NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition
Version 1.0
Readme File
10/09/98

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About This Document:

Thank you for purchasing NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition. 

This document contains last-minute information about NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition as well as information that pertains to general problems and questions you may have concerning the game or your computer. Should you experience any problems with NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition, please refer to this file for additional help on answering questions about the game and solving technical difficulties.

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                        TABLE OF CONTENTS

                  I.    MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

                 II.    GENERAL TECHNICAL ISSUES
                        Minimum Install Issues
                        Performance Issues
                        Environmental Variables
                        3Dfx Issues
                        Using the Rendition Version of the Game
                        Controller Issues
                        Configuring Network Play for DOS versions
                        Mouse Driver Required for DOS versions
                        Sound Setup for DOS versions
                        Free Memory Requirements for DOS versions
                        UniVBE for DOS versions
                        Matrox Millenium Video Card and DOS versions
                        Printing With a Network Printer from Windows DOS Box
		
                III.    GENERAL GAME ISSUES
                        Changing Driver Name
                        Loading Your Picture in to Driver Info
                        Paintshop Filename Issues
                        Max Number of Car/Truck Files
                        Craftsman Truck Halftime Feature
                        Chassis Selection
                        Towing Rules
                        Turning Off Spotter Speech
                        Viewing a Replay
                        Quick Qualifying
                        Fuel Limit
                        Green Flag Issues
                        Special Offer for Bobby Labonte Racing Video

                 IV.    CONTACTING SIERRA



I. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
-----------------------

Minimum:                        Recommended:
Pentium                         Pentium-100+
24MB RAM                        32MB RAM
Windows Compatable Soundcard    SVGA
2X CD-ROM Drive                 4X CD-ROM DRIVE
VGA 320x200                     3Dfx or Rendition 3D accelerator
				
NOTES: You MUST have a DOS mouse driver installed for the DOS versions of NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition to run.


II. GENERAL TECHNICAL ISSUES
----------------------------

MIMINUM INSTALL ISSUES

The Minimum install of NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition requires that the CD-ROM be present when the game is launched.  If the CD-ROM is not present, the Windows versions will display a dialog box prompting you to insert the CD-ROM.  When this occurs it is possible that the mouse cursor may become hidden, but after the CD-ROM has been inserted the dialog box may be cleared by pressing ENTER, at which point the game should continue to run normally.  The DOS versions may not give any error, and instead will return back to the Windows desktop.


PERFORMANCE ISSUES

It is recommended that you reduce the number of additional applications running in the background while playing NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition to a bare minimum.

The NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition intro movie may play poorly on systems with 8X or slower CD-ROM drives using the minimal install.

If you experience any problems while running the game, you should obtain and install the latest drivers and firmware for all of your hardware devices.


ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES

Certain features of the game can be controlled by altering variables in a configuration file.  The Windows versions look for "NR1999.INI" while the DOS versions look for "NR1999.PRF" file.  Both of these files should be in the directory in which NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition is installed.

All Versions:
SPOTTER_LAPTIMES  Use to turn on lap time reporting by default
DOUBLEFILE 0      Use to diasable Doublefile restarts
MIRRL             Sets default Left mirror value for all tracks
MIRRL             Sets default Center mirror value for all tracks
MIRRR             Sets default Right mirror value for all tracks

Windows Versions:
REPLAYLEN         Sets memory allocated for replay in Windows versions

DOS versions:
ERRFILE filename  Sets an error file where errors are reported
FRAMERATE         Use to turn on framerate display (does not work for 3Dfx)
PDPI              Use to turn on joystick driver for PDPI gamecards

Rendition Specific:
NODMA             Use to DISABLE DMA
4BIT              Use to turn on Rendition 4-bit (default is 16-bit)

3Dfx Specific:
N2FXAA 2          Use to enable AntiAlias

The following line can be added to your system's "AUTOEXEC.BAT" to disable the 3Dfx splash logo that appears when the 3Dfx versions of NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition are launched:

SET FX_GLIDE_NO_SPLASH = 1


3DFX ISSUES

The Windows 3Dfx version of NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition allows you to return to your Windows desktop by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard or by pressing ALT-TAB to switch to another active application.  Some users may experience problems with the mouse cursor being confined to a small portion of the screen upon returning to the game.  This usually can be resolved by repeating the process of switching back to the desktop and then back into the game.

Additionally the text/numeric stamp tool in NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition's Paint Shop does not work properly in the Windows 3Dfx version.


USING THE RENDITION VERSION OF THE GAME

To start the Rendition version of the game from DOS, type NR1999R <enter> from your NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition directory.

