NHL 2000 – Windows Readme – English

Thank you for purchasing EA Sports NHL 2000.  This README file 
contains information on new features not covered in the manual,
as well as more detailed information on certain features already 
covered in the manual.  The README file also contains information
on performance issues, multiplayer issues, 3D Acceleration issues,
and hardware issues.

################################################################
1)	Performance Issues and Troubleshooting
	    a) 3D Accelerators
	    b) Improving Gameplay Performance
	    c) Improving Graphic Details
	    d) Memory
	    e) Video Card
	    f) Sound Card
	    g) CD-ROM
	    h) Joystick
	    i) Modem
	    j) Network
	    k) Internet	
	    l) Alt-Tab
2)	Importing your face
3)	Custom Taunts
4)	Career Mode
5)	Coaching Pressure
6)	Game Controls
7)	Windows 2000
################################################################

================================================================
1)	Performance Issues and Troubleshooting
================================================================
----------------------------------------------------------------
a)	3D Accelerators
----------------------------------------------------------------

*3D SETUP PROGRAM*
3D Setup is the utility that lets you choose which 3D card you
want to use with NHL 2000.  NHL 2000 supports all 3D accelerators
from 3Dfx, as well as most 3D accelerators that supports Direct3D.
You do not need a 3D accelerator card to run NHL 2000 -- if you 
do not have a 3D accelerator, or your 3D card is not supported, 
NHL 2000 will run using the software renderer.

3D Setup is automatically run in the background when you first 
install NHL 2000.  It will choose the best 3D accelerator on your
system to run with NHL 2000.

If you want to change the 3D accelerator used with NHL 2000, or 
if you install a new 3D accelerator, run 3DSetup located in the 
Start Menu under EA SPORTS --> NHL 2000.

*Cards based on the 3Dfx Voodoo II & Voodoo Banshee chipsets*
We recommend that you upgrade your Glide drivers to version 3.02 
or higher.  These drivers can be found on the game CD in the \3dfx
folder.  If you do not upgrade your drivers, NHL 2000 will still run,
but you may experience graphical or performance issues.  If you do
upgrade your drivers, please run 3DSetup again, once you have 
finished upgrading.

*Cards based on the S3 Virge and Mpact chipsets*
These chipsets perform better using the software renderer, and 
you will not be able to run in Direct3D mode with these cards.

*Matrox Millenium, Millenium II, and Mystique cards*
These cards perform better using the software renderer.  You 
cannot run these cards in Direct3D mode.

*ATI Expression cards*
These cards perform also perform better using the software renderer.
You cannot run these cards in Direct3D mode.

----------------------------------------------------------------
b)	Improving Gameplay Performance
----------------------------------------------------------------

To improve gameplay performance, go to Rules & Options in any Game
Setup screen.  Click on Display Options and adjust the sliders to 
minimum.  Also make sure you run with the lowest game 
resolution (640x480).

On-Play Player Detail -- the detail level of the players during 
	gameplay.  
Off-Play Player Detail -- the detail level of the players during 
	offplay sequences (whenever the clock is not running).
On-Play Arena Detail -- the detail level of the arena during gameplay.
Off-Play Arena Detail -- the detail level of the arena during offplay
	sequences (whenever the clock is not running).
Off-Play Activiy Detail -- the detail level of scripted sequences 
	(goal celebrations,penalty box shots, faceoff shots, etc.).

----------------------------------------------------------------
c)	Improving Graphic Details
----------------------------------------------------------------

To improve Graphic Details, go to Rules & Options in any Game Setup
screen.  Click on Display Options and adjust the sliders up from the
default settings.  This will decrease your framerate but improve the 
details of the players and arena.

On-Play Player Detail -- the detail level of the players during 
	gameplay.  
Off-Play Player Detail -- the detail level of the players during 
	offplay sequences (whenever the clock is not running).
On-Play Arena Detail -- the detail level of the arena during gameplay.
Off-Play Arena Detail -- the detail level of the arena during offplay
	sequences (whenever the clock is not running).
Off-Play Activiy Detail -- the detail level of scripted sequences 
	(goal celebrations,penalty box shots, faceoff shots, etc.).

