MTM2: Contents of the Readme.txt File (Part 1)
  
PSS ID Number: Q185940
Article last modified on 05-24-1999
 
WINDOWS:2.0
 
WINDOWS
 

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The information in this article applies to:
 
 - Microsoft Monster Truck Madness 2, version 2.0 
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SUMMARY
=======
 
This article contains a partial copy of the information contained in the
Readme.txt file included with Monster Truck Madness 2.
 
To view part 2 of the Monster Truck Madness 2 Readme.txt file, please see the
following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
 
   Q185941 MTM2: Contents of the Readme.txt File (Part 2)
 
The Readme.txt file is located in the root folder of the Monster Truck Madness 2
CD-ROM, and is copied to the Monster Truck Madness 2 folder on your hard disk
during Setup.
 
MORE INFORMATION
================
 
Monster Truck Madness 2 Readme
April 1998.
 
(c) Copyright 1998 Microsoft Corporation.
 
This document contains important information specific to version 2.0
of Monster Truck Madness 2 that is not included in the jewel case booklet
or online Help.
 
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NOTE: To read this file in Notepad, click Word Wrap on the Edit Menu.
 
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Other Sources of Information on Monster Truck Madness 2:
 
Monster Manual, the online Help system for Monster Truck Madness 2,
includes helpful information on playing the game and maximizing your
performance. To access Help, click the Monster Truck Madness 2 Help
menu, and then click Monster Manual.
 
Frequently Asked Questions: Faq.txt (file located in the folder where
you installed Monster Truck Madness 2 or on the Monster Truck Madness 2
CD-ROM), includes the answers to frequently asked questions about playing
and optimizing the performance of Monster Truck Madness 2.
 
Also, don't forget to visit our World Wide Web site to obtain the latest
information! The Web site will have a Monster Truck Madness 2 product
support page with up-to-date tips, FAQs, and articles. Just click the Web
Page button on the game's opening screen or click Microsoft On The Web on
the Help menu. The URL for the Monster Truck Madness Home Page is:
 
http://www.microsoft.com/games/monster/ 
 
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Table of Contents
 
General Notes and Troubleshooting
 
   1.1.  Getting Help from Microsoft Technical Support
   1.2.  Racing classic tracks from Monster Truck Madness Version 1.
   1.3.  Racing add-on and self-created tracks in Monster Truck
         Madness 2.
   1.4.  3D accelerator card improves look and speed of game
   1.5.  Ejecting the game disc causes program to stop responding when
         you've installed the game using either the Compact or Typical
         installation option.
   1.6.  Long file names for Instant Replay files may result in
         unsaved file.
   1.7.  Trouble completing Sidewinder Canyon and The Excavation
         tracks with low transfer gear settings.
   1.8.  Unusual weather effects when running in Software Only mode.
   1.9.  Pressing buttons 1 and 2 simultaneously on your joystick or
         race car controller changes view while racing.
   1.10. Canceling intro movies using right mouse button causes
         pop-up Help to be displayed.
   1.11. Changes to entry in Player Name box not being saved.
   1.12. Pressing ALT key while racing causes screen to go black.
   1.13. Computer-controlled trucks sometimes disappear and then
         reappear while you're racing.
   1.14. Menu options appear to be unavailable after multiple menu
         selections.
   1.15. When Windows power management options are turned on, Monster
         Truck Madness 2 stops responding if you are using a joystick
         or race car controller.
   1.16. Screen may need resizing to display menus after starting
         Monster Truck Madness 2.
   1.17. Opening a saved Instant Replay file after completing a race
         erases Instant Replay file for the race you just completed.
   1.18. Cannot open Instant Replay or Saved Race files from Monster
         Truck Madness Version 1 in Monster Truck Madness 2.
 
