September 2000
Ó 1998-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Welcome to Microsoft Midtown Madness 2
This document contains important information specific to Midtown Madness 2 that is not included in the jewelcase booklet or online Help.
Other sources of information about Midtown Madness 2:
The Midtown Madness jewelcase booklet describes important game controls and includes maps of the cities featured in Midtown Madness 2. You can find an electronic (Adobe Acrobat Reader) version of the jewelcase booklet (booklet.pdf) in the folder where you installed Midtown Madness 2, or on the Midtown Madness 2 CD. For more information about Adobe Acrobat Reader, see the Adobe World Wide Web site at: http://www.adobe.com/.
Nordic users can also find translated versions of the jewelcase booklet in the Nordic folder (in the location where you installed Midtown Madness 2). To open the Nordic folder, insert the Midtown Madness 2 CD, double-click My Computer, right-click on the Midtown2 item, and then click View Nordic Manuals. The files are named as follows:
Swedish - Svensk.pdf
Norwegian - Norsk.pdf
Finnish - Suomi.pdf
Danish - Dansk.pdf
The online Help system for Midtown Madness 2 includes information about playing the game and maximizing your performance. To get Help, click the Question Mark (?) icon in the upper right corner of all game screens.
For Microsoft Product Support Services Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Midtown Madness 2, go here: http://support.microsoft.com/support/games/midtown/faq/2/default.asp
For the latest information on the game, visit the Midtown Madness 2 World Wide Web site at:
http://www.microsoft.com/games/midtown2/
Contents
1. Installation and Operating System Notes
2. Tips for Improving Graphics
3. Graphics, Display, and 3D Card Troubleshooting
4. Audio Notes and Troubleshooting
5. Game Performance Tips and Troubleshooting
6. Game Controller and Hardware Troubleshooting
7. Multiplayer Notes and Troubleshooting
8. 3D Card Manufacturer Web Sites
---------------------
1.01 System Requirements
To play Microsoft Midtown Madness 2, you need:
· Pentium II 266 with 32 MB RAM (64 MB is recommended) or Pentium II 233 with 32MB RAM (64 MB is recommended) and 8 MB or better Direct 3D compatible video card for hardware acceleration
· Windows 95 operating system or higher (including Windows 2000 and Windows Me-Millennium Edition)
· DirectX 7.0a API (included on CD)
· Quad-speed or faster CD ROM
· Hard drive free disk space – 250 MB for minimum install option and 400 MB for typical install option
· Microsoft mouse or compatible pointing device
· Sound board with speakers or headphones to hear audio
· DirectSound compatible 3D sound board to hear 3D audio
· 28.8 Kbps modem for Internet play (Note: Internet play also requires 64 MB RAM and an existing Internet connection)
Compatibles:
· Supports force-feedback hardware compatible with Microsoft DirectInput® (Windows 95)
· Supports MMX™ and AGP technology
· Graphics accelerator card compatible with Microsoft Direct3D™ (on Windows 95)
1.01 Windows 95 Gold or OSR2 operating systems – Reinstall DirectX 7.0a
If you are running the Windows 95 Gold or OSR2 operating systems, a message may be displayed when you start the game for the first time. If you encounter this message, follow the steps in Section 1.02 below to reinstall DirectX 7.0a.
1.02 Reinstalling DirectX 7.0a
To reinstall DirectX 7.0a, you can insert the Midtown Madness 2 CD, double-click My Computer, right-click on the Midtown2 item, and then click Install DirectX 7a (Win95_Win98).
1.03 Choppy audio when running on Windows 2000 or Windows Me (Millennium Edition) operating systems.
If you notice that the audio in Midtown Madness 2 is choppy on a computer running the Windows 2000 or Windows Me (Millennium Edition) operating systems, upgrading your audio drivers to the latest available from your sound card’s OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) may solve the problem. See Section 1.04 below for additional information if you are using a Soundblaster AWE 64 audio card.
