Background Information

Friends for Life

Sanjuro and Toshiro Makabe were orphaned at an early age and ended up at a military academy on the colony world upon which they were born. At the academy, they befriended two sisters, Kura and Kathryn, daughters of Commodore Nathaniel Akkaraju, stationed there with his family. They also befriended Baku Ogata, a scrawny runt of a kid who was often the victim of bullies.

Sanjuro, who was younger than his brother, was successful at whatever he attempted to do. He was also popular, for he was a smart, spunky kid with a lot of bravado and a good sense of humor. Toshiro, tormented by their parents' deaths, was more cunning and deliberate than his brother, but he was also quiet and difficult to get to know. As any child would, Toshiro resented his brother's facility with people and social situations. More importantly, he resented the favoritism Sanjuro earned simply by being so damned likable.

Kura and Sanjuro had a love/hate relationship. They thrived on teasing and abusing each other, but it was merely an elaborate, naïve form of flirtation. Eventually, as pretty much everybody who knew them had predicted from early on, they became lovers.

Shortly after the friends graduated, Commodore Akkaraju's wife died in an attack on the colony. The situation was complicated. He knew she was in danger, but his orders were to remain at his post. He asked for a replacement to cover for him while he went to find her, but the request was denied. Rather than disobeying orders, he stood by his post, even when his daughters found him and pleaded with him to go. When his wife died in the attack, Akkaraju swallowed his shame and grief. Kura railed against him, calling him a murderer and a coward. He let her have her say without defending himself or trying to calm her, for it was his duty as a father.

Kathryn, meanwhile, coped with the situation very differently. She knew that her father could have done nothing except get himself killed as well, so she never blamed him. But the implications of the military career she was about to enter suddenly crystallized. She vowed never to use a weapon against another human being and arranged to enter a non-combatant position in the UCASF so that she could still be with her friends.

For his courage and commitment during the attack on the colony, Akkaraju was given command of the UCASF Leviathan, the flagship of the UCA, and promoted to admiral. That the defining moment of his career should also be such a defining moment in his personal life drove him to pursue his duty to the UCA even more religiously.

Meanwhile, with the beginning of the Cronian Revolution, Admiral Akkaraju was sent to Cronus by UCASF high command.

The Cronian Revolution

At first glance, Cronus (technically 46CronusD, the fourth planet in the nearly dead Cronus system) seems like an unlikely place to play such a critical role in the future of humanity. It is a hostile, barren world with a poisonous atmosphere, incessant volcanic and seismic activity, and an unexceptional collection of minerals easily mined from hundreds of thousands of more accessible asteroids and moons, not to mention the handful of human-colonized worlds.

However, when a deep space probe sent to the system to collect scientific data for cataloging purposes detected chemically compelling organic material in soil samples, the United Corporate Authority (UCA) was formed by three dominant megacorporations (Andra Biomechanics, Armacham Technology Corporation, and Shogo Industries) and a jointly funded manned expedition was launched.

That early venture found rich deposits of the organic material, dubbed kato for the probe that discovered it (the Shogo DSP Katoki).

It would be over a decade before the benefits of kato energy would become apparent and interstellar travel would change forever...

The Megacorporations & the UCA

Each of the megacorporations contributing to the Cronus expedition had a vested interest in the mission at hand. Andra Biomechanics, founded in Moscow in the early 21st century by Natalya Andropov, a renowned researcher on the Human Genome Project, grew to specialize in a variety of genetic engineering, cybernetic, and mechanical engineering interests. Their products included medical bioengineering technologies, cybernetically assisted prosthetics, and even anthropomorphic mobile engineering vehicles (MEVs) used in construction, mining (terrestrial and otherwise), and demolition. They also did early research and development of mobile combat armor (MCAs) and armaments.

Shogo Industries, a Japanese conglomerate, had interests ranging from technology to publishing to the manufacture of children's clothing. With the advent of MEVs and MCAs, Shogo decided to offer their own highly advanced line of giant mechanized suits. Their designs were well received both for functionality and aesthetics. They also distinguished themselves for space-based product lines and microcomputer technology.

Armacham Technology Corporation got its start with the manufacture of commercial satellites and ground-based communication systems. Eventually, they would expand to encompass civilian and military vehicle manufacture, musical equipment, security systems, and, predictably enough, MEV and MCA technologies. Their MCAs (they discontinued their MEV lines after some early experiments) immediately caught the attention of the private sector and various military organizations alike. Sleeker and sexier than the offerings of their competitors, Armacham's MCAs were and still are considered the most striking MCAs available. Of course, form without function is useless, and Armacham delivers there as well. While not as rugged as Andra MCAs or as sophisticated as Shogo MCAs, Armacham's designs are reliable and hardy.

The UCA, originally intended as a joint venture that would ensure the continued profitability and expansion of the three organizations that founded it, took on a life of its own almost immediately. With its status as the primary regulatory agency for interstellar commerce, the UCA quickly swelled into an unwieldy bureaucracy. It was only after dissociating itself from its progenitors that it was able to restructure itself and become more efficient, simultaneously forming the United Corporate Authority Security Force (UCASF), which would soon become the dominant military power in existence. Within a decade, it was involved in the manufacture of deep space vessels, aircraft, ground-based vehicles, and MCAs. While the UCA's early entries in the MCA market were poorly received, subsequent models, especially the Defender and Enforcer, rank as some of the best MCAs available.

Kato Energy

What makes kato especially enticing and useful is its unique chemical composition. Being of an organic nature, kato at first seemed comparable to petroleum-a vestigial remnant of ancient indigenous life. On further examination, however, it was discovered that kato is actually alive in some sense, although no more sentient than algae.

The importance of kato derives from its reaction to high temperatures. When burned, kato passes through several stages of recomposition before losing its volatility. Each of these stages produces an impressive amount of energy, but it's what happens at the subatomic level that proves the most beneficial.

In the course of its chemical breakdown, kato emits a tachyon field that can be harnessed to allow an object (such as a vehicle) contained within the field to tunnel (i.e. move from one place to another without passing through each increment of space in between), thereby travelling at superluminal speeds. Space travel without kato energy would be like walking from New York to Los Angeles versus flying there in a Concorde. As you can imagine, interplanetary travel without kato energy is entirely impractical.

Developments on Cronus

The population of Cronus grew steadily and rapidly, even when the first underground colony, Avernus, was devastated by a series of powerful earthquakes that led to a mass migration to the burgeoning city of Maritropa.

Avernus, although abandoned, continued an eerie quasi-life of its own, for its geothermal energy supply still pumped life through the city, powering streetlamps, heating ducts, atmospheric processors, hydroponic farms, and condensation collectors. Those few who had chosen to remain behind were able to sustain themselves with a minimal amount of maintenance and repair.

