Call Of Duty Dawnville Demo Readme
Last Updated 9/02/2003
Table of Contents:
INTRODUCTION
INSTALLATION & SET UP ISSUES
1. Minimum System Requirements
2. Error Message "Couldn't Load Default.cfg"
VIDEO ISSUES
1. Video Cards
2. Multiple Monitors
3. 16-bit Textures in the Call of Duty Dawnville Demo
4. Recommended General Texture Setting for Video Cards
5. Disabling Power Saving Features
6. Graphical Corruption
7. Experiencing graphic issues running the game in 16-bit color depth
8. Setting The Video Resolution
GAMEPLAY ISSUES
1. Where Are The Autosaves?
2. Saving and Mission Failures
3. Overwriting Saved Games
4. Running Multiple Instances Of Call Of Duty Dawnville Demo
WINDOWS® SPECIFIC OPERATING SYSTEM ISSUES
1. Virtual Memory Warnings in Windows® 2000 and Windows® XP
2. Shift Key in Windows® 2000 and XP Interrupts Game
3. Windows® Key Interrupts Game in 2000/XP
4. CTRL-ALT-DEL Freezes System On Windows® 2000/XP
5. Game Icons Are Missing From Start Menu And/Or Desktop In Windows®
2000/XP
6. Admin rights needed to load and play the Call of Duty Dawnville
Demo in Windows® 2000 and Windows® XP
INTRODUCTION
Refer to this document if you encounter difficulties with one or more aspects
of installation or running the Call of Duty Dawnville Demo. The following
information covers most of the common issues encountered.
INSTALLATION & SET UP ISSUES
1. Minimum System Requirements:
- 3D Hardware Accelerator Card required 100% DirectX® 9.0b compatible
32MB Hardware T&L-capable video card and latest drivers*
- Pentium® III 700 or Athlon processor or higher
- English version of Microsoft® Windows® 98/98SE/ME/2000/XP
- 128MB of RAM
- 8x Speed CD-ROM drive (1200KB/sec sustained transfer rate) and latest
drivers
- 180MB of uncompressed free hard disk space (plus 400MB for Windows
swap file)
- 100% DirectX® 9.0b compatible 16-bit sound card and latest drivers
- 100% Windows® 98/98SE/ME/2000/XP compatible mouse, keyboard and
latest drivers
- DirectX® 9.0b (not included)
Important Note: *Some 3D accelerator cards with the chipsets listed here may
not be compatible with the 3D acceleration features utilized by the Call Of
Duty Dawnville Demo. Please refer to your hardware manufacturer for 100%
DirectX 9.0b compatibility.
SUPPORTED CHIPSETS:
- ATI® Radeon 7200, 8500, 9000, 9500, 9700, 9800
- All nVidia® GeForce chipsets
2. Error Message "Couldn't Load Default.cfg":
If you try to run the Call of Duty Dawnville Demo and receive the error
message, "Couldn't Load default.cfg", the game is telling you that it cannot
find the main directory that is part of the Call of Duty Dawnville Demo. This
error commonly occurs when the game is installed with no directory specified.
For example, if you choose to install it to a hard drive or partition other
than the C: drive (that is, D:,E:, etc.), but fail to specify a folder, the
game will install everything to the root of the hard drive and the game will
not launch.
If you want to install the game to a hard drive other than the default setting
(C:), please make sure you specify a folder when choosing the other drive
(i.e.: D:CallOfDuty).
VIDEO ISSUES
1. Video Cards:
For optimum performance, your game graphics will be set to recommended
settings. You can customize your settings by going to the Options menu from the
Main Menu.
2. Multiple Monitors:
If you are running a machine with multiple monitors and the video card for each
monitor is an OpenGL compliant video card (e.g., GeForce series cards), you may
experience problems running the game, as the game will recognize both video
cards. Simply disable one of the monitors in the Windows® Display Properties.
Playing the Call of Duty Dawnville Demo with dual monitors is not a supported
feature.
3. 16-bit Textures in the Call of Duty Dawnville Demo:
This game is optimized for 32-bit (high resolution) color textures. Since most
of the textures and art in the game contain a 32-bit color palette, playing the
game using the 16-bit texture quality selection only displays half the color
information, thus causing some loss in visual quality.
4. Recommended General Texture Setting for Video Cards:
Video cards with 32MB of video RAM should only use the Low General Textures
setting.
Video cards with 64MB or 128 MB of video RAM are able to use the Medium General
Textures setting.
Video cards with 256MB of video RAM are able to use the High General Textures
setting.
5. Disabling Power Saving Features:
Allowing a computer to go to "System Standby" while playing or installing the
Call of Duty Dawnville Demo may cause graphical anomalies. When playing or
installing the Call of Duty Dawnville Demo, be sure to disable "Stand By" mode
by right-clicking the desktop and selecting "Properties. Click on the "Screen
Saver" tab, then on the "Power" (also called Settings) button at the bottom of
the Properties box. Once you have done this, make sure "System Stand By" is
set to NEVER.
You will also want to disable any power saving features your monitor may have
as it may result in issues that may prevent you from playing the Call of Duty
Dawnville Demo properly.
6. Encountering graphic corruption while playing Call of Duty Dawnville Demo:
You may encounter video display issues when using in-game settings that your
video card is not capable of supporting. Texture quality settings should be
kept low on cards with 32MB of video memory. The following solutions may solve
some of the problems you may have.
