ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÚÄÄÄ¿Ú¿ ÚÄÄÄ¿ Ú¿ ³ÚÄ´ÀÙ ³ÚÄ¿³ ÚÙÀ¿ ³À¿³³Ú¿ÚÄÄ¿³³ ³Ã¿ ÿÚÙ ³ÚÙ³³³³³ ³³³³ ³³³ ³³³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ ³³ ³ÀÁ´³ ³³³ÀÄÙ³ÀÄÙ³À¿ (Version 3.1, Jan `96) ÀÙ ÀÄÄÙ³ÚÄÙÀÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÁÄÁÄÄÄÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÀÙ (c) by TOM-Productions, D-61184 Karben Hessenring 107 Tel : +49-6039-44842, FAX/BBS : +49-6039-3064 ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ [-1-] Introduction ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ With the purchase of FlipOut you acquired one of the first games truly supporting "SVGA-High-Resolution-Action". FlipOut will support up to 32768 colors, if your graphics card is able to display this (in the so-called "HiColor-Mode")! This may sound great, but unfortunately we are not able to guarantee you, that FlipOut will display this brilliance on your computer... the required graphic modes are, unfortunately, far from standardized. Every graphic card producer has, at least in the past, produced hardware according to his own standards. Even though VESA-standards have been around for quite a while, you still can't assume that every VGA - Card is performing to this standard. Even if VESA is, supposedly supported, we found cases, where this is not absolutely true. To make things even worse, we found graphic cards of the same type, which showed different behavior. None the less, FlipOut will run perfectly even with VGA-cards without HiColor-Mode, or any card incorrectly determined by the software - either in 256-color mode, or - if nothing else will do-, in a 16 color gray scale-mode. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ [-2-] Installation and selection of the graphic mode ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ After the installation of FlipOut, a rather coarsely dithered, "Graphic-Mode-Window" will appear, which should be visible with every VGA-graphic card! This window allows you to choose and test the graphic - mode, which will give the best results on your machine, before you enter the game. You only have to do this once, since FlipOut will remember your settings. The red arrow highlights the mode, which you can test by activating the "Test-Switch". Up to three different modes may be tested in sequence: 640 x 480 Pixels with 32.768, 65.536 or 256 colors. Depending on the installed graphic card, all three or less of the above modes will be offered. If none of the modes is shown, you should at least have the chance, to play FlipOut in the gray scale-mode. If this happens, the program was unable to recognize your graphic card. Simply activate the "Test-Switch, and see what happens. If the window is displayed in same colors but smaller size in the middle of the screen, everything should be fine. Confirm via the "OK" switch or button, and begin the brilliant action. If nothing, a "mixed" or "cut-up" screen is visible, the selection of the graphic - mode was unsuccessful. In this case hit Esc and try out the next mode - if available. If none of the modes work, the current version of FlipOut can, unfortunately, not be run on your graphic card. In case weird effects turn up (like incorrect recognition of graphic card or the test looked good but the game causes problems), please, read the sections below. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ [-3-] Now for the fun part! ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ When the selection of the graphic resolution caused no problems, you are now ready to start the game. On the right side of the screen you see the "List of players", you may add your name to this list by clicking at the first red button with the mouse-pointer. After you have entered your name, you can immediately begin with level 3. If you interrupt the game with the ESC key, your name and your score will be displayed in the list. You can reenter the game anytime by clicking at your name and then pushing the "Start" button. The rules of the games and other information are available from the online-documentation. Enjoy it! ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ [-4-] The game action. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ There are 15 game levels to be mastered in FlipOut. Envision them staged on top of one another. The levels are numbered in sequence. You will start in level 3 (instead of 1!). Your task: "Flip out all GeoMex", required to reach the next higher level! "GeoMex" are in general geometrical objects, floating around and obstruct permanently the flight path of the colored sphere. The latter you have to keep as long as possible in the game using the racket at the bottom of the screen to hit all GeoMex if possible. If all important GeoMex are removed the upper barrier will vanish and the sphere is free to reach the next higher level to flip out there for a change. This game idea sounds familiar. No wonder FlipOut is a mixture of the familiar pinball and the classical "Breakout". although one thing is different. Throughout the entire game you have only one ball or sphere, you will never loose. If you loose it through the bottom of the screen you will have to play in the lower level. Not until you have solved this level again you may continue in the previous played level. For this 'dropout" not to occur to frequent we have installed 'safety blocks' below the racket which will catch the sphere. Unfortunately the safety blocks are not particularly stable and will resist only a couple of ball hits, finally vanish and leaving a gap toward the lower worlds. So watch out! Using the mouse you can move the racket left and right. To execute a better control over the racket, you can use the two mouse buttons to tip the racket to the respective angle. Applying both buttons in quick succession enables the pro to achieve a fine precession in the racket angle. All that is left is wishing you a lot of fun. The remaining rules you will find out as you progress. (for example certain GeoMex can influence the game at a different position in the game-level). So go and Flip out without flipping out. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ [-5-] Technical data ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ FlipOut requires at least a 386-DX-40 MHz PC-AT with 400 kBytes free base memory and at least 1.6 MBytes of additional memory (XMS/EMS or Extended Memory), a SVGA Graphic card and a mouse. AdLib or Soundblaster are recommended (no sound - less fun). ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ [-6-] If you flip out - because FlipOut doesn't flip.... ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ FlipOut demands a little more from your computer. This is true for the PC itself, as well as for the installed graphic card. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º Problem 1 º Not enough free memory. ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ FlipOut does not require a whole lot of conventional memory. 400 kBytes are sufficient. It does, however, require about 1.6 MBytes of additional memory, - either XMS/EMS or Extended Memory. If FlipOut displays a message concerning the availability of memory, the following changes in your system configuration might improve the situation: a) Decrease the amount of memory reserved for SMARTDRV, NWCACHE or other Hard-Disk-Cache-Programs. On a PC with 4 MBytes (and more) performance will not be decrease dramatically, when you limit the cache to 1.5 MBytes. Please, consult the documentation for your computer to make these changes. b) If this doesn't work, try to start FlipOut under WINDOWS! This might help, since WINDOWS creates a special memory - environment for DOS tasks. All these attempts are doomed to fail, when you try to run FlipOut on a 286 processor. FlipOut definitely requires a 386 or better. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º Problem 2 º Nothing to see on the screen that makes sense ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ If FlipOut doesn't work for reasons related to the graphic card, try the following two things: a) Look for a VESA device driver on the disk that came with your graphic card. If you find one, copy it to your HD. b) If you don't find a suitable driver, try to start FlipOut with the batch file FLIPOUT2.BAT. This batch will attempt to load an universal VESA-driver, which could solve the problems. If it works, FlipOut will be started automatically,- and should run with at least 256 colors in 640x480 resolution (assuming that your graphic card has at least 512 KBytes of memory and can display this resolution). c) If FlipOut does not recognize your video card or its on-board memory, although it is supposed to do so, you may correct this with two command parameters. If the chip of the video card is not identified correctly please check the VGACHIPS.TXT data to identify the ID of your card. Enter this after calling the FLIPOUT.EXE using the parameter -C. Thus, for example for the paradise-card use: FLIPOUT -C769 If the memory size if not determined correctly use the -M switch. The value following the switch should be equivalent to the memory of your card in kBytes. Thus, -M512 for 512kB and -M1024 for 1 MB or 1024 kB. If FlipOut does recognize different modes after these alterations, but the image will display strange points and strips you may be facing some timing-problem with your