SimAQUARIUM - Frequently Asked Questions

SimAQUARIUM INSTALLATION / UN-INSTALLATION
HOW DO I FIND SimAQUARIUM ID NUMBER?
HOW DO I REGISTER SimAQUARIUM?
PROBLEMS WITH SimAQUARIUM REGISTRATION?
TROUBLESHOOTING:
      - SimAQUARIUM doesn’t work on my computer!
      - How do I install the latest 3D video card drivers and DirectX?
      - When I start the screensaver I get a message box that says 'Could not reset the
direct 3D device. This program will now exit'
      - I get this error message: 'Failed to create Direct3D Device Interface. Unrecognized error value'.
      - When the screensavers are running, they look really skippy and jerky (or choppy and laggy)
      - Do your screensavers work on WinNT4.0, Linux and Macintosh platforms? Are there any future plans to port your screensavers on these platforms?
      - Are there any keyboard shortcuts for SimAquarium?
      - I tried to increase/decrease light, contrast, color saturation etc. but screensaver keeps exiting to desktop.
      - SimAquarim is too dark, muddy or colors are washed out.
      - SimAquarium is black and/or there's no sound.
      - My screensaver display resolution changed to 0 x 0 pixels 32 bit color depth.
 
QUESTIONS ABOUT ORDERING SimAQUARIUM
      - How long will it take to get my Registration Code after I order?
      - How secure is your online order form?
      - I don't like to order on-line, can I send you a check, money order, or cash?
      - What is your company refund policy?
      - I purchased all the screensavers, but don't have them all on my computer. Where are they?

SimAQUARIUM Installation / Un-Installation Questions

- How do I install SimAQUARIUM?
-All different tanks of SimAQUARIUM can be installed simply by left mouse clicking on the screensaver exe file you downloaded. Clicking on the exe file will start the installation process. During installation you can chose to have shortcuts to the screensaver be placed on your Desktop, in your Start Menu and in your Quick Launch Bar.

If the installation was successful, the screensaver's name will be listed on the Screensaver tab under the Display Properties panel. If you can't see the screensaver listed on your Screensaver tab, although you have double clicked on a file, you have to double click again.
 
- How do I uninstall SimAQUARIUM?
There's an Uninstall option in the Start Menu where all SimAquarium shortcuts are placed. You can uninstall the different tanks of SimAQUARIUM separately from each other.

You can also uninstall SimAQUARIUM by using Windows own uninstall program: "Add or remove programs and Windows components". This program can be found in Windows control panel. SimAQUARIUM should be listed as a uninstallable program in there.

If you happen to have an old Sim-Aquarium version without an Uninstall option, you will have to uninstall it manually. Using Window's Find or Search program scan your C: drive and find and delete all Sim-Aquarium files in your Windows folder.

How do I find the SimAQUARIUM ID NUMBER?
In order to generate your Registration Code you will need to provide the SimAQUARIUM screensaver ID Number.

To find this number, just follow the steps below:

1. Run the SimAQUARIUM Setup shortcut you find in Windows Start menu or choose the SimAQUARIUM screensaver from the list of screensavers in Windows Display Propeties* - Screensaver tab, and click on 'Settings'. SimAQUARIUM configuration panel will appear.

2. In SimAQUARIUM settings panel click on the REGISTRATION tab. You will find your ID Number located at the bottom of the panel.

* In case you don't know how to access the Screen Saver tab under Display Properties or Screen Saver configuration panel, please follow the steps below:

1. Go to 'Control Panel'. Select 'Display' icon. 'Display Properties' panel will appear. Select 'Screen Saver' tab.

2. Choose a SimAQUARIUM screensaver from the list of screensavers and click on 'Settings' button. SimAQUARIUM settings panel will appear.

In case you don't see your screensaver ID Number displayed (the field is empty), you should try the following:

-download and install Macromedia's Flash6 player.
-reinstall the screensaver
-download the latest screensaver version from our website
HOW TO REGISTER SimAQUARIUM?
Once you have received an email with your Registration Code and downloaded and installed the full versions of SimAQUARIUM via the links provided in the same email, you have to enter the key code in SimAQUARIUM's Registration field. This will unlock it and remove the time limit and "Please Register message".

1.
Run the SimAQUARIUM Setup shortcut you find in Windows Start menu or choose the SimAQUARIUM screensaver from the list of screensavers in Windows Display Propeties* - Screensaver tab, and click on 'Settings'. SimAQUARIUM configuration panel will appear.

2. In SimAQUARIUM settings panel click on the REGISTRATION tab. You will find Registration field located at the bottom of the panel.

3. Enter your key!

* In case you don't know how to access the Screen Saver tab under Display Properties or Screen Saver configuration panel, please follow the steps below:

1. Go to 'Control Panel'. Select 'Display' icon. 'Display Properties' panel will appear. Select 'Screen Saver' tab.
2. Choose a SimAQUARIUM screensaver from the list of screensavers and click on 'Settings' button. SimAQUARIUM settings panel will appear.

PROBLEMS WITH SimAQUARIUM REGISTRATION?

The Registration Code you got sent may not work because of the 3 following reasons:

1. You have migrated the screensaver to another computer

2. You have formatted your computer's primary hard drive and/or changed hardware components

3.
You have mistyped and/or sent us wrong screensaver ID Number

The Registration Codes for SimAQUARIUM are computer configuration dependent. For example, if you have sent in the SimAQUARIUM ID Number from your office computer and was sent a Registration Code for that computer, you can't use that Registration to unlock Sim-Aquarium on your home computer. So, there is one computer, one screensaver ID Number and one Registration Code.

