Copyright: Copyright ®Activision 1998


3D Accelerator Problems

"As soon as I launch a mission, BattleZone crashes."

"I'm able to launch into missions, but BattleZone crashes during gameplay."

"When I launch missions, the colors are all messed up."

"I'm playing in wire-frame (low-light) mode and BattleZone crashes."

"Gameplay is choppy."

"My screen flickers like crazy when I launch a mission."

All of these problems may be caused by obsolete drivers for your 3D accelerator card.

You'll need to contact your board manufacturer directly for up-to-date drivers. Be aware that not all 3D accelerator cards support DirectX 5. If you have a board that isn't 100% DirectX 5 compatible, you will need to play BattleZone in software mode. This can be set manually within the game in the Graphics Option menu, by switching '3D Acceleration' to on or off.

If you are using an NEC PowerVR-based bard, you may need to disable the HAL (hardware abstraction layer) to make BattleZone work. Contact your manufacturer for instructions.

"I'm using a Rendition-based accelerator card on a 16MB computer. The game pauses periodically during gameplay."

Since Rendition-based accelerators use some of your computer's RAM to hold textures, you might experience pauses during gameplay on 16MB systems. The solution for this is to upgrade the amount of memory in your computer.

"I have a 3D accelerator card, but gameplay is still choppy."

This can be caused by using old drivers (see the section above). If you're sure you have the latest drivers, performance may be limited by your processor. If you are using an Intel-based or AMD-based computer that is 133mhz or slower, or a Cyrix-based computer that is 200mhz or slower, your frame-rate is being hindered by your processor. BattleZone conducts a lot of math operations using floating-point format, and when the screen is full of detail, frame-rates will diminish.


3D accelerator cards supported by BattleZone

The following video cards and chipsets were tested and are supported by BattleZone:

NOTE:	This is a partial list based on the information available to us at this time. The information is subject to change as new cards are released.

3Dfx Voodoo Graphics

•	Deltron RealVision Flash 3D

•	Diamond Monster 3D

•	Orchid Righteous 3D

•	Canopus Pure 3D

3Dfx Voodoo Rush

•	Hercules Stingray 128 3D

•	Intergraph Intense 3D Voodoo

•	Jazz Adrenaline Rush 3D

Rendition Vérité 1000-based

•	Sierra On-Line Screamin’ 3D

•	Canopus Total 3D

•	Creative Labs 3D Blaster

•	Intergraph Intense 3D 100

Nvidea Riva 128 Based

•	STB Velocity 128

•	Diamond Viper 330

ATI 3D Rage Pro Based

•	XPERT @Work

•	XPERT @Play


AWE-64 Gold and Video Problems

We have found that the AWE-64 can cause video problems if you do not have the most current drivers for this sound card. Please update your drivers by contacting Creative Labs.


Before The Installation

•	This game uses Microsoft DirectX 5 video and audio drivers. It is important that you check with your audio and video card manufacturer to determine if your hardware will support DirectX. Please see the DirectX 5 sections in this file for more information.

•	This game should not be installed to a compressed drive.

•	Please make sure your computer system is 100% Windows 95 compatible; BattleZone is not compatible with Windows 3.1.

•	To operate best, BattleZone requires that your system have the latest Windows 95 32-bit drivers for your CD-ROM drive, sound, and video card. If you have any problems running the program, outdated drivers are the most likely cause.

•	If you need help obtaining the latest sound and video drivers, check out the Vendor List.


Color Settings

This game utilizes the Direct Draw libraries of Microsoft's DirectX. Some video cards do not yet have driver support for Direct Draw. Updated drivers are being developed by manufacturers to remedy this. To obtain information on these updates, contact your Video Card Manufacturer and download their latest DirectX drivers for your video card. If you are not sure about your video card or its capabilities, please refer to the section called Check Your Display Type Settings for more information, or contact your Video Card Manufacturer.


Common Audio Problems

IMPORTANT NOTE: You may encounter choppy gameplay if your sound card is not 100% Sound Blaster 16 compatible. 8 bit sound cards are not supported with this game (e.g. Sound Blaster and Sound Blaster PRO compatible). Also, the following sound cards may not fully support DirectX:

Yamaha OPL3 series

AD (Analog Devices)

Sound 2

Ensoniq (Gateway 2000)

IBM's MWAVE

Compaq's ESS

You may want to contact your sound card manufacturer to see if your card is 100% Sound Blaster 16 compatible.

