
                      ͻ
                                               
                          RELEASE NOTES FOR    
                       DESCENT 2: Destination  
                               Quartzon        
                      ͼ

                
                    ! DO NOT DISTRIBUTE THIS GAME !
                   DESCENT 2 IS A COMMERCIAL PRODUCT

                       See section 10 for details
                
                                NOTICE:
                
                Due to the nature of S3's and Diamond's
                accelerated hardware, certain features and
                functionality are not available in this 
                version.
                Chief among these are VR devices. You must
                run the non-3daccelerated version of D2:
                Destination Quartzon in order to function
                with any VR device.
                Also not available in this special version 
                are certain command-line switches. These
                Switches are:
                *       -NoHires.
                *       -ForceVesa
                *       -NoSubtitles
                
                


        WIN95 users see Section 2 for important installation info!

                           ADDITIONAL CREDITS:
                
                       S3 Programming: Jay 'Jaybird' Patel

                       Lead Tester: Colin Totman                                 
                         
                        Testers: Greg Hersch
                                 Frank Pimentel

                                 
                         ͻ
                          TABLE of CONTENTS 
                         ͼ

                      1. VERSION CHANGES

                      2. MANUAL ADDENDA

                      3. DESCENT 2 FEATURES
                            a. Feature List
                            b. Notes on New Features

                      4. COMMAND-LINE OPTIONS

                      5. TIPS FOR NEW PILOTS

                      6. USING SPECIAL JOYSTICKS & CONTROLLERS

                      7. TROUBLESHOOTING & COMMON PROBLEMS
                            a. General problems
                            b. Windows 95 problems
                            c. Modem/Serial problems
                            d. Netgame problems

                      8. TECHNICAL SUPPORT

                      9. DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION




                          ͻ
                           1. VERSION CHANGES 
                          ͼ

DESCENT 2 INTERACTIVE DEMO

1.0  - Original release



DESCENT 2 FULL VERSION

1.0  - Original release

See section 3 for Feature additions since Descent 1.



                          ͻ
                           2. MANUAL ADDENDA 
                          ͼ

The following are supplemental items/changes to the Descent 2 manual.
If you can find no information regarding a problem you're having,
Section 9 below lists several sources of Descent 2 support.


IMPORTANT NOTES FOR WINDOWS 95 INSTALLATION


BEFORE running Descent 2 under Win95, please make sure you have done
the following:

    - Go into the Control Panel/System/Performance/File System/CD-ROM
      dialog.  First, make sure the Supplemental Cache Size is set to
      Large.  Secondly, if you have a 2x CD-ROM drive, make sure the
      Optimize Access Pattern dialog is set to "Double Speed Drives"
      (if you have a 4x CD, use "Quad Speed Drives", etc).  This will
      ensure good movie playback.


Running Descent 2 from Win95:

    - Double-click the Descent 2 icon created by the installer, run
      Descent 2 from the Start menu, or:

    - If you're running from an MS-DOS box, type:

        start "descent ii.pif"
                  or
        start "descent ii setup.pif"

      This is necessary for Win95 to use the settings Descent 2 requires.
      Remember, Descent 2 requires 16 MB RAM to run under Win95.

Other Win95 items:

    - Descent 2 normally uses the PRINTSCREEN key to take screenshots of
      the game.  If you wish for this key to function in the normal fashion,
      go to the Properties/Windows Shortcut Keys dialog.  Make sure the
      checkbox next to "PRTSC" is enabled.  This will restore the Win95
      default setting for this key.

    - Disable any screensavers you have running.  These will interrupt
      gameplay and possibly cause it to lock-up.

    - If you get an "HMI Driver Not Found" error, you will should simply
      re-start Descent 2.


CHANGES & CORRECTIONS

- On page 10 of the manual, the Options menu is said to contain sound
  volume sliders and other options.  These have all been moved into a
  Sound Effects & Music submenu found on the Options menu.

- In the Options/Sound menu, you can now enable/disable redbook music
  by using the Disable CD Music toggle.  Volume levels can be adjusted
  individually.

- On page 15 of the manual, the Always Show High-res Automap toggle was
  left out of the Toggles menu.  Enabling this will always run the Automap
  in 640x480 instead of the 320x200 default.

- On page 17 of the manual, the Guide-Bot menu key is mistakenly listed
  as SHIFT-F2.  The actual key is SHIFT-F4.

- On page 19 of the manual, the Cycle Primary/Secondary keys are mistakenly
  listed as DEL/,.  The actual keys are "," for Primary and "." for
  Secondary.

- On page 31 of the manual, the Flash Missile was not mentioned.  This
  missile will blind opponents with a bright flash of light.  When robots
  are hit with these missiles, they will become briefly disoriented and
  will be more vulnerable to attack.

- On page 41 of the manual, label #12 (the ProxBomb/SmartMine count) was
  not labeled on the screenshot.  This display appears in the lower right
  of the cockpit below the key displays.

- On page 46 of the manual, the Multiplayer section states the delay for
  incoming players to be accepted as 5 seconds.  The delay is actually 8
  seconds.

- On page 57 of the manual, the Bright Player Ships toggle was left out
  of the Start Netgame options.  When enabled, this will make the player
  ships brighter and easier to see in dark corridors.

