Sin Demo Readme

Sin ReadMe File

CONTENTS

1. Story

2. Hardcorps Brief: Classified

3. Installation

4. Getting Around Freeport
   a. Basics
   b. Movement and General Controls
   c. Dying
   d. On-screen information during gameplay

5. Setup
   a. The Basics
   b. Main Menu
   c. Game
   d. Controls

6. Multiplayer Sin
   a. Join Network Server
   b. Start Network Server
   c. Player Setup
   d. Dedicated Servers
   e. GameSpy 3D
   f. Heat.net
   g. Miscellaneous

7. Technical Information
   a. System Requirements
   b. About Direct X
   c. What is OpenGL? - About the Sin 3D Accelerated Engine
   d. More on Sin Video

8. Customer Support

9. Sinday Bloody Sinday Contest Official Rules

10. Credits

====================
== I. The Story ==
====================

12.05.35. 2:48am.

Had a strong glass of bourbon and crashed hard tonight, despite the noise on the street. I guess you get used to it after a while living in Freeport, but something was definitely different out there. No…peculiar is more like it. That’s what must have caused my strange dream. Man, was that a weird one…I want to get it down on paper but it’s tough to put into words. It sounds dramatic an’ all but man, it was so frigin’ real. The moment I threw off my specs and pressed my palms against my burning eyelids, it felt like it was the calm before the storm. And then I passed out…

All was quiet except for a faint but noticeable murmur of a power generator. I took a slow step out of the shadows, looking to my right and left down each corridor for any potential danger. But this wasn’t a usual route around the sector looking to bust armed U4 pushers. This was a real war for some reason, but there was nothing here but very subtle screams in the distance, gun blasts, explosions, then more screams.

Then it kicked in… that adrenaline rush from hell. I bolted down the metallic hallway with a 1000 years of rage on my shoulders and seven hand-held CB-22 rockets in my backpack for each of the souls I’ll take in the next half hour…the lives I’ll devour to make me stronger, and impenetrable. As I ran, fitted in armor and conviction, the familiar war sounds become louder and fed into my fury. The screams were almost unbearable at this point. The moment I turned the corner into a room with this powerful blue light, blood and chunks of flesh sprayed onto my pants from the poor disemboweled ‘CORPS soldier to my right, opened by a shot from an above tier and a keen eye. A hoard of mutated bodies without faces eclipsed the light and turned to me, armed with guns, bombs and claws…and the chase was on. I pulled a quick 180 and leapt across the separation in the floor, only to duck behind a crate to turn around and open fire. Four down. Time to move. I quickly scrambled outside under the angered sky with bullets darting past both my ears. One gets me in the shoulder but proves tolerable. I found myself cornered with nowhere to go except into a sea of death, already a graveyard for many dead soldiers. I dove in while more bullets burrowed into my suit and skin and bone. Just as I thought I was safe, I heard a splash only to look over my shoulder and see three desperate beasts, but these…animals…had faces. And they were scared, too. Were they after me or were they running from fear themselves? I immediately unleashed four more demons from my barrel, three meeting their destiny. Although victorious, I choked on the thick water, blood, and flesh that surrounded me…and died just the same. As I floated slowly to the surface, a woman’s laughter came from somewhere above…as if I was part of an experiment or something…like I was in a test-tube. And then I woke up in a cold pool of sweat.

It is the calm before the storm. My God, it is the calm before the storm.

1.02.36. 8:20pm

Happy Frigin’ New Year. Two days in and I almost blasted my first punk in ‘36 already. That kid musta been smacked out pretty good to kill a cop just to get to his cruiser. An all this right in front of the neon glow of the Starck Club. Thankfully, his hands were shaking so bad he missed me by a mile. Dumb punk didn’t realize his life was already over before he even left the rock he climbed out from under. I chased the junkie into the club but lost him in the crowd. Got him on the cams though, so I’m sure he’s arrested by now. I ripped my leg open when I slipped on the floor – there were broken vials of U4 all over the place, man. I guess kids aren’t even going to the bathroom to jack up anymore. Damn… You know, I think that dead cop worked with my dad at the FPD at some point. His name was McPherson or something like that. Poor bastard. Got there too late…was already slashed ear to ear. Nothing I could do… It’s funny, actually, getting used to this good guy shit. Looking back it very well could have been me lying in the streets with a fatal case of lead poisoning. Who would’ve ever thought that I’d be crossing over to the other side, patrolling the same blocks I used to run gangs on. I’m sure all the Young Masters and Warriors are dead now, anyway. Life sure is strange the way things come full circle...

2.22.36. 11:43pm.

Tonight was one of those nights that make you wonder how it ever got so bad. I swear it’s not even midnight yet and already the city’s gone to shit. I musta grabbed my Mag three times within an hour because of these damn punks jumping out of the shadows. Two of them even tried to shiv me…dumb bastards. If they were zombies, that would be one thing, but this tainted garbage just completely freaks them out altogether. Even nailing those dirtbags Mancini and Kong last week hasn’t slowed down the flow of U4 any and I know they’re behind a good chunk of the Freeport flow. I should’ve popped Mancini a couple years back when I had the chance…what a wanna-be, that guy.

3.13.36. 1:10pm

SinTEK’s been all over the news again. Looks like they’ve bought out yet another major petroleum company in the Middle East for a zillion dollars or something. These guys are everywhere, man: chems, oils, computers, pharmaceuticals, genetics…and now as a SEC-Force Op as well. Unbelievable… They may be have their greedy hands in all kinds of pie but I’d do anything for a night with Dr. Sinclaire’s daughter. Man, is she hot or what…what’s her name? Oh ya, Elexis. Elexis Sinclaire. Hmmm.

=====================================
== II. Hardcorps Brief: Classified ==
=====================================

Excerpts from Sgt. Markgyver’s and Sgt. Grue’s New Recruit Lectures, 2036.

