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RELEASE NOTES FOR
DESCENT (TM) 3
Version 1.1.0
___________________________________
! DO NOT DISTRIBUTE THIS GAME !
DESCENT 3 IS A COMMERCIAL PRODUCT
See Section 13 for details
___________________________________
______________________
TABLE of CONTENTS
______________________
1. Introduction
2. Version Changes
3. System Requirements
4. Manual Addenda
5. Keyboard Controls
6. Multiplayer Game Types
7. Command-line Options
8. Compatibility
9. Maximizing Performance
10. Troubleshooting
11. Customer Service
12. Reporting Bugs
13. Legal Information
______________________
1. INTRODUCTION
______________________
This file contains information about Descent 3 that is supplemental
to what's in the manual. It includes information on version changes,
troubleshooting, and reporting bugs. It also contains information
about changes to the game made after the manual went to press.
______________________
2. VERSION CHANGES
______________________
1.0.0 - Initial release
1.1.0 - Win32 update; Linux dedicated server update
New features for Version 1.1.0:
- Added the -bumped command-line option to enable hardware
bump-mapping on cards that support it, such as the Matrox G400.
- Added the -NoRenderWindows command-line option. Some cards
do not correctly render partially-transparent windows. If
windows do not work correctly on your card, use this switch
to cause all windows to be fully transparent.
- The Pilot Info function on the PXO chat screen now shows the
numerical ranking required to achieve the next named rank.
- Increased the maximum joystick sensitivity.
- In co-op, spewed powerups no longer time out.
- Added the -deadzone0 & -deadzone1 command-line options to
specify the size of the deadzone for a joystick. See the
description in Section 7, Command-line Options.
- Overhauled the PXO ranking system. One major effect is that
players should no longer lose rank even when beating someone
of lower or equal rank.
- Reduced the delay between shots for the Fusion Cannon.
- Added the -z32bit command-line option for cards that support
a 32-bit z-buffer, such as the Matrox G400.
- Added enhancements for Pentium III systems.
- Added the "outlinem" cheat code to turn on outline mode (for
level designers).
- Added "renderstat" cheat code to see rendering statistics (for
level designers).
- A sound is now played when a player disconnects or leaves the
game.
- Added delete buttons to the ship configuration dialog to delete
logos and audio taunts from within the game.
- The user's pilot is now highlighted on the F7 stats screen.
- Kills, deaths, and suicides are no longer reported to PXO for
Co-op games.
- Added several new features to the DMFC SDK; see the SDK Readme
file for more information.
- Added the "$scores" server command for Entropy and Team Anarchy
games.
- Added a token system for taunt macros. See the description in
Section 4, Manual Addenda.
- The typing icon is now not displayed to other players when
entering a team message using Ctrl-F8.
- Added the -autoexec command-line parameter. See the description
in Section 7, Command-line Options.
- Added Remote administration of a server via a client. See the
description in Section 4, Manual Addenda.
- Added the "$wait" server command. See the description in
Section 4, Manual Addenda.
- Added the "logout" server command to terminate a telnet
connection.
- In multiplayer games with a level time limit, a countdown timer is
displayed starting 10 seconds before the level ends.
- The status of the small rear view is now saved in the pilot file.
- Added better support for the Madcatz Panther XL. Configuration is
specified in the file PANTHER.CTL.
- Added better support for the SpaceOrb 360. Configuration
is specified in the file SPACEORB.CTL.
- This version will work on systems running non-English versions of
Windows.
- Added a dedicated server command for Hoard to set the minimum
number of hoard orbs needed to score. Usage: "$mincount <count>",
where 'count' is between 1 and 12.
- Room wind is now loaded from the level file (for compatibility with
D3Edit).
- Improved Aureal 2.0 support.
- Added code to unzip auto-downloaded mission files. For details,
see Section 4, Manual Addenda.
- Added the -nooutragelogo command-line parameter. See the
description in Section 7, Command-line Options.
- The framerate is now capped at 50 by default. To remove this cap
use the command-line option "-framecap 999".
- Added the -httpproxy command-line parameter. See the description
in Section 7, Command-line Options.
Fixes for Version 1.1.0:
- Corrected the legal text in Section 13 of the Readme file.
- Fixed the section numbering in the Readme file.
- Fixed z-buffer rendering problems under OpenGL and on cards
that don't support w-buffering.
- When running a small install, restoring a saved game no longer
requires inserting CD 1 if the level is stored on CD 2.
- Music now works properly in the automap.
- In multiplayer games with a time limit, the timer now does not
start until after the "Waiting for Players" dialog has been
closed.
- When typing a private or team-only message that's longer than
one line, the continuation line is now only sent to the
recipient(s) of the first line.
- Fixed glitches when the multiplayer game list screens updated.
- The auto-download system for missions now works.
- When going to a new level in a multiplayer game, the reticle is
now reset correctly.
- Removed the Matrox M3D from the list of supported video cards in
the Readme file.
- Fixed crashes on servers left running for a long time.
- In multiplayer games, time spent in observer mode now doesn't
count as time alive.
- Fixed several crashes and other bugs in the demo system.
- Fixed an occasional crash when clicking on the "Return to Chat"
button on the PXO game list screen.
- The program NETTEST.EXE, mentioned in the manual, is now included.
- The GuideBot now does a better job of staying out of the way of
player shots.
- The GuideBot should not get stuck as often.
- Improved anti-cheating code in the server.
- Fixed parsing of the command line on dedicated servers to allow
certain punctuation marks.
- Fixed "$scores" command for CTF and Monsterball to list the team
scores also.
- Fixed the post-level results screens for CTF, Monsterball, Team
Anarchy, and Entropy to display connected players before
disconnected players.
- Fixed F7 stats screen for CTF, Monsterball, Team Anarchy, and
Entropy to display connected players before disconnected players.
- Fixed the multiplayer post-level results screen to prevent text
from going off the bottom of the screen.
- Fixed a memory bug in the connection DLLs that could cause a
crash.
- Fixed a memory bug in the UI system that could cause a crash.