Multiplayer Notes and Troubleshooting
 
   2.1.  Pausing during race may result in misreporting of
         checkpoint progress.
   2.2.  Long player names may overwrite displayed score during
         Summit Rumbles.
   2.3.  Dynamic scenery objects are not in-synch for all participants
         in a multiplayer race.
   2.4.  Host of MSN Gaming Zone multiplayer session should not
         start race until Monster Truck Madness 2 has started on all
         participants' machines.
   2.5.  Monster Demo not available during multiplayer sessions.
   2.6.  Accessing menus or right-clicking on-screen while a
         multiplayer session is loading, or while results are
         calculating at the end of a race, results in screen
         corruption.
   2.7.  If one participant has revealed the secret track, participants
         who have not discovered it may encounter display irregularities.
   2.8.  New host in Zone session may encounter an error message.
   2.9.  Problems with text-based chat messages when using IPX
         Connection for DirectPlay option.
   2.10. Participants who join a multiplayer session that is already
         in-progress may see inaccurate results in Hall of Fame screen.
   2.11. Hall of Fame may display results for participants who join a
         multiplayer session already in-progress but do not race.
   2.12. multiplayer racing not recommended when you choose the Compact
         Install option.
 
Video Adapter Notes and Troubleshooting
 
   3.1.  List of video adapters with known issues.
   3.2.  Problems with built-in ATI Rage Pro Turbo 1X (AGP-compatible)
         video adapters in Dell OptiPlex computers.
   3.3.  Switching between display adapters when you have more than one
         installed on your computer.
   3.4.  Problem entering full-screen mode with ATI Rage and other
         video adapters.
   3.5.  White textures flickering on-screen when Rain or Snow weather
         options selected.
   3.6.  AGP Buffering options still available when using non-AGP video
         adapter.
   3.7.  No underwater or fogging effects with V2X00 display adapters.
 
Audio Notes and Troubleshooting
 
   4.1.  Audio troubleshooting suggestion.
   4.2.  Problems with Yamaha OPL3-SA sound card.
   4.3.  CB radio does not work in Windows NT 4.0.
   4.4.  Sound is corrupted in Windows NT 4.0.
   4.5.  For optimal CB radio performance, limit the number of
         participants in a multiplayer session.
 
Windows NT Notes and Troubleshooting
 
   5.1.  Joystick setting problems in Windows NT 4.0.
   5.2.  Tracks list on Hall of Fame screen truncated in
         Windows NT 4.0.
   5.3.  Problems shutting down Windows NT 4.0 while Monster Truck
         Madness 2 is running.
   5.4.  Trouble switching between full-screen and windowed modes in
         Windows NT 4.0.
   5.5.  Error message displayed when user presses CTRL+ALT+DEL while
         racing in full-screen mode under Windows NT 4.0.
   5.6.  Distorted horizon on Sidewinder Canyon track shortcut when
         running in Software Only mode on Windows NT 4.0.
   5.7.  Screen in Windowed mode appears in wrong location with buttons
         truncated in Windows NT 4.0.
   5.8.  For optimal CB radio performance, limit the number of
         participants in a multiplayer session.
 
Controller Configuration Notes and Troubleshooting
 
   6.1.  ThrustMaster NASCAR  Pro Racing Wheel
         (outside U.S., ThrustMaster Formula One Racing Wheel)
   6.2.  ThrustMaster Formula T1 and T2
   6.3.  ThrustMaster Grand Prix 1
   6.4.  CH Products Pro
   6.5.  Using multiple game devices
   6.6.  "The selected control type could not be found..." message
 
Microsoft DirectX 5.2 Notes
 
   7.1.  Notes on DirectX 5.2
 
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1. General Notes and Troubleshooting
 
1.1. Getting Help from Microsoft Technical Support
 
If you are having problems installing or playing Monster Truck
Madness 2, first look in the Monster Manual, the online Help system,
or consult the jewel case booklet. You can open Monster Manual even if
you haven't installed Monster Truck Madness 2 by double-clicking
Monster.hlp (located on the Monster Truck Madness 2 disc). You can also
find late-breaking updates and technical information in this Readme.txt
file or in the Faq.txt file (located in the folder where you installed
Monster Truck Madness 2 or on the Monster Truck Madness 2 CD-ROM).
 
