Copyright: Copyright ©Activision 1996


Common Troubleshooting Tips for Interstate '76 Multi-Melee Play

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.

Internet - This is where you will find tips on Internet play


Customer Support

Interstate '76 Network Play 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 Interstate '76 Network Play.

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.

1.	What kind of processor does each machine have (found on the General tab)?

2.	What kind of video and sound cards do the machines have?

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 opening the Windows Explorer and looking at the bottom of the window.)

6.	How much RAM is in each machine? (This information can be found by right mouse clicking once on My Computer and choosing Properties. Click on the General tab, RAM will be listed.)

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 Interstate '76 Network Play 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.

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  Interstate '76 Network Play 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 or error correction? (We do not recommend using either with the game.)

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 ACTIVISION]

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 Interstate '76 Multi-Melee Players for Modem and Internet Play

If you have e-mail and access to the World Wide Web, you can access several sites that maintain lists of people who are looking for other Interstate '76 Multi-Melee players with whom to do battle with. You can get a list of these sites at www.activision.com.

If you have America Online access, you may also find people interested in Multi-Melee play in the Interstate '76 discussion group located in the Activision forum. Go to keyword ACTIVISION, select General Discussion Areas, then click on Interstate '76.

If you have CompuServe, try GO ACTIVISION.


How do I start Interstate '76 Multi-Melee Play
How do I start Interstate '76 Multi-Melee Play?

To start an Interstate '76 Multi-Melee experience, please follow these instructions.

1.	Launch Interstate '76.

2.	From the main Launch screen click on Melee, then Multi-Melee.

3.	Select Host or Join (depending on how you want to play).

4.	Select the type of multi-player experience.  This includes local area network, Internet, modem and null modem.

Consult the manual included with the game for specific information on how to configure for Multi-Melee play.


Information for Interstate '76 Multi-Melee Play

NOTE: For your benefit, we have created a Readme.txt file that contains last minute information that 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.txt file.

Minimum System Requirements for Interstate '76 Multi-Melee Play

How do I start Interstate '76 Multi-Melee Play?

Finding Other Interstate '76 Players for Modem and Internet Play

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

Check the Acitvision website at www.activision.com for information and updates on Interstate '76 Multi-Melee play.  Please note that Customer Support for Interstate '76 Multi-Melee play is available via our online services only.


Internet

Note: If you are in a dialog box within the simulation or the shell more than 10 seconds you may loss contact with other players and/or the host.  It is therefore recommended that you not remain in a dialog box more than 10 seconds.  Check the Activision website at www.activision.com for information and updates regarding Multi-Melee play.

I am hosting a game on a 14.4 modem and my friend cannot see my game. Is there something wrong?

There may be some problems seeing games hosted by 14.4 modems.  If the delay or packet loss between your computer and your opponent's computer is too high, your game may not appear in your opponent's Game Name list.  You can ping your opponent's computer to see the delay and packet loss between his/her computer and yours.  Have the opponent run WINIPCFG to tell you his IP address, then open a DOS window and type PING followed by the IP Address (e.g. PING 206.79.52.113).  If Ping reports a delay of above 500MS or a packet loss above 25%, you may have problems connecting or playing.

I have both a TCP/IP Network adapter card and Modem adapter installed on my machine and I can’t use my dial up account.  What is wrong?

Interstate ‘76 Multi-Melee might not see Internet games if you are dialing out to an Internet provider and your computer also has a TCP/IP compatible protocol installed for your network adapter card.  You have to remove the TCP/IP protocol for your network adapter card before you will be able to use your dial up connection.

Is there any way that I be the server for my own game of Interstate ’76 Multi-Melee?

Another method of hosting an Internet game is to use your own computer as a host/server. After dialing into your Internet provider, run WINIPCFG in Windows 95 to find your IP address.  This information is in the box labeled IP Address. Without disconnecting from your server, start Interstate ’76 and select a game to host. When the Connect to Server box comes up, put in the IP address assigned to your computer and broadcast your game.  Other people must know your IP address and enter it into their Connect to Server box in order to join your game.


