       ----------------------------------------------------------- 
 Readme File for Microsoft SideWinder Game Pad 
       July 1997        
----------------------------------------------------------- 
 
   (c) Microsoft Corporation, 1997 
 
THIS COMPUTER PROGRAM IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT LAW AND INTERNATIONAL 
TREATIES. UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS PROGRAM, OR 
ANY PORTION OF IT, MAY RESULT IN SEVERE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES, AND WILL 
BE PROSECUTED TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE UNDER THE LAW. 
 
This document provides late-breaking or other information that  supplements the Microsoft SideWinder 
Game Pad Online User's Guide. 
 
To learn more about the Microsoft game devices, as well as other Microsoft hardware products and updates, 
visit our World Wide Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/ 
 
------------------------- CONTENTS -------------------------  
 
Part 1: GENERAL INFORMATION ON GAME PORTS AND SOUND CARDS 
 
1.1  Don't Connect Your Game Device to a Network AUI Port 
1.2  Game Port Y-Cables 
1.3  Game Port Extender Cables 
1.4  Game Port and Sound Card Issues 
 
Part 2: GAMES-COMPATIBILITY WITH SIDEWINDER DIGITAL-ONLY DEVICES 
2.1  Games That May Exhibit Problems 
2.2  Notes on Other Games 
2.3  Hot Plugging  
2.4  Mode Switching 
 
Part 3: GAME PAD CONNECTION ISSUES 
 
3.1  Pass-through Mode Does Not Work With Add-on Devices 
3.2  Kraft Thunderstick Switches Out of Pass-through Mode 
3.3  Adjustable Speed Game Cards 
 
Part 4: GAMES-NOTES ON COMPATIBILITY 
 
4.1  Setting up the SideWinder Game Pad for MS-DOS-based Games 
4.2  Playing Games in an MS-DOS Window Under Windows 
4.3  Using Multiple Game Pads 
4.4  Games Compatibility 
 
Part 5: TROUBLESHOOTING 
 


==========================================================
Part 1: GENERAL INFORMATION ON GAME PORTS AND SOUND CARDS
==========================================================

1.1  Don't Connect Your Game Device to a Network AUI Port

Network adapters with an AUI 15-pin port resemble the standard game port. If you 
plug your SideWinder game device into a network port, you may damage the game 
device or network card.


1.2  Game Port Y-Cables

Don't use a y-cable to connect your SideWinder game device to your computer 
because some y-cables can damage your game device.


1.3  Game Port Extender Cables

Don't use a game port extender cable to connect the SideWinder game device to 
your computer. Extender cables can severely reduce the performance of your game 
device.


1.4  Game Port and Sound Card Issues

If you plug your SideWinder game device into a game port of one of the following 
sound cards, your joystick or game pad may experience problems or may not work.

(Also note that SideWinder game devices are designed to work with only one game 
port installed; using multiple game ports may cause problems.)


  * Diamond Edge 3D (Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc.) or other Nvidia-based 3D 
    accelerator card.

    The onboard game port is incompatible with the Microsoft game devices 
    digital drivers. To use the joystick or game pad, you must install a 
    standard game port.


  * Game Jammer PC Card (New Media Systems Corp.)

    This game port may experience problems with digital-only devices such as the 
    SideWinder game pad, SideWinder Precision Pro, and SideWinder Force Feedback 
    Pro.


  * Hewlett-Packard HP4000CT laptop docking station (Hewlett-Packard Co.)

    This game port may experience problems with digital-only devices such as the 
    SideWinder game pad, SideWinder Precision Pro, and SideWinder Force Feedback 
    Pro.


  * Media Vision Prosonic and Pro Audio 3D(Media Vision, Inc.)

    This game port may experience problems with digital-only devices such as the 
    SideWinder game pad, SideWinder Precision Pro, and SideWinder Force Feedback 
    Pro.  If you have problems, try loading the DOS drivers for the card.

    For the SideWinder 3D Pro to work properly, you must load the MS-DOS drivers 
    as well as the Windows drivers.  If you still experience problems, use the 
    SideWinder 3D Pro in analog mode.


