             TIE FIGHTER CD SPACE COMBAT SIMULATION

                         READ.ME FILE


This file has been included to supplement the troubleshooting
guide included in the game package. If you are having problems
running the game, you will probably find your answers in the
troubleshooting guide. Here you'll discover late-breaking
information on the game and suggestions for getting the most
out of TIE Fighter CD. 

CONTENTS:

    I) Known Problems with TIE Fighter CD.

    II) Making a Boot Disk for TIE Fighter CD.

    III) Sound and Music issues.

    IV) Video Card and Display issues.

    V) Running TIE Fighter within WINDOWS 95.

    VI) Support for Joysticks and Programmable Input Devices.
 
    VII) If Install Program Fails to Execute.

    VIII) If TIE Fighter CD Fails to Execute.

    IX) Installing over Previous Installation.

    X) Skipping to the New Missions.

    XI) Making TIE Fighter run Faster and Better.

    XII) Miscellaneous.



I) Known Problems with TIE Fighter CD.

  1) Some ships must survive earlier missions in order for
    later missions to be winnable.  Usually, these 'key' ships
    are impossible to destroy. However, there are some
    missions in which these ships can be destroyed by the
    player.  If the player does destroy a 'key' ship, they may
    not be able to complete a later mission.  This is a rare
    condition, mostly associated with capital ships and the
    use of INVULNERABLE mode by the player.
      If you are interested in taking out every ship in a
    mission, we suggest you do so in the Virtual Combat
    Chamber or use the MANUAL BACKUP feature at the end of
    each battle to safeguard against being trapped in an
    unwinnable mission.
      Because some missions safeguard against 'key' ships
    being destroyed, the player may find capital ships that do
    not take damage.

   2) Some of the animated cutscenes may stop and stutter as
    they are being played. To alleviate this problem, remove
    any CD-ROM caching utilities such as SMARTDRV.EXE from
    your boot-up configuration.  If you are unsure about how
    to do this, it is highly recommended that you make a boot
    disk for TIE Fighter CD.  Refer to the next section for
    details on how to make a boot disk.


II) Making a Boot Disk for TIE Fighter CD.

   To make a boot disk, select the "Make a Boot Disk" option
   from the main menu of the install program.  Make sure you
   have a floppy disk available to use as your boot disk.
   (Note: you must use the A: drive to make your boot disk.)
   You will be instructed at each step of the process of
   making your boot disk.

   Alternately, you may run boottie.exe from the
   TIE Fighter CD by typing:

      D:\BOOTTIE.EXE

   where D: is the letter of your CD-ROM drive.


III) Sound and Music Issues.

   1) Setting up your sound card.
   
   After selecting the "Set Up Sound Card" option from the
   install program you will be asked to choose either Express
   Setup or Custom Setup. If you choose Express Setup, the
   program will attempt to set up your sound board
   automatically. If the install program fails to configure
   your sound board automatically, you should choose Custom
   Setup. 

   From the Custom Setup Standard Menu you can choose from
   the sound standards supported by TIE Fighter and manually
   set the Port, IRQ, DMA, and Stereo Reverse settings.  You
   can also test your configuration for both music and sound.
   In some cases, you may want to select the Advanced Menu.
   This menu allows you to select the Music and Digital Sound
   standards for TIE Fighter independently of each other.
   This is most useful for systems with more than one sound
   board, or sound boards which support more than one
   standard.

   2) Hanging Notes or Pauses while using General MIDI.
   
   We have found that some sound cards with General MIDI
   daughterboards may experience hanging notes or pauses and
   occasionally the game may lock up.  If this occurs, disable
   General MIDI and choose the FM driver for your sound and it
   should work fine.  To do this, re-run TIE Fighter CD's Sound
   setup utility from the main menu of the install program and
   choose Express setup.  We are researching a solution to this
   problem.

   3) Poor digital sound quality.
   
   We have found that some sound cards such as Aztech Sound
   Galaxy, Media Vision Pro Audio Spectrum 16/Studio, and ESS
   Audiodrive, may have intermittent static or other sound
   distortion in the voices and sound effects of TIE Fighter
   CD while playing within a Windows 95 DOS Box.  If this
   occurs, try restarting in MS-DOS mode to play the game
   or make a boot disk.  
   

IV) Video Card and Display issues.