To start the Rendition version of the game from Windows 95, click on the NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition icon in your Sierra folder.

By default you will use a version that is optimized to use the DMA capabilities of your computer. If you experience any type or crash or lockup, your system is most likely not compatible with the DMA enhanced version of NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition for Rendition, and you should use disable DMA using the NODMA environmental variable described in the above section.


CONTROLLER ISSUES

NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition uses 2 different joystick drivers, DirectInput and Generic.  Users running the DOS EXE's will only have the selection of Generic, users running the Windows EXE's under Win98 will only have the selection of DirectInput, while users running the Windows EXE's under Win95 will have the choice of either driver.  When switching between the DOS and Windows versions, it is recommended that you recalibrate and reasign your controls.  It is unlikely that USB controllers will work with the DOS versions.


CONFIGURING NETWORK PLAY

Most small networks consist of a single subnetwork; if you want to run NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition on such a network, you won't need to do any special configuration for the game to work.  However, larger networks are often partitioned into subnetworks.  If you would like to play NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition on such a network, you should create a network configuration file that tells the game which partition on your network to find the game server.

The network configuration file is a simple text file named "subnet.cfg" which contains a one-line entry for each subnet on your network.  You can determine these text entries by going into NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition and selecting "Multiplayer - network - dial - connect."  Copy the label listed as "Your Subnet Address: xxxxxxxx".  This is an eight digit hexadecimal number which may include the numbers 0-9 as well as the letters a-f.  Then, with a text editor, create the file "subnet.cfg" and add a line of text matching this eight digit string.

Add a line to the "subnet.cfg" file for each player you would like to be able to race with.  If there are duplicate entries, only add one copy of each.  NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition will support up to 10 different subnets.  If you are running on a network with more than ten subnetworks, please create a separate copy of file "subnet.cfg" for each group of people you would like to be able to race with.


MOUSE DRIVER REQUIRED FOR DOS VERSIONS

You must have a mouse driver installed to run the DOS versions of NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition.  If you are running in a DOS Box from within Windows 95, the driver will be automatically loaded.  If you "Restart the Computer in MS-DOS Mode" before playing the game, you may have to load one manually.  Usually, you can simply type the word "mouse" at a C:\> prompt; however, specific systems vary.  If you are unable to load your mouse, please contact your computer manufacturer.


SOUND SETUP AND DOS VERSIONS

You must run Sound Setup in order to hear sounds when you play the DOS versions of NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition.  Sound Setup will be run automatically at the end of the Windows installation process if you chose one of the DOS EXE's.  Sound Setup can be run at a later time by running "soundset.exe" found in the folder in which you installed NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition.  Note that if you chose "Minimum Installation" during the installation, the NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition CD-ROM must be in the CD-ROM drive during Sound Setup.


FREE MEMORY REQUIREMENTS FOR DOS VERSIONS

The DOS versions of NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition require that you have 10 MB free RAM when you start the program.  If you get a memory error message, please free more RAM.  This can be done by restarting the computer in MS-DOS mode (if you had been running from a DOS Box in Windows 95/98), booting your system with a clean boot disk that does not start memory resident software (TSRs), and not using memory managers such as EMM386.


PROBLEMS WITH UniVBE AND DOS VERSIONS

Not all video cards are compatible with UniVBE.  If the machine locks up or acts strangely after running uvconfig, reboot the machine and delete the univbe.drv and uvconfig.dat files from the directory in which you installed NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition.


MATROX MILLENIUM VIDEO CARD AND DOS VERSIONS

If you have a Matrox Millenium video card with a BIOS version previous to 2.0, you may experience pausing while playing the DOS versions of game.  Contact Matrox to receive the latest version of the BIOS. 


PRINTING WITH A NETWORK PRINTER FROM WINDOWS DOS BOX

If you run the DOS versions of NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition, and you wish to print from within the game, you must be sure to have checked the "Yes" box under "Do you print from MS-DOS-based programs?" in the Add Printer Wizard when you set up your printer.  In order to be able to use the "Print" feature in the Standings screen with a network printer, your PC must be connected to a printer via a network, and the printer must be properly installed.


III. GENERAL GAME ISSUES
------------------------

CHANGING DRIVER NAME

When you select "New Driver" on the entry list screen you create a new car or truck file.  Click "Info" to get to the info screen for the new driver. Select the "Name" field in the lower left and enter a name.  This will allow you to change the large driver name displayed at the top of the screen.