Half of the problems with sound cards are remedied by obtaining the latest sound card drivers. We highly recommend updating drivers, which is usually free and easy to do. You can contact your sound card manufacturer for details.

Game Specific:

The sounds are distorted and/or the movies are choppy. What can I do?

I have a Media Vision Pro Audio Spectrum 16. The sound and movies are choppy. What should I do?

I have an Aztec Sound card and the sound effects will drop out, but the music will keep playing.

General:

Installing a new sound card.

I just installed a new sound card. How come I’m not getting any sound?

Checking Your Sound Card For Conflicting Settings.

I have only partial or no sound when running the game.

I have a Diamond Telecommander sound/modem card and it does not work with the game. What do I do?

I have a Packard Bell with little and/or no sound when playing the game.

I have an Advanced Gravis UltraSound ACE and I am experiencing severe lock-up problems.

Why is the sound fuzzy on my Sound Blaster Pro 2 sound card?


Common CD-ROM Problems

If you encounter any CD-ROM drive problems, make sure you have the latest 32-bit CD-ROM drivers installed. Most problems are the result of 16-bit CD-ROM drivers. To see if your computer is using 16-bit drivers, follow these steps:

1.	Right mouse click on MY COMPUTER

2.	Choose Properties

3.	Select the Performance tab

If File System does not state "32-bit", then you need to update your CD-ROM drivers. Please contact your CD-ROM drive manufacturer for details.


Common Input Device Problems

Game Specific:

How do I set up my joystick or game pad?

My two button joystick does not seem to work. What’s going on?

General:

General Troubleshooting for Joysticks and Game Pads

Joystick Calibration

Mouse


Common Video Card Problems

Many of the problems with video cards are remedied by installing newer video card drivers. This is highly recommended and is usually free and easy to do. Contact your video card manufacturer for details.

Game Specific:

I have an AWE-64 Gold and I am experiencing video problems. What should I do?

When I launch into the game, the screen goes black and freezes.

Why do I have wavy lines across my screen when I play the game?

How do I set my display for 256 Color?

As soon as I launch a mission, BattleZone crashes.

I'm able to launch into missions, but BattleZone crashes during gameplay.

When I launch missions, the colors are all messed up.

I'm playing in wire-frame (low-light) mode and BattleZone crashes.

Gameplay is choppy.

My screen flickers like crazy when I launch a mission.

I'm using a Rendition-based accelerator card on a 16MB computer. The game pauses periodically during gameplay.

I have a 3D accelerator card, but gameplay is still choppy.

Why are all the graphics so simple looking?

When I launch missions, the colors are all messed up.

My cursor flashes when I move it around.

As I move my cursor, the Windows desktop shows through the screen.

During the mission, I can see the Windows cursor or the Windows hourglass.

I have a Tseng Labs 4000 PCI video card. In 640 Software mode, when I enter a mission, the Windows hourglass cursor is visible.

General:

The images are very choppy and slow while playing the game.

I installed a new video card, and the game doesn't look right. What do I do?

Changing the standard Windows 95 cursors or desktop theme causes video corruption.

When I launch the game from the title screen or from the taskbar, my screen stays blank and the game doesn't start. What should I do?

Game graphics are faded and/or strange in appearance.

The fonts are too large and/or extend off the screen.