- In the VR Headset controls section of the manual, the following changes
  were made to the keys:

     Alt+F5 [VR Reset]
        o On the cybermaxx, toggles victor mode on/off
        o Centers the head tracking
        o Resets all stereoscopic parameters to default
     Alt+F9  [Decreases the interaxial separation]
     Alt+F10 [Increases the interaxial separation]



SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS


Netgame Info Queries

When sitting on the Multiplayer/Join Netgame screen, you can now hit "I"
to get more detailed info on a netgame in progress.  This feature was added
after the manual went to print.


CD/MIDI Track Advancing

Also undocumented in the manual is the use of ALT -/+ keys (ALT-minus and
ALT-plus).  Using these keys in the game will play the previous/next
redbook track on the CD.  If you're listening to MIDI music, it will
advance to the next level song.



the Strategy Guide

Descent II: The Official Strategy Guide is available from Prima Publishing.
To order, call 800-531-2343.  Also available at better bookstores and
multimedia outlets nationwide.


Descent 2 and Internet Head-to-Head Daemon (IHHD)

While playing Multiplayer Descent 2 through the IHHD software is possible,
it is not recommended.  The delay in packet delivery will almost
certainly lead to strange results.  You may see players jump around
suddenly, or even disappear for several seconds at a time.  You may also
witness players not dropping powerups when killed, staying cloaked too
long, or other unfavorable results.  See Section 8 for additional ideas
and suggestions.


Descent 2 and Novell's NETX

When playing network games, all players should either have NETX loaded 
or all players should not have NETX loaded.  If one player has NETX 
loaded and the other player doesn't, this will cause noticable 
slowdowns and delays when starting netgames.


Descent 2 and OS/2

To get Descent 2 to run under OS/2, just increase your DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT
to 8 megs or more.  Descent should then run perfectly with full sound.
If your joystick behaves strangely under OS/2 try using the "-JoyPolled"
command line option.  Keep in mind that Descent 2 does not officially
support OS/2.


Descent 2 and Windows 3.1x

Use the following settings in your PIF file:

   Optional Parameters:  -JoyPolled
            EMS Memory:  KB Limit -1
            XMS Memory:  KB Limit -1
         Display Usage:  Full Screen
             Execution:  Exclusive

If you use a joystick, the -JoyPolled option uses an alternate method of
joystick reading that should increase performance under Windows.
Keep in mind that Descent does not officially support Windows.



                         ͻ
                          3. DESCENT 2 FEATURES 
                         ͼ
ͻ
 3a. Feature List 
ͼ

The following is a somewhat-complete list of full-version Descent 2
features.


10+ new weapons/powerups
  afterburner
  full-map powerup
  ammo rack powerup
  energy->shield transfers
  flash/stun missiles
  guided missiles
  smart mines
  headlight powerup
  more!

Redbook CD soundtrack featuring Ogre from Skinny Puppy
full motion, high-resolution cinematics
new anarchy levels
flowing water, lava, and seismic disturbances
advanced AI including thieves, snipers, and escort robots
640x480 support with high resolution cockpit, as well as other hi-res modes
enhanced lighting effects (blastable lights!)

new multiplayer features:
        capture the flag game mode
        option to disallow any weapon
        play by kills or time limit
        player handicapping
        flexible player limits
        improved slow-packet handling
        restricted game mode

Minor features:

new redbook, MIDI, FM soundtrack with new digital sound effects
automap markers w/text descriptors
minefields
new control boxes, forcefields and triggers
multiple HUD camera views including teammates, missiles, and markers
custom weapon autoselection priorities
advanced secret level system
ability to drop weapons

Robot AI bahaviors:
   GuideBot
   Thief
   Snipers
   Energy Drainers
   More advanced Brain behavior
   Robots which fire two different kinds of weapons
   Robots which attempt to get behind the player in battle
   More dynamic robot behavior, more complex strategies based on the player.


ͻ
 3b. Notes on Descent 2 Features 
ͼ


THIEF-BOTS

Not all new robots are designed to help you.  Thief robots are fast and
evil robots, designed to steal your weaponry when you least expect it.
If you kill a Thief robot, he will drop items he has stolen from you.  If
he's stolen more than a few items, however, there is always the chance one
or two have been destroyed.


GUIDED MISSILES

Guided missiles can be a great weapon in any single- or multi-player game.
When you fire one of these, your pitch/bank controls will control the
flight path of the missile.  Remaining controls (throttle, sliding) will
still control your ship.  You will continue to control the Guided missile
until it runs out of fuel (30 seconds), it hits an object or wall, or until
you hit the fire key again (at which point the Guided missile will "home"
like a Homing missile).

By default, the Guided missile view will be displayed in the secondary
weapons display.  The view can be enlarged by using the appropriate toggle
in the Options/Toggles menu.


THE AFTERBURNER

New to the Descent 2 display is the Afterburner.  In Cockpit mode, the new
gauge appears as a red energy bar on the left side (the key display has been
moved to the right side).  This new energy bar will only activate if you
are currently carrying the Afterburner.  In Status Bar mode, it appears
below the main Energy Gauge.  In Full Screen, it appears as a percentage
above the Energy/Shield display on the left (if Afterburner is available).

The Afterburner uses a separate energy bank, which charges from your main
Energy.


AUTOSAVE/RESTORE BACKUPS

New in Descent 2... When you save over an existing savegame, it will copy
the old one to a backup file.  This allows you to restore the old one in
case you accidently overwrote it.  The backup game appears as
"[autosave backup]" at the bottom of the Restore Game list.