- The D3 temporary directory (custom/cache) can now only be used by
one process at a time. When running multiple copies of Descent 3
on the same machine, use the -tempdir command-line option to
specify an alternative directory.
- Fixed a Hoard bug that sometimes gave the player points when
killed in the goal.
- The key used to invoke the automap now will also exit the automap.
- Mouse control no longer varies with framerate.
- The game now works correctly on systems with multiple CD-ROM
drives.
- Fixed some odd behavior when the afterburner was mapped to more
than one button or key on the same device.
- Changed a multiplayer kill messages that wasn't gender neutral.
- Changed the GuideBot's "Exit Ship" menu item to "Release
GuideBot".
- Keyboard sensitivity is now set correctly from the selected
pilot file when starting the game.
- In multiplayer, the typing indicator icon now draws correctly
under Direct3D and OpenGL.
- Fixed a bunch of memory leaks.
- Fixed the manage system to support multiple add-on table files.
- In DMFC, the timer interval function was called twice per frame.
Fixes for Version 1.1.0, Linux dedicated server:
- Fixed server shutdown when a client quits out of a telnet
administration session.
- Fixed crash due to typing certain keys, such as a colon.
- Improved keyboard handling for non-SVGALIB keyboard processing.
- Removed nearly all library dependencies. Libraries are now
dynamically loaded when needed.
- Fixed excessive redraw with 'raw' console support by not using
the ncurses library.
- Fixed backspace problems with 'raw' keyboard support.
__________________________
3. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
__________________________
The following minimum system configuration is required to run
Descent 3:
A 200MHz Pentium processor
Windows 95, 98, or NT
32MB RAM
3D accelerator video card with 4 MB of texture RAM
4x CD-ROM drive
210 MB hard disk space
DirectX 6 certified sound card
If you have Windows 95 or Windows 98, DirectX 6.1 software
If you have Windows NT 4.0, Service Pack 3 or greater
The following hardware is recommend for a good Descent 3 experience:
A Pentium II 300MHz processor
64MB RAM
500 MB hard disk space
Of course, the faster the CPU and the more RAM your computer has,
the better performance you'll get in Descent 3. We've tried to make
Descent 3 work on a wide range of machines, so don't be suprised if
you can't use the highest detail settings if you don't have the very
latest hardware.
_______________________
4. MANUAL ADDENDA
_______________________
The following are supplemental items and changes to the Descent 3
manual.
CHANGES & CORRECTIONS
Weapon Precedence:
We've changed the way weapon precedence selection works. With the
new system, you first click on the item you want to move, and then
click on the spot where you want the item. The item will be moved
to that spot, and the other items will slide down to make room for
it.
SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS
PDF Manual:
A PDF version of the Descent 3 manual is provided on CD 1. The
file is D3Manual.pdf and is located in the root directory of CD 1.
You can view this file with Adobe Acrobat Reader which can be
downloaded from Adobe's web site at:
http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html
Brightness Control:
Some video cards do not allow applications such as Descent 3 to
adjust the card's brightness (gamma) setting. If you try to adjust
the brightness in D3 and get no response, try adjusting the setting
in the Windows Control Panel (under Display).
Guide-Bot:
Shift + the number keys (1 - 9, 0) will command the Guide-Bot to
perform specific actions. See a the list in Section 5, Keyboard
Control.
FindFast:
Microsoft Office installs a program called FindFast that makes
it possible for Office applications to open files more quickly.
This application, FindFast, runs in the background on your
machine indexing the contents of your hard drive.
If FindFast is running while Descent 3 being played, the game's
performance can be significantly reduced. For this reason, the
Descent 3 launcher will detect the presence of FindFast when
the game is started and give you the option of disabling it.
We STRONGLY recommend that you disable FindFast when starting
Descent 3.
If you terminate FindFast it may take your computer slightly
longer to open files, but everything else will work normally.
FindFast will be re-enabled the next time you start your computer.
Shift Keys:
Windows 95 & NT do not differentiate between the left and right
shift keys when informing Descent 3 that one of these keys
has be released. If you press both shift keys at the same
time, Descent 3 will think that one key is still held down
even after both have been released. Because if this, you may
want to be careful when assigning the shift keys to functions
in Descent 3.
HEAT.NET:
Descent 3 features direct support for HEAT.NET. To play a game
of Descent 3 on HEAT.NET, select HEAT.NET from the Multiplayer
menu in Descent 3, or use the Start Menu shortcut "Play Descent 3
Online at HEAT.NET".
Multiplayer:
CTRL-F8 can be used to send messages to your teammates in a team
multiplayer game. This works just like the F8, but only your
teammates will see the message. In a non-team game, everyone will
see the message. When you receive a team message, the sender's
name will be in brackets (e.g., "[Crucible]: look out!").
When using F8 to send a message, you can send a private message to a
specific player by starting the message with the player's pilot
name, followed by a colon. For example, typing "spike: look out!"
would send the message "look out!" to the player Spike. You only
need to type as many characters of the player's name as are
necessary to differentiate it from other player names. When you
receive a private message, the sender's name will be in angle
brackets (e.g., "<Crucible>: look out!").
Level 13 ("CED Expediator Dreadnaught"):
Because the way this level is scripted, it cannot be played in
anarchy or other non-cooperative modes. If you attempt to play
this level in an anarchy mode, the level will immediately
terminate and the game will advance to the next level.
DirectPlay Update:
If you want to play Descent 3 over a modem or serial connection,
you should download the DirectPlay 6.1a update from Microsoft.
This is available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/directx/developer/downloads/dplay.asp
This update drastically improves the performance and reliability of
DirectPlay and is highly recommended.
PXO Stats:
For games played on Parallax Online (PXO), the service keeps track
of the kills, deaths, and suicides for each pilot. Since some types
of multiplayer games are scored primarily on points or goals rather
than kills and deaths (Entropy, Capture-the-flag), you may not want
kills and deaths to be recorded when playing one of these. In this
case, we suggest using an alternate pilot for those games.
