Copyright: Copyright ©Activision 1996


Common Troubleshooting Tips for the MS-DOS version of MercNet

Quick Solutions: Top Questions Answered

MercNet Lobby and General Gameplay

Performance- This is where to go if you want to improve performance.

Network - This is where you will find tips on network play.

Modems - This is where you will find tips on modem play.

Null Modems - This is where you will find tips on null modem play.

How do I configure my joystick for Mercnet?

I do not hear sound when I am playing MercNet.


Connection Procedures

----------CONFIGURING PPP FOR YOUR MODEM----------

The first time you run MERCPPP.BAT, it will ask you to configure it for your particular modem and Internet service provider.  From the PPP Menu screen, follow these steps:

1.	A welcome box should be displayed. Press ESC to continue past it to the "Profile List" box.

2.	The "Current" profile is highlighted in the "Profile List" box. Press the Enter key.

3.	The "Configure Menu" should now appear.  (If you have already loaded PPPMENU once during this session, the "Profile List" box will appear instead.  Press F1 to bring up the "Configure Menu".)

4.	The menu item labeled "Port" should be highlighted.  Press the Enter key to bring up the "Port Menu" list box.

5.	Select "I/O Port", press Enter, select the COM port your modem is on, and press Enter again.

6.	If you are using an internal modem, you may need to set your IRQ.  Select "Interrupt", press Enter, select the IRQ line your modem's COM port uses, and press Enter again.

7.	Press the ESC key to return to the "Configure Menu".

8.	Select "Modem" and press Enter to bring up the "Modem Menu" list box.

9.	Select "Phone Number", press Enter, type the phone number of your Internet service provider, and press Enter again.

10.	Press the ESC key to return to the "Configure Menu".

11.	You should now be at the "Configure Menu" list box.  Press the ESC key, which should bring up a "Save Changes?" dialog box.

12.	Make sure the item labeled "Save and Write NET.CFG" is highlighted, and press the Enter key.  This will return you to the "Profile List" box.

13.	Press the ESC key, select "Yes", and press Enter.  MERCPPP will then load the network driver, and take you back into PPPMENU so you can establish a PPP connection.

----------ESTABLISHING A PPP CONNECTION TO THE INTERNET----------

Once you have configured MERCPPP for your modem and Internet service provider, MERCPPP is ready for you to connect to the Internet.

1.	From the "Main Menu" list box, make sure the item labeled "Connect" is highlighted, and press the Enter key.

2.	The "Profile List" box should now appear.  Highlight the selection labeled "Current" and press the Enter key.

3.	Wait for the modem to dial and for a connection to be negotiated with your Internet service provider.

4.	If the connection succeeds, a window will appear where you can enter your login information (name and password).If the connection doesn't succeed, you will need to repeat step 2.

5.	Once your login has been validated and the PPP data stream begins, press Alt-S to begin PPP communication.

6.	Once the "IPCP Open" message appears in the upper right corner, select "Exit" from the "Main Menu" to exit the PPP dialer. NOTE: Do not select "Hang Up", or your connection to the Internet will be lost.

At this point, MERCPPP tells you "You are now online!", and returns you to the DOS prompt.

----------STARTING MERCNET AND FINDING A GAME----------

Once you have established a PPP connection to the Internet, and are back at the DOS prompt, type MERNET.

MercNet first goes to the "Connection Type" screen, where you should enter your callsign, click on "WATTCP DOS Internet", and click on Select.

MercNet next takes you to the "Internet Connection" screen, which is like an Internet phonebook of places to find MechWarriors ready to join combat.  Initially, it just lists the main Activision server, but you can add new servers or individual games if you know their IP address (see below).  Click on a server, then click on "Connect".MercNet will then go to the main game selection screen, which behaves just as it does in normal games of MercNet.

If you get an error dialog box at this point, the server you chose is probably unavailable.  Press CONTROL-Q, type MERCNET again, and choose a different server.

----------CONNECTING DIRECTLY TO AN IP ADDRESS----------

At the "Internet Connection" screen described above, you can connect connect directly to a game at a particular IP address even if no servers are available near you.  To do this, add the IP address of the person hosting the game to the Internet Connection screen's list of addresses.  It's easy to do; here are the steps:

1.	Click on the button labeled "Add".  This will bring up the "Server Entry" dialog box.

2.	In the text field labeled "Description", type a textual description to be listed with that IP address and press the Enter key.