Likewise, whenever you Load a saved game, the game will save your current
game in the backup slot.  This will allow you to "undo" the restore in
case it was accidental.  Thank Mike for this welcome addition to Descent 2!


BOMB DISPLAY

A new ProxBomb/SmartMine display has been added to your screen.  It appears
as a red or gold "B:xx" counter somewhere on your screen.  In Cockpit
mode, it appears in the lower right corner.  On the Status Bar, it's in the
lower left of the Secondary Weapons display.  In Full Screen, it's above
your current weapons display on the right.  If you have no ProxBombs or
SmartMines, this display will be blank.

This display tells you what weapon will be dropped when you hit the Drop
Bomb key (default is 'B').  If the display shows a red-colored "B:04" it
means you have four ProxBombs ready to be dropped.  A gold-colored display
indicates SmartMines.  Note that this does not indicate that the weapon is
"armed" as a Secondary weapon, and only refers to the Drop Bomb key
functionality.

NOTE: This display will reflect the ProxBomb/SmartMine positions in the
Secondary Autoselect Ordering menu, even if they appear below the "Never
Autoselect" line.  Example: Both ProxBombs and SmartMines appear below the
"Never" line, but ProxBombs appear higher.  The "B:xx" display will change
to ProxBombs over SmartMines if you have some of each.



                       ͻ
                        4. COMMAND-LINE OPTIONS 
                       ͼ

The following DOS command-line options are available in Descent 2.
Upper/lowercase is not significant.

 General Options:

  -Verbose        Shows initialization steps for tech support
  -LowMem         Lower animation detail for better performance with low memory
  -NoLowMem       Force high animation detail even when low memory
  -NoMemCheck     Disables memory requirement checking
  -NoDOSCheck     Disables DOS version checking
  -NoFileCheck    Disables the file handles check
  -ForceVesa      Enables VESA linear frame buffering (if available)
  -Subtitles      Turn on movie subtitles (English-only)

 Input devices:

  -NoMouse       Disables mouse drivers
  -NoJoystick    Disables joystick support
  -JoyPolled     Poll joystick w/ counter.  Use for Windows, OS/2
  -JoyBios       Use the system BIOS for joystick.
  -JoyNice       Joystick poller allows interrupts to occur
  -GamePort      Use Colorado Spectrum's Notebook Gameport

 Sound & Music:

  -Volume <v>    Sets sound volume to v, where v is between 0 and 100
  -NoSound       Turns off sound & music
  -NoMusic       Disables music; sound effects remain enabled
  -DisableSound  Completely disable sound system (also disables movies)
  -NoLoadPats    Disables patch loading for Gravis UltraSound
  -Sound22K      Use 22KHz sounds, even if machine has less than 16 MB
  -Sound11K      Use 11KHz sounds, even if machine has more than 16 MB
  -No16Bit       Disable 16-bit sound (movies only)

 Network & Modem:

  -CtsRts        Enables CTS/RTS handshaking during null-modem games
  -NoNetwork     Disables network drivers
  -NoSerial      Disables serial drivers




                       ͻ
                        5. TIPS for NEW PILOTS 
                       ͼ

Here are a few things that help new players adjust to the fully 3D world
and intelligent robots of Descent 2.  Heed these tips and you'll soon be
blasting robot hordes (and your friends!) with ease.

     o Use a quality joystick.  Thrustmaster, Advanced Gravis, and
       CH Products provide full lines of controls well suited to 3D
       flying.

     o If you use a two-button joystick, try keeping one hand on the
       A and Z keys to control your FORWARD and REVERSE.

     o If you're up against a wall, try using REVERSE to back away 
       instead of turning around.

     o Learn how to SLIDE well.  Using vertical sliding instead of pitching
       will help keep you upright.  If your joystick has a Hat Switch, 
       use it to slide.

     o Rescue the hostages!  If you rescue all hostages in a mine, you
       receive a full rescue bonus.  But be sure you make it out after
       picking them up - if your ship's destroyed, so are they.

     o Try clearing a path to the exit before you attack the Main Reactor.
       You may run out of time if you're battling hordes of robots on
       your escape!

     o Look for secret doors.  Weapons and ammo are often behind them.                      
       They can be a different color, or have small seams running down
       them.  Keep in mind, Descent 2 is fully 3D, and secret doors aren't
       only in the walls...

     o DON'T SIT STILL.  The best way to stay alive is to keep moving.
       Using SLIDE to circle a target while you're firing is very
       effective.

     o Learn to use your ship's Automap.  It can reveal things your
       eyes may miss.




               ͻ
                6. USING SPECIAL JOYSTICKS & CONTROLLERS 
               ͼ

Thrustmaster, Gravis Phoenix, CH, and Logitech controls are fully supported
by Descent 2.  The device control files (DESCENT2.ADV, DESCENT2.M50,
D2WCS.M50, D2TQS.M50, DESCENT.PHX, and DESCENT.KEY) can be found in the
\CONTROLS subdirectory.  If you have a Wingman Extreme, Flight Force Pro,
or other FCS-style stick, you should use the "Thrustmaster FCS" option.

      SpaceBall Avenger:  In the \CONTROLS subdirectory on your Descent 2
                          CD there is a self-extracting zip file
                          (AVGRD2.EXE).  This archive contains the drivers
                          and instructions needed to use your Avenger with
                          Descent 2.

