Gone Fishing manual
GONE FISHIN'
DIGITAL FRESH WATER FISHING
OFFICIAL ANGLER'S MANUAL
AMTEX(TM) SOFTWARE CORPORATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Word From Gone Fishin's Producer
Acknowledgments
Table of Contents
Introduction
Introduction
Introducing Your Fishin' Buddy
Installation and Setup
System Requirements
Installation and Setup
Remember
Let's Go Fishin'
Before We Start...
Let's Go Fishin'
New Fishing Trip
Toolbar
On The Shore
Fishing Lodge
Bait Shop
Fishing Map
Casting Screen
Menu Options
Fishing Techniques
Game Fish Species
Game Fish Species
Trouble Shooting
Compuserve Memberships
Free AMTEX Product Support
AMTEX Gone Fishin' Lodge - Online
Trouble Shooting
Last Word
A WORD FROM GONE FISHIN'S PRODUCER
When you set out on your first trip with Gone Fishin', you'll find there's
a lot more to the sport than just sitting in a boat and catching fish.
From the early morning visit to the bait shop, to the swapping of fish
lore later in the day at the lodge, we've set out to capture as much of
the real fishing experience as possible.
The creation of Gone Fishin' has been a very exciting and rewarding project.
The original design for Gone Fishin' was scratched out on a piece of paper in
a dimly lit mini van as we bumped along the Interstate during a 14 hour drive
to Chicago. One year later, as we prepare the final version for mastering,
it seems incredible that our hasty caffeine induced ideas have finally made
it from that crumpled paper into the product you see before you. We hope
our enthusiasm, as well as AMTEX's well-known commitment to product
excellence will allow you to enjoy many happy hours out on the Bay of Quinte
(pronounced kwin-tee).
Whether you're going for a big trophy muskie or poking around in the weeds
looking for a nice 3 or 4 pound bass, Gone Fishin' will continue to challenge
you. The more fishing experience you get, the more you'll learn from your
successes and failures. You'll soon find your fishing trips are so much fun,
it'll be hard to leave that favorite hole you've discovered. Who can resist
dropping a line in the water and getting away from it all, even for five
minutes?
We thank you for purchasing Gone Fishin' and wish you luck on your trips to
the Bay. Of course, like any self-respecting angler, we have our share of
tall tales. If you have a good one about the one that got away, we'd love to
hear from you. Write to tell us about it. Even better, you could drop into
AMTEX's very own bulletin board Fishin' Lodge and swap tales with the best
of them.
Happy Fishing!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Gone Fishin' Design and Production Team
Executive Producer: Peter Zuuring
Creative Direction: Paul Couch, Peter Zuuring
Fishing Consultant: Bill Saiff
Marketing and Promotion: Lisa Moore
Kyle Hagerman
Package and Manual Design: Joe Van Veenen,
Darren Catherwood
R&D, System Design & Programming:
Eric Stremler, Director
Model Programming:
Senior Engineer: Patrick Hodoul
Graphic Arts & Interface Design:
Director: Francois Beaumont
Graphic Arts:
Artist: Suzanne Brind'Amour
Project Management & Support:
Director: Richard Pappas
Sound Tracks & Sound Effects:
Sound Specialist: Daniel Groulx,
Mathematical Modeling (Fish Behavior, Lure & Rod):
Physicist: Martin Bergeron,
AMTEX would like to thank all those anglers who have shared their expertise
with us, and helped to make Gone Fishin' a true fishing experience.
Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so
much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing, he went on
dreamily: messing - about - in - boats; messing ... Whether you get away or
whether you don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you
reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always
busy, and you never do anything in particular.
--Ratty telling of the joys of boating to his friend the Mole in
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
INTRODUCTION
The fishing enthusiasts at AMTEX welcome you to Gone Fishin'!
We're confident you'll get so involved computer fishing you'll think you're
right out in the Bay of Quinte doing the real thing. You'll soon be choosing
the rods and lures, checking weather conditions, and heading out to find
those hot fishing spots just waiting to be discovered.
Before you set out onto the Bay, you might want to trade tall tales with the
old timer at the lodge. Don't forget to get a few tips from your Fishin'
Buddy, Bill Saiff, who can tell you just about everything worth knowing about
fishing.
Remember, you are the one who will be doing the fishing, and you'll have to
take the rap if you don't catch any fish - or the glory if you land a big
one! Be sure to get any trophy-size fish mounted and hung in the lodge for
all to see. As everyone knows, anglers are notorious truth stretchers so
you may need proof.
This manual will help you get quickly through any technical information you
might need. If you follow the on-screen installation advice you'll be fishing
in no time. Like any good fishing trip, you'll pick up most of what you need
to know through experience, and by using a little savvy out on the water.
When you've done a bit of fishing, you might want to come back to this manual
to do a little browsing. Get to know the fish you are trying to catch, and
see if you can pick up a few tips on lures and where the fish might be hiding.
May you never fall out of your boat, get your line tangled, or find that the
only things biting are the mosquitoes. We wish you many thrilling fishing
excursions, all from the comfort of your office or home.
INTRODUCING YOUR FISHIN' BUDDY
Your fishin' buddy, Bill Saiff, can be called upon whenever you need a little
helpful advice. He's a fishing pro, so you can be sure his opinions are
backed by lots of experience. But he's not infallible. Always balance
everything with your own knowledge.
Bill is the president of a Public Broadcasting Television Station in
Watertown, New York. He came to public television from CBS in 1973, and has
done everything from camera work to directing. His first love, though, has
always been fishing. Anglers nationwide know him for his program Rod and Reel.
Come summer, Bill turns to his charter fishing business in Henderson Harbour
on Lake Ontario. When things get too hectic, and it's time to get away from
it all, Bill heads up to his own quiet cabin where he - what else - goes
fishing.
In 1961, Bill was the U.S. Powerboat Racing champion. Sometimes when he takes
people out on the lake, some guests think he's still in the racing business.
This illusion quickly evaporates as the fish start coming over the rail.
If all of this isn't enough, he has written a cookbook called Hookin' and
Cookin' which contains some of the best recipes by Bill and his fishing
guests.
I like to get out early in the morning, before the other guys get there. Boat
pressure is a big issue with walleye. Boat pressure is Bill's term for all
the noise and disruption caused by motors and sonars. It can put walleye off
their dinner.
Overcast weather, on the other hand, perks up the walleye, according to Bill.
Walleye bite both in the morning and evening, largemouth bass are more
evening fish, and smallmouth prefer just the morning. However, the more you
know about a particular species' habits, the more you'll succeed at any time
of day.
Working with your mouse to get the right casting motion is close to the real
thing, says Bill, who has had a lot of experience with both kinds of fishing.
Getting the right pressure and consistent motion are things you have to
practice to get right.
Most of all, says Bill, you have to relax. As soon as you try to force it,
things go wrong. It's not important how far you cast but how accurately.
Whenever you're fishing on the Bay, don't be shy about asking for his expert
advice. He is located on the Toolbar, at the top of your screen.
