Earth Treks/EarthTreksCD.iso/README.DOC

Text File | 1995-02-15 | 14KB | 384 lines

                   Magic Quest, Inc.
              A Sanctuary Woods Company
             Technical Support: [phone]

                 ┌────────────────┐
                 │Earth Treks (tm)│
                 └────────────────┘


  PLEASE... READ THIS FIRST, EVEN IF YOU HATE TO READ README FILES!!

  Welcome, and thank you for purchasing Earth Treks(tm).

  This document contains last-minute information regarding the program and
  helpful troubleshooting tips.

  The end of this document has a user guide on how to play the game.

  If you are not familiar with DOS commands and conventions, see your DOS
  manual or third-party references for further assistance.

  If you have a printer connected to your computer, you may find it
  convenient to print this file for quick reference. To do this, refer
  to your DOS manual for information on how to use the DOS PRINT command.

  The Earth Treks program functions like a state-of-the-art
  database, requiring  at least 550K of free RAM within the 640K
  conventional memory area, as well as intensive hard disk access.


                ┌──────────────┐
                │ Installation │
                └──────────────┘

   Installing Earth Treks on your machine:
   Insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive and at the DOS prompt (not
   from within Windows) type D:INSTALL (assuming your CD-ROM drive
   is drive D, if not substitute the correct drive letter).  Then follow
   the instructions on the screen.

   Earth Treks requires approximately 6.3 megabytes of hard disk space.
   Some of the files are compressed files; thus, if you are running
   Double Space or other disk expanding software, the free space reported
   may not be accurate because some of the files counld not be compressed.
   In this case you may need as much as 9 megabytes free.

   The Installation program automatically runs a SETUP program which matches
   Earth Treks to the correct settings for your machine.  You can always
   change the configuration at a later time by running the SETUP program
   from the EARTHTRK subdirectory.

                 ┌────────────┐
                 │REQUIREMENTS│
                 └────────────┘

The following are the minimum hardware requirements for running Earth Treks:

    1) IBM, Tandy or 100% compatible computer.

    2) Intel '386 or higher microprocessor is recommended.

    3) VGA graphics board. CGA is NOT supported.

    4) Hard drive with at least 6.3 megabytes of free space.

    5) DOS version 5.0 or higher.

    6) Accessing the digitized sound requires a Sound Blaster(tm) or
       100% compatible sound card.

    7) Microsoft or Logitech mouse, or 100% compatible.

    8) A CD-ROM Drive

                  ┌──────────┐
                  │Mouse Tips│
                  └──────────┘

   Earth Treks requires that a mouse device and driver be installed
   and loaded into DOS. Earth Treks is compatible with the Microsoft mouse
   driver and the Logitech mouse driver or 100% compatibles.


                  ┌──────────┐
                  │Sound Tips│
                  └──────────┘

   In order to use the digitized sounds in Earth Treks, you must have
   a Sound Blaster card, Ad Lib card or 100% compatible installed in
   your computer.

   If you install your sound card after installing Earth Treks, be sure
   to run the Earth Treks SETUP program again. To do this, go to the
   EARTHTRK subdirectory and type SETUP. Choose the correct sound card option.


              ┌───────────────┐
              │TROUBLESHOOTING│
              └───────────────┘

  The most common problem you may run into with Earth Treks is not having
  enough DOS memory available. Execute the following commands at the
  DOS prompt to find out how much memory you have and what version of DOS
  is on your computer.

  At the C:\> prompt, type the following to get the version of DOS:

      VER [enter]

  (In this document, whenever you see [enter] you should press the Enter,
  or Return, key on your keyboard.)

  A message such as the following should appear on your screen:

      MS-DOS Version 6.00

  If you have DOS Version 5.00 or  higher, you can find out how much memory
  is available by typing:

      MEM [enter]

  The last number that is displayed shows the amount of available DOS
  memory.  This means memory that remains after DOS, any device drivers,
  and other resident programs have been loaded.