       Thrustmaster FCS:  Choose "Thrustmaster FCS" under Options/Controls.
                          This is for players NOT using the WCS.  If you
                          use the WCS throttle with the FCS, follow
                          instructions for the WCS below.

     * Thrustmaster WCS:  Load the DESCENT2.ADV file into your WCS.  In
           Mark II        Descent 2, choose "Joystick" under
                          Options/Controls.  Now choose "Configure Above"
                          and change the THROTTLE entry to respond to the
                          WCS (the Y2 axis).

    * Thrustmaster FLCS:  Load the D2FLCS.B50 file into your FLCS. 
                          If you also use a WCS throttle, no program should
                          be loaded into the WCS.

     * Thrustmaster TQS:  Load D2TQS.B50 into your FLCS.  This will
                          automatically configure your TQS for Descent 2.
                          Follow directions above to configure your throttle
                          entry in Descent 2.

         Gravis Phoenix:  Load the DESCENT2.PHX file into your Phoenix. In
                          Descent 2, choose "Joystick" under Options/Controls.
                          Now choose "Configure Above" and change the
                          THROTTLE entry to respond to the throttle
                          slider (the Y2 axis).

      Logitech Cyberman:  You must have the Cyberman MOUSE.COM driver loaded
                          before you run Descent 2.  If you have a standard
                          mouse connected as well, you will need to use the
                          "/dual" option when you load MOUSE.COM.  See
                          Cyberman docs for details.  

       NoteBook GamePort: Run Descent 2 with the -JoyBios command line switch
                          and everything should work like normal.  Make sure
                          that you have the joystick TSR installed.

Calibration Note:  When using one of the analog throttles listed here or
                   the CH Flightstick, you will be prompted to calibrate
                   your throttle as well as your joystick.

*  >> NOTE TO WCS and FLCS USERS:  Because these devices intercept the
      keyboard signals, your ship may fly strangely when you also hold down
      keyboard keys (like 'A' and 'Z').  If you keep the WCS or FLCS on
      your system, it's recommended that you use those devices for throttle
      control and sliding, not the keyboard.



                 ͻ
                  7. TROUBLESHOOTING & COMMON PROBLEMS 
                 ͼ

Regardless of configuration, you should have no trouble running Descent 2.
But in the unlikely case you do have problems, here are some helpful
pointers:
      

ͻ
 7a. General Problems 
ͼ

=> Q:  I HAVE A RELATIVELY FAST COMPUTER, SO WHY CAN'T I PLAY BACK THE
       HIGH-RES MOVIES?

   A:  The estimated minimum setup for playing back the high-res movies
       properly is a Pentium-90 and a 2x CD-ROM.  If you have such a
       system (or a faster one), and SETUP still suggests low-res
       movies, you should try one of the following:

        - Win95 users check the Win95 Installation notes in Section 2 above.
        - Increase your CD-ROM buffers to 30 or more (see CD-ROM manual).
        - Use a Large or Crazy install.  The movies will play back better
          from a hard drive.

=> Q:  I OCCASIONALLY GET 2-3 SECOND PAUSES IN THE MIDDLE OF PLAYING.

   A:  Do you have CD (redbook) music playing?  This is probably the cause.
       When the CD player changes/loops a track, this delay will occur.

=> Q:  MY CD (REDBOOK) MUSIC IS TOO LOUD/SOFT, WHY IS THIS?

   A:  Thanks to generally non-uniform standards in CD-ROM drivers, the
       average volume level for CD playback is very random.  If the
       CD Music volume slider in Descent 2 doesn't give you the level
       you need, try adjusting your driver levels from DOS (see your
       CD-ROM manual for details).

=> Q:  I GET "CANNOT FIND MOON01.BBM" (OR OTHER FILE) ERROR WHEN I RUN
       DESCENT 2.  WHAT'S WRONG?

   A:  Descent 2 requires that you specify FILES=15 or higher in your
       CONFIG.SYS.  If you are having problems saving/loading games, then
       make sure that you're not doing a clean boot by holding down the F5
       key during the Loading DOS process.  Adding FILES=15 to your
       CONFIG.SYS should clear this up.

=> Q:  DESCENT 2 DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE SOME OF THE COOL SOUND EFFECTS
       IT USED TO.  FOR EXAMPLE, MY FLARES MAKE LASER FIRING SOUNDS.
       WHAT HAPPENED?

   A:  If there is less than 5 MB of available physical memory, Descent 2
       "recycles" sound effects to save memory.  Increase your available
       physical memory above 5 MB, and all sound effects will be loaded.
       Another option is to run with the -NoLowMem command line option.
       This forces Descent to use all sound effects regardless of available
       memory.  However, Descent may run slower with this option.

=> Q:  I HAVE LESS THAN 10MB OF RAM, AND I'M LOW ON DISK SPACE.  DESCENT 2
       HANGS/CRASHES ON ME.  WHAT CAN I DO?

   A:  If Descent 2 doesn't have enough free RAM available, it uses hard
       drive space instead of RAM.  If this is the case, make sure you
       have plenty of free disk space (at least 8-16MB free).

=> Q:  DESCENT 2 RUNS SLOWLY ON MY MACHINE, ESPECIALLY IN LARGE BATTLES.
       WHAT CAN I DO?