  * Microcomputer Microconnect 34

    You may experience problems (such as erratic button presses) with games if 
    you have the sound on. If you disable the sound, your game should play 
    properly. 


  * Mwave sound card (IBM Corp.), used in the IBM Aptiva

    You may experience problems (such as erratic button presses) with games if 
    you have the sound on. If you disable the sound, your game should play 
    properly.


  * Quick Shot PCMCIA (Bondwell Global, Ltd.)

    To properly configure this game port, you need to obtain one of the 
    manufacturer's new drivers: JOYA.COM or JOYB.COM. For more information, 
    contact Quick Shot.


  * Roland RAP 10/AT (Roland Corp.)

    This game port may experience problems with digital-only devices such as 
    the SideWinder game pad and SideWinder Precision Pro; and is incompatible 
    with the SideWinder Force Feedback Pro.


  * Sound Blaster 16 SCSI-1 (Creative Labs, Inc.)

    This game port may experience problems with digital-only devices such as 
    the SideWinder game pad, SideWinder Precision Pro, and SideWinder Force 
    Feedback Pro.

      NOTE: All other Sound Blaster game ports are compatible with digital-only 
      game devices.


  * TeleVideo TeleWave Q32/SRS (TeleVideo, Inc.)

    This game port may experience problems with digital-only devices such as 
    the SideWinder game pad, 3D Pro, and Force Feedback Pro.  If you have 
    problems, try loading the DOS drivers for the card.

    For the SideWinder 3D Pro to work properly, you must load the MS-DOS 
    drivers as well as the Windows drivers.  If you still experience problems, 
    use the SideWinder 3D Pro in analog mode.


  * Chromatic MPACT

     This sound card is not compatible with any SideWinder game device except 
    for the SideWinder 3D Pro, which can be operated in Analog mode.


  * Toshiba Tecra 700CT notebook computer (Toshiba America, Inc.)

    Uses a built-in game port which may produce erratic results.


  * Toshiba Tecra 720 notebook computer (Toshiba America, Inc.)

    In Low power mode, there is not enough power available for the SideWinder 
    game pad to work properly from the docking station game port or from a 
    PCMCIA-based game port.  If you switch to Full power, both game ports work 
    properly.  For information about changing the notebook setting to Full 
    power, see your computer's manual.


  * Sound cards or systems using the ESS or Opti chip sets

    You may experience problems or poor performance with games if you have the 
    sound on. To correct this problem, the "Use Single Mode DMA" setting should 
    be selected from Control Panel\Multimedia\Advanced\Audio devices, double 
    click the "Audio for ...", click the settings button, check the box for "Use 
    single Mode DMA"


=================================================================
Part 2: GAMES-COMPATIBILITY WITH SIDEWINDER DIGITAL-ONLY DEVICES
=================================================================

2.1  Games That May Exhibit Problems

The games below may experience problems with SideWinder digital-only game 
devices (SideWinder Game Pad, SideWinder Precision Pro, and SideWinder Force 
Feedback Pro). Digital-only game devices are designed specifically for Windows 
and may have problems establishing proper communication with these non-Windows-
based games. You may want to check with the game publisher for possible updates 
or patches to their product.