1.04 Upgrading drivers when running on Windows Me (Millennium Edition) with a Soundblaster AWE 64 audio card.
If you are running Windows Me (Millennium Edition) with a Soundblaster AWE 64 audio card and the frame rate is slow when you start the game, overriding the audio drivers for that Windows Me installs for this card may solve the problem. Follow these steps to upgrade to the correct drivers when running Windows Me:
1. Download the latest drivers for the AWE 64 from http://www.soundblaster.com/.
2. Run the driver utility in the folder where you downloaded the drivers.
3. Right click My Computer.
4. Click Properties.
5. Click the Device Manager tab
6. Scroll down to Sound, Video and Game Controllers.
7. Click the plus symbol next to Sound, Video and Game Controllers.
8. Click the Creative AWE64 16-bit Audio.
9. Click Properties.
10. Click the Driver tab.
11. Click Update Driver.
12. Click Specify the Location of the Driver and click Next.
13. Click Display a List of All the Drivers in a Specific Location and click Next.
14. Click Have Disk
15. Browse to the folder where you downloaded the drivers and click OK.
16. Click OK again.
17. Click OK when the Models box is displayed.
18. When the update warning is displayed, click Yes.
19. Click Next on the Update Device Driver Wizard.
20. On the Digital Signature Notification, click Advanced
21. Select Warn When Installing Unsigned Devices and click OK.
22. Click Yes and click OK.
23. Click Finish.
1.05 Installing a new video card or video drivers - When running Windows 2000
If you install a new video card or update your video card drivers and are running Windows 2000, follow these steps: close the game, open the folder where you installed Midtown Madness 2, and run the Redetect Video utility (located in the folder where you installed Midtown Madness 2). This will redetect the new video card and launch the game.
1.06 Windows 2000 with a 3dfx Voodoo3 video card – corrupted sky textures and invisible trees
If you are running Windows 2000 and using a 3dFx Voodoo3 video card, you may encounter corrupted sky textures or invisible trees. If you encounter this problem, update to the latest driver from the 3dfx web site (http://www.3dfx.com/).
1.07 Windows 2000 and video cards with NVIDIA-based chipsets – Hardware mode unavailable
If you are using the latest driver for a video card using an NVIDIA-based chipset (including the Diamond Viper V770 video card) on Windows 2000, Hardware mode may not be available as an option in the Renderer list on the Graphics Options screen. If you encounter this problem, update to the latest driver for this card from NVIDIA, the chipset manufacturer for these cards (http://www.nvidia.com/).
1.08 Windows 2000 with an Elsa Gladiac GeForce2 – Game hangs
When using the retail drivers for the Elsa Gladiac GeForce2 video card on Windows 2000, you may notice that the game stops responding. If you encounter this problem, update to the latest driver from NVIDIA, the chipset manufacturer for this card (http://www.nvidia.com/).
1.09 Video card with the NVIDIA GeForce 256 chipset when running Windows 2000 – Blue box obscures the game screens.
If you are using a video card using the NVIDIA GeForce 256 chipset with the Windows 2000 operating system, you may notice a blue box that obscures the game screens. If you encounter this problem, update to the latest driver from NVIDIA (http://www.nvidia.com/).
1.10 Windows 98 with NVIDIA video cards – Fatal exception OE
When using a video card with the NVIDIA (TNT, TNT2 and GeForce) chipset on Windows 98, you may encounter a fatal exception OE when running multiplayer games. If you encounter this problem, please update to the latest video driver for your card from the NVIDIA web site (http://www.nvidia.com/).
Midtown Madness 2 is designed to deliver great graphics and outstanding racing action whether or not you have a 3D-accelerated video card. However, because every system is different, you may occasionally encounter graphics problems. Usually there is a simple solution for getting the graphics to look good. See Section 3 for issues affecting specific 3D cards.
2.01 Upgrade your 3D card drivers
Most 3D card manufacturers provide updated drivers on their Web sites that fix known issues (see Section 3 for issues affecting Midtown Madness 2).
· If you don't know what kind of 3D card you have, in Windows 95 and 98, right-click on My Computer and click Properties. Click the Device Manager tab. Your 3D card should be listed under Display Adapters. Right-click on the card name and select Properties to find the manufacturer name. In Windows 2000 and Windows Me (Millennium Edition), right-click on My Computer and click Properties. Click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager. Your 3D card should be listed under Display Adapters. Right-click on the card name and select Properties to find the manufacturer name.
· For a partial list of card manufacturer Web sites, see the section at the bottom of this document.
