
BLOWOUT
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

[1] SYSTEM
	[1.1] SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
	[1.2] SYSTEM RECOMMENDATIONS
	[1.3] INSTALLING BLOWOUT
[2] CONTROLS
	[2.1] KEYBOARD/MOUSE CONTROLS
	[2.2] GAMEPAD CONTROLS
[3] ABILITIES
	[3.1] HEALTH
	[3.2] WEAPONS
	[3.3] WEAPON POWER-UPS
	[3.4] SHIELDS
	[3.5] MAP & OBJECTIVES
[4] STRATEGY
	[4.1] GENERAL STRATEGY
[5] TECHNICAL
	[5.1] TROUBLESHOOTING



[1.1] SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP
733 MHz processor
128MB RAM
1 GB hard disk space
200 MB virtual memory
4x speed CD-ROM
32MB video card
Microsoft DirectX 8 or higher

[1.2] SYSTEM RECOMMENDATIONS

Windows XP
Pentium III 800 MHz processor
256MB RAM
1 GB hard disk space
200 MB virtual memory
8x speed CD-ROM
GeForce4 Ti 4600 or Radeon 9800 video card
Sound Blaster Audigy sound card
Microsoft DirectX 8.1 or higher


[1.3] INSTALLING BLOWOUT

Insert the BlowOut CD. If Autorun is enabled, the installation program will start automatically. If the setup program does not automatically start once the disk is inserted, run X:\setup.exe, where "X" is the drive letter of your CD-ROM.

DirectX 8 or higher must be installed on your computer for BlowOut to run properly (the game will not start without DirectX 8 installed). The latest version of DirectX can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/directx.

Note: The BlowOut CD must be in the CD-ROM drive at all times when playing the game.  It is illegal to duplicate or reproduce the game disc for any reason.


[2.1] DEFAULT KEYBOARD COMMANDS / ALTERNATE CONTROLS

Note: Most of these keys are customizable inside the game.

MOVEMENT

Move Right			D 
Move Left				A

VIEW

Keyboard
Aim Up				Up Arrow
Aim Down				Down Arrow
Turn Left				Left Arrow
Turn Right				Right Arrow

Mouselook
Aim Up				Mouselook Up 
Aim Down				Mouselook Down
Turn Left				Mouselook Left 
Turn Right				Mouselook Right

ACTIONS

Activate Switch			Ctrl
Weapon Attack			Left Mouse button
Jet Pack				Right Mouse button
Scroll Weapons Back			Mouse Wheel Down
Scroll Weapons Forward		Mouse Wheel Up
Elevator Up			W
Elevator Down			S
Pause Game/Options Menu		ESC 
View Map				M
Lock Aim				Shift

[2.2] GAMEPAD CONTROLS

Note: To make the most out of playing with a gamepad, use twelve button pad with dual analog controls.

MOVEMENT AND VIEW

Move				Analog Stick 1
Look				Analog Stick 2

ACTIONS	

Activate Switch			Button 1
Weapon Attack			Button 7
Jet Pack				Button 5
Scroll Weapons Back			Button 3
Scroll Weapons Forward		Button 4
Elevator Up			D-Pad Up
Elevator Down			D-Pad Down
Pause Game/Options Menu		ESC 
View Map				Button 2
Lock Aim				Button 6



[3.1] HEALTH

There are Med Packs located in different areas of each level.  The ship is in a bit of disarray, crates and bins are scattered all around the ship.  Blast these containers to get them out of your way, and some contain med packs.  In each level you can get a Max Health med pack which will give you double health, look for these in well hidden areas.


[3.2] WEAPONS

In addition to medical supplies, crates and bins contain weapon ammo.  Your default weapon is the Machine Gun, which has Infinite ammo.  You will obtain 7 additional weapons and must find the ammo to use them.  The weapons include a Shotgun, a Flamethrower, a Nail Gun, a Grenade Launcher, Mini Gun, Rocket Launcher, and Sonic Blast Cannon.


[3.3] WEAPON POWER-UPS

Throughout the level there are many hidden areas.  There are a total of 5 Weapon Power-Ups spread throughout the game.  The weapon level increases the strength of your ammo as well as increases your max ammo, allowing you to carry more ammo for each weapon.


[3.4] SHIELDS

Absorb Shield - The Absorb Shield absorbs damage, preventing the player from losing health by an enemy attack. It also increases the players hit points each time damage should be taken.

Bounce Shield – The Bounce Shield only prevents projectiles from hitting the player.  Melee enemy attacks will still cause damage to the player.


