Copyright: 1996  (C)  Mpath Interactive, Inc.
Citation: 1996  (C)  Mpath Interactive, Inc.


Welcome To Mplayer

Welcome to Mplayer's Open Beta. Play as much as you like. You will not be charged nor obligated to purchase anything during open beta.

Please let us know what you think. To provide feedback:

•	If your Internet connection and web browser are working, please provide feedback at our web page -- http://www.mplayer.com/mplayer-feedback.html.

•	If you prefer sending your feedback through email, our email account for feedback is mpathbeta@mpath.com.

•	If your PSI Internet connection isn’t working, contact PSI directly at (717) 770-1705.

Mplayer has an Internet mailing list. If you want to be included, send email to majordomo@igtc.com, leave the subject blank and put the following in the body of the message:

subscribe mplayer


Contents

1996 © Mpath Interactive, Inc.

What is Mplayer?

What do I need to play games at Mplayer?

Help me find and install what I need.

About PSINet.

About Mpath Interactive.

About customer service

If you have Internet access and a web browser, visit Mplayer at http://www.mplayer.com/.


About Mplayer

Mplayer is the first multiplayer game service that brings the excitement of realtime, fast-action multiplayer games to the Internet's World Wide Web.

Wander through Mplayer's Web pages, sampling the virtual arcades until you find a game you want to play. Check out the latest multiplayer games and test your skills against millions of potential opponents. Meet other players who want to play the same game you do. Participate in contests, tournaments, and special events all oriented toward meeting other gamers and encouraging friendly competition.

And if this isn't enough, Mplayer is speech-enabled, so you can taunt your opponents and hear them scream with laughter as they match their wits, intelligence, and dexterity against you.Text, scribble, and voice-based chat areas provide a place to hang out with friends, meet other players, and even plot winning strategies with their teams.

What are you waiting for? Join the club. Sign up to get your free software and trial offer.

Visit Mplayer on the  World Wide Web at http://www.mplayer.com/.


Requirements

Hardware

•	486/100 MHz or faster

•	14.4 baud or higher modem, if using dialup access (28.8 preferred)

•	Windows-95 compatible soundcard (recommended)

•	CD-ROM drive (recommended)

•	Additional hardware may be required to play a particular game.

Software

•	Windows 95

•	Mplayer Client

•	Game Software

Access

•	Internet Account

•	Web Browser (recommended)

•	Mplayer Account

Diskspace & Memory

1	8 MB RAM (minimum)

•	3 MB diskspace available for the Mplayer client

Additional diskspace requirements depend on the game you want to play


Step-by-Step Guide

STEP 1	Install Windows 95. (If you have Windows 95, skip this step.)

STEP 2	Sign up for an Internet account. (If you have an Internet account, skip this step.)

STEP 3	Get the Mplayer client. (If you have the Mplayer client, skip this step.)

STEP 4	Install the Mplayer client.  (If you already installed the Mplayer client, skip this step.)

STEP 5	 Sign up for an Mplayer account. (If you have an Mplayer account, skip this step.)

STEP 6	Choose a game to play. Games you can play at Mplayer are listed at http://www.mplayer.com/play/games/games-home.html.

STEP 7	Install the game software. (If you already have the game software, skip this step.)

STEP 8	Play a game.


Sign Up For PSI Account

We want our players to have the best performance available for multiplayer gaming. To this end, Mpath Interactive and PSINet have come up with a high-performance networking solution specially engineered for multiplayer games. What this means to you is at Mplayer you can play blindingly fast-action multiplayer games over the Internet.

About Your PSI Account

When you sign up for a PSI account, you receive the best possible performance for multiplayer gaming on the Internet. Along with the best performance, you also can

•	Send and receive email with your own email account.

•	Browse the World Wide Web.

•	Transfer applications and text files using FTP.

•	Log onto informational servers using Telnet.

•	Read and post messages to over 9000 USENET newsgroups.

Sign Up Procedures

•	If you obtained this help file from an Mplayer Starter Kit CD:

1  Place the Mplayer Starter Kit CD in the CD-ROM drive.

2 Run Setup.exe to install and set up a PSI account.

•	If you have Internet access and a web browser, you can download a PSI signup kit at http//www.interramp.com/, or request an Mplayer Starter Kit CD at http//www.mplayer.com/.

•	You can contact PSI account sales by telephone at 1-800-827-7482.

•	You can fax PSI at 1-703-904-1207.


Connect to Internet

There are many ways to connect to the Internet. The most common ways are through an Internet Service Provider, from your system at work, or from within an online service. Although all these methods work well when you are browsing or downloading files, they probably will not meet the high performance you need for multiplayer gaming over the Internet.

To make sure that players at Mplayer have the best performance available for multiplayer gaming, Mpath Interactive and PSINet (Interramp) have engineered a high performance networking solution for multiplayer gaming over the Internet.