   A:  Try one or all of the following:
        - Using F3 and +/- to shrink your 3D window size
        - Lowering any/all of the detail level sliders in the
          Options/Detail level screen.
        - Use SHIFT-F1/F2 to remove any secondary views you may use.

=> Q:  I HAVE A SMALL GAME WINDOW AND A LOW DETAIL LEVEL, BUT DESCENT 2
       STILL LOADS AND RUNS SLOWLY.

   A:  Check your sound card settings in SETUP.  Incorrect settings
       can cause significant slowdown.

=> Q:  ONCE IN AWHILE DESCENT 2 WILL LOCK UP WHEN PLAYING A MOVIE.  WHAT
       CAUSES THIS?

   A:  Check and see if you are running any TSR programs that make use of
       the PC speaker (mail notifiers like Castaway frequently do this).
       To avoid these lockups, you will need to disable any such TSRs before
       running Descent 2.

=> Q:  THE WALLS IN MY GAME SEEM TO JUMP AROUND IN THE DISTANCE.  WHY?
=> Q:  I GET A COLORED WALL IN THE MIDDLE OF MY TUNNELS.  WHAT IS THIS?

   A:  These are due to the Detail Level being set below the highest
       setting.  Consult your Descent 2 Manual.  

=> Q:  MY COMPUTER HAS 4 MEGS OF RAM.  THE GAME IS SLOW AND ACCESSES THE
       HARD DRIVE ALL THE TIME.

   A:  Descent 2 requires 8 megs of RAM to run.  If you have less than 8
       it is unlikely you will be able to run it well.

=> Q:  DESCENT 2 LOCKS UP WHEN I RUN IT.

   A:  Try running Descent 2 with the "-nosound" option.  If this works,
       then chances are it's a sound card problem.  Run SETUP and make sure
       your card settings are correct.  If you don't hear digital sounds or
       music when you test them in SETUP, try Autodetection.  If this
       doesn't help, refer to your sound card manual for troubleshooting
       instructions, or call Interplay Technical Support.    

=> Q:  MY COMPUTER LOCKS UP WHEN AUTODETECTING SOUND CARDS IN SETUP.
       WHAT'S WRONG?

   A:  Due to hardware conflicts, autodetecting for sound cards is a
       risky process.  If you know the brand, port address, IRQ, and
       DMA of your sound card(s), it is recommended that you manually
       configure these items.  Lockups are also common when autodetection
       is used when no sound cards are installed.

=> Q:  I CAN'T SELECT THE RIGHT PORT/IRQ/DMA FOR MY SOUNDCARD IN SETUP.

   A:  If the proper selections don't appear in the SETUP, then you can
       always select them manually by editing your DESCENT.CFG file
       located in your DESCENT 2 directory.  While we tried to account for
       every possibility, some of the more exotic configurations may not
       be listed.  Contact Interplay if your setup is not listed.  

=> Q:  WHY DON'T I HEAR ANYTHING WHEN I TEST MY SOUND IN SETUP?

   A:  You may have the wrong sound card selected, or incorrect port,
       IRQ or DMA settings.  Volume may be set too low in your sound
       drivers (or the volume slider on the back of your sound card).
       Hardware conflicts or loose cables may be to blame as well.
      
=> Q:  MY JOYSTICK ISN'T RESPONDING IN THE GAME.  WHAT'S WRONG?

   A:  Be sure you have JOYSTICK selected in the Options/Controls menu,
       and that it's calibrated.  If your joystick connects to your
       soundcard, make sure the joystick port jumper is ENABLED on the card.
       Some soundcards have this disabled by default.

=> Q:  HEY!  SOME OF MY POWERUPS DISAPPEARED.  WHAT HAPPENED?

       Certain powerups will remove themselves from the game if they have
       been around 4 or 5 minutes.  This only happens to Concussion
       Missiles, Energy, and Shield powerups dropped by a dead player.
    
=> Q:  WHY DOES DESCENT ACT STRANGELY WHEN I RUN IT UNDER WINDOWS 3.xx?

   A:  While Descent 2 may run under Windows, it isn't recommended.  You
       will probably get odd behavior and slowdowns due to timer conflicts.
       GUS users may get no sound at all under Windows.  If you are having
       joystick problems, try using the -JoyPolled command line option.

=> Q:  I HAVE A THRUSTMASTER WCS HOOKED UP WITH A JOYSTICK.  WHEN I USE
       THE STICK TO FLY, AND THE 'A' AND 'Z' KEYS TO MOVE FORWARD AND
       BACK, I START FLYING OUT OF CONTROL.  WHY?

       Holding down keyboard keys will produce erratic results when the
       WCS or FLCS controls are installed.  See note in Section 6 for
       details.

=> Q:  WHY ISN'T MY MIDDLE MOUSE BUTTON WORKING IN DESCENT?

   A:  While Descent 2 supports three-button mice, you still need to load
       a mouse driver that supports three buttons.  Typically Microsoft
       mouse drivers support two and Logitech drivers use three.

=> Q:  I HAVE A GATEWAY 2000 P75.  THE COLORS IN DESCENT 2 ARE COMPLETELY
       MESSED UP.  WHAT CAN I DO?

   A:  Do a hard reboot of your computer and enter the BIOS setup.
       Find the "VGA Palette Snoop" option and disable it.  This should
       fix the problem.

=> Q:  DESCENT 2 LOCKS UP AT THE TITLE SCREEN.

