Viper Racing
Version 1.0
Readme File
October 11, 1998
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About This Document:
Thank you for purchasing Viper Racing.
This document contains last-minute information about Viper Racing and
other information about the program not found in the Help Files. This
README file includes information that pertains to general problems and
questions you may have concerning the game or your computer. Should you
experience any problems with Viper Racing, please refer to this file
for addition help on answering questions about the game and solving
technical difficulties.
***********************************************************************
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
II. GENERAL TECHNICAL ISSUES
III. GENERAL GAME ISSUES
IV. CONTACTING SIERRA
I. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
-----------------------
- Direct3D-compatible 3D accelerator with 4MB VRAM
- DirectX 5.0 or better
- Pentium 133MHz or better
- 32 MB RAM
- 10 MB Hard disk space, plus 40 MB free
- Mouse or trackball
RECOMMENDED:
- Pentium II 233MHz
- 3dfx Voodoo graphics card or a fast AGP card.
- DirectInput-compatible Joystick or Wheel
- DirectSound-compatible sound card
II. GENERAL TECHNICAL ISSUES
----------------------------
It is important to have recent drivers for your video and sound card, as many
cards ship with buggy or incomplete DirectX drivers, which can cause
anything from visual glitches to system crashes. Contact your card
manufacturer for more information, or check their web site; correctly
installing video drivers can be a difficult and error-prone process.
Video Card Compatibility
Viper Racing is designed to work with as many Direct3D-compatible video
cards as possible. The game has been tested on all popular 3D cards using
current drivers as of October 1998. However, due to the number and diversity
of video cards and drivers there can be some incompatibilities.
* Blocky trees with S3 Virge and NEC PowerVR cards--these cards support
neither color-key transparent textures nor alpha-compare.
* the Matrox Millenium I, (not II), doesn't support texture mapping(!),
so the game will not run on this card.
* Due to a bug in DirectX 6.0, fog has been removed from the game.
* on some Matrox G200 drivers, if you experience erratic framerate, try
turning off the 2D overlay (with the "1" key)
* the current drivers for the 3Dfx Banshee report the wrong amount of
video ram, so 1024x768 will not be available.
* if the game reports "no 3D hardware", you may have an incorrectly
installed DirectX video driver--your Glide games may still run, though.
If you have a 3Dfx Voodoo I or II and another 3D card, the game will default
to the Voodoo. To use your primary adapter, run the game by typing
"Viper Racing" -1
at the Start Menu's "Run..." dialog box, or modifying the Start Menu
shortcut equivalently.
To get your joystick or wheel to work in the game, you MUST setup your
joystick in Windows. To do this, open the Control Panel, and open
the Game Controllers applet, and add your joystick and calibrate it here.
You can also do this by pressing the "Joystick" button on the autoplay screen.
If you use a gamepad, you should make sure the "Gamepad" checkbox is
checked in the Controls Options menu in the game, or else your steering
will be jerky.
Using force-feedback on some joysticks may cause a frame-rate drop; this
is due to limitations of the hardware interface. Viper Racing employs
real-time dynamic force-feedback, which requires that information be
sent continuously to the controller instead of using "canned" effects.
Switching away to the desktop (by Alt-Tab, Ctrl-ESC, or the Windows key)
while the game is running may cause a crash on some machines.
III. GENERAL GAME ISSUES
------------------------
-The RPM overlay does not show up in 512x384 mode.
-Importing and Exporting from the Paintkit: this may appear to "do nothing",
but it is actually reading from and writing to a file called "paint.tga",
which will be found in the folder Sierra\Viper Racing\Config\Paint.
This file must be a 256x256 pixel, 32-bit Targa file.
-If you are using Car 1 in Quick Race, while ghost car mode is selected,
your changes in the Paintkit will not be shown on the rotating car view in
Quick Race, but they will show up in the game.
-The teleport does not work correctly in front of the bridge at Rock Island--
it may teleport you over water.
-During Multiplayer, cars will not fade out during teleporting.
