES YOU
MAY HAVE ENCOUNTERED WITH THIS PROGRAM, IT WAS NECESSARY THAT WE
MAKE REVISIONS TO THE PROGRAM THAT WILL NOT ALLOW FOR THE USE OF
PREVIOUS SAVED GAMES.  WE SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE.

THIS UPDATE IS FOR THE PC COMPATIBLE FLOPPY DISK VERSION ONLY!  DO
NOT USE THIS UPDATE FOR THE CD-ROM VERSION OF GABRIEL KNIGHT!

CONTENTS

This diskette or archive includes the following files:

     README       This file
     README.BAT   Batch file to display this file
     PATCH.EXE    The patch utility program
     PATCH.RTP    A file containing all patch data

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

To update your game, copy these files into your
game directory (e.g. C:\SIERRA\GABRIEL), and then from
within that directory, type PATCH and press Enter at the DOS
prompt.  The patch utility will first scan to insure it is
updating the correct files, and then it will automatically
install all modifications, including new files.  This
utility will report its progress, and provide appropriate
messages if any errors are encountered.

ABOUT THIS UPDATE

1.0a

This game is one of the first of a new generation of Sierra
products based on an exciting new 32-bit architecture.
Version 1.0 was tested extensively prior to its release, in
the same fashion we have successfully tested our earlier
16-bit products.

However, the special requirements of 32-bit software make
advanced products like this more sensitive than previous
16-bit products to specific system configuration related
issues. Thanks to the feedback from initial customers, we
have been able to identify and solve all known system
specific issues.

At the heart of these issues is a third party "DOS extender"
that provides this game with 32-bit access to extended
memory.  Included in this patch is an updated version of
this DOS extender, with fixes for numerous customer reported
problems.  Sierra has tested this version extensively with
this game to insure compatibility and proper operation.

This update also includes other corrections which should
eliminate problems with the sound cards under certain system
configurations.  It also solves the occasional problems
encountered when saving and restoring games in certain
situations.

In addition to these system level fixes, the following game
specific problems have also been corrected:

Some exit cursor abnormalities have been fixed throughout the
game.  The problem of locking up when exiting interrogation
has been addressed as well as some other potential conversation
problems. Various messages not timing out or not found have been
fixed.  Also, a problem that may occur when Gabriel does some
game optional actions in the endgame have been fixed.  Some
Jackson Square errors have also been dealt with.  The death screen
and cartoon skipping mechanism have been updated.

1.0b

This patch contains the Windows interpreter.  The problem with
large saved game sizes and long restore times has been fixed.
A problem when skipping cartoons was fixed.

SOUND PROBLEMS

We have discovered a situation where it is possible for the
SCI32 DOS SoundBlaster or Thunderboard driver to incorrectly
determine the card's interrupt setting during the autoscan
process when the game is started.  This has only happened on
a few systems, and in every case, the system was configured
with a bus mouse adapter.

Each time you start the game, it scans your hardware to
determine the proper interrupt configuration for your sound
card.  Depending on your system configuration, and the other
devices installed, this process may not always be
successful.  The result is distorted or missing digital
audio sounds, very slow game speed, or game lockups.  This
is most likely to happen when using a mouse connected via a
bus interface.

If you experience any of these symptoms, you can explicitly
set the sound card interrupt using the BLASTER environment
variable.  The SoundBlaster and Thunderboard drivers will
first look for the interrupt setting in the BLASTER
environment variable, and only attempt the autodetection if
it is not found.

The BLASTER environment variable is usually defined via a
SET command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.  It should look
something like this:

                SET BLASTER=A220 D1 I7

This specifies the I/O address, DMA channel, and interrupt
line for your sound card, and is used by many products to
determine this information.

You can determine the setting of all your environment
variables by typing SET at the DOS prompt.  You can display
the current value of the BLASTER variable by typing ECHO
%BLASTER% at the DOS prompt.

If you already have a BLASTER environment variable set, make
sure the values correspond to the actual hardware
configuration of the card.  Refer to the card's reference
documentation for more information.

