- - - - ~ ] --------- [ ~ - - - - - - - - ~ ] [ ~ - - - - - - - - ~ ] DESCENT ][ [ ~ - - - - - - - - ~ ] The D2X Rebirth [ ~ - - - - - - - - ~ ] [ ~ - - - - - - - - ~ ] --------- [ ~ - - - - ________// Codename: ____________v0.51 'Fish' // 0. Introduction ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This version of D2X is based on the latest CVS Source, coded and released by Bradley Bell and his team. I spend much time to improve the sourcecode, tried to fix any bug in there and added some improvements. It is the goal of DXX-Rebirth to keep these games alive and the result is a very stable version of the Descent ][ port - called D2X-Rebrith. To improve the original D2X, I still submit my patches to the original D2X team. As D2X-Rebirth would never be possible without this great work i try to help them in any way possible. I hope you enjoy the game as you did when you played it the first time. If you have something to say about my release, feel free to contact me at zico@unixboard.de - zico 20051229 1. Features ^^^^^^^^^^^ This Version of D2X has every little feature you already may know from the DOS/W32 Version of Descent ][ and much more. For example: * High resoution Fonts and briefing screens * Full cockpits on all resolutions * high resolutions * widescreen options * joystick and mouse support * Vertigo Series support * possibility to run AddOn levels * network support * record and play demos * OpenGL functions like trilinear filtering etc. * everything else you know from DESCENT * ... and much more! 2. Installation ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The original game: ================== Windows: After you extracted the archive you're almost ready for Descent. But there is still a little bit work to do. You need to copy the original Descent ][ data to the current directory. To do so you don't have to install Descent ][ on your Windows. Just use the program 'unarj' to extract the file 'descent.sow' located on your Descent ][ CD. Place the following files to the current directory: descent2.ham descent2.hog descent2.s11 descent2.s22 alien1.pig alien2.pig fire.pig groupa.pig ice.pig water.pig intro-h.mvl and/or intro-l.mvl other-h.mvl and/or other-l.mvl robots-h.mvl and/or robots-l.mvl They can go in a different directory, but you have to use the -hogdir option (D2X will read options from the d2x.ini file as well as the command line). Also, you can use -userdir to change where it puts the player files, saved games etc. Note that it will also put screenshots in here if using PrintScreen. Linux: Please consider dxx-compile.txt. In linux, all filenames must be in _lower case_. It's important. Mac OS 9: The d2x.ini that's used is inside the package. Control-click 'd2x-rebirth' and choose 'Show Package Contents'. It's in Contents:MacOSClassic. The userdir could be set to "Macintosh HD:System Folder:Preferences:D2X" (no quotes), with your hard disk name in place of "Macintosh HD". If Multiple Users is enabled, this would be different: "~:Preferences:D2X" or something. That's it :) Vertigo Series: =============== To play the Vertigo missions, copy the following files to the current directory [NOTE: for source - the data directory, you know]: d2x-h.mvl and/or d2x-l.mvl hoard.ham (if you want to use HOARD) and now the vertigo missions itself to the subdirectory "missions": d2x.hog d2x.mn2 Now you are able to play the "Vertigo Series" AddOn Levels: ============= To play other AddOn Levels, just place them (MN2, HOG, RL2 files) to the subdirectory "missions". D2X will recognize them automaticly and will search recursively in subdirectories. Icons: ====== If you want to create Shortcurts to D2X on your Desktop and/or WM there is a wonderful icon stored in this directoy. Novacron aka Troy Anderson of http://www.planetdescent.com has created it and allowed me to implement it to this release. Thanks again, Novacron! [NOTE: for the source you need to download this icons from http://www.dxx-rebirth.de] 3. Running the game ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ windows: Just start the d2x-rebirth.exe :) linux: see dxx-compile.txt There are also a lot of optional command-line options you can set for D2X-Rebirth. Just open the file d2x.ini for a complete list of options and select whatever you want to use. You can also apply these options in a shortcut, a small shellscript [linux] or by starting it in a terminal [linux] or command line [windows]. 