· Retail vs. reference drivers. This document includes references to “retail” and “reference” drivers. Reference drivers are drivers that are released by the manufacturers of specific chipsets used by specific cards (i.e., NVIDIA releases reference drivers for video cards using the NVIDIA GeForce 256 chipset).Retail drivers are drivers released by the video and audio card manufacturers who use a specific chipset in their card (i.e., Creative Labs releases drivers for the Annihilator Pro video card, which uses the NVIDIA GeForce 256 chipset).So, how do you determine whether to update your drivers, and which ones to update them to?Keeping in mind that drivers are constantly being updated and improved (even as new bugs may potentially be introduced), it’s usually a good idea to try the most recently released reference driver from your card’s chipset manufacturer if you are encountering problems using the drivers supplied by the card’s manufacturer.Often, the chipset manufacturers “lead the way” with improvements in reference drivers that are later incorporated by the card manufacturer drivers.In many cases, in Section 3 of this document, we make specific recommendations about which driver to update to, but checking your card’s chipset manufacturer’s web-site for the latest updated reference driver is also often a good idea.
2.02 Common graphics problems and solutions
If you see any of these graphics issues during a game, try the suggested solutions:
· Graphics are too bright or pale and washed out -- With the game closed, right-click on your Windows desktop, click Properties, and then click the Settings tab. If there is a tab for your 3D card in the Display Properties dialog box, select it, or click Advanced. Some video cards allow you to change color settings (the option may be called gamma correction). Adjust the color control to your preferred setting.
· Screen display is off-center -- If you encounter this, there are several possible solutions:
1) Make sure you have selected the correct monitor that is connected to your system. To check your monitor, right-click on the Windows desktop, click Properties, and then select the Settings tab. Click Advanced and select Monitor.
2) Adjust the controls available on the front of your monitor.
3) Change your adapter's refresh rate or change your screen resolution. To do this, right-click on the Windows desktop, click Properties, and then select the Settings tab. Click Advanced and select Adapter. Under refresh rate, select Adapter Default.
4) Change your screen resolution. To do this, right-click on the Windows desktop, click Properties, and then select the Settings tab. Under Screen Area, change the setting to 800x600. Click OK to accept the change and make sure your screen is centered on your monitor. Use your monitor controls to change if necessary.
2.03 Try running without hardware acceleration
If you've updated your 3D card drivers and still have graphics problems, you can run the game without using 3D hardware acceleration. To do so, click the Options button (in the upper right corner of all game screens), and then click Graphics. In the Renderer list, choose Software Only (no 3D video card), and then click Done. You can also run the Midtown2 Safe Mode utility (located in the folder where you installed Midtown Madness 2) to switch to Software Only mode.
3. Graphics, Display, and 3D Video Card Troubleshooting
3.01 Troubleshooting document opens when restarting Midtown Madness 2 after encountering problems
If Midtown Madness 2 crashes or stops responding while you are playing the game, a troubleshooting document automatically opens when you restart the game. This document includes suggestions on how to ensure that the game runs correctly on your machine.
3.02 Game crashes after switching Renderer to Software
Depending on the video card you are using, you may notice that the game crashes on the loading screen if you change your Renderer setting to Software Only (No video card) on the Graphics Options screen. If you encounter this problem, close and then restart Midtown Madness 2 after changing your Renderer setting.
3.03 If you cannot enable 3D hardware acceleration on your video board…
You can run the Redetect Video utility (located in the folder where you installed Midtown Madness 2). In some cases, Midtown Madness 2 disables hardware acceleration if you have an outdated video driver (the game also displays a warning message when it detects the problem).
3.04 Installing a new video card or video drivers - When running Windows 2000
If you install a new video card or update your video card drivers and are running Windows 2000, you will need to close the game, open the folder where you installed Midtown Madness 2, and run the the Redetect Video utility (located in the folder where you installed Midtown Madness 2). This will redetect the new video card and launch the game.
3.05 Vehicles can stick in ground near San Francisco docks
If you drive a vehicle under the archways on the San Francisco docks, you may notice that the ground is mushy (wet cement!) and your vehicle can stick in the ground. This problem is less likely to occur at high speeds. There is no known workaround at this time.
