                                                               June 30, 1992


[===========================================================================]
                              ABOUT README.TXT
[===========================================================================]

README.TXT contains information about last minute changes and additions to
The Quiz Kids that were not included in your user game manual.  You can read
this file at any time by inserting the program disk in Drive B and typing 


			B:               (and press ENTER)
			READ README.TXT  (and press ENTER)


Remember to substitute A: for B: if your program disk is located on Drive A.


IMPORTANT:  If your mouse does not work with THE QUIZ KIDS or if you are
            unable to run programs from the Main Menu, please read the
            MOUSE HELP and MENU COMMANDS sections in this file.




			---------------------------------
			 SUMMARY OF INFORMATION SECTIONS
			---------------------------------



  1.  If your mouse driver does not support auxillary graphics display
      pages, you will not be able to see the mouse cursor when you
      run the program.  Refer to the MOUSE HELP section in this file
      for instructions on how to install new mouse routines.

  2.  If the main menu appears on screen but you are not able to run
      The Graphic Reader or The Quiz Kids Game, read the MENU COMMANDS.

  3.  The final version of the game "Options" menu was completed after 
      the manual was printed.  Refer to the CHANGE GAME SETTINGS section
      in this file for program information.

  4.  Two new utilities called SAVEME.EXE and PLAYME.EXE were developed 
      for the school edition of The Quiz Kids.  These utilities were
      recently added to the retail version of the game.  Read the
      SAVE AND RESTORE section for more information.

  5.  Two new lessons for The Graphic Reader have been added to help you 
      learn about The Quiz Kids game.  QUIZ1.TGR contains an overview of
      the program.  QUIZ2.TGR contains a lesson on The Editor Toolkit.




[===========================================================================]
				  MOUSE HELP
[===========================================================================]

Your mouse uses a special software program called a "mouse driver" which
allows you to see and move the mouse across your monitor.  Nearly every
mouse manufacturer provides two versions of the mouse driver which are 
usually named "MOUSE.COM" and "MOUSE.SYS".

Each manufacturer provides its own versions of these mouse drivers.  While
most of the drivers support Microsoft-compatible commands, not all of the
drivers behave in the same manner.

THE QUIZ KIDS uses a special animation technique known as "page flipping" in 
which graphics are displayed on the screen that you are viewing and then they 
are updated on an invisible (or auxillary) screen which exists in memory.  
When the new image is ready to be seen, the visible screen is hidden and the
invisible screen is revealed.  The video pages are flipped so quickly that
you do not notice the change.

Some mouse drivers do not support page flipping and your mouse will disappear
when you use THE GRAPHIC READER or play THE QUIZ KIDS GAME.

If you do not see a mouse on your screen, a special mouse program is included
on each of the program disks which will solve this problem.  To install
the mouse update program, insert the program disk in your floppy disk drive.
From the DOS prompt >, type:

			 B:        (and press ENTER)
			 INSTALL5  (and press ENTER)

Substitute A: for B: if your program disk is located on Drive A.  Remove the
program disk and run THE QUIZ KIDS program in the normal manner.  Your mouse
cursor might flicker a little but it will be visible on both graphic screens.



[===========================================================================]
                                MENU COMMANDS
[===========================================================================]

If THE QUIZ KIDS does not run properly, this section contains information
that might help.   Before you continue, however, please make sure that your 
computer system supports EGA or VGA graphics (16 colors, 640x350 resolution).  
THE QUIZ KIDS will not support CGA (4 color) or monochrome graphics cards.

THE QUIZ KIDS contains several different programs which are launched or run
from the Main Menu.  To run the programs, the Main Menu uses a special DOS
shell (an environment which allows you to issue DOS commands, run a program
and return to the Main Menu when you finish your work).  The DOS shell needs
to find a special command interpreter file called COMMAND.COM so that it can
run THE QUIZ KIDS programs.  In some instances, depending upon the way that
your computer is configured, the DOS shell might not locate the COMMAND.COM
file that it needs to run THE QUIZ KIDS programs.

If the Main Menu appears and you are unable to run THE GRAPHIC READER or
THE QUIZ KIDS GAME, check your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, which is normally located
on Drive C, by typing:

                             TYPE C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT

Your AUTOEXEC.BAT file is a special file that your computer uses to configure
itself whenever you turn it on.  When you TYPE the file, you will see a
list of the configuration commands on your screen.

If your AUTOEXEC.BAT file contains a line that starts with the command
SET COMSPEC=, then THE QUIZ KIDS will not be able to locate the COMMAND.COM
file.  

The SET COMSPEC= command forces DOS to look for COMMAND.COM in a specific
directory.  The actual directory path appears after the equal (=) sign.

