Qoop  version 1.0
Completed May 2000

Please note this game is freeware:
Blackfog Software is not responsible if your computer crashes, experiences problems etc,
as a result of using this software. There is no warranty, expressed or implied.

You are encouraged to distribute this game to your friends, and are free
to upload it to FTP sites, etc. as long as it remains in its current
unmodified form.

All source code is available on request.

Requirements:

Approximately 200 kb of conventional memory (less without sound)
Approximately 400 kb of expanded memory
Sound Blaster Compatible Sound Card
Pentium processor computer recommended


For instructions, see the online instructions that are available from the
main menu of the game.

please send comments, bug reports, etc. to:

grantyp@hotmail.com

==================Setup and Installation===============================

To install Qoop, unzip or copy all of the game files to the same folder,
ie: C:\Qoop

Sound and music setup:

Start the game by running Qoop.bat. This file will automatically load the
midi music drivers and start the program.  The Qoop main program will attempt
to auto-configure your sound card. See troubleshooting below if a problem occurs.

Once inside the game at the main menu screen, select the options menu.  From
here you can turn the sound and/or music on and off, and adjust the sound
effects volume setting.  If there was a problem configuring either the music
or sound system, the related option will be greyed out and you will be unable
to change it.

Note that the volume control only functions if the sound effects system is
setup properly. If both music and sound systems are successfully configured,
the volume control will affect both. If only the music system is installed,
changing the main volume will not affect the volume of the music.


=================== Trouble shooting: ==================================

1) The game starts loading, then exits immediately:

Most likely this is caused because your computer does not have expanded memory
(EMS) enabled. To enable this memory in dos mode, add the following lines to
your config.sys file:

device = c:\windows\himem.sys
device = c:\windows\emm386.exe

After rebooting your computer, EMS memory should be available.


2) The game sound effects are not working:

For sound to be played, Qoop requires a sound blaster compatible card with
DSP version 2 or later. If a compatible sound card is available, its settings
will be auto-detected by the program using the blaster environment variable.
If, during program loading,the error:
"Blaster Environment Variable Not Found"
is displayed, it means you need to add the blaster variable to your
autoexec.bat file.

SET BLASTER=A%%% I% D%   

A is your soundcards base address, usually 220.
I is your soundcards interrupt, usually 5 or 7
D is your soundcards DMA channel, usually 1

3) The game music is not playing:

To enable music, both of the sound drivers must be loaded. The files SBmidi
and Sbsim will be loaded automatically when the qoop.bat file is run.
Music also requires a sound blaster compatible sound card.


****Note that in some cases, music / sound may not work under Windows, all
dependent on your particular system configuration.

*****Also note that during load up, Qoop the following displays messages
"Midi Music System initialized...."
"SoundBlaster sound system initialized..."

If you see an error message instead then music and/or sound may not be loaded
properly.  Also note that incorrect loading of sound and/or music disables its 
respective option in the options menu.  Should you reload the game correctly
later on, you will have to enable sound or music in the options menu.


4) The game runs too fast:

If the game seems excessively fast, it is most likely caused by a high monitor
refresh rate. Qoop uses the monitor refresh to ensure a consistent speed on
all computers regardless of processor speed.  Most monitors have a refresh
rate of 60hz.  Should your monitor refresh faster, the game speed will run
excessively fast.

The monitor refresh rate can be changed in Windows control panel.


5) The game runs too slow:

Most likely this is caused by either a slow computer or by running it inside
windows under a DOS window. The game was tested on a Pentium200mmx computer
and ran at 60 frames per second. Performance on slower machines will be
questionable. To increase performance on these slower machines, restart your
computer in MS-DOS mode.

*end of readme
*Windows is a copyright of Microsoft