The pleasant'st angling is to
see the fish Cut with her golden
oars the silent stream
And greedily devour the
treacherous bait.
-William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Sometimes you can get so relaxed in your boat, you almost hope some nasty
muskie doesn't decide to hit the bait and ruin your moment of solitude. While
you're resting, the Gone Fishin' program is extremely busy performing
millions of calculations. Determining fish locations, lure action, weather
effects, and generating the real 3D scenery. For your computer to handle all
of this, it must meet the following minimum system requirements.
Minimum
386DX-33MHz IBM or 100% compatible
4 MB RAM
VESA SuperVGA graphics card with 512 KB of video memory
5 MB hard disk space for minimum installation
30 MB hard disk space for full installation
Up to 8 MB free hard disk space to run
CD-ROM drive (dual speed recommended)
Sound Blaster or 100% compatible sound card
Microsoft or 100% compatible mouse
DOS version 5.0 or above
Recommended (MPC2 Compliant Computer)
486DX-33MHz IBM or 100% compatible (or better)
8 MB RAM (or more)
VESA SuperVGA graphics card or accelerator
5 MB hard disk space for minimum installation
30 MB hard disk space for full installation
Up to 8 MB free hard disk space to run
Dual speed CD-ROM drive
Sound Blaster or 100% compatible sound card
Microsoft or 100% compatible mouse
DOS version 5.0 or above
Microsoft Windows 3.1
To operate properly, Gone Fishin' requires all of your PC computing power.
Please exit Windows to DOS before running Gone Fishin'.
INSTALLATION AND SETUP
Program Installation
1. Insert the Gone Fishin' CD ROM in your CD drive.
2. At the DOS prompt, type X:\INSTALL and press ENTER
where X is the drive letter of your drive.
For example, if your CD ROM is drive E:, then type
E:\INSTALL [Enter]
3. Follow the on-screen instructions.
The Gone Fishin' installation program offers two types
of installation.
Partial Installation: a minimum amount of files will be
transferred to your system's hard disk.
Full Installation: all files will be transferred to your
system's hard disk.
The full installation will consume up to 30 Megabytes of your system's hard
drive. However, it will allow the program to run much faster especially on a
slower 386 or a computer with a single speed CD ROM drive.
Program Setup
Before starting Gone Fishin', you must run the setup program to configure
Gone Fishin' for the hardware you currently have installed in your computer.
If you change your computer's hardware, you may have to run the setup program
again. This can be accomplished by typing SETUP, while in the Gone Fishin'
directory and pressing the ENTER key.
The main setup window shows the current selections for your display, input
device and sound card. You can change any of these by clicking the change
buttons associated with each device.
Note: The setup program must be run before starting Gone Fishin' for the
first time.
Change Display
The Change Display window allows you to identify your system's graphic card
or adapter. This is necessary in order for the program to initialize the
proper VESA video BIOS extension for your video card. VESA stands for the
Video Electronics Standards Association, who are video card manufacturers
that have established a common standard (VESA) to support SuperVGA graphic
applications such as Gone Fishin'. The list contains several popular brand
name cards. The items listed in bold characters are possible selections for
your system. Selecting the wrong graphics card will cause a graphics
initialization error when starting the game. If this happens, run the
setup program again and select another graphics card from the list.
If your SuperVGA card does not appear on the list, or fails to initialize
properly prior to playing Gone Fishin', you must run the VESA driver supplied
by your card manufacturer and then choose the VESA SuperVGA selection from
the list. The manual that came with your graphics card should explain how to
do this. If you still receive a graphics initialization error when starting
the game, you can try running the universal VESA driver supplied with this
game. It's located in the UNIVBE directory on the installation CD. Switch to
this directory, type INSTALL and press ENTER. When the installation procedure
is complete, run the setup program again, select Change Display and choose
the VESA SuperVGA selection from the list.
Change Input
The Change Input window allows you to identify the appropriate pointing
device such as a mouse or trackball. Currently, there is only one selection
available here. The device interface developed by Microsoft Corporation for
its own mice and pointing devices has been accepted as the standard by most
other manufacturers. For this reason, and to make the process as simple as
possible, only pointing devices offering Microsoft compatibility are supported
at this time. In the future, specialized devices such as joysticks and other
controllers may be incorporated.
Change Sound
The Change Sound window allows you to identify your system's sound card. The
sound card is used to play the wide variety of sound effects and music
contained in Gone Fishin'. The list contains several popular brand name sound
cards. If your sound card appears on the list, select it and press OK. If
your sound card does not appear on the list or has failed to initialize
properly you may try selecting one of the Sound Blaster choices. Many sound
card manufacturers have adopted Sound Blaster as a standard for compatibility.
Check the documentation that came with your sound card to see which Sound
Blaster standard you should use.
Once you have selected the appropriate sound card, it may be necessary to
identify its specific settings (interrupt, DMA channel etc...) in order for
the program to use it properly. All that you need to do is select DETECT and
the setup program will do the rest. If your card settings can not be
auto-detected, click on the appropriate box and manually enter the correct
setting.
Once you are satisfied with all your selections, press ACCEPT. The selections
that you made will be stored in a configuration file that will be read each
time Gone Fishin' is started. If at any point during this process you feel
you have made an incorrect choice you can press Cancel and exit the setup
program. Any changes you made will not be saved.
Note: The process of detecting your sound card settings may cause your
computer to hang or cause other components to operate improperly. If this
happens, reboot your computer to restore its original settings.
Sir, but that Angling is an Art, and an art worth your learning: the Question
is rather, whether you be capable of learning it? for Angling is somewhat
like Poetry, men are to be born so: I mean, with inclinations to it ... he
that hopes to be a good Angler must not only bring an inquiring, searching,
observing wit; but he must bring a large measure of hope and patience, and
a love and propensity to the Art itself; but having once got and practic'd it,
then doubt not but Angling will prove to be so pleasant, that it will prove
to be like Virtue, a reward to itself.
-The Compleat Angler,1653
BEFORE WE START...
Let's quickly review how actions are performed in the game. We use many
technical sounding terms just to keep the bulk of this manual easier to read
and less repetitive. For instance, when we say Click the OK Button, we really
mean move the mouse pointer over the button labeled OK, then press and
release the left mouse button. There are some other items that are repeated
throughout this manual as well. These are listed below.
Drop Down List Box
A drop down list box is simply a tool used to select an item from a list.
Typically, the list is hidden from view. To select an item, just click on the
small arrow to the right of the drop down list box to expand the list. Then
select an item from the list by clicking on it.
After making a selection or changing something in a Gone Fishin' window, you
can click the OK button to confirm your choice.
In virtually all Gone Fishin' windows, there is a Cancel button. To cancel
the current action, select the Cancel button.
Having problems? Press Help to receive context sensitive help at any time.
You can also press the F1 function key to get help.
LET'S GO FISHIN'!
To begin, switch to the directory on your hard disk where Gone
Fishin' was installed, then type GF and press ENTER.
