====================================================== LadyStar(tm) README 12/10/2001 Heavy Cat Multimedia Ltd. LadyStar(tm) and iStory(tm) are trademarks of Heavy Cat Multimedia Ltd. LadyStar(tm) is Copyright (c) 2001 Heavy Cat Multimedia Ltd. All Rights Reserved iStory Game Launcher (Windows): Version 1.0 (Build 24) Tranquility Engine: Version 0.94 (Build 241) CONTENTS ======== I. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS II. UPDATES, FIXES AND KNOWN ISSUES III. INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING LADYSTAR(tm) ON WINDOWS IV. INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING LADYSTAR(tm) ON MACINTOSH AND LINUX V. OTHER INFORMATION VI. LICENSE VII. VENDOR INFORMATION I. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ====================== iStory(tm) System Requirements are as follows: Windows 98, Me, NT, 2000 Internet Explorer 5.0 or later Linux (Red Hat 6.0+ or Mandrake 8.1+ recommended) XFree86 version 3 or later Macintosh (System 7.5 or later) Internet Explorer 5.0 or later All Platforms: Javascript, style sheets and cookies enabled 16-bit or greater (65000+ colors) color depth is recommended. Other Compatible Browsers (All Platforms): Mozilla 0.8.1 or later (version 0.9.4 or later recommended) Netscape 6.0 or later II. UPDATES, FIXES AND KNOWN ISSUES =================================== All Platforms: NOTE: If you are running Linux, you'll want to switch stylesheets in the "scripts" directory. Simply switch the "tranquility.linux.css" and "tranquility.css" files. The fonts in Linux are almost unreadable at 1024x768 resolution, and the Linux style sheet fixes this. 1. LadyStar no longer requires 1024x768 resolution. The engine now resizes the game window based on the screen resolution. The lowest supported resolution is 800x600. The highest theoretical resolution is unlimited, but LadyStar will look best at resolutions lower than 1280x1024, and ideal at 1024x768. 2. Full screen mode has been removed due to inconsistent implementation of the feature across platforms. 3. Mozilla sometimes has problems completing display of random pages. Reloading the page will usually fix this problem. This seems to have been fixed since version 0.9.4. 4. Mozilla will sometimes cause random graphics to flicker. The cause of this problem is unknown, but it does not seem to affect gameplay. 5. Netscape 4.x is not supported by the iStory game engine on any platform. This is a known issue and unfortunately cannot be fixed. 6. There have been some intermittent bugs with Windows XP. iStories have NOT been tested on XP, so it is not "officially" supported yet. 7. There have been some problems with graphics display on Windows 2000. This may be due to the files being set read-only by the archive program. Setting the files to writable may fix the problem. The archive program no longer sets files read-only. Macintosh Platforms: 1. All file names have been reduced to 31 characters or less to conform to the HFS+ file system. 2. Full-screen mode has been replaced with the dynamic resolution features of the game engine. 3. There is a possibility that iStories will work with iCab. We are still testing on this platform, so we can only consider LadyStar in alpha on iCab. Updates will be available on www.ladystar.net as they become available. III. INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING LADYSTAR(tm) ON WINDOWS: ========================================================= 1. Decompress the episode archive. If a .zip file, open the file in a zip program, then select extract. If an .exe file, the program will automatically place the install files in C:\WINDOWS\TEMP unless otherwise specified. 2. Double-click the "setup.exe" program in the same directory this README file was found. 3. Follow the instructions and accept ALL the default options. 4. The setup program will place icons in a LadyStar folder on your Start Menu. 5. Start the Game Launcher. 6. The game launcher will say it can't find the initialization file. Don't Panic. 7. The Game Launcher will ask some questions about your system, then write a new initialization file. 8. The Menu program will then open. 8. The left-most image should be in color, the other four will be greyscale (indicating the first volume is installed). Click the left-most image. 9. The browser will open to the main game menu. 10. The menu program (beginning with build 17) closes automatically after the game starts. 11. IF THE GAME MENU DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY: The Welcome (main menu) page will be listed in the LadyStar Icon Group on your start menu. Click the "Welcome" Icon to open the main menu. Please e-mail (note information below) if you have trouble with the menu program. IV. INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING LADYSTAR(tm) ON MACINTOSH AND LINUX: ==================================================================== 1. If you are reading this file, congratulations, LadyStar is already installed! 2. Open the welcome.html file in your browser. 