Welcome to the MECHWARRIOR 2 demo! While you are no doubt extremely
excited about playing this demo of the hottest game ever, please take
the time to examine this file, which should answer most questions
and provide essential information to play the MECHWARRIOR 2 demo.
This file is a smaller version of the file that is included with the
full program. Please see the Customer Service section of this document
for more information on obtaining the complete MechWarrior 2 Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ) document via our listserver.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INSTALLATION
-- Minimum System Requirements
-- Memory Requirements
-- Boot Disks
-- Memory Managers
-- Installation Procedure
-- Setup
-- Operating Systems
-- A Special Note for Windows 95 Users
-- Disk Compression
-- Uninstalling MechWarrior 2 demo
USING THE DEMO
-- Game Controls
PLAYING YOUR OWN COMPACT DISC DURING COMBAT
PERFORMANCE
QUICK SOLUTIONS: TOP 4 QUESTIONS ANSWERED
DEMO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
VIDEO
-- Supported Video Drivers
-- What Is A VESA driver?
-- ATI
-- Diamond Video Cards
-- MATROX
-- Other Video Cards
-- Video Questions and Answers
AUDIO
-- Supported Sound Devices
-- Miles Design Audio Drivers
-- Audio Questions and Answers
INPUT DEVICES
-- Supported Input Devices
-- Mouse
-- Joystick
-- Input Device Questions and Answers
NETWORK AND MODEM DEMO
-- Multi-player DEMO requirements
-- Network
-- Null Modem
-- Modem
-- Multi-player Questions and Answers
CONTACTING CUSTOMER SERVICE
-- U.S. Customer and Technical Support
-- European Customer and Technical Support
-- Australia and Pacific Rim Customer Support
CREDITS
INSTALLATION
-- Minimum System Requirements --
In order to run the MechWarrior 2 demo successfully, your system must
meet the following minimum requirements:
* IBM PC or 100% compatible
* 486DX2/66 MHz processor
* 8 MB RAM (7 MB of free Extended memory)
* Double-speed CD-ROM drive (300K/sec transfer rate)
Note: Although not required for the demo, you will need this
for the full product.
* Hard disk drive with 22 MB of un-compressed space available
* VESA Local Bus (VLB) or PCI video
* 256 color SVGA (640 x 480)
* MS-DOS 6.0
* 100% Microsoft compatible mouse and driver
* 100% Sound Blaster compatible sound card
(Digital and FM/MIDI audio)
* Dedicated game card highly recommended for joystick
-- Memory Requirements --
In order to run MechWarrior 2 you need over 6.8 MB of extended memory.
If you have between 6.5 MB and 6.9 MB of extended memory, the demo will
play, but the mission will run slower. For optimal performance it is
best to configure your memory so you have over 6.9 MB of extended
memory. This can be attained by removing (REMming out) unnecessary lines
in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, like SMARTDRV and RAMdisks.
-- Boot Disks --
If you experience problems playing MechWarrior 2 demo or receive
messages that you do not have enough memory to play, you will
probably need to create a boot disk. A boot disk lets your machine
boot from a floppy disk and will not load memory-eating programs,
freeing more memory up for MechWarrior 2 demo.
The information listed below should help you to create a boot disk that
will allow MechWarrior 2 demo to run on your system.
NOTE:
In the examples below, the text shown is exactly that, examples.
Your system may vary as to the pathnames used in your PATH
statement or to find files or the installed directory of a certain
driver.
Step 1:
Place a disk in your A: drive. The next step will destroy any
data on the disk, so a brand new blank floppy disk should be used.
Make sure that the disk is the same density as the drive (Use a
1.44 MB disk in a High Density 3.5" drive, etc.).
Step 2:
At the C: prompt, type FORMAT A: /S and press ENTER. The DOS
Format utility will format the disk and add the necessary DOS
files required to boot from the floppy disk.
Step 3:
Change to drive A by typing A: and pressing ENTER. Then type
EDIT CONFIG.SYS and press ENTER. The DOS Edit program will
appear.
Type in the lines following [CONFIG.SYS] in the example below. When
you are finished typing the lines, press ALT-F to bring up the File
menu, and then press X to Exit the DOS Edit program. When it asks you
if you want to save your file, choose Yes.
[CONFIG.SYS]
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
DOS=UMB
FILES=40
BUFFERS=15,0
STACKS=9,256
DOS=HIGH
DEVICEHIGH=C:\CDROMDRV\D011V109.SYS /D:MSCD000
In the CONFIG.SYS file shown above, replace the last line in the
example with the line from your current CONFIG.SYS file on drive
C: that runs your CD-ROM drivers. It is important that you use
your CD-ROM line and not our example, otherwise your CD-ROM drive
will not function properly.
You may also have special lines in your C:\CONFIG.SYS file that
help your sound card to function properly. It is very important
that you copy those lines into this new file on A: so your sound
card will work. Place the appropriate lines from your CONFIG.SYS
file at the end of the example shown above.
Step 4:
Type EDIT AUTOEXEC.BAT and press ENTER. The DOS Edit program
will appear.
Type in the lines following [AUTOEXEC.BAT] in the example below.
When you are finished typing the lines, press ALT-F to bring up
the File menu, and then press X to Exit the DOS Edit program.
When it asks you if you want to save your file, choose Yes.
[AUTOEXEC.BAT]
@ECHO OFF
PROMPT $P$G
SET PATH=C:\DOS;C:\VIDCARD;C:\SNDCARD
LH C:\DOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD000
SET SOUND=C:\SBPRO
SET BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 T4
C:\MOUSE\MOUSE.EXE
C:
CD\MW2DEMO
MW2DEMO
In the AUTOEXEC.BAT file shown above, you would replace line 4
with the line from your current AUTOEXEC.BAT file on drive C: that
loads your CD-ROM drivers. It is important that you use your CD-
ROM line and not our example, otherwise your CD-ROM drive will not
function properly.
You may also have special lines in your C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT file that
help your sound card to function properly. It is very important
that you copy those lines into this new file on A: so your sound
card will work. Replace the examples on lines 5 and 6 with the
appropriate lines from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
Additionally, if your graphics card requires a VESA driver it
should go here as well. (See the following section on VESA video
drivers.)
Step 5:
Reboot your system with the boot disk still in drive A. The game
should start and everything should be working properly.
NOTE: Once this boot disk is finished and functioning properly,
and if you still do not have enough memory free, use it
to boot up your system and then run the DOS MEMMAKER
utility with the boot disk in the drive. MEMMAKER will
ensure that you have squeezed every little bit of RAM out
of the boot disk. Run the DOS command MEM before and after
running MEMMAKER to see what kind of memory increase you
get from this step.
Q: How do I create a boot disk with Stacker or DoubleSpace?
A: Before we explain the solution to this issue, we would like to
point out that MechWarrior 2 demo DOES NOT support the use of disk
compression software. If you must run MechWarrior 2 on a compressed
drive, you will most likely experience performance problems, and
there are no solutions other than using a non-compressed drive.
Stacker version 3.0 and earlier require certain drivers to be
loaded in the CONFIG.SYS file in order to mount the compressed
hard drive. When creating a boot disk with Stacker 3.0 and
earlier, you must include two lines in the CONFIG.SYS file.