Many of these holdouts (dubbed stragglers) were former miners driven to psychological breakdown by the pressures of long hours, horrible working conditions, and long-term exposure to raw kato residue, which had been demonstrated to have a corrosive effect on unprotected flesh even in particulate form, leading to respiratory ailments, skin rashes, and even blindness. Though the term "straggler" was originally aimed at those who had remained in Avernus, it eventually grew to encompass anyone displaying these characteristics.

A Shining City

Maritropa, unlike its ailing sister city, was intended from its incorporation to be a sparkling metropolis that afforded all the accustomed luxuries of other, comparatively vital colony worlds to its diverse inhabitants. The vast, snaking reinforced cavern system that housed Maritropa flourished with greenery, artificial light, and cosmopolitan life.

For all its self-imposed glory, Maritropa wasn't the utopia it pretended to be, though. The lower sectors of the city eventually began to fall into disrepair as the aristocracy moved to the Canopy Section, a series of buildings suspended from the cavern ceiling. Using a material called Stion™ (developed by Armacham) which becomes highly tensile when charged with an electrical current, engineers devised a support structure with a tremendous load-bearing capacity. The view from the slums affords an ironic perspective of the hierarchical structure of Maritropan society.

By the time the revolution began in earnest, the Cronian Mining Consortium (CMC)-the governing body on the planet-had long been eager for autonomy from the UCA and various corporate interests. The importance of kato energy gave the CMC a powerful bargaining chip offset only by Cronus' military insignificance. So the CMC began bolstering its military in secret, aided by a covert treaty with Andra Biomechanics.

The UCA was aware of the buildup, of course, but Akkaraju was instructed not to interfere for reasons that were not shared with him. Unfortunately, Akkaraju's superiors had apparently underestimated the extent of the CMC's efforts. A sizable mercenary fleet arrived in the system a mere two standard hours before the CMC officially proclaimed its independence and issued its terms. The UCA was hit unprepared and forced to retreat from Cronus' high orbit under heavy fire.

For the next 18 months, the UCA executed a series of covert operations designed to undermine the Cronian resistance by removing key individuals. Although the overall success rate of these missions was marginal at best, the plan eventually succeeded and the Cronians agreed to negotiate an accord.

It was around this time that a terrorist group calling themselves the Fallen surfaced. Their initial attacks were designed to undermine UCA faith in the CMC and, indeed, delayed the treaty process by several months. Once the existence of the terrorists was established, the CMC requested UCA assistance in rounding up the faction.

Tragedy Strikes

Sanjuro, who by this time had earned the rank of Commander, led his squad-consisting of Toshiro, Baku, and Kura-on a mission into Avernus in search of a Fallen leader, acting on intelligence obtained during a raid in Maritropa. The mission ended with Toshiro, Kura, and Baku missing and presumed dead.

Following is a transcript from the subsequent investigation:

CDR BROWN: You state in your report that you were fired upon, and I quote, by an "incredibly powerful energy weapon"-

CDR MAKABE: That's correct.

CDR BROWN: And the next thing you remember, you awoke on the ground in your MCA, your camera systems malfunctioning…

CDR MAKABE: Yeah. Look, we've been through all this before.

CDR BROWN: This is standard procedure, Commander. And so what happened next?

CDR MAKABE: As I stated previously, I heard some kind of weird chanting.

CDR BROWN: Which you identified as Commander Makabe. Uh, that would be your brother.

CDR MAKABE: It sounded like him, but I couldn't see very well, so I wasn't sure.

CDR BROWN: And that was when you opened fire on Commander Akkaraju.

CDR MAKABE: I didn't "open fire" on her. I thought she was an Assassin. I heard movement and spun around. She must've been leaning forward, getting up, 'cause I couldn't see her head. She looked like an Assassin.

CDR BROWN: The Shogo Assassin MCA is a far cry from a UCA Enforcer, Commander Makabe. I find it hard to believe you could confuse the two.

CDR MAKABE: I told you, my display was damaged…

CDR BROWN: And you fired without thinking, without considering the consequences.

CDR MAKABE: Yes.

CDR BROWN: Did Commander Akkaraju return fire?

CDR MAKABE: No.

CDR BROWN: And yet you continued to-

CDR MAKABE: I turned, I saw an Assassin, and I fired. It wasn't… I didn't know it was her.

CDR BROWN: So you stated.

CDR MAKABE: I was in love with her. I'm not in the habit of shooting people I care about.

CDR BROWN: Your attitude during this interview will be noted, Commander.

CDR MAKABE: Is that was this is? An interview? Seems more like an interrogation to me.

CDR BROWN: At what point did your brother strike you?

CDR MAKABE: Right after I shot Kura. He blindsided me and knocked me down.

CDR BROWN: Did he say anything?

CDR MAKABE: Just whatever he was chanting. It sounded like gibberish to me.

CDR BROWN: What happened next?

CDR MAKABE: Toshiro was about to shoot me when the tremor hit. The ground gave way and they were just gone, just like that. All of them.

CDR BROWN: And what did you do at that point?

CDR MAKABE: I stood at the edge of the chasm, wishing I could see better.

CDR BROWN: Wasn't it dangerous to approach the chasm with your MCA's visual system impaired?

CDR MAKABE: I didn't care.

CDR BROWN: But-

CDR MAKABE: Three of the most important people in my life… they were just gone, Commander. Just gone.

The Aftermath

Sanjuro, still reeling from the Avernus tragedy, was placed on probation for "inability to perform his duties in a professional, responsible manner due to severe psychological stress sustained in combat." He was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and required to attend regular physical and psychological evaluations.

He spent most of his free time with Kathryn, who helped him cope with what had happened even as he helped her manage her own grief. In time, what had begun as mutual comfort turned into romance. Kathryn, who had always harbored deep affection for Sanjuro, understood that his feelings for her were rooted more in a desperate sort of need than in actual romantic love, but she hoped that time would soften his grief and allow him to love her.

The Rise of Gabriel

The Fallen, meanwhile, grew stronger and more organized. Military intelligence attributed the transformation to a new leader elected to replace Ivan Isarevich, who was killed in the Avernus incident. The new leader, known only as Gabriel, rallied the historically fragmented Fallen into a fighting force capable of posing a serious threat to the CMC.

Following is an extract from a public statement issued by Gabriel to the population of Cronus and the various interests in orbit around her:

"We, the fallen children of earth, our ancestral home, are the rightful heirs and stewards of Coth. We will tolerate no further exploitation of her bounty, no further taking of her gifts. Those who oppose the will of Coth shall be expunged. Those who leave will do so with our blessing. Those who remain will perish."

Final proof of the Fallen's viability came mere hours after they seized a remote but well defended CMC geological station. The CMC's military fragmented, nearly a third of its soldiers declaring loyalty to Gabriel and the Fallen.