3.	In the text field labeled "IP Address", type the IP address you wish to connect to.

4.	Click on the button labeled "Accept", which will return you to the Internet Connection screen.

5.	Click on entry that you just created, and then click on the "Connect" button.

This will take you to the game selection screen, which behaves just as it does in normal games of MercNet.  You will now be able to join games hosted by the person whose IP address you entered.

----------DISCONNECTING----------

When you are done fighting, and are back at the DOS prompt, you can disconnect from your Internet Service Provider.  To do this, type MERCPPP from the DOS prompt and select "Hangup" from the "Main Menu".  You should also turn off your modem.  You may also wish to close the DOS Box (in Win 95) or reboot (in DOS) to unload the drivers loaded by MERCPPP.

----------CONFIGURING PPP TO LOGIN WITH PAP----------

1.	Run MERCPPP.BAT.  A welcome box should be displayed.  Press ESC to continue past it to the "Main Menu" box.

2.	The "Connect" item is highlighted in the "Main Menu" box.  Press enter to continue to the "Profile List" box.

3.	The "Current" profile is highlighted in the "Profile List" box.  Press the F1 key.  This will take you to the "Configure Menu".

4.	The "Port" item is highlighted in the "Configure Menu" box.  Press enter to continue to the "Port Menu".

5.	Highlight the "Connection Type" item and press enter.  This will take you to the "Connection Type" menu.

6.	Highlight the selection "Modem" and press enter.  This will tell PPPMENU not to bring up a Terminal window when you connect to your ISP.  You will be returned to the "Port Menu".

7.	Press <ESC> once to get back to the "Configure Menu".  Highlight the "Authentication" item and press enter.  This takes you to the "Authentication Menu".

8.	Highlight the "PAP Only" item and press enter.  This selects Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) as your authentication type.

9.	Highlight the "Id and Password" item and press enter.  This will prompt you to configure PAP with the username and password used for your ISP.  You should do so.  Upon successful configuration you will see the box "User changed" in the top left corner of your screen.

9.	Press <ESC> twice and when asked to "Save Changes?" select "Save and Write NET.CFG" and press enter.

10.	Press <ESC> to return to the "Profile List". You are now ready to have PPPMENU log you in using the Password Authentication Protocol (PAP).

----------CONFIGURING PPP TO LOGIN WITH TERMINAL----------

1.	Run MERCPPP.BAT.  A welcome box should be displayed.  Press ESC to continue past it to the "Main Menu" box.

2.	The "Connect" item is highlighted in the "Main Menu" box. Press enter to continue to the "Profile List" box.

3.	The "Current" profile is highlighted in the "Profile List" box. Press the F1 key.  This will take you to the "Configure Menu".

4.	The "Port" item is highlighted in the "Configure Menu" box.  Press enter to continue to the "Port Menu".

5.	 Highlight the "Connection Type" item and press enter. This will take you to the "Connection Type" menu.

6.	Highlight the selection "Modem - Terminal" and press enter.  This will tell PPPMENU to bring up a Terminal window when you connect to your ISP so that you can manually enter your username and password.  You will be returned to the "Port Menu".

7.	Press <ESC> once to return to the "Configure Menu".  Highlight the "Authentication" item and press enter. This takes you to the "Authentication Menu"

8.	Highlight the "None" item and press enter. Press the <ESC> key twice and when asked "Save Changes?" Highlight "Save and Write NET.CFG" and press enter.

9.	Press <ESC> to return to the main menu. You are now ready to log in to your ISP manually via "Terminal Mode".


Customer Support

MercNet DOS technical support is available through our online services only. Due to the complex nature of network games, please provide the following information when requesting technical support for MercNet DOS.

NOTE: Except where noted, the following requested information can usually be found:

In Windows 95:	Click on the Start button, select Settings, then choose Control Panel. Double-click on the System icon. From this point, click on the Device Manager tab.

In DOS:	Run the MSD.EXE program supplied with MS-DOS.

