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The Sims(tm) for Linux  - Install and Quick Reference Guide

Where to Find More Information
==============================

This guide covers the basics of installing and running The Sims on Linux. For 
additional information about playing the game, please see the enclosed manual. 
For information about using TransGaming's WineX portability technology with 
other games, please see the TransGaming website at http://www.transgaming.com/

System Requirements
===================

Minimum Configuration 

Operating System 
----------------

-   Linux Kernel 2.2 or higher
-   XFree86 4.0 or higher
-   GlibC 2.1.3 or higher

If you are using the game on the included Mandrake Linux 8.1 OS, all these 
system requirements should be met or exceeded.

CPU Type and Speed
------------------

-   350 MHz or faster Intel Celeron/Pentium II CPU or AMD Duron/Athlon CPU

Memory Requirements
-------------------

-   64 MB of RAM. 128 MB recommended

Disk Space Requirements
-----------------------

-   525 MB of free disk space, plus space for saved games

Graphics Card
-------------

-   Monitor and video card capable of 800x600 resolution at 16-bit color
-   To run additional games using TransGaming's WineX, a Linux-supported 3D
    graphics card with 16 MB of video RAM is required.  NVidia GeForce-class 
    GPU recommended.

Sound Card
----------
-   Sound card supported by Linux OSS or ALSA drivers

Other Requirements
------------------
-   CD-ROM drive
-   Mouse, Keyboard
-   Internet connection to subscribe to TransGaming Service is required to 
    run additional games.  Note: not all Windows games are supported. Please 
    see http://www.transgaming.com/ for an up-to-date listing of available 
    games.
    
Preparing Your System
=====================

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION COMPLETELY BEFORE PLAYING THE SIMS 

Sound Preparation
-----------------
Be sure that drivers for your sound hardware are loaded and working properly, 
and your sound mixer settings have all output channels un-muted.  If you are 
using ALSA sound drivers, make sure that OSS compatibility modules are loaded 
as well.

-   On Mandrake Linux 8.1, use the Mandrake Control Center's Hardware panel to
    double-check that your sound drivers are properly loaded
-   Also check to ensure that the KDE or GNOME sound server is not active.  The
    presence of a sound server can prevent other programs, such as The Sims, 
    from being able to gain direct access to the sound hardware to play sounds.  
    By default, sound servers are configured to allow other programs to use 
    sound if no sound has been played for 60 seconds.  If you are experiencing 
    problems, try explicitly disabling the sound server using the 'Sound Server'
    panel of the KDE control center, or the MultiMedia-> Sound panel of the 
    GNOME environment.
-   Ensure that your volume is turned up.  Use the Sound Mixer panel located 
    under MultiMedia->Sound in the Mandrake Application Starter menu to adjust 
    your volume settings.

X-Windows Version  
-----------------
Ensure that you are using XFree86 version 4.0 or later.  Some earlier versions 
of XFree86 may not fully support the full-screen mode used by The Sims, or may 
be slower.

-   On Mandrake Linux 8.1, use the Mandrake Control Center's Display panel, 
    and choose the 'Expert' mode to adjust the version of XFree86 being used.

Insert and Mount The Sims CD-ROM
--------------------------------
In order to install the game, or play it for the first time, you must have The 
Sims for Linux CD in your CD-ROM drive and mounted on /mnt/cdrom.  If you do 
not have the CD mounted, you may be asked to insert the disc the first time 
you run the game.

-   If you have installed your Mandrake Linux 8.1 system with "High Security", 
    you may have to mount the CD-ROM manually during the first run.  To do so, 
    open up a terminal window, go to the root administrative account by typing 
    'su' and entering the root password, and then execute the following command 
    at the # prompt:
    
      # mount /mnt/cdrom

Internet Connection
-------------------
An Internet connection is required to register your purchase on-line, and to 
download TransGaming's WineX portability software for use with other games.  
Use the instructions found in your Mandrake Linux 8.1 user guide to connect 
to the Internet.

Installing the Game Packages
----------------------------

Installation of The Sims for Linux requires two steps:
-   Installing the RPM packages that come on the CD
and
-   Running the game for the first time to perform registration and basic setup.

If you selected the option to install The Sims when installing Mandrake Linux 
8.1, you should already have the RPM packages installed.  Otherwise, open up a 
terminal window, go to the root administrative account by typing 'su' and 
entering the root password, and then execute the following command at the # 
prompt:

   # rpm -i /mnt/cdrom/*.rpm

This command will install the three required RPM packages onto your system: 
WineX_Sims, which contains TransGaming's portability software specially 
optimized for The Sims, Sims_Data, which contains the data files required by
the game, and Sims, which contains the game itself.  On the CD, these packages
are named "winexsim.rpm", "simsdata.rpm", and "sims.rpm", respectively.