PXO Rankings:
For games played on Parallax Online (PXO), Descent 3 supports a
ranking system that computes a lifetime rank for each player. This
system is similar to the rankings used in chess; here are some of
the features of this system:
* New players start at 400.
* Your ranking will increase with each win and decrease with each
loss, but will increase more if you beat a player with a higher
ranking than you, and will decrease more if you lose to a player
with a lower ranking.
* The numerical rankings correspond to named ranks. Note that it
may take a very long time to reach the higher ranks. The
numerical rank needed for each named rank is shown below.
0: Cadet
600: Ensign
900: Lieutenant
1200: Lt. Commander
1500: Commander
1800: Captain
2100: Commodore
2400: Rear Admiral
2600: Admiral
3000: Demigod
* When you achieve a new rank, you'll be notified via a HUD
message.
* You can see the rank of each player in a multiplayer game
on the player list, viewable by pressing the F7 key.
* You can view a list on PXO of all Descent 3 players sorted by
numerical at http://www.pxo.net/.
Dedicated Server:
There is a new dedicated server command, "AudioTauntDelay <time in
seconds>". Use this command to set the time in seconds the a user
must wait after sending an audio taunt before he or she is able to
send another.
You can set the difficulty level of a game in the dedicated
server config file. Use the command "SetDifficulty = <level>",
where <level> is the difficulty, ranging from 0 (trainee)
to 4 (insane).
If you're running multiple dedicated servers on the same computer,
you need specify the an alternate GameSpy port number for the
additional servers. Use the "-gamespyport" command-line option.
FreeSpace 2 and Klingon Academy Preview Movies:
The \Stuff directory on CD 2 contains preview movies of the upcoming
Interplay titles FreeSpace 2 and Klingon Academy.
Taunt Macro Tokens:
Certain game-specific values can be automatically placed in taunt
macros by using the tokens listed below. When a message is sent,
the game will replace the token with the specified value.
Token Replaced With
$$e your current energy
$$s your current shields
$$virus your current virus count (Entropy only)
$$flag names of flags you are currently carrying (CTF only)
Note that the author of a new multiplayer games can add new tokens
specific to that game.
Remote Server Administration From a Client:
A game server can be administered from a client by using the following
commands with the F8 message system.
$remoteadminpass <pswd> Sets a password for remote administration.
$remoteadmin <on/off> Turns on or off remote administration.
$remote <cmd> <args> Sends a remote command to the server.
$remoteadminlogout <id> Logs out the specified player. If no
id is specified, lists the players
currently administrating remotely.
Examples:
$remote login buffy Logs in with the password "buffy".
$remote logout Logs out.
$remote $endlevel Tells the server to end the level.
$wait Server Command:
The $wait server command will suspend a multiplayer game. This can
be used at the start of a game to allow all players to join before
starting play.
Usage:
$wait <on/off> Forces clients to stop/start moving immediately
$wait <seconds> Forces clients to wait for the specified number
of seconds at the beginning of each level.
Auto-downloaded missions:
The system to auto-download missions now supports zip files. If
a mission file specifies a zip file (one with the extension ".zip")
in the mission URL, the mission file will be extracted from the zip
file after downloading.
Note: This system works only with the default level of Zip
compression.
Thanks to Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler for the zlib unzip code.
____________________________
5. KEYBOARD CONTROLS
____________________________
Keyboard Controls
While playing the game, press F2 then click on Customize keyboard
to customize your keyboard and joystick controls. To change a
particular key, click the box next to a command, then type
the key you want to use for that command. You can assign up to
two keys to each function. Below is a list of the defaults,
and a few other controls that you will find helpful.
A Accelerate
Z Reverse
S Afterburner
Left Turn left
Right Turn right
Up Pitch down
Down Pitch up
ALT Slide sideways while using arrow keys
Ctrl Fire primary weapon
Spacebar Fire secondary
F Flare
H Headlight
R Rear view
Tab Automap
Q Bank left
E Bank right
Pad7 Slide left
Pad9 Slide right
Pad- Slide up
Pad+ Slide down
- Shrink screen (speeds up game)
+ Enlarge screen
Print screen Take a screenshot(TGA format)
1 Laser & Super Laser
2 Vauss & Mass driver
3 Napalm Cannon & Microwave
4 Plasma Cannon & EMD
5 Fusion Cannon & Omega
6 Concussion Missile & Frag Missile
7 Homing Missile & Guided
8 Impact Mortar & Napalm Rocket
9 Smart missile & Cyclone
0 Mega Missile & Black Shark
F1 Help screen
F2 Game options
F3 Show/hide cockpit
F4 Guide-Bot menu
F5 Record Demo
F6 Multiplayer: Show/hide menu
F7 Multiplayer: Show/hide stats
F8 Multiplayer: Send message to all
F9 Show/hide message log
F12 Drop Marker
Shift F1 Toggles Rear view camera/Marker camera/Guide-Bot
camera on the left.
Shift F2 Toggles Rear view camera/Marker camera/Guide-Bot
camera on the right
Shift Tab Access the level briefing/objectives/automap
Guide-Bot commands:
Shift 1 Find Next Active Goal
Shift 2 Find Spew
Shift 3 Find Powerup
Shift 4 Find Energy
Shift 5 Escort Ship
Shift 6 Use Extinguisher
Shift 7 Use Wingnut Powerup
Shift 8 Use Guardian Powerup
Shift 9 Use Anti-virus Powerup
Shift 0 Return to Ship
____________________________
6. MULTIPLAYER GAME TYPES
____________________________
Descent 3 offers a variety of multiplayer games. Here is a
description for each game type.
ANARCHY - If you are looking for nothing but nonstop action,
then this is the game type for you. ANARCHY pits
you up against everybody else in the game to see
who is the best.
CO-OP - CO-OP stands for COOPERATIVE. This game type only
works on Descent 3 Retribution levels. Join with
your friends and battle through all of Descent 3's
levels.
CTF - CTF stands for CAPTURE THE FLAG.