1.	What kind of processor does each machine have?

2.	What kind of video and sound cards do the machines have? Are they configured correctly for your DOS operating system?

3.	Are you using a joystick? If so, what brand and model? What is it using as a game port (e.g. sound card, dedicated game port)?

4.	What size install did you use?

5.	How much free disk space do you have? (This can be found by typing CHKDSK at the DOS prompt or by opening the Explorer and looking at the bottom of the window.)

6.	How much RAM is in each machine? (This information can be found by typing MEM at the DOS prompt or by clicking on the Performance tab adjacent to the Device Manager tab in Windows 95.)

7.	Is your virtual memory configured manually or was it set by Windows 95? If manually, what are the specifications? (This information can be found by going to the Performance tab adjacent to the Device Manager tab.)

In addition, please note whether you are using a modem or LAN to play MercNet DOS and have the following information available.

If you are using a modem:

NOTE: In Microsoft Windows 95, your modem settings can be found by opening the Control Panel, double-clicking on Modems, and examining the Properties. In DOS, use MSD.EXE.

1. 	What kind of serial chip (i.e. 16550 or 8250) does your modem have? You can find out by running MSD.EXE in DOS and pressing the C key. If you try to run MSD.EXE in Windows, you will be warned that the diagnostics will not perform an accurate test. Continue on with the diagnostics. If your serial chip is an 8250, stop right there  MercNet DOS doesn't support it, nor do most other games. You'll need to get a serial port or modem with a 16550 serial chip. (The 16550 has special FIFO memory that makes it much less likely to lose data than the old 8250.)

2.	What kind of modem is on each end (brand, model, speed, internal or external)?

3.	On which port is your modem configured?

4.	Is each modem configured correctly for your operating system?

5.	Does Hyperterminal (or any other terminal program) work with your modem? This is an easy way to test whether or not your modem is configured correctly.

6.	At what speed are you connecting?

7.	Are you using any data compression? (We do not recommend data compression.)

If you are using an external modem:

1.	What kind of serial card is being used?

2.	Do you have a seven-wire serial cable?

If you are on a LAN:

1.	Can you see other computers on the network?

2.	What is your network configuration?

3.	What brand of network card do you have?

4.	What network software are you running? What version number?

Activision Online Services

Services with Activision Forums, E-Mail and File Library Support

America Online: Use keyword "Activision" to locate the Activision forum.

 	CompuServe: 76004,2122 or [GO GAMBPUB]

Activision BBS: (310) 479-1335 Up to 28,800 Baud; Settings: 8 Bits, No Parity, 1 Stop Bit (8, N, 1)

Internet

support@activision.com or http://www.activision.com


Finding Other Mercenaries for Modem Play

If you have e-mail and access to the World Wide Web, you can access several sites that maintain lists of people with MercNet who are looking for sparring partners. There are even tournaments organized by enthusiasts. You can get a list of these sites at the MercNet web page, http://www.activision.com/mercnet.

If you have Usenet news access, try the MechWarrior 2 news group, alt.games.mechwarrior2. It's a lively place!

If you have AOL access, you might try asking people in the MercNet discussion group in Activision's forum; go to keyword "ACTIVISION", then select General Discussion Areas, and finally click on MercNet.

If you have CompuServe, try GO GAMBPUB.

You can also try the Activision BBS, at (310) 479-1335 (8,N,1).

If you're an IRC (Internet Relay Chat) enthusiast, you might try dialing up the #MERCS channel.


How do I configure my joystick for MercNet?

To configure your Joystick for Network play you must do the following: From the DOS prompt, in the directory which you installed Mercenaries 3D, you must type MW2SHELL. This will run the DOS shell which will enable you to configure your JOYSTICK. Once in the SHELL, right click with your mouse and select COCKPIT CONTROLS. You will now be able to set up your JOYSTICK. On completion, exit the Cockpit Controls screen by ACCEPTING your setup. Back in the main menu right click again and exit to DOS. You may now type MERCNET.


How do I play over the Internet?

 ----------MS-DOS 6.22 AND MS-DOS MODE----------

1.	At the DOS prompt, change to the directory where you installed Mercenaries.

2.	Type MERCPPP and press the Enter key.

This will launch a batch file.  After executing several programs, the batch file will launch the PPP dialer.  See the section entitled "Connection Procedures" for instructions on how to use the PPP dialer.