  Earth Treks needs at least 550K of RAM available in order to work properly.
  If you have less than this, try removing some resident programs.
  Examples of these are TSR's (Terminate and Stay Resident applications)
  shells and device drivers from your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.
  If you have DOS 6.00, try running the DOS program MEMMAKER, which will
  automatically try to free up space in the lower 640K region for you.



PROBLEM:      Earth Treks says that it cannot find my Mouse, but I use it
          in Windows(tm).

     Earth Treks needs a Mouse driver present under DOS.  Windows has its
     own version of the mouse driver that is not accessible to DOS programs.
     Try running MOUSE from the DOS prompt, or see your mouse documentation
     for installation instructions.


PROBLEM:      When I type ET to start Earth Treks, I see a blue screen
          briefly, then I am returned to the C:\.

    What's probably wrong:

        a) There is no mouse connected.

        - A mouse is required to run Earth Treks.

        b) The mouse driver is not installed or is installed into
           Windows but not DOS.

           - See above for information on mouse installations.


PROBLEM:     When I start Earth Treks, I see a blue screen with a cursor.
         Then everything freezes.

     What's probably wrong:

       a) Earth Treks is not able to open all the files it needs
          to run. Make sure your CONFIG.SYS file has a line in it
          that reads:
            FILES = 20
          The number must be 20 or GREATER.



              ┌────────────┐
              │ User Guide │
              └────────────┘

Game or Archives

From the Main Screen, you can choose to play the Earth Treks game or
explore the Archives.  Just click on your preference.  You can also start
playing the game from the Archives Main Screen by clicking on the icon
marked "Game."


Starting the Game

When you click on "Game," the game's opening screen appears.  Here you
can choose to play a first game (includes storyline), new game or a saved
game.

In the game, you and Bit-Bot will have to meet a wide assortment of
challenges to successfully complete your journey around the world.  You
need to collect as many passport stamps as you can and avoid border
blockades.

The game board is a grid of thirty Travel Tiles.  Each Travel Tile has an icon
that represents the type of challenge awaiting you when you click on the tile.
If you successfully meet a challenge, you will receive a passport stamp.
You need a total of sixteen stamps to continue on your journey.  If you fail
to meet a challenge, you will run into a border blockades.  If you run into
sixteen border blockades, your journey will end.


Travel Tiles

EARTH MATCH:  Click on one of eight buttons to reveal an icon.    There
are four pairs of icons in each Earth Match challenge.    You have ten tries to
match as many of the pairs as you can.    You can earn a passport stamp for
each pair you find.

GEOGRAPHY:  Depending on the level you are in, you will see a map of
the continent or related region.  Identify the indicated country or state.

PASSPORT SCRAMBLE:  This challenge presents you four to six blank
spaces and nine letters.  You need to decide which of the letters combine to
make up the word that fits in the blank spaces.  All words are related to the
geographic region you are in.  (Hint:  Most of the words are names of cities
or countries.)

PHYSICAL EARTH:  Answer questions related to planet Earth, the
environment and the larger universe.

WORLD TOUR:  Use the knowledge gained from your exploration of the
Archives to answer questions about continents and the people who live
there.    Questions relate to the geographic region you are in.

TRAVEL TIPS:  Can you avoid social slip-ups?  This section tests your
knowledge of world customs and practical travel knowledge.

LANGUAGES:  It's easier to travel abroad if you know the language.  This
challenge requires you to recognize foreign words.  (Hint:  There are 9
languages and 4 different alphabets.  Look for the Language icon (book) on
the Map Screens!)

CHANCE:  What would a journey be without the element of chance?  Click
on this tile and you may get two passport stamps.  Then again, you may run
into a border blockade.  It's purely a matter of chance.

FLAG MATCH:  Can you match a flag with its country?  In Flag Match,
there are 25 different flags to identify.

PASSPORT STAMP:  Each time you successfully meet a challenge, you'll
get a Passport Stamp.

BORDER BLOCKADE:  Each time you make a mistake, you'll get a Border
Blockade.


