Welcome to the Sinistar: Unleashed Two Level Preview. The preview showcases the 1^st and 7^th levels out of the 24 levels of the most awesome, non-stop-action 3D space shooter that has ever invaded our universe!

Look for the full game of Sinistar: Unleashed this summer. Get it from your favorite retailer or get it direct from THQ at (818) 225-5167 or http://www.thq.com/.

Sinistar: Unleashed is a game designed and developed by GameFX Technology. Check out our web site at http://www.gamefx.com/.

Table of Contents

System Requirements Sinistar: Unleashed Installing the Latest Drivers    DirectX 6    3D Accelerator Drivers    Joystick Drivers Installing the Game Configuring the Game    Video Mode Selector Playing Sinistar: Unleashed    Starting the Game    The Main Menu Screen    Views    Flying Your Ship    Mining Sinisite Crystals    Inventory    Weapons    Special Items    Short-Range Radar    The Targeting Crosshairs    Long-Range Radar    Pausing the Game    Help    The Configuration Screen    Other Features    Quitting the Game    Game Controls Uninstalling the Game Play Hints Sinistar: Unleashed FAQ    3D Board/Driver Web Sites    Technical Support    Reporting Bugs    Tested 3D Chipsets and Drivers    Error: Unable to Load SL_TGL.dll    Game Issues with Alt+Tab Use    Restoring the Game’s Original Controls    Slow Starts on Voodoo Banshee and Voodoo3    Game Issues with Voodoo Boards using Direct3D    Video Mode Selector & 3Dfx    nVidia Riva 128 or 128 ZX and Missing Textures    Microsoft Digital Sound System 80    Middle Mouse Button Inoperative Intelligence Briefing: The Enemy    The Sinistar Universe    The Sporg    The Distilled Evil    The Sinistar Legal Lingo    THQ Inc. Demo End User License

System Requirements

Install Sinistar: Unleashed on a PC that meets or exceeds the following system requirements:

• 233 MHz Intel® Pentium® II processor.
• Microsoft® Windows® 95 or Windows 98 operating system.
• 64 MB RAM.
• 250 MB free disk space for installation; 120 MB once installed.
• Direct3D 3D accelerator board or 3Dfx 3D accelerator board (Voodoo Graphics®, Voodoo2™, Voodoo Banshee™, or Voodoo3™).
• Sound Blaster® 16 (or compatible) sound card.
• 4x speed CD-ROM drive.
• Joystick optional but recommended. Mouse optional.

For best performance, install Sinistar: Unleashed on a PC that meets or exceeds the following:

• 300 MHz Intel Pentium II processor.
• Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98 operating system.
• 64 MB RAM.
• 250 MB free disk space for installation; 120 MB once installed.
• AGP 3D accelerator capable of 1024x768x32-bit rendering.
• PCI EAX or A3D sound card.
• 12x speed CD-ROM drive.
• Four-button joystick with rudder control and throttle. Three-button mouse optional.

Sinistar: Unleashed

Sinistar: Unleashed blasts you into a hostile universe fraught with danger. A space dwelling species of supreme evil is on the verge of creating the ultimate bio-mechanical weapon: the Sinistar. When they succeed, they will invade our universe, annihilating humanity and all other life. You must destroy these evil beings before they embark on their malevolent crusade. But time grows short....

You must fight your way to the center of the Sinistar cosmos. You pilot the best humanity can build: a ship of awesome power and potential.

Hyper-aggressive enemy warriors swarm on each level of the Sinistar universe. Workers energize a jumpgate with Sinisite crystals, while warriors and turrets guard the gate and attack you.

As you battle through each level, you must gather the crystals that power your destructive arsenal. In the full game, success in combat wins you more weapons, more ship upgrades, and more powerful items that you can turn against an increasingly dangerous and clever enemy.

Imagine the excitement of chasing an enemy warrior through a dense asteroid field while delivering tons of radiant ordnance to its hull. Experience the exquisite beauty of a full spread of tactical ion bursts exploding in a frenzy of firestorms. Marvel at the deadly ballet of the Sinistar, as you meet in a duel to the death.

Often mistaken for pre-rendered video, the visual effects of Sinistar: Unleashed stand head and shoulders beyond the current generation of arcade games. Advanced texture-mapping technology, plasma lighting effects, and particle systems make Sinistar: Unleashed a game for the next millennium.