Minimum System Requirements for Interstate '76 Multi-Melee Play

To play Interstate '76 Multi-Melee Play you will need one of the following:

Novell Network

Novell-compatible IPX network

100% Hayes-compatible modem (14,400 bps for head-to-head play, 28,800 bps is recommended).

Null-modem cable and serial port with 16550 UART

32-bit Winsock (e.g. Windows 95 Dial-up Networking)

You must also meet the minimum system requirements for Interstate '76.  They are as follows:

100% Microsoft Windows 95 compatible computer system  (including compatible 32-bit drivers for CD-ROM drive, video card, sound card and input devices)

Windows 95 operating system

Processor Type: Pentium 90MHz

40MB of uncompressed hard disk space

256 Color (640x 480) VLB or PCI video card with 1MB RAM

100% Sound Blaster compatible sound card

4X speed CD-ROM drive (600K/second sustained transfer rate)

100% Microsoft compatible mouse and driver

Dedicated game card is highly recommended for joystick

Memory:

16MB RAM:

80MB of uncompressed hard drive space for minimum install and 110MB for recommended install.

Additional 40MB of uncompressed hard drive space for virtual memory if you have less than 32MB RAM

NOTE:	Interstate '76 uses new Microsoft DirectX 3 technology, and requires that your system have the most updated drivers that fully support DirectX.

Click here if you have a NexGen Pentium compatible proccesor or click here if you have a Cyrix processor and are receiving a warning message during the install process.


Modems

Note: If you are in a dialog box within the simulation or the shell more than 10 seconds you may loss contact with other players and/or the host.  It is therefore recommended that you not remain in a dialog box more than 10 seconds.  Check the Activision website at www.activision.com for information and updates regarding Multi-Melee play.

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, exit Interstate '76 and restart the game.

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: Frankie

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.

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

You must return to the Interstate ’76 Title screen and repeat the process you used when you connected the first time.

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

Try turning off software and hardware compression in your modem setup in Windows 95 to increase performance.

Your machine might have 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.


Network

Note: If you are in a dialog box within the simulation or the shell more than 10 seconds you may loss contact with other players and/or the host.  It is therefore recommended that you not remain in a dialog box more than 10 seconds.  Check the Activision website at www.activision.com for information and updates regarding Multi-Melee play.

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

You might have left another copy of Interstate '76 running in the background. You can only run one copy of Interstate '76 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.

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.

We are trying to play an IPX Multi-Melee game and we can’t always get everyone into the game. What should I do?

Make sure that everyone is not trying to launch into the game at the same time. Try launching in to the game one at a time.


Null Modems

Note: If you are in a dialog box within the simulation or the shell more than 10 seconds you may loss contact with other players and/or the host.  It is therefore recommended that you not remain in a dialog box more than 10 seconds.  Check the Activision website at www.activision.com for information and updates regarding Multi-Melee play.

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 Interstate '76.  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.

When I choose COM1, it tells me "Could not open service."

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

Interstate '76 has features that were designed to support a wide range of computers. When you initially launch Interstate '76, the game 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.

Interstate '76's default resolution is 320x200 for Pentium 90MHz and 100MHz processors, and 640x480 for Pentium 133MHz processors and above. You may select whatever options best match your machine's capabilities and your desire for realism. Increase or decrease 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 Graphic Detail menu):

Visibility Range:	Try switching to NEAR.

Clouds:	Try turning these OFF.

Terrain Textures:	Try turning these OFF.

Resolution:	Try switching to LOW.

Terrain Detail:	Try switching to LOW.

Object Detail:	Try switching to LOW.

Shadow Detail:	Try switching to LOW.

Rear Mirror	Try switching to LOW.

Performance (speed wise) will increase tremendously by turning off Terrain Textures.