If you do not currently have a BLASTER environment variable,
you should set one according to your sound card's
configuration.  The only value required by Sierra games is
the interrupt line.  If your sound card is configured for
interrupt 7, the following command will insure that this
game will properly determine your sound card configuration
at startup:

               SET BLASTER=I7

This command should be added to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file so it
will run each time your computer is started.  Refer to your
computer's documentation for more information on the SET
command, environment variables, and the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.


TECHNICAL SUPPORT

If you  have difficulties installing the patch, or if
you have any questions steps, our Technical Support Team
will  be more  than happy  to  assist you.
Please call [phone] between 8:15 a.m. and 4:45 p.m.,
Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.  We can be reached by
fax at [phone], or by mail at the following address:

                    Sierra On-Line
                     P.O. Box 800
              Coarsegold, CA  93614-800
               ATTN:  TECHNICAL SUPPORT

On-line Technical Support:
Sierra BBS...........[phone] (8, N, & 1, up to 9600 baud)
ImagiNation Network..Sierra Technical Support Mail Box: 903
Compuserve...........GAMAPUB (Technical Support ID: 76004,2143)
PRODIGY..............Sierra Technical Support ID: WBWW55A
GEnie................Private E-Mail: SIERRA.SUP
America Online.......Keyword: SIERRA

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.

To better serve our European customers with technical
problems and disk replacements, Sierra U.K Customer
Support can be reached at  [44] 734 303171.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM THE GABRIEL KNIGHT TEAM

Thank you for purchasing this game.  We hope you find GK as
hair raising to play as it was to make. We would love to
hear your comments, please write us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WINDOWS SOUND

The Windows install will ask you if you want to install for
BASE or EXTENDED level sound.

BASE level sound runs on channels 13 thru 16 and is used
for sound cards like SoundBlaster, ProAudio, Adlib, or
any FM Yamaha 3812 type card.
EXTENDED level sound runs on channels 1 thru 10 and is
used for cards like the LAPC-I, MT-32, SCC-1, Sound
Canvas, Turtle Beach MultiSound, or any General MIDI
device.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WINDOWS AGAIN

If you decide to play under Windows and have a 4 MEG machine,
you should use a swap file.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TIPS FOR FASTER LOADING

If you notice the game or opening cartoon running slowly, it
may be due to a fragmented hard drive.  There are many
commercial and shareware hard drive unfragmenting
programs available.  Also, the game can be sped up if you
load audnone.drv from the install.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PRO AUDIO USERS

If you are using a Pro AudioSpectrum 16 and
experience problems during the game, rerun the INSTALL
utility and select "Sound Blaster" as your audio device.

Selecting "Sound Blaster" will utilize the PAS card's
built-in Sound Blaster emulation for digitized audio effects.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MT32 USERS

We recommend that you use mt32.drv instead of of genmidi.drv
Its good sound advice.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ADLIB USERS

If you have problems with adl.drv, try the secondary driver
called sadl.drv.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
STATIC MEMORY

If you are receiving the message "x number of bytes can't be
allocated" add the line STATICMEMORY = 250K to resource.cfg
on your hard drive.  The default is 200K so if 250K doesn't
do the trick, increase it again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MORE INFO

If your audio is not playing correctly, try rebooting your
computer. You can clear a sequence of messages by right
clicking your mouse.  But, beware, you may be missing
valuable clues.  We recommend this only if you have already
read a sequence of messages.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SIERRA ON-LINE MANUAL BOOT DISK INSTRUCTIONS

The following instructions can be used if the automatic boot disk maker
included in the install program does not function properly on your system.
If you have the CD-ROM version of this program, or you are using certain
hard drive compression utilities, you will need to add any necessary
driver lines to your config.sys and autoexec.bat files.

FORMATTING THE DISK

PLEASE NOTE: It is necessary to format the disk even if the disk is already
formatted.  The /S switch will transfer files to the boot disk which are
necessary for the disk to work correctly.