The exact path is dependent upon where you installed Stacker
on your hard disk, but here we will provide the path for the
default installation of Stacker. The two lines needed in your
CONFIG.SYS file are:
DEVICE=C:\STACKER\STACKER.COM C:\STACVOL.DSK
DEVICE=C:\STACKER\SSWAP.COM C:\STACVOL.DSK
These lines will load Stacker and mount your compressed drive
when booting from the boot disk.
DoubleSpace/DriveSpace and Stacker 3.1 or later do not require
that lines be added in the CONFIG.SYS file as they copy hidden
files to the boot disk when using the SYS A: or FORMAT A: /S
command. Make a boot disk according to the normal instructions
for creating a boot disk as discussed above. If you do not feel
comfortable creating a boot disk under Stacker or DoubleSpace,
contact STAC Electronics or Microsoft for technical support.
-- Memory Managers --
When using MS-DOS 6.x and loading EMM386.EXE, you will need to
have the EMS size set to NOEMS. See your DOS manual for
information on how to do this.
If you are running QEMM in Stealth mode, MechWarrior 2 demo may fail to
recognize your VESA driver built into the video card BIOS. In
order to correct this problem you will need to run in Frame Mode
as opposed to Page Mode. To do this, change the "ST:M" parameter
in your QEMM statement to "ST:F". See your QEMM manual for more
information on how to do this. We actually recommend that you do
not run QEMM in Stealth mode while playing MechWarrior 2.
-- Installation Procedure --
To install the demo, simply change to the CD-ROM drive and change to the
directory containing the MechWarrior 2 demo files. Type:
INSTALL [drive to install from] [drive to install to]
Example: if your CD-ROM is located in drive D:, and you wish
to install MechWarrior 2 demo to drive C:, you would type the
following: INSTALL D: C: and press ENTER. This demo will be
installed to C:\MW2DEMO.
NOTE: The demo requires that it be installed in C:\MW2DEMO.
If you move the demo to another directory, some options
in the SETUP program (a DOS batch file) may not work properly.
If you want to move the demo to another directory or drive,
you can edit the batch file (at your own risk) and change
only the references to C:\MW2DEMO to the new drive and
directory where you moved the demo.
-- Setup --
After you have installed the MechWarrior 2 demo, you must
run the SETUP program located in the C:\MW2DEMO directory.
It will be started for you automatically after the MechWarrior 2
demo files have been installed on C:. The SETUP program will
display the following main menu:
1 = Change Input Device (Joystick/Mouse/Keyboard)
2 = Select Sound Card
3 = View MechWarrior 2 Demo Technical Information
4 = Print MechWarrior 2 Demo Technical Information
5 = Start Game or Exit
When you select option 1, you are given the choice of the following
items:
1 = CH Flightstick
2 = Thrustmaster Flight Control System
3 = Microsoft SideWinder
4 = Standard joystick
5 = Microsoft compatible mouse
6 = Keyboard
7 = No Change
Select the input device that is appropriate for your system.
Select option 2 from the Main menu to configure the sound options for
your system.
Options 3 and 4 allow you to view or print this information file.
Option 5 will take you to an additional menu where you can choose to
launch the game in either VGA or SVGA mode or exit the SETUP program.
-- Operating Systems --
MechWarrior 2 has not been developed to run within Windows NT.
It must be run under DOS. If you have a dual boot set up, boot
to DOS and run from the DOS prompt.
MechWarrior 2 demo requires MS-DOS 6.0 or later. Other operating
systems (e.g., OS/2 Warp and Windows 95) are not supported. Although
the demo may work just fine with them, we have not tested thoroughly
with them.
Successful (but not extensive) testing has been conducted on
PC-DOS 7.0 based systems. We do not support it with Windows3.1
or 3.11. It is possible to run it under Windows, but performance
will almost certainly suffer. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you
DO NOT RUN IN WINDOWS.
If you have a problem using unsupported operating systems it
is best to contact the company that makes the operating system to try
and work out compatibility issues.
-- A Special Note for Windows 95 Users --
MechWarrior 2 demo was released before the commercial release of Windows
95. For this reason we were not able to ensure that the DOS version of
MechWarrior 2 would be compatible with the Windows 95 operating system.
We are currently working on a Windows 95 version of MechWarrior 2 which
will be available late 1995. For more information on obtaining the
Windows 95 version of MechWarrior 2, please contact Activision at one of
the on-line locations listed in the Customer Support section of this
document, or write to us at: Activision, MW2 WIN95 INFO,
P.O. Box 67713, Los Angeles, CA 90067.
-- Disk Compression --
The demo requires 22 MB of UN-compressed free disk space. The
MechWarrior 2 demo will not work properly using compressed hard disk
space (such as Stacker or Doublespace).
-- Uninstalling MechWarrior 2 demo
Using the DELTREE DOS command, delete the MW2DEMO directory.
For instance, if you installed this demo into your root
directory using the default directory MW2DEMO, you would
enter the following at the DOS prompt:
CD\
DELTREE MW2DEMO
USING THE DEMO
You may begin the demo in two ways. One way, select either "Standard VGA"
or "SVGA Mode" from the SETUP menu. The other way is from the DOS prompt of
the demo directory. Here, enter MW2DEMO. This will launch the demo in
standard VGA mode (320x200x256). Or, If you have a faster machine, you can
launch the demo in SVGA (640x480x256) mode by entering MW2DEMO -SVGA.
After the intro movie and a brief disclaimer and credits screen, you
will come to the MechWarrior 2 demo "LAUNCH" screen. You will be asked to
LOGIN: type in a name and press ENTER.
Next you will be asked if you want to play a One Player or a Network/modem
game. If you select one player, a 'Mech will appear at the bottom left
of your screen. If you choose Network/modem play, you may need to refer to
this information file for setup information. WARNING: If you select N for
Network play, make sure to press ENTER to be able to select your 'Mech. In
Network play, pressing other keys before pressing ENTER will end the demo.
Now, select a 'Mech chassis by pressing on the large arrows right and left
of "MECHS". If you like, you may choose one alternate weapons configuration
for each basic 'Mech by pressing the small arrows. Once you are satisfied,
click on <LAUNCH>.
The following list of controls will tell you how to use the game in both
the "LAUNCH" screen and the simulation. When you are in the "LAUNCH" screen,
you can press F1 for a graphical set of help screens.
