PC Player Special 1997 #1/PC-Player - Special - 1997-01.iso/PATCHES/MECH2/2/NM10_5.BIN/NETINFO.TXT

Text File | 1996-06-13 | 18.2 KB | 469 lines

--- NETMECH DOS TECHNICAL HELP


Introduction

Quick Solutions: Top Questions Answered

Minimum System Requirements
Pre-installation Information
Installing NetMech DOS

Playing NetMech DOS
Playing NetMech DOS in Windows 95
Finding Other MechWarriors for Modem Games

Performance
Network
Modems
Input Devices
Memory
Video
Audio
Cockpit Controls

Customer Support
Vendor List  (Only in NETINFO.HLP)
Credits


Please note that customer support for NetMech for DOS will be available
via our online services only.

------------------------------------------------------------------
--- INTRODUCTION

Welcome to NetMech DOS!

This troubleshooting guide contains tips and tricks we learned during the
months we play-tested NetMech DOS.  We hope it will help you solve any
problems that come up when you are installing or using NetMech DOS

If the problem you are having isn't covered in this guide, try downloading a
more recent version; we will continue to update it as we learn more.  If you
already have the latest version, and still can't find a solution for your
problem, try posting a question in one of our online forums, or sending us
electronic mail.  (See Customer Support below.)


This troubleshooting guide can be read as a text file (NETINFO.TXT) or as
a Microsoft Help file (NETINFO.HLP).
For the User's Guide that describes how to use NetMech DOS after
installation, read the companion file NETMECH.TXT (in Help, you can do
this by clicking on the Guide button above).

Please feel free to send comments or feedback to us via the online forums
or e-mail; it will help us improve this guide and our products.

------------------------------------------------------------------
--- QUICK SOLUTIONS: TOP QUESTIONS ANSWERED


Problems loading the game:

Several of the answers below will mention VESA drivers.  These are
usually TSR programs which are loaded in AUTOEXEC.BAT or from the
DOS prompt.  Many video cards come with a VESA driver that you can
load. For example, ATI Mach 32 video cards include VVESA.COM.
Consult your video card manual for more information.  See also the section
titled "Video" below.
If your card didn't come with a VESA driver, you can try one from a third
party.  The VESA driver we recommend is called UniVBE, the Universal
Video BIOS Extension. It is a common shareware program, made by
SciTech software, which can be downloaded from our BBS, SciTech
Software's web page (http://www.scitechsoft.com), or commercial online
services. You can contact SciTech Software directly for more information
at [phone].


After typing MECH2 at the DOS prompt, the screen goes blank for a
second and then returns to the DOS prompt.

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


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

You may have run out of disk space!  If this happens, make sure you have
four or so megabytes of free disk space when starting NetMech.  (This only
matters if you are running low on memory in Win95, and the operating
system tries to use hard disk space to substitute for RAM.)

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

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


If you are sure that this message is not caused by your video card, you can
try making a boot disk using the menu option in MW2SETUP.EXE located
in the directory where you installed the game. The boot disk program will
copy your startup files to a floppy disk and attempt to make necessary
changes to the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files. If you have
problems with your boot disk and need help, it is best to contact us by fax
or e-mail. Include information about any error messages caused by the boot
disk and your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files.


I am trying to load NetMech DOS, but it takes a long time to load. Is there
something I can do to speed up this process?

NetMech usually takes anywhere from 10-30 seconds to load. If NetMech
is taking an exceedingly long time to load, try disabling any virus scan
programs.


To disable a virus scan program from DOS:
You must edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Type REM in front of the line
in the AUTOEXEC.BAT that contains the virus program. For further
instructions consult the manual that came with your virus scan program.

To disable a virus scan program from Windows 95:
Right-click on the Virus Scan icon on your taskbar. Choose Disable.


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

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


I get a Divide Overflow error when launching into missions.

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


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

This problem can also be caused by multiple joystick ports. Most sound
cards include a game port where you can connect a joystick to your
computer. In addition, many systems also have a dedicated game port or a
game port on an I/O card. If you have more than 1 game port, only one
should be enabled. Many ports can be deactivated with a utility program
included in the software. Consult your user's manuals or contact your
system manufacturer on how to disable an active port.


We have also found this message can be caused by the digital mode driver
for the Microsoft Sidewinder 3D Pro. This can be solved by using the
analog mode of the joystick.


Problems Joining Games:

NetMech doesn't allow me to join a game.  Why?

Continue to click on the Join button, or back out of the Rooms screen and
then go back in.  If you still can't join, perhaps that game is full; only 8
players are allowed in a game.

