This EA SPORTS CRICKET 97 README file is broken into 4 parts :

SECTION 1 - DOS Notes.

SECTION 2 - WINDOWS '95 Notes.

SECTION 3 - Notes on running the DOS version under WINDOWS '95.

SECTION 4 - Notes on playing CRICKET 97 over a network or modem.



*** SECTION 1 - DOS NOTES ***


1 - THE INSTALL PROGRAM CRASHES WHEN I RUN IT.

This will most likely occur if UNIVBE does not support your video card.  If this occurs, run the program (ie Type) CONFIG2.BAT which can be found in the root of the CRICKET 97 CD and try running INSTALL again.  If you still have problems, run CONFIG3.BAT and then try running INSTALL again.

If you wish to return to the original configuration (ie you may have changed your video card), run CONFIG1.BAT.


2 - THE INSTALL PROGRAM FREEZES ON THE FIRST FRAME OF THE RICHIE BENOUD CINEMA SEQUENCE.

This will occur if your sound card has not been correctly setup. If this occurs, reboot your machine and select the AUTOMATIC option on the sound configuration screen.  If the automatic option does not work, see point 3 below.


3 - THE SOUND AUTODETECT FEATURE CRASHES MY MACHINE

Although we have done our best to ensure that the AutoDetect option works reliably for all sound cards, you may find that the Auto Detect feature will crash your machine. If this occurs, try manually selecting your card from the list. Once you have selected your card, you should be able to use the Auto Detect Settings option to detect your sound card settings.

If you are still having problems, there may be a chance that your sound card is not setup correctly.  To be sure that this is not the case, run the diagnostic program that is supplied by the manufacturer of your sound card.  Then try running INSTALL again.


4 - IMPORTANT - USERS WITH ONLY 8 MEG RAM
THE GAME DROPS BACK TO DOS WITH AN 'ERROR READING FIRST HUNK' MESSAGE

CRICKET 97 will only run in 8 Meg RAM if the 'Stadium Detail' option that can be found under the 'Game Options' on the main option screen is set to DX2-66.  The 'Low' and 'High' stadium detail options will only work on a machine that has at least 16 Meg RAM or more.


5 - THE GAME KEEPS DROPPING BACK TO DOS
    
CRICKET 97 needs to have a full 8 MEG of RAM in order to run.  If you have only 8 meg of RAM and the 'Stadium Detail' option is set to DX2-66 (see point 4 above) and your version of Cricket is locking up, dropping back to DOS, or generally crashing, then your memory may be full of other stuff that is not allowing CRICKET 97 to run properly.
    
CACHES AND MEMORY MANAGERS

Remove any caches or memory managers.  Some examples of these are:
    
SMARTDRV

NCACHE

QEMM

EMMSYS

You will find these commands or device drivers in your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT files (both of these files can be found in the root of C:\).  To remove these commands you must edit the file and simply type REM and a space at the start of the appropriate line.

Type

 EDIT [FILENAME] from c:\ to edit the files.
    
Type

 REM DEVICE=C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE to remove the cache or memory manager.

When you reboot your computer, these lines will not run and thus will clear your memory.

DEVICE DRIVERS

If your version still crashes then you will have to remove the Device Drivers.  In the CONFIG.SYS file are a number of lines which have the command DEVICE or DEVICEHIGH in them.  You should REM these lines out (as explained in CACHES AND MEMORY MANAGERS).  The only lines you should NOT TOUCH are the ones containing :

HIMEM.SYS
WINHIMEM.SYS
ANSI.SYS
MOUSE.SYS (or equivolent mouse driver)


6 - IF ALL ELSE FAILS
 
If you cannot free up enough memory to get CRICKET 97 to run, you may want to try and create a DOS BOOT DISK.  Information on how to create a DOS BOOT DISK can be found in a file called BOOTDISK.TXT which is contained in the root directory of your CRICKET 97 CD or if you have installed the game (Min or Max) already, can be found in the CRICKET directory on your hard disk.


7 - MY CINEMA SEQUENCES PLAY SLOWLY

If you find that your cinema sequences play slowly, type CRICKDX2.BAT to run the game rather than CRICKET.BAT.


8 - UNINSTALLING THE GAME

We have provided a batch file that will uninstall the game for you. This file can be found in the root directory of your CRICKET 97 CD. To run it, simply type KILLC97 (from the root of the CD) and the drive and path where your game is installed and it will do the rest.

Eg. D:\KILLC97 C:\CRICKET.

where D:\ is the letter of your CD-ROM drive and C:\CRICKET is the drive and path that the the game has been installed to.



*** SECTION 2 - WINDOWS '95 NOTES ***


1 - THE DIRECTION KEYS DON'T WORK IN THE GAME

If you find that your direction keys do not work while playing CRICKET 97, make sure that your Num Lock key is turned off.


2 - MY JOYSTICK DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK

If you find that your joystick tends to wander or pull in a particular direction during the game, you may need to callibrate your joystick.  This can be done by running the joystick program which can be found in the Control Panel (double click on the My Computer icon which is sitting on your desktop and then double click on the Control Panel icon).  Once in the joystick program simply press the Calibrate button and follow the instructions from there.