   
  1) Diamond Viper Video Card
  
   The Diamond Viper requires a driver for VESA compatibility.
   UNIVBE does not support this card, therefore, you will need
   to load the VESA driver that came with your card.  The
   driver, usually located in C:\VIPER, is called VPRMODE.EXE.
  
   At the C:\VIPER> command prompt, type:
  
      VPRMODE VESA

   Then start TIE Fighter CD. You may wish to include this
   command in the Autoexec.bat file on your boot disk to play
   TIE Fighter CD in high-resolution.  Check the documentation
   that came with your video card for more information.

   NOTE: TIE Fighter CD may not work in high-resolution with
         some versions of the Diamond Viper display card.  If
         your Viper is one of these, entering the combat
         portion of the game while it is set to high-res will
         result in corrupted graphics or a black screen.  If
         this occurs, restart your computer, and set TIE
         Fighter CD to low-resolution (320x200) in the Pilot
         Datapad.

  2) Getting high-res mode to work with a VESA Compatible card.

   If you are having trouble getting TIE Fighter to work
   properly with your VESA compatible video card in high
   resolution, try forcing UniVBE by using the /u option when
   you start TIE Fighter CD.  Do this by typing:
 
     D:\TIE.EXE /u
 
   For more information, Please refer to the 'Display Concerns'
   section in the Troubleshooting Guide included with the game. 

   NOTE: In very rare instances, specifying the /u option to
   force UniVBE will cause the game to lock up.  In this case,
   try using the /v option instead.  Do this by typing:

     D:\TIE.EXE /v

   where D: is the letter of your CD-ROM drive.  Specifying
   the /v option will cause an options screen to pop up
   before the game starts asking the user to configure UNIVBE
   for their video card manually.  Usually, you just have to
   press RETURN and then the game will run as normal.  If you
   know that the configuration selected for you by default is
   incorrect, you may choose to change it before hitting the
   OK button.

  3) Adjusting Display Brightness while in flight.
  
   If you find the colors in the inflight portion of
   the game too dark, you can adjust the brightness by
   pressing ALT-B.  Repeated presses will cycle through
   eight different brightness settings.


V) Running TIE Fighter within WINDOWS 95.

  Here are some tips on getting TIE Fighter to run well
  within Windows 95. Before reading this section, you should
  refer to the Troubleshooting Guide included with the game. 

  1) TIE Fighter CD runs best in Windows 95 if there are
    no other programs running. Since Windows 95 is a 
    multitasking system, it may switch away from the game
    to run the other processes, causing long delays, stuttering
    sound, or other problems. First, turn off any programs
    that are listed on the task bar. Second, if you are running
    any "shell" program such as Microsoft Office, Hewlett
    Packard Personal Pages, Packard Bell Navigator, or Norton
    Desktop, refer to that program's manual for instructions
    on how to suspend them while you play TIE Fighter. 

  2) As is with other disk cache utilities, Windows 95's built
    in CD-ROM caching may slow down some parts of TIE Fighter
    and may also cause the problems described above. While you
    can turn off CD-ROM caching in Windows 95, this may
    negatively affect other programs. We recommend running the
    game from a boot disk instead.

  3) Some users may get a "Stack Overflow" error message
    when first starting the game. If you experience this 
    problem, first try running the game off a boot disk.
    Refer to Section II: "Making a Boot Disk" for more 
    detail. 

    If the problem remains, try adding the following line to 
    the CONFIG.SYS file on the boot disk:

           STACKS = 9,256

    Then reboot the computer and try running TIE Fighter CD
    with the boot disk again.

  4) If you still experience problems while running the TIE
    Fighter CD in Windows 95, keep in mind that you can make
    a boot disk at any time and use it to run the game in a true
    DOS environment; you won't have to reinstall TIE Fighter
    CD. The boot disk has been designed to provide the best
    environment for running the game.


VI) Support for Joysticks and Programmable Input Devices.

  For your convenience, we have included with TIE Fighter CD,
  some files for use with popular programmable controllers.  

  1) CH Throttle
    
   We have included a couple of *.KEY files on the CD for the
   12 function CH Throttle. They are located in the \DEVICES
   subdirectory on the TIE Fighter CD.

     TIECD.KEY - optimized for use with a CH Flightstick Pro.
     TIECD2.KEY - optimized for a standard two-button joystick.
  
   Follow the directions that came with your CH Throttle to
   download either of these files to your unit before playing
   TIE Fighter CD.