The ensuing chaos presented a variety of opportunities and problems for the UCA. Akkaraju's prime directive was to recapture Cronus for the UCA, thereby ensuring the continued harvest of kato. The UCA and CMC had been on the verge of compromise that wasn't especially satisfying to either party but at least provided a foundation upon which to build.

With the CMC hobbled by its own partial collapse and a fanatical army preparing a massive and potentially apocalyptic assault on Maritropa, the situation had changed dramatically in a short amount of time. Neither the UCA nor the CMC considered abandoning Cronus (or Coth, as the Fallen called it) a palatable option. But the CMC was no longer capable of defending itself. They could hold out for a while, but ultimately they would fall. Their predicament afforded the UCA a certain amount of leverage.

The UCA, meanwhile, might be able to intervene and overcome the Fallen, but the battle for Cronus would take a heavy toll and might lead to a less than desirable outcome considering the obvious fanaticism and newfound discipline of the Fallen's legions.

Akkaraju's recommendation to the UCA high command was simple: eliminate Gabriel by any means necessary and watch as the Fallen crumble. After all, the admiral asserted, it was Gabriel who had united the terrorists into a fighting force. Likewise, it was his charisma that had lured a third of the Cronian militia away from the CMC. How he had spread his influence so thoroughly was unknown, but its effects were self-evident. He was the key.

The plan was authorized without discussion and the details left in Akkaraju's hands. He had only to decide who to send. He chose Sanjuro.


System Requirements

Shogo will run on a variety of system configurations.  However, we strongly recommend running with 3D Hardware Acceleration for the best overall performance and game experience.  Please refer to the section on 3D Video Hardware for more information on 3D Hardware Acceleration.

- Pentium 166 or equivalent (Pentium II Recommended)

- Pentium 233 or equivalent for software rendering

- 4MB (or greater) D3D compatible video card recommended

- 32MB RAM

- Windows95/98

- DIRECTX6


Installation

Autoplay

If you have autoplay enabled, just place the Shogo CD into your CD-ROM drive and wait for the onscreen prompts.

Autoplay Disabled

If you do not have autoplay enabled, run setup.exe from the root directory of the Shogo CD.

CD Required

The Shogo CD must be in your CD-ROM drive in order to play Shogo in Single Player mode.  If you have completed a full install of Shogo, the Shogo CD is not required for Multiplayer games.

Reinstallation

If you need to re-install Shogo, you can do so by running setup.exe from the Shogo CD.


DirectX6

DirectX6.1, a Microsoft game-related component for Windows 95/98, is required and will be installed automatically during a Normal or Minimum install of Shogo. You can also choose to install DirectX6 through the Custom install option.

In most cases DirectX6 will install new video and audio drivers for your system.  If you have not updated your drivers for your video or hardware recently, we strongly suggest that you update your drivers, regardless of the DirectX6 recommendations during installation.

Although you may not be prompted for a restart after installing DirectX6, we HIGHLY recommend that you restart your computer anyway.

For the most up to date information on driver support for DirectX6 and Shogo, see the section on 3D Video Hardware , or visit the Shogo drivers site at:

http://drivers.lith.com


Direct3D

Shogo supports Microsoft's Direct3D 3D Hardware API. Direct3D provides excellent performance and hardware support for most 3D video cards.  However, you may need to install the most recent video drivers for your 2D/3D hardware to get the best performance from Shogo.

For links to the most recent video/audio drivers, please see the section on 3D Video Hardware, or visit the Monolith drivers page at http://drivers.lith.com


Shogo Launcher

The Shogo Launcher allows you to set up several components for you game before you start Shogo.  Click each link below for more information about the Launcher.

Launch Shogo… Button

Multiplayer Button

Display… Button

Customize. . .  Button

Advanced… Button

More Games. . .  Button

Help Button

Quit Button

Use this button to quit the Shogo launcher.


Launch Button

Click Launch to start Shogo.  The first time you run Shogo, you will be prompted to select a detail level. This detail setting will scale the content in Shogo to increase performance or increase visual quality.  You can change this detail setting at any time during the game by selecting Options...Display from the in-game menus.

Medium detail is the default setting, and is also a good choice for most systems with 3D hardware.  The detail settings are explained in depth in DISPLAY DETAIL SETTTINGS .


Display Button

The first time you run Shogo, we strongly suggest that you click the Display button in the Shogo launcher. Clicking the Display button will test your video drivers to ensure DirectX6 compatibility.

Because Shogo checks the DirectX status of your video card(s) when you click Display, if you do not have DX6 compatible video drivers, you may encounter problems.  Shogo uses the same routine to initialize your video card when you click launch, but by clicking Display you can see the results.  If you encounter problems after clicking Display (this is rare) please see TROUBLE SHOOTING .

Choose your video card

Display allows you to choose your display device (e.g., the video card) that you want to use to play Shogo.  Only DirectX6 compatible devices will be displayed in the display window.  You can also switch your display device at any time during the game by choosing Options...Display...Change Mode.

LithTech Direct3D Renderer

To use 3D hardware acceleration (if you have a D3D compatible 3D video card installed in your computer), choose LithTech Direct3D Renderer in the Renderers window, and then choose your display driver (your video card) in the Displays window.

If you are running a 2D/3D video card such as a Riva 128, your card will show up as "Primary Display Driver".  If you are running a pass-through card such as a 3DFX-based card, it will be listed below Primary Display Driver as something similar to "3DFX Interactive Voodoo".

Not all video cards support 3D hardware acceleration. If you are uncertain about whether your video card has 3D hardware acceleration features, please refer to your card's documentation.

For more information about a specific 3D video card, see 3D VIDEO HARDWARE .

LithTech 3DNow! Direct3D Renderer

Shogo supports AMD's 3DNow!™ technology, which accelerates some 3D graphics operations. If you have an AMD 3DNow! compliant CPU, using this renderer may improve graphics performance when used in conjunction with a 3D hardware accelerator.

NOTE:  The LithTech 3DNow! Direct3D Renderer is intended for use only in AMD 3DNow! compatible systems. We do not recommend selecting this option with non-AMD CPU's (Intel, Cyrix, etc.)

LithTech Software Renderer

To run Shogo without 3D hardware acceleration, choose LithTech Software Renderer in the Renderers window. Then choose your video card in the Displays window. If you are running the LithTech software renderer on a system with multiple video cards, we strongly suggest choosing your Primary Display Driver in the Displays window.

Resolution

You can also set your resolution screen size in the Shogo Display Settings. The default resolution for Shogo is 640x480 16bit.  Selecting lower resolutions (512x384) may increase performance at the expense of detail.  Selecting higher resolutions (800x600, 1024x768) may decrease performance, but may look better.

If you are running the LithTech Software Renderer, we suggest running a low resolution (320x200) first to test the performance on your computer.

You can also change the resolution at any time during the game by choosing Options...Display...Change Mode.