The full game of Sinistar: Unleashed features:

• Ultra-fluid spacecraft control.
• Breakthrough hardware-accelerated 3D graphics.
• Cinematic real-time lighting and special effects.
• 24 single player levels, including 5 bonus levels.
• Supports up to 8 players over local area networks.
• More than 25 uniquely dynamic enemies, controlled by advanced AI and their own arsenal of weapons, deadly attacks, and evil personalities.
• Intimate combat sequences with intricately detailed enemy fighters.
• 6 different fighters to choose from, each featuring a huge arsenal of destructive force.
• Compelling CD quality electronica/trance soundtrack.
• 9 weapons and 8 power-ups are available for your use to rain destruction on the enemy.
• Force feedback support.
• Resource allocation—mine crystals and use them to power your weapons.

The full game of Sinistar: Unleashed will be published summer 1999, for PCs equipped with Intel Pentium II and Pentium III processors, Microsoft Windows (Windows 95 or Windows 98) operating systems, and 3D accelerator cards.

Installing the Latest Drivers

DirectX 6

Sinistar: Unleashed requires DirectX 6.0 or later, and the latest version, DirectX 6.1, is recommended. If DirectX 6 is not installed on your computer, you can get the latest drivers directly from Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/directx/download.asp.

3D Accelerator Drivers

For maximum performance (and why would you want less?), make sure you have the latest drivers for your 3D accelerator board. Visit your 3D accelerator’s Web site to obtain the latest drivers. If you don't know the Web address, check the Video & 3D Accelerator Links section in the Sinistar: Unleashed FAQ below for links to various major video/accelerator companies.

If you use a 3Dfx-based accelerator, to run the accelerator in 3Dfx mode you must have the Glide3 drivers; the game will not run on earlier versions of the Glide® drivers. You can find the Glide reference drivers at 3Dfx via http://www.3dfx.com/ (go to their Drivers page).

If you use any type of 3D accelerator other than a 3Dfx-based (Glide-based) one, you must use Direct3D. You can also run a 3Dfx-based accelerator using Direct3D instead of Glide. You get the latest version of Direct3D when you install DirectX 6; see above.

Joystick Drivers

We strongly recommend that you install the latest drivers for your joystick. (Microsoft Sidewinder® Joysticks Note: Sidewinder drivers are now at version 3.x (version 3.02 as of spring 1999) and are available at http://www.microsoft.com/products/hardware/sidewinder/default.htm.)

Installing the Game

To install the game, follow these steps:

Configuring the Game

Video Mode Selector

You must configure the game’s video settings before you play the game. When you install the game, the Video Mode Selector window automatically appears when you finish installation. Use this window as follows:

• Selected Driver: Choose the accelerator your computer uses from the Selected Driver drop-down menu. 3Dfx Users Note: You can run your 3Dfx board using either the 3Dfx Glide driver or the Direct3D driver. Select 3Dfx Voodoo to use the 3Dfx Glide driver; select Voodoo2 Direct3D to use Direct3D.
• Selected Device: Unless you chose Primary Display Device for your Selected Driver, you can skip this setting. If you chose Primary Display Device, then choose Direct3D HAL for this setting (the RGB Emulation option is not active in this preview).
• Selected Mode: Choose the video mode you wish to run the game in.
• Number of Video Buffers: Select the number of video buffers to use. You must select a number of video buffers within the capabilities of your accelerator board. If you don’t know your board’s capabilities, then the 2 buffers is usually a safe setting.
• Save Settings: When you have selected your video settings, click the Save Settings button. This will save your settings and exit the Video Mode Selector.
• Exit: To exit the Video Mode Selector without saving any settings you made, click the Exit button.

You can use the Video Mode Selector to change your video settings. To run the selector, quit the game, click the Start Menu, open Programs, THQ, and Sinistar Unleashed, and then select Video Mode Selector from the menu that appears. Use the window as described above.

Playing Sinistar: Unleashed

The Distilled Evil, a race of space-dwelling creatures, and their slaves, the Sporg, are creating the ultimate bio-mechanical weapon: the Sinistar. If they succeed, they’ll unleash the Sinistar against your universe, in a cosmic rampage of conquest, plunder, and destruction. You must stop them.

In this preview, you pilot your ship through an asteroid field that contains Sinisite crystals. The enemy is feverishly working to energize a jumpgate. Workers mine the asteroids for crystals, which they carry to the gate. Warriors (right) and turrets of various kinds and sizes protect the workers, guard the gate, and patrol for intruders. When the gate is filled with energy, the Sinistar erupts forth, and you must quickly destroy it or die.

Your ship (left) requires Sinisite crystals for health energy and to power most of its weapons and all of its special items. You can use your mining laser to blast apart asteroids, releasing the crystals they contain. Fly over a crystal, and your ship will eat it.