New Fishing Trip
Set the weather, location and date of your new fishing adventure and head out
for the shores of the Bay of Quinte.
Resume Fishing Trip
Selecting this option allows you to pick from a list of previously saved
games. Perfect for continuing the hastily interrupted trip from yesterday,
or last month.
Enter Fishing Derby
Ready to compete? Amtex will release the starting code for fishing derbies
that test your mettle against anglers across the world.
Stay tuned for details!
Exit This ends the game and returns to DOS.
New Fishing Trip
Gone Fishin' can be better than real life! Every part of your fishing day can
be set to your satisfaction. Time of day, date, and even weather conditions
can be changed to match your idea of a perfect day.
Trips to distant fishing holes, seemingly unreachable during the normal grind
of life, are a mouse click away, as soon as your monitor warms up and the
hard drive starts spinning. Initially, Gone Fishin', has the renowned Bay of
Quinte for a destination. There's miles of water to explore and numerous hot
spots to discover. Check out the map that comes with your game.
The date, time of day and weather can be set precisely using the Edit options,
but the impetuous angler can press the Random Settings button and take
their chances. When everything is set just the way you want it, click OK to
begin your trip.
Edit Angler
Initially, Gone Fishin' has a default angler set up for you. If you're
feeling lucky, or need a challenge, settings can be modified to suit your
mood. New anglers can be added with their own individual preferences. Click
the Edit Angler button to add players or change the settings.
Luck and skill are what makes one fishing expedition a success and another a
disappointment. For each angler, settings for Skill and Luck can be set and
saved. For example, if you decide to be Very Lucky, you will catch more fish.
Choosing a more difficult level, will affect how easy it is to fish. As a
beginner, you'll get fewer snags and fish will tend not to throw the hook as
often. For young players, Very Lucky and Beginner are a good place to start.
But remember, no matter how carefully planned or prepared you are, fish have
a mind of their own. How often the best laid plans of man and computer go
astray!
Click on the Angler Name box, and enter your own name. Any trophies you earn
or any prize-winning fish you mount in the Lodge, will now have your mark.
Put the rumors to rest. Take your doubting buddies into the Lodge and show
off your awards.
Edit Date
So, what time of year do you like to fish? Perhaps your birthday, maybe
during the spring. Haven't you ever sat in your favorite chair, with the
winter winds howling around the windows, yearning to visit some cherished
secret fishing spot.
Gone Fishin' has a calendar covering every day of the summer fishing season.
To select a day, click on the calendar with the mouse. The current selection
is highlighted by a yellow box. Use the Next Month and Previous Month buttons
to scroll through time in search of the perfect day.
The day you settle on greatly affects fish behavior. During spawning season,
some species stop eating, although a largemouth bass may go after a lure to
protect its nest. In mid-season when alewife move into the Bay, walleye feed
almost exclusively on these abundant fish and ignore most artificial baits.
Choosing different times of the year will make the game more challenging and
hone your skills.
Edit Time
Choose the time of day that you want to fish. Click on the Hours : Minutes
box and enter the time in the format HH:MM AM. For instance, 6:30 in the
morning would be 6:30 AM. Four o'clock in the afternoon would be entered as
4:00 PM. The sunrise and sunset times are displayed for your information. If
you want to select the earliest or latest time that you can start out on a
new trip, then just press the Earliest Start or Latest Start radio button and
have Gone Fishin' select it for you.
Edit Weather
Do you enjoy hunkering down under your wetgear in the pouring rain while
dreaming about the potential trophy just one cast away? How about feeling a
fresh breeze on a warm sunny day, while testing the shallows of a special hot
spot. All this and more is available in Gone Fishin'. Sun, temperature and
wind can all be set using these windows. The current selection is highlighted
with a white box. Using the mouse, click on the different pictures to set
weather conditions for the day.
Each condition greatly affects fish behavior. For example, on windy days, the
surface of the water is stirred up, decreasing the amount of light entering
the water. This entices walleye to come out of the depths and feed in the
shallows.
Toolbar
The Toolbar is located along the top of all Gone Fishin' screens. The buttons
in the tool bar are selected by simply clicking on them. A window will appear
over the current screen and you can make selections or read information. All
the windows have a button labeled OK to return to play or a HELP button where
a description of the window can be found. Some of the windows have a CANCEL
button where you can return to play without making any changes. For example,
if you open the Tackle Box to switch lures and then decide against it, you
can click on CANCEL and return to play without any change taking place.
Tackle Box
This opens your tackle box. You can select a lure from the drop down list box.
This will list all the lures that you select from the bait shop. Remember,
you can snag your lure and lose it, or a fish can get away from you, lure and
all.
The Tackle Box window also allows you to select from among three different
rods and reels and the weight of line to use.
Catches
This window lists all the fish you have caught on the current fishing trip.
Only the fish you kept are listed here. The ones you released can still be
seen in the Trip Statistics window. You can list the fish by time, species
or size by selecting your preference in the drop-down list box. When a fish
on the list is highlighted, its statistics will be displayed. You may release
a fish by highlighting its name and clicking Release.
Fishin' Buddy
Your Fishin' Buddy is Bill Saiff from Public Television's Rod & Reel. He'll
be with you to give you some general information about each of the fish
species that are available in the Bay of Quinte. To find specific information,
just select the fish species of interest from the drop down list box, and
select the topic you want by clicking on the radio button associated with it.
Environment
The Environmental Information window gives you information on the current
weather conditions as well as other information such as wind direction and
water temperature.
Trip Statistics
Trip statistics give you information that let you know how well your fishing
trip is going. This way, you can track your success (or failure). Use them to
gauge how well things are going. For example, you can keep track of how well
a particular lure you are using is working.
Fishin' Notebook
You can record information in your journal to help you on your next fishing
trip. If you are having a lot of success with a particular lure, at a
particular date during certain weather conditions, you can record this
information in your notebook. You can enter any information you want into the
notebook simply by typing it into the space available. To save and retrieve a
notebook, just click on the notebook icon located beside the text area. This
will pop up another window that allows you to save or retrieve your
personal notes.
Camera
Click the Camera button to take a picture of the current screen. (What it
really does of course is save the current screen image as a file in PCX
format.) This snapshot can then be imported into most paint programs or
printed on your printer. When you click on the camera icon, you are
asked to input a unique file name consisting of the typical DOS restriction
of eight characters. All the snapshots will be saved in a sub-directory of
your Gone Fishin' directory called SNAPSHOT.
Bug Spray
Every time you click on the bug spray icon, you spray a little (extremely
environmentally friendly) bug juice. If you constantly hear the mosquitoes
buzzing around you, click this button and they will go away (for a while).
This button is only available if you remembered to select the bug spray when
you were in the bait shop - a couple of fishing experiences by a bug-infested
swamp will teach you to remember it!
Help!
Click the help button to receive help on the current display. Remember that
most windows have a help button which will provide help as well.