- Download and install the most recent drivers for your video
card.
- Launch the game in Safe Mode from the Windows Start Menu.
7. Experiencing graphic issues running the game in 16-bit color depth:
The Call of Duty Dawnville Demo does not support 16-bit color depth and does
not provide this option in the menu system. Forcing the game to run in 16-bit
color through other means may result in graphic corruption and other issues.
To insure you do not inadvertently force the game to 16-bit color, set your
desktop's color depth to 32-bit.
1) Open the Control Panel.
2) Double-click Display.
3) Click Settings.
4) Set the color palette to 32-bit.
5) Click Apply, then OK.
NOTE: This issue pertains to 16-bit color, not 16-bit Texture Quality.
8. Setting The Video Resolution:
If you set your video resolution within the game beyond what is possible for
your monitor, the game may end up at a gray or black screen.
To revert back to the default configuration, click on the Call of Duty
Dawnville Demo (Safe Mode) shortcut found in the Start Menu.
GAMEPLAY ISSUES
1. Where Are The Autosaves For Each Level?
Call of Duty Dawnville Demo autosaves at the beginning of the mission as well
as at certain points within the mission. If you wish to load one of these, you
can do so by hitting "esc" while playing the game and selecting "Load Game" and
clicking Show Auto Saves, or selecting "Load Game" from the main menu and
clicking on Show Auto Saves. You will be shown a list of your saved games.
Highlight the name of the game you wish to load and the click the "Load"
button.
2. Saving and Mission Failures:
If you save your game during a mission failure, you may be unable to load a
game from the load screen. In this case, exit and restart game. You will now
be able to load a save game.
3. Overwriting Saved Games:
When saving your game over a previously existing save game file, you will not
be able to update the name of the new save game file.
4. Running Multiple Instances Of Call Of Duty Dawnville Demo
It is possible to, by repeatedly double-clicking the game executable, launch
concurrently running instances of the Call Of Duty Dawnville Demo. Activision
does not recommend this, as it can cause significant performance degradation
and graphical corruption.
WINDOWS® SPECIFIC OPERATING SYSTEM ISSUES
1. Virtual Memory Warnings in Windows® 2000 and Windows® XP:
In order to maximize the performance of the Call of Duty Dawnville Demo, you
must have at least 400 megabytes (MB) of free hard disk space available for the
Windows® virtual memory swap file.
Users playing on machines using the Windows® 2000/XP operating systems that
possess less than 600 megabytes (MB) of virtual memory may receive low virtual
memory warnings. To avoid these warnings, please make sure you set your
virtual memory settings to at least 600 megabytes (MB). In addition, the
warning occurs when switching video settings while in the game. If you are in
a game and you want to switch video settings, please exit to the main menu
first and then make the desired changes.
To adjust your virtual memory settings, please do the following:
For Windows® XP systems:
- Right click the My Computer icon
- Select Properties
- Select the Performance tab
- Select Virtual Memory.
For Windows® 2000 systems:
- Right click the My Computer icon
- Select Properties
- Select Advanced
- Select Performance Options.
2. Shift Key in Windows® 2000/XP Interrupts Game:
If you press the Shift key 5 times consecutively in Windows® 2000 or Windows®
XP the following message should appear:
"By pressing the SHIFT key five times you have turned on the StickyKeys feature
in Windows® 2000 [or Windows® XP]. With this feature, you can lock down the
CTRL, ALT, or SHIFT keys. This is useful if you are unable to hold down more
than one key at a time.
Click OK to turn this feature on. If you do not want to use the feature, click
Cancel.
Turn off keyboard shortcut for this accessibility feature.
"
To avoid this happening in the future, click the settings button on the window
referenced above. When the accessibility options screen appears, click the
"Settings" button in the "Sticky Keys" portion of the window. On the next
window (should be labeled "Settings For Sticky Keys"), uncheck in the box that
says "Use shortcut", then click on "Apply", and close the windows. The problem
should not occur once the shortcut has been disabled.
3. Windows® Key Interrupts Game in 2000/XP:
If the Windows® key is pressed during game play, the Start Menu will interrupt
the game. Should this happen, simply press the Escape (Esc) key to close the
menu and return to the game. Unfortunately there is no way to prevent this from
happening again except by being careful not to hit those keys while playing.
4. CTRL-ALT-DEL Freezes System On Windows® 2000:
If the CTRL-ALT-DEL keys are pressed during game play, the screen will become
corrupt and sometimes the system may become unstable. Should this happen,
simply press the Escape (Esc) key to return to the game or reboot the computer
and refrain from trying to access the task manager while playing the game.
5. Game Icons Are Missing From Start Menu And/Or Desktop In Windows® 2000/XP:
When installing the Call of Duty Dawnville Demo while logged into Windows® as a
specific user, the game icons will only show up when logging in as that user.
For example, if you log into Windows® as "JoeUser", install the game, then log
out and log back in as "JaneUser", the game icons will not show up. If you
wish to play the game, make sure you log into Windows® as the same user you
were logged in as when you installed the game.
6. Admin rights needed to load and play the Call of Duty Dawnville Demo in
Windows® 2000 and Windows® XP
If you are running Windows® 2000 or Windows® XP, you must have Administrator
rights to properly install and play the game.