"Grizzled Hardcorps veterans have been passing on their hard-earned knowledge about the scummy Freeport underground for years. And now it’s your turn, greenie. So pay attention – the tips and insider information taught here will almost certainly save your hide some day, kid."

Heads-Up Display (HUD)

----------------------

"The most important tool we provide you with here at Hardcorps is your OT-class integrated Heads-Up Display. I assume you’ve all received your standard issue eyewear? Good."

"It’s most basic function is to keep you aware of your health and munitions status, including armor levels. However, we at Hardcorps have enhanced the HUD to be something a bit more powerful. And judging by this sorry lot I see before me, you’ll need it. This HUD will save your lives many times over."

"It keeps you in constant contact with Hardcorps HQ. It allows us to be a second pair of eyes and ears. Now, don’t break them! They cost more than your lives."

Aiming
------

"Learn how to aim. Aiming wildly will waste ammo and probably get you shot. Besides, to really take down an assailant, you want to get a good clean headshot. Even main body wounds will do more damage than shots to the arms and legs. You have the ability to use deadly force. Do it, or die."

"Watch out for criminals with body armor, though. While shooting them in armored sections, you won’t get the satisfying reward of seeing their wounds. If you aren’t seeing blood and guts, then you’re not doing any damage to them, just to their armor. Remember that next time you’re up against someone who doesn’t seem to be dying."

Looting the dead
----------------

"When you’re out on a field mission, you can’t afford to be choosy. Any health-kit is a welcome one. And that goes double for ammo when your clip is out and armor when you’re flak jacket’s had all it can take. Just make sure your opponent is dead before searching for supplies."

"Don’t be squeamish, simply walk over to your fallen foe. Your HUD (Heads-Up Display) should quickly analyze and display any items the villain may have been carrying. Just hit the USE (U) key to grab all the useful items."

Armor
-----

"Every good security officer quickly learns the value of good armor. Use it, wear it, and love it. And when it wears out, pick up another set immediately. If you can’t make it back to Hardcorps Headquarters, look around for a handy ammunitions rack or even loot a perp’s body if necessary. You’re no good to us dead, kid."

"If you’ve gotten especially low, you may want to pay even closer attention to where you aim. After all, the next felon you kill could provide you with a great flak jacket if you avoid shooting him in the chest. Remember that next time you’re all alone behind enemy lines."

Basic Inventory Usage
---------------------

"You know what I can’t believe? A known felon escaped one of our very own Hardcorps officers last week by simply locking a door behind him. The worst part is that our officer had the key to said door in his possession – he just forgot to use it!"

"I’ll not have any of my students doing something so idiotic. Class, repeat after me: I will always make good use of my inventory. I won’t forget when I have useful items. I won’t ignore my HUD when it tells me I’ve picked up something. I will frequently check my inventory using my INVSHOW (F2) key."

"Good. Now say it again. And again."

Pay attention and use your environment
--------------------------------------

"I don’t know how many times I’ve had to say this, but stop and take a minute to look around every once in awhile. I fail to understand why our cadets insist on blowing security doors up rather than simply stepping over to a nearby keypad or computer to unlock it instead."

"You’d be absolutely amazed at how many people, businessmen and criminals alike, will simply leave their computers and consoles logged in. Simply step over to one and you’ll find that many of your problems can be solved with a few simple key presses."

"While you can receive more advanced console training from Major Aldie, most user interfaces these days have been standardized. Simply hit your USE (Enter) key to begin, and hit Escape (ESC) when you’re ready to stop."

Strafing
--------

"Learn how to strafe. It’ll save your neck many times over. There’s no better way to avoid a perp’s weapon fire than to simply sidestep as he shoots. Just don’t forget to fire back.

"For those of you who have never strafed before, please sign-up for Sgt. Wieder’s advanced class when you get a chance. But for now, just remember that holding down your STRAFE (Alt) key allows you to sidestep those nasty projectiles. Advanced students learn how to use STRAFELEFT (A) and STRAFERIGHT (D) to fine-tune their abilities."

Ducking and hiding
------------------

"This ain’t no simulation – those are real bullets with your name on them. So don’t stick around and let them find you! Get out of the way and re-evaluate your situation. Just don’t expect those criminals to sit and wait around for you to come back and play."

"And while I know you all think you’re the toughest thing around, let me tell you something. Oftentimes, a little thinking and stealth will win the day where running-and-gunning does not. Look before you leap next time, will ya? I don’t like to waste all this time training you only to watch you die."

Reload often
------------

"You’d think that I wouldn’t have to bring this up, but I’ve seen too many young cadets die out in the field to ignore it. They simply forget to reload their clip before heading into a firefight. Oh, sure, they try to reload in the middle, but really, how easy do you think it is to reload with a dozen punks trying to mow you down? Just don’t do it – you’ll thank me in the end.

"Before rushing around that corner in a dark alley, simply check your clip’s ammo. Your HUD keeps track of the exact number, right on the current weapons display. Just hit your USE (Enter) key to reload that clip, and you’re good to go."

Mission Status
--------------

"Be aware of your status at ALL times. I’ll say it again, be aware of your status at all times. Your HUD has a mission status function for that very reason. It was designed to be a simple, convenient way for you to get the most up-to-date information about your current mission objectives. Yet some of you seem to think that it’s not really necessary and you can simply do anything you’d like."

"Wrong. If we change mission priorities in the middle of hostile territory, it could be incredibly dangerous for you to simply continue following the orders you got at the initial mission briefing. Things change out in the real world, cadets, and you’re going to need to understand that"

"Simply hit your Mission Status (F1) key and you’ll be able to tell at a glance what your current orders and objectives are. Don’t grumble, just do it."