-- Game Controls --
"LAUNCH" SCREEN CONTROLS
Move to next option TAB
Select 'Mech Left or Right Arrows
Select 'Mech Variant [ or ]
COCKPIT WEAPON CONTROLS
Fire SPACEBAR
Select Weapon/Group ENTER
Chain-Fire/Group-Fire Toggle \
Add Weapon to Group 1, 2, 3 SHIFT + 1, 2, 3
Fire Group 1, 2, 3 Num Lock, /, * (Keypad)
Jettison Ammunition K
Cycle Through All Targets T
Previous Target R
Target Nearest Enemy E
Target Friendly (Starmate) F
Target Object Underneath Reticle Q
Inspect Targeted Object I
Targeting OFF CTRL + T
HUD SYSTEM CONTROLS
Cycle Through Multi-Function Display F1
Displays
Radar Display (Normal/Full Screen) F2
Wire-Frame Damage Display F5
HTAL (Head/Torso/Arms/Legs) F6
Armor Damage Report F6
Enable/Disable HUD F11
Systems Status U
Objectives/Briefing Summary F12
Cameras
Target View F4
Rear View F7
Down View F8
Weapon View F9
Weapon View (Full Screen, After Launch) F10
MECH PILOTING
Direct Throttle (Stop to 100%) 1 to 0
Increase/Decrease Throttle +/-
Steer Left and Right Left & Right Arrows
Reverse Direction BACKSPACE
Torso Twist < and >
Recenter Torso /
Recenter Legs to Torso M
Jump Jet (on applicable Mechs) J
Jump Jet Steering
and Turning 6-Key "Home" Keypad
Select NAV Point N
Autopilot ON/OFF A
MASC ON/OFF V
Manual Shutdown/Restart S
Override Automatic Thermal Shutdown O
Pilot Ejection CTRL + ALT + E
Auto-Ejection ON/OFF CTRL + E
Self-Destruct CTRL + ALT + X
Commanding Starmates CTRL+ F1 or B
Command Point 1, 2 CTRL + F2, F3
PILOT VIEW CONTROLS
Zoom In Z
Zoom Out SHIFT + Z
Reset Zoom Magnification CTRL + Z
Glance Left, Right Keypad 7, 9
Pilot Eye Control CTRL + ARROWS
Low-Light Amplification ON/OFF L
Enhanced Imaging ON/OFF W
Satellite Uplink ON/OFF F3
Radar/Satellite Uplink Zoom In X
Radar/Satellite Uplink Zoom Out SHIFT + X
External Tracking Camera (XTC) ON/OFF C
External Camera Controls CTRL + ARROWS
NON-GAME CONTROLS
Options/Battle Parameters ESC
Pause ALT + P/PAUSE
Snap a Screenshot CTRL + P
Abort/Exit Mission to Clan Hall CTRL + Q
PLAYING YOUR OWN COMPACT DISC DURING COMBAT
With MechWarrior 2 demo, we have included a limited
ability to play your favorite CD as your soundtrack.
To play your CD, just place it in your computer's CD
carriage and then enter MW2DEMO and begin playing.
Once you enter combat, your CD will begin to play.
In single player, you will hear the third track on
your CD. In multi-player, you will hear the second
track on your CD. Choose your music carefully.
Your enemy will not be forgiving.
Note: some systems require that you have a CD in your
computer's drive. If your system will not run this demo
and reports a "MW2.EXE - Fatal error #53" make sure to
play the demo with a CD in your drive. If you don't want
to play music, any computer CD will solve your problem.
PERFORMANCE
MechWarrior 2 demo has features that were designed to support
a wide range of computers. When you initially configure
MechWarrior 2 demo for play, MechWarrior 2 will make several
default settings regarding which features should be used
and which should be turned off. In particular, the demo will default
to low resolution (320x200).
The trade-offs are different for each user, so we allow
any machine to run any options, but please keep in mind
that the higher the level of detail, the more demanding
the machine requirements.
We recommend that all 486 owners use low resolution.
486-66's and up with very fast video sub-systems can run
in SVGA (640x400), but most of the graphic options should be
turned off. Video cards also vary dramatically - many
cards are optimized for extremely high performance in
Windows, but can actually be very slow for use in DOS.
The best way to determine this is by running MechWarrior 2 demo.
Start with low resolution, and select whatever options best match
your machine's capabilities and your desire for realism. Machine
and graphics card allowing, move up to a higher resolution,
and adjust graphic options until you reach a satisfactory balance.
You make the call.
Try making the following changes, to increase the game's
performance: First press ESC during combat and then
selecting <Combat Variables>.
Terrain Textmaps: Try turning these off.
Object Textmaps: Try turning these off.
Display Detail: Try switching to LOW.
Object Density: Try switching to LOW.
Explosion Chunks: Try turning these off.
These changes should be sufficient to get the game
running reasonably on any machine. Other options
can be left on, as their performance cost is low.
Q: Can MechWarrior 2 make use of a math co-processor?
A: No. All math in the program is integer based. A math
co-processor would not help.
Q: I have a 486-66 computer with 8 MB of RAM. How will
MechWarrior 2 run on my system?
A: Your computer meets the minimum requirements for
the program. While it will run adequately on your system,
the program performs best on a Pentium based system.
Q: The movies have skipping audio or skip frames on
my computer.
A: Due to the almost infinite combinations of computers,
sound cards, CD-ROM drives and video cards, it was not
possible to optimize the video for all systems. The
performance of the video depends on the transfer rate
of your CD-ROM drive, the speed and type of processor,
the quality of your sound card and the DOS performance
of your video card. Certain video cards have low DOS
benchmark scores and will be unable to play the videos
without some skipping (even in Pentium systems with
six-speed CD-ROM drives). Some MGA chipset cards
(MATROX and Q-Vision) are an example of this. On the
other hand, even the fastest video card and highest
quality sound card will be unable to improve the quality
of video played off of a CD-ROM drive that cannot maintain
a transfer rate close to 270,000 BPS. And, of course,
stuttering in sound and/or video in such systems is
more noticeable on a 486 based computer than a Pentium.
QUICK SOLUTIONS: TOP 4 QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Q: I get a "Fatal Error #29" message when I try to launch a mission.
A: Try the following:
1: Remove SMARTDRV and all other disk caching utilities in the CONFIG.SYS
and AUTOEXEC.BAT. Also disable any caching switches in your CD-ROM driver
line in the system files.
2: Try disabling either the joystick or the mouse...one may be conflicting
with the other (select options from your SETUP screen).
3: Try using the UNIVBE VESA driver instead of the one that came with your
video card. This is available for downloading from our Activision BBS or
any of our on-line locations. Refer to the "Contacting Customer Support"
section for details.
4: Try disabling the MIDI music.
5: Update your mouse, video and VESA drivers. Newer drivers are often
available from your hardware manufacturer.
6: Delete current installation, scan the hard drive for bad sectors and/or
viruses, and re-install the game.
Q: When I type MW2DEMO to run the demo, the computer freezes at a blank
screen, reboots, or locks up and starts beeping. How do I fix this?
A: Follow these troubleshooting steps in order until you find the problem:
1. Make sure you have disabled SMARTDRV or any other disk cache.
2. Try running without a memory manager (including EMM386 and QEMM).
3. Make sure your VESA driver is loaded correctly...refer to video section
for information.
4. Make sure you have a mouse driver loaded for DOS.
5. Try making a boot disk as outlined under the INSTALLATION section of this
document.
6. Run the SETUP program in the \MW2DEMO directory and select "No MIDI
Music" and "No Digital Audio" under "Configuring Sound Devices". If this
works, refer to audio section for more help.
7. Try deleting the game and reinstalling.
Q: My computer has 8 megs of RAM, but I cannot free enough memory to run
the game.
A: In order to run MechWarrior 2 Demo, you need over 6.8 MB of free extended
memory.