Credits

BattleZone

Production

Director

Andrew Goldman

Producer

Mike Arkin

Asset Coordinator

Mathew Paul

Design

Lead Designer

George Collins

Mission Designer

William Stahl

Mission Designer

Jens Anderson

Programming

Lead Programmer

Brad Pickering

Game Programmer

Ken Miller

Network Programmer

Jerry Waldorf

Shell Programmer

Linus Chen

Graphics Engine Programmer

George Sutty

Additional AI Programming by

Ian Davis

Art

Artist Director

Kino

Lead Artist

Carey Chico

2D Artist

Willie Rosas

2D Artist

Rick Sanchez

3D Artist

Robert DePalma

Additional 3D art by

Larry Paolicelli

Director of Production, Strategy Group

Josh Resnick

Audio

Composer

Jeehun Hwang

Sound Design by

Big Fat Kitty Productions

Casting by

Charles Devres

Voice Talent

Steven Jay Blum

Phil Proctor

Doug Stone

Wendy E Cuther

Larry Moss

Steve Bulen

Intro Movie

Director/Producer

Ron Gould

Story

Veronica Milito

Editor

Chris Hepburn

CGI By

Creat Studios

Audio mix

Brian Bright

Marketing

Marketing Product Manager

Peter Karpas

Associate Product Manager

Maria Zajac

Marketing Associate

Rachel Silverstein

Manual

Writer/Layout

Belinda VanSickle

Layout

Sylvia Orzel

Documentation Manager

Michael Rivera

Installer & Splash Screen

Associate Producer

Adam Goldberg

Production Coordinator

Kevin Cohen

Production Coordinator, Technical Help files

Jason Feffer

Programmer

Mason Deming

Production Coordinator

Tanya Martino

ActivLink

Producer

Mark Lamia

Associate Producer

Rick Baumgartner

Senior Programmer

Dan Kegel

Programmer

Anita Lee

Localization

Associate Producer

Brian Diggs

Project Coordinator

Nicky Kerth

Quality Assurance

QA Project Lead

Curtis Shenton

Senior QA Project Lead

Eric Zala

QA Test Team

Chris Keim

Todd Jefferson

Emily Moher

Aaron Gray

Michael Smith

Ian Stevens

Clay Retzer

Director of QA & Customer Support

Jim Summers

QA Manager

Dave Arnspiger

QA External Test Coordinator

Jonathon Moses

Internal BetaTesters

Huisok Pyon

Daiva Venckus

Neil Barizo

Karl Meissner

John Heinecke

John Roussey

James Szyszko

Ryan Higa

Chacko Sonny

Tim McMahon

James Farley

Dave Osper

Dustin Browder

Jeff Jorczak

Scott Lahman

William Westwater

Larry Galka

Alex Stein

Marilena Morini

David Georgeson

Sean Dunn

Philippe Erwin

Michael Douglas

External Beta Testers

Marc Baime

David Barron

Joseph Bott

Jonathan Brook

Myron Chen

Tony Chung

Anne Marie Clogston

John Corneau

Maxwell DeChant

Danny Elias

David Finan

Daniell Freed

Cody Galey

Darin Genereux

Khouri Girodano

Alex Goldberg

Richard Grochowski

Eugene Hamai

Philip Hansen

Clint Hastings

Toby Herman

Josh Horowitz

William & Lela Horton

Marc Hrossowyc

Dayvid Iannaci

Michael Patrick Johnson

Richard Kurnadi

Peter Lolley

Gary McCoy

Rich Meservy

Matthew Monaco

Bryan Nord

Reis Paluso

Lance Pickup

Tony Price

Raevyn Ralphs

Ken Rumsey

Eddie Sarphie

Joe Shackelford

Jeff Shaffer

Sean Skallerud

Dakota Smith

Zach Smolinski

Paul Spielbauer

Andrew Stein

Kevin Swisher

Chris Umali

Mark Valentine

Frank Walther

John Yan

Mike Zemina

Irene & Wayne Alora

Deidre Anderson

Nikita Bogolyubov

Andrew Bohne

Chris Chao

Adnan Chowdhury

James Dicken

Paul Dunlap

Michael Dwiel

Craig Edrington

Pany Haritatos

John Harris

Steve Holiday

Michael Johnson

Mark Kaelin

Ted Kao

Scott Kasai

Gregory Kinney

Eddie Klaynberg

Ron Kramer

Charles Little

Ryan Litton

John Mahlendorf

Dean O'Donnell

Joe Ruffolo

Brant Rusch

Jedd Snaid

Timothy Wilson

Dimitri Zelepuhin

Eric Zolnowski

Special Thanks

The entire I’76 team (original technology)

The entire Dark Reign team (strategic level AI)

Julio Juarez (programming inspiration)

Alan Gershenfeld (interim DP, and more then we have room to list)

Howard Marks (interim DP)

John Platten (writing)

Matt Harding

Dave Pass

Scott Lahman


DirectX
DirectX 5

During the game setup, the installation process will determine if Microsoft DirectX 5 needs to be installed on your computer. If so, the Microsoft DirectX 5 setup program will install the appropriate files on your computer. If you choose not to install DirectX 5, and you find that later you need to install DirectX 5, follow these directions. With the game disc in your CD-ROM drive, right mouse click the game's CD icon and select Install DirectX.