GAME                                Publisher
--------------                    -------------------
AH-64D Longbow                      Origin Systems, Inc
Alien Odyssey                       Argonaut Software, Ltd.
Body Count                          Capstone (IntraCorp, Inc.)
Corridor 7                          Capstone (IntraCorp, Inc.)
Cyberia                             Interplay Productions, Inc.
Cyberia 2                           Interplay Productions, Inc.
Delta V                             Bethesda Softworks, Inc.
Earthworm Jim: The Whole Can        Interactive Entertainment, Inc.
   of Worms Playmates
Flight Unlimited (DOS version)      Looking Glass Technologies, Inc.
Football Pro '96                    Sierra On-Line, Inc.
Full Throttle                       LucasArts Entertainment Co.
Hardball 5                          Accolade, Inc.
Iron Assault                        Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Inc.
Mortal Kombat I                     Acclaim Entertainment, Inc.
Need For Speed                      Electronic Arts
Raiden                              Imagitec Design, Inc.
Savage Warriors                     Mindscape, Inc.
Screamer                            Virgin Interactive Entertainment, Inc.
Star Trek 25th Anniversary          Interplay Productions, Inc.
Star Wars: Rebel Assault I and II   LucasArts Entertainment Co.
Shattered Steel                     Interplay Productions, Inc.
SuperKarts                          Manic Media Productions, Ltd.
System Shock                        Origin Systems, Inc.
Terminator: Future Shock            Bethesda Softworks
Tetris                              Spectrum HoloByte, Inc.
TFX                                 Ocean Software, Ltd.
The Dig                             LucasArts Entertainment Co.
Ultimate Body Blows                 European Leisure Software Publishers Assoc.
Wetlands                            New World Computing, Inc.
Zoop                                Viacom International, Inc.


2.2  Notes on Other Games

* Descent and Descent II (Interplay Productions, Inc.)

    You need to run these games with the "-joypolled" command switch. For more 
    information, check the Descent or Descent II Readme file.

  * Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (LucasArts Entertainment Co.)

    For the SideWinder game device to work correctly, do not use the game's 
    joystick calibration feature.

  * Day of the Tentacle (LucasArts Entertainment Co.)

    For the SideWinder game device to work correctly, do not use the game's 
    joystick calibration feature.

  * Lode Runner (Sierra On-Line, Inc.)

    To activate a move that your game has pre-assigned to a game pad button, 
    you will need to press the button twice.

  * Mega Man X (Capcom Entertainment, Inc.)

    In order to get the most functionality from this game, select the Capcom 
    controller in the game's Option Mode screen.

  * Wing Commander 3 & 4 (Origin Systems, Inc.)

    For the SideWinder game pad to work correctly with these games, you need 
    an alternate joystick DLL file (WC3JOY.DLL or WC4JOY.DLL) that is available 
    from Origin Systems.

* NFL Quarterback Club '97 (Acclaim Entertainment, Inc.)

    When played with a SideWinder game device, this game detects a single game 
    device as two game devices.  In the case of a joystick, only buttons 1 and 2 
    on the joystick work with this game.  When using a game pad, only buttons A 
    and B work with this game.


2.3  Hot Plugging 

    Some games will not detect a game device that you connect during game 
    play. To change or add a game device, exit your game, connect the game 
    device you want to use for that game session, and then re-start your game.

    Connecting your game device during game play may work better with either the 
    Editor, Activator, or Control Panel running.


2.4  Mode Switching

     In some games, when you switch from a SideWinder game pad to a SideWinder 
joystick during game play, the game will not recognize the joystick. In these 
cases, you may need to recalibrate the joystick in your game in order for it to 
work properly.  Or, you may need to restart your game.

      For more information about joystick calibration, refer to your game's 
manual.





=================================================== 
Part 3: GAME PAD CONNECTION ISSUES
===================================================

3.1  Pass-through Mode Does Not Work With Add-on Devices

     The SideWinder game pad doesn't work with Pass-through mode for add-on 
devices such as throttles, pedals, and so on.  Check the manual for your add-on 
device to see if it needs to be connected directly to your computer.  For 
example, the Thrustmaster Rudder Control System's manual specifically states 
that it should be connected directly to the computer.  Therefore, the 
Thrustmaster will not work with the SideWinder game pad in Pass-through mode.


3.2  Kraft Thunderstick Switches Out of Pass-through Mode

    If you've connected a Kraft Thunderstick to your SideWinder game pad and 
the game pad is in Pass-through mode, pressing buttons 1 and 2 simultaneously on 
the Kraft Thunderstick switches the SideWinder game pad out of Pass-through 
mode. To use the Kraft Thunderstick again, press the Mode button on your 
SideWinder game pad once. This puts the game pad back into Pass-through mode. 
Then avoid pressing buttons 1 and 2 simultaneously on your Kraft Thunderstick.