You can also increase the game resolution.  Only game resolutions 
supported by your hardware will be listed.

----------------------------------------------------------------
d) MEMORY
----------------------------------------------------------------

NHL 2000 requires 32 MB RAM and Virtual Memory Enabled. We advise 
that you let Windows 95 or 98 manage the amount of virtual memory 
automatically (the default setting), and that you have at least 
30 MB free hard disk space after installation.

----------------------------------------------------------------
e) VIDEO CARD 
----------------------------------------------------------------

VIDEO PROBLEMS
If you are running the game through the software renderer, NHL 2000
requires a PCI SVGA video card capable of 640x480 resolution with 
65,535 colors (1 MB or more video memory).

NOTE: If your Windows 95 or 98 display driver does not support 
	DirectDraw, you may experience difficulties running NHL 2000.

GENERAL VIDEO CARD INFORMATION
During DirectX installation, the DirectX setup program attempts to 
upgrade your existing display driver. The DirectX Setup program 
checks to see if your current display driver has been tested. If 
your current display driver has not been tested, or if upgrading 
your current driver is known to cause problems, the setup program warns
you of this. In some cases, replacing your current driver may disable 
any Manufacturer specific utilities for your video card. If you want 
to keep these utilities functional, you may have to obtain the latest
drivers with DirectDraw support directly from the manufacturer of
your video card.

Your desktop must be set to at least 256 colors for NHL 2000 to 
run correctly.

----------------------------------------------------------------
f) SOUND CARD
----------------------------------------------------------------	    

NHL 2000 requires a sound card that supports DirectSound. If your
sound card driver does not support DirectSound you may experience 
choppy or stuttering sound, or sound that cuts in and out. If your 
sound card driver does not support DirectSound, we recommend obtaining 
updated drivers from your sound card manufacturer.

INSTALLED SOUND CARD, BUT THERE IS NO SOUND
*Make sure your speakers or headphones are plugged into the appropriate
jack and the volume control is turned up.

GENERAL SOUND CARD INFORMATION
*During DirectX installation, the DirectX setup program attempts 
to install a DirectSound supported driver for your sound card. 
If your sound card driver does not support DirectSound, the DirectX
setup program attempts to replace your existing sound card driver.
*Please consult your sound card manufacturer for updated drivers 
if DirectSound drivers are not available with the included 
DirectX 6.1 files from Microsoft. 

3D Sound
NHL 2000 supports sound cards that are capable of running with 
4 speakers.  You can turn on or off 4 speaker mode by going into 
Rules & Options --> Sound Options, and adjusting the setting there.

Although you may be able to select 4 speaker mode in the front end,
your card may not function properly in this mode.  4 speaker mode
is optimized for the SB Live! with LiveWare 2.0 drivers:  results 
with other cards may vary.

Selecting 4 speaker mode when only 2 speakers are connected may
cause loss of audio detail.

----------------------------------------------------------------
g) CD-ROM
----------------------------------------------------------------	    

NHL 2000 requires a quad-speed CD-ROM drive.

CD-ROM PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS

*Be sure that you use a 32-bit native Windows 95 or 98 driver to 
control your CD-ROM drive. To configure a driver, access the 
Device Manager tab from Control Panel > System.
*Do not use a DOS-based 16-bit driver (loaded in CONFIG.SYS) to 
control your CD-ROM.  Performance may be significantly reduced.

*Note - if you are using a lower end quad speed drive, you may 
	experience stuttering play by play.  If you are using a
	lower end quad speed drive, we recommend reinstalling
	the game, using the custom installation option to install
	the Play By Play files onto the hard drive.