-The engine sound has many low-frequency components which many computer
speakers cannot reproduce. On these speakers, engine sound volume may
may appear to drop down at certain RPM ranges
IV.CONTACTING SIERRA
=======================
A) Customer Service, Support, and Sales
B) Technical Support
C) Legal Information
A) Customer Service, Support, and Sales
----------------------------------
United States
U.S.A. Sales Phone: (800) 757-7707
International Sales: (425) 746-5771
Hours: Monday-Saturday 7AM to 11 PM CST,
Sundays 8 AM to 9PM CST
FAX: (402) 393-3224
Sierra Direct
7100 W. Center Rd
STE 301
Omaha, NE 68106
United Kingdom
Cendant Software International Limited
Main: (0118) 920-9111
Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Fax: (0118) 987-5603
Disk/CD replacements in the U.K. are £6.00,
or £7.00 outside the UK. Add "ATTN.: Returns."
2 Beacontree Plaza,
Gillette Way,
Reading, Berkshire
RG2 0BS United Kingdom
France
Cendant Software International Limited
Téléphone: 01-46-01-46-50
Lundi au Jeudi de 10h à 19h
Vendredi de 10h à 18h
Fax: 01-46-30-00-65
Parc Tertiaire de Meudon
Immeuble "Le Newton"
25 rue Jeanne Braconnier
92366 Meudon La Forêt Cedex
France
Germany
Cendant Software International Limited
Tel: (0) 6103-99-40-40
Montag bis Freitag von 9h - 19Uhr
Fax: (0) 6103-99-40-35
Robert-Bosh-Str. 32
D-63303 Dreieich
Germany
On-Line Sales
CompuServe United Kingdom:GO UKSIERRA
CompuServe France: GO FRSIERRA
CompuServe Germany: GO DESIERRA
Internet USA: http://www.sierra.com
Internet United Kingdom: http://www.sierra-online.co.uk
Internet France: http://www.sierra.fr
Internet Germany: http://www.sierra.de
THE SIERRA NO-RISK GUARANTEE
The Promise: We want you to be happy with every Sierra product you purchase
from us. Period. If for any reason you're unhappy with the product, return
it within 30 days for an exchange or a full refund...EVEN IF YOU BOUGHT IT
RETAIL. (Hardware ordered direct must be returned within ten days.) Please
send back your product, signature required if mailing via US Postal Service.
The Only Catch: You've got to tell us why you don't like the game. Otherwise,
we'll never get any better. Send it back to us and we promise we will make
things right. (If you bought it at a retail outlet, please send your original
sales receipt.)
* Returns valid in North America only.
Disk and or Manual Replacement:
Product Returns:
Sierra On-Line Returns
4100 West 190th Street
Torrance, CA 90504
Sierra On-Line Fulfillment
4100 West 190th Street
Torrance, CA 90504
NOTE: To replace your disk(s) please send only Disk #1 (or the CD) and copy
of your dated Receipt, if less then 90 days. After 90 days please include
a $10 handling fee along with Disk / CD #1. For Documentation, please include
a $ 5.00 handling fee and a photocopy ONLY of disk #1. Payment should be made
at the time of your request. Sorry, no credit cards.
* Returns to this address valid in North America only.
B) TECHNICAL SUPPORT
-------------------------
North America
Sierra On-Line offers a 24-hour automated technical support line with recorded
answers to the most frequently asked technical questions. To access this
service, call (425) 644-4343, and follow the recorded instructions to find
your specific topic and resolve the issue. If this fails to solve your
problem, you may still write, or fax us with your questions, or contact us
via our Web site.
Sierra On-Line
Technical Support
P.O. Box 85006
Bellevue, WA 98015-8506
Main: (425) 644-4343
Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m.- 6:45 p.m. PST
Fax: (425) 644-7697
http://www.sierra.com
[email protected]
United Kingdom
Cendant Software International Limited offers a 24-hour Automated Technical
Support line with recorded answers to the most frequently asked technical
questions. To access this service, call (0118) 920-9111, and follow the
recorded instructions to find your specific topic and resolve the issue. If
this fails to solve your problem, you may still write, or fax us with your
questions, or contact us via our Internet or CompuServe sites.