Who makes DirectX and how can I contact them?

Microsoft created DirectX. If this help file does not answer your DirectX questions, you may want to contact Microsoft via mail at:

Microsoft Customer Sales and Service

One Microsoft Way

Redmond, WA  98052-6399, USA

Microsoft can also be reached in the USA at (800) 426-9400, or internationally at +1(206) 882-8080.

Microsoft's DirectX web site is located at: http://premium.microsoft.com/Support/DirectX

What is DirectX and why do I need it?

Microsoft DirectX 5 is an API (Application Programming Interface) that increases the speed at which games play under the Windows 95 operating system. These APIs allow direct access to the enhanced features of hardware under Windows 95. With DirectX 5, a program has instant access to the hardware, allowing for great advances in graphics, sound, video, 3-D, and network capabilities of games.

Since Windows 95 and DirectX 5 are relatively new in the computer world and have not achieved compatibility with some older video cards, many manufacturers are releasing updated drivers for Windows 95 to meet the DirectX standard. If you are not sure about your video card's compatibility, consult the Vendor List for the company that makes your video card.

If the Microsoft DirectX Installer does not detect DirectX 5 on your computer, it will install DirectX 5 for you. After installation is complete, you will need to restart your computer in order for DirectX 5 to take effect.

If you have other Windows 95 games on your computer, chances are you already have an earlier version of DirectX installed on your computer. In this case, the Microsoft Installer will overwrite that version with DirectX 5. The DirectX installation process will then be complete. You will need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

If you already have DirectX 5 installed on your computer, the Microsoft DirectX 5 installer will detect it and not overwrite any DirectX 5 files. In this case, you will not need to restart your computer after installation in order to run the game.

DirectX 5 should not affect any titles designed for the earlier versions of DirectX. Should you encounter difficulties with DirectX 5, please contact Microsoft for further information.

How do I check to see if my computer supports DirectX?

1.	Place the disc in the CD-ROM drive and exit from any autoplay screens.

2.	Double-click My Computer.

3.	Right-click your CD-ROM drive and choose Install DirectX.

If any of the components of DirectX are not certified, please call your hardware manufacturer for the updated drivers that support DirectX.

I am having problems with running the game and think it might be related to my Direct X installation. What should I do?

If you experience problems running the game, try turning off the "Enable 3D Acceleration" option in the DirectX setup program. To disable 3D Acceleration, double click the dxsetup icon located in Program Files\DirectX\Setup. Uncheck the option for 3D acceleration in the middle of the DXSetup window.

You can also lower the "Graphic Hardware Accleration" slider bar in the System Properties found in the Control Panel.

I have heard DirectX is not compatible with some video cards. What can you tell me about that?

Windows 95 and DirectX are relatively new in the computer world and have not achieved compatibility with some older video cards. Many manufacturers are releasing updated drivers to meet the DirectX standard. If you are not sure about your video card's compatibility, consult the Vendor List for the company that makes your video card.

If I don't have DirectX, will the game install it for me?

Yes. If the Microsoft DirectX Installer does not detect DirectX on your computer, it will install DirectX for you. After installation is complete, you will need to restart your computer in order for DirectX to take effect.

How do I restore my video and/or audio drivers once DirectX has been installed?

1.	Place the disc in the CD-ROM drive and exit from any autoplay screens.

2.	Double-click My Computer.

3.	Right-click your CD-ROM drive and choose Install DirectX.

Choose the button that satisfies your need (e.g. Restore Audio drivers). This process will install your previous drivers and prompt you to restart Microsoft Windows.

I’m trying to install BattleZone, and the installer gives me an error box during DirectX setup. What’s going on?

If you did a custom install of Windows95, and did not install audio compression, you will see the aforementioned error box. Clicking the Cancel button three times after this box appears will allow installation to continue and game function will be unaffected.