   A:  Turn off the "Hidden Refresh" option in your BIOS Advanced settings.
       Also make sure RAMBIOS.SYS does _not_ appear in your CONFIG.SYS
       and that "Hardware Video Shadowing" is turned off in BIOS.


ͻ
 7b. Windows 95 Problems 
ͼ

=> Q:  I HAVE A 2X CD-ROM, BUT MY HI-RES MOVIES PLAY BACK TERRIBLY.  WHAT
       CAN I DO TO FIX THIS?

   A:  Go into the Control Panel/System/Performance/File System/CD-ROM
       dialog.  Under Optimize Access Pattern, make sure it is set to
       "Double Speed Drives".

=> Q:  AFTER PLAYING FOR A MINUTE OR TWO, THE GAME WILL RETURN TO WIN95 AND
       LOCK UP.  WHY?

   A:  Make sure you have disabled any/all screensavers.  These will
       interrupt Descent 2 and possibly cause it to crash.

=> Q:  I GET AN "OUT OF MEMORY ERROR" WHEN I RUN DESCENT 2 UNDER WIN95.

   A:  If you're running Descent 2 from the icon created by the installer,
       you should have no problem.  If you're using an MS-DOS box to run
       the game, you will need to type:

         start "descent ii.pif"
                   or
         start "descent ii setup.pif"

       This is necessary for Win95 to use the settings Descent 2 requires.
       Remember, Descent 2 requires 16 MB RAM to run under Win95.

=> Q:  I GET "HMI: DRIVER NOT FOUND" ERROR WHEN I RUN DESCENT 2 UNDER
       WINDOWS 95.

   A:  Because this version of Descent 2 is really an MS-DOS application,
       this will happen from time to time.  Simply re-run Descent 2 and
       the problem should go away.

=> Q:  WHEN I HIT PRINTSCREEN FROM DESCENT 2, IT SAVES A SCREENSHOT
       INSTEAD OF COPYING TO THE CLIPBOARD.  HOW CAN I CHANGE THIS?

       Descent 2 normally uses the PRINTSCREEN key to take screenshots of
       the game.  If you wish for this key to function in the normal
       fashion, go to the Properties/Windows Shortcut Keys dialog.  Make
       sure the checkbox next to "PRTSC" is enabled.  This will restore
       the Win95 default setting for this key.

=> Q:  WHEN I USE A JOYSTICK WITH DESCENT 2 UNDER WINDOWS 95, THE GAME
       JUMPS AND JERKS AROUND EVERY FEW SECONDS.

   A:  Try running Descent 2 with the "-joypolled" command-line option.
       This should clear up your joystick problems.

=> Q:  I CAN'T GET SOUND TO WORK PROPERLY UNDER WINDOWS95.

   A:  Make sure you have a sound device installed under Win95.  Check the
       System Control Panel, or Multimedia Control Panel for your sound
       card (if there's no Multimedia Control Panel, Windows 95 doesn't
       know you have a sound card.)  Also remember that if your sound card
       isn't supported by D2 for DOS, the same is true for running D2
       under DOS mode or in a DOS box.  D2 isn't a Windows95 game, but it
       has been tested under Windows 95.  On some systems, the Multimedia
       Control Panel's volume slider has an effect on the volume of
       digital sound, on other systems it has no such effect.  If problems
       persist, try running Descent 2 from full DOS mode.

=> Q:  I CAN'T PLAY MY FRIEND OVER A NETWORK WHEN RUNNING UNDER WIN95.
       WE ARE BOTH ON THE SAME NETWORK, BUT DESCENT 2 JUST WON'T FIND HIM.

   A:  Only IPX games are supported in Descent 2.  Make sure you have the
       Network Control Panel in your Control Panel window.  Check it to
       see if you have an IPX network installed (it should read "IPX/SPX
       compatible protocol" or "IPX-ODI protocol").  Win95 will load the
       appropriate network drivers when booting up.  The network should
       then be available to a DOS box then, and Descent 2 will recognize it.

       If you're running from DOS mode, you need to edit your DOSSTART.BAT
       file in your Windows directory and load in the DOS network drivers
       (LSL.COM, NE2000, etc).

=> Q:  MY MUSIC SLOWS DOWN SOMETIMES WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF DISK ACCESS
       UNDER WINDOWS95.

   A:  Machines with less than the required amount of memory will use
       virtual memory.  This may produce a conflict between Descent 2 and
       Win95's virtual memory usage.  To solve this, you should reboot your
       computer and run Descent 2 in MS-DOS mode.


ͻ
 7c. Modem/Serial Problems 
ͼ

=> Q:  WHEN PLAYING A MODEM/SERIAL GAME, MY GAME FREEZES ON THE "WAITING
       FOR OPPONENT" SCREEN.  WHAT GIVES?

   A:  This screen will appear if you have died in/escaped from an
       exploding mine.  If the other player is still flying there can be
       up to a 60 second delay.  This is normal.  However, if your game
       sits at this screen much longer, chances are something is wrong.
       Likely culprits:  opponent is having technical difficulties,
       interference with unshielded serial cables, loose cables,
       baud rate set too high, or uncorrected errors in the modem
       transmission.

=> Q:  MY MODEM GAMES ARE MUCH SLOWER THAN NORMAL ONE-PLAYER GAMES.

   A:  Try using a higher baud rate in the Com Settings menu.  If your
       computer does not have a 16550 UART, acquiring one will allow
       up to 38400 baud when communicating with the modem.  Consult your
       Descent Manual for details.