Conserve Supplies
-----------------

"Ammunition doesn’t just grow on trees! Start using your ammo wisely, and you’ll be sure to come away with your life. You never know when you might need those last few shells"

"And stop shooting things that can’t be shot! You think that magnum of yours is really doing to do a lot of damage to the state-of-the art bio-metals coming out of places like SinTek industries these days? Think again. Why, the Langs Heavy Munitions catalog this quarter listed gun turrets and mobile weaponry that’s been created out of nearly-invincible materials. A pop gun like yours won’t stand a chance against heavy machinery like that.

Use Your Tools
--------------

"What good is a sniper rifle if you don't use the scope? Answer me that. To this day, I cannot believe how many of our raw recruits go running off half-cocked and never even use the scope our boys in the lab have rigged up. Believe me, there's nothing more satisfying that seeing the veins in the whites of their eyes as you pull that trigger."

"When you've already readied your rifle, simply hit the Sniper Rifle button (0) again to use the scope. Hit it again to return to your regular view. And so forth. You'll be covering walls with blood in no time."

Disable Your Opponent
---------------------

"Sometimes it's easier to disable your opponent rather than killing him or her outright. When you're up against some heavy artillery and you've only got your standard issue L2-357 Magnum, you don't have many choices left. So shoot 'em where it counts - their hands. There aren't many people out there who can hold onto their weapons when their hand has been filled with lead. Aim carefully, but the rewards can be dramatic and satisfying."

"Be careful out there. Those criminals aren't as dumb as they look - they'll try to disable you if they can as well. Stay calm, ignore the gripping pain, and grab your weapon again if you ever drop it. It's your only chance for survival - no weapon, no life. Got that?"

Hostage Situations
---------------------

"You young punks all think this police work is about rushing in, guns ablazin'. Well, it just ain't so. Often, there are innocent people involved who need your help and protection. And we run across a couple dozen hostage situations every year. So pay attention, what I'm about to tell you could save more lives than your own."

"First, take out all visible resistance. An innocent bystander or worse, a hostage, isn't likely to get far with gun-toting criminals in the area. Then, when you're sure the coast is clear, just run over to the nearest innocent and hit your USE key. They're not dumb, they know how to run... You just need to let them know that things are under control."

=========================
== III. Installation ; ==
=========================

To install Sin on your system, double-click Sin_Demo.exe.

Follow the on-screen instructions as they guide you through the installation process.

For updates to Sin, please refer to www.activision.com and www.ritual.com.

===================================
== IV. Getting Around Freeport ; ==
===================================

a. The Basics
-------------

The default configuration for Sin assumes that you are using a keyboard and a mouse for your control.

Think of the keyboard as controlling your body, and the mouse controlling your head. With the keyboard, you can walk forward, backwards, and from side to side. With the mouse, you can look up, down, left and right. When you combine the two, you are able to move and look in any direction you wish. This provides the most accurate method of aiming, which is essential for playing Sin.

Using the menus, you can change your settings to be whatever you like. See Section V.

When you start Sin, it will prompt you for a login name. Simply type in your player name, and Sin will store your saved games and configuration under that name. Other friends and family members can logon with different names, as well.

The default keys are as follows:

W | Walk forward
S | Walk backwards
A | Strafe Left (sidestep left)
D | Strafe Right (sidestep right)
C | Duck
U | Use
Spacebar | Jump
Enter | Use Inventory Item
[ | Previous Inventory Item
] | Next Inventory Item
Mouse1 | Fire
Mouse2 | Strafe
Mouse3 | Walk forward
/ | Next Weapon
F1 | Mission Status
F2 | Inventory
F6 | Toggle 3rd-person view mode

b. Movement and General Controls
--------------------------------

Walking: Use the four arrow keys or the mouse to walk around. To walk steadily forward, hold down the forward key (W or Mouse3). Turn left or right by sliding your mouse in the direction you wish to turn.

Running: To run, simply hold down the RUN (left Shift) key to increase your speed. If you prefer to always run during the game, open the Main menu, then the Controls menu, then the Game Options menu, and select Always Run.

Vehicles: Within Sin, you can occasionally drive or ride in different vehicles. Depending on the vehicle, you may have no control over the direction or speed at which you’re travelling.

Shooting: Press the ATTACK button (left mouse button) to fire. Hold the ATTACK button down to keep firing. Note that shooting different body parts in Sin causes different amounts of damage. Thus, shots to the head will kill an opponent faster than shots to their body. You can immediately tell when you’ve hit an enemy, since the body part you hit shows damage. Also, you can shoot weapons out of enemies hands by shooting the hand holding the gun. Be careful - they can shoot your gun out of your hand too! You can pick it up again, but you'll be without that weapon until you do.

Looking Up and Down: Sin has Mouse Freelook enabled by default. By simply moving your mouse forward or backwards, you are able to look up and down. You can change this behavior through the Player Controls menu.

Ducking: Press and hold down the CROUCH (X) key to duck. You can also push your forward button while ducking to crawl forward. When you release the CROUCH (X) key, you will return to an upright position.

Jumping: Simply hit your JUMP key (Spacebar) to jump. You jump farther if you're moving forward at the time or if you're running. You jump higher if you're moving up a slope.

Strafing: Use the STRAFELEFT (A) and STRAFERIGHT (D) keys to sidestep to the left or right. This is nearly essential for avoiding incoming projectiles, or gun blasts from enemies.

Picking Up Objects: To pick up items, weapons, and power-ups, simply walk over them. If you are unable to pick something up, it means you already have the maximum amount possible for that object.

Using Objects: To open doors and use objects in the world, simply walk up to the object and press the USE (U) key.

Reloading: To reload your weapon, just hit the USE (U) key while away from any walls or doors. This will re-fill the entire clip for that weapon.

Looting Your Kill: After you kill an enemy, move over it’s body and if they are carrying anything it will show up on the screen. While standing over them, press the USE key (U) to strip them of items, armor, and health. Any weapons they drop you can pick up by walking over them. If you are unable to pick something up, it means you already have the maximum amount possible for that object.