----------MS-DOS PROMPT IN WINDOWS 95----------

Although we do not recommend it, the following will work on some machines.

1.	Right click on the Windows Desktop, and choose "New -> Shortcut" from the pop-up list.  In the "Command Line" box, type COMMAND.COM, and click on Next.

2.	In the "Select a name for this shortcut" box, type "MERCPPP Window", then click on Finish.

3.	Right click on the shortcut, and select "Properties" from the pop-up list.

4.	In the window that appears, click on the "Program" tab.  This will bring up the program settings.

5.	In the "Working:" box, type C:\Progam file\Activision\Mercs3D (or wherever you installed Mercenaries 3D).

6.	In the "Batch file:" box, type MERCPPP.BAT

7.	Click on the button labeled "Advanced..."  This will bring up a dialog box called "Advanced Program Settings."

8.	Click once on the line that says "Prevent MS-DOS programs from detecting Windows" so that there is a check in the box associated with it.

You can now use your new short-cut anytime you want to start an Internet session of MercNet.  It will launch the PPP dialer,

and give you a DOS prompt which you can use to run MERCNET.  See the section entitled "Connection Procedures" for instructions on how to use the PPP dialer.


How do I start MercNet?

MercNet may run from the START menu or from a DOS prompt, either in Windows or by rebooting to MS-DOS mode.  If you are running MercNet for the first time, you will want to type SETSOUND while in the same directory that you installed Mercenaries.3D This will set up your sound card for play. Follow the on screen instructions. After running SETSOUND, you may now type MERCNET to launch.

Related Topics:

How do I play over the Internet?

How do I configure my joystick for Mercnet?


I do not hear sound when I am playing MercNet.
I do not hear sound when playing Mercnet.

This will occur if you have not set your sound configurations using SETSOUND.  You will need to go to the directory that Mercenaries 3D was installed to (default is C:\Program files\Activision\Mercs3D) and type SETSOUND.  Follow the on screen instructions. This will set up your sound card for play.  After running SETSOUND, you may now type MERCNET to launch.


Information for MercNet: the MS-DOS Version

Minimum System Requirements for the MS-DOS Version of MercNet

Pre-Installation Information

How do I start MercNet?

How do I play over the Internet?

How do I configure my joystick for Mercnet?

Playing MercNet DOS in Microsoft Windows 95

Finding Other Mercenaries for Modem Play

Troubleshooting Tips - Where to go when you are having problems.

Please note that Customer Support for MercNet DOS is available via our online services only.

NOTE: For your benefit, we have created a Readme document.  This file contains last minute information about Mercenaries 3D and MercNet which could not be included in this on-line help file.  If information is not found within this on-line help file, please view our Readme document.


MercNet Lobby and General Gameplay

----------MERCNET LOBBY----------

Why does it take so long to bring up the MercNet pilot's lounge?

There is some delay while MercNet is negotiating with the remote host for the game and player information.

Why do some players' messages come in bursts in the chat window?

Depending on each player's type of Internet access, they may encounter latency problems that delay the transmission of their data.

After I play a game over the Internet, and try to switch back to playing IPX games, I can't get into the list of games!

This is a known problem that will be fixed in the final release of the Internet driver.  For now, if you want to play over IPX after playing over the Internet, quit out of MercNet and start it again before selecting IPX.

----------GAMEPLAY----------

Why does the other player's 'Mech seem to jump around and jitter?

This happens when there is a lot of delay between another player sending information and your computer receiving it.  To avoid this  problem, try a faster connection, try playing with less people in each game, or try playing other people who use your Internet service provider.  See the section labeled "Performance" in this document for details.

The other player disappeared briefly and then reappeared in a different place.  Why did this happen?

This occurs when there is a momentary block in the flow of data from the other computer to your computer.  This can be due to network traffic, or due to temporary slow-downs on the other player's machine.

The other player disappeared and never came back again.

This means that your connection to the other player has been severed at some point.  It may be that one of the Internet service providers in the connection had a server block up, or it may mean there was a problem with one of the players' computers on either end.