If you still have a question, Microsoft offers technical support and
services ranging from self-help tools to direct assistance with a
Microsoft technical engineer. For details on these options, including
telephone numbers, double-click Monster.hlp (located on the Monster
Truck Madness 2 disc), and then open the "Getting Help from Microsoft
Technical Support" book in the Table of Contents. You can open this
Help file from the disc if you haven't installed the game.
 
1.2. Racing classic tracks from Monster Truck Madness Version 1.
 
You can race the classic circuit and rally tracks featured in Monster
Truck Madness Version 1 with this new version of Monster Truck Madness.
Drag races are not available in Monster Truck Madness 2, and the
Version 1 tracks may not display the same high-quality photo-textured
graphics as the new Version 2 tracks.
 
If you own a copy of Monster Truck Madness Version 1, follow the
steps below to make Version 1 tracks available from within Monster
Truck Madness 2:
 
Install Monster Truck Madness 2.
 
Open Pod.ini (the file is located in the folder where you installed
   Monster Truck Madness 2).
 
Add lines to the end of the file that include the paths to two files
   installed with Monster Truck Madness Version 1: Game.pod and Truck.pod
   (files located in the System folder where you installed Monster Truck
   Madness Version 1, or in the System folder on the Monster Truck Madness
   Version 1 disc).
 
Change the number at the top of the file to reflect the total number
   of pods listed (i.e., if you added Game.pod and Truck.pod to the list,
   change the number at the top of the file from 19 to 21).
 
Save and close Pod.ini.
 
Start Monster Truck Madness 2 and navigate to the Races screen.
   The Monster Truck Madness Version 1 classic circuit and rally tracks
   are included in the Track list (they're listed after the Version 2
   tracks and Summit Rumbles).
 
If you do not own a copy of Monster Truck Madness Version 1, connect
to the Monster Truck Madness Home Page on the World Wide Web, where you
can download tracks from Version 1 individually. Complete instructions
for downloading are included on the Web Site. Click the Web Page button
on the game's opening screen or click Microsoft On The Web on the Help
menu. The URL for the Monster Truck Madness Home Page is:
 
http://www.microsoft.com/games/monster/ 
 
1.3. Racing add-on and self-created tracks in Monster Truck Madness 2.
 
If you purchased any third-party track add-on packs, created your
own tracks, or acquired any independently created third-party tracks
for Monster Truck Madness Version 1, you can race these tracks using
Monster Truck Madness 2.
 
Follow the steps below to import third party add-on and self-created
tracks for use in Monster Truck Madness 2:
 
Open Pod.ini (file located in the folder where you installed
   Monster Truck Madness 2).
 
Add lines to the end of the file that include the paths to the .pod
   files that include the third-party add-on or self-created tracks.
 
Change the number at the top of the file to reflect the total
   number of pods listed (i.e., if you two pod files to the list,
   change the number at the top of the file from 19 to 21).
 
Save and close Pod.ini.
 
Start Monster Truck Madness 2 and navigate to the Races screen. The
   third-party or add-on tracks are included in the Track list.
 
1.4. 3D accelerator card improves look and speed of game.
 
Purchasing a high-quality 3D graphics accelerator card is the single best
way to improve the speed and look of Monster Truck Madness 2.
 
1.5. Ejecting the game disc causes program to stop responding when
     you've installed the game using either the Compact or Typical
     installation option.
 
If you chose the Compact option during setup, do not eject the
Monster Truck Madness 2 disc while the game is running. If you do
so, Monster Truck Madness 2 will stop responding.
 
If you chose the Typical option during setup, you must have the Monster
Truck Madness 2 disc in your CD-ROM drive in order to play the game's
opening movie, clip scenes, and the online Help movies. Ejecting the disc
while of any of these movies is playing may cause Monster Truck Madness 2
to stop responding.
 
1.6. Long file names for Instant Replay files may result in unsaved files.
 
If the total number of characters used for the complete Instant Replay
file name, including path, exceeds 200 characters, the file may not be
saved and no error message is displayed. To avoid this problem, limit
the number of characters used to name Instant Replay files to less than
200 characters.
 
