Obscure 2  

README file		07-08-2007	Version 1.0

Part 1: Things You Should Know

Please read through the DirectX section of this document. This section has information that is vital to successfully running Obscure 2 on your system.


1.1	DirectX

This game is optimised for Microsoft's DirectX 9.0c.   In order for you to play the game, you must have DirectX 9.0c compliant drivers for your video card and sound card.  Please note that although DirectX 9.0c is installed with the game, your video and sound card drivers will not be upgraded to DirectX 9.0c drivers.  

You will need to obtain the latest DirectX 9.0c drivers from the manufacturer or PC supplier. 

1.2	Memory and Performance

Regardless of how much memory you have, you can maximize your available memory and increase the overall performance of the game engine by doing the following:

* Closing any open windows
* Shutting down all other programs, including menu-bar programs like ICQ, Skype or MSN
* Defragmenting your hard drive

Playlogic International N.V.  recommends that you have no other programs running at all while playing Obscure 2 . Other programs, including system utilities and screen savers and antivirus software can cause system degradation when playing games and may conflict with the game for system resources, potentially resulting in instability and crashes.


1.3 	Known Issues

* Ensure you are running latest drivers from nVidia and ATI.
* Switching between Programs using ALT TAB can cause the game to crash


Playlogic International N.V.  is committed to provide customer support for our games on a continuing basis.  In that spirit, there may be a patch for Obscure 2 forthcoming; visit the following websites for more information.

http://www.playlogicgames.com/

To download drivers, you need to contact your computer manufacturer .

1.4 	Last changes

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Part 2: Technical Issues

2.1	Installation & Set-up

System Requirements

The minimum system requirements are as follows:
	
OPERATING SYSTEM:
Microsoft Windows XP/Vista (admin rights required) or Windows 2000;
Windows 95/98/ME/NT4 are no longer supported. 

CPU:
Intel Pentium III 700 MHz or Athlon XP equivalent 
RAM: 256 MB system Memory 512MB(Vista)
GRAPHICS:   GeForce 3, Radeon Series| 64MB
SOUND: Direct X 9.0c compatible sound card 
DVD-ROM:  DVD-ROM drive
HARD DRIVE:  3 GB Free Space 
INPUT DEVICES: Keyboard and3 button mouse

The recommended system requirements are as follows:

OPERATING SYSTEM:
Microsoft Windows XP/Vista 
Windows 95/98/ME/NT4 are no longer supported. 
CPU: PentiumIntel Pentium4 2.4 GHz or Athlon Equivalent
RAM: 1 GB system Memory
GRAPHICS: 128 MB RAM Direct X 9.0c compatible
SOUND: Direct X 9.0c compatible sound card 
DVD-ROM: DVD-ROM drive 
HARD DRIVE: 3 GB Free Space
INPUT DEVICES: Keyboard and3 button mouse / Gamepad

Preparing Your Hard Drive

To ensure that your installation is trouble free, you should check to see that your hard drive and file system are both tuned for optimum performance. Windows comes with a utility program that will help optimize your hard drive performance. 

You can optimize your hard drive's performance by running a program called Disk Defragmenter. You can run Disk Defragmenter by clicking on the Start button from the Windows desktop, followed by Programs, then Accessories, then System Tools, and finally Disk Defragmenter.

Installing Obscure 2 

Installing Obscure 2 is easy. Simply insert the DVD into your DVD-ROM drive. After a few seconds, the Launch Panel will appear.

This program will guide you through the remaining process via onscreen prompts. If at any time you are instructed to restart your computer, do so.

In the event the Launch Panel does not appear when you insert the DVD:

Double-click on the My Computer icon, then double-click on the DVD-ROM icon, and lastly double-click on the autorun.exe file to bring up the Launch Panel OR:

* Click on the Start button.
* Choose Run from the pop-up menu.
* Type d:\autorun in the box provided (where d: designates your DVD-ROM drive letter).
* Click on the OK button to begin the install program.

You will be prompted to select the path and directory to which you wish to install the game on your hard drive. The default is

C:\Program Files\Playlogic\Obscure 2 \

You may change this if you wish to.

At some point, the Microsoft DirectX 9.0c install prompt will appear if you do not have it on your system already. Please read the on-screen information before selecting an option. You may either choose to install or not install at this time. If the installer does not detect DirectX 9.0c, you must install it before you are able to play Obscure 2 

Starting/Loading The Game

Once the installation has finished the Launch Panel will appear on the screen. 

Simply click on the Play button to start the game. 

You may also:

* Click on the Uninstall button to uninstall the game.
* Click on the View Readme button to view the readme file. 
* Click on the Exit button to exit the Launch Panel.

If you are going to play the game at a later time insert the DVD into the DVD-ROM drive. After a few seconds, the Obscure 2 Launch panel should appear on the screen via the AutoPlay feature. Now click on the Play button to start the game. There is also a button present to Exit.  
 
OR

* Click on the Start button.
* Choose Programs from the pop-up menu.
* Drag your mouse to the right and click on Obscure 2 from the list.
* Click on Obscure 2 from the ensuing pop-up menu.