Problems Relating to Specific Video Cards

The following manufacturers suggest running DirectX 5 with their products using the configurations listed below. If you need further assistance, please contact your video card manufacturer directly.

Diamond Multimedia

Stealth SE

Stealth 64 Graphics 2000

Stealth 64 Video 2000

Stealth 64 Video 3000

Stealth Video 2001

Stealth Video 2001\TV

Stealth Video 2500

Stealth 3D 2000

S3 Trio 64V+	(Images will appear very dark on some monitors when using this card)

If problems are encountered with the above Diamond Multimedia video cards, we recommend that you restore your video card drivers. Instructions are as follows:

1.	Place the game disc in the CD-ROM drive and exit from any autoplay screens.

2.	Double-click My Computer.

3.	Right-click your CD-ROM drive and choose Install DirectX.

4.	Click the button labeled Restore Video drivers.

Matrox Graphics

Matrox Millennium

Matrox Mystique

The Matrox Millennium card may not support the current version of Direct3D acceleration (which is enabled by DirectX by default). Even if the game does not use Direct3D, this card may have problems due to Direct3D being enabled. You can disable this feature from within the DirectX setup menu. Please follow these instructions to do so:

1.	Place the game disc in the CD-ROM drive and exit from any autoplay screens.

2.	Double-click on My Computer.

3.	Right-click on your CD-ROM drive and choose Install DirectX.

4.	Click on the box labeled Direct3D Hardware Acceleration Enabled to make this box empty. This will disable Direct3D.

5.	Click on the OK button.

At the time of creating this file, Matrox Mystique drivers version 3.70 were not 100% DirectX 5 certified. We recommend you contact Matrox for the most current DirectX 5 compatible drivers for this card. You may also try using driver version 3.63 with this card.

STB Systems

Powergraph 64 using Vision 95

We have experienced numerous problems with STB video cards running the STB Vision 95 set of display tools. If you experience any problems playing the game, please uninstall your STB Vision 95 display tools by reinstalling the STB drivers without the STB Vision 95 display tools .

ATI Technologies

Mach 64

If you experience problems running with an ATI Mach 64, click the Start Button and select Run, then type SYSTEM.INI. Click OK. Locate the section within the file labeled [Display] and add the line STRETCHENGINE=0

Example:

[Display]

STRETCHENGINE=0

Click File, then choose Save. Click File then choose Exit to leave your System Configuration editor. Reboot the system and try playing the game again.

Contact your video card manufacturer directly for further support or driver updates.


Electronic Registration

There are two ways to access the electronic registration for Windows 95:

1.	Select Register Now during the installation process.

2.	Insert the CD, then click on the Setup icon in the BZone folder. From the BattleZone title screen, click More. Then, click on Electronic Registration.


Exit the game

To exit the game properly, hit ESC and choose the menu option "Exit to Windows".


Graphics

Why are all the graphics so simple looking?

The installer has set all the graphics options to "off" or to "minimal". Go to the Graphics Option and change the settings to your desired configuration.

1.	From the main menu, click Options, then click Graphic Options.

2.	From within the sim, press ESC, then click Graphic Options.


How can I improve performance

If you are using an Intel-based or AMD-based computer that is 166mhz or slower, or a Cyrix-based computer that is 200mhz or slower, your frame-rate is being hindered by your processor. BattleZone conducts a lot of math operations using floating-point format, and when the screen is full of detail, frame-rates will diminish.

You may also try to improve game performance by using the following steps:

1.	Close all other programs while playing.

2.	Set Graphics Acceleration to maximum in your System Control Panel.

a.	Go to the Start menu on your taskbar. Select Settings · Control Panel.

b.	Double-click on the System icon.

c.	Click on the Performance tab.

d.	Click on the Graphics button.

e.	In the Graphics box, position the Hardware Acceleration slider to Full.

3.	Lower the graphics settings and/or switch off graphic options within the game.

a.	From the main menu, click Options, then click Graphic Options.

b.	From within the sim, press ESC, then click Graphic Options.

c.	Lower the resolution mode.

d.	Lower the detail settings.


How do I set up my joystick or game pad?

You must setup your joystick/gamepad in the Windows 95 Control Panel. Click Start on the taskbar, then Control Panel. Then click on Game Controllers. From here you can choose and calibrate your controller. If your controller does not appear on the list of available controllers, you must get the drivers from the manufacturer.