In the Fury Collection, only two teams are
supported (Blue and Red). We recommend a max of
8 people for this series.
In the Bedlam Collection, up to 4 teams are
supported (Blue, Red, Green and Yellow). CTF is
also supported in the Dementia and Frenzy missions;
these both offer two-team support and up to 16
players.
ENTROPY - Entropy is a teamwork-oriented game that emphasizes
both action and strategy. The object is to gain
control of your opponent team's rooms while defending
your own rooms.
In Entropy each contested room will be either a
laboratory, an energy center, or a repair zone.
The number of these three types of rooms will vary
by level. The object is to take over all of your
enemy's laboratories, energy centers, and repair
zones.
You take over an opponent's room by infecting it
with virus samples. These samples are created in your
laboratories; to infect a room you must carry five
or more samples to an opponent's room and remain still
in that room for three seconds.
Your repair rooms allow you to repair damaged ships
on your team, and your energy centers allow you to
replenish your ships' energy reserves. Entering any
of your opponent's rooms will damage your ship.
You are allowed to carry two virus samples for every
opponent you kill without dying yourself. When you
die the count is reset and you must kill more
opponents in order to pick up more samples. You can
destroy an opponent's virus sample by colliding with
it.
Virus samples are created every 20 seconds in a
laboratory room. There can be only four samples
in a lab room at one time, and a maximum of 16
samples in play at once for each team.
Score is kept for both individual players and for
teams. When a player takes over an opponent's room,
he or she gets five points and his or her team
gets three points. If all of an opponent's rooms
are captured, the capturing team gets 10 points.
If a team has no lab rooms left but does have a
energy or repair center, one of the latter rooms
will be converted into a lab.
HOARD - Hoard was introduced in Descent II: Infinite Abyss.
In this game, players gather Hoard Orbs by killing
their opponents, gathering the Orbs and scoring in
specified scoring zones. The more Orbs you have
the higher your score will be. For example,
1 Orb = 1 point, 2 Orbs = 3 points etc.
HYPER ANARCHY - Hyper Anarchy is a new game to the Descent series.
In this mode, all Anarchy rules apply. The new
twist is a powerup that adds to your kills.
MONSTERBALL - Monsterball is our version of Soccer. This is a
two team game with all the rules of Anarchy thrown
in for fun. Score by hitting the ball into the
goal with your team's color.
ROBO-ANARCHY - This mode is for Descent 3 Retribution only. It
plays just like ANARCHY, except the levels have
all their native robots that would be in a single
player game.
TEAM-ANARCHY - Team Anarchy is a two team game where the points
for kills are added to the team totals.
____________________________
7. COMMAND-LINE OPTIONS
____________________________
The following command-line options are available in Descent 3.
You can set command-line options on the Misc. tab of the Setup
section of the Descent 3 launcher. Case is not significant in
command-line options.
General Options:
-lowmem Uses scaled-down textures and lower quality
(8-bit) sounds to conserve memory.
-superlowmem Uses the "-lowmem" settings and further scales
down textures to conserve memory.
-himem Forces normal operations even when low memory
conditions are detected.
-vsync Turns on Vertical Sync. The flag will be enabled
in the registry so it will be on when the game is
run again.
-mouseman Enables special handling for the Logitech
MouseMan.
-chpro Enables a CH Flightstick Pro or compatible
joystick.
-width <width> Sets the screen resolution to the specified width,
if possible.
-height <height> Sets the screen resolution to the specified
height, if possible.
-nonetwork Disables all network multiplayer functionality.
-nosound Disables all sound, including music.
-nomusic Disables music.
-nolightmaps Disables lightmaps. This will improve performance
on low-end video cards.
-forcelightmaps Forces the use of lightmaps, even the Default
Detail Level is set to Low in the launcher setup.
-nomultitexture Disables single-pass multitexturing. This option
could fix problems due to buggy drivers on
future video cards.
-nooutdoorfog Disables fog on the terrain under Direct3D. This
may improve performance on some cards.
-setdir <path> Specifies the working directory for Descent 3.
-useexedir Tells Descent 3 to use the directory in which the
executable is located as the working directory.
-alternatejoy Caused DirectInput to be used for the joystick
or other game controller, instead of standard
Windows API. Some joysticks need this option
to work with Descent 3.
-pilot <name> Specifies the pilot to use, skipping the pilot
selection dialog when the game starts.
-aspect <value> Specifies the screen aspect ratio for
non-standard displays, such as wide-screen
TVs. The aspect value is the width of the screen
divided by the height, so if you want to play
Descent 3 on a 16:9 wide-screen TV, use
"-aspect 1.78".
-framecap <fps> Limits the framerate to the number of frames per
second specified. Descent 3 defaults to a cap
of 50 FPS. To remove the cap, use the
command-line option "-framecap 999".
-makemovie Causes the demo system to save a screenshot
of every frame during playback. These saved
frames can be used with video creation software
to make a movie. NOTE: When recording a demo
for use in making a movie, you should use the
"-framecap" command-line option to specify the
framerate of your movie.
-fastdemo Causes a demo to play back at the highest speed
your computer is capable of, and to display some
performance information when it's done.
-timetest <file> Causes Descent 3 to play back the specified
demo file upon startup. When the demo is done,
the game will exit and create a file called
fps.txt which contains detailed performance
information.
-highvidmem Causes 2 MB Voodoo 1 cards to behave as if they
had more memory. This will increase visual
quality but may cause framerate problems. This
option has no effect if you use OpenGL or
Direct3D.
-subpixelcorrect Adjusts for subpixel correction under Direct3D
for cards that do not support it. You can tell
if subpixel correction is not supported if your
main menu initially has lines in it like a
tic-tac-toe board.
-nocompress Turns off S3TC texture compression for cards that
support it (such as the Savage3D and Savage4).
Texture compression is on by default for these
cards.
-bumped Enables hardware bump-mapping on cards that
support it, such as the Matrox G400.
-NoRenderWindows Causes all windows to be fully transparent. Use
this option if your card does not correctly render
partially-tranparent windows.