You've now arrived at the shores of the legendary Bay of Quinte. Join the
many other digital anglers who have stalked these waters and returned with
live wells filled to the limit and stories of the one that got away.
The mouse cursor changes from the pointer to a hand to indicate all possible
selections. To enter the Fishing Lodge or Baitshop, click on a door.
Clicking on the Dock will open up the map for the Bay of Quinte. Using the
mouse, you can explore the Bay and set your destination.
If it's time to head back to the city, click on the Town sign to end the game.
While leaving, you will have a chance to save your trip. This allows you to
resume the same trip the next time Gone Fishin' is started.
Fishing Lodge
Take a moment to visit the Fishing Lodge. Click on either door to enter. Meet
with the old timer. He has plenty of time to talk and lots to say. He'll have
some good advice to share mixed with a healthy dose of questionable lore.
Check out the basket by the door. Read carefully, many clues lie buried in
these old clippings left by previous visitors.
Any screen location where the mouse cursor changes from a pointer to a hand,
indicates something to explore.
Mounted above the crackling fire, are the finest specimens caught in each
species. Is your prize catch there? The answer is a mouse click away.
Trophies on the mantel have the names of previous anglers who've won prestige
for their fishing prowess. The Gold trophy is the Amtex Award which is given
to the angler with the most points. Points are gathered by catching one of
the top five fish for each species.
They are awarded as follows:
Largest Fish: 100 points
2nd largest: 70 points
3rd largest: 50 points
4th largest: 30 points
5th largest: 10 points
The Silver trophy is the Bill Saiff Award, given to the individual who catches
the most fish in a single fishing trip.
Finally, the Old Boot is a trophy that you might not want your name on. It's
awarded to the angler who catches the most boots or snags during a single
fishing trip.
You can enter the lodge as often as you like, but remember, the clock is
always ticking. If you want to get out on the water while the sun is still
rising with the mist on the water, don't hang around too long!
Bait Shop
You don't want to go fishing without any lures! The Baitshop is the next
place to visit before opening up your map and charting a course. Click on the
display case to explore the wide variety of baits and lures.
It's time to load up your tackle box. We took the liberty of stocking a
Default one for you. Add to it if you like, but feel free to start over with
your very own. Clicking on New, opens an empty box and displays the available
lures and bait. Highlight an existing name, with the mouse, and choose
Open to retrieve a previously stored box.
Begin loading tackle by clicking on the arrow to the right of the Lure Type
box. This displays the various lure categories. Selecting a category name
will reveal the associated lures in the Bait Shop Lures scroll box. Use the
scroll bar arrows to view the list of lures available. Click on a lure
name to display its information.
To add a lure or live bait to your tackle box, click on the lure name and
press the Add button. To remove a lure, click on the lure name in the Tackle
Box Contents window and click on the Remove button. You can load up to four
lures of the same type and up to a maximum total of 20 lures. You're also
allowed 20 live baits. Up to 12 night crawlers and 12 minnows can be loaded.
Clicking on the tackle box icon, located in the bottom right corner of the
window, allows you to save the current tackle box for the next time you start
a fishing trip. Click on the Tackle Box Name box to change the name. It's a
good idea to save a specific box suitable for each type of fish, just like
the pros.
If you are happy with the lures you have chosen, you're ready to start fishing,
but don't forget the bug spray. Click on the cans stacked on the counter.
Note the Bug Spray icon added to the Toolbar.
Leave the bait shop by clicking on the door.
Fishing Map
The map view details the shoreline of the Bay and indicates the location of
your boat. To change the boat location, click with your mouse at the desired
site. A cross hair will indicate the planned position, and the Legend will
update with the selected location and estimated time of arrival (E.T.A.). To
motor your way to the new site, click on the Motor icon in the lower right of
the screen. All boat movement must be navigated without running into islands
or the mainland. If you are heading to an area that can't be navigated in a s
straight line, make several shorter trips around the island or peninsula
blocking your way.
Use the Magnifying Glass icons to adjust the zoom factor of the map. To
locate your boat at a precise location, zoom in for a closer look.
In the upper left corner is the reference map, which indicates your current
location on the Bay.
Below the reference map, is the map legend. Items can be toggled on and off by
clicking on the labels. For instance, clicking on the Buoy label, will
alternately show or hide the buoy locations on the map. Take note of the
Navigable Limit. This thin white line along the shoreline, indicates
how close your boat can come to land.
The legend also indicates where you are, by naming the closest landmark; such
as an Island, Point or Bay.
Use the map screen, to explore the Bay of Quinte. Different fish species have
their favorite habitats and you may have to try several spots to find them.
Fish locations will change throughout the season, and throughout the day.
Keep track of the areas where you have the most success.
When you start your trip, you are located in the small bay near Ox Point,
where the Fishing Lodge is located. Click on a point further out into the
main Bay. The estimated time of arrival (ETA) is indicated just below the
legend. Keep an eye on the time. If you spend too much time traveling around,
you may miss some of the best fishing.
Casting Screen
Now you're ready for fishing. You've visited the Lodge, loaded up with tackle
in the Baitshop, scanned the map and decided on a destination.
Click the Reel on the Toolbar for the view from the boat. That's you in that
Pro Fishing boat. And we've equipped you with all the latest electronic gear
required for the complete fishing experience.
Boat Control
This control panel is used to perform minor boat movements. On the perimeter
of the boat controls are the forward, backward, clockwise and counter-
clockwise buttons. Remember, you can only move within the navigable limits.
To rotate the angler, click on the buttons on the inside of the control.
The angler can not be rotated to an angle that requires casting over the
stern of the boat.
Sonar
The side-scanning sonar, with the triangular display, represents fish
activity in the casting zone. Fish will appear as small blips on the sonar
screen.
Depth Finder
Pay close attention to your depth finder. Water depth is very important to
fish location.
Line Controls
While casting and reeling, or especially when playing a fish, keep an eye on
these indicators. The green area on the lure speed indicator represents the
best speed for the lure you've chosen. For example, a crankbait will move
listlessly through the water if you reel in too slowly, and will wiggle
unrealistically fast if reeled in too quickly. The lure speed is measured in
feet per second.
Line tension must be watched very closely while retrieving a good sized fish.
If the tension increases to the yellow area, you are dangerously close to
snapping your line and should let the fish run to reduce tension. If the line
tension reaches the red area, your line will snap. The line tension is
measured in pounds.
The line out indicator gives you an idea how far you are casting and how far
away the fish is if you have one on the line. Casting great distances is not
always in the angler's best interest. You will have less line to play with if
you catch a big one and the elastic properties of the line make it more
difficult to set the hook. Line out is measured in feet.
Lure Depth Indicator
The lure depth indicator is one of your more powerful weapons. Many fish such
as walleye are hesitant to come to the surface, especially on sunny days.
Take note how deep your lure is when you catch most fish and try to keep your
lures at that depth. Remember though, that some fish like bass will hit a
surface lure even on the sunniest of days. Each lure behaves differently.