How to Start the Game

After installing the game, choose the START button and select PROGRAMS. Click on BattleZone Demo and choose BattleZone Demo. Once the title screen appears, click the PLAY button to launch BattleZone.


I have a Media Vision Pro Audio Spectrum 16. The sound and movies are choppy. What should I do?

The game requires a 100% Sound Blaster 16 compatible sound card. Your sound card meets the requirement, but is not working properly. Follow these instructions to allow your card to work in 16 bit mode:

(1)	Click on Start · Settings · Control Panel and double-click the Multimedia icon.

(2)	Make sure you are on the Audio tab.

(3)	Within the Playback section change the Preferred Device to "ProAudio Wave Out".

(4)	Click on the tab labeled Advanced.

(5)	Single-click the plus sign in front of "Audio Devices". This should expand the branch.

(6)	Single-click on the phrase "Audio for Sound Blaster Emulation" and click the Properties button.

(7)	Check-mark the boxes for "Do not use audio features on this device" and "Do not map through this device".

(8)	Click the Apply button and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

If you still encounter problems, contact Media Vision for more assistance.


Installing & Uninstalling the Game

Before the installation

Installing the Game - This contains installation instructions and information about this version.

Electronic Registration

Uninstalling the Game - Basic instructions on how to uninstall the game.

Common Installation Problems - Problems that might be encountered before and/or after installation.


Installing the Game

1.	Before installing, close all other applications. Also, make sure Virtual Memory (located in your System Control Panel under Performance) is not disabled.

2.	Double-click the Setup icon in the BZone folder and wait a few moments until the BattleZone title screen appears.

3.	Click the Install button to begin the installation process and follow the on-screen instructions.

4.	After BattleZone installation is complete, your computer will install Microsoft's DirectX 5 drivers if you do not already have them. After installation of DirectX 5 is complete, you will need to restart your computer for the new drivers to take effect. For more information on DirectX 5, see the DirectX 5 sections of this file.

5.	You can now run BattleZone by choosing Start · Programs · BattleZone Demo · BattleZone Demo from the Start menu.


Joysticks with two buttons not recognized

The control configuration for BattleZone assumes that you have a four button joystick. If you only have a joystick with two buttons, you need to map the commands corresponding to buttons three and four to your keyboard.


Keyboard Controls

Control

Q	Slow Forward

W	Forward

A	Strafe Left

S	Stop and Back

D	Strafe Right

F & mouse down	Pitch Up

C & mouse up	Pitch Down

Mouse left	Turn left

Mouse Right	Turn Right

E	Jump

Weapons

left mouse button	Fire Weapon

Right mouse button 	Select Weapon

F8 through F12	Select Hard Point

Ctrl & F8 through Ctrl & F12	Link Similar Hard Points

Views

Shift-F1	Cockpit View

Shift-F2	HUD only view

Shift-F3	Over Vehicle View

Shift-F4	External Camera view

Command Interface

Esc	Game Options Menu

1 through 9 and 0	Activate Command Interface Menus

Ctrl & Select Unit	Multiple Select Units

Space Bar	Issue Smart Reticule Command to Selected Unit

Alt	Select target

Tab 	Cancel Selected Command Menu

Shift	Mouse Control of Menu

Unit Grouping

Ctrl & F1 through Ctrl & F7	Map Selected Units to Quick Key

F1-F7 	Select Player Mapped Quick Key Group

Other

T	Target Enemy On/Off

T	Turn off Nav Beacon

N	Select Next Nav Beacon

I	Get information on object under reticule

H	Hop Out of Vehicle

Ctrl-B	Bail Out of Vehicle

K	Deploy/Undeploy deployable vehicles

Ctrl-C	Chat to another player in Multiplayer.