If there are less than 7 players in the game, it could be a network problem,
and you should check your network cards and drivers for problems.  In
particular, parallel port Ethernet adapters seem to have trouble in real mode
DOS 7.0 or DOS 6.22, and are not supported with NetMech DOS. (They
seem to work in a Windows 95 DOS box.)


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

There are several possibilities:


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

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


Problems Uninstalling:

I want to delete NetMech DOS, but keep MechWarrior 2 DOS.

If you installed NetMech DOS in the same directory as MechWarrior 2
DOS, you must delete the entire directory and reinstall MechWarrior 2
DOS. Remember to save the MEK subdirectory if you want to save your
custom 'Mechs, and the GIDDI subdirectory to maintain your custom
joystick configurations.


Problems Installing:

I have MechWarrior 2 DOS v.1.0 plus the v1.1 patch. Is it okay to install
the patch after installing NetMech?


No. You should install MechWarrior 2 DOS first, then the patch (if
needed), then NetMech DOS. Installing in a  different order may cause
some function keys to stop working and may cause other problems.

------------------------------------------------------------------


--- MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

*    100% IBM PC-compatible computer
*    486DX2/66MHz processor

*    8 MB RAM (7 MB of free extended memory)
*    Double-speed CD-ROM drive (300K/second sustained transfer rate)
*    30 MB of uncompressed hard disk space
*    VESA local bus or PCI video card
*    256 color SVGA (640 x 480)
*       Microsoft MS-DOS 6.22 operating system
*    100% Microsoft-compatible mouse and driver
*    100% Sound Blaster-compatible sound card
*    Dedicated game card highly recommended for joystick
*    One of the following:
*    Novell Network
*    Novell Compatible IPX network (e.g., Windows 95)
*    100 % Hayes/MS-DOS-compatible modem (9600 bps for head-to-
    head play.  14,400 bps  is recommended.)
*    Null-modem cable and serial port with 16550 UART


Note:  Original MechWarrior 2 (DOS or Win95) disc required to host a
game.

Supported Input Devices:  Analog joystick, CH Flightstick, Thrustmaster
FCS, Microsoft SideWinder (CH Flightstick mode).  If NetMech DOS is
loaded into an existing MechWarrior 2 DOS directory, NetMech can use all
configured and customized input devices that MechWarrior 2 DOS
supports.


------------------------------------------------------------------
--- PRE-INSTALLATION INFORMATION


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


Hard Disk

The game requires 30 MB of UN-compressed free disk space. NetMech will
not work properly using compressed hard disk space (such as Stacker and
DoubleSpace).


Memory

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


Other Operating Systems and Windows 95

NetMech requires MS-DOS 6.0 or later. Other operating systems (e.g.,
OS/2 Warp and Windows NT) are not supported. Although NetMech might
work just fine with them, we have not tested thoroughly with them. If you
have a problem using unsupported operating systems it is best to contact the
operating system company to try and work out compatibility issues. Please
check Activision's online forums on a regular basis for future updates on
NetMech compatibility issues.


A special note for Windows 95 users: NetMech is a DOS program, but has
been tested successfully under Windows 95. In your NetMech directory,
we've provided a Windows 95 shortcut that you can double-click to start
NetMech.


VESA Video Drivers

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

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


------------------------------------------------------------------
--- INSTALLING NETMECH DOS

First, make sure you have 30 megabytes of free uncompressed hard disk
space.


Second, if you are running Windows, close all running programs. You can
close a program by clicking on the close button (X) located in the top right-
hand corner of each of its windows. Also close programs listed on the
taskbar. Do this by right-clicking on a program's button and selecting Close.


Third, if you downloaded the self-extracting executable, unpack and run the
installer.  (For these instructions, we will assume that you have downloaded
it to the C:\TEMP folder.)


Under Windows 95,
1. Click on the Start button on your Windows 95 taskbar.
2. Select Run, then type C:\TEMP\NM10 and click the OK button.
   This will take some time.
3. Click on the Start button on your Windows 95 taskbar.
4. Select Run, then type C:\MECH2\INSTALL.BAT and click the OK
   button.

Under DOS,
1. At the DOS prompt, type CD \TEMP and press Enter
2. At the DOS prompt, type NM10 and press Enter.  This will take
   some time.
3. At the DOS prompt, type CD \MECH2 and press Enter.
4. At the DOS prompt, type INSTALL.BAT and press Enter.


Or, if you purchased a NetMech DOS CD-ROM, insert it into your CD-
ROM drive (for these instructions, we will assume that your CD drive is
drive D:) and run the installer.