3. Select "Start New Game" to begin. V. OTHER INFORMATION ==================== If you experience problems or bugs, ESPECIALLY ONES RELATED TO INSTALLATION please please (please?) e-mail the information to info@heavycat.com with a description of the bug and the platform, OS version and browser/version you are running so we can fix it. If you are able to play LadyStar on a platform not listed here, please e-mail us with the platform and browser version so we can add it to the supported platforms list. You can also e-mail us from our web site at http://www.heavycat.com/email.html If you are playing LadyStar on Windows, also include the ladystarmenu.log file from the installation directory with your e-mail if possible. Have Fun!! VI. LICENSE =========== Subject to the terms and conditions of the license below, LadyStar(tm), Volume One, "Reflections in a Dream," and/or its individual episodes (LadyStar, "the software") are shareware and may be distributed freely providing all files are included, including this license, and are not modified in any way. Individual files included with LadyStar are copyrighted by their respective owners. LadyStar graphics, unless otherwise specified, are covered by Heavy Cat Multimedia's Fair Use License (http://www.heavycat.com/license.html). No other files may be distributed individually or seperate from all the other files included for any purpose. ATTENTION: THIS IS A LICENSE, NOT A SALE. LADYSTAR(tm) (THE "SOFTWARE") IS PROVIDED UNDER THE FOLLOWING LICENSE WHICH DEFINES WHAT YOU MAY DO WITH THE PRODUCT, AND CONTAINS LIMITATIONS ON WARRANTIES AND YOUR REMEDIES. IMPORTANT: CAREFULLY READ THIS LICENSE BEFORE USING THE SOFTWARE. USING THE SOFTWARE INDICATES YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT YOU HAVE READ THIS LICENSE AND AGREE TO ITS TERMS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE, DELETE THE SOFTWARE AND ALL ITS ASSOCIATED FILES AND COPIES FROM ANY AND ALL MEDIA, DISKS OR BACKUP DISKS. LICENSE: HEAVY CAT MULTIMEDIA LTD. GRANTS YOU A LICENSE TO USE THE SOFTWARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE. THE COPYRIGHT AND ALL OTHER RIGHTS IN THE SOFTWARE SHALL REMAIN WITH HEAVY CAT MULTIMEDIA LTD. OR ITS SUPPLIERS. TERM: THIS LICENSE SHALL CONTINUE FOR AS LONG AS YOU USE THE SOFTWARE. HOWEVER, IT WILL TERMINATE IF YOU FAIL TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF ITS TERM OR CONDITIONS. YOU AGREE, UPON TERMINATION, TO DESTROY ALL COPIES OF THE SOFTWARE. THE LIMITATIONS AND/OR LIABILITY SET OUT BELOW SHALL CONTINUE IN FORCE EVEN AFTER ANY TERMINATION. SHAREWARE: LADYSTAR, VOLUME ONE, "REFLECTIONS IN A DREAM," AND/OR ITS INDIVIDUAL EPISODES ARE SHAREWARE. THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ON DURATION OF USE OR DISTRIBUTION OF LADYSTAR, VOLUME ONE, "REFLECTIONS IN A DREAM" BY INDIVIDUAL USERS. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT ANY OTHER WARRANTIES, OR CONDITIONS, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABLE QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR THOSE ARISING BY LAW, STATUTE, USAGE OF TRADE OR COURSE OF DEALING. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE RESULTS AND PERFORMANCE OF LADYSTAR IS ASSUMED BY YOU. NEITHER WE OR OUR DEALERS OR SUPPLIERS SHALL HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF REVENUE OR PROFIT, LOST OR DAMAGED DATA OR OTHER COMMERCIAL OR ECONOMIC LOSS, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR THEY ARE FORSEEABLE; OR FOR CLAIMS BY A THIRD PARTY. OUR MAXIMUM AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU, AND THAT OF OUR DEALERS AND SUPPLIERS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT PAID BY YOU FOR LADYSTAR. THE LIMITATIONS IN THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY WHETHER OR NOT THE ALLEGED BREACH OR DEFAULT IS A BREACH OF A FUNDAMENTAL CONDITION OR TERM, OR A FUNDAMENTAL BREACH. SOME STATES/COUNTRIES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. GENERAL: THIS LICENSE IS THE ENTIRE AGREEMENT BETWEEN US, SUPERSEDES ANY OTHER AGREEMENT OR DISCUSSIONS, ORAL OR WRITTEN AND MAY NOT BE CHANGED EXCEPT BY A WRITTEN SIGNED AGREEMENT. THIS LICENSE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., EXCLUDING THE U.N. CONVENTION ON CONTRACTS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SALE OF GOODS. IF ANY PROVISION OF THIS LICENSE IS DECLARED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION TO BE INVALID, ILLEGAL, OR UNENFORCEABLE, SUCH PROVISION SHALL BE SEVERED FROM THE LICENSE AND THE OTHER PROVISIONS SHALL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT. VII. VENDOR INFORMATION ======================= VENDORS: WRITTEN PERMISSION IS REQUIRED TO DISTRIBUTE LADYSTAR, VOLUME ONE, "REFLECTIONS IN A DREAM", OR ITS INDIVIDUAL EPISODES IN RETAIL STORES, ON CD-ROMs, OR BUNDLED WITH ANY OTHER PRODUCT. VENDORS MAY RECEIVE THE LATEST VERSION OF LADYSTAR BY CONTACTING HEAVY CAT MULTIMEDIA LTD. (info@heavycat.com) WHEN DISTRIBUTING LADYSTAR, ALL FILES IN THE ORIGINAL ARCHIVES OBTAINED FROM HEAVY CAT MULTIMEDIA LTD. MUST BE INCLUDED, INCLUDING THIS FILE. DISK VENDORS, SHAREWARE DISTRIBUTORS AND BBSs MAY CHARGE A NOMINAL FEE FOR DISTRIBUTION OF LADYSTAR. THE RECIPIENT MUST BE INFORMED IN ADVANCE THAT ANY FEE PAID TO ACQUIRE LADYSTAR IS NOT A REGISTRATION FEE AND DOES NOT ENTITLE THEM TO A COPY OF THE REGISTERED VERSION. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WHATSOEVER MAY ANY THIRD PARTY'S COMPANY LOGO, NAME, IDENTIFYING MATERIAL OR ADVERTISEMENT BE INCORPORATED INTO THE SOFTWARE OR ITS PACKAGING IN ANY WAY, NOR MAY SAID MATERIALS REPLACE THE HEAVY CAT MULTIMEDIA LTD. LOGOS AND IDENTIFYING MATERIALS.