Cendant Software International Limited
2 Beacontree Plaza,
Gillette Way,
Reading, Berkshire
RG2 0BS United Kingdom
Main: (0118) 920-9111
Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Fax: (0118) 987-5603
http://www.sierra-online.co.uk
France
Cendant Software International Limited
Parc Tertiaire de Meudon
Immeuble "Le Newton"
25 rue Jeanne Braconnier
92366 Meudon La Forêt Cedex
France
Téléphone: 01-46-01-46-50
Lundi au Jeudi de 10h à 19h
Vendredi de 10h à 18h
Fax: 01-46-30-00-65
http://www.sierra.fr
Germany
Cendant Software International Limited
Robert-Bosh-Str. 32
D-63303 Dreieich
Deutschland
Tel: (0) 6103-99-40-40
Montag bis Freitag von 9 - 19Uhr
Fax: (0) 6103-99-40-35
Mailbox: (0) 6103-99-40-35
http://www.sierra.de
Spain
Cendant Software International Limited
Avenida de Burgos 9
1º-OF2
28036 Madrid
Spain
Teléfono: (01) 383-2623
Lunes a Viernes de 9h30 a 14h y de 15h a 18h30
Fax: (01) 381-2437
Italy
Contattare il vostro distribotore.
C) Sierra Warranty & Legal Information
-----------------------------------
You are entitled to use this product for your own use, but may not copy,
reproduce, translate, publicly perform, display, or reduce to any electronic
medium or machine- readable form, reproductions of the software or manual to
other parties in any way, nor sell, rent or lease the product to others without
prior written permission of Sierra. You may use one copy of the product on a
single computer. YOU MAY NOT NETWORK THE PRODUCT OR OTHERWISE INSTALL IT OR
USE IT ON MORE THAN ONE COMPUTER AT THE SAME TIME.
UNAUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIONS: SIERRA WARRANTS ONLY THAT THE PROGRAM WILL
PERFORM AS DESCRIBED IN THE USER DOCUMENTATION. NO OTHER ADVERTISING,
DESCRIPTION, OR REPRESENTATION, WHETHER MADE BY A SIERRA DEALER, DISTRIBUTOR,
AGENT, OR EMPLOYEE, SHALL BE BINDING UPON SIERRA OR SHALL CHANGE THE TERMS OF
THIS WARRANTY.
IMPLIED WARRANTIES LIMITED: EXCEPT AS STATED ABOVE, SIERRA MAKES NO WARRANTY,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THIS PRODUCT. SIERRA DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY THAT
THE SOFTWARE IS FIT FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF
MERCHANTABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE NINETY (90) DAY DURATION OF THIS
LIMITED EXPRESS WARRANTY AND IS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMED.
SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS, SO
THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
NO CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES: SIERRA SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES, EVEN IF SIERRA IS ADVISED OF OR AWARE OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THIS MEANS THAT SIERRA SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE
OR LIABLE FOR LOST PROFITS OR REVENUES, OR FOR DAMAGES OR COSTS INCURRED AS A
RESULT OF LOSS OF TIME, DATA OR USE OF THE SOFTWARE, OR FROM ANY OTHER CAUSE
EXCEPT THE ACTUAL COST OF THE PRODUCT. IN NO EVENT SHALL SIERRA'S LIABILITY
EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THIS PRODUCT. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE
EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE
LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
This End User License Agreement grants you a limited license to use the
Redistributable Code licensed to Sierra On-Line, Inc. by Microsoft
Corporation, Inc. together with Microsoft operating system products. All
intellectual property rights in Microsoft's Redistributable Code contained
in this product belong exclusively to Microsoft Corporation, Inc.
Copyright (1998 Sierra On-Line, Inc.)