Armor: Both you and the enemies you face can wear armor. It provides protection from being shot, and is area-specific. Thus, a flak jacket only protects your torso, and a helmet protects your head. This also applies to enemies. While shooting an enemy, if you don’t see wounds and damage appear on the area you shot, it’s probable that he’s wearing armor. Once you’ve depleted the armor, you’ll be able to do real damage to the enemy.

Selecting Items in Inventory: Use the arrow keys to cycle through items in your inventory while in the inventory screen (F2). Press the Escape (ESC) key to select a highlighted item.

Consoles: Throughout the game, you’ll encounter computers and machines that you can interact with. Simply walk up to the computer and hit the USE key (C). You can then control the menus via the arrow keys, and even type things on some consoles using your keyboard. To exit a console, simply hit Escape (ESC).

Mission Status: Hitting your Mission Status (F1) key will show your current mission objectives. It will be automatically updated with information as you accomplish or fail various mission objectives.

Talking: To communicate with other players in multiplayer, press the TALK (T) key and type in your message. Press Enter when finished and your words will appear at the top of the screen.

Sniper Rifle: When using the Sniper Rifle (0), you can zoom in by hitting your Sniper key (0) again. Zooming out is done the same way.

c. Dying
--------

Each time you enter a level Sin automatically saves the game. When you die, press the Enter key to pull up the Load Game menu. Select the first game name on that list to restart at the beginning of the last level you entered.

d. On-Screen Information During Gameplay
----------------------------------------

HUD: You, as John Blade, have a digital Heads-Up-Display integrated into your glasses. It has the ability to be dynamically updated with a wealth of information, including updates from your side-kick, J.C., and your current health and ammo status.

Status: Your status is shown as icons floating in your view at the bottom of the screen. There is an indicator for your health, armor, ammo for the current weapon, and currently selected or readied item or weapon.

Picking up items: When you pick up something new, an icon will briefly appear at the bottom of the screen with a picture of that item. To view your entire inventory, press the Tab key. Maximizing the screen (+ key) may remove the Status Bar from your viewing area. To get it back, simply press the - key.

Crosshair: Your HUD displays a crosshair on your field of view. This is almost essential for proper aiming.

Messages: Your HUD also displays messages about your current situation. Some messages appear at the top of the screen. These are non-critical, and tell you that you've picked up an object, or you've died in an interesting fashion (multiplayer games). Certain messages will appear in the middle of the display. These are always important, and you do not want to ignore them! Examples are "You Need…" and a picture of the item, or "Crouch here," etc.

Console: Pressing the tilde key (~) will pull down the Console window. This is a special area that lists all of the game messages, and allows you to give Sin commands that cannot be entered through the menu. This is intended for advanced users only.

Inventory: Press your INVSHOW key (F2) to access your inventory. Use the arrow keys to move through the list. Once you’ve selected the desired item, hit Escape (ESC) to return to the game. That item is now your primary item and your status information will update to show an image of it. Press the INVUSE (Enter) key to use a highlighted item. Weapons and items are "readied" in this manner. For example, you can select or ready an item before engaging the enemy. Then at the appropriate time you can quickly use that item by pressing the INVUSE (Enter) key.

===================
== V. Setup ==
===================

a. Main Menu
-------------

When you start Sin, you will be presented with a login screen. Type your name at the login and hit enter. Use the up and down arrow keys to navigate through the menus, and press the Enter key to select. Each Main menu function brings up a list of secondary menu items. If you have problems using the secondary menu selections, please refer to the message banner at the bottom of the screen.

GAME: Start a new single or multiplayer game, load, or save a game, or view a demo.

CONTROLS: Change your video and audio settings, set general game options, and customize your key configuration.

HEADQUARTERS: Not available in this demo.

CREDITS: See the people who actually made the game.

QUIT: Exit the game or logon as a different user from here.

b. Game
--------

NEW GAME: Under New Game, you can select a variety of skill settings that range from really easy to "rock your world" hard.

Rookie: This is meant for kids and grandmas

Officer: Most people should start Sin at Medium skill

Hardcorps: Not for the slow of mouse, weak of heart, or anyone else afraid of dying.

LOAD GAME: Select Load Game to pull up the load game menu. The first name on the list is an auto-saved game. Selecting this puts you back at the start of the last level you entered. Use the arrow keys to move down to the game that you wish to load and press the Enter key.

SAVE GAME: Select Save Game to access the save game menu. Using the arrow keys, move down to an empty slot, or one you don't mind writing over and press the Enter key to save. Sin will generate a name for you with title of the level and the current time.

VIEW DEMOS: View a pre-recorded demo of the game.

MULTIPLAYER: There are two main ways to play Sin with other people: LAN (Local Area Network) or TCP/IP over the Internet. This menu provides three options: Join Network Server, Start Network Server, or Network Server Player Setup. Please see the detailed multiplayer section below (V.).

c. Controls
-----------

VIDEO CONTROLS:

Here are controls for changing your video driver, screen resolution or video mode, brightness, screen size, window or full screen mode, texture mode, and accessing the advanced video options. To change an option, simply arrow to that option, then press the right or left arrow keys to adjust. Then, after making all of your adjustments, arrow to 'apply' and press ENTER. When changing video settings, Sin may blink from the screen, or the game console may appear. This isn't unusual. After a moment of this, the game should resume normally. Once you hit 'apply' to commit all of your changes, the game will reload the map to incorporate the new settings, and this will take some time as well.

Video Driver: You have seven choices under Video Driver. These are Software, Default OpenGL, 3Dfx OpenGL, ATI Rage OpenGL, Riva OpenGL, Verite OpenGL, and PowerVR OpenGL. As you can see, generally this breaks down into two choices: Software or some form of OpenGL (if you have a supported 3D accelerator).

***IMPORTANT: Your system may not support many of the video driver options provided by Sin. If a selected video driver is unavailable Sin will return to your previous selection or to a safe software mode.