The ship’s maw or mouth is between the wings facing forward. Burst weapons emanate from the maw. On the ship’s upper wings are missile tubes. Thrusters are contained in the tail.

You have a Mining Laser, a Cutting Laser, Long-Range Missiles, and Sinibombs  for weapons, plus Health, Boosters, and Shields. In the full game, as you play, you can gain additional, powerful weapons, like the Lightning Bolt, and special items, like an Orbital, which flies beside your ship and fires on enemies.

Pulsing veins on the surface of the ship surface indicate its health. As the ship loses health energy, the color of veins descends through the spectrum to a deep red—use crystals you’ve gathered to increase your ship’s health.

Use any of your weapons to attack the Distilled Evil and Sporg. Use Sinibombs to attack the Sinistar and to destroy crystals around a jumpgate. Battle your way through each level until you reach your final confrontation at the center of the Sinistar universe.

Starting the Game

After you’ve installed Sinistar: Unleashed (see above), double-click the Sinistar: Unleashed icon on your desktop to run the game. (You can also run the game from the start menu. Click the Start Menu, open Programs, THQ, and Sinistar Unleashed, and then select Sinistar Unleashed from the menu that appears.) When you run the game, the Main Menu Screen appears; select New Game from the menu to start play.

The Main Menu Screen

The Main Menu Screen appears when you load the game. During play, press the Esc key to go to the Main Menu Screen. Gameplay automatically pauses when the Main Menu Screen is open. From this screen, use the up and down cursor keys to choose:

Views

You can play the game in 3^rd Person, 1^st Person, and Zoom Views, switching among them as you like. Press 0 to toggle between the 3^rd Person and 1^st Person Views. Press 9 to toggle between the 1^st Person and Zoom Views. (If you press 9 while in 3^rd Person View, you switch to 1^st Person View.)

3^rd Person View

You start play on each level in 3^rd Person View. Your ship is centered near bottom of screen, and you view it from a perspective above and behind the ship. On the screen, you see what is in front of your ship—asteroids, crystals, the jumpgate, workers, turrets, warriors, the Sinistar.

1^st Person View

When you enter 1^st Person View, your perspective moves to the front of the ship, seeing what the ship itself is seeing. (In 1^st Person View, your ship’s wingtips become translucent so you can see through them.)

Zoom View

From 1^st Person View, you can enter Zoom View, seeing a close up view of distant objects directly in front of your ship.

Flying Your Ship

Use the ship’s thrusters, controlled by the joystick’s Throttle (or Slider), to control the speed of your ship. Push the Throttle all the way forward to move at maximum normal thrust; pull it all the way back to stop, hanging motionless in space. You can also get an extra, temporary speed increase by using the Boosters special item. Unlike the thrusters, however, the Boosters consume crystals.

Use the joystick to maneuver your ship. Pull the stick back to pitch your ship up; push forward to pitch down. Push the stick left and right to turn ("yaw") your ship left and right. Twist the stick left and right to roll left and right. (Note: To use the roll feature, you must have a joystick that is capable of twisting or rotating.) Physics affects your ship—for example, your ship’s speed affects its maneuvering, and you can make tighter turns at low speeds than at high speeds.

Press and hold down joystick button 2 to use the clutch. Normally, when you change the facing of your ship, you are changing its flight direction. When using the clutch, you can change the facing of your ship while keeping the course you were flying before using the clutch. This is handy, for example, when you want to keep your present course yet face backward to fire on enemies pursuing you.

Mining Sinisite Crystals

You can mine asteroids to release the crystals they contain. Use your primary weapon, the mining laser, to blast asteroids—get an asteroid in your crosshairs and press the joystick trigger to fire the mining laser. As you blast an asteroid, some crystals it contains may be released. (You can smash an asteroid completely to pieces through repeated firings.) You can also mine asteroids using your other weapons, although keep in mind all other weapons cost crystals when you use them.

Fly your ship over crystals tumbling through space, and your ship will eat them, storing them for later use. Your ship can eat almost any crystals except those that have been transformed to energize the jumpgate (you can see these transformed crystals in orbit around the gate).

Inventory

Your ship’s inventory is displayed on the lower right of the screen.

Crystal Storage Bar: The large bar in the left-center of the inventory displays the crystals the ship has stored up. The number on the left of the bar displays the number of crystals you have available; the number on the right displays the total number of crystals that may be stored on the ship.