----------------------------------------------------------------
h) JOYSTICK
----------------------------------------------------------------	    

CONTROLLER ISSUES

CONVENTIONAL 4 BUTTON CONTROLLERS
Although NHL 2000 supports all four buttons when using a conventional
4 button gamepad, support is limited to 2 buttons when using two gamepads 
(or other 4 button controllers) simultaneously. The PC gameport supports
a total of 4 buttons and two D-Pads when using conventional joysticks
or gamepads. This does not apply to multi-button, multi-controller
gaming devices such as the Gravis GrIP, Gamepad Pro, or
Microsoft Sidewinder.

Joystick Calibration
In order for your joystick to work properly in NHL 2000, you must
install and calibrate it in Windows 95 or 98. To install or 
calibrate your joystick in Windows 95 or 98, access the Control Panel,
and launch the Game Controllers applet. 

Note that some gaming devices use their own applets or software for
installation and calibration.

----------------------------------------------------------------
i) MODEM
----------------------------------------------------------------	    

NHL 2000 requires a 100% Hayes compatible 33.6 kbps or faster 
modem for modem play. A high speed (16550 UART) serial port is 
required for external modems.

GENERAL MODEM INFORMATION
NHL 2000 uses the Windows 95 or 98 settings to initialize your 
modem. To use a modem in NHL 99, you must install it in Windows 95 or 98.

To install your modem in Windows 95 or 98:

1. Click the Start button on the Taskbar. The Start menu opens.
2. From the Start menu, highlight Settings, then select Control Panel 
	from the pop-up menu.
3. From the Control Panel, click Modems.
4. If you have not installed a modem before, let Windows 95 or 98 
	detect your modem by clicking Next>.

Note: If your modem came with a Windows 95 or 98 driver disk or .INF file, 
follow the manufacturer's installation directions.

MODEM DOES NOT INITIALIZE
*Make sure your modem is installed correctly in Windows 95 or 98
and is turned on.
*Make sure that your modem works properly in Windows 95 or 98. 

If your modem is installed correctly and works with other modem 
applications in Windows 95 or 98, but you are having problems 
initializing your modem in NHL 2000, try changing your modem type
in Windows 95 or 98 to "Standard Modem".

Some computers have telephone answering or FAX applications 
pre-installed. Sometimes these applications tie up the modem, 
and do not allow other applications to access it. You must exit 
all applications that use your modem before playing a modem game.

Packet Rate -- increasing this setting may improve overall game 
responsiveness but may decrease transfer performance.  Experiment
with this setting to achieve a good balance between game 
responsiveness and data transfer performance.

----------------------------------------------------------------
j) NETWORK
----------------------------------------------------------------	    

NHL 2000 requires an IPX protocol network and network interface card
for network play.

*If you experience difficulties with network play, you may want to 
consult your network manual or network administrator for specific 
information on loading drivers.

CONNECTION PROBLEMS
*Make sure the computers you are trying to connect are on the same network.

NETWORK PERFORMANCE ISSUES
There are various adjustments you can make to be sure you get the 
best performance out of your network game. These apply to the Server
computer as well as the Client, but try them on the Server alone first
as this may solve all the problems.

*High-traffic networks will slow the game down considerably. Avoid
playing the game at peak traffic hours, while there are large file
transfers or print jobs being done.
*Performance is limited by the slowest computer. Adjusting the 
detail levels on a slow machine can help boost performance in
a network game.

GENERAL NETWORK INFORMATION
*Do not run any Windows 95 or 98 applications that communicate over
the network in the background (e.g., mail programs, personal 
schedulers, system or network monitors).
*Make sure you have disabled Network Messages, if you are connected
to a Novell network.

Packet Rate -- increasing this setting may improve overall game 
responsiveness, but may decrease transfer performance.  Experiment
with this setting to achieve a good balance between game 
responsiveness and data transfer performance.

----------------------------------------------------------------
k) INTERNET
----------------------------------------------------------------	    

Recommended for Internet Play:
*56 kbps or higher Internet connection.
*Play during non Prime Time hours.
*Play with an opponent that is in the same general region as you.

*If you are using a dialup ISP for your Internet connection, you 
must connect to your ISP before running NHL 2000.