A surface lure, for instance, will always stay on the surface. A crankbait
will dive down as it is reeled in, and float to the surface when you stop
reeling.
Casting Control
To cast your lure, click on the cast control and while continuing to hold
down the left button, pull the mouse toward you until the rod is back over
your shoulder (that's you you're looking at on the screen), and then while
pushing gently forward with the mouse, release the button. The lure should
fly through the air and splash as it hits the water. This skill is very
similar to real casting and may take a few tries to master. It will soon
become very natural.
Once the lure hits the water, it will be time to reel in. Your casting control
becomes your reel control. This is indicated by the word Reel which is now
shown on your control. Click and hold the left mouse button down while
positioned on the reel control. Then, while holding down the left button,
press and hold down the right button as well. At this point you will hear
the line start to reel in.
Check your lure speed, depth and line out indicators to see how they are
doing. You can increase the reeling speed by pressing the SHIFT key, and
decrease your reeling speed by pressing the CTRL key. You can also set
reeling speed by using the numeric keypad. (Single numbers only)
Pressing 1 will set your reeling speed to 1 ft./sec.
Pressing 2 will set your reeling speed to 2 ft./sec., etc...
The PLUS and MINUS keys alter the drag setting, as do the buttons on the reel
control.
Pulling the mouse back towards you will pull on the rod. Release the right
mouse button to stop reeling momentarily. When the line is completely reeled
in - cast again!
If you want to get really fancy (and you'll have to if you want to hit all the
targets in the practice mode) you can cast slightly to the left or right by
sliding the mouse slightly to the left or right as you perform the cast.
MENU OPTIONS
Most of the actions performed in Gone Fishin' are accomplished by selecting
options with the mouse during normal game play. All of these functions and
more are available from the menu bar located at the top of the screen. For
example, you can enter the Fishin' Lodge by selecting Fishin' Lodge from the
menu item titled Action, but it is easier to just click on the door of the
lodge.
A menu will become active by clicking on the menu name, or by holding the ALT
key while pressing the underscored letter of the menu title. A menu choice is
made by clicking on the menu item or use the arrow keys to highlight an item
and press ENTER.
Each game option, that is not performed during the normal game play by
on-screen options or tool bar selection, is explained as follows.
Trip Menu
Save
This allows you to save the current fishing trip to resume it at a later time.
All aspects of the current trip such as weather, time, catches and setup will
be saved and when the trip is resumed, you can pick up right where you left
off. You must enter a unique name for the fishing trip or select a previously
saved name from the list.
Delete
To delete previously saved fishing trips, select the name of the fishing trip
from the list and select DELETE.
Action Menu
Action menu items will differ depending on the current state of the game.
For instance, the action items if you are visiting the Lodge are different
while fishing on the Bay.
Practice
The practice screen allows you to hone your casting skills. After selecting
PRACTICE from the menu, the water will show a grid with a target circle. Try
landing your lure within the casting target for a cheer from the usually
silent crowd. Have contests with your friends! Target position can be set by
holding the left mouse button down on the Casting Circle and pressing
keyboard keys 0 through 9.
The progress monitors track and report your score. How many casts to hit
target #3? How close was the last cast to the target? Our experienced casters
have proven that each one can be hit.
To end the practice session, select ACTION from the menu and click on
END PRACTICE. Remember that while in this mode you will not be able to return
to the dock until you have ended practice mode.
Cut Line
If you find yourself hopelessly snagged on the bottom or stuck in the weeds,
you can use this option to cut your line. This of course will result in the
loss of your lure. Cutting the line may also be your only option if you hook
onto a very large fish. Your equipment may not be capable of landing such a
large catch.
Options Menu
System Information
Display technical information about your computer and its memory. This
information could be very useful to our technical support staff in the event
of any problems.
Fishing Options
These options allow you to configure Gone Fishin' to suit the capabilities of
your computer. If you have a relatively slow computer or if you just want to
speed up the game, you can turn various options off to increase the speed.
Click Sonar Off to disable or enable the sonar. A small x beside the text
indicates that the sonar is disabled.
The landscape can be set to detailed or draft. The draft mode is useful on
slower computers and will cause the 3D world to be displayed without texture.
The mouse speed can be set slower or faster. This setting is a matter of
preference. Setting the mouse speed affects only the casting. If you prefer
the angler to move further with less relative motion of the mouse, set the
mouse speed to a faster setting.
Sound Options
With Sound On selected, individual sound categories can be disabled. The
small x beside the item indicates the sound is enabled. All game sounds will
be disabled by selecting Sound Off.
Pause
This option pauses the game temporarily so you can take a break during your
trip. While paused, the time of day within Gone Fishin' will not advance.
So far, you've learned how to do everything except catch a fish! Every angler
will give you different advice on how to set the hook, play a fish, and land
it. There are so many different ways to do it - each with their own
advantages and disadvantages. We can't explain everything here, but we will
get you started. As you experiment with different techniques and methods, you
will learn from experience which works best for you.
Locating the fish is the secret to being a successful angler. The Bay of
Quinte is vast, and finding where the fish are biting is no easy task. Some
of the more popular fishing hot spots are shown on the map that comes with
Gone Fishin'. Use this as a reference to locate the spots that produce great
fishing. However, not all the good spots are shown on the map. Experiment a
bit with areas that seem likely to provide a good habitat for fish. If you
find a good spot, remember to record the location's latitude and longitude in
your notebook so you can find it again.
Once you have found the fish, you have to convince them to bite your lure.
You've got many different lures to choose from. Some lures attract different
types of fish than others. Lures can, generally, be broken down into 4 main
categories: surface, subsurface, jigs and live bait. Surface lures won't sink
and are quite effective for pike and bass. Subsurface lures travel downwards
while you retrieve them and are sometimes the only way to get suspended
walleye to bite. Jigs sink on their own and can be used to entice fish lurking
on the bottom. Live bait can be good for most fish as well, but you'll have
to put up with catching numerous sunfish and perch.
The best technique for catching fish in Gone Fishin' is to keep the lure
speed within the green zone of the lure speed gauge. This area indicates the
lure speed with the most attractive wiggle. This guarantees (actually there
is no guarantee when it comes to fishing!) attracting even the most stubborn
fish.
You will also have to keep a close watch on the lure depth. Certain fish such
as walleye will choose a particular depth based on light levels, temperature
levels and oxygen levels that best suit them. If you seem to have good
success at a particular depth, record the weather, time of day etc. in your
notebook and use the same technique on following trips.
If all goes well, a fish will hit the lure. Fish will hit the lure varying
ways. A bass for example will break the surface of the water and make a
splash. Other's may just inhale the lure and gently tug. Your main job here
is to react as soon as possible when a fish strikes by pulling back on the
rod to set the hook. If you wait too long, the fish will probably realize
he's grabbed a lure and spit it out. If he does, you will notice that the
line tension gauge returns to zero. Setting the hook is very important and
is an essential skill to master.