I keep hitting the other player dead on, but his 'Mech takes damage very slowly.

This happens when there is a lot of delay between another player sending information and your computer receiving it.  To avoid this problem, try a faster connection, and try playing with other people who use your Internet service provider.  This will ensure that the data doesn't have to travel over to many bridges.

I am unable to do any damage to another player.

This can happen if there is a long delay in getting data to or from the other computer.  If the delay clears up, gameplay will return to  normal. If not, try reconnecting or finding players who are using the same Internet service provider as you.

The other player sees his 'Mech in a totally different position than where I see his 'Mech.

This can happen if there is a long delay in getting data to or from the other computer.  If the delay clears up, gameplay will return to normal.  If not, try reconnecting or finding players who are using the same Internet service provider as you.

Why don't I hear any sound in the missions?

If you installed the Windows 95 version of Mercenaries, you will need to run SETSOUND.BAT from your Mercenaries directory to configure your sound card for MercNet.


Minimum System Requirements for the MS-DOS Version of MercNet

To play MercNet you will need one of the following:

- Novell Network

- Novell-compatible IPX network

- 100 % Hayes/MS-DOS-compatible modem (9,600 bps for head-to-head play; 14,400 bps is recommended.)

- Null-modem cable and serial port with 16550 UART

You will also have to meet the minimum sytem requirements.  They are as follows:

- 100% IBM PC-compatible computer

- 486 DX2/66 MHz processor

- 8 MB RAM

- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.22 operating system

- Double-speed CD-ROM drive (300K/second sustained transfer rate)

- 62 MB of uncompressed hard disk space

- VESA local bus or PCI video with 1 MB RAM

- 256 Color SVGA (640 x 480) video card

- 100% Microsoft-compatible mouse and driver

- Dedicated game card is highly recommended for joystick

Please Note: In order to host a MercNet for MS-DOS game the CD must be in your CD-ROM drive at all times.

Mercenaries may have trouble working with some 1993 or earlier Matsushita CD-ROM drives. These CD-ROM drives have trouble reading beyond 63 minutes on CDs, and Mercenaries uses the full CD. These drives were sold under the names of Panasonic, JVC, Reveal, Creative Labs and Plextor. Gameplay may occasionally slow down and the CD-ROM drive will be accessed constantly. We highly recommend that you upgrade to a newer CD-ROM drive to avoid problems with other programs in the future.


Modems

The game cannot detect my modem when I am in DOS. Is this a problem with my modem?

You may have an internal U.S. Robotics WinModem. This modem is not compatible with DOS programs. Also, it does not emulate the regular serial chips so it cannot be detected by DOS.

I am trying to play the game in DOS 6.22 using the modem on my Aptiva/MWave system, but I can't get it to work. How come this is happening?

The MWave modem supports MercNet DOS in a Window 95 DOS box and DOS 7.0. However, the MWave modem cannot be used in DOS 6.X.

The person I was playing with got disconnected and now I want to play again. What do I do?

You must return to the Transport Selection screen and repeat the process you used when you connected the first time.

My modem does not respond when I call the modem of another player who has just disconnected from a previous game.

If it is an external modem, switch it off and then on and try to reconnect. If it is an internal modem, go back to the MERCS3D directory and then return to MercNet and try connecting again.

There seems to be a lag in gameplay and the other 'Mechs keep disappearing when using modems and slower machines.

Your machine probably has an old 8250 serial chip. You need to upgrade to a serial port with a 16550 serial chip. You can tell what kind of serial chip you have by running MSD.

My modem isn't listed in the modem list of the modem configuration string and the init string for the other modem doesn't work with mine.

Usually, the "Hayes Compatible" init string works for all modems. Please make sure nothing's wrong with your modem setup and/or it is setup correctly. If you're sure you need to change your init string, then use a text editor to edit the file MODEM.LST; add a line with modem name and init string like so:

modem name=init string

Make sure you pick an init string you know works, such as one included in the installation manual for your modem.

How do I disable call waiting?