1: We first recommend making a boot disk as outline under INSTALlATION
section of this document. Please read the MW2INFO.TXT file (in MW2DEMO
directory) for instructions on how to create and optimize your bootdisk.
2: Remove SMARTDRV and any other caching utilities. This will free a
mininum of one megabyte.
3: When using MS-DOS 6.x and loading EMM386.EXE, you will need to have EMS
size set to NOEMS. See your DOS manual for information on how to do this.
4: Disable any cache on your CD-ROM driver by removing the switch. Refer to
the CD-ROM documentation for more information.
Q: My joystick won't calibrate correctly. It seems to have a "drift" effect.
How do I correct this?
A: Try the following:
1) Re-calibrate the joystick. (Press ESC during combat and select <Device
calibration>.) Make sure that you wait for the dot to appear before
proceeding with the joystick calibration.
2) Adjust your joysticks trim controls (if it has them). You'll find these
on the base of the joystick.
3) Use a dedicated game card (available at most major computer dealers) and
disable all other game ports on your computer.
DEMO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: Where can I buy the game?
A: At your local computer software retailer.
Q: How much memory do I need?
A: 6.9 MB free extended memory.
Q: Do I need Expanded memory for MechWarrior 2?
A: No. MechWarrior 2 uses Extended memory to cache its data.
Q: My computer has 8 megs of RAM, but I cannot free enough memory to
run the game.
A: In order to run MechWarrior 2 demo, you need over 6.8 MB of free
extended memory.
1: We first recommend making a boot disk as outlined under INSTALLATION
section of this document.
2: Remove SMARTDRV and any other caching utilities. This will free
a mininum of one megabyte.
3: When using MS-DOS 6.x and loading EMM386.EXE, you will need to
have EMS size set to NOEMS. See you DOS manual for information on
how to do this.
4: Disable any cache on your CD-ROM driver by removing the switch.
Refer to the CD-ROM documentation for more information.
Q: What do I type to run the demo?
A: Basically, run INSTALL from the MechWarrior 2 demo directory
on the CD. This will install the demo on your hard disk. (You
will need at least 22 MB of uncompressed disk space.) Run SETUP
program to select your soundcard and your joystick or mouse.
Lastly, enter the game through SETUP or type MW2DEMO from the
DOS prompt of the demo directory on your hard disk.
Q: I started the game and then changed my mind. I don't want to play
right now. Can I leave?
A: Cowardice is always an unfortunate option. Press ESC at any time to
leave the demo.
Q: What do I do after reading the ever-important disclaimer?
A: Press the SPACEBAR to enter the "LAUNCH" screen. You're just about
ready to play, but first, you'll need to register as a MechWarrior.
Notice the flashing green cursor just below "MESSAGES" and directly
right of the green "LOGIN:". Type your name and press ENTER. You may
now choose between "Network/Modem game" and "One Player" by pressing N
or O; however both Network and Modem play requires that you have first
operated separate commands from outside the game (see the question on
how to begin two-person play).
Q: I have selected one-person play, and unless staring at a picture of
a 'Mech and reading mission objectives is a game, I haven't started
playing. What should I do?
A: Once you have read your mission briefing (below "MESSAGES") and
selected your 'Mech, just click on <LAUNCH>.
Q: How do I change 'Mechs?
A: From the "LAUNCH" screen, you can select one of four 'Mech chassis.
Click on the large arrows farther right and left from the "MECHS"
heading. The 'Mechs available in this demo are the Jenner, the
Summoner, the Timberwolf and the Marauder. In the complete MechWarrior 2,
you have access to over a dozen 'Mechs.
Q: When I click on the small arrows beside the word "MECH", why does the
'Mech name change and what does "(Alt. config A)" mean anyway?
A: I didn't tell you to click on that, but you'll need courage and guts
for MechWarrior 2, so I forgive you. In the complete MechWarrior 2, you
can customize your 'Mech to carry your favorite gear. To give you an
feeling of this, we have provided two varieties of each 'Mech, with
different weapons combinations. Of course, in the complete game, you
may also vary your jump jets, armor, heatsinks, engine and even add
specialized gear.
Q: When I look at the 'Mechs in the "LAUNCH" screen, I don't understand
the weapon information. Could you explain it?
A: Mechs wield ten different types of weapons. You can test nine of
them in this demo:
LLASER, MLASER, SLASER -- Large, medium and small lasers. Accurate and
fast, the laser produces a lot of heat, but in bursts can tear through
the thickest 'Mech armor.
LPLAS, MPLAS, SPLAS -- Large, medium and small pulse lasers. Firing in
burst of two, these lasers produce less damage and less range than their
cousins, but also produce less heat.
MGun -- Machine gun. This is the only weapon that produces no heat. A
short range wonder, the machine gun does little damage per shot, but
delivers a repeated and sustained assault.
SRM6 -- Short range missile with pods of six missiles. The old standby,
the short-range missile packs twice the punch of a long-range missile,
but without radar tracking or range. While not as accurate as lasers,
the explosion from a near miss can do considerable damage to friend or
foe.
SSRM 4,6 -- Streak short range missile with pods of four or six. An
advanced version of the SRM, the streak missile uses radar to lock on
and home into any target, unfortunately, the added radar equipment adds
weight and takes up valuable space on the mech.
LRM5, 10, 15, 20 -- Long range missiles with pods of five, ten, fifteen
and twenty missiles. These radar-guided missiles can turn open fields
into 'Mech graveyards. While pods of twenty provide a deadly punch,
they
require considerable time to reload, potentially leaving a 'Mech
vulnerable. For advanced pilots, try unloading a LRM20 into a wall from
point-blank range to learn the meaning of "splash damage."
PPC -- Extended range particle projection cannons. The PPC delivers a
massive punch of both heat and energy. Unfortunately, it is a slow
punch. Most 'Mechs will dodge the PPC at long range; at short range,
the
concussive force of its explosion is as dangerous to the shooter as to
the target.
GAUSS -- The Gauss rifle. A distant relative of cartridge weapon of the
twentieth century, the formidable Gauss uses an electro-magnet railgun
to accelerate a shell to deadly speeds. With unmatched range and
damage, the Gauss is only limited by its massive weight and bulk.
xAC10 -- For those who love the machine gun's speed, but find it
reminiscent of a swarm of bees, annoying but not fatal, the Auto-Cannon
will cure your blues. Delivering a killing punch at close range, only
weight and bulk limit its field use.
Of these weapons, only PPC and lasers require no ammunitions. You
should take note of this for two reasons. First, while a pistol can be
used to beat someone to death, pistols tend to be deadlier when filled
with live rounds, so conserve your ammo. Second, when thrown into a
fire, ammo will often explode. In an overheating 'Mech, ammo explosions
can cause as much damage as enemy fire, so remember, ammunition is not
popcorn.
Q: What are the differences in the Mechs' armor?
A: In the demo version, there are four types of armor light, medium,
heavy and assault. The Jenner has light armor, the Summoner and
Timberwolf both are protected by heavy armor, while the Marauder is the
sturdiest of them all with assault armor.
Q: What are JUMP JETS?