Software: If you are running under Windows 95, and do not have OpenGL supported 3D hardware acceleration, Sin will use this setting.

OpenGL: With the assistance of OpenGL drivers, Sin runs in 16 bit color, with colored lighting effects, cleaner graphics, and improved translucency. Please refer to the file 'release.txt' or 'Release Notes.doc' for the latest required driver numbers.

3Dfx OpenGL: Use the 3Dfx OpenGL driver on systems that possess a 3Dfx Voodoo, Voodoo 2, or Voodoo Rush accelerator. We recommend that you obtain the latest drivers for your accelerator. They can be found at 3Dfx’s website, www.3dfx.com.

PowerVR OpenGL: Use the PowerVR OpenGL driver on systems running Windows 95 with a PowerVR PCX2 board installed.

Verite OpenGL: Use the Rendition Verite OpenGL mini-driver on systems with a V2200 or V2100 accelerator.

***IMPORTANT: If you are using a Rendition card, make sure you have installed the latest "Rendition MiniGL Driver". You can obtain the latest mini-driver directly from Rendition’s website at

www.rendition.com.

Riva OpenGL: Use the Nvidia Riva128 OpenGL driver on systems with a Riva128 Accelerator.

***IMPORTANT: You must have installed the latest Riva128 Windows drivers which include an OpenGL ICD. You can obtain the latest drivers directly from your card manufacturer, such as Diamond Multimedia (

www.diamondmm.com).

ATI Rage OpenGL: Use the ATI Rage Pro OpenGL mini-driver on systems with an ATI Rage Pro 3D accelerator. We recommend that you use the latest ATI Rage Pro drivers, which are obtainable from ATI’s website directly at www.atitech.com.

System OpenGL: The System OpenGL driver allows Sin to render using the default OpenGL driver installed in the system. Select this if you are using a 3D accelerator other than those specifically supported in this menu.

***IMPORTANT: We do not recommend using OpenGL on systems that do not have hardware acceleration or OpenGL installed. Not all 3D accelerators support OpenGL. We have tried to include those cards that do on video controls menu.

Video Mode: Many video modes are available to you through this menu. Your system may not support many of the video modes provided by Sin.

Screen Size: The screen size slider controls the size of the game area on the screen. Reducing the screen size will usually result in higher performance.

Brightness: The brightness slider controls the brightness of the screen. Its effects are immediate under software. When using OpenGL, select "Apply changes" after modifying the brightness.

Fullscreen: This selects fullscreen or windowed rendering. Fullscreen mode availability is dependent upon the type of graphics adapter installed. Fullscreen software rendering requires the presence of Microsoft DirectX. Under OpenGL, fullscreen rendering uses the current color depth of the desktop.

Texture Mode: There are 3 possible options: 16-bit, Auto, and 8-bit. 16-bit textures will result in the best image quality, but may cause slow performance on older machines. The Auto setting provides slightly lower image quality, but significantly faster performance. 8-bit textures will result in reduced image quality, but provides the best performance.

***IMPORTANT: If Sin appears to be running slowly in 16-bit mode, changing this option can provide much better performance.

***NOTE: 16-bit software has not been included in this demo version of Sin. It will be included in the full retail version.

Apply: Selecting this option "applies" any modifications you make to your video configuration.

Reset to Defaults: Resets all of the video options to their default settings.

Advanced Video Options: This allows you to change various special effects settings within the game. Turning off these effects will increase overall performance.

Bring Up Console Interface: This allows access to the game console. This is for advanced users.

AUDIO CONTROLS

Here you can adjust your audio settings.

SFX Volume: Using the left and right arrow keys moves the slider bar to increase or decrease the volume of your sound effects.

Music Volume: Using the left and right arrow keys move the slider bar to increase or decrease the volume of your music.

Sound Quality: Select low quality for 11 kHz sound and high quality for 22 kHz sound. Using low sound quality may increase the performance of Sin on your machine.

CD Music: Use the left and right arrow keys to turn CD music on or off. Turning the CD off will not change the performance of the game.

Sound Compatibility: In Max performance, Sin captures sole use of your audio, making the sound hardware inaccessible from other applications. In Compatibility mode, Sin will allow other sound hardware to still continue.

GAME OPTIONS

Here you can adjust the standard game options such as your mouse options, customize your keyboard settings, and restore all your control settings to their defaults.

Mouse Speed: This allows you to adjust your mouse sensitivity. The higher you set this the faster your character will turn in relation to mouse movement.

Always Run: Set this to Yes if you do not want to hold down the Run button in order to move quickly.

Invert Mouse: This gives your mouse "airplane-style" controls. This means that pushing the mouse forward "noses down" and pulling it back "noses up." Some people prefer this control technique.

Mouse Filter: Enabling this variable will cause the mouse movement to be smoother but there will be increased latency between the actual mouse movement and movement in the game.

Lookspring: Returns your view immediately to straight ahead when you release the look up key, look down key or mouse look. Otherwise, you must move forward for a step or two before your view snaps back. Lookspring does not work while you are underwater.

Lookstrafe: If you are using the look up or look down key, then this option causes you to sidestep instead of turn when you try to move left or right.

Freelook: With this option enabled you no longer have to press the mouse look key to look up and down while using the mouse. This allows free-form mouse movement in all directions, at all times.

Crosshair: You can choose between several different styles of targeting crosshairs.

Handedness: You can choose whether you are right or left handed, or whether your hands will be displayed at all (center).

HUD Layout: Choose where your heads up display is shown on the screen.

Dialog System: You may choose to turn on or off the text and voice dialog within the game. Note that many puzzles and sequences are much harder to follow if you cannot hear or read (or both) the dialog within the game.

Customize Controls: Selecting this option will bring up a second menu that lists all of the game controls. Use the arrow keys to move through the list. Press the Enter key to select a control to change. Press the appropriate key or mouse button that you wish to use for that control. If you want to go back to the original controls, go to the previous menu and select Reset Defaults.