-z32bit Enables the 32-bit z-buffer on cards that support
it, such as the Matrox G400.
-autoexec <file> Specifies the the full path and file name of the
multiplayer config file (eg., autoexec.dmfc) to be
loaded and executed when a multiplayer game is
initialized. This is useful when running more
than one dedicated server on one machine.
-deadzone0 <k> Specifies the size of the deadzone for a joystick.
-deadzone1 <k> k is a value from 0.0 to 0.5 sets the deadzone
to the specified fraction of the total joystick range.
-deadzone0 sets the first joystick and -deadzone1 sets
the second. For example, "-deadzone0 0.2" sets the
deadzone for joystick 0 to 20% of its total range.
-nooutragelogo Disables the Outrage logo that is normally
displayed for five seconds at the start of a
multiplayer game.
Multiplayer Options:
-gspyfile <config file> Specifies a GameSpy configuration file to
use (default is gamespy.cfg)
-gamespyport <port> Specifies a port for to listen for GameSpy
requests. The default is 20142.
-useip <IP> Binds Descent 3 to this IP address. Use
this option to tell D3 which IP address
to use if your computer has multiple IP
addresses.
-dedicated <config file> Starts a dedicated server.
-nomultibmp Disables sending or receiving in-game
custom bitmaps for ships.
-useport <port> Specifies the port that TCP/IP and IPX
will use. The default is 2092.
-audiotauntdelay <time> Sets the time in seconds the a user must
wait after sending an audio taunt before
he or she is able to send another. This
option is only active when starting a
server.
-playermessages Disables all weapon-related HUD messages
in multiplayer games.
-httpproxy <addr> Specifies an HTTP proxy server. Descent 3
-httpproxy <addr:port> uses HTTP to auto-download a mission; use
this option if your ISP requires the use
of a proxy server for HTTP connections.
If the first form is used, the port value
defaults to 80.
_________________________
8. COMPATIBILITY
_________________________
Descent 3 is compatible with a wide range of computer hardware.
However, due to the limitations of some devices and the requirements
of Descent 3, some hardware is fully or partially incompatible
with Descent 3.
In this section, we have listed all the devices that have
compatibility problems with Descent 3. Wherever possible, we
have offered suggestions on getting the best results possible
with the given device. If a device is not listed here, it
either works fine or has not been tested with Descent 3.
This section is divided into three parts: 3D APIs, Video Cards,
and Controllers.
3D APIs
-------
If you're having a problem with your video card, please also
check the "Video Cards" section below..
Descent 3 works on 3D accelerator cards that use the Glide, Direct3D,
and OpenGL APIs. By choosing the best API for your card, you will
get better performance and visual quality in Descent 3.
Glide:
If you a have card with a 3Dfx Voodoo chipset, you should use the
Glide API. You will definitely get the best performance.
Because Glide disables your 2D video output, certain critical
Windows error messages ("blue screens") are not visible when
playing under Glide. If you remove your CD from the drive while
Descent 3 is reading from it, for example, Windows will display
a full-screen error message that will not be visible. You can
continue playing D3 by replacing the CD and pressing Enter.
OpenGL:
OpenGL does not support specular reflections, which are used
in Descent 3 to make some surfaces shiny.
Direct3D:
If you're using older drivers that are not certified for
DirectX 6, you may notice certain graphical errors, such as
distorted fonts or a grid-like pattern on the main loading
screen. You can correct this problem with the "-subpixelcorrect"
command-line switch.
VIDEO CARDS
-----------
If you're having a problem with your video card, please also
check the "3D APIs" section above.
We've organized the list below by 3D chipset. For each chipset
we've listed some common cards that use that chipset; however, we
were not able to list every card. If your card isn't listed,
find out what 3D chipset it uses and see that section.
ATI Rage PRO:
Cards: 3d Charger
All-in-Wonder Pro
Graphics Pro Turbo PC2TV
Xpert LCD
Xpert @play 98
Xpert @work
Xpert 98
Xpert XL
This card requires that Vertical Sync be turned ON. If you've
run the game with another video card and turned Vertical Sync
off, you can turn it back on again with the "-vsync" command-
line option.
This card does not work properly under OpenGL. We recommend
using Direct3D.
Tested with Direct3D driver version w82440en.
ATI Rage 128:
Cards: All-in-Wonder 128
Rage Fury
Rage Magnum
Xpert 128
Xpert 99
The current driver only supports Direct3D. Tested with Direct3D
driver version w86076en.
Intel I740:
Cards: Diamond Stealth II G460
Hercules Terminator 2x/i
Read3D Starfighter
OpenGL does not work well with i740 cards; we recommend using
Direct3D with these cards.
Make sure to download the latest drivers from Intel.
Several cards have reported problems with texture corruption. If
you experience problems, try adding the '-nolightmaps' option in
the Misc. tab of the Descent 3 launcher setup and disabling Dynamic
Lighting in the Options/Details menu.
Matrox G200/G400:
Cards: Millennium G200 SG
Millennium G200 SD
Millennium G200 LE
Millennium G200
Millennium G200 SD PCI
Millennium G200 SD
Marvel G200-TV
Millennium G400
Millennium G400 MAX
Millennium G400 SH
Millennium G400 DH
No known problems. Tested with Direct3D driver version 1677_451.
nVidia RIVA TNT, TNT2:
Cards: Asus V3400 TNT
Canopus Spectra 2500
Creative Labs Graphics Blaster Riva TNT
Diamond Viper v550
Elsa Erazor II
Hercules Dynamite TNT
Leadtek WinFast 3D S320
Prolink PixelView
STB Velocity 4400
Yuan AGP-520T
Yuan AGP-500T
We recommend playing under Direct3D with the current Detonator
drivers.