A: Imagine strapping a jet engine to your back and turning up the
throttle. If you are human, this will doubtless cause you to die. If
you are a Battlemech, you will appear to fly. Using jump jets to
maneuver and even to execute a death from above (DFA) can radically
alter the shape of a battle. Press the J key to gain altitude, and the
home keys to change direction and to propel the 'Mech forward. Remember
to land softly by pressing the J key for a gradual touch down.
Q: What are HEAT SINKS?
A: Heat sinks are the 'Mech's form of a radiator. Without heat sinks,
a 'Mech's engine would overheat and melt down, which is bad for a car with
an internal combustion engine, and even worse for a 'Mech with a fusion
reactor. Because of the danger presented by overheating, your 'Mech
will try to shut down if heat levels become critical. You can override a
shutdown by pressing O; true, shutting down makes you a sitting target,
but blowing up makes you a dead one.
Q: What causes heat?
A: Heat is created by firing weapons, by using jumpjets, and by taking
damage from lasers or explosions. Of your weapons, particle pulse
cannons (PPC) create the most heat per salvo, followed closely by large
lasers (LLASER). Gauss rifles create the least heat, but only machine
guns (MGun) create no heat. Without memorizing the exact numbers, you
can also figure that for all weapons except lasers, doubling the size of
the weapon (LRM5 to LRM10) will also double the heat you generate. With
lasers, each step up in size approximately doubles maximum damage and
triples the heat per salvo. Also, rapid and continuous weapon fire
tends to overheat 'Mechs and force shut down. Accuracy pays.
Q: Is there any way to stop the shut down process if I do begin to
overheat?
A: Skilled pilots have been known to fearlessly override the shutdown
process by pressing O during combat. While this will keep your 'Mech
running, only time and heat sinks will return your 'Mech to safe heat
levels.
Q: How fast can my 'Mech go?
A: You can get a general idea of this by reading TOP SPEED figure next
to each 'Mech, but environmental factors (gravity, terrain, etc.) will
affect this. Comparatively though, the Jenner will always be the
fastest, the Marauder the slowest. But then a Marauder has never been
known to flee from battle.
Q: What if I want to login as a different warrior?
A: To change your login, guide the mouse to the thin rectangle just
under the WARRIORS designation, which shows in white capital letters
either your name, or ANONYMOUS if you didn't select a name when entering
the shell. Press BACKSPACE until you have erased this name; type your
new moniker, and then press ENTER.
Q: I selected a Firemoth (or any other mech), but when I appeared
onscreen I was in a Summoner. What's wrong?
A: Occasionally an opponent will appear onscreen in a 'Mech they
did not select. If this occurs, press ESC and re-launch the mission.
If you attempt to play in this mode your damage and weapons may not
work properly.
Q: My opponent and I both selected Jenners, and he clicked on <LAUNCH>.
Then, I changed my mind and selected a Timber Wolf, but when I started the
game, my 'Mech was badly damaged. After the battle, my opponent told me that
on his screen, I looked like a Jenner. Is this supposed to happen?
A: No. You've found a rare, intermittent bug in the demo. You'll be lucky
to repeat it, but if you do, just make sure not to change your selection once
one of you has pressed <LAUNCH>.
Q: The enemy 'Mech disappears from my enhanced targeting screen sometimes,
so I can't get a missile lock on him. When I press T or E, I still can't
target him. What can I do, or is this some sort of stealth feature?
A: Next time you get your enemy in your target reticule, press Q. This will
allow your radar to acquire your target.
Q: How many missions are there?
A: That would depend on whether or not you survive. Actually, one in
one player mode, one in the two player mode. A VERY small fraction of
all the missions in the regular game.
Q: Okay, I'm playing the first mission...I've started on top of some
mountain. How do I go anywhere?
A: Press 0 on your keyboard.
Q: I followed your directions and ran off the mountain at full speed
damaging both of my legs. Is that what's supposed to happen?
A: Only if you press 0. More cautious players press 2 or 3, walk to
the edge of the mountain, then turn sideways so that they are walking
almost parallel to the mountainside when they walk over the edge. This
way, they come down the mountain in small drops.
Q: Why is my 'Mech really difficult to turn at higher throttle settings?
A: When moving at a faster speed, your 'Mech is less maneuverable.
Real-world physics apply here. It isn't easy getting something
that weighs in at 100 Tons and traveling at 40 KPH to make a 90-degree turn. You might want to pay better attention to speed to get the optimum turn performance out of your 'Mech.
Q: Jump jets do not work in close proximity to other mechs.
A: Your 'Mech is probably just stuck on the opposing 'Mech.
Q: Objects are disappearing from my screen when I run the missions.
What's the problem?
A: MechWarrior 2 will run on computers with 8 MB's of RAM. However,
you will need to have about 7 MB 's of free extended memory. If you
have SMARTDRV loaded, or TSR's that take up significant amounts of
memory, more than likely you will not have the required memory.
When MechWarrior 2 begins running out of memory, it will stop loading
objects. The result is that some objects or parts of objects may
disappear from your screen. A system with more than 8 MB's of memory
would be optimal. However, making more memory available via a boot
disk should solve this problem. If you still have problems, turn
off some of the detail levels in the escape menu.
Q: When I try to run certain missions in Windows 95 I get a
"Page Fault" error message. What's wrong?
A: We do not have a solution for this at this time. As
we said, Windows 95 is not supported in this version of MechWarrior 2.
Q: Will the reported mathematical error in the Pentium chip affect
the performance of MechWarrior 2?
A: MechWarrior 2 does not use floating point arithmetic. The
performance of the game will not be affected by any floating point
arithmetic flaws that exist in the Pentium processor.
Q: Why is my frame rate choppy?
A: Frame rate is based on a number of factors. The easiest (and
less expensive) way to increase the frame rate during missions is
to turn off the detail levels in the escape menu of the game. The
DOS performance of your video card and its bus type also affect
your frame rate. For this reason, MechWarrior 2 requires a VESA
Local Bus video card. Additionally, many of the video cards
specifically designed as Windows accelerators neglect DOS
performance and the performance of MechWarrior 2 will suffer
accordingly. Lastly, your processor will greatly affect the frame
rate. Upgrading a 486 to a Pentium will make a great difference
in performance and will allow you to run in high resolution modes.
Q: My screen is really dark. Is there something I can I do?
A: Well, first try turning on the power to your monitor. This
will solve most "blank screen" problems. (Just kidding) In the
escape menu of the simulator, under the "Device Calibration"
option, you can increase the brightness of the display using the
monitor slider. This should solve any brightness problems. If
not, adjust the settings on your monitor.
Q: My monitor is turned to it's brightest setting, but my screen is
still too dark.
A: Try one of these options:
1: If you are in a night mission, you will have to enable Low-Light
Amplification to see anything clearly. Refer to your Cockpit Control
Reference card for how to.
2: Hit your right mouse button while in the game, pick Cockpit Controls,
move to Monitor Brightness and adjust as needed.
Q: The autopilot function runs my 'Mech into walls and buildings.
Is this intended?
A: MechWarriors are known for their piloting and gunnery skills.
Use of autopilot as the exclusive means of travel between
navigational points is considered dishonorable among the ranks of
the MechWarrior, although you will not be penalized for its use.