Pause	Pause game

Alt-x	Exit mission


Minimum System Requirements

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

Pentium® 90 MHz. (Pentium 166 Mhz recommended for 640x480 resolution with textures on)

U.S. version Microsoft® Windows 95 operating system

RAM: 16 MB (32 MB recommended)

100 MB of uncompressed hard disk space for installation

Double-speed CD-ROM drive (300 K/second sustained transfer rate)

16-bit High Color PCI or VLB video card with 1 MB RAM

100% Windows 95-compatible sound card and drivers

100% Windows 95-compatible mouse and driver

Joystick or gamepad optional

3D Cards - Optional Feature

This game uses Microsoft’s Direct 3D to support 3D hardware acceleration. For a list of cards known to work optimally with BattleZone, see the list of supported cards. For a more current list of the cards and drivers that have been tested, please visit www.activision.com.

NOTE:	BattleZone uses Microsoft DirectX 5 technology, and requires that your system have the most updated Windows 95-compatible drivers for CD-ROM, video card, sound card, modem, and input devices.

BattleZone may have trouble working with some 1993 or earlier Matsushita CD-ROM drives. These CD-ROM drives have trouble reading beyond 63 minutes on CDs, and BattleZone uses the full CD. These drives were sold under the names of Panasonic, JVC, Reveal, Creative Labs and Plextor. Gameplay may occasionally slow down and the CD-ROM drive will be accessed constantly. We highly recommend that you upgrade to a newer CD-ROM drive to avoid problems with other programs in the future.

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


Saving game to floppy

This is not recommended as your installation of BattleZone may or may not work with saved games from another computer.


Sound Problems

I have an Aztec Labs Sound card and the sound effects will drop out almost every mission, but the music will keep playing.

We have experienced problems with Aztec Labs sound cards while testing BattleZone. BattleZone uses DirectSound, so a fix for this problem may soon be provided in the form of updated drivers from Aztec Labs. Please contact Aztech Labs for updated drivers compatible with DirectX 5.0.


Supported Operating Systems

BattleZone has been fully tested using Windows 95.

The following operating systems are not supported:

Windows NT

Microsoft Windows 3.1x

MS-DOS 6.22 or higher

IBM OS/2 (All Varieties)


Table of Contents

These help files contain some information from the full version of the game that may not apply to this demo version.

Minimum System Requirements

Installing & Uninstalling the Game

How to Start the Game

Keyboard Controls

Troubleshooting - Where to go when you are having problems with the game.

Vendor List - A directory of hardware/software companies for compatibility issues.

Credits - The people who made this game possible.


Taskbar Always on Top

If you experience a problem with the Taskbar showing up during the game, please see the Microsoft Help subject on "Configuring the Taskbar".


The sounds are distorted and/or the movies are choppy. What can I do?

You may encounter choppy game play if your sound card is not 100% Sound Blaster 16 compatible. 8 bit sound cards are not supported with this game (e.g. Sound Blaster and Sound Blaster PRO compatible). You may want to contact your sound card manufacturer to see if your card is 100% Sound Blaster 16 compatible.

If you are fully confident that your sound card is 100% Sound Blaster 16 compatible you should acquire the most updated sound card drivers available. This is highly recommended and is usually free and easy to do. You can contact your sound card manufacturer for details.

You may also encounter choppy movies if your CD-ROM drive is not at least a quad-speed drive.


The taskbar hides a portion of the game window. Can I fix this?

This can happen if your taskbar is always on top. You can hide the taskbar by right-clicking on it and selecting Properties. Turn on Auto Hide and turn off Always on Top. The taskbar will hide when it is not used. To make the taskbar reappear, place your mouse in the area where the taskbar once was and it will appear.


Troubleshooting

Activision thoroughly tests its games on a variety of systems before they are released, but it is virtually impossible to test on all combinations of software and hardware. Many of the issues you may encounter in Windows 95 are caused by device drivers for video cards, sound cards, and CD-ROM drives that are not fully compatible with the Windows 95 operating system and/or DirectX. The following troubleshooting tips are intended to assist you in resolving some of the common issues that occur with the Windows 95 operating system and the game.

General Topic Areas

Audio

Autoplay

CD-ROM

DirectX 5

Input Devices	(e.g. mouse, joystick, or gamepads).

Installation

Power Saver Functions

Video

Problems & Solutions

Can I run BattleZone on Windows 3.1, Windows NT or OS/2?

Can I save my games to a floppy disk and use them on another computer with BattleZone?

Why does the game sometimes quit to the desktop?

The taskbar hides a portion of the game window. Can I fix this?

My screen saver operates slowly while the game is running. What can I do?

