-=[FLUID v0.0.1]=- 15 September 1998 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 0. Contents =========== 1. What is Fluid? 2. Features 3. System Requirements 4. Installation/Uninstallation 5. Controls 6. Gameplay 7. Troubleshooting/FAQ 8. Author's Comments 9. Known Bugs/Limitations 10. Credits 11. Acknowledgements 12. More Information <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 1. What is Fluid? ================= Fluid is the working name of my current game-in-progress. With any luck, Fluid will one day be a combination third person/first person action/adventure game (similar in style to Tomb Raider in some respects). However, as it is, the only thing Fluid lets you do is move the player around. (The current model of the player is just temporary.) The name "Fluid" is subject to change. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 2. Features =========== Features? What features? Let's see here... * Choose between a 1st person and 3rd person view. Well, that's about it for features at this stage. What were you expecting? <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 3. Minimum System Requirements ============================== * Pentium 166 (I'm only guessing here) * Windows 9X/NT * 1M HD space * SVGA adapter capable of 16-bit colour or higher * I'd guess about as much memory as required by Win9X/NT (~32MB) // * Sound card supported under Windows * 3D accelerator with OpenGL support * Whatever else I'm forgetting Fluid may work with lesser hardware, but it's not likely to be very playable. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 4. Installation/Uninstallation ============================== Installation ------------ * Unzip Fluid archive (preserving directories) to a directory of your choice. * Ensure your system has OpenGL 1.1 (or higher) drivers installed. If you are unsure, check http://www.opengl.org and follow the links to the End-User Guide. Basically, if you have Win95 OSR 2 or higher, you should be fine. * If you have an OpenGL 1.1 (or higher) supported 3D accelerator, I recommend for most cards that you ensure your OpenGL drivers provide hardware acceleration in order to take advantage of increased game speed and improved graphics quality. Check with the manufacturer of your 3D accelerator for OpenGL drivers and information. Personal Note: If you're using an ATI 3D card with a chipset older than the Rage Pro generation, you might choose to stick with software rendering even if hardware "acceleration" is available. * Run "fluid.exe" to start the game. Uninstallation -------------- * Just delete the directory in which Fluid resides. Note: Fluid does not, nor will it ever, create/delete/modify any files other than those that are in the same directory tree as itself without the user's knowledge and consent. Fluid does not, nor are there plans to ever, modify the Windows registry in any way without the user's knowledge and consent. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 5. Controls =========== Toggle Framerate Counter ~ Toggle 1st/3rd Person View tab //Options Menu (Pause) esc Quit esc In 1st Person View ------------------ Move Forward w Move Back s Strafe Left a Strafe Right d Look Up mouse_up Look Down mouse_down Look Forward space Turn Left mouse_left Turn Right mouse_right In 3rd Person View ------------------ Move Forward w Move Back s Turn Left a Turn Right d Strafe Left q Strafe Right e //Look Up (Camera rotates down) f //Look Down (Camera rotates up) r <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 6. Gameplay =========== Once I've actually got a game, I'll tell you how to play it :). For now, here's what's available to you: * Move around. Umm...that's pretty much it :). Try using to switch between 1st person and 3rd person views. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 7. Troubleshooting/FAQ ====================== If anyone has any problems with Fluid, please let me know your machine's configuration (in addition to the problem itself, of course). My primary (currently sole) test machine is configured as follows: * Intel Pentium MMX 233 (running at 3.5*75=262.5MHz) * Asus TXP4 motherboard * 64MB 10ns SDRAM (brandless) * ATI 3D Xpression+ PC2TV with 2MB SDRAM * Diamond Monster 3D (3Dfx Voodoo with 4MB EDO) # Gravis Ultrasound PnP with 4MB # 24x Creative CD-ROM (Panasonic/Matshita CR-585B) # Microsoft Sidewinder GamePad # Logitech Wingman (plain old Wingman, not Lite, not Extreme, not Warrior) # Surecom NE2000 compatible network adapter (turd alert) # MagInnovision DX700T 17" monitor '#' indicates a component that does not (re: *SHOULD* not) affect Fluid in its current incarnation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q0. Why are there hardly any questions? A0. If anybody should ever report anything, I'll try to let you know whether the problem is your fault or mine. :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q1. Why can't I play Fluid in a window? A1. Sorry, but Fluid is a fullscreen game only. I may consider implementing windowed gameplay, but it's definitely not a priority. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q2. Why can't I configure my keys? Or use a joystick/gamepad? A2. I plan to implement these features at some point, but don't hold your breath. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Q3. Why is it so *SLOOOOOOOW*? A3. If you don't have a hardware 3D accelerator, it's going to be pretty slow on any Pentium system. I don't know about the speed on a P2 since I don't happen to have one. Sorry, but currently the only solution I can suggest is to upgrade your hardware. Unless you already have one, a good 3D accelerator would make a worthy upgrade candidate. Note: My definition of "slow" may differ from someone else's. I consider any framerate below 20 FPS to be slow. Below 25 FPS is mediocre, but usually acceptable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 8. Author's Comments ==================== Don't pay much attention to the version number until it gets up to some respectable number, say v0.5.0 perhaps. Prior to that, it won't be much of a game. Let's hope the version number actually reaches that high some day! I'd appreciate suggestions for a better name than Fluid, or even a name or phrase for which F.L.U.I.D. could be an acronym. Cliff Lee cdlee@geocities.com http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/3605/ <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 9. Known Bugs/Limitations ========================= In its current state, Fluid doesn't do much. Consequently, it has very few bugs (actually, none that I'm aware of). On the other hand, Fluid is full of limitations. In fact, name any possible limitation and chances are they apply to Fluid :). <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 10. Credits =========== Lead Programmer: Cliff Lee Concept and Design: Cliff Lee Artwork and 3D Models: Various Internet sources <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 11. Acknowledgements ==================== * David Farell for View3DS, a 3D Studio file convertor. http://www.cyberramp.net/~fdavid/ * Independent JPEG Group's JPEG software. ftp://ftp.uu.net/graphics/jpeg/ * Sam Leffler for LibTiff. ftp://ftp.sgi.com/graphics/tiff/ * 3D Cafe and Platinum Pictures Multimedia, Inc. for various 3DS models. http://www.3dcafe.com * Avalon for various 3DS models. http://avalon1.viewpoint.com/ <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 12. More Information ==================== For OpenGL information, take a look at: http://www.opengl.org Mesa 3D graphics library: http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/~brianp/Mesa.html GLUT, the OpenGL Utility Toolkit: http://reality.sgi.com/opengl/glut3/glut3.html WinGlide (for 3Dfx Voodoo1 and Voodoo2 in a window): http://www.ece.ucdavis.edu/~dohnal/winglide/winglide.html Note: If you want OpenGL hardware acceleration with a 3Dfx Voodoo card, you may want to make use of the Mesa 3D graphics library as an alternative to 3Dfx's own beta drivers. There may be Mesa drivers for other cards as well, but I'm only aware of the one for Voodoo1 and Voodoo2, since that's what I have (Voodoo1 that is). <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<