If your phone line has the Disable Call Waiting feature, you can disable call waiting by including the appropriate command in front of the phone number you are calling. This will prevent anyone from interrupting the call. For example:

Name: John Doe

Number: *70,,,1-818-555-1212

Where "*70" is the code to disable call waiting, and the commas (,) are simply used to provide a delay so your modem can hear the special dial tone that acknowledges your code. Check with your local phone company regarding how to disable call waiting for your particular area. You might need to use another code instead of *70, for instance, #70.

NOTE: Only the person placing the call can disable call waiting.

In the list of serial ports, I only see two serial ports listed, COM2 and COM4. Why don't I see COM1 and COM3?

If the mouse is on COM1 you can't use COM3; if it's on COM2, you can't use COM4.  This is because COM1 and COM3 share the same IRQ line.


Network

I start the game, select IPX, and the screen says "Network driver not available". What should I do?

If you're running in Windows 95, you might have left another copy of MercNet DOS running in the background. You can only run one copy of MercNet DOS at a time. If this isn't the case, you probably need to load an IPX driver.

To load an IPX driver in Windows 95, go to the Start, menu then Settings/Control Panel. Click on Networking and make sure that you have an IPX or IPX-compatible driver listed. If you don't, try the following: Double-click on Add, then double-click on Protocol. Click on Microsoft, and finally double-click on IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol.

To load an IPX driver in MS-DOS 6.22, check the floppy that came with your Ethernet card. Most cards come with a setup program that installs an IPX driver for you. If the card's setup program asks you what network operating system, please choose the one that looks closest to "Novell Netware 3.x for MS-DOS". Often, there are two different types of drivers: NETX and VLM. NETX is older and probably safer, but either should work.

Technically inclined people who want to connect an IPX driver to a modem instead of an Ethernet card may be able to do so in the Protocol control panel in Windows 95, or in DOS by loading a PPP dialer program that presents a Packet Driver interface, then loading a Packet Driver version of IPX.COM. This is treading in uncharted territory, since these procedures have not been tested. One good place to research network driver issues is The PC and Mac TCP/IP and NFS FAQ, http://www.rtd.com/pcnfsfaq/faq.html.

When in DOS 6.22 or real mode DOS 7.0/Windows 95, MercNet doesn't seem to work with my parallel port Ethernet adapter. Why?

Parallel port Ethernet adapters seem to have trouble in real mode DOS 7.0 or DOS 6.22, and are not supported by MercNet DOS. However they seem to work in a Windows 95 DOS Prompt window. Real mode drivers don't seem to work well with 32-bit programs like MercNet DOS.

When using DOS 6.22, I type MERCNET from the directory where I installed MercNet. The computer hangs and I can't get into the game or see any hosts or players in the Pilot's Lounge. What is going on?

Make sure you have the latest network driver for your Ethernet card.


Null Modems

If you have two computers in the same room, but they don't have Ethernet cards, you can use a direct serial connection to play a two player game of MercNet.  To do this, get a null modem cable (also known as a Laplink™ cable), and plug each end into a serial port on one of the computers.

In the list of serial ports, I only see two serial ports listed, COM2 and COM4. Why don't I see COM1 and COM3?

If the mouse is on COM1 you can't use COM3; if it's on COM2, you can't use COM4.  This is because COM1 and COM3 share the same IRQ line.


Performance

MODEM

If your are using a modem you can increase performance by turning of error correction and compression.  Performance will suffer if these features are enabled.

GRAPHICS

MercNet has features that were designed to support a wide range of computers. When you initially configure MercNet for play, MercNet will make several default settings regarding which features should be used and which should be turned OFF.

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.

MercNet's default resolution is 320x200. We recommend this resolution unless you have a Pentium 90MHz or above. On Pentium 90MHz computers, MercNet should run well at 640x480, while 1024x768 is recommended for Pentium 120MHz systems or higher. Video cards also vary dramatically; many cards are optimized for extremely high performance in Windows 95, but can actually be very slow for use in DOS (The best way to determine this is by running MercNet). Start with a resolution of 320x200, and select whatever options best match your machine's capabilities and your desire for realism. Increase the resolution, and adjust graphic options until you reach a satisfactory balance.

Try making the following changes to increase the game's performance (They will be found within Combat Variables):

Object Textmaps:	Try turning these OFF.

Terrain Textmaps:	Try turning these OFF.

Display Detail:	Try switching to LOW.