Customize Button

Use Customize to add-in additional resources and levels for modifications, patches and multiplayer. Please visit the Shogo website www.shogo-mad.com for the most up to date customize information.


More Games. . .  Button

Click the More Games button to access demos and movies of other Monolith titles.  All Monolith titles are available at your local software retailer.


Help Button

Click the Help button to access the Shogo Online Manual (you’re already here!  Note to self--wake up!)


Multiplayer Button

Click the Multiplayer button to start the Shogo multiplayer wizard.  For details on setting up multiplayer games, see Multiplayer.


Advanced Button

The Advanced Options are designed for advanced users and trouble-shooting only. Some of the advanced options may not be compatible with all hardware. Mixing and matching some advanced options may cause unpredictable results. For the most up to date Advanced Options details, check out the Shogo website www.shogo-mad.com.

3D Cards... Button

The 3D Cards button should be used as a reference for the best advanced settings for your particular video card.  Note that the cards are listed by chip manufacturer. If you don't know the chip manufacturer of your video card, please check your video card documentation, or check with the manufacturer.

3D Sound... Button

The options listed here depend on the audio hardware you have installed on your PC. For more information about 3D Sound, see the section on Sound.

Disable Sound

This will disable all sound fx in Shogo.

Disable music

This will disable Shogo's Interactive Music Architecture, or IMA.

Some sound cards may have incompatibilities with IMA. Used for

troubleshooting only.

Disable movies

Disables the Monolith Logo and Shogo Intro from playing every time.

Disable light mapping

Turns off light mapping (a shadow-lighting effect) in all display detail settings. This option is also available through the in-game menus, and is disabled in medium detail mode.

Disable fog

Disables all atmospheric (not clipping plane) fog. No performance increase or decrease.  Strictly subjective, although may be useful on cards that "almost" support table fog.

Disable line systems

Disables all line systems in Shogo.  Line systems are used for tracer fire on many enemy weapons. Unlikely to provide any performance increase, but useful as a troubleshooting item.

Disable model full brights

Some textures/models in Shogo use a palette technique that makes certain colors always bright, regardless of the surrounding light conditions (e.g., making them "fully bright"). This option is also available through the in-game menus, and is disabled in medium detail mode.

Disable DirectX6 commands

Use only for troubleshooting.  Probably doesn't do what you think it does.

Enable optimized surfaces

Optimizes the way 2D surfaces (e.g., ammo, health, armor) are drawn. Checking this on AGP cards may provide a performance increase, especially on Intel i740 based cards.  This option may cause problems on some 3DFX cards, depending on which drivers are installed.

Enable poly gap fixing

Fixes noticeable gapping between polygons on some 3D video cards. A MUST for Riva 128 video cards.  May slow performance on low-end/older 3D video cards.  Not a significant performance decrease on fast 3D cards. Makes everything look "nicer".

Enable triple buffering

Enables a feature on some video cards that can improve performance. Most AGP video cards benefit from this feature being enabled. However, this may cause lock-ups on some PCI video cards.

Enable mipmap sharpening

Sharpens the mipmaps (textures) for some ATI cards.  Not really useful for anything other than making the textures look strange on most cards.

Enable pixel doubling--LithTech Software Renderer ONLY

Check this option only when using the LithTech Software Renderer. Useful for simulating low resolutions (320x200, 320x240) on 2D video cards that don't support low resolutions in 16-bit color. If you check this option and have 640x480 16bit selected as your resolution, Shogo will simulate 320x240.  Can provide noticeable performance increases at the expense of visual quality.

Enable single-pass multi-texturing

A feature that can improve performance on some high-end video cards such as the 3DFX Voodoo2 and Voodoo3, nVidia Riva TNT and TNT2, and ATI Rage 128 (there are others as well). This feature is very dependent on drivers, so please make sure you have the most recent drivers for your video card before trying this option. Checking this option on video cards that don't support multi-texturing may cause unpredictable results.

Restore factory default settings

This restores all configuration settings to the original factory defaults. Resets key configuration, detail level and sound. Useful if you're mucking around with detail settings and you just want things back the way they were.

Command-Line

Really advanced users only.  For more information on this feature, visit the Shogo website at www.shogo-mad.com.

Always specify these command-line parameters

Advanced users only.  Checking this box will save anything entered into the command-line box and will always add it to the command line.


3D Video Hardware

The Readme.txt file in the c:\games\shogo directory contains the most up to date information about 3D video cards, recommended Shogo settings, and driver information.  Video card information can also be accessed through the Shogo launcher by clicking Advanced…3D Cards…

For the most up to date information on "Shogo Certified" drivers, please visit our driver website at:

http://drivers.lith.com

Several video card internet links are provided below. Check with your card manufacturer for the most up to date information and drivers for that video card.

3DFX

http://www.3dfx.com

3DLabs

http://www.3dlabs.com/drivers

ATI

http://support.atitech.ca/drivers

Intel

http://www.intel.com

Matrox

http://www.matrox.com/mgaweb/drivers

nVidia

http://www.nVidia.com

Rendition

http://www.rendition.com

S3

http://www.s3.com


Sound

Sound is an important part of the Shogo gameplay experience:  explosions, weapons, enemies and characters all provide feedback and information via sound during the game.

In order to get the best and most reliable audio performance in Shogo, we recommend that you download or obtain the latest drivers from your sound card manufacturer.

Click here for more about 3D Sound

Several sound card internet links are provided below. Check with your card manufacturer for the most up to date information and drivers for that sound card.

Aureal Semiconductor

http://www.aureal.com

Creative Labs

http://www.creativelabs.com

Diamond Multimedia

http://www.diamondmm.com

Ensoniq

http://www.ensoniq.com

TerraTec Promedia

http://www.terratec.co.uk

Turtle Beach

http://www.voyetra-turtle-beach.com

VideoLogic

http://www.videologic.com

Xitel

http://www.xitel.com

Yamaha

http://www.yamaha.com


Music

Shogo uses a new method for playing music--it's called Interactive Music Architecture, or IMA. Because this technology is very new, there is a slight chance that you may experience some problems with some sound cards and music playback during the game. Upgrading to the most recent drivers for your sound card usually solves any music playback problems.

To adjust the music volume:

Select Options…Sound from the in-game menus, and then adjust the Music volume slider until the music is at a satisfactory level.

To disable the music:

Select Options…Sound…Music…Off from the in-game menus, or

Click Advanced…Disable Music in the Shogo launcher.


3D Sound

3D sound provides a more realistic audio experience, and Shogo supports a variety of 3D Sound options. The options listed are dependent on what kind of 3D sound (if any) your sound card or computer system supports.

To access the 3D SOUND options:

In the Shogo Launcher click Advanced...     3D Sound...  A list of 3D sound providers will be shown along with several other options related to 3D Sound.  Each option is explained below.