=> Q:  STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN IN MY MODEM/NULL-MODEM GAMES.  WHAT CAN
       I DO TO HELP THIS?

   A:  This may be a result of dropped serial characters.  Some examples
       of "strange" things:  players not dropping powerups when killed,
       ships jumping from place to place on screen, or ships flying
       through doors that appear closed.  If you get error messages during
       play or during the "waiting for opponent" screen, this could be
       the cause as well.

       These problems may occur for several reasons.  Serial play adds an
       additional burden to the CPU when playing the game, so a computer
       capable of playing the game in single-player mode may have
       difficulties with modem or serial play.  If you are using a
       4-megabyte machine, the disk activity needed to run the program in
       a small memory space can cause lost characters.  A lot of sound
       activity can also cause lost serial characters.  Increasing the RAM
       for the game or reducing the number of sound channels in the detail
       settings menu can sometimes help.  Of course you can also reduce
       the baud rate in the Com Settings menu to slow down the game
       somewhat while improving reliability.  Also try setting your music
       volume slider to 0 in the Options menu.

       The best thing you can do to improve serial performance is to equip
       your machine with a 16550 UART.  However, even with this UART 38.4k
       baud rate can still be problematic if you have the burden of low
       RAM or heavy sound activity, so don't be ashamed to run a 16550
       UART at 19.2k baud if need be.


ͻ
 7d. Netgame Problems 
ͼ

=> Q:  STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN WHEN PLAYING DESCENT 2 UNDER KALI/IHHD.
       HITS DON'T REGISTER ON MY OPPONENTS, THEIR SHIPS SEEM TO "JUMP"
       AROUND A LOT, ETC. WHAT CAN I DO?

   A:  While Descent 2 isn't really designed for slow connection games
       such as these, you may be able to improve them.  One thing that may
       help is starting the netgame with a lower Packets per Second
       value (under Multiplayer/Start Netgame/More Options).

=> Q:  I GET HUGE WAITS WHEN WAITING TO JOIN A NETGAME.

   A:  Robo-Anarchy games and games with many players will sometimes take
       up to 30 seconds to transfer the needed join info to incoming
       players.  Be patient.

=> Q:  ROBO-ANARCHY PAUSES DURING GAMEPLAY DURING GAMES WITH 8 PLAYERS.
       CAN THIS BE IMPROVED?

   A:  Due to the greater number of AI objects the game must handle, Robo-
       Anarchy will probably suffer more with 8 players than other game
       modes.  We recommend playing with 4 players instead.

=> Q:  I HAVE A ZEOS PANTERA P60 WITH A SOUNDCARD AND WHEN I TRY PLAYING
       A NETGAME IT LOCKS UP.  WHAT CAN I DO?

   A:  Instead of doing a full login to your server, try loading only the
       IPX drivers.  Descent Netgames only require this to function
       properly.

=> Q:  I'M GETTING AN ERROR SAYING MY IPX DRIVERS AREN'T LOADED PROPERLY.
       WHAT DO I DO?

   A:  First, make sure you have a reasonable amount of low memory
       available.  Although Descent 2 uses a DOS extender to avoid low-
       memory hassles, some low memory is still needed for network buffers.
       If this fails, make sure your IPX.COM and other network drivers
       are loaded properly.  A good way to test this is to logon to
       a network server, if one is available.

=> Q:  MY NETGAMES SEEM SLOW AND UNRELIABLE.  WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?

   A:  Try using a different socket number.  It's possible that some other
       application on your computer uses socket 5110h and this is
       preventing Descent 2 from opening a proper network connection.  Try
       large values for the socket number (like 32 or 100).  Remember,
       your opponents will need to use the same socket you do.  Also try
       lowering the Packets per Second value in the Start Netgame/More
       Options menu.

=> Q:  DESCENT 2 TELLS ME MY NETWORK CARD IS MISSING PACKETS.  WHAT THE
       HECK DOES THAT MEAN?

   A:  This can be a result of a slow network card, heavy traffic on the
       network, or software conflicts in your system.  If you get this
       message, you can rejoin the game and try again.  If the problem
       persists, one of the following could be to blame:

       - Too many packets being sent.  Descent 2 is optimized for play over
         LAN-based networks.  Slow LANs or WAN-based games (like KALI or
         IHHD) may be too slow to guarantee processing of all packets.
         Lowering the Packets per Second value in the Start Netgame/More
         Options menu (to a number less than 10) may improve things.

       - Loose cables.  Happens to the best of us.  Check the plugs on
         the back of your computer, specifically the ones running to/from
         your network card.

       - Too many players.  While 8 players is offered as the maximum
         in Descent 2, it's possible that your LAN or computer configuration
         can only support 4-6 players reliably.

       - Bad network card.  Some cards drop IPX packets even without
         heavy loads or interference.  If you suspect your LAN card, try
         swapping it with one from another computer.

       - Software conflicts.  Other drivers may be running that cause
         problems with the network interrupts.  These conflicts may not
         emerge when performing other LAN tasks that either don't use
         IPX or have layers of error-checking.  Try removing unneeded
         drivers from your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT.

       - Router problems.  Playing Descent with players on different sides
         of a router may cause lost packets or delays.  Playing this way
         is not recommended because it creates a significant load on the
         router that may disturb other LAN users.