LOADING YOUR PICTURE INTO DRIVER INFO

In the driver info screen there is a button labeled "PCX".  This button will allow you to load a picture of yourself, or whatever you want, into the driver info screen.  To do so, follow the instructions below.  

There is a file in the CARS directory called "blank.pcx".  This file has a particular palette and region of the screen for the picture.  You will have to use a commercial paint program with palette remapping capabilities, (Deluxe Paint or Adobe Photoshop will work) to get the picture you want in the game.  

Load the picture you wish to use into the paint program.  Then, load in  "blank.pcx" file.  Remap your picture to the palette of "blank.pcx" (Consult the paint program documentation for instructions on how to remap pictures).

You must make sure that your picture is only as large as "blank.pcx" (241 wide by 402 high).  If the picture is larger, the game screen will turn black when you load the .pcx into Driver Info.  

It would be preferable to cut out the picture you want to use and place it on the blue background in "blank.pcx" to give the image a consistent look in the game.

Then, save the file using the name of the car or truck file you want to match the picture with (e.g. t_player.pcx for using the photo with t_player.car).  Place that new file in the CARS or TRUCKS directory.

Start NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition and go to the entry list screen under Driver Info.  Select the driver you wish to change/add the photo to and click on Info.  Once at the driver info screen, press the "PCX" button at the bottom of the screen.  If you have done the above steps correctly, the picture should appear in the correct area of the screen. 

If the picture comes in, but with all the colors messed up, it wasn't remapped correctly. If the screen goes black when you press "PCX", then the picture size was too large.


PAINTSHOP FILENAME ISSUES

NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition's Paintshop allows you to import and export paintjobs as PCX files.  This can be useful if you want to edit the image in an external paint program.  The filename used will be an 8 character name based on the first 7 characters of the car/truck name with a leading X, so for t_player.car the filename would be Xt_playe.pcx.  Note that the name has a limit of 8 characters, so the 9th character (an r in this case) is removed.


MAXIMUM NUMBER OF CAR/TRUCK FILES

The maximum number of car or truck files that will be available to you in the Driver Info screen is 128. We simply never anticipated the number of car and truck files that would be available to people beyond what we would ship.  You can work around this by moving your less used car and truck files into a subdirectory of CARS or TRUCKS and restoring them when you want to use them.


CHASSIS SELECTION

NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition allows you to choose from three different chassis types for both the cars and Craftsman trucks:

Car Chassis 1:  Balanced for slightly less rear downforce
Car Chassis 2:  Neutral
Car Chassis 3:  Balanced for slightly more rear downforce

Truck Chassis 1:  Balanced for slightly less rear downforce
Truck Chassis 2:  Neutral
Truck Chassis 3:  Balanced for slightly more rear downforce


CRAFTSMAN TRUCK HALFTIME FEATURE

When using the Craftsman trucks you have the option of turning on halftimes in the race setup screen (this option is not available and will be grayed out when using cars).  When running with halftimes enabled there are several differences in pitting behavior.  You will not be allowed to change tires, except for flats.  Also you will only receive enough fuel to make it until halftime.  When you reach the halfway mark of the race you will receive a yellow flag and the message COMPETITION YELLOW will be displayed.  After completing the lap and taking the waving yellow flag, you will be returned to the weekend screen where you will be allowed to make setup changes.  When you are ready to resume the race click on the Halftime Resume button, and you will be returned to your truck ready to start the second half of the race with a fresh set of tires and a full tank of gas.

*NOTE* The halftime feature should only be enabled when using the Craftsman Truck season schedule.  At other tracks the trucks will be unable to make the halfway point on a single set of tires.


TOWING RULES

Once you call for a tow, it will take a little time for the towing to actually start.  The spotter will let you know the tow truck is coming.  This was done to simulate the time it might take to actually recover a car from an incident.  If you move the car at all, then the tow truck is waved off.  You'll have to hit ALT-I again if you want a tow.


TURNING OFF SPOTTER SPEECH

If you turn off the spotter speech, make sure you turn on the spotter text.  It will give you much needed info about yellow flag and pace lap procedures.  These settings may be made in the Options menu.


VIEWING A REPLAY

In order to view the replay you must load the same entry list and be at the same track at which the replay was recorded.


QUICK QUALIFYING

There is a Quick Qualify checkbox on the qualifying screen.  Checking this will instantly fill in the qualify times for all the computer opponents. When it reaches your position in the list, Qualify will appear on the menu at the bottom.  Click that to begin your qualifying run. Once you come back from qualifying, the remaining qualify times will be automatically filled in.