If you do not have an Internet account, the decision is easy. PSINet offers the best performance for multiplayer gaming at an affordable price. Click here for signup information.

Even if you already have an Internet account or online service account, you may want to consider a PSINet Internet account for all your Internet access. We can only guarantee high quality, low latency game performance to members who have PSI accounts. For more information about connecting to the Internet with PSINet, point your Web browser at http://www.psi.net/.

The Mplayer starter CD comes with software to help you get a PSI account. Try it out today.


Get the Mplayer Client

One way to get the Mplayer Starter Kit is request a CD:

•	Order it at http://www.mplayer.com/.

•	Send email to starterkit@mplayer.com.

Other ways to get the Mplayer client:

•	Download it at http://www.mplayer.com/join/join-home.html.

•	Copy it from game CD or diskettes. Some games like DeadLock include Mplayer in the box.

Now you’ll want to install the Mplayer client using our easy setup guide

Click here  to get started.


Install the Mplayer Client

1  Insert the Mplayer Starter Kit CD in your CD-ROM drive, or download the Mplayer client at http://www.mplayer.com/join/join-home.html.

2  Run setup.exe.

3  Follow the instructions.

4  Read installation notes.

The version is not important. The Mplayer client is automatically updated online.

Now you’re ready to sign up for an Mplayer account using our easy setup guide. Click here to get started.


Installation Notes

•	If you use a Netscape, or Internet Explorer, Mplayer configured your browser automatically during installation. (Netscape help application for MPI files is MpNscape.exe. All others use mplaunch.exe.)

•	If you are not using one of these browsers, you must configure your browser to work with Mplayer. To do this, add a new MIME type with mplaunch.exe as the default viewer for the MPI file type.


Sign Up For Mplayer Account

To sign up for an Mplayer account, go to the Windows 95 Start Bar and select Programs, then Mplayer, then click Create A New Account. Mplayer takes you through the account sign up process.

You can view additional information about account options and pricing, account setup, and billing information at http://www.mplayer.com/.

Now you’re ready to join us and play fast-action multiplayer games over the Internet. From the Start Bar, select Programs, then Mplayer, and click a game title or Online Chat.


Choose Games

Mplayer takes your favorite multiplayer, fast-action games to the next level. For a list of games you can play at Mplayer, point your web browser at http://www.mplayer.com/play/games/games-home.html. Each game has its own arcade with tips and strategies. Check game-specific help for requirements, installation, and launch instructions.


Get Game Software

Here are some of the ways to get software for games you can play at Mplayer .

•	You can download some games at Mplayer .

•	You may already have games you can play at Mplayer installed on your computer. Some games have additional features that require Mplayer extensions for online game play. Mplayer lets you know when you need an extension and installs it for you.

•	Some games, especially ones that are too big to download, are provided on the Mplayer Starter Kit CD. You can order this CD for a nominal handling charge at http://www.mplayer.com/.

•	Some games must be purchased from a retail store or direct mail outlet, before you can play them at Mplayer.


Play Games

Here is one way to connect to Mplayer and play a game.

Step 1	Connect to Mplayer by clicking the Windows Start Bar, then Programs, then choose Mplayer, then Games. Click the title of the game you want to play.

Step 2	Sign on with your user name and password.

Step 3	Find someone to play with.

Step4	Launch a game.

There are many other ways to connect to Mplayer. For example, you can use your web browser to connect to the Mplayer Game Center, stop off at the Mplayer Café for some chat, or browse the arcades in search of a new game.


Install PSI

After installing Mplayer from the starter kit CD, you are ready to set up a PSI Internet account.

From the Start Bar, choose PSI InterRamp Enabler and click InterRamp Enabler. The script takes you through the process of setting up an account with PSI.


About PSI

PSINet Inc. is the nation’s largest provider of Internet services. PSINet provides a full range of corporate and individual services to support your use of the world wide Internet.

When you sign up for a PSI account, you receive the best possible performance for multiplayer gaming on the Internet. With your PSI Internet account, you can

•	Send and receive email with your own email account.

•	Browse the World Wide Web.

•	Transfer applications and text files using FTP.

•	Log onto informational servers using Telnet.

•	Read and post messages to over 9000 USENET newsgroups.

Performance Systems International, Inc.

510 Huntmar Park Dr.

Herndon, VA  22070

Sales:	+1-800-827-7482

Other	+1-703-709-0300

Fax:	+1-703-904-1207

Email:	all-info@psi.com

Web:	http://www.psi.net/


THIS IS WHERE THE ALL ABOUT TOPICS START (except About Beta 2)


About Mpath Interactive

Mpath is the company that is bringing you Mplayer. Mpath is committed to developing the technologies necessary to enhance social interaction on the Internet's World Wide Web. Although today most people see the web as a great information resource.  Mpath's technology will turn the web into a place where people can meet, interact, and even play their favorite action games.