Once the RPMs are installed, all game-related files on your system will be 
located in the /usr/lib/the_sims directory on your hard disk.

Running the first time, registration, & per-user configuration
==============================================================

The second portion of the installation process occurs the first time you run 
the game.  To do so, either click the Sims icon on your Mandrake Linux desktop, 
or execute the following line at the command prompt in a terminal window:
   $ the_sims
   
The Sims runs on Linux via TransGaming Technologies' WineX - a gaming enhanced 
version of Wine, the popular Windows portability environment.  Executing the_sims
will automatically start WineX with all the appropriate options to run the game.  

You will be required to have the CD in your CD-ROM drive during the install 
process.  If you do not have the CD in your drive, you will be asked to mount 
the CD-ROM drive before being able to continue.   To do so, use the procedure 
outlined above.  You will also be asked to enter your serial number, choose your
preferred web browser, and the language in which you would prefer to play the 
game.  Your browser will then be launched, and you will be taken to TransGaming's 
web site to register your purchase.  

Upon registration, you will also be able to sign up for a limited-time free 
subscription to TransGaming's support and voting services, which will allow you 
to download new versions of WineX with support for a wide variety of other games.  
As a subscriber, you will also have the ability to vote on what games you would 
like to see TransGaming concentrate on next, and you will be entitled to ask 
questions in our support forums.  

The first run will also create a .the_sims directory in your home directory.  
This directory contains copies and symbolic links of the game data files as well 
as configuration information.  Also added to your home directory will be a 
symbolic link called SimsData, linked to the user-accessible portions of the
.the_sims directory.  Neighborhood Web-Pages, Photo Albums, and other similar 
files can all be found in here.

Note: if multiple users share the system, the full first-run portion of the 
install process must be repeated for each user who runs the game.

Starting the game
=================

Once you've registered, the game will automatically begin.  Your screen will be 
adjusted so that the game window takes over the entire display, and the 
introduction movie will play.  Then you will be at the Neighborhood screen 
described in the manual, and you can choose a family to play with, or create a
new one.

You can hit Alt-Tab at any time to minimize the game window and return to your 
other programs in case your boss and/or spouse is about to find out what you've
been up to.

After the first run, clicking on the Sims icon on your desktop or running 
the_sims from the command line will immediately bring up the game with no need 
to register again, or to have your Sims CD in the CD-ROM drive.

Command Line Options
====================

A variety of options are available when starting the game.  You can apply 
these options when running the game from the command line, or you can edit 
the properties of the desktop icon shortcuts to add some of the following 
flags:

--configure
   Re-run the initial configuration of the game to select a different 
   browser or language.  Entering your serial number and the CD verification 
   process will not be required.

-w
   Starts the game in windowed mode, rather than taking over the entire display.

-nosound 
   Run the game without sound. 

-nointro
   Skip the introduction movie.

-r1024x768
   Play with a large sized window (the default window is 800x600).
   
-factory
   Reset the game to factory settings.
   
Adding Downloadable components from www.thesims.com
===================================================

While it is of course great fun to play with your own sims, it can be even more 
fun to play with someone else's!  Not to mention the great variety of new 
items and skins available on-line.

You can use your Sims for Linux serial number to register on Electronic Arts' 
Sims website: www.TheSims.com.  Once on that website, you can download add-on 
components such as new items and skins.  Don't be worried by the fact that 
most of these components are packaged as Windows EXE files.  TransGaming's 
WineX technology can still make use of them to seamlessly install the new 
files directly into your system.  Simply save the downloaded EXE files - to 
your home directory, for example - bring up a terminal window, and enter the
following at the command prompt:

   $ winex_sims newthing.exe

This will invoke WineX in the Sims environment and install the specified add-ins.  
The new objects, skins, etc will be available only to the user who ran installer.  
This way, you can revert to a factory install by simply removing the .the_sims 
directory from your home directory and running the game again.  Doing so will 
of course also remove any Sim families and houses you have worked on.

Note that we do not recommend using this command for Windows EXEs other than 
add-ons to The Sims.  To run other EXEs directly, you will need to subscribe to
TransGaming's subscription services.