Packet Rate -- increasing this setting may improve overall game 
responsiveness but may decrease transfer performance.  Experiment
with this setting to achieve a good balance between game 
responsiveness and data transfer performance.

----------------------------------------------------------------
k) ALT-TAB
----------------------------------------------------------------	    

Although NHL 2000 supports alt-tabbing between the game and other
applications or the desktop, we recommend that you do not alt-tab
while running NHL 2000.

================================================================
2)	Import Your Face
================================================================

Additional info on the Import your Face feature:

To import your face, you must copy the picture file (bmp, jpg, png, fsh) 
to your \user\faces folder in the NHL 2000 install directory.  
The picture can not be bigger than 4 MB in size.

Once you have imported your face, you can export it.  When you 
export the face you have created, it will be saved as an FSH file.
It will be located in the \user\faces folder in the NHL 2000 install
directory.  You can send this file to your friends.  To import
this exported file, copy it to the \user\faces folder and import it.
The hotspots will be already set for you.

================================================================
3)	Custom Taunts
================================================================

Additional info on the Custom Taunt feature:

You can import taunts by going into Rules & Options --> Sound Options.
Press the Custom Taunt button.  You must copy the custom taunt you
want to import into the \user folder in the NHL 2000 install directory.
The file must be in .wav format and it cannot be bigger than 1 MB in
size.  Once you select a .wav file, playing it will convert it to a
.bnk file, which NHL 2000 uses.  This .bnk file will be compressed, 
but depending on the source .wav file, the compression ratio will vary.
The .bnk file that gets created must be no larger than 50 KB in size.
To select a taunt to use in the game, highlight the file, and click
the Check button.

If you find that you cannot hear your custom taunt that well in
the game, record your taunt at a higher volume.

================================================================
4)	Career Mode
================================================================

Additional info on Career Mode:

Player Aging -- players' skills will increase or decrease based
	on their age and their previous skill ratings.
Player Retirement -- players will retire based on their age, their
	performance during the previous season,	injuries, or if
	they just won the Stanley Cup.
Viewing retirements and free agency -- you can view your team's
	retirements and free agency losses by looking at
	Today in EA Sports --> Trades.
Free Agents -- you will have a better chance at signing the less 
	skilled free agents, compared to the higher end
	free agents.

================================================================
5)	Coaching Pressure
================================================================

Defensive Pressure explanations:

0,1,2,3,3+ FC -- the number of forecheckers present in the 
	offensive zone, when the other team has possession
	of the puck and is breaking out of their zone.

WS Lock -- Weak Side Lock -- the winger on the opposite side of 
	the ice to the puck will drop back and play
	defensively, when play is in the neutral zone.

Trap -- both wingers will drop back and play defensively, when 
	play is in the neutral zone.

Standard -- wingers do not drop back and play defensively, when 
	play is in the neutral zone.


================================================================
6)	Game Controls
================================================================

Additional info on game controls:

Deflection/Block Shot -- with the puck -- holding this button down
	will send a teammate towards the net.  While holding the 
	button, press the shoot button.  This will shoot the puck at
	the player driving towards the net, hoping for a deflection.

Deflection/Block Shot -- without the puck -- if you are behind the
	player with the puck, pressing this button will cause your
	player to dive.  If you are in front of the player with the
	puck, it'll cause your player to attempt a block shot.

Give and Go -- to perform a give and go, press and hold the pass button.
	Once the initial pass is made, the pass receiver will automatically
	pass it back.  This only works if Smart Pass is Off.

Fake Shot -- to perform a fake shot, while holding the shoot button down,
	press the pass button.

Tip -- defense -- tapping the shoot button on defense will attempt a 
	sweep check when skating backwards.  If you are behind the player,
	it will attempt a hook.  If a shot is in progress, pressing shoot
	will attempt a block shot.

================================================================
7)	Windows 2000
================================================================

Although not officially supported, we have tested NHL 2000 on 
Windows 2000 Beta 3.  You may have problems running NHL 2000 in 
3D Accelerated Mode, but the game runs properly through the software 
renderer.

################################################################

Download original