3.3  Adjustable Speed Game Cards

    If you've connected four SideWinder game pads together in a chain, and you 
    have an adjustable game card (such as Computer City Dual Port Game Card MX-
    911), you may experience "phantom" button presses if your game card isn't 
    set up correctly.  If you do experience this phenomenon, consult your game 
    card manual for help adjusting the game card's speed.




=============================================================
Part 4: GAMES-NOTES ON COMPATIBILITY
=============================================================

4.1  Setting up the SideWinder Game Pad for MS-DOS-based Games

     Some MS-DOS-based games require you to choose either a joystick or a game 
pad in the setup program. In such cases, the SideWinder game pad may respond 
better if you choose "joystick" rather than "game pad."


4.2 Playing Games in an MS-DOS Window Under Windows

     Typically, buttons C and Z on the SideWinder game pad don't  work for games 
played in an MS-DOS window. However, if your game works with the "PC-Fighter" 6-
button game pad, to get the extra functionality that these two buttons provide, 
set your game for the PC-Fighter device.

      NOTE: This is true only if one SideWinder game pad is connected. 

     If you are playing a game in an MS-DOS window, the number of SideWinder 
game pad buttons that work depends on the number of SideWinder game pads 
connected, as well as the number of buttons your game works with.

 Number of Game Pads    Buttons that can work with your game 
-------------------     ------------------------------ 
 One                    A, B, X, and Y
 Two                    A and B
 Three or Four          A and B (on the first two game pads;
                        additional game pads won't work)


4.3 Using Multiple Game Pads

      Some games, including those listed below, do not recognize game devices 
that are plugged in after the game has been started.  If you want to use 
multiple SideWinder game pads in these games, you must connect them before 
starting the game.

GAME                    Publisher
--------------           -------------------
NHL '97                 Electronic Arts 
NHL Powerplay '96       Virgin Interactive
Ultimate Football '95   Microprose Software, Inc.


4.4 Games Compatibility

   * Silent Thunder (Sierra On-Line, Inc.)

      For the SideWinder game pad to work correctly, you need an updated version 
of the game (version 1.1) from Sierra.

  * Triple Play 97 (Electronic Arts)

      The third and fourth SideWinder game pads stop functioning during game 
play. Check with Electronic Arts for a patch that solves this problem.



=========================
Part 5: TROUBLESHOOTING
=========================

This section contains answers to specific questions you may have.  For 
additional troubleshooting information, see the Trouble-shooting sections of the 
Online User's Guide for your SideWinder game device and the Game Device Profiler 
Online Help.


QUESTION:  I have several game pads connected in a chain, but Game Controller 
Properties shows that one or more of my game pads are "not connected." What 
should I do?

     ANSWER: Restart your computer without any game pads connected, and then 
connect and test each one in turn.

     >>>To test your game pads:

  1. Unplug all of your game pads, turn off your computer, and then start your 
     computer again.
  2. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  3. Double-click Game Devices.
  4. Plug in a game pad, then click Test and ensure that all of your buttons 
     are working properly.
  5. Continue plugging in your game pads (up to four in a chain), testing each 
     game pad to ensure that it is working properly.


QUESTION:  In the Control Panel, I see a "Game Controllers" icon, but I can't 
open it; or, I can open it, but my joystick is listed as "not connected."

     ANSWER:  If you previously had a game port, but it was removed, the Setup 
program incorrectly detects that you still have a game port. Install a card with 
a game port (such as a sound card), and then run Setup again.

     If there is no response from the joystick, or the Windows Device Manager 
reports that the joystick is not present, not working properly, or does not have 
all of its drivers installed, perform the following procedure.

     >>>To resolve your joystick problem:

  1. Start the computer in Safe mode since real-mode device drivers may 
     conflict with the Windows drivers and disable the game  port. (For step-by-
     step instructions, consult your Windows manual.)

