# Counter-Invader

Thank you for downloading Counter-Invader!

## Table of Contents

1. System Requirements
2. Game Controls
3. Options and Game Setup
4. Network Setup
5. Known issues
6. Reporting Bugs

## System Requirements

Windows 2000/XP
Windows Vista (patched)
Intel Pentium 4 with 1.2 GHz CPU or better
128 MB free memory
8 MB VRAM or better
DirectX 8
An internet connection (optional)

## Game Controls

Counter invader uses fairly standard FPS controls. Below is a table with all the keys used and their description.

### Global Controls

Key | Description
A, S, D, W | Moving around.
Left Mouse button | Fires your weapon.
Right mouse button | Throw a grenade.
Q | Cycle weapons backward.
E | Cycle weapons forward.
R | Reload selected weapon.
Esc | Exit Counter-Invader

### Multiplayer Specific Controls

Del | Return to level select menu.
T-P, G-L | Send a popup smiley.
Enter | Enter chat/send message.

## Options and Game Configuration

By pressing 5 on the main menu you can enter the options screen. This allows you to change everything from which cursor you will be using to aim with, screen mode, graphic detail level and many more. These settings are by default set at the recommended values. However, if you experience slow downs or network latency, it may be worth changing some settings. This section of the manual guides you through what each individual setting does.

### Display Options

Display options controls things like screen resolution, scaling in full screen and so on. You can choose to play in a window, full screen mode without zoom or scaled to fit the entire screen and so on. It should be pretty straight-forward.

1. Full Screen | Switches between window mode or full screen mode. Full screen recommended.
2. Scaling | Scaling allows you to zoom the screen in full screen mode. However, on some screens (e.g. on some widescreens) the display may become blurry.
3. Display resolution | Switches between your current default screen resolution and 800x600, the fixed resolution of Counter-Invader.

### Graphic Options

Graphic options controls the quality and detail of the graphics. If you experience slow-downs you should try lowering the graphical detail of the game.

4. Background Textures | Turns background textures on or off. For the best experiences, leave this on.
5. Special Effects | This controls the level of graphical effects you use. On high, all effects are visual. On medium, some of the heaviest effects are turned off. On low, only the basic effects are shown. And on off, you will see no particular effects at all.
6. Dynamic Lightning | Dynamic lightning adds background shadows for improved atmosphere. Turning off dynamic lightning should speed up the game considerably if you experience slow-downs on graphic intense levels.

### Sound Options

Currently, you can only control the global volume in the sound options. By default this is set to 80. Loudest possible is 100 and 0 mutes the game completelly.

### Game Options

Game options controls some basic options such as

8. Show FPS | Turning this option on lets you monitor your current speed. If your FPS consistently drop below 30, you should try lowering graphic detail.
Q. Crosshair Style | Allows you to set the cursor to any style you prefer. There are 10 different cursors to choose between from 0 to 9.
W. Crosshair Color | Allows you to change the color of your cursor. There's 5 different colors to choose from. The colors you can choose are red, cyan, green, purple and grey.
E. Rotating Crosshair | If you prefer, there's the option of adding rotation to your crosshair.

### Multiplayer Options

In the multiplayer options menu, you can set the refresh rate for movements. This controls how many frames goes by before the exact location of each player is updated. Between these updates, the game guesses where the player is to smooth out lag. This feature is called dead-reckoning. However, it isn't perfect. The host controls the value of the refresh rate. Recommended refresh rate depends on the speed of your connection. Recommended is that you do a ping test with a program of your choice.

## Network Setup

Dueling a friend in versus mode is a lot of fun and you are encouraged to try. However, networking through the internet is tricky in Counter-Invader and requires a serie of things to be fixed first for it to work. One exception to this is if you are directly connected through a local area network, in which you should be able to start the network game without any configuration.

### Quick list for network setup

Here is a quick list of instructions. For more detailed instructions and help with eventual problems, read the instructions below the list.

1. Start Counter-Invader and press 2. If it says connection initiation failed, restart the game and try again.
2. In the popup, enter your opponents IP or leave it blank if you're connected directly to each other at a local area network.
3. Select host to start a server or wait for the other player to host and join yourself.
4. Wait as the connection is setting up.
5. Enjoy your game! Remember, you can switch level by pressing backspace and chat with the return button.

### Detailed instructions

Counter-Invader works through a standard TCP/IP connection and DirectPlay. This means you will have to know the other player's IP number. The easiest way to setup a connection is by installing Hamachi. Once installed Hamachi, create or join a network where your other player is in. Copy their IP by right-clicking their name on Hamachi and enter it in Counter-Invader as the popup asks with a simple Ctrl+V (shortcut for paste). Wait a few seconds as the game is setting up the connection.

Once on the next screen, select join or host. If you press join and it returns "no session available", wait a few seconds and try again. If it doesn't work and your sure the other player is hosting, you may have problem with a firewall blocking the game or you may have entered the wrong Hamachi IP. Check Windows firewall in particular as it tends to block Counter-Invader automatically.

Once you have connected, you will enter the game screen which should allow you to chat and select a level for you to play. You can also harass each other for cheap fun. Only the host may select which level to play so make sure you work out which one you both want to play. Press Return to enter the chat box. There's optionally also smiley popups. To return to the level select screen, press backspace.

Multiplayer consists of 3 different modes. Standard, king of the hill and hardcore. Standard is generic 1 vs 1 death match. If you feel like a more strategic game, there's the king of the hill mode with one level, but it has not proven too popular yet. And the third mode is hardcore, where every weapon available have been pumped up to the extreme. Think SMG spraying rockets and you may get an idea of what this mode is about, hehe...

## Known Issues

Counter-Invader is currently in its beta-phase and as such is full of various bugs, glitches or just general gameplay issues that needs to be worked out eventually. Here you will find all the issues we already know about and possible workarounds.

Issue: The portal doesn't work on level 12.

Solution: This bug was discovered during the work on version 11. However, I never got version 11 done. try using the debug key F12 to skip to the next level whenever you get stuck.

Issue: The game is too hard!

Solution: Pffft, you suck. Play old Nintendo games like Megaman II, Super Mario Bros and Castlevania and you'll learn the true meaning of hard. Counter-Invader was designed by a seasoned hardcore gaming veteran, me that is, for other hardcore players. Here's a few hints, though: Move around to dodge enemy shots, save often and practice your aim. You can do it!

Issue: The game is too easy.

Solution: Pro, bro. Pro. Go pwn some nubs in versus.

Issue: Hot Seat seems incomplete.

Solution: That's because it is. Hot Seat was dropped with version 11. If you want a hot seat game, go to eagleworld, download and play Super Invader instead. It's great fun with a friend!

Issue: The game crashes randomly.

Solution: The game should generate an error_log in the same directory as the game. Please send that in as a bug report and explain what happened. For info on bug reporting, refer to the instructions in the bug reporting section below. Thank you for helping us make the game better for us all!

## Reporting Bugs

If you encounter any bug, please send a bug report together with any eventual file called "game_errors.log" which you can find in the folder for Counter-Invader. You can contact me by e-mail or through MSN.

fredrik =[.dot]= larsson1989 =(@at)= hotmail ={.dot}= com

The format above is done in order to stop spambots from bombarding me with garbage.

Counter-Invader and all included files are Copyright (C) 2009 Fredrik Larsson. All right reserved.