Get the Spara: Ancient Wars Demo off WP (930mb)

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 Ancient Wars: Sparta 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. These drivers cannot be supplied by Eidos.

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
* Defragmenting your hard drive

Playlogic International N.V. recommends that you have no other programs running at all while playing Ancient Wars: Sparta. Other programs, including system utilities and screen savers 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.
* If you experience any issues in game this could be linked to your sound card, try reducing the hardware acceleration option within the DXDIAG tool – To Run DXDIAG see the `Technical support section` below, once loaded select the SOUND tab and move the slider option (Hardware Sound Acceleration) to the left.

Playlogic International N.V. and Eidos Interactive and World Forge are committed to providing customer support for our games on a continuing basis. In that spirit, there may be a patch for Ancient Wars: Sparta forthcoming; visit the following websites for more information.

http://playlogicint.com/
http://www.eidos.com/
http://www.world-forge.com/

To download drivers, you need to contact your computer manufacturer (or motherboard manufacturer if your computer custom built).

1.4 Last changes

* If you equip units in the unit designer with two weapons, they will get a bonus: Those units will appear on the battlefield as level one units
* Transport vessels can’t ram or grapple other ships
* If you unload siege weapons from a transport vessel, the weapons will be unmanned and you have to send troops to them to operate the weapon

Part 2: Technical Issues

2.1 Installation & Set-up

System Requirements

The minimum system requirements are as follows:

OPERATING SYSTEM:
Microsoft Windows XP (admin rights required) or Windows 2000;
Windows 95/98/ME/NT4 are no longer supported.
Ancient Wars Sparta also runs on Vista but do not fully support all its new features

CPU:
Intel Pentium®4 2.4 GHz or Athlon XP equivalent
RAM: 1024 MB system Memory
GRAPHICS: GeForce 6800GT 256 MB; ATI Radeon X800Pro 256 MB or higher
SOUND: Direct X 9.0c compatible sound card
DVD-ROM: 4x DVD-ROM drive
HARD DRIVE: 4 GB Free Space
INPUT DEVICES: Keyboard and mouse

The recommended system requirements are as follows:

OPERATING SYSTEM:
Microsoft Windows XP (admin rights required) or Microsoft Vista;
Windows 95/98/ME/NT4 are no longer supported.
CPU: Pentium Intel Pentium®4 3.0 GHz or Athlon XP/64bit Equivalent
RAM: 2048 MB system Memory
GRAPHICS: GeForce 7900GTX 256 MB; ATI Radeon X1900XT 256 MB or higher
SOUND: Direct X 9.0c compatible sound card
DVD-ROM: 4x DVD-ROM drive
HARD DRIVE: 4 GB
INPUT DEVICES: Keyboard and 3 button mouse

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 programs that will help optimise your hard drive performance.

You can optimise 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 Ancient Wars: Sparta

Installing Ancient Wars: Sparta 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 FilesPlaylogicAncient Wars: Sparta

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 Ancient Wars: Sparta

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 Ancient Wars: Sparta 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 Ancient Wars: Sparta from the list.
* Click on Ancient Wars: Sparta from the ensuing pop-up menu.

Uninstalling Ancient Wars: Sparta

If you need to UNINSTALL Ancient Wars: Sparta, you may do any of the following three things:

Insert the Ancient Wars: Sparta DVD into the DVD-ROM drive to activate the AutoPlay feature. This will bring up the Launch Panel. Click on the Uninstall button, 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 Ancient Wars: Sparta 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 Ancient Wars: Sparta from the pop-up panel to follow, select the Add/Remove button, and follow the onscreen prompts.

2.2 DVD-ROM Problems

Ancient Wars: Sparta requires at least a Quad-Speed DVD-ROM drive with 32-bit Windows drivers.

I receive a "xxxxxx.xxx not found" error message when installing or running Ancient Wars: Sparta

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 Ancient Wars: Sparta, 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 Ancient Wars: Sparta, I receive the following error message:

"The application Ancient Wars: Sparta.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 Ancient Wars: Sparta.
* 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.

Ancient Wars: Sparta 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 Ancient Wars: Sparta, 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 Ancient Wars: Sparta?

If you do not have DirectX installed on your computer, you will not be able to run Ancient Wars: Sparta.

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 (United Kingdom)

Address Wimbledon Bridge House
1 Hartfield Road
Wimbledon
SW19 3RU

E-Mail customerservice@eidos.co.uk

Phone 0870 9000222

Web www.eidos.co.uk/support/index.html

Technical Support Contact Details (United States of America)

Address Eidos Customer Services
651 Brannan Street
San Francisco
CA 94107

E-Mail www.eidos.com/support.html

Phone 415 615-6220

Web www.eidos.com/support.html

FAQs are available for known issues; if none exist select the "All Categories" link.
If your issue is not on the list you must select an issue, then choose the show me "more" link to display a list of all known issues. If none of this helps, there will be a link here to enter a "Support Request"

Note: Hints and tips will not be given out over the Technical Support lines.

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

Eidos maintains a web page with links to all major video and audio card manufacturers, which is a good first stop if you are looking to upgrade your drivers. You can reach this page at:

UK: www.eidos.co.uk/support/index.html
US: www.eidos.com/support.html

Thank you and we hope you enjoy playing Ancient Wars: Sparta.

Ancient Wars: Sparta © 2006 Playlogic International N.V. All rights reserved. Developed by World Forge. Produced by Playlogic International N.V. Published by Playlogic International
N.V. Marketed and Distributed by Eidos Interactive. © Eidos 2006. Playlogic is a registered trademark of Playlogic International N.V. All trademarks
are the property of their respective owners. Playlogic International N.V. * Concertgebouwplein 13 * 1071 LL Amsterdam * The Netherlands

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