card. Especially if the same card will work flawless with high resolution and plenty of colors for other programs (especially under WINDOWS). The problem may be eliminated by resetting the timing-behavior of the card using the setup-program of the video card for the 640x480-pixel modus. This problem mainly arises by the more expensive cards. If re-adjusting the timing does not help either, FlipOut may be run under other certain circumstances at higher resolution. To do so certain tricks are required. We recommend these step only to those with experience in these matters. a) Use an ASCII-Editor to edit the file FO_SVGA.DEF containing all adjustable modes. Towards the end you will find the adjustments for the VESA: [VESA] 0066 C32K 640 480 0064 C64K 640 480 005F C256 640 480 Change the resolution parameters (640 and 480) to the new resolution (800/600, 1024/768, 1280/1024 etc.). The entry for the 800x600 resolution would look like this: [VESA] 0066 C32K 800 600 0064 C64K 800 600 005F C256 800 600 b) Erase the file FO_SVGA.CFG and restart FlipOut using the parameter 2500, therefore the memory required for the higher resolution will be provided: C:\ > FLIPOUT 2500 If all those efforts remain fruitless you still have the option to play FlipOut in the 16-color-modus. This is not as nice but has the advantage to work on ALL cards. You still have the possibility by defining a color-look-up table at the start of FlipOut to make the image appear to your liking. Therefore you start the program using: C:\ > FLIPOUT -p ORANGE or C:\ > FLIPOUT -p KALT etc. You may even develop our own color look-up tables by either, modify the existing PAL-file or creating your own. These files are constructed quiet simply. They consist of 16 rows each containing one of the available "gray-levels". Each row contain three numbers ranging between 0 and 63, for the red, green and blue contributions. From row to row an increase in brightness is assumed. Thus, the first row assumes 'completely dark', while the last is 'completely bright'. ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º Problem 3 º The message "No mouse installed" appears. ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Well, well now, so you don't have a mouse installed. This sounds somewhat unlikely these days. If you mainly use WINDOWS, this might happen, however. The reason is, that WINDOWS uses it's own mouse driver, which need not be linked to the config.sys or autoexec.bat. To solve this, use the mouse driver supplied with your mouse (named: MOUSE.SYS or MOUSE.COM, GMOUSE.COM, MSMOUSE.EXE etc. - depending on the mouse) and install it to your DOS system. Better yet, simply include it in the autoexec.bat or config.sys. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ [-7-] The program "GSPAL" ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ As added bonus you will find the DOS-Program GSPAL.EXE inside the FlipOut directory. It serve as an utility for the interactive development of the before mentioned PAL-file. It is started by typing GSPAL where is the name of the file to be altered. Using the left and right arrow keys you can select the different 16 gray values by increasing or decreasing the 'r','g','b' color contribution in increments of 1. 'Esc' will terminate the program and save the altered PAL-file. The rows "Hell." and "Soll" describes the actual brightness of the selected color and the intended value. When you are developing your own color look-up table and want to retain the bight- and darkness (light and shadow), take care that the "Hell" brightness value does not differ to much from the intended "Soll" value. If absolutely nothing of the above works, you can at least use the 16 color-gray scale-mode. This isn't quite as pretty, but has the advantage of running on all VGA-cards. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ [-8-] TOM-Productions: Member of the D.S. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ "Deutschsprachige Shareware, Autoren and Haendlervereinigung" (German speaking shareware, authors and retailer association). Address: TOM-Productions A.Tofahrn and C.Maennchen Softwareentwicklung und Beratung GbR Hessenring 107 D61184 Karben Phone : +49-6039-44842 (Mon/Wed/Fri 4-6 pm EST+6) FAX/BBS : +49-6039-3064 e-mail : 100330.2720@compuserve.com homepage: http://members.aol.com/tomprod1 Registerable via CompuServe GO SWREG, ID : 11107 We will provide: - custom software development (including advertisements) - conception and support for software projects in the trust areas, entertainment/games multimedia applications (including CD-ROM-Prod.) - customer GUI-Design, windows and DOS based programming, database and networks (including networking).