1.7. Trouble completing Sidewinder Canyon and The Excavation tracks with
     low transfer gear settings.
 
If you're having trouble making your jumps while racing the Sidewinder
Canyon rally track or the Excavation circuit track, try increasing your
transfer gear ratio. When racing these tracks with a low transfer gear
setting (800 or lower), you may not have enough launch speed to execute
the jumps successfully. Increasing your transfer gear ratio setting for
these tracks to 1600 or more should have you flying to the finish
line in no time.
 
1.8. Unusual weather effects when running in Software Only mode.
 
If you are running Monster Truck Madness 2 in Software Only mode
(Graphics Renderer list, Graphics command, Options menu), and you
select Weather options, including Snow or Rain, you may encounter
some strange weather as you're racing. For example, rain and snow
may be falling in tunnels and other covered areas.
 
1.9. Pressing buttons 1 and 2 simultaneously on your joystick or
     race car controller changes view while racing.
 
Pressing buttons 1 and 2 on your joystick or race car controller
simultaneously changes view while racing, regardless of how your
joystick or controller is configured. To avoid the problem, press
one button at a time on your joystick or controller.
 
1.10. Canceling intro movies using right mouse button causes pop-up
      Help to be displayed.
 
If you cancel the intro movies as one is being played by pressing
the right mouse button, pop-up Help is displayed when you're selecting
a track. To avoid this problem, press ESC to cancel all intro movies,
or click the left-mouse button to cancel each intro movie separately.
 
1.11. Changes to entry in Player Name box not being saved.
 
If you type a name in the Player Name box (Driver Check-in screen),
switch focus to another control, and then make a simple change to the
previously entered Player Name entry (i.e., changing a character from
lowercase to uppercase), your change may not be saved when you switch
focus to another control. To clear the Player Name list and start fresh,
delete the file Player.pro from the folder where you installed Monster
Truck Madness 2.
 
1.12. Pressing the ALT key while racing causes screen to go black.
 
If you press the ALT key while you are racing, the menu bar is displayed
and the game window goes black. To restore the game window, click the left
mouse button anywhere in the game window.
 
1.13. Computer-controlled trucks sometimes disappear and then reappear
      while you're racing.
 
Depending on the game view you're driving in and your proximity to your
competitors, computer-controlled trucks may appear to disappear and then
reappear in a slightly different location when they are near checkpoints.
This behavior has no effect on the final results of the race.
 
1.14. Menu options appear to be unavailable after multiple menu selections.
 
If you are using Windows 98, and you select multiple menus, some menu items
may appear to be unavailable. Although a menu item may appear grayed, it is
still available.
 
1.15. When Windows power management options are turned on, Monster Truck
      Madness 2 stops responding if you are using a joystick or race car
      controller.
 
If you are using any of the Winddows power management options Monster
Truck Madness 2 may stop responding if you are playing the game using a
joystick or race car controller. To fix the problem, turn off Windows
power management options before you start Monster Truck Madness 2.
 
1.16. Screen may need resizing to display menus after starting Monster
      Truck Madness 2.
 
If the menus at the top of the screen are not visible after you start
Monster Truck Madness 2, use the controls on your monitor to resize the
screen to display the menus.
 
1.17. Opening a saved Instant Replay file after completing a race erases
      Instant Replay file for the race you just completed.
 
If you open a previously saved Instant Replay file after completing a
race, the Instant Replay file for the race you just completed is erased
because the saved file you opened fills the Instant Replay buffer. To
avoid this problem, open saved Instant Replay files before you start racing
or after you've viewed the Instant Replay file for the most recently
completed race.
 
1.18. Cannot open Instant Replay or Saved Race files from Monster Truck
      Madness Version 1 in Monster Truck Madness 2.
 
You cannot open Instant Replay or Saved Race files from Monster Truck
Madness Version 1 in Monster Truck Madness 2. If you attempt to do so,
your computer may stop responding, or an error message is displayed.
If an error message is displayed, do not click the Debug Information
button.
 