  2) CH Pedals are not compatible with TIE Fighter CD.  If
    they are plugged into your game port, it may cause the
    joystick calibration to fail or become erratic.  Please
    unplug your CH Pedals before running TIE Fighter CD.

  3) Thrustmaster WCS Mark II
    
    To program your THRUSTMASTER for use with TIE Fighter CD
    enter the following line at the DOS prompt:
 
       \MARK2\MK2LOAD D:\DEVICES\TIE2.ADV
 
    where MARK2 is the directory where you installed the
    THRUSTMASTER software, and D: is your CD-ROM drive letter.
 
    If you have the older version of the WCS Mark II, the
    line above will not work.  You need to contact
    THRUSTMASTER for an upgrade.
 
    You can print the TIE2.ADV file to make a quick
    reference sheet for using your THRUSTMASTER with
    TIE Fighter CD.  To do so, enter:
 
       TYPE D:\DEVICES\TIE2.ADV >PRN:
 
    at the DOS prompt.  Be sure to have your printer ready
    first.

  4) Thrustmaster FCS
    
    The extra buttons on the FCS are supported by TIE Fighter
    CD. NOTE: TIE Fighter CD does not support the 'Hat'
    control on the Thrustmaster FCS. 
  
 
VII) If the Install Program Fails to Execute.

  If you have any problems preventing you from running the 
  TIE Fighter CD installation program, you may follow these
  steps to install using a batch file installer:

  1) Change to your CD-ROM drive. ( This is usually D: )

  2) Change to the SUPPORT directory.  Do this by typing:

      CD SUPPORT

  3) Type:

       install [drive letter]:

    where drive letter is the drive you want to install to.
    For example, if you want to install to the C: drive, type
  
       install c:

  4) Installation will now proceed.  Afterwards, it will
   allow you to set up your sound card.


VIII) If TIE Fighter CD fails to execute.

  Since TIE Fighter CD is a protected mode program, it
  requires DOS4GW.EXE to run properly.  This is included
  on the CD and normally, you do not have to worry about it.
  However, on certain machines, DOS4GW.EXE may crash, thus
  preventing you from playing TIE Fighter CD.  Included in
  the SUPPORT directory of your TIE Fighter CD are several
  patches which copies various versions of DOS4GW.EXE to
  your install directory to try to solve this problem.
  These files are:

     PATCH197.BAT
     PATCH195.BAT
     PATCH192.BAT
     PATCH108.BAT

  To use these patch files, you must have either selected
  a Recommended install or a Maximum install.  If you have
  a Minimum install, see Section IX: "Installing over
  previous installation."  in this read.me file.

  To use the patches, change to your CD-ROM drive 
  ( usually D: ) and then change to SUPPORT directory by
  typing:

     CD SUPPORT

  After that, type the following:

     PATCH???.BAT [install path]

  where ??? is the number of the patch and [install path] is
  the path where the Recommended or Maximum install of
  TIE Fighter CD is.  You should start with PATCH195.BAT,
  since PATCH197 is the default one installed for you by
  the install program.  For example, if you have performed a
  Recommended Install in C:\TIECD directory and you want to
  try PATCH195.BAT, you would type:

     PATCH195.BAT C:\TIECD

  Then run TIE Fighter CD and see if it works.  If not, then
  try the next lower patch, then the next lower patch, etc.
  If none of these patches work, you may want to try making
  a boot disk (see section on "Making a Boot Disk").  

  Note:  The DOS4GW.EXE version installed by PATCH180.BAT
         will not work in a Windows 95 DOS Box.  Refer to
         your Windows 95 manual for details on how to restart
         your computer in MS-DOS mode.


IX) Installing Over the Previous Installation.

  There may be times when it will be necessary to install
  TIE Fighter CD again.  One example would be if you have
  done a Minimum installation and are not satisfied with
  the performance and now you want to do a Recommended
  install.  You can do this by choosing the new
  install option and when it requests the path, simply
  use the default that is displayed.  You cannot install
  a second copy of TIE Fighter CD into a different
  directory.

  WARNING:  Installing over a previous installation will
       erase any TOPACE or NEWACE pilots and replace
       them with the standard ones.  If you have been
       playing with these pilots and do not wish to lose
       them, please rename them so that the install
       program will not erase them.  The install program
       will not delete or modify any other pilots unless
       you perform a "Complete Uninstall".

  If you have done a Recommended or Maximum install, do
  not select Minimum Install to revert to a minimum
  configuration.  Instead, select the Uninstall option and
  then select Minimum.  This will erase unnecessary files
  from the hard disk and leave only those files necessary
  for the game to run in the minimum configuration. 