[3.5] MAP

The map can be accessed at any time throughout the level.  The map will fill in as you explore different areas.  In order to view the whole map, you must activate the Network Node.  Objectives will be listed below with corresponding numbers on the map itself.  If you get lost, check your map.  Once you reach a Locked door it will add an Objective for either the Keycards or Blast Door panels, depending on which type of door it is.



[4.1] GENERAL STRATEGY



The Flamethrower ammo lasts a long time, use it when you're low on other ammo.

Save your special attacks for those times when your health is low.  You dont want to die a few steps away from a med pack!

Decrease your aim speed for boss attacks so you can be sure to hit that vulnerable spot every time.

If you ascend to a higher floor on an elevator, try to send the car down before you hop out.  It makes a great, quick escape should you need to go back down.

Sometimes Cane is more vulnerable to attacks when he is running.  Be sure to identify the creatures before you rush into a new area.

Use the bounce shield to defeat your enemies.  Let their projectiles bounce right back at them.

Use the elevator to wipe out the flying parasite bugs

Always be on guard.   Xenos can appear in crates, within breakable walls, and even in areas you thought you had cleared.

It is not necessary to activate the network node, though it can be quite helpful to see the entire map as you plan your attack.

Find the max health increases, hidden in each level.

Even if your weapon already has the maximum ammo, find a way to pick up as much ammo along the way as you can. It is useful to always have more than enough, and a great way to rack up points.

Hidden areas are everywhere.  Sometimes you can identify them by steam, but not always.

Xenos are vulnerable to the defense drones and laser traps.  Use them to your advantage.

Adjust the aim speed in the Options menu to fit your preference.

If you run out of ammo for weapons, back track a little to see if you missed any.

Hunt for weapon power-ups until Cane is at max power.  They increase damage done by your weapons.

Customize your keys so they are most comfortable to you.

The Grenade and Rocket Launcher are great at clearing out lots of close range xenos.

If the Machine Gun overheats, try using it in short bursts to let it cool down. 



[5.1] TROUBLESHOOTING

Q: I have a video card with only 1MB of memory on it. I meet the system requirements otherwise. Can I play BlowOut??
A: BlowOut requires a video card with at least 32MB of memory on it. Sorry, you will need to upgrade your video card.

Q: BlowOut seems really choppy and slow. I have a fairly low system and I was hoping to play...
A: In the Graphics Options Menu try turning your screen resolution down. The default is 640 X 480, but you will get faster frame rates at lower resolutions. Unfortunately, some video cards can have trouble even with lower resolutions. If this happens to you, try varying your resolutions in the game to see which resolution gives you the best performance.

Q: I  have a 3Dfx based card. Will BlowOut use this card?
A: Sorry, but no.

Q: 1280x1024 mode runs slow.
A: This mode only runs fast enough on 64 MB cards, and still may not perform great on all 64MB cards.

Q: The game says that I have less than 200MB of Virtual Memory free.  How do I fix this so that BlowOut runs best?
A: Select Control Panel, then System, then Performance, then Virtual Memory. It is best to change this setting so that Windows manages virtual memory.

Q: Game gives an error message saying that you're out of memory.
A: You need more virtual memory.  See previous Q&A for how to change your virtual memory settings.

Q: BlowOut levels do not load as quickly as I would like.
A: Add more RAM to your computer. The more RAM that you have, within reasonable limits, the faster BlowOut will load and run.

Q: The dialog skips, pops, or drops out. I have a SoundBlaster Live card. Your box says that it supports this card. What's up with that?
A: You have old LiveWare software and drivers. Visit the Creative Labs web site and download LiveWare 3.0 or higher.

Q: I don't have a SoundBlaster Live card, but I have dialog that skips, pops, or drops out. What about me?
A: You should download and install the latest drivers from your board manufacturer.

Q: Should I use DirectX 8 with BlowOut?
A: Yes. DirectX8 or higher is required.  Visit http://www.microsoft.com/directx for the latest Direct X drivers

Q: I have set up my controls so that I use the keys on the number pad. I can't seem to get combinations of keys to work (i.e. shoot and fly at the same time). Why?
A: Because of the way the number pad works, it can't understand two keys on the number pad being pressed at the same time. You should reconfigure your controls so you will never need to press two keys on the number pad simultaneously (i.e. run and jump for a running jump).

Q: How do you Uninstall BlowOut.
A: Go to control panel and select Add/Remove programs.