Object Density:	Try switching to LOW.

Explosion Chunks:	Try turning these OFF.

Particles:	Try turning these OFF.

Multiple Lights:	Try turning these OFF.

Shadows:	Try turning these OFF.

Resolution:	Reduce to the next lower resolution if you're running above 320x200.

Note: The resolution can only be changed in the shell prior to the fighting simulation.

Some of the changes listed above should be sufficient to get the game running reasonably on any machine. Other options can be left ON, as their performance cost is low.


Playing MercNet DOS in Windows 95

I get palette corruption when going from the DOS prompt to the Windows 95 Desktop and back to the DOS prompt.

MercNet DOS is an MS-DOS version of the game. While the game can be played from a Windows 95 DOS prompt window, Windows 95 has trouble restoring the MercNet screen if you switch from it. Using Alt+Tab to switch between MercNet DOS and the Windows 95 desktop is not recommended.

When I insert a CD-ROM, the MercNet screen goes away, the program on the CD-ROM starts running, and I can't get back to MercNet. What is going on?

Windows 95 has detected a new program, and thinks you want to run it. You can keep this from happening by holding down the Shift key for 20 seconds after you insert the CD-ROM. Another way to prevent this is to turn off AutoPlay by following these steps:

1.	In Control Panel, click on System, then click on Device Manager.

2.	Click on your CD-ROM device, and click on Properties, then Settings

3.	Make sure the box labeled "Auto Insert Notification" is not checked.


Pre-Installation Information

Here is some important information that you should know before you install and start your MercNet experience:

Hard Disk

The game is part of the MS-DOS version which requires  62 MB of UN-compressed free disk space. MercNet will not work properly using compressed hard disk space (such as Stacker and DoubleSpace).

Memory

In order to run MercNet you need 8 MB of RAM and over 6.8 MB of extended memory. If you have between 6.5 MB and 6.8 MB of extended memory, the game will play, but some missions will run slower. For optimal performance it is best to configure your memory so you have over 6.8 MB of extended memory. To help free up more memory, we have included a boot disk-making utility that you will be prompted to use from the Installer.

Other Operating Systems and Windows 95

MercNet requires MS-DOS 6.22 or later. Other operating systems (e.g., OS/2 Warp and Windows NT) are not supported. Although MercNet might work just fine with them, we have not tested thoroughly with them. If you have a problem using unsupported operating systems it is best to contact the operating system company to try and work out compatibility issues. Please check Activision's online forums on a regular basis for future updates on MercNet compatibility issues.

VESA Video Drivers

MercNet requires that your system have a standard VESA video driver to run your video. Please verify that you have one loaded before launching MercNet.

If the VESA driver supplied by your video card does not function properly with MercNet, try using the Display Doctor utility. This is available for downloading from the SciTech Software Web page (http://www.scitechsoft.com). It might also be located on your local BBS or other online services.

MS-DOS CD-ROM and MOUSE Drivers

If MercNet is played in MS-DOS 6.22 or MS-DOS Mode, you are required to activate your MS-DOS mouse and CD-ROM drivers before you play MercNet.  If you encounter problems with MS-DOS drivers, try playing from the MS-DOS Prompt of Windows 95 or contact your system manufacturer for MS-DOS driver details.


Quick Solutions: Top Questions Answered

I get funny lines on my display in game play when running from a Windows 95 DOS box.

The black lines that run through MercNet DOS when running in 640x480 or higher in a Windows 95 box can be resolved by running in a window instead of full screen.  One way to do this is to make a shortcut to C:\Program files\Activision\MERCS3D\MERCNET.EXE (Assuming you installed in the default location), then right mouse click on it and choose Properties. Choose the Screen tab and click on the box that has Windowed next to it rather than Full Screen.

When I return from a mission and go to repair my 'Mech, the color of the pieces does not match the damage diagram I saw during combat.

The repair screen uses a different scheme for coloring parts than the diagram you see during combat.  Pieces that have no internal structure points left will be grayed out, even though they did not necessarily get blown off of your 'Mech yet.

I cannot connect to NetMech DOS and/or NetMech Windows 95.  Why?

NetMech and MercNet are totally different games.  It is not possible to use MercNet to play against players who are using NetMech.