3.06 Windows 2000 with a 3dfx Voodoo3 video card – corrupted sky textures and invisible trees
3.07 Asus AGP-V6600 GeForce video card - System hangs after selecting Calibrate at Control Options screen or when selecting Help from the Crash Course screen
If you are using an Asus AGP-V6600 video card, you may notice that the system hangs if you click Calibrate on the Control Options screen or if you click Help from the Crash Course screen. If you encounter this problem, update to the latest reference driver from NVIDIA, the chipset manufacturer for this card (http://www.nvidia.com/), or to the latest driver from the card manufacturer, Asus (http://www.asus.com/).
3.08 Asus AGP-V6600 GeForce video card – shadows not displaying properly
If you are using an Asus AGP-V6600 GeForce video card, you may notice that you do not have proper shadows around the vehicles. If you encounter this problem, update to driver version #6.18 from NVIDIA, the chipset manufacturer for this card (http://www.nvidia.com/ ).
3.09 Asus AGP-V6600 GeForce video card – game hangs before opening video plays
If you are using an Asus AGP-V6600 video card, Midtown Madness may stop responding when you start the game and before the intro videos are played. If you encounter this problem, update to the latest reference driver from NVIDIA, the chipset manufacturer for this card (http://www.nvidia.com/), or to the latest driver from the card manufacturer, Asus (http://www.asus.com/).
3.10 ATI Radeon – Corrupt sky, checkpoints, and HUD
If you are using an ATI Radeon graphics card, you may notice that the sky, checkpoints, and Heads Up Display (HUD) are corrupted. If you encounter this problem, click Options from any game screen, then click Graphics. From the Graphics Options screen, change the Renderer setting from Hardware with T & L to Hardware. Future driver updates may fix this issue; check the ATI web site for updates (http://www.atitech.com).
3.11 ATI 3D Rage Pro video card – Flashing textures and garbled screen at the start of a race
If you are using an ATI 3D Rage Pro video card with retail drivers, you may notice flashing textures and a garbled screen when you start a race. If you encounter this problem, close Midtown Madness 2 and then restart your computer.
3.12 ATI Rage Fury Pro or ATI XPERT 2000 – Map on the horizon
If you are using an ATI Rage Fury Pro or an ATI XPERT 2000, you may notice that a map is appearing on the horizon when driving uphill. If you encounter this problem, update to the latest driver from ATI (http://www.atitech.com/).
3.13 Creative Labs 3D Blaster RIVA TNT video card – Green shadows and changing building textures
If you are using a Creative Labs 3D Blaster RIVA TNT video card with retail drivers, you may encounter green shadows or changing building textures. If you encounter these problems, update to the latest driver from the Creative Labs web-site (http://www.soundblaster.com/), or update to the latest reference driver from NVIDIA, the chipset manufacturer for this card (http://www.nvidia.com/).
3.14 Creative Labs 3D Blaster Savage4 video card – purple dots appear when running in 1600x1200 display resolution.
If you are using a Creative Labs 3D Blaster Savage4 video card, you may notice purple dots in the environment when running Midtown Madness 2 in 1600x1200 display resolution. If you encounter this, running the game in a lower resolution may fix the problem.
3.15 Diamond Monster 3D II – Palm trees and green trees not displaying properly
If you are using a Diamond Monster 3D II video card, you may notice that the trees are not displaying properly. If you encounter this problem, update to the latest Voodoo2 reference driver from 3dfx (http://www.3dfx.com/).
3.16 Diamond Stealth III S540 video card – Crashing problems on Vehicle Selection screen when switching between programs.
If you are using a Diamond Stealth III S540 video card, your game may crash on the Vehicle Selection screen if you “task switch” (ALT+TAB, minimize, open Help, ALT+ESC). If you encounter this problem, update to the latest driver from Diamond Multimedia (http://www.diamondmm.com/).
3.17 Diamond Viper II – Map on the horizon
If you are using a Diamond Viper II, you may notice that a map is appearing on the horizon when driving uphill. If you encounter this problem, update to the latest driver from Diamond Multimedia (http://www.diamondmm.com/).
3.18 Diamond Viper II - Palm trees are the wrong color
If you are using a Diamond Viper II, you may notice that the palm trees in San Francisco are the wrong c...
Kris23231