Levels and Points:

There are nine levels.    The levels correspond to the following geographic
regions:
    Level 1:  North America
    Level 2:  Central America
    Level 3:  South America
    Level 4:  Europe
    Level 5:  Asia
    Level 6:  The Middle East
    Level 7:  Africa
    Level 8:  Australia/Oceania
    Level 9:  Crossing the Pacific

The ninth level, Crossing the Pacific, is the "Whirlwind Tour", which
consists of only three different Travel Tiles:    Languages, World Tour and
Geography.  And guess what?  To make it extra challenging, we have
included questions from Level 1 through Level 8--questions from around-
the-world.

To complete a level and continue your journey, you have to collect sixteen
passport stamps in each of the eight geographic locations (eight levels.)  To
win the game, you must complete the trip around-the-world and get sixteen
passport stamps on the "Whirlwind Tour."

As you collect passport stamps, you also earn points.  Bonus points are
awarded for correctly answering all questions in a row or column.  Try to
earn as many points as possible.  If you do, you will make it to the list of
Top Ten Trekkers.


Game Buttons:

QUIT:  Allows you to leave the game or save the game that's in progress.

HELP:  Gives you Game Directions.

EXPLORE:  Takes you to the Earth Treks main screen and saves your place
in the game.


The Archives

The Archives are divided into four main categories:  Earth, Journey,
Environment and World Tour.

    EARTH:    Explores the wonders of the planets, land, water, air and
life and helps you see interconnections among these systems.

    JOURNEY:  Contains many maps of the world and takes you on a
walk through history from 7000 BC to today.

    ENVIRONMENT:  Shows you the endangered land, air, water and
life on Earth and lists numerous ways to help save the environment.

    WORLD TOUR:  Allows you to experience six continents through
samples of languages, music and 85 country histories.


Navigation

In the upper right hand corner of each screen in the Archives is the
navigation palette.  You will find this very useful.

    Click on the world map and go the previous level in the Archives.

    Click on the small world globe to return to the Archive Main Menu
Screen.

    Use the arrows to go to the previous or following screens within a
given section.

    Use the color wash bar to change the background (dark half) and the
foreground (light half).  Note:  This option is only available with color
monitors.


The Menu Bar

The menu bar appears at the bottom of each screen in the Archives.  To use
this menu bar, hold down on the mouse for a second or two until the menu
appears.

    Index:    The index gives an alphabetical listing of each major topic in
Earth Treks.  Just click on the topic you want to explore.

    Resources:  The Resources button shows you what texts are
available on the current screen.

    Quotes:  Select any quote shown.

    Sounds:  You can choose to listen to a variety of world sounds.

    Options:  The Options button gives you 5 choices.  Map, Flash
buttons, Find, Help and Quit.

        The Map of Earth Treks provides an overview of the
contents of the Archives and is a good navigational tool.  It consists of
seven screens.    Just click on a topic that interests you and it will take you
there.    You can get to this map either by clicking on Map in the Options
Menu, or clicking on Map of Earth Treks in the Index.

    Labels:  The Labels button enables you to view the screen with or
without labels.

    Game:  Click here to go to the game.


Additional Buttons

    Table Button:  There are an assortment of charts and tables in the
program.  When you see a Table Button, click on it to find out more
information.

    Movie Button:  Click on the Movie Button to see a mini-animation.

    Light Bulb:  The light bulb symbol appears on many of the screens,
signaling that there is a quiz.  Click on it to begin.

    Map-Master:  Map Master challenges your knowledge of nations and
capitals around the world.  The Map-Master symbol appears in the bottom
left hand corner on various screen in the Nations section of the Archives.

    Languages (book):  Learn some words in foreign languages.  The
Language symbol appears on some screens in the Nations section.


Copyright 1991-1995 Magic Quest, Inc. and Sanctuary Woods Multimedia.
All Rights Reserved.
Earth Treks, Bit-Bot, and Magic Quest are trademarks of Magic Quest, Inc.,
A Sanctuary Woods Company.  Sanctuary Woods is a registered trademark of
Sanctuary Woods Multimedia.
All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders.
Read license agreement before using the Earth Treks software.