Once the hook is set, all fish will behave in different ways. Pike will
generally run side to side, walleye will head straight to the bottom and bass
will jump from the water in an attempt to spit out the hook. Of course, each
fish has a mind of its own and may do something completely unpredictable.
You'll soon learn from experience to determine what fish you've caught simply
by its behavior.
There are a few things to look for to help you determine where the fish are
and what they're up to. On the water's surface, you will see the spot where
your fishing line enters the water. This point will move around as the fish
swims back and forth or changes depth. Sometimes, when this point in the
water seems to be traveling away, it is only as a result of the fish coming
towards thesurface. Watch the Line Out meter to determine how much line is
remaining. If the amount of line out continues to increase even though you're
reeling in, then you've got your drag set too low. However, if the drag is
set too high, a large fish may increase the line tension to the point where
your line will break. A good technique is to let the fish run with your line
for a while, and then reel it in a bit. Repeat this process until the fish
tires, at which point you can pull it up to the side of the boat. Once at the
side of the boat, you will automatically pull the fish from the water where
you can check its size.
Now that you've caught your fish, you can choose to release it, or keep it.
If you need to check your live well to see if your fish is a keeper, just
click the fish icon located in the catch window to review the fish you have
already caught.
Hot Tip from Bill:
Most of the fish is found between the head and the tail.
GAME FISH SPECIES
Northern Pike
The Anglo Saxons named this fish after their deadliest spear and indeed this
is a fierce looking fish.
In unfished areas where pike are plentiful, they'll bite at almost anything.
Pike were likely a lifesaving meal for many early North American explorers.
The northern pike is a fierce fighter, but it can also be lazy. In a world
where the preservation of energy could be a life saver, pike will quite
happily gobble up a freshly dead sucker, rather than work at subduing a
livelier meal. Once on your line, you'll definitely have a challenge landing
a decent sized pike.
Pike spend their summers in the shallows and go for deep water during the
fall, so remember to change your fishing habits as the weather changes.
Size: 18 to 30 inches.
World record catch: 46 lbs. 2 oz.
In Canada, the record catch for this species is 42.13 lbs., made way back in
1946. Don't be too disappointed if you can't quite match that.
Food: fish, frogs.
Walleye
Walleye are a branch of the perch family. You can recognize them by the
distinct black blotch on the rear end of the first dorsal fin. Walleye have
strong canine teeth and spiky dorsal fin rays, so watch out!
Some experts, including your fishing buddy Bill Saiff, say walleye are light
sensitive. Others say it ain't necessarily so. Experiment a bit and, depending
on conditions, you might get some good daytime fishing in.
Still, like most fish, walleye like to feed at dawn and dusk when certain
prey are around. Perch, for example, can't adjust their vision to the
changing light at these times nearly as well as their larger cousins, so when
the two meet, walleye definitely have the advantage. If you run into a school
of perch, try a little crankbaiting with the appropriate lure and you might
come up with a prize walleye!
Walleye like to stay deep during the day, and nearer the surface in the
evening, on dark days and in windy weather.
Size: 13 to 25 inches.
World Record Catch: 22.25 lbs.
in Canada, again some years ago, in 1943.
Food: fish, crayfish.
Largemouth Bass
Bass are considered to be intelligent fish, so you better sharpen your wits,
get your depth finder going and do a little research if you want to go for
largemouth. Years ago, it was thought that bass were shallow water feeders
only. Today, we know they simply move to deeper reaches in the heat of the
day. If you want a challenge, check out your chart and try your luck along
sharp drop off points. Experiment with different depths at different times of
day and see what works best. Note everything: overcast or clear skies,
temperature, time of year and so on.
In cooler weather, bass slow down. Slow your fishing methods as well.
Size 8 to 18 inches.
World Record catch: 22.25 lbs.
In Canada, the record is 10.48 lbs, caught in 1976.
Food: fish, crayfish, frogs and insects.
Smallmouth Bass
For their size, bass are good fighters. To escape, they alternate between
making deep runs and making spectacular leaps.
The bass family have had a varied career in North America. Today, they are
the sport fish of choice for many anglers as evidenced by the many bass
competitions across the continent. It wasn't always so. Early anglers more
interested in trout looked down on the bass, considering them an invasion on
their hitherto exclusively trout filled lakes and streams. Compared with the
more sophisticated trout, they must have been surprised at the aggressive
way the bass attacked their bait flies.
By the way, if you are confused by the many different terms for bass, you are
not alone. Today, both largemouth and smallmouth bass are part of the black
bass family. Originally, smallmouth were known as black bass, and largemouth
were known (among other things) as Oswego bass. Today, many anglers call
smallmouth smallies or brown bass.
As Juliet might say, a bass by any other name would taste as good.
Size: 8 to 15 inches.
World Record catch: 11 lbs. 14 oz.
In Canada, the record is 9.84 lbs., caught in 1954.
Food: fish.
Muskie
You might confuse your first muskie (or, to be more
proper, muskellunge) with a northern pike. Muskie have 6 to 9 pores on the
underside of their lower jaw, while pike have 10 to 11.
You must have patience if you want to stalk the muskie. They put up a
thrilling battle if you manage to get one on the line. Be warned, though:
many experienced anglers have spent their lives tracking down muskie. It is
not for nothing that some have dubbed the muskie the fish of a thousand casts.
Still, if you're up for the challenge, you may get the thrill of a lifetime.
With your prize muskie in the boat comes the dilemma: do you throw it back in
hopes of another battle of wits, or do you take it back to be proudly
displayed on the wall of the lodge? It's your call.
Size: up to 60 inches, although the average is 23 to 40 inches.
World Record catch: 69 lbs. 15 oz.
In Canada, the record catch was 65 lbs., made in 1988.
Food: fish, frogs.
Sunfish
Resign yourself to catching a few of these little fighters, especially if you
are fishing in or near weeds. Sunfish are generally a nuisance for anglers,
but they rival trout in beauty. There are twenty five known types in North
America, and in some parts they are sought after as a popular panfish
delighting children worldwide The world record for size and weight in this
species was caught in Alabama and weighed 4 pounds, 12 ounces, but was only
14 inches long. You won't find anything near that size in the Bay, although
you might be surprised by the tenacity of these little guys.
Perch
The yellow perch has long been a mainstay of Lake Ontario fishermen. It is an
active feeder all year and is readily available to fishermen, both commercial
and recreational. It's flesh is white, flaky, delicious and extremely popular.
Perch are also used as bait fish for pike and other predator fish. Perch are
not known for their fighting ability and tend to nibble very lightly. It
takes a skilled angler to realize he's got a perch on the line.
Catfish
Catfish have long been caught for food because of their abundance. However,
they are usually caught by anglers who are trying to catch some other species.
A growing number of anglers now search them out perhaps because of their
potential size.
I 've never been a fish.
Bill Saiff, 1994.
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FREE AMTEX PRODUCT SUPPORT
Before calling, please -
1. Review the installation, setup and operation instructions.
2. Check the section in this manual that covers trouble
shooting to see if your problem is described. You may
save yourself a phone call.