Enabling auto-mipmapping (via the Control Panel) on TNT cards
can cause textures to render incorrectly in Descent 3. If you
experience problems, adjust the Direct3D properties for your card
as follows. Open up the Control Panel, then Display Properties,
RIVA TNT, Advanced Properties, and finally Direct3D. For
"Automatically generate XXX mipmap levels", enter zero. For
"Auto-mipmap method", select "Binlinear". For "Mipmap deatil level",
select "Best Image Quality"
The nVidia Detonator drivers built on 02/17/99 cause serious screen
offset problems under OpenGL. If you choose to run under OpenGL, we
recommend the .48 reference drivers available from nVidia.
nVidia RIVA 128:
Cards: ASUS 3d Explorer
Canopus Total3d 128V
Diamond Viper 330
STB Velocity 128
Yuan AGP-300S
The Riva 128 doesn't perform well with lightmaps on large polygon
faces. If you experience problems, try adding the '-nolightmaps'
option in the Misc. tab of the Descent 3 launcher setup.
Orchid Righteous Voodoo 2:
Orchid Righteous Voodoo 1:
The current drivers are for DirectX version 5 only and will only
function under Glide.
Rendition v2000:
Cards: Diamond Stealth II S220
Hercules Thriller 3d
The Rendition v2000 doesn't perform well with lightmaps on large
polygon faces. We recommend adding the '-nolightmaps'
option in the Misc. tab of the Descent 3 launcher setup.
The Rendition v2000 works with Direct3D only.
S3 Savage3D:
Cards: Hercules Terminator Beast
Be sure to use the latest reference drivers for this card, which
are available from http://www.s3.com.
Movies may not play back smoothly on some systems.
S3 Savage4:
We recommend using Direct3D with driver version 8.03.11 or later.
You can get the latest drivers from the S3 web site
(http://www.s3.com). At the current time the 8.03.11 drivers are
under the "Sneak Peek" Betas section.
If you do not have the suggested drivers, you should use the
"-subpixelcorrect" command-line switch.
Movies may not play back smoothly on some systems.
3Dfx Voodoo:
Cards: Ask Innovision Cyber 3Dx5000
A-Trend Helios Voodoo
Best Data Arcade Fx
Biostar Venus 3D Graphics
Canopus Pure 3D
Deltron Flash 3D
Diamond Monster 3D
Express 3D Acceleration
Gainward Dragon 1000
Guillemot Maxigamer 3D
High Tech His-Arcade3D-G
Miro Hiscore 3D
Modular
Orchid Righteous 3D
Quantum 3D Obsidian 50-Series
Quantum 3D Obsidian 100Sb Series
Skywell Magic 3D
Techworks Power 3D
Village Tronics 3D Overdrive
2 MB Voodoo1 cards may not perform well. We recommend at least 4 MB
of texture RAM. To compensate for the 2 MB limitation, Descent3 will
automatically scale down all bitmaps. To turn this behavior off, use
the "-highvidmem" command line switch.
You might also want to try using the "-nolightmaps" command line
switch if you are having framerate problems with this card.
We have seen occasional texture corruption problems on this card,
which can result in the wrong textures being drawn in some places.
If you see this problem, you can reset the card's textures as
follows: Press F2 to bring up the Setup menu; select Video;
change the MIP Mapping flag (i.e., disable it if it's turn on, or
enable it if it's turned off) and exit the Setup menu. If you want,
you can re-enter Setup and change the MIP Mapping flag to its
original state.
3Dfx Voodoo Rush:
Cards: Biostar Venus 3D Rush
Britek Viewtop 3D Voodoo
California Graphics 3D Emotion
Deltron Flash At3D Rush
Fountain Tech.
Gainward Dragon 2000
Hercules Stingray 128
I/O Magic Rush
Jazz Adrenaline Rush 3D
Joytech Raptor Rush
Kadatco Aristo
Megafame
Ventura
Intergraph Intense 3D Voodoo
Descent 3 does not work on Voodoo Rush cards under Direct3D; we
recommend playing under Glide on these cards.
3Dfx Voodoo Banshee:
Cards: Gigabyte Ga-630
A-Trend Helios 3D-Banshee Edition
Creative 3D Blaster Banshee
Diamond Monster Fusion
Elsa Victory Ii
Guillemot Maxi Gamer Phoenix
Melco Buffalo Wgp-Fx
Metabyte Wicked 3D Vengeance
Pace 3D Edge
Quantum 3D Raven
Sky Well Magic Twinpower
We recommend playing under Glide on all 3Dfx Voodoo cards.
3Dfx Voodoo3:
Cards: Voodoo3 2000 AGP/PCI
Voodoo3 3000 AGP
Voodoo3 3500 TV
We recommend playing under Glide. Tested with driver version
1.02.03. Tested with Glide drivers posted 5/8 on 3Dfx site.
3Dfx Voodoo 2:
Cards: Aopen Pa2000 Voodoo2
Canopus Pure 3D Ii
Creative 3D Blaster
Diamond Monster 3D Ii
Deltron Flash 3D
Guillemot Gamer 3D2 PCI
Metabyte Wicked3D
Micro Conversions Game Wizard
Miro Hiscore Dll
Quantum3D Obsidian2 S-Series
Quantum3D Obsidian2 X-Series Single Board SLI
STB Blackmagic 3D
Techworks Power 3D Ii
Village Tronics 3D Overdrive 2
We recommend playing under Glide on all 3Dfx Voodoo cards.
SLI support works but has not been extensively tested.
CONTROLLERS
-----------
Key Tronics Keyboards:
Using the left shift key in combination with keys on the keypad
can cause the right shift key to appear to be pressed. Pressing
and releasing the right shift key will fix the problem.
Logitech MouseMan:
To use a Logitech MouseMan with Descent 3, use the "-mouseman"
command-line switch.
Logitech Wingman Force:
The drivers for this joystick automatically disable the
auto-centering spring whenever a force effect is played. This
means that you cannot use auto-centering and force feedback at the
same time. If you disable force-feedback support, auto-centering
works fine.
Logitech has informed us that version 3.2 of the Logitech Wingman
software (not available at the time of this writing) will contain an
option to keep centering on even when force effects are played.
Visit http://www.logitech.com/ for more information.