Until now, the Internet was simply too slow for the fast-action games many enthusiasts enjoy. People who wanted to talk over the Internet were frustrated because Internet-based digital speech was slow and exhibited unacceptable delays. Both of these problems are a result of communication delays (latency) that are inherent in the Internet's network infrastructure and in other online services.

Mpath was the first company to solve the problem of latency, or lag time, on the World Wide Web. Mpath has built an Internet-based software platform that is fast enough to host a variety of interactive applications, like chat, groupware, and even multiplayer games. Mplayer, a service for  fast-action, multiplayer games on the World Wide Web, is the first of several application that Mpath will introduce.

For more information about the Mplayer SDK, developer conference, and other company related information, visit Mpath Interactive at http://www.mpath.com/.

Mpath Interactive, Inc
10455-A Bandley Drive
Cupertino, CA 95014 USA

Mplayer & ScribbleTalk are trademarks of Mpath Interactive, Inc.

Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Netscape is a trademark of Netscape Communications, Inc.


Automatic Online Updating
Automatic Online Software Updates

We want you to have our software updates as soon as they are available. For this reason, Mplayer automatically updates the Mplayer client and game extensions online without any effort on your part.

Here’s how it works. When you sign on at Mplayer, Mplayer checks your software. If you’re not running the latest version, Mplayer downloads and installs it for you automatically. It’s that simple.


Accounts and Billing

For the duration of Beta, you will not be billed for use of Mplayer, nor be obligated to continue service with Mplayer after the Beta test period has ended.


Mplayer Customer Service

Mplayer is committed to providing the most effective service to our members. We provide a wide range of support services for Mplayer service members who need assistance installing and running Mplayer games.

Helpdesk Support

We have a helpline available for telephone support during beta test hours which will be extended as the beta service expands. This line is staffed by an elite group of customer support professionals and supported by quality assurance and programming engineers.

If you are having a problem installing and running games at Mplayer, you can call us at (408) 342-8844. Your call is logged on our automated tracking system. If all of our staff are working with other customers at the time of your call, you will receive a busy signal.

Online Support

Your comments are very important to us. For this reason, we have created a web page designed exclusively for product feedback at http://www.mplayer.com/mplay-feed.html.

You can report a bug or other technical problem at http:///help/tech/tech-home.html.

If you prefer to send email, our email address is support@mpath.com. Messages requiring a response will be responded to within forty-eight hours.  On average, we have a four-hour response time. If you request a callback in your message, please include the best time to contact you as well as alternative times, if possible.

Internet Connection Problems

If you are having problems with your Internet connection, please contact your Internet Service Provider. The Mplayer Customer Service Center does not provide customer service for Internet Service Providers.

If you are having problems with your PSI Internet connection, please call them directly at (717) 770-1705. Their helpdesk runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For contact information for other Internet Service Providers check the Mplayer Help Desk at http://www.mplayer.com/mplay-help.html, or your Internet Provider's service agreement.

Feedback

To provide feedback:

•	If your Internet connection and web browser are working, please provide feedback at our web page -- http://www.mplayer.com/mplay-feed.html.

•	If you prefer sending your feedback through email, our email account for feedback is mpathbeta@mpath.com.

•	If your PSI Internet connection isn’t working, contact PSI directly at (717) 770-1705.


POP-UPS – DON’T INCLUDE AS IS IN WEB SITE CONVERSION


Windows 95

Mplayer runs under Microsoft Windows 95. Windows 95 offers better support for networking and DOS games than earlier versions of Windows. You can purchase Windows 95 from any retail software store or mail order outlet.

If you have Internet access and a web browser, you can see more information about Windows 95 at http://www. microsoft.com/windows/.


Mplayer Client

The Mplayer client is software that enables you to play games at Mplayer. It is free. All you have to do is install it.


Web Browsers

Web browsers provide a graphical interface to a rich variety of information and services on the Internet. By way of hypertext links between pages of information, you can use a web browser to surf across numerous computer sites located around the world. Mplayer works with any web browser but is optimized for use with Netscape.


World Wide Web

The World Wide Web is an Internet-based virtual universe where you can do many things, like play multiplayer games and make new friends. To access the World Wide Web you need Internet access and a web browser.

After you have access, you can go to any web site, by entering or pasting its World Wide Web address into the web browser address or URL box. Web site addresses begin with http://. For example, http://www.mplayer.com/ is the web site address for Mplayer.


Mplayer Account

Join the fun at Mplayer by signing up for an Mplayer account. When you sign up, you are assigned a user name and password. Mplayer asks you for this information when you log on to play games.


Internet Account

An Internet account is used to access the Internet, including the World Wide Web. You need an Internet account to play games at Mplayer. For the best performance, we recommend that you get a PSI InterRamp account for Internet access.