To make a  CD-ROM Boot Disk, format a high density diskette in the A: drive.
(Use /F:360 or  /F:720 parameter if using a low density diskette) Note: This
will not work in the B: drive.  Type the command as follows:

  FORMAT  A:/S  <Enter>

If after entering this command the system responds with a "Bad command or
file name" error, then type:

  PATH=C:\DOS  <ENTER>

Now retype the FORMAT command above.  If you still receive the same error,
the MS DOS FORMAT command may not be on your system or it may have been
renamed.  Programs such as PC Tools and Norton Disk Utilities can rename
the format command to prevent accidental loss of data.


LOCATING THE MOUSE DRIVERS

If you plan to use a mouse with your game, it will be necessary to first
load the mouse driver.  To do this, locate the mouse driver and copy it to
the boot disk in your A: drive.  There are two types of mouse drivers
available, MOUSE.SYS, which must be loaded in the CONFIG.SYS file and
MOUSE.COM which must be loaded in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.  You do not need
to load both MOUSE.SYS and MOUSE.COM.  Locate the MOUSE.SYS or MOUSE.COM
file.  Because the file MOUSE.SYS is usually smaller than MOUSE.COM we
recommend that the MOUSE.SYS file be used in order to free more memory.

a) Locating the mouse drivers:
If you do not know where the MOUSE.SYS or MOUSE.COM files are located on
your system, and you have MS-DOS 5.0 or above, the command below should help
in locating your mouse drivers.  Type the following at the C:\> prompt.

  DIR  \MOUSE  /S  <ENTER>

This command only works with MS-DOS 5.0 or above and will cause the system
to search all sub directories for a file called mouse.  If the system locates
a file called mouse, it will display the path where the mouse files are
located.  For instance, if the MOUSE.SYS file is located in a C:\MOUSE>
directory, the system will display:


Directory of C:\MOUSE
  MOUSE    SYS     55160 03-10-92   3:10a
  MOUSE    COM     56408 03-10-93   6:00a

If the system does not locate a mouse, your driver may have a different name
or these files may not be currently installed on the system.  Some other
common names for mouse drivers are IMOUSE, GMOUSE, and HPMOUSE.  Your mouse
drivers may have been included on a floppy disk which came packaged along
with your mouse.  For information on the proper name for your mouse, check the
owner's manual which came with your mouse.

b) Copying the mouse driver:
Once you have located the mouse driver, you will need to copy it to the boot
disk.  In this step, we will assume that the mouse drivers were located in
the C:\MOUSE> directory as shown in the step above.  To copy the MOUSE.SYS
file to the boot disk, type the following at the C:\> prompt:

  COPY  C:\MOUSE\MOUSE.*  A:  <ENTER>

Please substitute the appropriate path and file name for your mouse driver in
the command line above.  You should then see a message indicating some files
were copied.


CREATING THE CONFIG.SYS FILE

Now switch to the A: and type the following:

  COPY  CON  CONFIG.SYS <Enter> (The cursor will drop down one line and
blink)
  FILES=50  <Enter>
  BUFFERS=30 <Enter>

If you are using the MOUSE.SYS file to load your mouse, add the following
line to the CONFIG.SYS.

  DEVICE=MOUSE.SYS  <Enter>

Complete the file by pressing the  F6  Function key <Enter>



CREATING THE AUTOEXEC.BAT FILE

Now create an AUTOEXEC.BAT file on the A: drive by typing:

  COPY  CON  AUTOEXEC.BAT   <Enter> (the cursor will drop down one line)
  SET  COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM  <Enter>
  PROMPT  $P$G  <Enter>
  PATH=C:\DOS <Enter>

If you are using the MOUSE.COM file to load the mouse, add the following
line to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

  MOUSE.COM  <Enter>

Complete the file by pressing the  F6  Function key <Enter>

Now you are ready to use your new Sierra Boot Disk.  Place the boot disk in
your A: drive and press the <CTRL> <ALT> and <DEL> keys at the same time.
Your computer will reboot and you will be ready to start your Sierra game
as you normally would.

-----------------------------------------------------

If you are interested in future adventure games or any other of
the Sierra family of fine software products, call us at
[phone] [or [phone] outside the United States].


















































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