CH Flightstick Pro
To use a CH Flightstick Pro (or compatible) joystick with
Descent 3, use the "-chpro" command-line option.
______________________________
9. MAXIMIZING PERFORMANCE
______________________________
Descent 3 will play great on some systems, and more slowly on others.
The speed you achieve depends on your CPU speed and the amount of RAM
in your computer. In general, of course, you'll get better
performance with a faster CPU and more RAM.
Assuming you can't run to the store and buy a maxed-out system, here
are some ways you can improve the game's speed.
1. Turn your detail level to "Low" or "Medium". To do this:
a. Press F2.
b. Click "Detail Level Settings".
c. Click the "Low" or "Medium" button.
d. Click "OK". Then click "Done".
2. If the game is slow in the outside terrain, go to the Detail Level
Settings menu (see #3 above) and reduce the Render Depth distance.
3. Reduce your screen resolution to 512x384. You can do this in the
"Graphics Settings" menu (accessible from "Options" on the main
menu). This may help in particular with cards using the 3Dfx
Voodoo 1 chipset, and we have also seen improvement with several
older cards that use the Direct3D API.
4. If the game is still too slow or jerky, try turning on the "low
memory" or "super low memory" options. To do this:
a. Double-click "Descent 3.exe".
b. Click "Setup".
c. Click "Misc.".
d. In the text field "Optional D3 Command Line Switches", type
"-lowmem" or "-superlowmem" (without the quotes, and don't
forget the dash) and click OK.
e. Click OK, click Play, and play the game again.
The -lowmem option will reduce the size of textures in the game,
and the -superlowmem option will force all textures to an even
smaller size. This will improve the ability of lower-end 3D
cards to render, and the lower memory usage in main memory will
improve general game speed on machines that are cramped for
memory, regardless of the 3D card you use.
5. While playing the game, press the - key several times to reduce
the area the game will take up on your screen. This may help
with certain video cards.
_______________________
10. TROUBLESHOOTING
_______________________
Q: The game looks funny!
A: You may have out-of-date drivers for your video card, or your
video card may not be compatible with Descent 3. Check
the Compatibility Information section of this Readme, and be
sure to get the latest drivers from the manufacturer of your
video card.
Q: All I do is bump into the wall! I'm frustrated!
A: Relax. Hold down Z to back up a bit. This is our #1 tip for
novice Descent pilots. You'll get a better perspective on the
room and your situation. You can adjust the ship's auto-leveling
if you press F2 and click "General Settings".
Q: The robots keep killing me! They are too hard!
A: In the pilot configuration menu, you can lower your difficulty
level to "Trainee" for an easier experience.
Q: My game is too slow!
A: See "Maximizing Performance", above.
Q: Help! I can't see! The game is too dark!
A: First, adjust the brightness control on your monitor. You may
also want to adjust the "Brightness" control in the Graphics
Settings menu. You may need to use the Display control panel to
change your card's brightness (also called gamma) setting -- this
control panel will probably override any changes you attempt to
make in Descent 3's Graphics Settings menu.
Q: I get a horrible sound problem where it plays part of one sound
over and over and over!
A: From Setup, click the "Audio" tab and choose DirectSound.
Machines that have lots of memory should use the Software mixer
for better performance, but if you don't have a ton of RAM, use
DirectSound.
Q: The sound effects play late!
A: This is a known problem under Windows NT with DirectX 3. It's
not something we can fix. Sorry.
Q: My ship spins around and around when I'm not touching the
controls!
A: Adjust the trim controls on your joystick. Also calibrate your
joystick in the Descent 3 Launcher. If these steps don't work and
you have a Thrustmaster joystick, there is a "centering utility"
available that can fix this problem. Visit the Thrustmaster web
page at http://www.thrustmaster.com.
Q: When I am in piggyback observer mode in multiplayer, the display
is very jerky!
A: Piggyback mode only displays a frame each time you receive a
position update packet from the player you are piggybacking.
The frequency of update packets determines the speed of the
observer piggyback display.
Q: Network play is jerky and slow!
A: Set packets per second to 5. Try a different type of game:
change to peer-to-peer, or change to client-server. Make sure the
server is a fast machine that experiences a good frame rate
while playing, or try using a dedicated server. If some clients
don't have lots of RAM, try playing "The Core" multiplayer level,
which is fairly small. (See the Multiplayer Readme.txt file for
more information.)
Q: The game crashes on my machine!
A: If you've found a serious bug, chances are someone else has also
found it and we've already fixed it. Use the Auto-Update feature
or visit our web site (http://www.outrage.com) to get the latest
version. If that doesn't fix it, see the Customer Service and
Reporting Bugs sections below.
__________________________________
11. INTERPLAY CUSTOMER SERVICE
__________________________________
TROUBLESHOOTING DOCUMENTS ONLINE!
Interplay Productions Technical Support now offers troubleshooting
guides with complete installation and setup instructions as well as
information that will help you overcome the most common difficulties.
If you have access to the World Wide Web, you can find these at
http://www.interplay.com/support/.
Here you will find troubleshooting information on as well as
information on regular system maintenance and performance.
DirectX http://www.interplay.com/support/directx/
Joysticks http://www.interplay.com/support/joystick/
Modems and Networks http://www.interplay.com/support/modem/
Descent 3 http://www.interplay.com/descent3/
If you have questions about Descent 3, our Technical Support
Department can help. Our web site contains up-to-date information
on the most common difficulties with our products, and this
information is the same as that used by our product support
technicians. We keep the product support pages updated on a regular
basis, so please check here first for no-wait solutions:
http://www.interplay.com/support/
If you are unable to find the information you need on our web site,
please feel free to contact Technical Support via e-mail, phone,
fax, or letter. Please be sure to include the following information
in your e-mail message, fax, or letter:
Title of Game
Computer manufacturer
Operating system (Windows 95, DOS 6.22, etc.)