===============================
== V. Multiplayer Sin ==
===============================

Sin's "Multiplayer" allows multiple players to enter a game together, over the Internet or on your local area network.

The most popular way to play Sin Multiplayer is a Deathmatch, which has no computer-controlled characters, just player versus player! The goal of the game is to kill your opponents more often than they kill you. Each kill counts for one "frag", and if you kill yourself then you lose a frag, thus it's not a great idea to jump off of tall buildings or shoot rockets at your own feet.

After you die, press the Space Bar to reappear, or "respawn", in the game. You'll be brought back at one of several random respawn locations. Throughout the map you will find different artifacts, such as weapons, ammo, health and armor, that are needed to be successful at destroying your enemy. When starting a Sin Multiplayer Server, you have the option of making weapons disappear when you pick them up and re-appear after time (length of time depends on item), or they can be made to stay put at all times so your Deathmatch experience is a true Sinfest!

MULTIPLAYER MENU

JOIN NETWORK SERVER - Allows you to search for and join a game.

START NETWORK SERVER - Allows you to launch your own server.

PLAYER SETUP - Allows you to customize your appearance.

a. Join Network Server
-----------------------

Under the "join server" menu are two options that will help you locate and join in network games. The first is "address book", which is used to store and recall the IP addresses or hostnames of Internet servers. The second option you have is "search for servers", which will display a list of servers running on your local area network (LAN) as well as any you have entered into your address book.

To add servers to your address book, simply move down to an available spot and type in the hostname or IP address of the server. To join a server that is listed in your address book highlight that server and hit ENTER.

To search for and connect to a server on your local area network simply select SEARCH FOR SERVERS, then press ENTER on any of the servers that appear under "connect to..."

b. Start Network Server
------------------------

The start network server menu option is for configuring and launching a

Sin server. There are many options in Multiplayer Sin, which make the game behave differently. When you have finished choosing all the options listed below, hit ENTER on BEGIN to launch your server. Once the server is running other players can join your game.

GAME TYPE: Here you can choose the type of multiplayer game. For the demo only deathmatch is available, but look for other variations in the retail version of Sin.

SELECT MAP: This allows you to select the first map for your Deathmatch server. When either the timelimit or fraglimit are met, the server will advance to the next map.

HOST NAME: This name will show up in other players address books when they are joining your game.

TIME LIMIT: Set the number of minutes that the game will run before advancing to the next map.

FRAG LIMIT: Once any player attains this number of frags (kills) the game will automatically advance to the next map.

MAX PLAYERS: This option allows you to limit the number of players that may join your server.

Other server options that change the feel of the game can be found on the "Modify Deathmatch settings" menu. They are as follows:

Falling Damage: This determines whether or not you take health damage when falling from high places.

Persistent Weapons: Setting this to YES will make the weapons stay available, even after being picked up a player. This does not apply to other artifacts, such as ammo, health and powerups.

Weapon Switching: Set to either instant or normal. Instant weapon switching will change weapons without showing the "put-away" animations.

Allow Health: This option toggles whether health shows up in the map.

Allow Armor: This option toggles whether armor shows up in the map.

Allow Powerups: This option toggles whether powerups show up in the map.

Instant Powerups: Powerups take effect the moment you pick them up when this is set to YES. If it’s set to NO, you can store the powerup for later use, just like in single-player mode.

Infinite Ammo: When this is set to yes, you don’t need to pick up ammo for your gun, and you will never run out.

Force Respawn: Forces the player to respawn 5 seconds after being killed.

Spawn Farthest: Switches between random spawning and spawning players in the furthest position relative to other players.

Same Map: When the fraglimit or timelimit is reached, the map will not advance to the next map, but will start the current map over.

Team Play: This option is not available in the demo.

Friendly Fire: This option is not available in the demo.

Fixed FOV: This will constrain the field of vision to the default setting when set to yes. If set to no, this option will allow players to set their own field of vision from the game console.

LAUNCH THE SERVER: This will start the server with all of the chosen multiplayer options.

c. Player Setup
---------------

These options will allow you to personalize your player character, thus changing how other players see you in the game. Once you are satisfied with your player settings hitting ESC will move you back up a level to the Multiplayer Menu, saving your player setup.

NAME: This sets the name of your player. This way when you frag someone, they'll know who did it!

CHARACTER TYPE: This allows you to select whether you play as Blade, Elexis, or J.C. Only Blade is available for the demo, but look to play as the other characters in the full retail version of Sin.

UNIFORM: Uniforms, or skins, give your player a unique look. There are several uniforms for Blade that you can choose from.

d. Dedicated Servers
--------------------

Sin has the ability to run in a dedicated server mode. This provides the best speed and playability for Internet games, but doesn’t allow a player to play on the same machine.

To run Sin in dedicated mode, add the string "+set dedicated 1" to your Sin command line. Also, add "+map <mapname>" as well. Example: "sin +set dedicated 1 +map sincitydemo"

You can modify the deathmatch settings on your server by using the "set dmflags <#>" parameter, also. The deathmatch flags available in the demo are as follows:

No Health 1
Weapons Stay 4
No Falling Damage 8
Force Respawn 1024
No Armor 2048
Instant Weapon Switch 4096

Simply add the numbers of the options you want, and you'll have the settings you want. For example, I usually use the command line "sin +set dedicated 1 +set dmflags 1024 +map sincitydemo"

Note that the maps that are included with the demo play best with the following numbers of players:

SinCity 2-8

SinDM6 4-16

e. GameSpy 3D
-------------

GameSpy support is planned for the Sin Demo. GameSpy provides an easy way to locate and connect to your favorite Sin servers, as well as other online games.

The latest version can be found at

www.gamespy.com.

f. Heat.net
-----------

Check

www.heat.net for information on how you can play Sin Demo on Heat. Heat is a multiplayer matching service that you can use to find other Sin players.

g. Miscellaneous
----------------

SERVERINFO: If you pull down the console (hit the ~ key) and type SERVERINFO you will get back a list of the current settings for the server you are connected to. This list includes such things as map name, server name, time and frag limits.