If you are sure that none of the three above mentioned reasons are in question, then it is most likely that you have been trying to register the DEMO version of the SimAQUARIUM Screensaver. Only the FULL version that can be downloaded from the link that got sent to you at purchase can be registered! So please download and install the FULL screensaver version from the link you got sent and enter the key in that version.

If neither of this things work or apply to you use the form at: http://www.simaquarium.com/support and request assistance.

TROUBLESHOOTING:
SimAQUARIUM doesn’t work on my computer!

These are the few most common reasons why SimAQUARIUM may not work:

1. your DirectX version is less than DirectX 8.1 version
2. you don't have the latest drivers installed for your 3D video card
3. you have non-standard, tweaked, corrupted or messy driver settings of your 3D video card.
4. your computer doesn't meet the hardware requirements
5. you don't have a 3D video card at all

The most helpful solution to this problem is to install the latest drivers for your 3D video card and leave the default drivers settings intact.
 

How do I install the latest 3D video card drivers and DirectX?

Below are some very useful links that will guide you to official Microsoft website:

Please just visit this link to have your system scanned and tell you what needs to be updated:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

How to download and install DirectX:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q179113&

DirectX Frequently Asked Questions:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/productinfo/overview/faq.asp

 

'Could not reset the direct 3D device. This program will now exit'.
You are probably using a very obsolete screensaver version, please download the latest one from their website.  
'Failed to create Direct3D Device Interface. Unrecognized error value'.
You get this message because your computer or laptop doesn't have 3D video card. SimAQUARIUM require 3D video cards with at least 16Mb of video memory onboard.  
SimAQUARIUM is running really skippy and jerky (or choppy and laggy)
Check the system requirements! If your 3D video card has only 8Mb of video memory it needs to do AGP texturing. This can cause the screensavers to perform badly. Also, there were few reports caused by the increased hard disk activity due to antivirus background scanning or scheduled internet downloads. Since hard disks are CPU dependent - this might cause "choppiness" while SimAQUARIUM isrunning.  
Do SimAQUARIUM work on WinNT4.0, Linux and Macintosh platforms?
No. WindowsNT 4.0 doesn't support Direct3D and thus our screensavers don't work. No plans to port SimAQUARIUM to other platforms are present at the moment.
Are there any keyboard shortcuts for SimAquarium?
Yes, and you can bring up the list of available keys in the running aquarium by pressing the F1 key. In order to use the Numeric Keypad commands you must enable the keypad by pressing down the NumLock key first. (The NumLock light on your keyboard is lit when the Numeric Keypad is enabled).

q/a - Increase/Decrease Volume
z   - Mute Sounds

o/p - Increase/Decrease Contrast
+   - Increase Light
-   - Decrease Light
7/4 - Increase/Decrease Red Light
8/5 - Increase/Decrease Green Light
9/6 - Increase/Decrease Blue Light
1/0 - Increase/Decrease Saturation of Light

w/s - Caustics Light Intensity
e/d - Water Flow Speed

2  - Reset All to Default

SimAQUARIUM keeps exiting to desktop when I try to alter some settings.
Your Numeric Keypad is disabled. In order to use the Numeric Keypad commands you must enable the keypad by pressing down the NumLock key first. (The NumLock light on your keyboard is lit when the Numeric Keypad is enabled).  
SimAquarim is too dark, muddy or colors are washed out.

Play with RGB light, color saturation and contrast settings. Also, try adjusting your monitor.  

SimAquarium is black and/or there's no sound.
This is a bug with RGB lighting settings which only appears in specific situations. To fix, enable Numeric Keypad (the NumLock light on your keyboard should lit green when enabled) and when the screensaver is running press number 2 on Numeric Keypad to reset light settings. Use keys 'Q' and 'A' to increase sound volume and 'Z' to mute sound on or off.  
My screensaver display resolution changed to 0 x 0 pixels 32 bit color depth.
You are using very obsolete screensaver version, please download the latest one from our website.  
QUESTIONS ABOUT ORDERING SCREENSAVERS
How long will it take to get my Registration Code after I order?

All on-line orders will receive their Registration Codes in a matter of seconds!! If you have sent your order in by check or money order, please allow 2-3 weeks to receive your Registration Code.  

How secure is your online order form?
The SimAQUARIUM order form is 100% secure!  The credit card billing company www.2checkout.com is recognized as a world leader in credit card processing, safety and reliability.  
I don't like to order on-line, can I send in a check, money order, or cash?

Yes of course! Although on-line shopping is safer then ever, some people are still hesitant about giving out their credit card information over the internet. You can send payments by a check or money order. Please, email support@ss3d.com for more details.  

What is the refund policy?
Due to the nature of the product, refunds cannot be offered . Once you receive the Registration Code to register SimAQUARIUM, it cannot be refunded since you will still have the ability to use the screensaver. You can run the free demo of the screensaver beforehand to make sure it runs properly on your system.  
What's with all the different SimAQUARIUM Tanks?

When you purchase a copy of SimAQUARIUM you are entitled to register all available tanks with the same key code. There are currently two types of key codes you can purchase. One type is the standard key which givs you aquarium screensavers with 25 different species of fish, while the Deluxxe key gives you 41 species!

At the moment you get both SimAQUARIUM Tank-1 and SimAQUARIUM Tank-2 for the price of one! Updates and new tanks are being developed, and these updates are already included in the price, so stay tuned to the Fan Site and Forum for more news! 


If you cannot find the resolve to your problem within the frequently asked questions database, please send an email to the technical support team.


If you have a bug to report, please specify your system configuration (windows version, graphic card, processor etc.) and the version of SimAQUARIUM you are using. The Digital illusions Software team will
answer your email within 48 hours except on weekends and holidays.