Under Windows 95,
1. Click on the Start button on your Windows 95 taskbar.
2. Select Run, then type D:\INSTALL and click the OK button.

Under DOS,
1. At the DOS prompt, type D: and press Enter.
2. At the D:\> prompt, type INSTALL and press Enter.


Follow the on-screen instructions carefully.  (For instance, if you don't
have the CD-ROM, the installer will prompt you to press 'F'.)

On a 486/66, the installer can take up to 25 seconds to load, so be patient.

(To abort the installation process, type Ctrl+X. Make sure you first delete
the NetMech DOS directory and its subdirectories, if created, before
reinstalling. Note: If you want to save any customized 'Mechs, be sure to
copy the MEK folder onto a floppy disk before deleting the NetMech DOS
directory.)

The installer will first check to make sure you have enough memory.  You
need about 400k of free DOS memory to run it.  (If you don't have enough,
try commenting out a TSR (e.g. MSCDEX) in autoexec.bat temporarily.)
You need about 6,900k of free XMS memory to run NetMech DOS.

(If you don't have enough, try commenting out the SMARTDRV line in
autoexec.bat.)
If you get the warning message that you are below the required amount,
you will probably be able to install anyway. At the end of the installation
process, you will be given the opportunity to create a boot disk to help in
freeing up more main memory (RAM).



The installer then asks you to tell it what sound card you have. It will
attempt to detect your sound configuration automatically and select the
appropriate drivers. However, on some systems you may need to choose
your sound card manually from the list provided. The Installer will then try
to verify the presence of that sound card in your system. If your sound card
is not shown and is 100% Sound Blaster-compatible, you should be able to
select the Creative Labs Sound Blaster or 100% compatible driver to hear
sound and music in the game. When you are finished selecting the proper
sound devices, select Accept Settings and press Enter.


If you're installing from CD-ROM, the installer then copies NetMech files
to your hard drive. The Installer will automatically install all the files
necessary for IPX, modem and null-modem play.


After the game is installed, you will be presented with the option to register
your copy of NetMech via our online registration system. If you live in
North America, and have a modem connected to your computer, registering
your purchase of NetMech is very easy, quick and toll-free. By registering,
you might win some cool stuff as well. All you have to do is fill in the
requested information (basically your address plus a couple of other
questions). Once you have finished, select SEND and your registration
information will be sent to us via our toll-free 800 number. Of course, if
you want to register later, just select BYPASS. Please only register once. If
you successfully use the online registration method, there is no need to mail
in the enclosed registration card.


Finally, you will be asked if you wish to make a boot disk. This procedure
requires that you insert a disk into your A: drive. Please verify that you
have created a backup of the contents of this disk, since this process will
erase all data on it. Also, use a high-density disk. When the formatting
process is complete and you have typed in a volume label for the boot disk,
you will be asked if you want to format another; type N for no and press
Enter.
NOTE: The game's boot disk maker utility was designed for systems using
DOS as their operating system, and is usually not needed with Windows 95.


If installing from Windows, close the installer window by clicking on the
close button (X) located in the top right-hand corner of the DOS box
window.


If installing from DOS, you will be returned to the directory in which
NetMech was installed. To begin your NetMech experience, type
NETMECH and press Enter.



------------------------------------------------------------------


--- POST-INSTALLATION NOTES

After installing NetMech, it is easy to change your sound device
configurations, view the README file, make a boot disk or register
NetMech electronically (if you bypassed this step while installing).
The program NETSETUP does of all these things.
Just go to the NetMech directory on your hard drive, type NETSETUP and
press Enter. This will launch a program that will allow you to do all of
these things.

Under Windows 95,
1. Click on the Start button on your Windows 95 taskbar.
2. Select Run, then type C:\MECH2\NETSETUP and click the OK button.

Under DOS,
1. At the DOS prompt, type CD \MECH2 and press Enter.
2. At the DOS prompt, type NETSETUP and press Enter.


What if I run into trouble running NetMech under Windows 95?

If the above process does not work for you, click on the Start icon, choose
Shutdown and restart the computer in MS-DOS mode. At the MS-DOS
prompt, go to the directory where you installed NetMech (default is
MECH2) and from the NetMech directory type NETMECH and press Enter
to start the game.

------------------------------------------------------------------

--- PLAYING NETMECH DOS


Can I use Ghost Bear 'Mechs in this version of NetMech?

Ghost Bear 'Mechs are not available in NetMech DOS, but will be available
in the upcoming MechWarrior 2 Mercenaries.


The actual distance a weapon fires is not the same as the stated distance in