*************************************************************************** MICROSOFT RETURN OF ARCADE TRIAL VERSION README March 1996 *************************************************************************** (c) Copyright Microsoft Corporation, 1996. Welcome to the Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version! This document contains information to help you install and run the Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version on your computer. The Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version contains the first two levels of Pac-Man. To play the full version of Pac-Man, as well as Dig Dug, Pole Position, and Galaxian, see your local retailer for Microsoft Return of Arcade. ------------------------------ BEFORE SETUP: Hard Disk Space ------------------------------ The Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version requires at least 5 megabytes of free hard disk space for installation. Please do not install the retail version of Microsoft Return of Arcade and the Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version to the same directory. --------------------------------------- BEGINNING TO PLAY: Just Point and Click --------------------------------------- To run the Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version: 1. Click the Start button, and then point to Programs. 2. Point to Microsoft Games, then point to Return of Arcade Trial. 3. Click the Pac-Man Trial icon and begin to play. ------------------------------------------ LEARNING TO PLAY: Quick Help and Full Help ------------------------------------------ The first time you open the Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version, a Quick Help screen is displayed to provide basic instructions on how to play the game. For a more complete guide to the game, including strategies, hints, and detailed scoring information, click Contents on the Help menu or press F1. For stories about the creation of the game, click History of the Game on the Help menu. ------------------------------------------------------ CUSTOMIZING THE GAME: Create Your Personalized Version ------------------------------------------------------ The Options menu offers a Player Controls command that allows you to choose between playing the game with keyboard controls or with a joystick. You can also customize the keys you use to control the game. The Customize Game command lets you customize the playing speed and other game variables to create your own personalized version of the game. ------ SOUND ------ The Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version captures Pac-Man's original sounds, enhancing your playing experience. The Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version uses DirectSound, which supports the following sound cards: - Sound Blaster: 8-bit cards, 16-bit cards, and the AWE32. - ESS: 488, 688, 1488, 1688. - MediaVision: PAS 16, PAS Studio, PAS Plus, Pro 3D, and Blue Lite Special. - Aztech: Nova 16, Washington 16, Rocky 2. - Microsoft: Windows Sound System. If your sound card is not listed above, you might experience sound delays while playing the game. The Adlib Gold 1000 sound card is not supported. While sound will work, performance may be poor. Faults have also been encountered in certain situations on the Roland Rap 10 and the Gravis UltraSound MAX sound cards. To turn the sound on or off, click Sound on the Options menu. When the game sounds are turned on, a check mark is displayed next to the command name. ------------- VIDEO DISPLAY ------------- The Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version requires a Super VGA video card set to at least 256 Color. ------------------------------------------------------ GAME PERFORMANCE: How to Get the Fastest Screen Action ------------------------------------------------------ Here are some tips for maximizing the speed of the game action: Decreasing the size of the game window increases the speed of game changes seen on the screen. The larger the window, the more your computer must work to update the game screen. The game window is resized by clicking the mouse on the lower right corner, and holding the mouse button down while moving the pointer toward the upper left of the screen. Please note that the game must be paused before the window can be resized. Decreasing the number of colors used for your video display can increase performance. You must use a setting of at least 256 Color (8 bit). Depending upon your computer, this minimal setting may offer higher performance than settings of High Color (16 bit) or True Color (24 bit). To select a color setting, click the Start button, then point to Settings. Point to Control Panel, then click the Display icon. Click the Settings tab in the Display Properties dialog box, and choose a new color palette setting. Turning off sound, which is done from the game's Options menu, can also increase screen performance. If you are using the Aztech Sound Galaxy Washington PCI sound card and are experiencing performance problems, try disabling your joystick control. --------------------------------- SOME GENERAL NOTES --------------------------------- The Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version was designed for Windows 95 (and later) operating systems. Setup will not install onto Windows NT, Windows for Workgroups 3.1 and 3.11, or Windows 3.1 and 3.11. If you do not have a sound card or if your sound card is not working, your joystick will not operate. When the Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version is running, sounds from other applications will not be played. For example, if you have an e-mail program that chimes upon receipt of a new message, the chime will not be heard, even if your game is paused and minimized. Screen savers will not activate while the Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version is running, even if your game is paused or minimized. Do not attempt to run the retail version of Microsoft Return of Arcade and the Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version at the same time. Our faithful reproduction of classic games is so complete that we purposely included the idiosyncrasies of the originals. For example, the Customize Game dialog box in Pac-Man allows you to set the number of lives a player is given for three or five, but there is no setting for four lives. This is because such a setting wasn't allowed by the DIP switches on the original arcade game. Likewise, eating a flashing ghost at just the right moment as it exits the starting cage causes the eyes to float around the maze, rather than return to the cage. ------------------------------- THE BOSS KEY LIVES! ------------------------------- As with Microsoft Arcade, Microsoft Return of Arcade and the Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version have the same great "boss key" that makes the game disappear should the need arise to look busy. Just press the Escape key and your game will immediately pause and minimize -- becoming a mere taskbar button along the bottom of your work-filled desktop. A click of the game's taskbar button returns you to exactly where you left off. ---------------- HAVE FUN! ---------------- Dive into the world of Pac-Man with the Microsoft Return of Arcade Trial Version! Discover the worlds of Dig Dug, Galaxian, and Pole Position with the retail version of Microsoft Return of Arcade!