The fonts on my game screen are too large and extend off the screen. Why is this happening?

Ctrl-Alt-Del locks up my system.

How can I improve performance?

Where do I go for game updates and/or patches?


Tseng Labs 4000 PCI video card

I have a Tseng Labs 4000 PCI video card. In 640 Software mode, when I enter a mission, the Windows hourglass cursor is visible.

This is a known driver problem with the Tseng Labs 4000 PCI video card. Contact Tseng Labs for the latest drivers, which should fix the problem.


Uninstalling the Game

How to uninstall BattleZone:

The Uninstall option in BattleZone allows the game to remove itself completely from your hard drive. From the Start button, go to Programs · BattleZone · BattleZone Uninstall and follow the Uninstaller instructions.

NOTE: You should always uninstall the game with the Uninstaller provided.

If you remove the game from your hard drive by dragging your BattleZone folder to the Recycle Bin, certain files may be left behind causing problems with a later reinstallation of the game. In order to completely remove all BattleZone files from your computer, complete the following steps:

1.	Make sure you have deleted the entire directory to which you installed BattleZone.

2.	Remove BattleZone from the Start menu.

a.	From the Start button, go to Settings · Taskbar.

b.	Select the Start Menu Programs tab.

c.	Click the Remove button.

d.	Highlight and then delete the entire BattleZone entry.

3.	You must also clean up the Windows 95 Registry, in order to be able to reinstall BattleZone again.

a.	Go to the Start menu on your taskbar and select Run.

b.	In the Run dialog box, type REGEDIT and click the OK button.

c.	Once REGEDIT is open, double-click the entry HKEY_LOCAL MACHINE.

d.	Double-click on SOFTWARE. If you have any other Activision programs installed, open the Activision folder and delete only the BattleZone folder. Otherwise, delete the entire item called Activision.


Visual Problems

When I launch missions, the colors are all messed up.

This problem may be caused by obsolete drivers for your 3D accelerator card.

If you are playing on a 3Dfx-based card, you need to use newer drivers than the Diamond Monster 3D v.1.08 or the Orchid Righteous 3D v.2.0 drivers. Reference drivers are provided in the DRIVERS directory on the BattleZone Install CD. Note that different drivers need to be installed depending on whether you have a Voodoo, Voodoo Rush single-card, Voodoo Rush double-card, or Voodoo 2 board. At the time of writing, Voodoo 2 cards were not available, so these drivers are not provided on the Install CD.

If you are using a board based on any other chip-set, you'll need to contact your board manufacturer directly for up-to-date drivers. Be aware that not all 3D accelerator cards support DirectX 5. If you have a board that isn't 100% DirectX 5 compatible, you will need to play BattleZone in software mode. This can be set manually within BattleZone on the 'Combat Variables' screen, by switching 'Graphics Type' to 'Software 320' or 'Software 640'.

My cursor flashes when I move it around.

As I move my cursor, the Windows desktop shows through the screen.

These problems can be caused by using custom cursors. Please restore your cursors to the default Windows cursors.

During the mission, I can see the Windows cursor or the Windows hourglass.

Some video card drivers cause this problem, such as the Tseng 4000. Contact your video-card manufacturer for a driver fix.


When I launch into the game, the screen goes black and freezes.

We have found this to be the case when you do not have DirectX certification. In most cases you can fix this problem by updating your video card drivers. This is highly recommended and is usually free and easy to do. You can contact your Video Card Manufacturer for details.

Another possible cause could be that the CD is not in the CD-ROM drive. Please insert the BattleZone CD before you attempt to start the game.


Why do I have wavy lines across my screen when I play the game?

We have found this to be the case when outdated DirectX drivers are present on a system. This can be fixed by updating your video card drivers. This is highly recommended and is usually free and easy to do. You can contact your Video Card Manufacturer for details.


Why does the game sometimes quit to the desktop?

Occasionally, BattleZone will suddenly quit to the desktop. This may be a result of a conflict with the EZDesk desktop utility, which is used to organize icons on your desktop. Disable EZDesk whenever playing BattleZone.

The game may also suddenly minimize to the taskbar if you are running an electronic mail program (e.g MS Exchange) in the background.

BattleZone should be run as a stand-alone application.