3. Be ready with the name of your computer as well as
the model, configuration and operating system information.
4. If you can reproduce the steps that create the problem, please
note these down as well.
5. When you call, you should be at your computer with
Gone Fishin' loaded, if possible.
Thank you.
AMTEX Product support is available
Monday to Friday (except holidays),
9:00 am to 5:00 pm EST.
Phone: (613) 967-7900
Fax: (613) 967-7902
VISIT THE AMTEX GONE FISHIN' LODGE - ONLINE
If you've got a modem, one of the quickest (and funnest) ways to reach
Amtex Technical Support is through the Online Fishin' Lodge. Drop in through
any of our three cyberspace doorways.
* Technical Help
* New Product Information
* Fishin' Tips
* Fishin' Lore
* Special Offers
* Upcoming Derbies and Shows
* Fishin' talk with other anglers
The Amtex BBS
1. Set your modem to 8N1
2. Dial 1-613-967-9789
3. Follow the on-screen guide
CompuServe
1. Sign on to CompuServe (see enticing
introductory offer on following page.)
2. Type GO AMTEX from any CompuServe prompt.
Internet
Got e-mail access to the net?
That's all you need.
1.Drop us a note c/o sysop@amtex.com
or:
2.Request the file lodge@amtex.com for the lowdown on what's up.
TROUBLE SHOOTING
If you are experiencing any problems with Gone Fishin', please read the
following trouble shooting section before calling our technical support team
(see Free Amtex Product Support). We have tried to anticipate most of your
technical problems and have described some procedures you may attempt in
order to correct them. Typically, there are three main areas where you may
experience some difficulty: Memory, Video and Sound.
Memory Problems
Gone Fishin' uses 8 MB of memory in operation. This is achieved by using
available main and extended memory, and (if necessary) the creation of a
temporary swap file (known as virtual memory) on your hard disk. How you
organize your memory depends on how much memory is installed in your computer.
If you are not sure, then run the MEM.EXE program found in your DOS directory.
The output from this program will look something like the example shown below.
This shows that the system has a total of 8,192K (about 8 Meg) of memory, and
7,721K of free or available memory. However, it also shows us that there is
4,384K of expanded memory (EMS). This will cause a problem since Gone Fishin'
uses only extended memory.
Memory Type Total Used Free
Conventional 640K 71K 569K
Upper 91K 81K 10K
Extended (XMS) 7,269K 221K 7,048K
Total memory 8,192K 471K 7,721K
Total Expanded (EMS) 4,384K
Free Expanded (EMS) 4,000K
Largest executable program size 569K (582,640 bytes)
Insufficient Memory Problems for 4 MB RAM systems
The minimum memory requirement for Gone Fishin' is 4 MB. Specifically, the
minimum memory requirements are 400 KB of main memory and 3 MB of extended
memory (use mem.exe to determine your memory usage). When attempting to
correct an insufficient memory problem, the goal is to free as much extended
memory as possible. Before attempting any modifications, we recommend that
you make copies of both your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files. Essentially,
you need to remove all nonessential terminate and stay resident (TSR) drivers from
memory. Do not LOAD HIGH drivers such the video, mouse, audio or the CD-ROM
drivers.
Most modifications require you to comment out commands from the AUTOEXEC.BAT
and CONFIG.SYS files which makes them easy to restore later on. To do so, use
the rem option as shown in the examples below.
In your AUTOEXEC.BAT
rem SMARTDRV.EXE
In your CONFIG.SYS
rem DEVICE=DOS,UMB
rem DEVICE=EMM386.EXE
rem STACK x,xxx
FILES=20
BUFFERS=20
You can check your DOS manual for information on this process. Don't forget
that you'll have to reset your computer before any changes will take effect.
Remember, the goal is to free as much extended memory as possible. Most of
the modifications described above are designed to increase the amount of
available extended memory to the program. Gone Fishin' will create a
temporary swap file on your hard disk to compensate for the missing memory.
Make sure that at least 8 MB of hard disk space is available for the creation
of this file.
Insufficient Memory Problems for 8 MB RAM systems
As described above, Gone Fishin' uses 8 MB of memory in operation. Your
system may have 8 MB of memory, but the amount of available memory may vary
from setup to setup. Specifically, the memory requirements are 400 KB of main
memory and approximately 7 MB of extended memory (use MEM.EXE to determine
your memory usage). You can attempt to free memory by removing memory
resident programs. Before attempting any modifications we recommend that you
make copies of both your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files. Essentially, you
need to remove all nonessential terminate and stay resident (TSR) drivers
from memory. Do not LOAD HIGH drivers such the video, mouse, audio or the
CD-ROM drivers. Most modifications require you to comment out commands from
the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files which makes them easy to restore later
on. To do so, use the rem option as shown in the examples below.
In your AUTOEXEC.BAT
rem SMARTDRV.EXE
In your CONFIG.SYS
use option DEVICE=EMM386.EXE NOEMS
You can check your DOS manual for information on this process. Don't forget
that you'll have to reset your computer before any changes will take effect.
Remember, the goal is to free as much extended memory as possible. Most of
the modifications described above are designed to increase the amount of
available extended memory to the program. Gone Fishin' will create a
temporary swap file on your hard disk to compensate for this missing memory.
Make sure that at least 8 MB of hard disk space is available for the creation
of this file.
Insufficient Memory Problems for systems
with more than 8 MB RAM
As described above, Gone Fishin' uses 8 MB of memory in operation. Since your
system has more than 8 MB of memory, the program should be able to find
enough available memory and will not attempt to create a temporary swap file
on your hard disk. Specifically, the memory requirements are 400 KB of main
memory and 8 MB of extended memory (use MEM.EXE to determine your memory
usage). If necessary, you can attempt to free memory by removing memory
resident programs. Before attempting any modifications we recommend that you
make copies of both your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files.
Most modifications require you to comment out commands which makes them easy
to restore later on. To do so, use the rem option as shown.
In your AUTOEXEC.BAT
rem SMARTDRV.EXE
In your CONFIG.SYS
use option DEVICE=EMM386.EXE NOEMS
You can check your DOS manual for information on this process. Don't forget
that you'll have to reset your computer before any changes will take effect.
Remember, the goal is to free as much extended memory as possible. Most of
the modifications described above are designed to increase the amount of
available extended memory for the program.
Is It A Memory Problem?
If you are not sure that you are experiencing insufficient memory problems,
try selecting NO SOUND DEVICE from the list of available sound options in the
setup program. This will disable all the audio elements of Gone Fishin'.
Sound is used extensively in the program and consumes a significant amount of
memory. If the game plays fine without sound but continues to experience
problems when sound is enabled, you are most likely experiencing insufficient
memory problems.
Video Problems
Gone Fishin' uses high-resolution (640x480) 256-color graphics. Your video
card must be SuperVGA with at least 512K of video memory. In order to display
these graphics, the program may require that your card's VESA driver be loaded
prior to playing the game. VESA stands for the Video Electronics Standards
Association who are a group of card manufacturers that have established a
common standard (VESA) to support SuperVGA graphic applications like this
game.