=================================
== VII. Technical Information ==
=================================

a. System Requirements

-----------------------

General Requirements

- English Language Version of Windows 95/98 or NT 4.0 with 100% compatible computer system
- Pentium 150 MHz processor (166 MHz or higher recommended)
- Memory: 32 MB RAM Required
- 100% Sound Blaster-compatible sound card
- Joystick and mouse-supported (3-button mouse recommended)
- Supports LAN and Internet play using the TCP/IP protocol
- DirectX 5.x

GLSin Additional Requirements

- GLSin supports some OpenGL 3D accelerator cards. Consult your hardware manufacturer to determine compatibility.

b. About DirectX

-----------------

Please note: Before installing Direct X, be warned that doing so has been known to do unusual things to computer it's being installed on. Direct X is a MICROSOFT product and is an extension to your Operating System, Windows 95/98 or NT, it is not a Ritual Entertainment Software product.

Sin utilizes the DirectDraw and DirectSound components of DirectX.

CERTAIN FULL-SCREEN VIDEO MODES IN Sin ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IF DIRECTDRAW IS INSTALLED ON YOUR SYSTEM.

Who makes DirectX and how can I contact them?

Microsoft created DirectX. If the answer to the question you are looking for is not found on this page, you may want to contact Microsoft via mail at:

Microsoft Customer Sales and Service
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA
Microsoft can also be reached in the USA at (800) 426-9400, or internationally at +1(206) 882-8080.

What is DirectX and why do I need it?

Microsoft's DirectX 5 is an API (Application Programming Interface) set that increases the speed at which games play under the Windows 95 operating system. These APIs allow direct access to the enhanced features of hardware under Windows 95. With DirectX 5, a program has instant access to the hardware, allowing for advances in graphics, sound, video, 3-D, and network capabilities of games.

Since Windows 95/98 and DirectX 5 are relatively new in the computer world and have not achieved compatibility with some older video cards, many manufacturers are releasing updated drivers for Windows 95 to meet the DirectX standard. If you are not sure about your video card's compatibility, consult the company that makes your video card.

If the Microsoft DirectX Installer does not detect DirectX 5 on your computer, it can install DirectX 5 for you. After installation is complete, you will need to restart your computer in order for DirectX 5 to take effect.

If you have other Windows 95 games on your computer, chances are you already have an earlier version of DirectX installed on your computer. In this case, if you choose to install DirectX the Microsoft Installer will overwrite that version with DirectX 5. The DirectX installation process will then be complete. You will need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

If you already have DirectX 5 installed on your computer, the Microsoft

DirectX 5 installer will detect it and not overwrite any DirectX 5 files. You will not need to restart your computer after installation in order to run Sin.

DirectX 5 should not affect any titles designed for the original version of DirectX. Should you encounter difficulties with DirectX 5, please contact Microsoft for further information.

If any of the components of DirectX are not certified, please call your hardware manufacturer for the updated drivers that support DirectX.

Here is a list of common questions and answers people have regarding Direct X.

Q: I am having problems running Sin and think it might be related to my Direct X installation. What should I do?

A: If you experience problems running Sin, try turning off the

"Enable 3D Acceleration" option in the DirectX setup program. To disable 3D Acceleration, double click on the dxsetup icon located in Program Files\DirectX\Setup. Uncheck the option for 3D acceleration in the middle of the DXSetup window.

Q: I have heard DirectX is not compatible with some video cards. What can you tell me about that?

A: Windows 95 and DirectX are relatively new in the computer world and have not achieved compatibility with some older video cards. Many manufacturers are releasing updated drivers to meet the DirectX standard.

Q: If I don't have DirectX, will Sin install it for me?

A: Yes. If the Microsoft DirectX Installer does not detect DirectX on your computer, it will give you the option to install DirectX. After installation is complete, you will need to restart your computer in order for DirectX to take effect.

Q: If the DirectX Installer copied over a previous version, will the uninstaller remove DirectX 5? How will this affect my other Windows 95 games?

A: DirectX 5 will remain on your computer and you will be able to run other Windows 95 games that use Microsoft's DirectX libraries. DirectX 5 should not affect any titles designed for the original version of DirectX. Should you encounter difficulties with DirectX 5, please contact Microsoft for further information (address and phone number listed above).

Q: How do I restore my video and/or audio drivers once DirectX has been installed?

A:

1. Place the disc in the CD-ROM drive and exit from any AutoPlay screens.
2. Double-click on "My Computer".
3. Right-click on your CD-ROM drive and choose Install DirectX.
4. Choose the button that satisfies your need (e.g. Restore Audio drivers). This process will install your previous drivers and prompt you to restart Microsoft Windows.

If you need further assistance, please contact your video card manufacturer directly.

Sin is designed to take advantage of whatever enhanced video, sound, and input capabilities (such as DirectX or VESA VBE video modes) are present, but has fallback functionality so it can run on any Win95 or NT 4.0 or later system, even if neither DirectX nor VESA VBE is available. You may experience problems running Sin on some systems, because video driver and operating-system support for game functionality are not yet mature under Win32, and many bugs and incompatibilities remain in those components.

c. What is OpenGL? About the Sin 3D Accelerated Engine
------------------------------------------------------

The hardware world is changing so fast that it is impossible for us to test, or even list, every 3D accelerator card with GLSin support.

While some cards work extremely well, we cannot guarantee that your card will work as expected.

What is OpenGL?

OpenGL is a low-level API (Application Programming Interface) that works with a compatible 3D video chipset to render top quality 3D graphics. Some of the features you will see while using OpenGL, and a compatible 3D hardware video accelerator, are 16-bit graphics, colored lighting, improved translucency and increased game speed.