Consequently, development of sophisticated autopilot computers
has not been a concern of the clans. The best use of autopilot is
as a directional aid. Selecting a NAV point and hitting autopilot
will turn your 'Mech in the direction of the NAV point.
Q: When pressing A to activate the autopilot, it immediately disables.
A: Your joystick is probably out of calibration. Even a slight turn input
from the joystick will disable the autopilot. See the section on "Input
Devices" for information on calibration.
Q: Why does my light amplification not function sometimes? -OR-
Why do my satellite map and other displays flicker during the
missions?
A: When your 'Mech takes damage from enemy fire, your systems
began to shut down. Eventually you will lose certain systems in
your HUD and other displays. Screens will begin to flicker and
eventually go dead. The solution is simple: Kill or be killed.
VIDEO
MechWarrior 2 demo is a pretty advanced simulation, as well as a bitchin'
game. Therefore, it takes a pretty powerful computer to run it.
That's why we default the game engine to low resolution (320x200). If you
have the processor power (Pentium) to run it in high-res (640x480) then
launch the demo by typing:
MW2DEMO -SVGA
It looks pretty darn good in low-res, but it looks GREAT in high-res,
so try it out if you've got the processor to spare.
-- Supported Video Drivers --
MechWarrior 2 demo requires that your system have a standard VESA video
driver to run your video. Please verify that you have one loaded before
launching MechWarrior 2 demo.
-- What Is a VESA Driver? --
For one thing, it's something needed to play our demo. More
specifically, VESA stands for Video Electronics Standards Association.
It is a standard that allows software companies to write programs that
work on many video cards without having to know how each card
works. The VESA driver is the program that handles this. Almost
every video card available today has VESA drivers available for
it. These drivers may be stored in a chip on the video card, or
they may be a program that the user has to load by hand (or with a
batch file). Some cards (such as the Diamond Viper) have the
driver on the video card, but need the user to run a special
program to activate the driver. If the VESA driver is an external
program, it will probably be found on the disks that accompanied
your video card. If you don't have a VESA driver you should
contact your video card manufacturer. We have included a list of
Customer Service and BBS numbers for major manufacturers at the
end of this document.
Using most 'external' (programs that you must run) VESA drivers is
as easy as typing the name of the driver at the DOS prompt. For
instance, if the driver was called VVESA.COM, you would type
"VVESA.COM" and then press ENTER. If you have any difficulty
running MechWarrior 2 at a higher resolution, contact the maker of
your video card for the latest VESA driver for your card.
The next few sections explain some problems and solutions that we
encountered during our testing with various video cards.
-- ATI --
Usually located within the MACH32 or ATI directory on your hard
drive (or the directory into which all of your video drivers were
installed) should be a file called VVESA.COM. (If it is not
there, it should be on your ATI driver diskettes which came with
the card.) This file must be run prior to launching MechWarrior 2.
There are two solutions:
1. Type "VVESA" prior to running MechWarrior 2, each time.
2. Include the following statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT:
C:\MACH32\VVESA.COM
This should allow you to run the "shell" without any video
problems.
-- Diamond Video Cards --
Q: My screen goes blank after I have started the game.
A: If you have a Diamond Stealth 64 video card, the problem is
probably with the Diamond Power management system that was
installed with your video card. In some machines, the activity of
the MechWarrior 2 game does not register as activity with this
power management system. To solve this, type the following
command before running MechWarrior 2:
C:\>S64DDPMS U
If DOS gives you a " Bad Command" error, the Stealth 64 driver
directory must not be located in your path. Change to that
directory (for Stealth 64 DRAM users, that directory is typically
S64D), and retype the command.
If you do not have a Stealth 64 video card, determine if you have
a DOS power saver loaded for your video card. If you do, disable
it prior to running MechWarrior 2
-- Diamond Viper Cards --
The Diamond Viper has its VESA driver on the card, but you need to
run an external program to activate it. This program is called
VPRMODE.EXE. To use VPRMODE to activate the VESA driver, type:
VPRMODE VESA, then press ENTER.
The VPRMODE program should have been installed by the software
that came with the Diamond Viper card.
Q: I have a Diamond Stealth/Viper and I get funny lines on my
display. Why?
A: This is a problem with MechWarrior 2 and some early versions of
the Diamond drivers. There are software patches available for both
the Stealth and Viper to alleviate this problem. The Stealth patch
is available as a software program called STLBIOS.EXE or as a
hardware upgrade. For the Diamond Viper, a software upgrade called
VPRM202.EXE will contain a patch. All of these are available
directly from Diamond.
-- MATROX --
Located within the MGA or MATROX directory on your hard drive (or
the directory into which all of your video drivers were installed)
should be a file called MGAVESA.COM. (If it is not there, it
should be on your video card driver diskettes.) This file must be
run prior to launching MechWarrior 2. There are two solutions:
1. Type "MGAVESA" prior to running MechWarrior 2, each time.
- OR -
2. Include the following statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT:
C:\MGA\MGAVESA.COM
This should allow you to run MechWarrior 2 without any problems
with video.
-- Other Video Cards --
If you do not have one of the cards listed above, try to locate
the VESA driver for your video card in your video card's directory
on your hard drive, or on the disks supplied by the card's
manufacturer. Run the VESA driver as shown above each time before
you start MechWarrior 2 or put it in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
-- Video Questions and Answers --
Q: Why doesn't MechWarrior 2 support a higher resolution?
A: Actually, it does. To play in SVGA mode, either enter SETUP and
select the SVGA option, or enter MW2DEMO -SVGA from your DOS prompt.
Make sure there is a space after MW2DEMO!
Q: My screen goes blank or is garbled after the Intro movie. Why?
A: MechWarrior 2 is designed to operate with any SVGA video card
that supports standard VESA video modes. Most, if not all, video
cards support VESA, either directly in the video hardware or
through an external driver. Some of these cards require you to
load a VESA driver prior to starting MechWarrior 2. In these
cases, the drivers will most likely be found in the directory into
which all of the video card files were installed. If you do not
have a VESA driver for your video card, you will not be able to
run the game until you obtain one.
AUDIO
The MechWarrior 2 installer will attempt to automatically detect
what kind of sound card you have in your machine and select the
proper driver. However, on some machines you may need to pick your
sound card out of the lists provided. The installer will then try
to verify the presence of that sound card in your machine. If your
sound card is not shown and is 100 percent Sound Blaster
compatible, you should be able to install for "Creative Labs Sound
Blaster or 100% compatible" and hear sound and music within the
game.
-- Supported Sound Devices --
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Basic, Pro, 16 and AWE 32; Media Vision Pro
Audio Spectrum Basic, Plus and 16; Gravis Ultrasound; Ensoniq
Soundscape; Roland MT-32; General MIDI devices
-- Miles Design Audio Drivers --
MechWarrior 2 sound support is accomplished through the use of the
John Miles Design AIL audio driver libraries. Like VESA drivers,
these help software companies support many different sound cards
without having to know how each card works. The Miles Design
Drivers are automatically installed when you select which sound
card you wish to use for digital audio and MIDI in MechWarrior 2.
-- Audio Questions and Answers --
Q: How do I change my sound setup?
A: At the DOS prompt in the demo directory, enter SETUP and choose
option 2, then select the sound device of your choice.