FUEL LIMIT

Unless you select "Testing" as the Weekend Type on the Quick Race screen, you will be unable to change the amount of fuel in the car.  It will always be at 22 gallons.  In real NASCAR racing, the fuel is part of the total car weight calculation and is a mandated 22 gallons.  

If you select "Testing", you will be able to change the fuel level so you can test the car setup under different fuel loads.


GREEN FLAG ISSUES

The green flag comes out a little early at some tracks, usually in turns 3 and 4 but even on the backstraight, well before the start/finish line.  This was done to solve the problem of the AI cars bunching up in the first turn and creating a dangerous and unfair racing condition.  We felt that this trade-off improves the raceability and playability of the tracks.


SPECIAL OFFER FOR THE BOBBY LABONTE RACING VIDEO ONLY $19.95

Produced on location at the Labonte Racing Shops, "NASCAR 2 with Bobby Labonte", is one full hour of insider tips on game chassis set-up.  Moving between the set-up screen of the game and the underside of a real race car, Bobby elaborates on everything from chassis theory and front end geometry to passing and track position strategies.  This color video is  visually appealing and technically sound..."a must for all NASCAR Racing  competitors who want to turn faster laps."  Here is your chance to learn from one of NASCAR's brightest new stars, top qualifiers and winner at tracks such as Charlotte, Michigan, Hickory, Indianapolis Raceway Park, and Atlanta.

Only $19.95 plus $5.75 for shipping and handling.

Make check for $25.70 per tape payable to:
     Bobby Labonte Racing Video
     P.O. Box 390
     Trinity, NC  27370

     Don't forget to include your return address.

For Credit card orders please call:
     1-800-408-7223
     Visa, Discover, or Mastercard
     Please have your card number available when you call.

Allow four weeks for delivery.


IV.CONTACTING SIERRA
====================

A) Customer Service, Support, and Sales
B) Technical Support
C) Legal Information


A) Customer Service, Support, and Sales
---------------------------------------

United States	

U.S.A. Sales Phone: (800) 757-7707
International Sales:  (425) 746-5771 
Hours: Monday-Saturday 7AM to 11 PM CST,
Sundays 8 AM to 9PM CST 
FAX: (402) 393-3224	
	
Sierra Direct				
7100 W. Center Rd			
STE 301				
Omaha, NE  68106			


United Kingdom

Cendant Software International Limited	
Main: (0118) 920-9111
Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Fax:   (0118) 987-5603
Disk/CD replacements in the U.K. are £6.00,
or £7.00 outside the UK. Add "ATTN.: Returns."

2 Beacontree Plaza,			
Gillette Way,				
Reading, Berkshire			
RG2 0BS United Kingdom		


France

Cendant Software International Limited
Phone: (01) 46-01-46-50
Lundi au Vendredi de 9h a 19h 
Fax: (01) 46-30-00-65

Parc Tertiaire de Meudon		
Immeuble "Le Newton"		
25 rue Jeanne Braconnier 		
92366 Meudon La ForOt Cedex
France


Germany

Cendant Software International Limited 	
Tel: (0) 6103-99-40-40
Montag bis Freitag von 9h - 19Uhr
Fax: (0) 6103-99-40-35

Robert-Bosh-Str. 32			
D-63303 Dreieich			
Germany


On-Line Sales
CompuServe United Kingdom:GO UKSIERRA
CompuServe France:	  GO FRSIERRA
CompuServe Germany:  	  GO DESIERRA
Internet USA:		  http://www.sierra.com
Internet United Kingdom:  http://www.sierra-online.co.uk
Internet France:  	  http://www.sierra.fr
Internet Germany:	  http://www.sierra.de

THE SIERRA NO-RISK GUARANTEE
The Promise: We want you to be happy with every Sierra product you purchase from us. Period. If for any reason you're unhappy with the product, return it within 30 days for an exchange or a full refund...EVEN IF YOU BOUGHT IT RETAIL. (Hardware ordered direct must be returned within ten days.)  Please send back your product, signature required if mailing via US Postal Service.

The Only Catch: You've got to tell us why you don't like the game. Otherwise, we'll never get any better. Send it back to us and we promise we will make things right. (If you bought it at a retail outlet, please send your original sales receipt.)

* Returns valid in North America only.

Disk and or Manual Replacement:		

Product Returns:
Sierra On-Line Returns
4100 West 190th Street
Torrance, CA  90504

Sierra On-Line Fulfillment	
4100 West 190th Street		
Torrance, CA  90504				
		
NOTE: To replace your disk(s) please send only Disk #1 (or the CD) and copy of your dated Receipt, if less then 90 days.  After 90 days please include a $10 handling fee along with Disk / CD #1.  For Documentation, please include a $ 5.00 handling fee and a photocopy ONLY of disk #1.  Payment should be made at the time of your request.  Sorry, no credit cards.	

