>I downloaded the NASCAR demo last night (nasdemo.zip) from the ftp.std.com site, unzipped it and tried to run it on my 486/33.
>Well, guess what, it didn't run.
>It seems to be loading, I get the title screen (no pictures), and then
>the system crashes with a message something like
>Unable to install ROL(1). Incomplete Installation?
>I thought it might be the sound card, so I used setup to have no sound card, still did the same thing.
>Tried making a boot disk as described in the README, still did the same thing.
>Please Help!!!!!!!!!
>Thanx
A few things that I did when I set up the demo game that seemed to solve/prevent problems:
1. Create a separate subdirectory for the game, like C:\NASDEMO.
2. Use a newer version of PKUNZIP, like 2.xx, but BE SURE to use the -d option in the command, as in:
C:\NASDEMO> pkunzip -d nasdemo.zip.
This creates all the subdirectories that the NASDEMO game uses/needs.
3. Reboot your computer without any Memory Mgrs, like EMM386 and the like. NASDEMO apparently
does its own MEM MGT.
4. I noticed that the demo does NOT like joystick #2. If your PC has two joystick ports, use port #1.
5. Make sure you don't have any conflicts in IRQ and/or DMA settings between your sound card, CD-ROM,
modem, mouse, or any other peripheral. What I ended up doing is leaving all the Sound Blaster IRQs and
DMA settings at their default since I figured I will end with far more games that will be picky about IRQ/DMA
settings on my sound card, whereas my modem software is more flexible about where I set the modem's IRQ.
If you have a Sound Blaster 16 (I have the SB 16-MCD with the ASP chip), the defaults are IO port 220, IRQ 5,
DMA 1. I tried the DMA 5 setting, which is the 16-bit data transfer setting, and the guy who announces the
game sounds like he is talking on a CB single side band and you're NOT on single side band. (in other words,
really badly distorted.) Something that threw me for a loop was the MIDI setting should be FM SYNTHESIS,
not MPU-401, even though the SB16 supposedly has a MPU-401 "interface".
6. I noticed that if I traverse from screen to screen too fast, the demo will lose track of the control settings, or will
otherwise starting acting wierd.
7. I set all the graphics to AUTO and the minimum frame rate to 20, so the game will cut back when it feels
necessary, but still keep the frames coming. The only thing I notice getting cut is the grass. When I use the
"helicopter" view or push 200 mph, the pavement also loses its texture. By the way, I am using a 486/66,
16 meg, Diamond Stealth 64 PCI with 2 meg VRAM and a cheap joystick. (Avoid the Mouse Systems Cobra
joystick, only $7.99 and feels like it. I will get a better joystick when the wallet recovers from the 486 and Stealth 64.)
8. I hope all this info helps. Good luck.
From a someone who's into cars (and into typing apparently...)
--
===> Lee R. Pinnella
===> Santa Clara, CA, USA
===> Earth, Terran System