Secondary Weapons Slots: Above the crystal storage bar are 8 slots for the various secondary weapons the ship may have. (If the ship has a secondary weapon, the weapon’s icon appears in its slot. Otherwise, the slot is empty.) Each weapon is assigned a key; press its key to select the weapon (see Weapons below for further details). When you select a weapon, its name appears above the icon bar. If you have enough crystals to fire a weapon, its icon appears in gold; if you don’t have enough crystals to use it, its icon appears in bluish gray.

Item Slots: Below the crystal storage bar are 8 slots for the various items the ship may have. One item can be selected at any one time. Press Q to select the item to the left of the currently selected item; press W to select the item to the right of the currently selected item. When you select an item, its name appears below the icon bar. Press E, Tab, joystick button 3, or button 5 to use the item. For example, select the ship’s Health and press E to spend crystals for health energy. If you have enough crystals to use an item, its icon appears in gold; if you don’t have enough crystals to use it, its icon appears in bluish gray.

Ship Status Indicator: To the right of the crystal storage bar is the ship status indicator, a circular area with an icon representing your ship. The indicator displays your ship’s health and any specials you are using:

• Health: The color and amount of background shading filling the space behind the ship icon indicate your ship’s overall health. As your ship’s health decreases, the level of shading drops and the color changes—just like the veins on the ship itself do to display the ship’s health.
• Boosters: A booster symbol appears beneath the ship icon while boosters are active.
• Shields: A blue circle rings the ship icon while shields are active.

Weapons

Your ship has one primary weapon (its mining laser) and can have up to eight secondary weapons (three are available in this preview). There are three categories of weapons:

• Unguided energy weapons deliver their power to their targets via beams or rays of energy. Energy weapons are effective against the Sporg and Distilled Evil. The jumpgate and the Sinistar, however, are impervious to energy weapons. DANGER! Shots from your energy weapons will bounce off the gate or Sinistar and can rebound to damage your ship!
  Energy weapons are unguided, firing straight forward from the ship. You must maneuver your ship to get a target into the weapon’s killing zone. (You can also use any energy weapon, not just your mining laser, to blast asteroids.)
• Guided missiles deliver their punch via physical delivery systems. Like energy weapons, missiles are effective against all enemies except the jumpgate and the Sinistar. Missiles are guided weapons that lock onto a target when they are fired, homing in on it. (A missile will normally not target an asteroid but will detonate if it does strike one.)
• Sinibombs are special, crystal-packed missiles that can break through a jumpgate’s or Sinistar’s defenses and do damage. Sinibombs are only effective against the jumpgate and the Sinistar. They are guided weapons and lock onto a jumpgate or Sinistar when they are fired, homing in on it. (A Sinibomb will not target anything else but will detonate if it does strike an obstacle like a Sporg fighter or asteroid on the way to its target.) Sinibombs fired at the jumpgate destroy crystals in orbit around the gate.

The primary weapon, the mining laser, is always available and never costs crystals to fire. Press the trigger to fire it. It is an unguided energy weapon.

One secondary weapon is always selected at any time. If a weapon’s icon appears on the weapons bar, press its key to select it:

Secondary weapons always cost crystals to fire. Press joystick button 4 to fire the selected secondary weapon—the weapon will fire if you have sufficient crystals for it. If you have enough crystals to fire a weapon, its icon appears in gold; if you don’t have enough crystals to use it, its icon appears in bluish gray.

Three shortcut keys help you select secondary weapons:
   [   Previous Weapon selects the weapon to the left of the currently selected weapon.
   ]   Next Weapon selects the weapon to the right of the currently selected weapon.
   /   Best Weapon selects the weapon that can do the most damage.

In the full game, the power, range, number of gunports, and fire rate of your weapons increase as you upgrade your ship.

Special Items

Your ship starts with three special items and in the full game can have up to eight specials. One item can be selected at any one time. Press Q to select the item to the left of the currently selected item; press W to select the item to the right of the currently selected item. When you select an item, its name appears below the icon bar. Press E, Tab, joystick button 3, or button 5 to use the item. All specials consume crystals when you use them. If you have enough crystals to use an item, its icon appears in gold; if you don’t have enough crystals to use it, its icon appears in bluish gray. For example, select the ship’s Health item and press E to spend crystals for health energy.

Special items available in the preview are:

Your ship’s health and use of special items are shown in the ship status indicator on the inventory, as described in Inventory above.

