MindRover: The Europa Project V1.08 - Release Notes 3/28/02 ------------------------------------------------ Copyright 2000-2002, CogniToy, LLC. SciTech GLDirect(TM) graphics driver technology copyright 1997-2000, SciTech Software Inc. All rights reserved. ------------------------------------------------ The most up to date information can be found at our website. Please read this file and then come to our website for updates: http://www.mindrover.com NOTE: There are special installation instructions for XP support in the Install Instructions section. First time users should go through the tutorials in the game. Use the F1 key to get help on components and scenarios in the game. Contents of Release Notes: - New Features in v1.08 - System Requirements - Install Instructions - Graphics Card Settings - Uninstall - Running MindRover - Known Bugs - Contact Us =============================================== New Features in v1.08 =============================================== - Support for WindowsXP: Please read the Install instructions below. - New components: * Radar Detector- Produces a TurnOn event when you enter into someone's radar field * Demux- Triggers one of several events, depending on a given input value * Sequencer- Triggers a set of events in a well-defined order * Finite State Machine- Allows the player to define rover states and transitions between the states * Joystick- Allows the use of a joystick to input various commands to a rover * JoystickButton- Allows the use of buttons on the joystick to control rover actions * Karma Variable- Acts exactly like a regular variable, but the value it holds persists even after a rover has been destroyed and repawns * StartUp - This isn't new but it supports the KarmaVariable with new events: Respawn and Start. The Start event will trigger only at the start of a scenario. The respawn event will trigger when the vehicle is respawned. See the F1 help. - Note that the JoyStick components are not allowed in most of the challenges since that defeats the purpose of the challenge. You will find these components in the TestingGround scenarios. Also, there is a cheat that you can type into the command line within the game to allow all components: 'authorizeall 1' -- then leave the scenario and re-enter it to get all components -- have fun! - Some short cut keys: Alt G - Go Alt S - Scenarios Alt V - Vehicles Alt W - Wiring within the competition: ESC - pop up window Alt I - Instant replay Alt P - Play again Alt C - Continue Alt R - Return to console others: Alt Q - quit Alt C - credits Alt O - options - Vehicles can now be recompiled inside of MindRover. This makes it possible to alt-tab out to a text editor and change the ice file manually and reload it without having to restart the game. In the console, type: "reloadvehicle " to recompile the vehicle. - If you have the RCX addon pack, these robot components will now show up in holobox rows of their own. They won't get mixed in with other MindRover components. - You can download your RCX robot from within MindRover. Type 'Run RCX' in the command line. =============================================== System Requirements =============================================== The minimum system requirements needed to run MindRover are: * 300MHz PC running Win98/Win2k/ME/XP (450Mhz recommended) * 3D graphics accelerator card * OpenGL driver for graphics card (optional) * DirectX8.0 drivers from Microsoft * 32M RAM (64M recommended) * 70M hard disk space * 4x CDROM * 16 bit color mode * Sound card =============================================== Install Instructions - Special Note for WinXP =============================================== For all installations: To install MindRover for the first time, place the CD (V1.07) in your CDROM drive. If you have autoplay enabled, the MindRover autorun program will start automatically. If not, run the AutoRun.exe file on the CD to install MindRover. This will extract files to the directory you specify or to the default directory: c:\Program Files\mindrover. ---- For WinXP players: During the install the Settings.exe program will run to set up the graphics capabilities for MindRover. When you get that pop-up window, please exit out of the settings program without trying to test settings or set the resolution. Let the rest of the install finish and then go on to the adding the upgrade patch. ----- Next, install this upgrade patch and then run the Settings.exe program to set your resolution and graphics capabilities. Settings.exe can be found through the Start Menu or in the directory where MindRover was installed if you wish to run it at a different time. Mindrover adds files only to its install directory; it does not touch your system directories. If you have a demo version already installed you should install the full version in the same directory, which will be the default. =============================================== Graphics Card Settings =============================================== As mentioned in the system requirements, MindRover requires a hardware 3D accelerator card. We have included a program called Settings.exe, which will run as part of the installation. You can also run this program later to test your 3D drivers and set the desired screen resolution. You can find Settings.exe in your MindRover install directory or you can find it through Start Menu, Programs. XP players must use the 'settings.exe' program found with this upgrade to avoid crashes. When you run the settings program it will display a spinning cube on your monitor using OpenGL drivers or simulated D3D. Try the OpenGL setting first since that will usually result in the best performance. After 10 seconds, you will get a message asking if you saw the spinning cube. If not, you may need to install OpenGL drivers, or you can try the simulated OpenGL setting. Save the settings once you determine what works for you. The recommended settings are 800x600 with 16 bit color. You will also get a frame rate reading from the Settings program. Frame rate, measured in frames per second, is an indication of how fast your graphics are being displayed. The MindRover Settings program reports the frame rate it calculates while spinning a simple cube with the settings you chose. These frame rates will be higher than what you will see in the actual game. You can compare the frame rates that you get using various settings to decide what settings you want for the game. If you use the windowed (not full screen) option, you will get the best performance by ensuring that your color depth (16 bit or 24 bit) is the same for both MindRover and your desktop. =============================================== Uninstall =============================================== To uninstall MindRover use the 'Add/Remove programs' option that is found in your control panel. =============================================== Running MindRover =============================================== To start MindRover, insert the MindRover CD in the drive. If you have autorun enabled, the MindRover AutoRun program will start up automatically. From here you can click Play to start the game, or click on Movies to see the introduction and tutorial movies. You can also start MindRover by clicking on the Windows Start Menu, Programs, and navigating to the MindRover folder. Click on the MindRover entry to start the game. The MindRover CD MUST be in the drive when the game is started. We strongly recommend that you close down as many other programs as possible before running MindRover, especially if your machine has only 64 megabytes of RAM. There is an in-game tutorial, MindRover Basics, that will prompt you through your first use of MindRover. The next tutorial, Getting Started, takes you through the creation and programming of your first rover. There are three more tutorials after that for more advanced topics. Please come to our website to exchange ideas, make comments, get help and download new components and scenarios: http://www.mindrover.com =============================================== Bugs =============================================== Please send your bug reports to: support@cognitoy.com =============================================== Contact Us =============================================== There is a players forum for posting questions, comments, and ideas. If you have a question, you might get the best response by posting it on the forum: http://www.mindrover.com/players/players.htm If you would prefer to send us email: support@cognitoy.com Or call us at our toll free number (US and Canada): 888 788-1792 Or our regular phone number (and international): 978 264-3945