
          BikeBattle base package contents
          ================================

BBDEMO1.EXE    The playback demo
BBDEMO2.EXE    The playable demo
BB.INI         Configuration file for BikeBattle
SNDCHAN.DLL    BikeBattle's sound DLL
IBMJOY.DRV     Joystick driver for Windows
JOYSTICK.CPL   Joystick calibration program for Windows
DEMO640.xxx    Playback demo files for 640x480 resolution
DEMO800.xxx    Playback demo files for 800x600 resolution
SND\*.*        Soundfiles, micro package (just for initial tests)

English information files
-------------------------
README.TXT     Introduction text for the package
MANUAL_E.WRI   BikeBattle manual, english, Windows Write format;
               when you print this with Windows Write you must select
               paper size "Letter 8 1/2 x 11 in" in the printer setup.
MANUAL_E.TXT   BikeBattle manual, english, ASCII format
ORDER.TXT      Informations about how to order, only to
               be read if demo2 was tried successfully


                    THE DEMOS
                    =========

  This package contains two demos:

   - DEMO1: "WATCH AND WONDER". This tests your graphics and sound.
   - DEMO2: "PLAY AND GET ADDICTED". This tests your joysticks also.

  * First, try BBDEMO1.EXE:
    - start it from the Windows file manager.
    - The main menu should appear, with blue shiny letters and a heavy
      background tune. If you hear no sound, your Windows system
      has no sound. In that case, check the manual about what to do.
    - If you hear something, press the space bar.
    - After the sounds are loaded, press space again to continue.
    - We hope(!) you'll now see and hear a fascinating demo.
    - If the moving objects on the screen leave red tracks behind them,
      go back to the main menu, press 'X', and try it again.
    - If you hear no sound during the demo, or if there are other problems,
      read the manual for detailed informations.

  The best sound is achieved with a SoundBlaster 16 if you select
  'load 32 kHz sound' in the main menu.

  DEMO1 is limited to two screen resolutions, 640x480 and 800x600.
  DEMO2 and the full version could handle any screen resolution.

  WHAT IS BIKE BATTLE ALL ABOUT?

  You see two triangular "FightBikes" driving through a fighting arena.
  The fighting arena contains grey walls and blue weapons. The main
  target is to blast hell out of the other player. To do so, the bikes
  pick up weapons by bumping them. Every Bike must collect protection
  shields. If it drives through a wall or if it's hit by some weapon's
  output, it looses a shield. As soon as all shields are lost,
  the next hit terminates the Bike.

  If DEMO1 runs for at least 10 minutes with a good sound,
  prepare your system for the DEMO2:

  * First, your system must support two joysticks.
    It is expected, your PC has two gameports
    to connect two joysticks, or a special cable that connects two
    joysticks to one gameport (we've never seen such a thing,
    but rumors say it exists :-). Look for two joysticks with two axes and
    two buttons each (do NOT take 'flight sticks' with 3 axes/4 buttons!).
    don't take the cheapest ones, they may be too inprecise.
  * Second, your Windows 3.1 must have a joystick driver. If it doesn't,
    install the driver supplied with this demo the following way:
  
    - copy IBMJOY.DRV and JOYSTICK.CPL to your WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.
    - edit SYSTEM.INI and add in the section [drivers] the following line:
       JOYSTICK=IBMJOY.DRV
    - restart your Windows.
  
    - In Windows, open the system control settings.
      You must find a joystick symbol there. double-click on it.
      Try to calibrate your two joysticks.
    - If one joystick isn't recognized by the system, click on the 'drivers'
      symbol of the system control settings, and check the settings
      for the 'microsoft game adapter joystick driver' there.
      Two 2-dimensional joysticks must be selected (not a single
      3-dimensional one).
    - If this is the case and your system still can't handle two joysticks,
      there might be a hardware problem (maybe jumper settings),
      or the joystick driver just can't handle your hardware.
      In that case, forget all about Bike Battle, we cannot help you.

  * If you have prepared your system, start DEMO2 with BBDEMO2.EXE
    from the Windows file manager.

    - the title screen appears, in blue shiny letters.
    - select the number of humans players, which is the same
      as the number of joysticks you have available, by pressing 'H'.
    - select the sound quality that your sound card supports.
      Usually, simple sound cards support 22 kHz, a SoundBlaster 16
      supports 32 kHz. Press 'L' to switch the quality.
    - press the SPACE bar.
    - the sounds are loaded, the game begins.

  If you managed to play the demo with working sound and two
  joysticks for a couple of days, you may order the original version
  of BIKE BATTLE. How to do that is desribed in ORDER.TXT.

  WHAT TO DO IF THE DEMO CRASHES:

  If it crashes without playing any sound, buy a SoundBlaster 16,
  install it (with it's Windows drivers, of course) and try again;
  with this sound card chances are best that it will work.

  If you can't connect two joysticks, buy another adapter card,
  e.g. a multi-I/O card with game ports.

  Furthermore, best use a freshly-installed native Windows 3.1 without
  any subversive extensions, or a Win-OS/2 Session.
  Win-OS/2 may require some fondling with the settings for memory etc;
  see WINOS2.TXT for an example.

  Always make sure your Windows has enough virtual memory
  (must be adjusted in Window's "386 Enhanced" settings).

  Also check the Internet for newer versions of the demo;
  the demos are available in the Virtual Software Library (VSL):
     http://vsl.cnet.com
  Take quick search with "BikeBattle".

  Demos are not directly available from our company.

  If the demo still doesn't work despite all this work,
  we're very sorry and cannot help you.
  Unless, of course, you buy another PC and try it again.