                         ͻ
                          8. TECHNICAL SUPPORT 
                         ͼ

=> Q:  I CAN'T GET DESCENT 2 TO RUN PROPERLY!  THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS ARE
       TAUNTING ME.  WHAT CAN I DO??

   A:  Don't panic.  Interplay Technical support is happy to help with
       with any problems you have.  Help is available 24 hours a day
       through our Automated Customer Service system, with representatives
       available during normal business hours.  Here's how to contact us:

                     ͻ
                        Interplay Technical Support  
                            & Customer Service       
                                                     
                               714-553-6678          
                     ͼ

               MacPlay support can be reached at 714-553-3530

   Please try to have your system information available and be near your
   computer if at all possible.

   Other ways to get Interplay Support:

                          in the United States
                          

   Interplay Productions   Interplay Web Page: http://www.interplay.com
   attn: Customer Service    Macplay Web Page: http://www.macplay.com
   17922 Fitch Avenue          internet email: support@interplay.com
   Irvine, CA  92714                  Macplay: macplay@macplay.com
                                    FTP sites: ftp1.interplay.com
   fax: (714)252.2820                          or ftp.interplay.com
   Att: Customer Service        Interplay BBS: 714-252-2822
                                   BBS telnet: 199.182.211.86 or
                                               bbs.interplay.com
                               America Online: keyword INTERPLAY
                                               or email to "IPTECH"
                                        GEnie: type "M805;1"
                                      Prodigy: email PLAY99B
                                   CompuServe: GO GAMBPUB, under INTERPLAY
                                      Prodigy: email to "PLAY99B"


       In Europe                          In Japan 
                                 

   write to:                         Customer service via
    Customer Support              Electronic Arts Victor at:
    Harleyford Manor                  
    Harleyford                       phone: 03.5410.3100 
    Henley Road                        fax: 03.5410.3106
    Marlow            
    Buckinghamshire
    SL7 2DX
    England

   phone: +44 (0) 1628 423723
   fax  : +44 (0) 1628 487752




                    ͻ
                      9. DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION 
                    ͼ

                
                    ! DO NOT DISTRIBUTE THIS GAME !
                   DESCENT 2 IS A COMMERCIAL PRODUCT
                

         Please report Software Piracy to the SPA: 1-800-388-PIR8

If you wish to distribute Descent 2, grab the 3-level Interactive Demo from
one of the sites listed below.  See Software License below for specific
distribution information of the Descent 2 Interactive Demo.

The DESCENT 2 INTERACTIVE DEMO (as well as current updates) can be found at
the following locations:

             
              Interplay web page:  http://www.interplay.com
              Parallax web page :  http://www.pxsoftware.com
             

     - Interplay BBS: 714-252-2822

     - CompuServe: GO GAMBPUB, under INTERPLAY

     - America Online: keyword: INTERPLAY

     - Software Creations BBS: 508-368-4137 or telnet to swcbbs.com

     - Redeye BBS: +49.89.5460535, Munich, Germany

     - some Internet sites to check:  (please notify us with site changes)

        ftp.wustl.edu            in /pub/MSDOS_UPLOADS/descent
        janus.library.cmu.edu    in /pub/msdos/descent
        ftp.cdrom.com            in /.5/descent
        ftp.gatech.edu           in /pub/dos/games/descent
        ftp.uwp.edu              in /pub/incoming/games
        ftp.funet.fi             in /pub/msdos/games/interplay
        csc.mc.edu               in /pub/games/descent
        bell.ecs.soton.ac.uk     in /pub/pc/games/demos
        ftp.uml.edu              in /msdos/games/temp
        ftp.demon.co.uk          in /pub/ibmpc/dos/games/descent
        ftp.leo.org              in /pub/comp/platforms/pc/msdos/games/demo
        doomgate.cs.buffalo.edu  in /pub/descent


Check the following locations for other Descent/Descent 2-related goodies:

          the alt.games.descent & alt.binraies.descent newsgroup,
          the #descent IRC channel, or:

          http://www.eskimo.com/~jhroyer/
          http://www.eskimo.com/~stickman/descent/
          http://doomgate.cs.buffalo.edu/
          http://www.primenet.com/
          http://fiction.isdn.uiuc.edu/~jeske/descent/
          http://www.prairienet.org/~jslagel

        PLEASE notify us with site location changes or additions.



               SOFTWARE USE LIMITATIONS AND LIMITED LICENSE 

  This software product and the manual are copyrighted and all rights are 
    reserved by Interplay Productions and are protected by the copyright 
   laws that pertain to computer software.  You may not copy the software 
   except that you may make one copy of the software solely for backup or 
     archival purposes.  You may not loan, sell, rent, lease, give, sub 
  license, or otherwise transfer the software (or any copy).  You may not 
       modify, adapt, translate, create derivative works, decompile, 
     disassemble, or otherwise reverse engineer or attempt to reverse 
  engineer or derive source code from, all or any portion of the software 
  or anything incorporated therein or permit or encourage any third party 
                                to do so.

        DESCENT COPYRIGHT (C) 1996 PARALLAX SOFTWARE CORPORATION
                           ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

        ALL TRADEMARKS ARE PROPERTY OF INTERPLAY PRODUCTIONS, INC.
                           ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
    INTERPLAY PRODUCTIONS IS THE EXCLUSIVE LICENSEE AND DISTRIBUTOR.


-END OF FILE-