Uninstalling Obscure 2 

If you need to UNINSTALL Obscure 2, you may do any of the following three things: 

Insert the Obscure 2 DVD into the DVD-ROM drive to activate the AutoPlay feature. This will bring up the Launch Panel. Click on the Uninstall button, and then click on the Yes button from the ensuing pop-up panel to uninstall the program

OR

* Click on the Start button.
* Choose Programs from the pop-up menu.
* Drag your mouse to the right and click on Obscure 2 from the list.
* Click on Uninstall from the ensuing pop-up menu and follow the onscreen instructions.

OR

Go to the Control Panel and choose Add/Remove Programs. Click on Obscure 2 from the pop-up panel to follow, select the Add/Remove button, and follow the onscreen prompts.


2.2	DVD-ROM Problems

I receive a "xxxxxx.xxx not found" error message when installing or running Obscure 2 

This error message is usually the result of your computer using MS-DOS (16 bit) drivers instead of Windows (32 bit) drivers for your DVD-ROM drive. You can easily check to see if this is causing problems by opening the Control Panel (either click on the My Computer icon or click on the Start button followed by Settings, then Control Panel). 

In the Control Panel window, double-click on the System icon then click on the Performance tab. You should now see a summary of the performance status of your computer. One of the lines should say File System: 32-bit and the last line should say "Your system is configured for optimal performance." If you see a message saying "Drive X is using MS-DOS compatibility mode," then you will need to contact your system vendor to obtain and install 32-bit drivers for your DVD-ROM drive.


2.3	Crashes and Lock-Ups

When I start Obscure 2, my mouse cursor disappears and my computer locks-up.

Chances are your installed audio card drivers are not compatible with DirectX. The only solution is to get a DirectX 9.0c -compatible driver from your audio card manufacturer.


When I start Obscure 2, I receive the following error message:

"The application Obscure 2 .exe referenced memory at address xxxx:xxxx that can't be read from."

Its likely that your installed video card drivers are not compatible with DirectX 9.0c. The only solution is to get a DirectX 9.0c -compatible driver from your video card manufacturer.


The Installer keeps stopping when a certain percentage is complete.

There a few likely causes:

* You may have run out of free space on your hard drive. Please remove unwanted programs to free up additional space for the game, and then reinstall Obscure 2.
* There may be dirt or fingerprints on the DVD-ROM disc itself. Examine the bottom of the disc; if you see any fingerprints or dirt, carefully clean the disc using a clean, soft, lint-free cloth by wiping from the centre of the disc (near the hole) towards the outer edge in a straight line.

Obscure 2 is crashing to the desktop with no error messages.

This problem can be caused by several different things. Here's a list of the most common culprits associated with these crashes:
      
* Make sure the DVD-ROM is clean (check for both scratches and smudges on the reading surface of the DVD).

* Make sure the game has been installed properly. 
      
* Make sure DirectX 9.0c has been installed properly. 
      
* Make sure you have the latest drivers for your video card and that they are DirectX 9.0c -compatible. 
      
* Make sure you have the latest drivers for your sound card and that they are DirectX 9.0c -compatible. 
      
* Make sure Virtual Memory is enabled on your system. 

* Run Disk Defragmenter. 

* Try exiting the game, rebooting your machine, and re-entering the game.


Note: 	If your system crashes to the desktop while playing Obscure 2 , you should probably reboot your computer before starting a new play session.  Otherwise, DirectDraw or 	DirectSound may be in a locked state, and the game will be unable to use your sound or video 	hardware.

2.4 	DirectX-Related Questions

DirectX has become the new standard in Windows application development. Nearly all high-performance software will be tuned around this technology, so we do not normally recommend that customers attempt to alter its installation on their system.

Can I Run Without DirectX?

I cannot use DirectX on my computer! Is there any other way to run Obscure 2 ? 

If you do not have DirectX installed on your computer, you will not be able to run Obscure 2.

2.5	Technical Support

If you need further technical assistance after reading the Readme file please do not hesitate to contact us using any of the methods listed below.

When contacting us, please be sure to provide us with as much information as possible. Make sure to note the exact type of hardware that you are using in your system, including: your graphics card, sound card, DVD-ROM drive, amount of RAM present, speed and manufacturer of your processor.  Also, make sure to include the title and version of the game, and a detailed description of the problem.

It will also help if you prepare by creating a DXDIAG diagnostic file in Windows before you call us. Simply follow these instructions:

* Click on Start
* Click on Run
* Type dxdiag
* Click on OK 
* Click on the Save Information button and save the file to your computer.

When you call our Technical Support line either have this file open or have a printed copy. If you send an e-mail query please attach the file to the e-mail.


Technical Support Contact Details 

Alternatively, you may find help with hardware problems on one of the websites maintained by the supplier, some of which are listed below:

ATI Technologies:			www.ati.com
Creative Labs:				www.creative.com/worldwide.asp
nVIDIA:					www.nvidia.com
Intel					support.intel.com
Aztech New Media 			http://www.aztech.com 
Creative Labs 				http://www.creative.com 
Crystal 				http://www.cirrus.com 
ESS Technology 				http://www.esstech.com 
Turtle Beach 				http://www.voyetra-turtle-beach.com 
Yamaha 					http://www.yamaha.com
Guillemot				http://www.guillemot.com

Thank you and we hope you enjoy playing Obscure 2.

"OBSCURE":  MC2-Hydravision 

Obscure 2  2007 Playlogic International N.V. All rights reserved. Developed by Hydravision. Published by Playlogic International N.V. Playlogic is a registered trademark of Playlogic International N.V. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