Short-Range Radar

The Short-Range Radar displays targeting information directly in the 3^rd Person, 1^st Person, and Zoom Views. The Short-Range Radar displays color-coded targeting reticules, and the color-coded numbers next to the reticules show the range to the object. The colors have specific meanings, as shown below:

The following key controls the targeting system:

The Targeting Crosshairs

Targeting crosshairs help you aim shots from your unguided weapons. Targeting crosshairs appear directly in the 3^rd Person, 1^st Person, and Zoom Views as follows:

• If there is a target directly in front of the ship within the maximum range of the crosshairs, the targeting crosshairs appear on that target.
• If there is no target directly in front on the ship within the maximum range of the crosshairs, the targeting crosshairs appear floating in space at their maximum range.
• The crosshairs will target all objects except shots, missiles, and Sinibombs.

Long-Range Radar

The Long-Range Radar display appears in the lower left corner of the screen. A pink inverted-"V" icon representing your ship appears at the center of the display. The display shows what the Long-Range Radar detects. Radar blips (icons) for detected asteroids appear in white and gray; blips for detected enemies appear in various shades of red; blips for missiles and Sinibombs appear in blue. The Sinistar and the jumpgates are large red circles. In this preview, the Long-Range Radar is set to just one orientation:

• Forward-Facing Display is oriented to the direction your ship faces. Objects behind you show as bright blips with black shadows (asteroids are white with black shadows, enemies are bright red with black shadows). Objects in front of you show as dimmer blips without shadows (asteroids are gray, enemies are dim red). The radar quadrants display whether objects are to the left or right of your ship and whether they are "above" or "below" your ship. For example, a gray blip in the upper left quadrant is an asteroid in front of your ship, to the ship’s left, and above the ship, while a bright red blip with a black shadow in the lower right quadrant is an enemy in behind, to the right of, and below your ship.

The following keys control the long-range radar:

Pausing the Game

To pause the game, press the Pause key. Press the Pause key again to resume play.

Help

To see the help screen, press F1. The game automatically pauses when the help screen is open. Close the screen and resume play by pressing F1, Esc, or Enter.

The Configuration Screen

You can enter the Configuration Screen from the Main Menu. On the Configuration Screen, use the up and down cursor keys to choose:

When you are done with the Configuration Screen, press Esc to return to the Main Menu Screen.

Other Features

Scoring is not included in this preview. In the full game, a score tracks your accomplishments and progress in the game.

If your ship is destroyed on a level, you restart that level. In this preview, you can restart a level each time your ship is destroyed. In the full game, you have a limited number of lives with which to destroy the Sinistar peril.

Quitting the Game

To quit the game, press Esc to go the Main Menu Screen, use the down cursor key to highlight EXIT, and press Enter.

Game Controls

Note: Different joysticks have different button layouts. Check your joystick manual to determine your joystick’s actual layout.

Uninstalling the Game

You can uninstall the Sinistar: Unleashed preview as follows: Click the Start button on the Windows toolbar, point to Programs, THQ, Sinistar Unleashed, and click on Uninstall Sinistar.

(You can also uninstall the Sinistar: Unleashed preview using the Add/Remove Programs feature in Windows. Click the Start button on the Windows toolbar, point to Settings, and click on Control Panel. When the Control Panel window appears, double-click on Add/Remove Programs. In the Install/Uninstall tab, select Sinistar: Unleashed from the list of program names and then click the Add/Remove button.)

Play Hints

Mine lots of crystals! You’re going to burn through them like mad. Yellow crystals are the most common but have the least crystal energy. A blue crystals has five times the energy that a yellow crystal has. Other colors are even more powerful.

When dogfighting the enemy, remember that you can make tighter turns at low thrust rather than high.

If you need to get out a tight spot, use your boosters to add to your speed.

Sinibombs can destroy crystals around the jumpgate, delaying the entry of the Sinistar. You can also delay the entry of the Sinistar by destroying workers (since they bring crystals to the gate to energize it).

Keep in mind that shots from energy weapons and missiles do not harm the Sinistar. Use Sinibombs to attack the Sinistar.

If you die at any time on a level before destroying the Sinistar, you reappear at the start of that level.