Q: Will MechWarrior 2 work with my Pro Audio Spectrum 16 Sound
Board?
A: Yes, but Pro Audio Spectrum 16 sound cards must have the
following settings to work with MechWarrior 2.
Pro Audio Spectrum Side: Sound Blaster Side:
Port = None Port = 220
Interrupt (IRQ) = 3 Interrupt (IRQ) = 5
DMA Channel = 3 DMA Channel = 1 (Must be 1)
The PAS 16 consists of two sections, and the Sound Blaster section
should use the settings shown above. You may be able to use a
different IRQ, but the DMA channel must be 1. Problems with the
PAS 16 card are usually due to the two sides of the card sharing a
port, Interrupt or DMA Channel. The two sides of the card must
have different settings, or the card will cause the system to lock
up. Look at the setting in the SETUP utility for this sound card
for more information.
Q: I have an Ad-Lib/Ad-Lib Gold card, and I can't get any digital
Sound FX to play. How come?
A: An Ad-Lib card does not have a DAC (Digital Audio Converter) to
play digital effects, therefore you will only hear synthesized
musical effects.
Q: How come the music volume control does not affect the volume of
the music I hear while playing the game?
A: Some CD-ROM drivers do not have the ability to raise or lower
the volume. For these drivers the sound is either on or off. In
these instances, the volume slider for music will be non-
functional except to turn it on and off.
Q: The volume levels of my music, sound effects and/or game voices
are too low for me to hear. What can I do?
A: Check your speakers to see if the volume can be turned up.
This is the easiest solution. However, if this cannot solve your
problems, try adjusting the volume sliders in the escape menus of
the game. Finally, your sound card may have a volume or mixer
utility that can raise the volume of your sound output or the
volume know on the back of some sound cards. Consult your sound
card manual for more information.
NOTE:
Some CD-ROM drives may have the volume level for Redbook Audio (CD
music) set too low or off in their CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT
file. If you are not hearing music in the game, consult your CD-
ROM driver manuals or the manufacturer of your CD-ROM drive for
assistance. You may simply need to make a small change to a
command in your startup files to fix the problem.
Q: I do not have any sound in the game. What do I do?
A: There are a number of things that may cause this problem.
First, ensure that your speakers are properly plugged into your
sound card and are turned on. Second, type SETUP in the
C:\MW2DEMO directory and choose the appropriate sound card in
"Configure Sound Devices". Make sure that you have the
appropriate settings. If all else fails, the problem may be with
your sound card. Consult your sound card user manual and run any
diagnostic utilities that the manufacturer supplies.
Q: Why is the sound fuzzy on my Sound Blaster Pro 2 sound card?
A: This may be due to a compatibility problem between the Sound
Blaster Pro 2 and certain video cards. We discovered it with an
Orchid Kelvin card installed. A small amount of distortion plays
near the beginning and ends of sound effects. We have no solution
for this at this time.
INPUT DEVICES
-- Supported Input Devices --
Standard two-button joysticks; CH Flightstick and ProPedals;
Thrustmaster Flight, Weapons, and Rudder Control Systems; Thrustmaster
F-16 Flightstick; Gravis gamepad and Phoenix joystick; Virtual
I/O i-glasses; Suncom Technologies SFX gamepad; Microsoft SideWinder
joystick
-- Mouse --
MechWarrior 2 requires a Microsoft-compatible mouse to run. Most
mice today (including Logitech, Mouse Systems, and Kensington) are
Microsoft-compatible. In order for the mouse to work properly in
MechWarrior 2, a mouse driver must be loaded before running
the game. The mouse driver must also be fairly current and VESA
compatible. Contact the manufacturer of your mouse or the dealer
who sold the mouse to you to see if your driver is the most
current available.
-- Joystick --
In MW2DEMO, the SideWinder joystick supports the following sound cards:
SoundBlaster 16
SoundBlaster Pro
SoundBlaster AWE 32
SoundBlaster Pro 2
Reveal SC 400
Ensoniq Sequoia
Sound Galaxy 16A
Gravis Ultrasound (with a minor hiccup)
-- Input Device Questions and Answers --
Q: How do I change from mouse to joystick?
A: You show proper respect, free birth. Enter SETUP and then enter 1
and follow the direction.
Q: Which Thrustmaster products are supported by MechWarrior 2?
A: MechWarrior 2 supports several configurations of the following
Thrustmaster input devices:
Flight Control Systems Mark I & II
Weapons Control Systems Mark II vrs. 5.08
Rudder Control Systems
F-16 Flight Control Systems
Q: My computer freezes when calibrating or does not calibrate the
CH Flightstick Pro properly.
A: We believe the problem results from conflicts in some sound
card game-ports. One possible solution to this problem is to plug
the joystick cable into a Y-adapter plugged into your sound card
game port. The best alternative is to install and use a dedicated
game port on a separate I/O card and disable the game port on your
sound card.
Q: I am having problems calibrating my joystick to work with
MechWarrior 2. What should I do?
A: MechWarrior 2 is designed to be very sensitive to joystick
controls to allow for more precision. The trade-off is that you
must be delicate in configuring your joystick. Please follow the
screen directions very closely and slowly. The most common
problem encountered by MechWarrior 2 players is caused by rushing
through the joystick configuration screens. As anxious as you may
be to play MechWarrior 2, take your time to configure properly.
Remember to wait until the dot appears to move your joystick and
follow the stick movement and button click sequence precisely.
Q: What do I do with the grey switch on the back of my SideWinder just
below the cord?
A: Good question, wetnose. For this demo, face the joystick cord away
from you and the four grey buttons towards you; then, reach behind
the joystick and push the grey switch all the way to the right.
Q: How do I calibrate my SideWinder?
A: Press ESC once you have begun your battle, then select option
number two, <Device calibration> and follow the instructions.
Q: My SideWinder joystick does not work properly, the buttons fire
but I can't steer my mech. What can I do?
A: You should re-launch the mission.
Q: When I use my joystick, my 'Mech does this crazy thing of
rotating and tilting around. What is this? The latest 'Mech dance
craze?
A: Press </> or <5> on your keypad to re-center your joystick.
Q: My 'Mech seems to be drifting to the right. What can I do?
A: Press </> or <5> on your keypad to re-center your joystick.
Q: I have a Honeywell mouse and it does not work with MechWarrior 2.
Why?
A: The Honeywell Mouse is not compatible with Microsoft standards
and does not work with MechWarrior 2.
Q: I told the SETUP to use my mouse to play the demo, but it won't work.
What should I do?
A: Most likely, a mouse driver has not been loaded. MechWarrior 2 needs a
DOS mouse driver (as opposed to a Microsoft Windows mouse
driver). This driver along with instructions on how to load it
should have been included with your mouse. The less likely problem
is that the mouse driver is being correctly loaded, but it is an
older version that is not supported. You should contact the
manufacturer (or dealer) of your mouse to get a more up-to-date
mouse driver.
NETWORK AND MODEM DEMO
-- Multi-player DEMO requirements --
100% Hayes compatible modem (9600 BPS or faster), Null-modem connection,
or IPX/Netbios network
-- Network --
To participate in head-to-head play over an IPX or Netbios
compatible network, you must first make sure you have all the
proper network cards and software installed on the computers you
will be using.
