Check out the latest news about Steel Beasts at www.esimgames.com or www.strategyfirst.com. If you have any questions, be sure to read our FAQs there. If you're having problems with your joystick, make sure that your joystick is in slot 1 (in the Windows Game Controller). If there is any trouble running the intro video on your system you can bypass the intro by starting the main program directly. YOu can make a shortcut directly to the main Steel Beasts program, and double click on that shortcut to make this easier. To do this, find the file "tanksim.exe" in Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer). The default location is C:\Program Files\eSim Games\Steel Beasts\Release\. Once you find it, right click on it and drag it to the desktop. Then select "make shortcut here" when the context-sensitive menu appears. Some people have had problems with sonicfury sound cards. Try disabling hardware acceleration for your SOUND CARD if you have problems. If you're having problems with Windows XP, try setting the compatibility of SB to Win98/Me. (Right click on tanksim.exe, select Properties > Compatibility, click the box "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and select Win98/Me. The complete upgrade history of SB prior to v1.226, can be found at www.esimgames.com/Upgrade_history.htm >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> *********** New Features / modifications for version 1.226 (GOLD) ************** Increased the number of events and triggers. Events and triggers, now are under the "Control logic" menu. Added "nameable conditions," under the "Control Logic" menu. Nameable conditions can be used much like events: in other conditions and in the scoring formula. Nameable conditions differ from events in that once an event tests as TRUE, it stays TRUE for the rest of the mission. Nameable conditions, on the other hand, can switch back and forth between TRUE and FALSE. Also, the length of time that a nameable condition has been in its current state is kept track of, and this can be used in other conditions. For example, an embark condition might have this line in it: "Condition 1 is true for at least 1:24" You can use Nameable conditions to simplify mission design. If you have a common condition that is used in more than one place, then it's better to set up one nameable condition, and then simply reference this nameable condition in all the other places (conditions) that you need it. Later on, if you need to make a change, you only need to change the one nameable condition, instead of changing multiple instances of the same condition. Nameable conditions also allow more flexibility in the scoring formula, especially concerning the state of the game when it ends. For example, you can now penalize a player for having a unit in a certain region when the game ends. Debriefing (AAR) has been improved: Better playback features. Ability to view 3D world during AAR. Unit symbols for map have been improved. The hot spots for unit symbols is now the center of the symbol. THIS MEANS THAT YOU SHOULD CLICK YOUR MOUSE IN THE CENTER OF THE ICON NOW! You can learn more about US military icons and map graphics here: http://www-cgsc.army.mil/cdd/F545/F545.htm Added square and ellipse map graphics. All map graphics can now be stretched, rotated and flipped. To enlarge or shrink a graphic uniformly, hold down the shift key while dragging a control point. Screen shots (Shift+F11) are now saved with filenames automatically assigned into the "...\Steel Beasts\savedImages" folder. Can now change a unit's company and platoon in the mission editor. (Right click on unit and select menu item.) Can view 3D world in planning and debriefing phases. (Press F1, or right click on map and select "View.") W,X move front, back. A,D move left, right. Q,Z move up, down. (Shift + above keys for faster movement). S zero pitch. mouse or joystick turn azimuth and pitch. Medic vehicles can no longer be occupied by human player, although they can be controlled on the map. This was done to prevent players from taking advantage of the medic's non-combatant status for scouting. Mission loading time has been reduced. Adjusted armor values for PCs. When playing a mission in the mission editor, time acceleration will no longer automatically stop when a combatant targets an enemy. This will allow a mission to be played quickly to make testing it quicker. Can now give units to other players in multiplayer games, even with radio damage. Crews will try to avoid incoming ATGMs by backing up. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Hre are a list of the basic controls for SB: ---------------- GENERAL CONTROLS Esc Quit the game Pause Pause the game F12 Time acceleration F6 Gunner's position F7 Tank commander's position F8 Exterior view F9 Jump to lead tank in next unit Shift+F9 Jump to next tank in current unit F11 Jump to lead tank in first engaged unit Shift+F11 Screen shot Shift+F12 Toggle fps counter ---------------- DRIVING CONTROLS W Increase speed to next level X Decrease speed to next level (Back up if stopped) S Halt A Turn left 22.5 degrees D Turn right 22.5 degrees Shift+A Continuous left turn Shift+D Continuous right turn C Continue on last route / proceed to next route E Go hull-down Joy 2 Drive to point under "HUD checkpoint" upon release of joystick button (TC positon only) ----------------- PLATOON CONTROLS [ Echelon-left formation ] Line formation \ Echelon-right formation Shift+[ Wedge formation Shift+] Column formation Shift+\ Vee formation - Tighten formation spacing + Widen formation spacing F Fire at will H Hold fire Shift+Tab Toggle engine smoke on/off Tab Pop smoke -------------------- M1 GUNNER'S CONTROLS F1 Gunner's primary sight (GPS) F2 Gunner's auxiliary sight (GAS) F3 Unity sight F4 Gunner's interior screen F5 Map screen Joy Up/Down Elevate/depress gun Joy Left/Right Steer turret left/right Joy 1 (Spacebar) Fire Shift+Joy 1 (Spacebar) Fire and adjust Joy 2 (Control) Lase Joy 3 (P) Palm switch off while depressed Joy 4 (N) Toggle day or TIS mag (GPS view) M Toggle gun select: main / coax T Notify TC of target in sights Insert Set ammo select to Sabot Delete Set ammo select to HEAT , NORMAL fire control mode . EMERGENCY fire control mode / MANUAL fire control mode ~ Toggle laser return: first / last R Toggle GAS reticle: Sabot / HEAT Keypad + Toggle TIS: on / standby Keypad - Toggle TIS polarity Arrow keys Manual-mode gun steering 0-9 Manual range entry (GPS view) Enter Enter manual range entry into ballistic computer (GPS view) ------------- M1 TC CONTOLS F1 TC eye view F2 GPS extension (GPSE) F3 0.50 Cal. machine gun sight F5 Map screen B Button/unbutton tank Joystick Up/Down Elevate/depress current view (Elevate/depress gun if overriding) Joystick Left/Right Steer current view left/right (Steer turret left/right if overriding) Joy 1 (Spacebar) Order gunner to fire at target (Fire gun if overriding) Joy 2 (Control) Drive to this point (eye View) (Lase, if overriding ) Shift+Joy 3 (P) Palm switch ON (overrides gunner) Joy 3 (P) Palm switch ON while depressed Joy 4 (N) Toggles binos on/off (Toggles GPSE mag if overriding) Shift+joy hat left or Shift+left Arrow Gunner scan left Shift+hat right or Shift+right Arrow Gunner scan right M Gunner use main gun / coax Insert Load Sabot next round Delete Load HEAT next round , NORMAL fire control mode . EMERGENCY fire control mode / MANUAL fire control mode Keypad + Toggle TIS (on/standby) if overriding Keypad - Toggle TIS polarity if overriding 0-9 Type battle sight range entry Backspace Enter battle sight range into ballistic computer