You can correct this situation by inserting a REM statement in front of this 
line with any text editor such as MS-DOS Editor (TM) or EdLin.  For example:

  SET COMSPEC=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM      -  a line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file

  REM SET COMSPEC=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM  -  insert REM in front of the line
                                         with your text editor

The REM statement transforms the line into a harmless remark that will be
displayed on screen but will not change the location where DOS expects to
find the COMMAND.COM file.  Do not erase the SET COMSPEC= line from your
AUTOEXEC.BAT.  By inserting a REM statement, you can deactivate the command.
Remove the REM statement whenever you want to reactivate it.

After you insert (or remove) the REM statement, save the revised file to disk
as C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT.

Turn off your computer.  Wait a minute to make sure that you hard disk has
stopped spinning.  Turn on your computer again and run THE QUIZ KIDS in the
normal fashion.  In most instances, the REM statement will solve the problem
for you.



[===========================================================================]
                            CHANGE GAME SETTINGS
[===========================================================================]


Did you forget to change your game settings?

If you discover that the game is too fast or too difficult, you can change
some game settings by selecting the "Options" menu while you continue to play
The Quiz Kids.

If you start The Quiz Kids without changing your game settings, there is a way 
to change settings without quitting the game or using The Editor Toolkit.  The 
changes that you make will only be available for the current game.  They will 
not be saved when you play the game again.

These temporary changes are made from the Options Menu in The Quiz Kids game.  

If you are using a mouse to play the game, click on the menu button and then 
click on the "Options" button which is located in the bottom left corner of 
the screen.

If you are using the keyboard to play the game, press the F1 key to select the 
"Options" menu.

After you make your selection, the menu listed below will appear on the screen.  
You select items from the menu by pressing a letter which appears in brackets.

							
			Skill Level       Time Trials
			  [A]  Expert       [G]  4th Gear
			  [B]  Average      [H]  3rd Gear
			  [C]  Novice       [I]  2nd Gear
			  [D]  Explore      [J]  Low Gear
                                            [K]  Slow Down

			Movement          Return to Game
			  [E]  Faster       [L]  Play
			  [F]  Slower


SKILL LEVEL refers to how quickly you lose points as you move through the maze.  
The default factory setting is "C".  If you press the letter "A", you will 
play the game in "Expert" mode and you will have to find more icons when you 
play the game.  If you press the letter "D", you will play the game in 
"Explore" mode and you will not have to find as many icons when you play the 
game.
 
Items which appear under TIME TRIALS refer to the amount of time that you have 
to answer your Time Trial questions.   The letter "I", or 2nd Gear, is the 
factory setting for Time Trials.  If you are press the letter "G", your Time 
Trials will be very fast.  You will have about 6 seconds in which to answer 
each question.  You can make Time Trials slower by pressing the letter "K".

Some computers do not process information as quickly as other computers.  You 
might want to change the movement SPEED.  If your animated character is moving 
too slowly, press the letter "E"  a few times to move faster.  If your animated 
character is moving too quickly, press the letter "F" a few times to slow down.

When you finish making your changes, press the letter "L" or the ENTER key to 
leave the Options menu and RETURN TO GAME.





[===========================================================================]
                               SAVE AND RESTORE
[===========================================================================]


If you are the only person who will be playing The Quiz Kids, save the game
in the normal fashion and ignore this section.  If more than one member of
the household will be playing the game, each player can use the following
utilities to save the game at any time.

When you save a game with The Quiz Kids, your score and position in the maze
are saved to your hard disk in a file called LASTGAME.CFG.  This file will be
erased when somebody else plays the game.  To make sure that you don't lose
your game, use the SAVEME utility to save your current game under your own
name.  Use the PLAYME utility to restore the game when you play The Quiz Kids
again.


Step 1:  Save the game under your own initials and birthdate so that it will
         not be lost when another person plays The Quiz Kids.  You can use
         your year of birth ( JJS1985 ) or birthdate ( JJSOCT31 ).

         Example:    The player is Jane J. Smith.
                     Her birthdate is October 6, 1985.

                     Initials:   Jane's initials are JJS.

                     Type:       SAVEME  JJS1985



Step 2:  When you return to play the game again, restore the last game before 
         you run The Quiz Kids.  Use the PLAYME utility to restore your game.

         Example:    Jane J. Smith saved her game in Step 1 by typing
                     her initials and year of birth.

                     Type:       PLAYME  JJS1985  (and press ENTER)

         After you use the PLAYME utility, run The Quiz Kids in the normal
         fashion.  Select "Continue a game" from the main menu. Your last game
         will reappear and you can play the game from where you were when you
         quit.



[===========================================================================]
                          NEW GRAPHIC READER LESSONS
[===========================================================================]


The new lessons for The Graphic Reader were written for the school edition
of The Quiz Kids.  These lessons have been added to the retail version as
well.


            QUIZ1.TGR      an overview of The Quiz Kids program

            QUIZ2.TGR      some helpful information about The Editor Toolkit


Use The Graphic Reader to read the lessons.  No additional question files are 
provided with the retail version of the program.