  2. Remove the GamePort Joystick from the Control Panel Device Manager and 
     then add it again:

    a. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
    b. Double-click the System icon and then click the Device Manager tab.
    c. Double-click Sound, Video, and Game Controllers, and then check for a 
       GamePort Joystick. If one exists, click it and  then click Remove.
    d. Click OK, and then click Close.

To add the GamePort Joystick, or if there is no GamePort Joystick entry, run the 
Add New Hardware Wizard in the Control Panel. For more information, consult your 
Windows manual.

  3.  Verify that the GamePort Joystick is working at the MS-DOS level. To do 
so, try to use the joystick with an MS-DOS-based   game. Refer to the game's 
manual for information about configuring the joystick.


QUESTION: The General tab on the Control Panel/Game Controllers does not list 
the new game pad when I plug it into first game pad(s) already connected to the 
computer.

     ANSWER: This is normal operation.  To get the game pad to appear in the 
list, click the Advanced tab and then the General tab again.


QUESTION:  I just turned on my computer and opened the Control Panel. Why don't 
I see Game Controllers icon?

     ANSWER:  Your sound card may not be initialized properly due to a game port 
or driver problem.

     >>>To reinitialize your sound card so that you can access  Game Device 
Properties:

  1.  Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2.  Double-click the System icon, and then click the Device Manager tab.
  3.  Double-click Sound, Video, and Game Controllers, select Gameport Joystick 
      (or the device that has an error), and   then click Properties.
  4.  Click the Resources tab, and then click Set Configuration Manually.
  5.  Clear the Use Automatic Settings check box, and then click OK.
  6.  In System Properties, click OK, close the Control Panel, and then restart 
      your computer.


QUESTION:  What's the minimum system configuration I need to run the SideWinder 
Game Device Software 2.0?

     ANSWER:  You must have a personal computer with a 486DX/66 or higher 
processor, with 8 megabytes of RAM, 6 megabytes of available hard disk space, 
256-color VGA or better display, and running Windows.


QUESTION:  Why doesn't my SideWinder game device work when I restart my computer 
in MS-DOS mode ("real mode")?

     ANSWER:  Other than the SideWinder 3D Pro, SideWinder game devices digital-
only devices. Only games that run under Windows or in an MS-DOS window under 
Windows will work with digital game devices.


QUESTION:  I connected a game device while I was playing a game, but the game 
does not recognize it. What's the problem?

      ANSWER:  Some games do not recognize game devices that are connected after 
the game has already been started.  To change or add a game device, exit your 
game, connect all of the game devices you want to use for the session, and then 
re-start your game.


QUESTION: The Test page of the Game Controller Properties shows the joystick 
handle still twisting after I let go.  Why is this happening?

      ANSWER:  This is normal behavior for a digital joystick.


QUESTION: I'm having trouble calibrating my joystick in my game's joystick 
calibration routine; what do I need to do?

      ANSWER:  If your game's joystick calibration routine requires you to press 
a button (such as the trigger) on your joystick, the game will not "see" the 
button press if you have changed the way this button works in your game by means 
of the Profile Editor.  It is recommended that you do not change the functions 
of the primary button(s) on your joystick.


QUESTION: I have more than one game port on my computer; will this pose any sort 
of problem when using SideWinder game devices?

      ANSWER:  Multiple game ports can cause the game device to not function, 
especially in the case of a SideWinder Force Feedback Pro.  The solution is to 
remove or disable any game port not being used by removing the board or 
following the manufacture's instructions on disabling it.


QUESTION: I had my analog controller connected to my computer with a status of 
"OK" in the Game Controllers properties window then I added a SideWinder game 
device. Now my analog controller is not in the list, but there are two 
SideWinder devices.  How do I get my analog controller back in the list so that 
I can use it.

      ANSWER: SideWinder game device take priority in the Control Panel when 
they are connected.  To use your analog controller, reconnect it to the game 
port and assign it to ID1 as described under "My other game device isn't 
working" in the Online User's Guide.

      Also, you can remove unwanted game controllers from the list in the Game 
Controllers properties window by selecting it and clicking the Remove button.