I have a Logitech joystick, and the throttle doesn't work.  I have the CH Flightstick map selected.

Use the SideWinder mapping instead.

I put in an audio CD during a mission, but when the mission exits it hangs on a black screen.

The Windows 95 version of Mercenaries needs to read information off of the CD on exit.  Do not remove the CD at any time when Mercenaries is an open application.

I can't figure out how to delete my custom mechs in Instant Action.  They just keep accumulating.

Each mech is recorded as a .MEK file in the directory labeled MEK.  To remove individual mechs, you can delete the specific file that corresponds to that mech.  To delete all mechs, simply delete all the .MEK files from the MEK directory.

In the list of serial ports, I only see two serial ports listed--COM2 and COM4. Why don't I see COM1 and COM3?

If your mouse is on COM1 you can't use COM3; if it's on COM2, you can't use COM4.  This is because COM1 and COM3 share the same IRQ line.

Problems loading the game:

Several of the answers below will mention VESA drivers. These are usually TSR programs which are loaded in AUTOEXEC.BAT or from the DOS prompt. Many video cards come with a VESA driver that you can load. For example, ATI Mach 32 video cards include VVESA.COM. Consult your video card manual for more information or see the section titled "Video" for vendor information on your video card.

If your card didn't come with a VESA driver, you can try obtaining one from a third party. The VESA driver we recommend is called Display Doctor, the Universal Video BIOS Extension. It is a common shareware program, made by SciTech software, which can be downloaded from our BBS, SciTech Software's web page (http://www.scitechsoft.com), or commercial online services.

After typing MERCNET at the DOS prompt, the screen goes blank for a second and then returns to the DOS prompt.

This usually either means you need a VESA driver (see above), or that MercNet DOS can't find your mouse driver. This commonly occurs with a Logitech mouse. You may want to get a Microsoft compatible mouse driver which is often readily available from commercial online services and many Bulletin Board Systems.

I get an Error #14 message when launching into a mission.

You may have run out of disk space. If this happens, make sure you have four or so megabytes of free disk space when starting MercNet.

I get an Error #29 message when loading the game or when entering missions.

This problem is most commonly caused by a video card that can't adjust to the necessary video modes for MercNet DOS. This can usually be solved by loading a VESA driver before loading the game (see above).

If you are sure that this message is not caused by your video card, you can try making a boot disk using the menu option in NETSETUP.EXE located in the directory where you installed the game. The boot disk program will copy your startup files to a floppy disk and attempt to make necessary changes to the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files. If you have problems with your boot disk and need help, it is best to contact us by fax or e-mail. Include information about any error messages caused by the boot disk along with your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.

I have a Hewlett Packard Pavillion 7070 with a Crystal 16 bit sound card and Trio 64V+ video card and the computer locks up when I start MercNet. What can I do to run the game?

This computer configuration only supports the game when in DOS 7.0 or DOS 6.22. When using the DOS box the game will probably not run.

I get a Divide Overflow error when launching into missions.

This problem can occasionally be caused by a video card or joystick port problem.

If the error is occurring because of your video card, it can usually be solved by loading a VESA driver (see above).

This problem can also be caused by multiple joystick ports. Most sound cards include a game port where you can connect a joystick to your computer. In addition, many systems also have a dedicated game port or a game port on an I/O card. If you have more than one game port, only one should be enabled. Many ports can be deactivated with a utility program included in the software. Consult your user's manuals or contact your system manufacturer on how to disable an active port.

We have also found this error message can be caused by the digital mode driver for the Microsoft Sidewinder 3D Pro. This can be solved by using the analog mode of the joystick.  Consult your joysitck manual for exact instructions on how to do so.

Sometimes I see more than one pilot's lounge. Why?

There are a couple possibilities:

1.	Only 20 or so players can fit in a pilot's lounge. When a lounge fills up, another one is created to accommodate new players.

2.	A rogue pilot's lounge has been accidentally created by a net-lagged player. In this case there are simply two pilot's lounges and you can join whichever one you want by clicking on and joining it. The rogue pilot's lounge will most likely merge into the normal pilot's lounge once there is only one player left in the rogue pilot's lounge.