If your SuperVGA graphics card did not appear in the setup program's list, or fails to initialize
properly, prior to playing the game, you must run the VESA driver supplied by your card
manufacturer and choose the VESA SuperVGA selection from the setup program's list.
If this fails to resolve the problem, then run the universal VESA driver
UNIVBE.EXE supplied with the game as your card's VESA driver and choose the
VESA SuperVGA selection from the setup program's list.
As always, we have tried to make the process as simple as possible and with
as many options as we can. If all the preceding attempts fail, you must
obtain the most recent VESA support software from your graphics card
manufacturer.
Sound Problems
The setup program's list contained several popular brand name sound cards.
Selecting the wrong sound card may cause an error when starting the game. If
this happens, attempt another selection from the list.
If your sound card did not appear in the list or fails to initialize properly,
try reconfiguring your sound card (you may need to load a specific driver for
SB compatibility) as a sound blaster compatible and select the Sound Blaster
driver from the setup program's list. Many card manufacturers have adopted
Sound Blaster as a standard for compatibility.
As always, we have tried to make the process as simple as possible and to
supply as many options as we can. If all the preceding attempts fail, or your
system does not have a sound card (we strongly recommend one) the game will
run without sound if the NO SOUND DEVICE option is selected from the setup
program's list.
If you are experiencing crackling sounds while music or sound effects are
playing, verify your sound card parameters and installation. If the
crackling persists it may be caused by your video card's VESA driver. Prior to
playing the game, run the universal VESA driver UNIVBE.EXE supplied with the
game instead of your card's VESA driver and choose the VESA SuperVGA
selection from the setup program's list.
Miscellaneous Problems
Mouse
Gone Fishin' operates best with a 100% compatible Microsoft mouse driver. The
device interface developed by the Microsoft Corporation for its own mice and
pointing devices has been accepted as the standard by most other
manufacturers. For this reason, and to make the process as simple as possible,
only devices offering Microsoft compatibility are supported at this time. In
the future, subsequent versions may support additional and specialized
devices such as joy sticks.
Background Noise When Moving the Cursor
If you are experiencing crackling sounds while music or sound effects are
playing, verify both your sound card and mouse for possible conflicts. If
the crackling persists it may be caused by your video card's VESA driver.
Prior to playing the game run the universal VESA driver UNIVBE.EXE supplied
with the game instead of your card's VESA driver and choose the VESA
SuperVGA selection from the setup program's list.
Improving Game Performance
Gone Fishin' contains a large number of high-resolution (640x480) 256-color
graphics. In order to display these graphics, the application requires
memory and lots of it. If your computer is a 386 with 4 MB RAM, increasing
performance may not be possible. The following paragraphs provide helpful
hints on how you can increase the performance of your system by making simple
system changes.
To Install or Not to Install ?
The Gone Fishin' installation program offers two types of installation;
Partial Installation where a minimum amount of files are transferred to your
system's hard drive, and a Full Installation where all files are transferred
to your system's hard disk.
If you have a slow system or a single speed CD-ROM drive, we suggest a Full
Installation. A single speed CD-ROM drive's transfer rate is 150 KB/sec.
Most computer hard drives are several time faster (500-1500 KB/sec.). If you
can afford the disk space, this modification should dramatically change the
performance of the game.
Memory is the Key
Most computer games require memory, and Gone Fishin' is no exception. The
more memory available to the game, the faster it will go. Any modifications
that will increase your systems available main and extended memory should be
attempted. (For suggestions, reference the Trouble Shooting section under
Insufficient Memory)
Hard Drive Performance
We have recommended a Full Installation because most computer hard drives are
faster than CD-ROM drives although this may not always be the case. The files
on your CD-ROM are sequential, which reduces the seek time (the time needed
to find a file). Even if your hard disk is faster, if its fragmentation level
is high (files are scattered all over your hard disk) you may not experience
a dramatic increase in performance because it is spending too much time
searching for files. With the advent of dual, triple and quadruple speed
CD-ROM drives, the difference in performance can disappear all together. If
you experience performance problems, you should try running a disk
defragmenting tool.
Eliminating Sound Effects
You can increase performance by eliminating certain or all of the background
sound effects. Use the Options Command pull down menu to select the Sound
Options window. By reducing the number of active sound effects, you are
freeing memory that could be allocated to other parts of the game. If your
intent is to eliminate all the sounds contained in the game, for maximum
results, we recommended that you select the NO SOUND DEVICE option from the
setup program's Sound Card list.
Eliminating Graphical Animations
You can increase performance by eliminating certain or all of the animations
contained in the game. Use the Options Command pull down menu to select the
Fishing Options window. By reducing the number of active animations, you are
freeing memory that can be allocated to other parts of the game.
It's Entirely Possible...
Fishing can be a lot of different things to different people.
For some, it's the excitement of hauling in that big muskie after a long,
exhilarating battle. You and the muskie have something in common and after
it's all over, you want to throw him back so you can meet another day. You
have a kind of respect for him. He's lying there now, exhausted, in the
bottom of your boat. You place him carefully back in the water, and he
glances back at you quickly before he glides to the depths.
There'll be another day ...
For others, there is the thrill of landing a 12-pound walleye on an 8-pound
line. You've been working on your casting and reeling skills and with a
little care and attention you can do it. Or maybe you prefer to out think a
bass: it's two in the afternoon on a sunny day, the odds are against you, but
you know if you do something a little different, you can land a nice
4-pounder. Perhaps it doesn't really matter whether you catch anything at all.
The mist gathers over the water, the sun casts a red glow over everything,
and you're slowly drifting just off-shore. Cast out... reel in ... cast out
... reel in ...
What is that fish down there thinking, you wonder. And then, Do fish think at
all? You laugh at yourself and remember when you were a kid and these
questions really concerned you. Cast out... reel in ... cast out ... You
look behind you. There's a lot of bay out there, you think. Theoretically, I
could cast a line clear to the other side. If the wind was right, and my lure
was aerodynamically designed. It's possible ... no, it's absolutely
ridiculous. Cast out ... reel in ...cast out -
And then BANG! You've got a big one on the line and your whole world changes.
You come back to the present with a jolt and try to remember what your
fishin' buddy told you. Stay calm, relax, give the fish some slack - not too
much. Your rod's bending so much it's making you nervous, and your reel is
screaming as it winds out line. Suddenly it stops and you know your fish
is doubling back. Frantically you wind in ....
And on it goes until finally your fish tires and you can reach over with your
net and haul him in. A beautiful ten-pound walleye. Wait till they see this
back at the lodge! It's getting dark, and you can see the lights of the
cottages on the opposite shore begin to twinkle. You start the motor and head
back. On second thought, you muse, maybe it is possible to cast clear to the
opposite shore.
Yeah ...
it's entirely possible.
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