GUNSHIP 2000 VERSION 469.03 This file contains additional late breaking information essential to the play of Gunship 2000 Version 469.03. ______________________________________________________________________ Installation & Loading Considerations The simulation contains three 5 1/4" 1.2Mb disks. The simulation can be installed only to a hard disk; it can not be installed to floppy disks. ______________________________________________________________________ Mission Films An unfortunate, but unavoidable, side effect of Version 469.03 renders all Version .02 Mission Films incompatible; they will not play after the new version is loaded. ______________________________________________________________________ Additional Configuration Options The simulation now supports the use of a mouse, two joysticks, or a single joystick and the keyboard as emulation of a second joystick. Additionally, it supports the use of flight sticks and/or foot pedals in combination with a joystick. It also supports the Sound Blaster and ATI Stereo F/X sound cards. MOUSE: This is optional in Gunship 2000. The system auto-detects the presence of a mouse driver; you do not select this as an option during "setup". Any Microsoft (R) compatible mouse is acceptable. The mouse is only active during the selection portions of the opening and end game. It can't be used to fly the helicopter, and isn't active during any portion of the actual mission. TWO JOYSTICKS: This is an option in Gunship 2000. It provides for a more precise level of flight control and also allows for some flight maneuvers not possible in the single joystick mode. Joystick #1 performs the functions of the cyclic stick as described on page 35 of the manual with the following exception: Rolling the helicopter at low speeds (moving the stick to the left or right) causes the helicopter to fly sideways to the left or right. The fire buttons on Joystick #1 are unchanged. Joystick #2 controls the tail rotor (push to the left or right to rotate in that direction) and the collective (push up to increase collective or pull back to decrease collective). The keyboard collective controls ("=" and "-" keys) remain active when in this mode. The amount of tail rotor control decreases as the helicopter's speed increases; it's most effective when used in combination with the cyclic to make tighter turns. Joystick #2's fire button #1 is used to change the active weapon (same as the spacebar). Fire button #2 is used to toggle through the rocket salvo setting (same as the 1, 2, or 4 keys). JOYSTICK AND KEYBOARD: This is an option in Gunship 2000. This mode performs exactly in the same manner as the two joystick mode, but in this case, the keyboard is utilized to emulate joystick #2. The left and right directional keys control the tail rotor and the up and down directional keys control the collective. Since the keyboard is emulating a joystick, the keys must "ramp-up". A single press will probably be ineffective; the key should be held down to affect the desired action. The longer the key is pressed, the greater the result. The backspace key now sets the rocket salvo (same as the 1, 2, or 4 keys) and the return key changes the active weapon (same as the spacebar). JOYSTICK & RUDDER: This is an option in Gunship 2000. It is selected in conjunction with the use of foot pedals. The foot pedals provide the "X" axis input for joystick #2 and therefore control the tail rotor. A second joystick can be substituted for the foot pedals, but only left or right controls are read. JOYSTICK & COLLECTIVE: This is an option in Gunship 2000. It is selected in conjunction with the use of flight stick. The flight stick provide the "Y" axis input for joystick #2 and therefore control the collective. The setup routine assumes that the control is placed in the center position; pushing up adds collective and pulling down reduces collective. It works more like a joystick than a slide type throttle control. A second joystick can be substituted for the flight stick, but only up or down controls are read. JOYSTICK ERRORS: A routine has been added to Gunship 2000 to trap erroneous joystick input. If you see "Joystick Error" flash on the screen, an out of range value has been read by the game; this is significant only if the message remains on screen. If the error message remains on the screen, your joystick or joystick card is constantly generating out-of-range values. You will need to try a different joystick or card. SOUND BLASTER: Only use this option if you have a Sound Blaster sound card installed in your system. ATI STEREO F/X: Only use this option if you have an ATI Stereo F/X sound card installed in your system. ______________________________________________________________________ Note on Digitized Speech With IBM sound and Roland sound, the digitized speech plays through the computer's internal speaker. With AdLib, Sound Blaster and ATI Stereo F/X sound the digitized speech plays through the sound card. Due to the internal configurations of IBM systems, compatible systems, and some sound cards, there is a slight pause in the game whenever the digitized speech activates. This is not the case with the Sound Blaster or ATI Stereo F/X sound cards; systems running with either of these options, will not experience a pause when the digitized speech activates. ______________________________________________________________________ Manual Additions and Changes Page 26, Duplicate Helicopters: During a campaign, helicopters and weapon systems are at times unavailable for use. The "Duplicate Helicopter" function becomes inoperable if the duplication would violate these restrictions. Page 31, Pause: The large number of target types were too numerous to all be included in the manual, therefore, an on-line database is available for all target types. It provides a brief description of the system, the types of weapons carried, if any, the weapon ranges, and the best and worst weapons for countering the system. Whenever the "pause" key is activated while a target is locked, the game is paused and the data for that particular target is displayed. If "pause" is activated without a target lock, the simulation is paused normally. In both cases, press any key to continue the simulation. Page 32, Accelerate Time: The time is accelerated in steps of two, i.e., 2, 4, 6, 8... Page 32, Remote View (F7): Selector #2 can not be used to maintain the point of view. This key is used to switch target locks since this view is an active flight mode. Page 35, Autopilot: The autopilot can be engaged without having first set waypoints; it maintains the helicopter's current heading. Page 37, Acquire/Next Target: When locked on the only target in an area, pressing the Acquire/Next Target key places the targeting system on standby. Other helicopters in the section can then engage the target. This can be very beneficial if the player helicopter has expended all weapons or is lacking weapons of a particular type. If a new target appears, the targeting system automatically locks on that target. A single target can be re-acquired by pressing the Acquire/Next Target key a second time. Page 38, HUD: A mission clock has mission clock has been added to the HUD; it appears in the upper left hand corner. ______________________________________________________________________ Flying to a FARP Direct flight to a FARP can be achieved by a second press of the Return to Base ("B" key, see page 59). If a FARP is present, the waypoint set toggles between the base and FARP. Upon reaching the FARP, a section (non-player) automatically lands to refuel and rearm. As with flight to a base, a section leader or helicopter flies directly to a FARP. Pilot AI Your pilots' AI always allows them to detect and fly to pickup/drop off points notwithstanding their actual abilities. Upon sighting the pickup/drop off point, you will receive an "Objective Sighted" message. If their final waypoint is near the objective, they will fly to the point and hold; you may need to adjust their final waypoint or assign a new flight path so that the final point (it doesn't need to be point #3, as long as it's the final waypoint) is near the pickup/drop off point. You must instruct the section or helicopter to land. Note on Mission Time Even though you are reminded that you took additional time on a mission, it's not of a major consequence until you start to go beyond 30 to 35 minutes. If you can still get that secondary target by spending a few extra minutes, it's well worth it. Note on Strategy Pilots and flight leaders are directly rewarded for completing missions with smaller helicopters or less capable helicopters. The Task Force Commander is impressed by the pilot or flight leader that can complete a mission with AH-6G Defenders as opposed to AH-64C Longbow Apaches - the choice is yours.