Providers

The list of providers that you can use in Shogo is dependent on what kind of sound card you have. Shogo autodetects your hardware, so you will only receive those providers that are supported on your system. A brief overview of the most common 3D Sound providers is provided below.  Please check the Readme.txt file for the most current list of providers:

No 3D sound

This option provides panning 3d and volume fades. Maximum performance w/greatest compatibility.

Miles 2D stereo positional audio

Uses the Miles Sound System to create some 3D-type sound effects including panning 3d, volume fades and dopplering. Provides enhanced audio w/minor performance hit.

Microsoft DirectSound3D software emulation

This option will attempt to emulate DirectSound3D hardware acceleration in software. Potentially a large performance hit. May not be compatible with all sound cards. Fun to play around with this, but not recommended for extended use.

Microsoft DirectSound3D hardware support

A generic DirectSound3D provider.  If this option is displayed, your sound card supports Directsound3D hardware acceleration.

Microsoft DirectSound3D with Creative Labs EAX(TM)

Choose this option if you have a SoundBlaster Live! or PCI 128 from Creative Labs. We recommend that you get the newest Creative drivers when using EAX.  This option kicks major ass.

Aureal A3D Interactive(TM)

This option will be displayed if you have an A3D compliant sound card (Diamond MX200 or MX300, Turtle Beach Montego or Montego2 to name a few).  We recommend that you get the newest drivers for your sound card when using A3D.

RSX 3D Audio from RAD Game Tools

This is a software sound system that provides some additional 3D sound enhancements.

Samples

The hardware and software samples tell Shogo how many different sounds you want to mix during gameplay.  Some sound cards may support more than 16 Hardware Samples (for example, the Creative Labs SBLive! card supports 32 samples in hardware mixing). Changing the number of samples may affect performance on your system.

Reverb

This controls the amount of "echo" that you will hear when using some DirectSound3D providers (EAX, for example, provides hardware accelerated reverb).  Very High will provide the most echo, Very Low provides the least amount.


Display Detail Settings

Shogo contains several detail settings that will affect performance. You can change these detail settings through the in-game menus by choosing Options...Display...Detail Setting.

You can also choose Advanced and tweak each detail setting individually. Once you choose Advanced and change a setting, your detail setting will be displayed as "Advanced".  Changing your setting back to LOW, MEDIUM or HIGH will reset any advanced options set.

Switching detail settings while in the game will result in a restart of Shogo's renderer, which may take several seconds.

LOW

A good choice for systems near or at the minimum system requirements. Uses the least amount of texture memory.  Turns off just about every detail option available in Shogo.  Also the best choice when using the LithTech Software Renderer.

MEDIUM

A good choice for most systems.  Uses less texture memory than high, but keeps most other special effects in place.

HIGH

Turns up everything in terms of visual look. Recommended only for high-end systems with fast 3D video cards.  Uses the most texture memory, but looks the best.


Performance Tuning

Game speed and performance are dependent on several different hardware factors. The 3 major factors that affect performance in Shogo: CPU, 3D Video Card, and memory.

If you are experiencing slow performance on your system, first try setting the Detail Setting under Options...Display to LOW.  This setting will have the biggest single impact on performance.

Shogo will default to using 8-bit (LOW) quality sounds unless you chose HIGH the first time you ran Shogo.  Changing the Sound Quality to LOW under Options...Sound will save memory and can increase performance.

Turning Music to OFF under Options...Sound may also increase performance slightly.  If you've turned everything else off and you're still looking for a couple of extra frames-per-second, set Music to Off.

Model FullBrights and Environment mapping can have a large impact on slower systems.  These options are both set to ON when HIGH is selected, but are set to OFF in MEDIUM and LOW.

Lightmapping can also slow some systems down.  The Intel i740, for example, will see a large performance increase just by setting Lightmapping to OFF.

Using 3D Sound has a significant impact on performance, especially on slower systems. If you're running Shogo on a system at or near the minimum system requirements, we recommend setting 3D Sound to "none" under the Advanced menu in the Shogo launcher.

For the most recent updates on performance tuning, go to the Shogo website at http://www.shogo-mad.com


Common Problems

For the most up to date Trouble Shooting information, please check out the Shogo website at:

www.shogo-mad.com

Q:	Many of the sounds in Shogo seem to be garbled.  What's wrong?

A:	If you are running Shogo on a 3DFX card, your driver may be stealing some cycles from the bus.  Install the latest 3DFX reference drivers located on the Shogo CD.  This should cure the problem.

Q:	I installed DirectX6 during the Shogo installation, but now I can't use my 3D video card to run Shogo.

A:	This is likely the result of non-DirectX6 compliant video drivers.  Please visit drivers.lith.com for the most recent information on drivers for your card.

Q:	When I click the Display button in the Shogo launcher, it pauses for a long time, and then nothing happens.  What gives?

A:	Make sure that you have installed DirectX6.  If you installed DirectX6, you may not have updated your video drivers.  Reinstall DirectX6 and update your drivers when prompted.

Q:	I have a joystick plugged into my computer, but Shogo won't recognize it.

A:	Check the joystick configuration in Windows.  Go to Settings...Control Panel Game Controllers and check to make sure that your joystick is configured correctly.

Q:	Some video resolutions are displayed under the Display button in the launcher and in the Change Mode option under the in-game Display menu, but I can't switch to these resolutions.

A:	Shogo uses DirectX to query your card about display resolutions.  Your driver may be reporting to DirectX that it can display at a certain resolution, even though the hardware does not support it.  This is common on many 2D cards when running in software.

Q:	I can't get my 3D card to work with Shogo no matter what I try.

A:	Try running the DirectX diagnostic that is installed when you install DX6 during a Shogo installation.  You can access this diagnostic tool in Program Files....directx...setup....dxdiag.exe.  Please refer to the help file that accompanies dxdiag.exe for more information on using it.


Technical Support Information

If you experience a problem that’s got you stumped, do a few things before contacting tech support.

First check the www.shogo-mad.com web page for updates, info, and FAQs about releases or known problems (if any).

Try to determine if the problem is hardware or software related.  Often times users experience problems with new hardware at the same time they are attempting to install new software.

If you’re still stumped, feel free to contact technical support.  Be advised that tech support via email will provide the most detailed and reliable form of support.  Phone support is available, but wait times are dependent on call volume.

When emailing tech support, please try to be as specific as possible, including all steps necessary to reproduce the problem.  This ensures the most accurate assessment of the problem and allows our technicians to quickly advise you of a solution.

Tech Support Email: 	http://support.lith.com

Tech Support Line:	425-739-1698

Hours of Operation:	Monday through Friday, 10:00AM to 7:00PM PST


Display Menu

Use the Display option to change your detail settings, resolution, texture quality (8-bit vs 16-bit) and renderer.  See Display Detail Settings for more information.

Gore

Use this option to turn off blood and gore in Shogo.  Defaults to ON.