First, go to the directory that contains your network files. Type
NETBIOS and press ENTER. If everything is working correctly,
you will get the message that Netbios has been installed
successfully. You must then go to the MechWarrior 2 demo directory
and type NETB2 and press ENTER. You will then be taken to the
network communications screen. Type a message to your opponent to
ensure you are properly connected.
Once both opponents see their messages, press ESC and you will
be returned to the DOS prompt. At the DOS prompt, type MW2DEMO
and press ENTER. You will be taken to the MechWarrior 2 combat
screen. Type in your name at the LOGIN: prompt and press ENTER.
Select "Network/modem game" by pressing N. You will see a picture
of a 'Mech appear in the lower left window. Choose your 'Mech by
clicking on the larger right or left arrows. There are four
different 'Mechs to choose from. You can choose different
variations of 'Mechs clicking on the smaller left and right arrows.
Each 'Mech has two variations to select from.
You can type messages to your opponent by clicking your mouse in the
small black window below the different terrains. Simply click
in the window, type your message and press ENTER. Now you're
ready to fight! Just click on the <LAUNCH> button and prepare for
battle!
-- Null Modem --
To play MechWarrior 2 in Null Modem Mode, connect two computers
via their serial ports with a null modem cable. Switch to the
C:\MW2DEMO directory and type COMIO 2 and press ENTER.
Once the two machines connect, you will see the chat/communication
screen. Type a message to your friend to verify your connection
and then press ESC. At the DOS prompt type MW2DEMO and press
ENTER. You will see the MechWarrior 2 communications screen.
Type in your name at the LOGIN: prompt and press ENTER. The two
machines will connect. Choose your 'Mech and click on <LAUNCH>.
You will then meet in your chosen machine at your selected
battlefield ready for intense head to head combat.
-- Modem --
To play MechWarrior 2 against an opponent via modem, make sure
your modem is ON and switch to the C:\MW2DEMO directory, type MS and
press ENTER. You will see the modem control window.
Select a slot and choose E for Edit and type in your name or the
name of the person you're going to call. Then choose the COM port
your where your modem is installed, usually COM 2. Next, both players
should select a baud rate of 9600 and press ENTER. Then, one player
should type in the other's phone number and press ENTER while the second
player should simply press ENTER when asked for a phone number.
Then, keep pressing ENTER until all menu items are chosen.
REPEAT: Only one plays should enter a phone number. By pressing ENTER
without a number, the other player should select "ANSWER".
After completing these steps, select C for connect and you will be
dropped to a DOS prompt. At the DOS prompt, type in MODEM and
press ENTER The modem will either dial your opponents phone
number for you or answer their incoming call depending on which
mode you have chosen.
Once the two modems connect, you will see the chat/communication
screen. Type a message to your friend to verify your connection
and then press ESC. At the DOS prompt type MW2DEMO and press
ENTER. You will see the MechWarrior 2 communications screen.
Type in your name at the LOGIN: prompt and press ENTER. The two
machines will connect. Choose your 'Mech and click on <LAUNCH>.
You will then meet in your chosen machine at your selected
battlefield ready for intense head to head combat.
TECHNICAL NOTE: To play, you must have a 16550A UART chip on the
COM port you are using to play. You can use the Microsoft
Diagnostic (MSD.EXE) utility provided with Windows 3.1 and later
to determine if you have this chip on your COM ports.
-- Multi-player Questions and Answers--
Q: How many people can I play the MW2DEMO with?
A: This version supports One player mode and Two player mode over a
network, modem and null-modem.
Q: In two-player games, can I talk to my opponent?
A: You can only talk to your opponent in the "LAUNCH" screen. There,
sandwiched in between the mission briefing and the mission select
area is a small line (just beneath the MESSAGES sign), click here and
type away. Press ENTER to send your opponent your mortal insult.
Q: What do I do to play a two-player game?
A: You have three ways to engage the two-player mode via Null Modem,
Modem, or Netbios.
Q: How do I connect with NETBIOS? (over a LAN)
A: To participate in head to head play over an IPX or NETBIOS
compatible network, you must first make sure you have all the proper
network cards and software installed on the computers you will be using.
After entering Netbios to run Netbios, both players must enter NETB2 in
the MW2DEMO directory. Once communication is established and you have
checked that both players can chat, press ESC to exit out to DOS, and
then enter MW2DEMO. When the "LAUNCH" screen appears, login. Then,
when the demo requests that you select either One-player or Network,
type N.
Q: How do I connect with Null modem?
A: First, get two computers and a NULL MODEM cable. Connect the NULL
MODEM cable from COM port 2 on the first machine to COM port 2 on the
second machine. Next both players must enter COMIO 2 at the DOS prompt
in the demo directory of MW2DEMO. (You'll know you're in the right
directory if it also contains "mw2demo.exe"; enter "dir mw2demo.exe" if
you are unsure). Once you have entered, COMIO 2, you should see two
chat screens. Try chatting through the computer (both players should
see the typing of both players); if you can, you're connected so press
ESC and return to DOS. Now enter MW2DEMO, and at the "LAUNCH" screen,
login and then press N.
Q: How do I connect by MODEM?
A: MechWarrior 2 requires two 9600-baud modems for modem play. The
process may appear complex, but if you work through it step-by-step, you
will find it an easy process. First, talk to your friend and decide who
will be designated as player one and who will be designated as player
two. Unless you have two phone lines or you are in the same room, hang
up. At the DOS prompt in the demo directory, both players should enter
MS. You will see a screen titled, "MSET Utility". From the seventeen
numbered rows, select an unoccupied row by moving the grey bar up and
down with the arrow keys and then pressing E to edit the row. If you
have never used Mset before, don't panic. The edit consists of nine
steps, each on clearly labeled. Besides, you need only worry about
steps one through four. Three of these are the same for both player one
and two; the fourth is different. At step one, enter your name; at step
two, enter the COM port corresponding to your modem. At step three,
when the program asks for Baud Rate; enter 9600. At step four, your
tasks diverge: player one enters the phone number for the modem of
player two while player two simply hits ENTER. In the "Phone" column on
player two's screen, one should now see "* ANSWER *"; on the other hand,
player one should read player two's phone number in the "PHONE" column.
Now, both players should hit ENTER five times, and then press C. (If
you lose count, keep hitting ENTER until a yellow line appears running
down the middle of the grey input line at the bottom of the screen, then
press C.) To connect, players must enter modem then wait for the modems
to dial and to connect. Once you have confirmed that you can both chat,
press ESC. Now enter MW2DEMO, and at the "LAUNCH" screen, enter your
login and press N.
TECHNICAL NOTE: To play, you must have a 16550A UART chip on the
COM port you are using to play. You can use the Microsoft
Diagnostic (MSD.EXE) utility provided with Windows 3.1 and later
to determine if you have this chip on your COM ports.
TECHNICAL NOTE: Certain modems may not want to work properly with
MechWarrior 2 demo. Here is a list of initialization strings that may
help you to get the Modem portion of the program working with your
modem. There may be several strings in this list for your modem,
