Imperialism(tm) II: Age of Exploration(tm) US Demo Version 1.1 ReadMe
Windows(R) 95 or Windows 98
December 21, 1998
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Installation
III. Requirements
IV. What's new in this version of the demo
V. Troubleshooting
VI. How to Contact Technical Support
VII. Copyright Information
I. Introduction
Thank you for downloading the Imperialism II: Age of Exploration Demo. Imperialism was developed in response to thousands of requests to expand the gaming system in the original Imperialism(tm). Almost a year later, the result is a greatly enhanced game system with lots of new content, exploration of the New World, deeper game play, enhanced tactical combat system, greater multiplayer appeal (not available in demo), and an upgraded AI system. All the while, we've worked hard to make the game easier to learn and play.
Imperialism II: Age of Exploration is a turn-based strategy game set in the time of the exploration and conquest of the New World. In this sequel to the critically acclaimed game Imperialism, you take on the role of one of the European Great Powers. Your goal is to dominate Europe, your tools are conquest and diplomacy.
The riches and exotic resources of the New World are there to be discovered, the key is to exploit them effectively. You can become a great conqueror, in the tradition of Cortez. Or you can do business with the natives, and shield them from the other Great Powers.
Whichever strategy you pursue, you will need to build a strong economy. Develop what you can internally, trade for the rest on the world market (but watch out for pirates). Build a good labor force. Try to get ahead in the technology race (get those spies out there). And don't forget a strong military, for only a mighty nation can unite Europe under one flag.
In this demo you will be able to play the tutorial scenario that will allow you basic access to all of the major portions of the game; Trade, Diplomacy, Combat, Industrial Expansion, Research, Exploration, and Empire Building. For more detailed information on specific units (civilian and military), technologies, tips, hints, and final feature set please visit our website at www.imperialismii.com
II. Installation
PC
1. Unzip the Imp2Demo_v1_1.exe file by double clicking on it (this file is a self extracting file). You should be prompted to determine the location of where the extracted files will be decompressed to. (note: By default it will be within the folder/directory that the Imp2Demo.exe file is located within.)
2. Once the files are unzipped, double click on the file named "Setup.exe".
3. Follow the on screen instructions in the installer that will guide you through the installation process.
4. Once you've completed the installation of the Imperialism II Demo, you can manually delete the Imp2Demo_v1_1.exe file and the uncompressed install files. While this is not required, it will free up hard drive space.
MAC
1. Double click on the "Install Imperialism II Demo" file.
2. Follow the on screen instructions
III. Requirements*
PC
WINDOWS 95 or Windows 98
133MHz Pentium(R) or faster (200MHz or better recommended)
16MB RAM (32 MB or better recommended)
100MB of free space on hard disk
Video card capable of 800x600 display, 16 bit color
Video and Sound cards compatible with DirectX 6.1** or higher
DirectX 6.1 or higher loaded on your system (You will be offered an opportunity to install DirectX 6.1 during the main game installation, or it can be installed at a later time from the Imperialism II CD)
*System Configuration: May require minor adjustments to the configuration of your operating system and/or updates to the hardware component drivers.
**If you experience problems with the installation or compatibility of DirectX on your machine, please consult the hardware manufacturers of your video or sound card for the latest drivers compatible with DirectX. You may also want to check Microsoft's Web page for more information.
MAC
System 7.6 or higher (System 8.5.1 recommended)
Power PC (604 processor or above recommended), works with iMac(tm)
32MB of RAM (17.5MB minimum free)
100 MB of free space on hard disk
Video card capable of 800x600 display, 16 bit color
QuickTime 3.02 or higher
IV. What's new in this version of the demo
1. Based on user feedback we've added several new tutorial chapters, including; "How to use Merchants", "Oversea's Profits", and broken up several other chapters into smaller more specific sections.
2. Extended the amount of time that the user can play the tutorial until the year 1585.
3. Updated the interface to match the final shipping game.
4. Various bug fixes
V. Troubleshooting
PC
Problem: I have installed the Imperialism II demo but it will not run.
Solution: Make sure that you have a current version of DirectX installed on your system. Direct X 6.1 is required to run Imperialism II, it is not included as part of the demo, but can be down loaded at Microsoft's site www.microsoft.com.
Problem: I am running into problems with graphics, such as graphic glitches, palette flashes, desktop corruption, poor cursor response or the game hanging upon exit. How can I fix this?
Solution: While Imperialism II Demo and DirectX should automatically reset the screen resolution and bit depth of your computer to 800x600x16 bit, on some systems it's necessary to manually change your video setting. To do this right-click on your desktop, select "Properties", then the "Settings" tab. Change the "Colors" option to "High Color (16 bit)", and the "Screen Area" slider to "800 by 600 pixels". Restart your system if required.
Problem: The Windows 95/98 Taskbar remains "on top" of Imperialism II Demo's main interface after the game has been started.
Solution: Right-click on your Windows 95/98 Taskbar, select "Properties". Make sure the "Always on top" option is unselected.
Problem: I'm having problems with my sound card or don't have one, is there anything I can do?
Solution: Yes. The Imperialism II Demo does requires a sound card with current DirectX drivers to run properly. You should contact your sound card manufacturer and/or Microsoft to make sure you have the latest drivers and version of DirectX. SSI does not supply drivers or information for hardware.
MAC
Problem: From within Imperialism II, how can I get back to the "Finder/Mac desktop"?
Solution: Click on the upper right corner to gain access to the Finder menu.
Problem: Imperialism II is running slowly.
Solution: Check to make sure you have enough available free Random Access Memory (RAM). the Imperialism II Demo requires at least 15.5MB of free RAM to play properly, this total can include Virtual Memory, but performance will be best if Virtual Memory is turned off. (Note: If you have more RAM, try allocating additional RAM to the "Preferred Size" setting for the Imperialism II application.)
VI. How To Contact Technical Support
If you have worked through these troubleshooting suggestions and still need assistance, you can contact SSI Technical Support by using the options listed below. If calling our tech support group it will be very helpful if you can tell us your computer make and model, and the brand names of both the video card and sound card you are using. If possible, have the computer both positioned near your phone and turned on. Please also be prepared to give us a detailed description of what happens when you try to run the program.
You can contact us in any of the following ways:
Online Support Request Form: http://feedback.learningco.com/forms/support_form.asp
Automated 24-hour Technical Support Service: 800-409-1497
24 Hour Fax: 319-395-9600
Technical Support Call Center: 319-247-3333
Business Hours: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Mailing Address
The Learning Company
1700 Progress Drive
PO Box 100
Hiawatha, IA 52233-0100 USA
Attn: Imperialism II
VI. VI. Copyright Information
(c) 1998 Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI), a The Learning Company company. All Rights
Reserved. Imperialism is a trademark of SSI. Imperialism II: Age of Exploration, Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI), and The Learning Company are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of The Learning Company, Inc. Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI) a division of The Learning Company, Inc. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation, Inc. All other company and/or product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers.