X) Skipping to the New Missions.

  For those of you who have played TIE Fighter and/or
  D.O.E, have not saved your old pilots, and do not wish
  to replay all the missions before playing the new
  missions, there are NEWACE and TOPACE pilots included
  for that purpose. Here is a list of pilots and their
  progress in the game:

       NEWACE7 and TOPACE 7 - Completed battles 1-7
       NEWACE10 and TOPACE 10 - Completed battles 1-10

  These pilots have been installed for you, and you can
  copy and rename them (pilot file names have a .TFR 
  extension) to create your own pilots that have
  completed the appropriate number of battles.

  The difference between the NEWACE and the TOPACE pilots
  is that the NEWACE pilots have no score, rank or
  anything.  So any score and rank you achieve will
  accurately reflect what you have done in the game. The
  TOPACE pilots are completely decked out in all the
  medals, scores and ranks.  If you use the TOPACE pilots,
  then any score you achieve will be a combination of your
  score and the TOPACE's original score.  Which one you
  use is up to you. 


XI) Making TIE Fighter Run Faster and Better.

  Here are some tips on making your TIE Fighter playing
  experience more enjoyable.

  1) Use a good joystick.  We recommend the CH Products
    Flightstick line of joysticks, and the Thrustmaster
    line of products as well.

  2) Use the RETURN (i.e. ENTER) key to match speed with
    your target.

  3) Use the 'r' key to target the nearest enemy.

  4) Use the '.' (period) key to toggle the cockpit art
    off when you are dogfighting a tough opponent.

  5) Use the SHIFT-H command to send a targeted ship home
    (allies only).  Some ships, such as reload craft,
    may await your permission to depart.  And for a 
    greater challenge, try sending your wingmen home
    with this command.

  6) Customize TIE Fighter to your preferences.  Press
    ESC during a mission to customize the combat portion
    of the game.  Any settings you change will stay that
    way until you change them back.

  7) If you are a new player, don't use the TOPACE or
    NEWACE pilots.  Otherwise, you will miss out on
    significant portions of the game.  You can safely
    delete these pilots from your hard drive if you are
    not going to use them; you can always copy them
    back over from the CD if you need them.

  8) Play the Combat Chamber missions in order of
    difficulty.  In other words, play all the Mission 1
    missions first, then all the Mission 2 missions, etc.

  9) Also for the new players:  TIE Defender and Missile
    Boat Combat Chamber missions have been made available
    to veteran players, but these ships won't actually
    be invented until the middle of the story.  You may
    wish to hold off training in these advanced fighters
    until your flight officer recommends it.

 10) If the game runs too slowly when there is a lot of
    action try using the ALT-D command to set the Graphics
    detail to LOW or LOWEST.

 11) If you are waiting for something, or simply have a
    long way to go in order to get to the hangar, you can
    use ALT-T to cause time to pass either 2 or 4 times as
    quickly (there is an indicator at the bottom right
    corner of your cockpit display that will show the
    rate of time passage as 2x or 4x).

 12) For a fun challenge, try flying the training course
    and using the ALT-T command to accelerate time.

 13) If you're getting frustrated with a mission, don't
    forget about the SHIFT-S command which calls for
    reinforcements.  There is a scoring penalty
    (5000 points), but you may find it to be worth it.

 14) If the game seems to be running slow in DOS mode,
    check to make sure you don't have DOS shells running.
    Some common DOS shells are Norton Commander, Xtree
    Gold, and Microsoft DOSshell.  Booting from a boot disk
    and then launching TIE Fighter CD directly from the
    DOS prompt is the best way to avoid problems.


XII) Miscellaneous.

  1) TIE Fighter tries to make disk access faster by
    keeping frequently accessed files open.  This means
    that you must set a FILES=nn line in your CONFIG.SYS
    to allow DOS to have nn files open at once. We
    recommend you set FILES=30.  It is recommended that
    you modify the CONFIG.SYS only on your boot disk.

  2) There is a cool new feature in TIE Fighter CD that
    allows you to capture a screen shot any time in the
    game.  Simply press ALT-o when the screen you want
    is showing, and the program will save a SCREEN??.PCX
    file to your installation directory.  Each time you
    press ALT-o, a new .PCX file will be written to the
    directory under a different filename, so you can
    capture as many screen shots as you have hard disk
    space for.


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