Screen Flash

Turn this off to remove the flash when you get hit or fire a weapon.


Sound Menu

Use the Sound menu to change the sound fx and music volume in Shogo.

Music	Turns Shogo’s Interactive Music on and off.

Sound	Turns sound on/off

Volume Sliders	These sliders will adjust the volume for each component

Sound Quality	High uses more memory but increase quality

Low uses less memory but decreases quality


Mouse

The mouse is an excellent control device for Shogo.  While it may take some adjustment to play with the mouse, it will provide more precise control than the keyboard.  The default configuration is listed below, along with explanations of each item.

Mouse Buttons

Left Button	Fire/Attack

Right Button	Move Forward

Center Button	Sidestep

You can set the value for the button by highlighting the button, and then using the arrow keys to select a new action.

mouselook	on

"mouselook" allows the view to follow the movement of the mouse.  By default this is set to on.  So, if you move the mouse forward, you will look up, and if you move the mouse backward, you will look down.

lookspring	off

Setting "lookspring" to on will only have an effect if mouselook is set to off.  When mouselook is set to off, lookspring will auto-center the view when the mouselook key (by default the / key) is released.

invert y-axis	no

Setting this to "yes" will invert the "mouselook" option.  When set to yes, moving the mouse forward will look down, and moving the mouse backward will look up.

sensitivity	slider

Use the sensitivity to adjust how far you turn left/right or look up/down when you move the mouse.

smoothness	slider

This setting affects how 'laggy" the mouse feels.  This setting will also affect how "jerky" the movement feels when you move the mouse.


Joystick

Shogo can be controlled alone with the joystick, or you can use a combination of joystick and keyboard.  The Options…Joystick menu is only available if you have a joystick connected to your system.

Therefore, you must configure your joystick buttons under Options…Joystick.  If you have difficulty with your joystick, check out the section on Trouble Shooting .

Shogo also supports a variety of extended joysticks, such as the MadCatz PantherXL or SpaceOrb360.  For more information about extended joystick support and how to gain access to it, please see the Joystick.htm file in the c:\games\shogo\Joystick directory.


Keyboard Controls

The default keyboard controls can be customized through the in-game menus through Options…Keyboard.  To customize a control, select an action, hit enter, and then press the key you wish to change the action to.

Mission Log	F1

1 - 0	Weapons 1-10

Up Arrow	Move Forward

Down Arrow	Move Backward

Left Arrow	Turn Left

Right Arrow	Turn Right

C	Duck

Space	Jump

Alt	Sidestep

<,	Sidestep Left

>.	Sidestep Right

Ctrl	Fire/Attack

PgDn	LookDown

PgUp	LookUp

CapsLock	Always Run

TurnAround	Backspace

Z	SuperJump (MCA only)

S	TractorBeam (Multiplayer only)

]	Next Weapon

[	Previous Weapon

T	Chat/Say

B	Chase View

/	Mouse Aim

X	Crosshair Toggle

End	Center View

V	Vehicle Mode Toggle

I	Show Inventory

F8	Screenshot

Tab	Frag Count (Multiplayer Only)

F6	Quick Save

F7	Quick Load

+	Increase Screen Size

-	Decrease Screen Size


Monolith Credits

Shogo: Mobile Armor Division

Developed and Published by Monolith Productions, Inc.

www.shogo-mad.com

www.lith.com

Shogo is powered by LithTech

Game Designer and Lead Level Designer

Craig Hubbard

Lead Game Engineer

Kevin Stephens

Lead LithTech Engineer

Mike Dussault

LithTech Sound System and Tools Engineer

Brad Pendleton

Lead Texture Artist and Designer

Wes Saulsberry

Level and Game Designer

Nathan Hendrickson

Lead 3D Animator

Matt Allen

Game Engineer

Bill Brooks

Producer

John L. Jack

Level Designer

Todd Clineschmidt

Mecha Designer and Texture Artist

Steve Lee

LithTech Engineer

Scott H. Pultz

Texture Artist

Ben Olsen

Lead Audio Designer

James Ackley

Weapon and Character Designs by

Eric "Weapon Master" Kohler

Audio Composer

Guy Whitmore

Audio Composer

Dan Bernstein

Audio Technician

Cass Thruston

Additional LithTech and Shogo Engineering by

Brian L. Goble

Bryan Bouwman

Scott Schlegel

Jeremy Blackman

JT Traub

Additional 3D Animation

Aaron "Dr" Rose

Rick Winter

Peter Arisman

Brian Waite

Additional Level Design

Mark Brown

Darren Korman

Additional Texture Artwork

Jordan Minkove

QA Manager

Jonathan Stein

The Test Crew

Jordan Minkove

Benny Kee

Isaac Marshall

Kelly Kristek

Ryan Mattson

Collin Moore

Bob Givnin

Monolith

Mocap Technicians

Simon Wong

Bill Cass

Mocap Actors

Israel Evans

Greg Spyrides

Chris Liu

The Hype Machine

Jenni Gant

Joel Reiff

Paul Butterfield

Spencer Maiers

Camille Ball

Adam Ketola

Jason Hall

Shane Thompson

Samantha Ryan

The IS Team...they keep us working

Jim Totaro

Eric Minamoto

Dan Erickson

The Admin Crew...they keep the lights on

Gary Kussman

Patti Kail

Lynn Rott

Andrea Barringer

Wayne Burns

Sandi Watanabe

Voice Talent

Sean Griffin

Ted D'Arms

Kari McGee

Kathy Levin

Mike Madeoy

Akika Tanaka

Lynn Rott

Shogo Opening Theme Song

NEGAI (Wish)

Music: Yohei Takashima

Lyrics: Miho Nemoto

Arrangement by Yohei Takashima & Nobuyuki Nakatani

Produced by Yohei Takashima

Mixed by Satoru Arai

Recorded at Gateway Studio & Booska Studio

Opening Theme Song Musicians:

Vocal: Miho Nemoto

Guitar & Instruments: Yohei Takashima

Programming: Nobuyuki Nakatani

Coordination: Harumi Hasumi (Takarajimasha)

Executive Producer: Makoto Sekigawa (Takarajimasha)


Smacker Credits

RAD Tools

Portions of Shogo: Mobile Armor Division were created using RAD Game Tools technology.

Uses Smacker Video Technology.  Copyright 1994-1997 by RAD Game Tools, Inc.


Your Mission

You play Sanjuro Makabe, a Mobile Combat Armor (MCA) pilot and Commander in the UCA Security Force.  Your mission is to locate and assassinate a rebel leader known only as Gabriel.

All of the action takes place either on the planet Cronus or on the spaceship Leviathan.  The Leviathan is the flagship of the UCA and is commanded by Admiral Akkaraju.  Cronus is the only known source of the biologically active material known as Kato, an incredibly powerful energy source essential to the process by which interstellar travel is possible.