3 - CRICKET 97 ONLY RUNS IN FULL SCREEN MODE

CRICKET 97 has been designed to run as a full screen application only - it cannot be run in a window.


4 - UNINSTALLING THE GAME

We have provided a batch file that will uninstall the game for you. This file can be found in the root directory of your CRICKET 97 CD. To run it, simply type KILLC97 (from the root of the CD) and the drive and path where your game is installed and it will do the rest.

Eg. D:\KILLC97 C:\CRICKET.

where D:\ is the letter of your CD-ROM drive and C:\CRICKET is the drive and path that the the game has been installed to.



*** SECTION 3 - NOTES ON RUNNING THE DOS VERSION UNDER WINDOWS '95 ***


1 - CRICKET WON'T RUN IN A DOS SHELL ON MY 8 MEG (RAM) MACHINE

CRICKET must have 16 Meg RAM or more to run in a DOS shell under Windows '95.  If you have only 8 Meg RAM or less in your machine, the game will have to be run under DOS (or MS-DOS mode).


2 - MY MACHINE KEEPS JUMPING BACK TO THE WINDOWS DESKTOP DURING THE GAME.

When running the DOS version of CRICKET 97 under Windows 95, ensure that your DOS window is full screen before starting the game.


3 - THE SOUND BREAKS UP ON MY MACHINE

You may find that if you run CRICKET in a DOS shell under Windows '95 and you are using a 486 DX2, the sound may break up.  Unfortunately, this cannot be helped.  However, you should not have the same problem if you run the game under DOS (or MS-DOS mode) rather than through a DOS shell.


4 - THE DIRECTION KEYS DON'T WORK IN THE GAME

If you find that your direction keys do not work while playing CRICKET 97, press the Num Lock key while in Windows and try running the game again.


5 - SWITCHING BETWEEN APPLICATIONS

The DOS version of CRICKET 97 is happy to run under Windows 95 but it is not so happy to task switch.  More often than not,  Windows will not be able to restore back to CRICKET 97 after you have swapped out of it.  The best fix for this is to run the native Win 95 version of CRICKET 97 under Windows rather than running the DOS version.


6 - RUNNING THE DOS VERSION AFTER A WIN 95 INSTALL

If you have installed CRICKET 97 through Windows, you will automatically be running the WIN 95 version every time you play the game.  We do, however, copy the DOS version of the game onto your hard disk as well (DOSCRICK.EXE).  If you wish to play the DOS version through WIN 95, you will need to run

INSTALL -WIN95 from the DOS prompt

in order to configure it correctly (the Win 95 install is only relevant for the Windows version).  This will only need to be done once before you play the DOS version for the first time.


*** SECTION 4 - NOTES ON PLAYING CRICKET 97 OVER A NETWORK OR MODEM ***


1 - NETWORK PROTOCOLS

CRICKET 97 has only been designed to run over a network running IPX (this is true for both the DOS and Win 95 versions of the game).


2 - DIFFERENT SCREEN RESOLUTIONS

You can only play a network or modem game of CRICKET 97 if both machines are in the same screen resolution (ie hires or lowres).  A warning message will pop-up if you are running different screen resolutions and the game will then drop both players back to the main game title screen.


3 - NO FMV OPTION

The FMV ON / OFF setting will be taken from the server's machine in a network or modem game.


4 - LOSING SYNC

If your game loses sync, pressing the space bar may resync your machines.


5 - A DOS TO WIN 95 NETWORK GAME WILL NOT WORK

You can only play a network game of CRICKET 97 if both machines are running the same operating system ie the Win 95 network game will only work if the other player is also running the Win 95 version of the game. The same is also true for the DOS version of the game.


6 - MOUSE CONTROL IN NETWORK AND MODEM GAMES

CRICKET 97 does not support the use of a mouse ingame ie to control your team - the mouse can only be used in the menus.


7 - WIN 95 - DO NOT USE THE ALT-TAB FACILITY

When playing a network or modem game of CRICKET 97 on the Window's 95 version, avoid using the ALT TAB facility as this will cause your game to lose sync.


8 - ENSURE YOUR CONFIGURATION IS COMPATIBLE

When playing a network or modem game, please ensure that you are both playing on the same stadium type (ie DX2-66, low detail or high detail which can be found in the Game Options menu) and that both machines either have a sound driver installed or not.  Running different configurations may cause the game to go out of sync.


9 - YOU CAN ONLY PLAY THE MODEM GAME UNDER WIN 95

CRICKET 97 only supports the use of a modem in the Windows 95 version (not the DOS version).


10 - MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE USING THE SAME STAT.97 FILE

CRICKET 97 will only stay in sync if both machines are using the exact same stat.97 file (this file can be found in the cricket directory on your hard disk and contains all the player names and statistics in the game except for your custom teams).  The only way that this file will be different is if you have modified it.


11 - INCREASING YOUR NETWORK / MODEM PERFORMANCE

For increased network / modem performance, turn all FMV off (this option can be found under the game options).

*** End of file. ***