How GL Works:

When you choose one of the GL options in the video selection menu, the executable relies on an OpenGL library created for a OpenGL supported chipset. In the video menu you can choose the 3Dfx GL library, the PowerVR GL library, or the default GL library that was installed with your card's drivers.

If you would like to learn more about OpenGL check out:

http://www.sgi.com or http://www.3dfx.com.

If you are uncertain whether your card supports OpenGL or not, please consult your video card manufacturer.

d. More on Sin Video
--------------------

Drivers

The video menu currently allows you to select one of four rendering subsystems: Software, Default OpenGL, 3Dfx OpenGL, ATI Rage OpenGL, Riva OpenGL, Verite OpenGL, and PowerVR OpenGL. The software driver is available on all systems. The default OpenGL driver allows Sin to render scenes using the default OpenGL driver installed in the system. Typically this will be selected under Windows NT when using a 2D/3D accelerator such as an Intergraph Realizm or other devices with OpenGL implementations which aren’t listed on the video menu. Users should avoid using the default OpenGL driver if their particular system does not support hardware accelerated OpenGL operations. The 3Dfx OpenGL driver should be used on systems that possess a 3Dfx Voodoo, Voodoo2, or Voodoo Rush accelerator, including the Canopus Pure3D, Diamond Monster3D, Orchid Righteous 3D, and the Hercules Stingray 128. The PowerVR OpenGL subsystem should be used on those systems that are running Win95 with a PowerVR PCX2 board installed, such as the Matrox M3D.

Future versions of Sin may support other rendering subsystems. At this time Sin does not support the Microsoft Direct3D proprietary API.

Video Modes

Sin supports the following video modes:

* 320x240

* 400x300

* 512x384

* 640x480

* 800x600

* 960x720

* 1024x768

* 1152x864

* 1280x960

* 1600x1200

The type of graphics adapter installed and available system and video RAM will determine availability of video modes. For example, boards based on the 3Dfx Voodoo chipset typically only support video modes of 512x384 and 640x480. Boards based on the Voodoo2 chipset support higher resolutions.

==============================
== VIII. Customer Support ==
==============================

Customer support is not available for the pre-release Sin Demo, but we do encourage you to submit any bugs that you find using the following form. http://www.activision.com/games/sin/bugs.asp

Known Problems
--------------

I have an Ensoniq sound card, and it's not working or the sound is terrible. Can I fix it?

The Ensoniq has some compatibility issues with a variety of games, including Quake II. This hasn't been resolved, or cannot be resolved, in Sin, either. You can change your sound settings to work around this problem, however. Pull down the console (by using the tilde ~ key) and type "s_primary 0" followed by "snd_restart" (without quotes). Remember to hit <ENTER> after each command.

======================================================
== IX. Sinday Bloody Sinday Contest Official Rules ==
======================================================

1. To Enter:

No purchase necessary. Sinday Bloody Sinday Contest ends August 30, 1998. To enter: electronically register your sin demo or visit the Activision Sin Web Site and complete the electronic web entry form, and answer the questions. To enter by mail: send your full name, complete mailing address (street, city, state, country and zip code), age, phone number and e-mail address (if applicable) to: Sinday Bloody Sinday Contest, c/o Activision, 3100 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405. Limit one entry per name per household. Electronic entries must be received by August 30, 1998. Mail-in entries must be postmarked no later than August 30, 1998. Entries become the property of Activision and will not be returned. Activision assumes no responsibility for illegible, lost, delayed, misdirected or incomplete entries, system errors and failures, faulty transmissions, or other telecommunications malfunctions. No photocopied or mechanically reproduced entries allowed. Sponsors reserve the right, at their sole discretion to cancel, terminate or suspend the online promotion should any unauthorized intervention or other cause beyond the control of the sponsors affect the administration or proper play or conduct of the promotion.
- Prizes:
The following prizes will be awarded: One (1) Grand Prize: Micron Computer System (approximate Retail Value $5000). Five (5) First Prizes: 3Dfx video card (approximate retail value $200.00). Twenty (25) Second Prizes: Sin T-shirt (approximate retail value $15.00). Maximum one prize per entrant. Prizes are not exchangeable, transferable, or redeemable for cash. In the event of unavailability of stated prizes, sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of comparable value. Winners must agree to abide by any restrictions in connection with the prizes.
- Winners:
Thirty-one (31) winners (one Grand Prize, 5 first prizes and 25 second prizes) will be selected on or about September 5, 1998. The Grand Prize Winner will be notified by phone and mail. All other winners will be notified by mail and their names will be posted on the winners’ page within the contest web site.
- Eligibility:
Contest is subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law. Contest is open to legal residents of the United States (excluding Florida and New York State) and Canada (excluding Quebec province) only. Employees of Activision, 3Dfx, Micron, and their affiliates, subsidiaries, distributors, retailers and anyone involved with the design, production, execution or distribution of SiN or related promotional materials and their families are not eligible.
- General:
All taxes and other assessments are the sole responsibility of the winner. By submitting an entry, winners grant their permission to have their name, city, photograph and/or likeness used in any manner Activision deems appropriate for advertising, trade and/or promotional purposes without additional compensation, including without limitation posting their names on this web site, unless prohibited by law. Activision, contest co-sponsors and prize providers, and their subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, agents, representatives and employees assume no responsibility or liability for damages, losses, misfortune or injury, direct, incidental, consequential or otherwise resulting from the acceptance, possession or use of the prizes. All decisions of Activision on all matters relating to this promotion are final. Unclaimed prizes will not be awarded. If an individual winner does not claim their prize by [September 30, 1998], the prize will be forfeited back to the supplier. Prizes cannot be claimed after the sweepstakes has been completed.
- Winners’ List:
For a list of the winners, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope by September 30, 1998 to Sinday Bloody Sinday Contest Winners List, c/o Activision, 3100 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405.

=================
== X. Credits ==
=================

Sin was developed by Ritual Entertainment.