4. Known Issues ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Problem: Redbook/CD-Audio doesn't work. Reason: The D2X Redbook only works with an analog signal. Solution: Make sure you have connected a audio cable from your CD drive to your soundcard. Problem: D2X doesn't look better than the DOS version. Where are the GL FX? Reason: You just don't have activated them. Solution: Use the option '-gl_mipmap' or '-gl_trilinear' to activate linear/trilinear filtering. Problem: [LINUX] MIDI music doesn't work. Reason: The game should accept AWE and MPU401 compatible devices. Solution: Make sure you configures MIDI correctly. Hint for AWE cards: asfxload -V100 8mbgmsfx.sf2 Problem: The mouse movement is too slow. Is there no way to control the ship like in other first person shooters? Reason: The Pyro is no human, it can't turn that fast. ;) But there is a way indeed... Solution: To enable a mouselook style control tye as you know it from other first person shooters. Just start the game with the command-line option '-mouselook' to enable this. But to be fair to oter players which do not use mouselook it will not work in a multiplayer game. Problem: [WINDOWS] My joystick is not recognized by the game. Reason: Probably you have more than one Joystick but only one connected now. Solution: Go to control center -> gamecontroller. There set your joystick as "preferred device". If you find a new bug or a better workaround/fix for any existing problem or if you have a wish for a new feature, please submit it to zico@unixboard.de or create a thread in the DXX-Forum located on http://www.dxx-rebirth.de/ 5. LEGAL STUFF ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ From D2X: ========= Legal Stuff: THE COMPUTER CODE CONTAINED HEREIN IS THE SOLE PROPERTY OF PARALLAX SOFTWARE CORPORATION ("PARALLAX"). PARALLAX, IN DISTRIBUTING THE CODE TO END-USERS, AND SUBJECT TO ALL OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS HEREIN, GRANTS A ROYALTY-FREE, PERPETUAL LICENSE TO SUCH END-USERS FOR USE BY SUCH END-USERS IN USING, DISPLAYING, AND CREATING DERIVATIVE WORKS THEREOF, SO LONG AS SUCH USE, DISPLAY OR CREATION IS FOR NON-COMMERCIAL, ROYALTY OR REVENUE FREE PURPOSES. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE END-USER USE THE COMPUTER CODE CONTAINED HEREIN FOR REVENUE-BEARING PURPOSES. THE END-USER UNDERSTANDS AND AGREES TO THE TERMS HEREIN AND ACCEPTS THE SAME BY USE OF THIS FILE. COPYRIGHT 1993-1999 PARALLAX SOFTWARE CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. We make no warranties as to the usability or correctness of this code. From me: ======== I don't give any warranty for the functionality of this program named d2x. Further I am not responsible for any issues, damages and/or irritations the installer and/or the program d2x itself could cause on your computer hardware, software and/or yourself. But if something doesn't work just contact me and i will try to fix it. 6. Thanks ^^^^^^^^^ First I want to thank Interplay and Parallax for this great piece of software called DESCENT. Next I want to thank Bradley Bell and his team for making D2X. Without you we all won't be able to play it on Linux. Special thanks go to Christopher Taylor of the D2X team. He answered all my probably bothering mails and helped me to solve some bugs in D2X. More thanks: * My girlfriend - for being very patient :) * KyroMaster for great patches and good program code * The guys at http://www.unixboard.de for technical assistance * Maystorm for technical assistance and endless hours of BETA-testing * Sniper of http://www.descentforum.de for windows BETA-testing * Escorter for bug reports, BETA testing and much more * Matt for his work and technical assistance * Everyone who helps to let this project live on * Novacron for allowing me to use his icons and everyone at http://www.planetdescent.com * Linus Torvalds for Linux * KMFDM for good music * everyone i forgot