Q :: What are the minimum requirements to play?
A :: The minimum requirements are DirectX 8.1 or higher, a 16 meg graphics card and a 1 GHz processor. It works with most of the options set to low or off on my old laptop, which has the above specifications. You might get lucky and be able to run the game on lower spec machines but if the game doesn't look as it should or the FPS is always below 50 FPS, with all options set to low, then you may need to upgrade your PC to play.

Q :: The game wont run, what do I do?
A :: There's no guarantee the game will run on every graphics card and every sound card. It has been beta tested but that's not to say  that all bugs have been caught and fixed. Try installing or re-installing the latest drivers for your graphics card or soundcard.
There may be issues with some sound cards. If you can switch to onboard sound, try this, to see if you have a soundcard fault or a general fault with the sound.
In the Base_2-Manual.html file there are two ways to contact me to report a bug.

Q :: The game works in fullscreen mode but not windowed mode, why?
A :: It could be that your desktop display is set to a bitdepth of 24 bits. Change your display settings to 16bit or 32bit colour mode and try to run the game again.

Q :: The game runs slowly, what can I do to make it run more quickly?
A :: You're aiming for 60 FPS (See the Base_2-Manual.html document, included in the release). To achieve this, try setting the background to off; set the particles to low; set the AA to None and finally, turn the particle trails off.

Q :: How do I get a flawless rating?
A :: Read the Base_2-Manual.html file for scoring technique. Maybe you aren't completing full chains and getting relinks or your relinks aren't in an order that maximize points.

Q :: Why do some highscores have a ranking and others don't?
A :: To get a ranking you must complete all 64 levels AND get more than 100 relinks.

Q :: Should I aim for a flawless rating on each level?
A :: No. It wont affect your rank. But it looks good to have a high scoring % and wont do your score any harm. Aim to play each level so as to complete each chain and get every relink possible. Failing that, aim to clear a level until you become proficient enough to chain each enemy type and link it to the next. Taking baby steps has it's own rewards.

Q :: Why do I suddenly get 1 bomb per life when I die on level 49 or above, on the normal mode?
A :: Game balancing. Consider it a challenge.

Q :: What is retro mode?
A :: Turn lighting off in-game with the 'L' key. It might be easier to play the game with no lighting, no background and no particle trails, as there's less to distract the eye.

Q :: Why haven't I got endless resolutions, gamma correction, volume control and options to control every aspect of the game?
A :: David Lynch sums this up perfectly when speaking about Twin Peaks. He describes how each television set takes away the way he intended Twin Peaks to be seen and heard. There are enough options to get the game running without changing the way it plays, on most machines.

Q :: Why is there no pause button?
A :: This is an arcade game. Having the ability to pause mid-game is not part of the intended gameplay.

Q :: Why do I lose control of the mouse in windowed mode?
A :: This is intentional. If you want the mouse cursor to appear, hit ALT-TAB. Remember, there's no pause button so the action will continue if you switch the window focus away from the game.

Q :: Where can I get the latest release?
A :: From my website http://www.simsimgames.co.uk/

Q :: Why is the game free but you have a PayPal donation link on the website?
A :: Well, if you enjoyed the game and a few dollars doesn't break the bank then it'll help with my bandwidth fees.