Organizations

The United Corporate Authority

The UCA was originally formed by three dominant megacorporations (Andra Biomechanics, Armacham Technology Corporation, and Shogo Industries). Originally intended as a joint venture that would ensure the continued profitability of the three organizations that founded it, the UCA is now independent, and the dominant military power in existence.

Shogo Industries

A Japanese conglomerate, Shogo has interests ranging from technology to publishing to the manufacture of children's clothing. With the advent of MEVs and MCAs, Shogo decided to offer their own highly advanced line of giant mechanized suits.

Andra Biomechanics

Andra Biomechanics specializes in a variety of genetic engineering, cybernetic, and mechanical engineering interests, including the development of MCAs and armaments.

Armacham

Armacham Technology Corporation got its start with the manufacture of commercial satellites and ground-based communication systems. Eventually, they would expand to encompass civilian and military vehicle manufacture, musical equipment, security systems, and, predictably enough, MEV and MCA technologies.

The CMC

The Cronian Mining Consortium (CMC) is the governing body on Cronus.  The CMC has long been eager for autonomy from the UCA and various corporate interests. The importance of Kato energy gives the CMC a powerful bargaining chip offset only by Cronus' military insignificance.

The Fallen

The Fallen, a fanatical terrorist group lead by a mysterious leader known only as Gabriel, threatens the balance of power on Cronus, and ultimately, control of Kato.


Main Characters

Sanjuro Makabe

You play the role of Sanjuro Makabe, a young commander in the UCA Security Force. Though you became highly respected as you moved your way up through the ranks, you were later held accountable for a tragic accident during a mission that left three of your squadmates-Toshiro, Kura, and your lifelong companion, Baku-missing in action and presumed dead. This tragedy not only damaged your career, but also left you bitter and defeated.

Admiral Akkaraju

Akkaraju commands the UCASF Leviathan, the flagship of the UCA. The death of his wife marked the defining moment of his life. In refusing to abandon his post during a terrorist attack on the base where she was stationed, he cemented his reputation as a man of profound honor and earned the rank of Admiral.

Kathryn Akkaraju

After her mother's death, Kathryn swore she would never use a weapon against another human being. So when everyone she cared about joined the UCASF as combat soldiers, she took a position as a communications expert aboard her father's starship: the UCASF Flagship Leviathan. Kathryn is your main point of contact during your mission on Cronus, and currently, your main squeeze.

Kura Akkaraju

Throughout her military career, Kura earned tremendous praise for her unequalled marksmanship, tactical brilliance, and perseverance. She managed her grief over her mother's death with the same unfaltering determination that distinguished her as a soldier. Her abiding anger at her father stems from the knowledge that she would have done the same thing in his position. After military school, Kura fell in love with Sanjuro, drawn to his whimsical, carefree approach to life, just as he was drawn to her self-mastery and resolve.

Toshiro

Deeply affected by the loss of his parents, Toshiro, Sanjuro's brother, was a sullen, withdrawn child who was more comfortable in his own highly active imagination than in the company of others. He envied Sanjuro's popularity and rugged self-assurance, but never became dangerously jealous until Sanjuro and Kura fell in love.

Ryo Ishikawa

Heir to the powerful Shogo Industries business empire, Ryo is shrewd and resourceful. His calculated cunning is matched only by his ruthlessness.

Baku Ogata

Baku was a scrawny underachiever who was often the target of bullies until he befriended Sanjuro and Toshiro in the military orphanage where they all grew up. Baku, too, loved Kura since their childhood days in the orphanage, but he never shared his true feelings with her.

Hank Johnson

Hank's lifelong dreams of being a UCASF pilot ended when an uncorrected hereditary condition prevented him from passing the physical. Now he and his wife run a geothermal monitoring station for Andra Biomechanics in the abandoned city of Avernus. He's still looking for a chance to become a hero.

Gabriel

A mysterious figure who has managed to unite the Fallen and threaten the UCA's control of Cronus.


Mobile Combat Armor

Perfectly suited for hostile environments and covert, one-man operations, MCA's are the staple of military conquest.  During your mission you will pilot 1 of 4 different MCA's, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Armacham Ordog Advanced Series 7

The Ordog is a highly refined piece of engineering. With its sleek design and solid compromise between speed and toughness, it makes a formidable adversary to just about any opponent. While its vehicle mode has a faster maximum speed than the UCA Enforcer, it doesn't handle quite as well.

UCA Enforcer Mark VII

The Enforcer is a hardy, well-rounded MCA that balances responsive movement with strong armor. Ideal for pilots who want a machine that is reliable in any situation.

Shogo Akuma series 12

The Akuma is a light, fast, highly maneuverable MCA designed for situations in which subtlety and speed are more important than durability. An excellent choice for pilots who prefer to run from trouble rather than dive headlong into it.

Andra 25 Predator

Andra's ultimate MCA is perfectly suited to combat missions. Combining tough armor with an intimidating design, the Predator is an incomparable war machine. Unfortunately, strength comes at the cost of speed and versatility.


Weapons

Because you'll face enemies and challenges that require you to pilot your MCA as well as proceed through some areas on-foot, you'll be equipped with a broad arsenal of weapons.  Here are a few of the staples:

Kawamori A74 "Pistol"

The A74 handgun is known for reliability and simplicity. The Kawamori 10mm AP round is improved for increased feed reliability and provides adequate penetration against soft-armored targets.

Weight: 1.13kg

Length: 216mm

Used by: Human

Vollmer GA-14 CAW "Shotgun"

Fires an improved 12-gauge cartridge to provide high hit probability at relatively short ranges. It was originally developed for situations in which a small group must defend against a much larger assault force.

Weight: 4.2kg

Length: 930mm - stock extended

Used by: Human

Aegis AT-S4 "Assault Rifle"

A simple, compact, lightweight assault weapon that includes a special snipe mode, as well as a multipurpose grenade launcher.  Uses a 4.73 AP alloy-core cartridge that offers good penetration, high explosive dual-purpose (HEDP) implosion grenades, and timed "Kato" K12 flash grenades.

Weight: 4.52kg

Length: 785mm

Used by: Human

Skalla Arms M25 "Machine Gun"

Fires 9mm AP cartridges from an open bolt, allowing it to dissipate heat efficiently at the expense of accuracy. High saturation and rugged, lightweight design compensate for this shortcoming.

Weight: 2.92kg

Length: 548mm

Used by: Human

Celsior AS-10 "Pulse Rifle"

Balances high saturation with K10-rated pulse charges, making it effective for urban operations.

Weight: 272kg

Length: 4.5m

Used by: MCA

Vollmer VK-75 "Lasercannon"

Fires a focused particle beam with high penetration and accuracy. Developed primarily for anti-armor applications.

Weight: 312kg

Length: 2.7m

Used by: MCA

Ludenarms MOD-4 "Bullgut"

Fires 181-kg multi-stage warheads in multiple-missile salvos for heavy saturation at all ranges.