=======================================================================
2. Multiplayer Notes and Troubleshooting
 
2.1. Pausing during race may result in the misreporting of checkpoint
     progress.
 
When participating in a multiplayer race, if one player is paused
while an opponent is driving through a checkpoint, the fact that the
opponent has driven through the checkpoint may not be reflected on the
paused player's machine, which may result in differing final results
on participants' machines.
 
2.2. Long player names may overwrite displayed score during Summit
     Rumbles.
 
If any participant enters/chooses a player name that is longer than
ten characters, and then starts a Summit Rumble multiplayer session,
the score displayed on the screen for that participant may be overwritten
by the player name. To avoid this problem, use only player names that do
not exceed ten characters.
 
2.3. Dynamic scenery objects are not in-synch for all participants in a
     multiplayer race.
 
If you are participating in a multiplayer race or Summit Rumble, you
may find that you and your opponents see and interact with different
dynamic scenery objects depending on your Scenery setting (Scenery list
box, Graphics command, Options menu). For example, if you have your
Scenery setting set to Complex (Slower), and you are racing the Farm
Road 29 circuit track, you may encounter and interact with the moving
train while your opponents see the effects of the train, but not the
train itself. To avoid this problem, make sure that your graphics
settings match those of your opponents before you start a multiplayer
race or Summit Rumble.
 
2.4. Host of MSN Gaming Zone multiplayer session should not start
     race until Monster Truck Madness 2 has started on all participants'
     machines.
 
When hosting a multiplayer session via MSN Gaming Zone, it
is important to make sure that Monster Truck Madness 2 has started on
all participants' machines before the host clicks the Ready button
to start the multiplayer session. Otherwise, some participants may
be left out of the session, while others may see an error message.
 
2.5. Monster Demo not available during multiplayer sessions.
 
When you are participating in a multiplayer session, you cannot play
Monster Demo (Monster Demo button on Start screen). To play Monster Demo,
first disconnect from your multiplayer session (Disconnect  button on
Multiplayer screen).
 
2.6. Accessing menus or right-clicking on-screen while a multiplayer
     session is loading, or while results are calculating at the end of
     a race, results in screen corruption.
 
If you attempt to access the menu bar or right-click on the screen
while a multiplayer session is loading or while results are being
calculated, the screen may be corrupted and the multiplayer session
may be interrupted.
 
2.7. If one participant has revealed the secret track, participants
     who have not discovered it may encounter display irregularities.
 
During multiplayer sessions, if one participant has revealed the
secret track, participants who have not discovered it may encounter
display irregularities. To fix the problem, find the secret track!
 
2.8. New host in Zone session may encounter an error message.
 
During multiplayer sessions on MSN Gaming Zone, if the original
host exits the session, the new host may encounter an error message if he
or she clicks the Ready button before the other participants. To fix the
problem, make sure the new host does not click the Ready button until all
other participants in the session have done so.
 
2.9. Problems with text-based chat messages when using IPX Connection
     for DirectPlay option.
 
When exchanging text-based chat messages during multiplayer sessions when
using the IPX Connection for DirectPlay option, you may encounter problems,
especially when sending and receiving messages simultaneously.
 
2.10. Participants who join a multiplayer session that is already in
      progress may see inaccurate results on Hall of Fame screen.
 
If you join a multiplayer session that is already in-progress, you may
see inaccurate results displayed on the Hall of Fame screen at the end of
the session.
 
2.11. Hall of Fame may display results for participants who join a
      multiplayer session already in-progress but do not race.
 
If you join a multiplayer session that is already in-progress, but
do not race, the Hall of Fame may show results for you even though
you did not participate in the race.
 
2.12. Multiplayer racing not recommended when you choose the Compact
      Install option.
 
If you chose the Compact option when you installed Monster Truck
Madness 2, multiplayer racing is not recommended. If you participate
in multiplayer races with a Compact install, you may experience
degraded performance.
 
Additional query words: 2.00 msgame mtm2 read me doc document
 
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Keywords          : kbreadme kbimu msgame mtm2 kbfaq
Version           : WINDOWS:2.0
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbinfo
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Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.