* Returns to this address valid in North America only.


B) TECHNICAL SUPPORT
--------------------

North America

Sierra On-Line offers a 24-hour automated technical support line with recorded answers to the most frequently asked technical questions. To access this service, call (425) 644-4343, and follow the recorded instructions to find your specific topic and resolve the issue. If this fails to solve your problem, you may still write, or fax us with your questions, or contact us via our Web site.

Sierra On-Line				
Technical Support
P.O. Box 85006			
Bellevue, WA 98015-8506	

Main: (425) 644-4343
Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m.- 6:45 p.m.  PST 
Fax:   (425) 644-7697

http://www.sierra.com
support@sierra.com


United Kingdom

Cendant Software International Limited offers a 24-hour Automated Technical Support line with recorded answers to the most frequently asked technical questions. To access this service, call (0118) 920-9111, and follow the recorded instructions to find your specific topic and resolve the issue. If this fails to solve your problem, you may still write, or fax us with your questions, or contact us via our Internet or CompuServe sites.

Cendant Software International Limited	
2 Beacontree Plaza,			
Gillette Way,				
Reading, Berkshire			
RG2 0BS United Kingdom	

Main: (0118) 920-9111
Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Fax:   (0118) 987-5603

http://www.sierra-online.co.uk


France

Cendant Software International Limited
Parc Tertiaire de Meudon		
Immeuble "Le Newton"		 
25 rue Jeanne Braconnier		
92366 Meudon La ForOt Cedex	
France

TTlTphone: 01-46-01-46-50
Lundi au Vendredi de 9h a 19h
Fax: 01-46-30-00-65

http://www.sierra.fr


Germany

Cendant Software International Limited
Robert-Bosh-Str. 32			
D-63303 Dreieich			
Deutschland				

Tel: (0) 6103-99-40-40
Montag bis Freitag von 9 - 19Uhr
Fax: (0) 6103-99-40-35
Mailbox: (0) 6103-99-40-35

http://www.sierra.de


Spain

Cendant Software International Limited
Avenida de Burgos 9			
1Ý-OF2					
28036 Madrid
Spain

TelTfono: (01) 383-2623
Lunes a Viernes de 9h30 a 14h y de 15h a 18h30
Fax: (01) 381-2437


Italy

Contattare il vostro distribotore.	


C) Sierra Warranty & Legal Information
--------------------------------------

You are entitled to use this product for your own use, but may not copy, reproduce, translate, publicly perform, display, or reduce to any electronic medium or machine- readable form, reproductions of the software or manual to other parties in any way, nor sell, rent or lease the product to others without prior written permission of Sierra.  You may use one copy of the product on a single computer.  YOU MAY NOT NETWORK THE PRODUCT OR OTHERWISE INSTALL IT OR USE IT ON MORE THAN ONE COMPUTER AT THE SAME TIME.

UNAUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIONS: SIERRA WARRANTS ONLY THAT THE PROGRAM WILL PERFORM AS DESCRIBED IN THE USER DOCUMENTATION. NO OTHER ADVERTISING, DESCRIPTION, OR REPRESENTATION, WHETHER MADE BY A SIERRA DEALER, DISTRIBUTOR, AGENT, OR EMPLOYEE, SHALL BE BINDING UPON SIERRA OR SHALL CHANGE THE TERMS OF THIS WARRANTY.

IMPLIED WARRANTIES LIMITED: EXCEPT AS STATED ABOVE, SIERRA MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THIS PRODUCT. SIERRA DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY THAT THE SOFTWARE IS FIT FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE NINETY (90) DAY DURATION OF THIS LIMITED EXPRESS WARRANTY AND IS OTHERWISE EXPRESSLY AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMED. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

NO CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES: SIERRA SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES, EVEN IF SIERRA IS ADVISED OF OR AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THIS MEANS THAT SIERRA SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR LOST PROFITS OR REVENUES, OR FOR DAMAGES OR COSTS INCURRED AS A RESULT OF LOSS OF TIME, DATA OR USE OF THE SOFTWARE, OR FROM ANY OTHER CAUSE EXCEPT THE ACTUAL COST OF THE PRODUCT. IN NO EVENT SHALL SIERRA'S LIABILITY EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THIS PRODUCT. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.


Copyright (1998 Sierra On-Line, Inc.) 