Length: 4.2m

Used by: MCA

MT-101 "Juggernaut"

Advanced portable artillery system.  Fires 105mm shells

Weight: 760kg

Length: 5.1m

Used by: MCA


Powerups and Enhancements

Because you will not receive any "official" support from the UCA during your mission, you should keep an eye out for additional supplies, weapons and energy supplements.

First Aid Kits

Due to the hostile environment on Cronus, First Aid Kits are hard to come by, but they can be found in most areas. Use 'em to patch yourself up and keep going.

Body Armor

A pilot's best friend when venturing outside the MCA cockpit.  Body armor will take some of the brunt from enemy fire.

Power Units

MCA's are commonplace on and beneath the Cronian surface, so extra power units should be available should you start to run low on energy.

Armor Repair Units

Use these to repair your MCA's armor-they aren't easy to come by, but they can spell the difference between a powered-up MCA and pile of smoldering metal.

Upgrades and Enhancements

Although the UCASF does not issue MCA upgrades or ammo enhancements, you may run across these during your mission.  Reports from the surface include evidence of experimental, high-speed shell casings and radical, new body armor.


Multiplayer Overview

Shogo supports death-match style MADNESS multiplayer gaming via TCP/IP, IPX and Modem Play via DirectPlay.

Playing Multiplayer Shogo is a relatively straightforward process.

For LAN games, use the Shogo Multiplayer Wizard to set up a multiplayer game. You will be prompted to make your choices during the wizard setup.

For internet/TCP/IP games, you may want to use a gaming service such as GameSpy.

NOTE: For multiplayer, we recommend a full install for best performance.

Because of the constantly evolving nature of multiplayer gaming, please check the Shogo website for the most up to date information available.

http://www.shogo-mad.com

How to use the Shogo Multiplayer Wizard

How to use GameSpy

How to find Shogo servers

How to run a Shogo server


Running a Shogo Server

Shogo includes a standalone server application for running and managing Multiplayer games.

To start a Shogo server, click Start…Programs…Monolith Games…Shogo Server.  Running a Shogo server on a standalone machine will provide the best multiplayer performance for a large number of players.

For the most up to date information on multiplayer patches and availability, check out the Shogo website at http://www.shogo-mad.com


How to Find Servers and Games

There are 2 basic ways of finding servers and playing Shogo online. You can either:

Find a Shogo server through an online gaming service such as Gamespy or the Microsoft Zone, or

Use the built-in Shogo Multiplayer Wizard to connect directly to a Shogo server.

For the user who's new to online gaming, we suggest using an online gaming service. Gamespy and the Zone are free services, and either one can help you get up and running in no time. If you're looking for a server-based game with low ping times and many players, we suggest using Gamespy. If you're looking for a smaller peer-to-peer game, we suggest using the Zone.

If you know the IP address of the server you want to connect to, or if you want to connect to local games, using the Shogo Multiplayer Wizard is a good bet.

More about Gamespy

More about Shogo Multiplayer Wizard


Using Gamespy to Play Shogo Online

GameSpy is a VERY cool shareware app that allows you to view a list of currently available Shogo servers. GameSpy also provides information about each server, including the # of players playing, the current level, rules, options, player names and stats. Once you find a server that meets your needs (low ping time, # of players, type of game, etc), you can use GameSpy to launch Shogo and connect to that server.

To play Shogo using Gamespy:

1.	Gamespy servers usually run the most recent releases of Shogo, so you'll want the most recent patches installed to guarantee compatibility. Please check the Shogo website for the most recent updates.

2.	Install GameSpy--you can find a version of GameSpy in the \Gamespy directory on the Shogo CD.

3.	Launch GameSpy (Do NOT launch Shogo yet!). GameSpy will automatically search your computer for GameSpy compatible games (including Shogo), or you will be prompted to select the games you want to use with GameSpy. Choose Shogo during this process.

4.	If you already have GameSpy installed, or if you were not prompted to select games the first time you ran GameSpy, you can add Shogo to the games list. Under the GameSpy... menu option, choose Games and Filters... and then check the Shogo box. Make sure that the folder and .exe are correct.

5.	Under Tools...GameSpy Updates select Update Master Server List. Adding the GameSpy Network master server will allow you to see all Shogo servers that register with Gamespy.

6.	Next, update/refresh the server list. This will ensure that you get the most recent information from all registered Shogo servers. You can do this by right-clicking on the Shogo bar and then selecting Update. You can also use the Update button on the toolbar.

7.	Once you find a Shogo server that you want to join, double-click on that server to join that game. GameSpy will launch Shogo and connect to that server for you.

NOTE: A smaller ping time (servers at the top of the list) will generally provide better multiplayer performance than a larger ping time (servers at the bottom of the list).


Shogo Multiplayer Wizard

Shogo contains a built-in Multiplayer Wizard that allows you to find, join or host multiplayer games on a LAN or over the internet. However, the MP Wizard does not display a list of all available Shogo internet games. To view a list of currently available games, check out the section on GameSpy or the section on Using the Shogo Server Webpage.

To use the Shogo Multiplayer Wizard:

1.	Launch Shogo

2.	Click Multiplayer on the Shogo Launcher. This will launch the Shogo Multiplayer Wizard.

3.	Select your networking service. Use Internet TCP/IP for online games.

4.	Check the "Join an existing session" option. When you're finished, click Next.

5.	Enter your player name (this is the name that other players will see in an online game). Then choose your color, connection speed (very important!) and MCA. If your exact connection speed isn't listed, choose a connection speed that is slower than your actual connection speed. Also, we strongly recommend that you check the Frame Rate option box and limit your framerate to 30 fps. When you are finished, click Next.

6.	The server list dialog box will appear. The first time you run Shogo, this box will be completely empty.

7.	Click Add, then enter the IP address of a server that you want to join. If you don't know the IP address of any valid Shogo servers, you can get a list of valid server IP address from the Shogo Servers webpage.

8.	Once you enter a valid IP address into the MP Wizard, all current games will be shown at the top of the dialog box. The ping time to that server will be shown in parentheses next to the server name. Session info will be shown below the game, and player names and scores will be shown on the right.

9.	NOTE: All games for all IP addresses will be shown in the Game Sessions list. You can add or remove additional server IP's by using the Add/Remove/Remove All buttons.

10.	Select the game you want to join by clicking on it, then click Finished. Shogo will launch and connect to the server you selected.


Using the Shogo Servers Web Page

The Shogo Servers web page displays all servers that have registered with the Shogo: MAD website. You can use this page as a reference for server IP addresses. The best way to use this page is to copy a server IP address and then paste it into the Add box in the Shogo Multiplayer Wizard. Monolith servers are also listed on this page.

Visit the Shogo servers webpage:

http://www.shogo-mad.com/servers