The second level in the preview is actually Level 7 of the full game, so expect a tough fight, especially if you’re new to the game. If you find this level tough going, try the following 7-Step Plan for mastering Level 7:

1) Arrive on Level 7 loaded with crystals, as combat begins almost immediately. So, try not to use up all your crystals fighting the Sinistar on Level 1. If you have trouble with this, replay Level 1 a few times until you gain more experience.
2) The turrets can be a big pain, so take them out when you find them. If you use missiles to do this, a turret can often shoot down your first missile as you approach it, but a second missile can get through if it is timed correctly behind the first one.
3) If enemy warriors hang close to you, try sweeping the cutting laser across them. Only do this at close ranges, and watch your crystal consumption!
4) When you’re low on crystals, keep moving and firing your mining laser. With luck, you may destroy or evade enough enemies to get a chance to mine asteroids for a while.
5) Learn to mine crystals while flying at top speed in dogfights. Yeah, eat and run.
6) If enemies really gang up on you, use your boosters to run away and fight again another day, rather than using all your crystals fighting while greatly outnumbered.
7) Enemy warriors on this level are quick, and using missiles at them while they’re quickly closing in on you is often futile. Missiles are more effective when they’re running from you or when they’re hovering near you.

Well, that’s seven steps already and we haven’t even discussed fighting the Sinistar on this level, so you’re on your own from here. Good luck, and good hunting!

Sinistar: Unleashed FAQ

How can I find the Web site for my 3D board/driver?

• Aopen: http://www.aopen.com/
• Asus: http://www.asus.com/
• ATI Technology: http://support.atitech.ca/drivers/drivers.html
• Aztech Labs: http://www.aztechca.com/aztfiles.html
• Best Data Products: http://www.bestdata.com/
• Canopus: http://www.canopuscorp.com/
• Cirrus Logic: http://www.cirrus.com/drivers
• Creative Labs: http://www.soundblaster.com/home.html
• Cornerstone Technology: http://www.bigmonitors.com/
• Diamond Multimedia Systems: http://www.diamondmm.com/products/product-support.html
• Elsa: http://www.elsa.com/
• E4 (Elecede Technologies): http://www.e4.com/
• Gainward: http://www.gainward.com/
• Gallant Computer: http://www.gallantcom.com/
• Genoa Electronics: http://www.genoasys.com
• Guillemot: http://www.guillemot.com/
• Hercules Computer Technology: http://www.hercules.com/support/drivers
• Intel: http://developer.intel.com/design/graphics/
• Intergraph: http://www.intergraph.com/
• Jazz Multimedia: http://www.jazzmm.com/
• Matrox Graphics: http://www.matrox.com/mga/drivers/home.htm
• Metabyte: http://www.metabyte.com/
• Number Nine Visual Technology: http://www.nine.com/
• nVidia: http://www.nvidia.com/home.html
• Oak Technology: http://www.oaktech.com/
• OPTi: http://www.opti.com/
• Orchid: http://www.orchid.com/support
• Paradise (Relialogic): http://www.paradisemmp.com/
• PowerVR (NEC & VideoLogic): http://www.powervr.com
• Quantum3D: http://www.quantum3d.com/
• Real 3D: http://www.real3d.com/support/drivers.asp
• Rendition: http://www.rendition.com/
• Reveal Computer Products: http://www.reveal.com/
• SIIG: http://www.siig.com/
• STB Systems: http://www.stb.com/drivers/
• STMicroelectronics: http://us.st.com/stonline/products/index.htm
• S3: http://www.s3.com/bbs/0main/topindex.htm
• Teppro: http://www.teppro.com/
• Trident (Tekram): http://tekram.com/
• Ubi Soft: http://ubisoft.com/
• Wicked 3D: http://www.wicked3d.com/
• 3Dfx Interactive: http://www.3dfx.com/download/download.html
• 3Dlabs: http://www.3dlabs.com/

What technical support is available for the Two Level Preview?

Technical support is not available for this preview, with the exception of online FAQs and support documents. Please check our web site at http://www.gamefx.com for updates and new information as it becomes available. You can send specific queries and problems to sinistar-bugs@gamefx.com, and we’ll do our best to address them.

How do I report a bug?

Our QA department loves to eat bugs, so feed them with any you find by e-mailing sinistar-bugs@gamefx.com. Please tell us:

1. Game version (this is the Sinistar: Unleashed Two Level Preview).
2. Your operating system (Windows 95 or Windows 98).
3. Your computer model and manufacturer.
4. Your CPU speed and type (for example, 233 MHz Pentium II).
5. Your RAM.
6. Your 3D Accelerator board info (for example, Diamond Stealth II G460).
7. Your DirectX and 3D accelerator board driver versions (for example, DirectX 6.1).
8. Your sound card info.
9. A description of the bug, and all relevant information about it (such as what level it occurred on). If you can repeat the bug, tell us how you do it!

What 3D Chipsets and Drivers have been tested with the game so far?

I get "Error: Unable to Load SL_TGL.dll" when I try to run the game. What should I do?