CPU type and speed in MHz
Amount of RAM
Sound card type and settings (address, IRQ, DMA)
Video card
CD-ROM
Mouse driver and version
Joystick and game card (if any)
A copy of the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files from your hard drive
A description of the problem you're having
If you need to talk to someone immediately, call us at (949) 553-6678
Monday through Friday between 8:00AM-5:45PM, Pacific Standard Time.
24 hour, 7 days per week support is available through the use of our
automated wizard. Please have the above information ready when you
call. This will help us answer your question in the shortest possible
time. When you call you will initially be connected with our automated
wizard. For information pertaining to your specific title, press "1"
on the main menu and listen carefully to all prompts. All titles are
listed alphabetically. After you have selected your title, the most
common difficulties will be listed. If the difficulty you are having
is not listed or you need additional assistance, you may press "0" on
your games main menu, and you will be transferred to a Technical
Support Representative. No hints or codes are available from this
line.
Interplay Productions Technical Support
Voice: (949) 553-6678
Fax: (949) 252-2820
Internet E-mail: support@interplay.com
World Wide Web: http://www.interplay.com
FTP: ftp.interplay.com
Mail: Interplay Productions Technical Support
16815 Von Karman Avenue
Irvine, CA 92606
FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE WITHIN THE UK AND EUROPE:
Write to: Customer Support
Interplay Productions, Ltd.
Harleyford Manor
Harleyford
Henley Road
Marlow
Buckinghamshire
SL7 2DX
ENGLAND
Voice: +44 (0) 1628 423723
Fax: +44 (0) 1628 487752
Email: Europe@interplay.com
Limited Warranty:
If within the first ninety days of purchase you have any problems
with this product please return it to the retailer.
After ninety (90) days, you may return the software program to
Interplay Productions, provided the fault is not due to normal
wear and tear, and Interplay will mail a replacement to you.
To receive a replacement you should enclose the defective medium
(including the original product label) in protective packaging
accompanied by:
1) A cheque or postal order for 10 pounds sterling (to cover
postage and packaging).
2) A brief statement describing the defect.
3) The original receipt or address of the retailer
4) Your return address
Registered mail is recommended for returns.
Please send to:
Warranty Replacements, Interplay Productions Ltd., Harleyford
Manor, Harleyford, Henley Road, Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 2DX,
ENGLAND
______________________
12. REPORTING BUGS
______________________
If you can't get Descent 3 working on your system, double-check all
the wonderfully helpful information in the "Troubleshooting" section,
above. If every piece of software works on your computer except for
Descent 3, then try Interplay customer service, above.
Before reporting a bug, you should make sure you have the latest
version of the game, because the bug you've found may already be
fixed. Use Descent 3's Auto-Update feature or visit our web site
(http://www.outrage.com) to get an update patch if one is available.
If you would like to report a bug, send e-mail to d3bugs@outrage.com.
In your e-mail, please report the following:
1. What product and version (in this case, "Descent 3 Version 1.0").
The version number is shown in the lower-right corner of the main
menu screen.
2. What speed and type of CPU you have (example: "Pentium II at
300MHz")
3. What operating system you have (example: "Windows 98")
4. How much RAM you have (example: 128MB)
5. If this is a multiplayer bug, mention your network configuration
and whether you are behind a firewall.
6. List the bug with any information you think is relevant.
___________________
13. LEGAL STUFF
___________________
SOFTWARE USE LIMITATIONS AND LIMITED LICENSE
This version, Descent 3(the "Software"), is intended solely for your
personal noncommercial home entertainment use. You may not
decompile, reverse engineer, or disassemble the Software, except as
permitted by law. Interplay Productions and Outrage Entertainment,
Inc. retain all rights and title in the Software including all
intellectual property rights embodied therein and derivatives
thereof. You are granted a revocable, nonassignable limited license
to create derivative works of this Software solely for your own
personal noncommercial home entertainment use and may publicly
display such derivative works to the extent specifically authorized
by Interplay in writing. A copy of this authorization, if any, will
be provided on Interplay's World Wide Web site, located at
http://www.interplay.com, or by contacting the legal department of
Interplay Productions in the US at (949) 553-6655. The Software,
including, without limitation, all code, data structures, characters,
images, sounds, text, screens, game play, derivative works and all
other elements of the Software may not be copied (except as provided
below), resold, rented, leased, distributed (electronically or
otherwise), used on pay-per-play, coin-op or other for-charge basis,
or for any commercial purpose. Any permissions granted herein are
provided on a temporary basis and can be withdrawn by Interplay
Productions at any time. All rights not expressly granted are
reserved.
Modem and Network Play. If the Software contains modem or network
play, you may play the Software via modem transmission with another
person or persons directly without transmission through a third party
service or indirectly through a third party service only if such
service is an authorized licensee of Interplay. For the purposes of
this license, a third party service refers to any third party service
which provides a connection between two or more users of the
Software, manages, organizes, or facilitates game play, translates
protocols, or otherwise provides a service which commercially
exploits the Software, but does not include a third party service
which merely provides a telephonic connection (and nothing more) for
modem or network play. Authorized licensee services are listed on
the Interplay Productions World Wide Web Site located at
http://www.interplay.com. This limited right to transmit the Software
expressly excludes any transmission of the Software or any data
streams thereof on a commercial basis, including, without limitation,
transmitting the Software by way of a commercial service (excepting
those specific commercial services licensed by Interplay) which
translates the protocols or manages or organizes game play sessions.
If you would like information about obtaining a pay-for-play or
commercial license to the Software, please contact Interplay
Productions in the US at +(949) 553-6655. Nothing in this paragraph
is intended to prevent you from downloading the Software from
Interplay's Web site or from commercial service providers authorized
by Interplay to provide the Software to you.
Acceptance of License Terms. By downloading or acquiring and then
retaining this Software, you assent to the terms and restrictions of
this limited license. If you acquired the Software and do not accept
the terms of this limited license, you must return the Software
together with all packaging, manuals and other material contained
therein to the store where you acquired the Software for a full
refund and if you downloaded the Software, you must delete it.
Trademark and copyright (c) 1999 Interplay Productions and Outrage
Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved.