* Introduction
* New Features
* Memory and System requirements
* Building a 4 player joystick adapter
* Super Skidmarks2 User Interface
* HD Installation
* Racing with Super Skidmarks 2
* Imagine 2 Converter
* Super Skidmarks Racer Magazine
* Credits and Greetings
This package was suppose to be an upgrade that was due to be released several months after the original SkidMarks was completed (Dec 93). It was originally intended that we would release a new track editor that would be friendly enough for users to create there own tracks.
Sadly it was not to be several months later,we decided to simply add another two track disks to the original package.These were completed some 6 months ago.
We then found by using a different sprite system we could have 8 cars with AGA machines and set about redesigning the sprite converter which we are proud to announce has been included in this release for users to add their own cars. With new cars and new tracks we then thought a quick rewrite of the front end was in order.That was 4 months ago.
It may be due to bad management,too many other projects to distract us, general laziness,or just bloody mindedness but Super SkidMarks 2 is finally finished,we hope it was worth the wait.......
* New 8 car mode for AGA machines * Shared screen mode for up to 4 player team racing * triple split screen mode for three players on one Amiga * Caravan towing,Wo! what a holiday! * 12 new tracks as well as compatibility with original 12 * New cars including Mini,VW,F1,Cow and Midget * New Acid intelligence technology for computer drivers * Super view mode for locally linked AGA machines * Improved comms support for local and remote linking * Competition play with a multitude of challenging series * Imagine->SkidMarks car converter for the defined cars
Super SkidMarks 2 should be run on any Amiga with 1 meg of memory
Those with more memory will be able to have more than one type of car racing at once and may even have some music to listen to while selecting options.
Those with AGA Amigas can enjoy the new hi-res modes as well as racing 8 cars at once.
Modem owners can enjoy Super SkidMarks 2 improved comms support and race against others over the phone lines.
Super SkidMarks 2 also supports 4 joystick adapters. This device connects two extra joysticks to an Amiga via the parallel port.
The simplest and possibly cheapest method is to start with a standard printer cable.remove the casing on the DB25 end (computer end) so you can see what colour wires are connected to which pins then cut off the connector at the other end of the cable (printer end) and strip of an inch of shielding.
As both joystick connectors require GND(pin 17) and 5v(pin 14) unsolder the wires connected to pin 18 and 15 on the DB25 connector and solder them on top of pins 17 and 14 respectively.This will give you two wires at the other end for the extra GND and 5V required by the second joystick connector.The best thing to do then is write down the colours of each of the wires you will be connecting to JOY3 and JOY4. Then tint the wires (add solder to them before soldering to connectors) and solder them to the joystick connectors.Good luck!
Super SkidMarks 2 includes numerous new options which can all be accessed via the user interface.Using the mouse,joystick or arrow keys select an option by highlighting the gadget and pressing the button or Return key.
Often the ESC key on the keyboard can be used to exit from one options page back to a previous one.
Certain gadgets allow the user (you) to enter some text.After clicking on such a gadget a cursor appears.From the the keyboard type in the text and hit return.With a joystick use up and down to change the character under the cursor,left and right to move the cursor and fire when finished.
Those with a hard disk system will want to install Super SkidMarks 2 onto their hard disks.From workbench simply drag the Super SkidMarks 2 drawer on the program disk onto your hard disk,this will copy all the files required to run Super SkidMarks 2 from your hard disk.Then click on the HDCar install utility.This will unpack the cars from the data disks onto your hard disk.Unfortunately we are unable to offer the opportunity to do the same with the tracks disks at this time,we are sadly not in the position to risk sales because of the nature of piracy still rampant in the Amiga community.However we promise to include a TrackDisk install utility in the first issue of the "SkidMarks Racer" magazine (see later in this manual for details).
Instead of a large section on what buttons to press and where,along with a detailed description of when and where to slow down and speed up,the following is a quick list of helpful hints and tips to get you in the sprit of things........
* Stay cool,a frustrated driver is a bad driver.
* Taking your finger off the button is uncool (see above).
* Use the horn to vent frustration (pull down on the joystick).
* Drunk driving is for idiots,crash for the night or call a cab.
* Bouncing off other cars is an essential skill,practice it..
* Approaching corners at a wide angle is sensible.
* Pulling 360 degree turns in mid air is not.
* Racing the formula one series is for nutters.
* Winning the formula one series is insane.
* Building a 4 joystick adapter is a rewarding project.
* Racing backwards with caravans attached can be tricky.
* Replacing audio samples in the sfx drawer with your own is possible.
* Adding memory to your Amiga allows greater variety of cars in races
* Driving two cars at once is an interesting possibility.
* High speed mid air collisions are to be encouraged.
Included on the Super SkidMarks2 program disk is a drawer containing the files you need to add your cars to Skidmarks.You will of course need access to Imagine 2.
Some familiarity with Imagine i.e. required for those wanting to add their own cars to Skid2.A sample object has been included.
1.Copy the Kart drawer from the program disk onto your herd disk.
2.Run Imagine 2.
3.Open the SkidMarks project which can be found in the Kart drawer.
4.Open the Kart subproject.
5.Select all frames and then select Render.
Select Preferences in Imagine and check that the EDLE variable is set to 255 resulting in the best anti-aliasing Imagine has to offer.
The latest version of Imagine 3 we have is still unable to treat a genlock background properly and hence produces poor results when rendering SkidMarks cars (anti aliases the car to the background colour.....yuck!).
To render your own car you must still use the SkidMarks project file included on the disk.This contains among other things:
* Correct angles for the 800 rotations
* Best iso-metric lens setting
* Bright green genlock background colour required by converter
* Correct file format (ILBM 24 bit)
* Correct light sources and angles
First up,from the detail editor load the Kart and your own car. Scale your own car to that of the Kart.Then orient it's global axis to that of the Karts:
* Select your car
* Press shift R (rotate global axis)
* Point x-axis forward * Point z-axis straight up
* Point y-axis towards left side of car
* Press shift M (move global axis)
* Position axis in centre of car 3 units above ground level
* Save your car
You may also need to change your car's colour to suit SkidMarks. Use only reds,blacks,greys and whites.
To render your own car,go to the Action Editor and select the red bar in the "TYRES" field.Replace the Kart.iob filename with that of your own car.Save changes and render the first 32 frames of your car.
Then run the converter program supplied on the program disk. Click on select-file and find the first frame of the car you just rendered.SkidMarks.imp/kart.pix/pic.001 or some such.
Then click on SHOW-AGA to view the first 32 frames in the SkidMarks format.You may need to change the x and y offsets to centre your car in the frame,more than likely you should alter the objects axis position and size from within Imagine. The four variables on the right of the screen adjust the dithering limits used by the converter.By changing these variables and then clicking on a frame of the car below you can fine tune how different shades are reproduced by the converter.
* If the car is being clipped it is either too large or it's axis is not correctly centred,the x offset variable in the converter may also require adjustment.
* If your car points the wrong direction when driven the orientation of the axis needs adjusting (see the rotate global axis description above).
* If your car looks like crap the chances are you need to change the colour attributes in the detail editor.We only use red(255,0,0) black(0,0,0),grey(160,160,160) and white(255,255,255) colour settings.
* Turn off phong shading for all attributes as it simply slows down rendering,increase specularity for panels you want to reflect light (body and windows but not tyres),don't bother trying to use textures.
* Make sure for tyres that reflection and specularity are off, nothing looks worse than shiny tyres.
* If your car looks too good (better than any in the Acid garage) then please send us the file,we might offer you some money or even a job.
* If you are having problems adding textures to faces then don't bother the best method of adding small detail to cars is to attach objects in the form of 3D text or structured drawings.