If you get the error "Unable to load SL_TGL.dll" when you try to run the game, your video is configured incorrectly. Run the Video Mode Selector (see Configuring the Game section for details). In the Selected Device menu, switch from the RGB Emulation option to the Direct3D HAL option. Then click Save Settings and rerun the game.

The game locks up when I use keys like Alt+Tab to switch from the game to another window. What should I do?

The Sinistar: Unleashed Two Level Preview is a full screen application and does not support the Windows Alt+Tab keyboard shortcut, the Windows key, or other Windows keyboard shortcuts that cause you to switch windows. (The full game will support all Windows keyboard shortcuts.) With some 3D chipsets, if you use a Windows keyboard shortcut (like Alt+Tab to switch to another window from the preview), you may not be able to return to the game, or the game may not be playable when you do return to it.

If the preview locks up, press Ctrl+Alt+Del to open the Close Program window, highlight the "gamefx" line in the window, and click on the End Task button. The preview will end (this may take a few seconds). You should then reboot your computer before playing the preview again.

How do I restore the game’s original controls?

If you change the game’s controls (via the Controls option on the Configuration Screen) and wish to restore the original controls, quit the game, open the "Sinistar Unleashed" folder on your hard disk, and delete the following file:

keymap.cfg

When you run the game again, the original key controls will be in effect.

Why does the game start slow on Voodoo Banshee and Voodoo3 boards?

Due to a bug in the current drivers for Voodoo Banshee and Voodoo3 boards, action in the first second of game play runs very slowly. Things run fine after the first second.

Why do things sometimes look funny when I run my Voodoo Board under Direct3D?

In this preview, textures sometimes display incorrectly when you run any Voodoo board (Voodoo Graphics, Voodoo2, Voodoo Banshee, Voodoo3) using Direct3D drivers. The solution is to use the 3Dfx Glide drivers instead of Direct3D. See the Video Mode Selector section on how to change your drivers setting for the preview.

Why does the Video Mode Selector show 3Dfx settings even though I've removed my 3Dfx board from my PC? Can I use these settings anyway?

If your PC doesn't have a 3Dfx card (Voodoo Graphics, Voodoo2, Voodoo Banshee, or Voodoo3) installed, do not select any 3Dfx setting when using the Video Mode Selector. Typically, the Video Mode Selector can detect if your PC does not have a 3Dfx card and automatically will not display any 3Dfx options. However, if your PC once had a 3Dfx card that was subsequently removed and its software uninstalled, the uninstallation process may not eradicate all traces of the card's existence, thereby causing the Video Mode Selector to display 3Dfx settings.

How do I get my nVidia Riva 128 (or 128 ZX) card to display missing textures?

Cards based upon the nVidia Riva 128 or 128 ZX chip will sometimes display surfaces that have missing textures. If you are running the nVidia reference drivers, you can remedy this by entering the Control Panel (via Settings on the Start menu), selecting Display, choosing the Riva 128 tab, and making sure that the "Use Only Square Textures" option is unchecked. If you are running any drivers other than the reference drivers, consult the documentation for your specific video card to find out how to change this option. Please make sure you're running the most recent drivers for your card, whether reference or manufacturers'.

How do I run the game on a PC with a Microsoft Digital Sound System 80?

If your computer uses a Microsoft Digital Sound System 80, you must have it turned on to play the game. If it is turned off, you will get a "Sound Init Failed" error when you try to run the game.

Why won’t the middle button of my three-button mouse work?

The game does not yet support the middle button of a three-button mouse.

Intelligence Briefing: The Enemy

At great sacrifice, human scouts in ultra-fast unarmed ships have penetrated portions of the Sinistar universe. From their transmissions and from the accounts of the few survivors of these missions, Intelligence has prepared the following briefing for you.

The Sinistar Universe

The Sinistar universe is layered in zones, and you must fight your way through each level to reach the center. The outer layers are the Sporg zone—the Sporg are a space-going species enslaved by the Distilled Evil. The inner layers comprise Distilled Evil space itself. Sporg space tends to be well lit and rocky; what little is known about Distilled Evil zone indicates it is dark and icy.

In many levels throughout the Sinistar universe, the Sporg and Distilled Evil guard and energize the giant jumpgates for the bio-mechanical Sinistar.

The Sporg

The Sporg are a space-going species that the Distilled Evil conquered ages ago. The Distilled Evil redirected Sporg evolution to transform them into a species of genetically obedient slaves, although a degree of intelligence was lost in the process. Sporg warriors tend to be numerous and very aggressive, although they can lack cleverness or subtlety in combat. (Only some of the Sporg worker and warrior types appear in this preview.)

	The Sporg Strike Warrior is a small warrior, quick and agile. It maneuvers in typical Sporg fashion: well in positive pitch and rolls, but yaw badly and have limited negative pitch. It has two forward-firing, short-range energy weapons.
	The Sporg Squadron Warrior is a small warrior, similar to the basic Strike Warrior, although faster and more robust. Squadron Warriors are capable of formation flying, and can make mass squadron attacks as well as fight individually.
	The Sporg Heavy Fighter is a more massive version of the Strike Warrior, with improved characteristics, heavier energy weapons, and the ability to fire missiles. It tends to operate as a stalker and can attack with missiles at long range. It will often attempt to avoid close-range combat, forcing you to chase it down to destroy it.
	The Sporg Attack Carrier is a warrior that can carry and launch Sporg Strike Warriors. It can carry up to 8 Strike Warriors and can launch them up to four at a time. The Carrier is a slow, sturdy warrior with two powerful 2-gun turrets. It is difficult to destroy but easy to evade.
	The Sporg Battlecruiser is a giant version of a Sporg Attack Carrier. It can carry up to 32 Strike Warriors and 16 Squadron Warriors and can launch them up to 24 at a time. The Battlecruiser is heavily armed with 12 gun ports.
	In addition to the maneuverable warriors, the Sporg have a series of independent turrets. These turrets have no propulsion and are stationary relative to the asteroid field (but can rotate). The Light Turret (far left) is easily destroyed and lightly armed with a single laser. The Medium Turret (center left) is armed with dual lasers, has better fire control, and is tougher to destroy than the Light Turret. The Heavy Turret (near left) is tough and heavily armed with three lasers.
	Sporg workers mine the asteroids for Sinisite crystals and carry them back to the jumpgate, to energize it. Workers are unarmed, except for the powerful Harvester. The Sporg Slave Drudge (far left) is an unarmed worker. It is slow, not very maneuverable, and easily destroyed. The drudge can mine asteroids, gather crystals, and transport the crystals to a jumpgate. The Slave Miner (near left) is faster and stronger than the Slave Drudge.
	The Crystal Transport is a massive, unarmed worker. It can carry crystals and is very slow and sturdy.
	The Harvester is a powerful armed worker. It can grind up entire asteroids, storing their crystals for the Sinistar. Slave Drudge and Slave Miner workers can tow asteroids to the Harvester, and the Harvester can also draw asteroids to it with its tractor beam. It is believed the tractor beam can be used as a powerful weapon.

The Distilled Evil

No scouts have ever returned from Distilled Evil space, and their few garbled transmissions provide scant details. Indications are that the Distilled Evil tend to be less numerous than the Sporg, but are more robust and are often much more cunning and crafty. In combat, the Distilled Evil often shun the mass attacks many Sporg favor and instead may attack from behind, in hit-and-run surprise actions.

Incomplete data suggest that the Distilled Evil have tougher, more powerful counterparts to the Sporg, while possessing additional types not seen with the Sporg. Analysis indicates that the two pictures show a heavy fighter and one type of worker, although it is not clear which is which.

The Sinistar

Intercepted Distilled Evil messages, after immense decryption efforts, have yielded a few clues about the Sinistar. The Distilled Evil are using advanced cybernetics technology and genetic engineering to build ultra-powerful, bio-mechanical, idealized versions of themselves: the Sinistar. At least a dozen are under construction, each embodying specific Distilled Evil genetic potentials to their maximum. The Sinistar are designed to use the Sinisite crystals that are prevalent in the Sinistar universe; these crystals give the Sinistar immense power and special, energy-repulsive abilities. As the Sinistar are finished and their jumpgates are energized, they will launch themselves into our universe on a warpath of cosmic death and conquest.

Legal Lingo

Sinistar: Unleashed Two Level Preview.

Copyright 1999, THQ Inc. All rights reserved.

Sinistar © 1982 Midway Games Inc. Sinistar and Midway are registered trademarks of Midway Games Inc. and used under license by THQ Inc. All rights reserved. GameFX and THQ Inc. are trademarks of THQ Inc. Software to this game © 1999 THQ Inc. All rights reserved. Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft, Sidewinder, Windows, Windows 95, and Windows 98 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Sound Blaster is a registered trademark of Creative Technology Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. 3Dfx Interactive, Glide, and Voodoo Graphics are registered trademarks and Voodoo, Voodoo2, Voodoo3, and Voodoo Banshee are trademarks of 3Dfx Interactive. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

THQ Inc. Demo End User License

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