Uninstalling the Game
=====================

Even if you've decided that your sims have bugged you once too often, we urge 
you to reconsider this drastic option.  It can take time, but most sims are smart 
enough to learn not to do things like setting the house on fire while cooking 
breakfast.  Eventually, anyway.  Nevertheless, if you must do so, here's how 
to remove the game from your system.  Enter your favorite RPM package manager 
tool and remove the following packages:

   The_Sims
   The_Sims_Data
   WineX_Sims

Alternatively, you may remove the RPMs at the command line.  To do so, open up 
a terminal window, go to the root administrative account by typing 'su' and
entering the root password, and then execute the following command at the # 
prompt:

   # rpm -e The_Sims
   # rpm -e The_Sims_Data
   # rpm -e WineX_Sims

Having removed the packages, you will be left only with the .the_sims 
configuration and user-data directories in your system.  You may remove these
as well if you so choose, but you will of course lose all your sims, their 
neighbors, and their houses.

Troubleshooting
===============

Most support questions are best asked and answered on TransGaming's on-line support
forum for The Sims.  There, subscribers will find answers to the most frequently 
asked support questions updated on a regular basis, and may add new support 
requests which will be answered by TransGaming's support experts.

In addition, here are brief answers to some common problems:

Why is the introduction movie slow / why can't I hear any sound?
----------------------------------------------------------------
-   These two problems are linked. The introduction movie needs your sound 
    driver to be loaded in order to perform well.  Try making sure that your 
    sound driver is loaded and working, and in the case of ALSA drivers, that 
    OSS compatibility is working too.  
-   Another possible reason for missing sound is that the KDE sound server is 
    active and is interfering with The Sims as it tries to communicate with 
    your sound hardware.  To disable the sound server, use the procedure 
    outlined in the Preparing Your System section.

Why does the game play seem slow on my computer?
------------------------------------------------
-   You may be running an older version of XFree86, or using a frame-buffer
    driver.  Make sure that you have at least XFree86 version 4.01 or higher

Something has crashed, but the Sims window is covering my whole screen - help!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are several important commands that can help in the rare instance of a 
serious crash:
-   Control-Alt- + (numeric keypad): This will cycle through the different 
    resolutions your video system supports.  This may enable you to enter a 
    terminal window.
-   Control-Alt-F1: This will switch to a virtual terminal, where you can log 
    in and enter commands.  To switch back to X-Windows, use Control-Alt-F7.
-   In a terminal window or virtual console, you can enter the command: 

      $ killall -9 wine

    This will shut down The Sims, as well as any other WineX program running.
-   Finally, as a last resort, you can use Control-Alt-Backspace to shut 
    down your X-Windows session and start a new one.  This should be needed 
    rarely, if ever.

Strategy for the Sims
=====================

What is your most precious resource? There are ways to get more money, more 
friends, a bigger house and a bigger family. But you'll never be able to get
more than 24 hours in a day (on this planet anyway). How you choose to spend 
your 24 hour time budget will have a major impact on the quality of your life. 
The same is true for your Sims.  Their needs may be simpler and their 
environment less complex, but like you they are constrained by this simple fact.

Think of it this way, the basic needs of your Sims (hunger, energy, fun, 
etc.) need to be refilled on an almost daily basis. The time you spend 
filling each motive during day will be a "slice" out of the 24 hour "time 
pie". The more you can fill these motives within 24 hours, the more content
your sim will be. 

Therefore, one of the tricks to making your sims happier is to decrease the
time they need to spend filling each of these motives. There are many strategies 
for achieving this. Some possibilities include: improve home layout to decrease 
walking time, use objects that can "feed" more than one motive at a time, buy 
more efficient objects,  relationships to make social interactions more 
fulfilling, and increase skills (such as cooking) which impact needs as well.

As you get better at managing the daily cycle of "sim life," you will find 
that you can comfortably fill up the basic needs with time to spare. This is 
the point at which you will have created the most precious of commodities, "free 
time". How you spend this free time will depend on the larger goals you chose 
for your Sims. 

You might be the self-improvement type, in which case your sims could spend 
this time bettering themselves by increasing skills. Or maybe you're more of 
a socially-motivated "people person", so an all-night pool party might be 
the answer. Perhaps you consider yourself more of a money-grubbing capitalist 
pig, which would mean that working your Sims up the career ladder might be 
the ticket.

Another way to look at all this is that time (as the most basic resource) can 
be converted to anything else in this game either directly or indirectly. The 
efficiency of the conversion will determine your success. Time can be converted 
into money through work, the efficiency in this case would be the job level.
Time can also be converted into hunger satisfaction: the efficiency in this case 
will depend on the furnishings of your kitchen, the layout of these furnishings, 
the cooking skill of your Sim as well as their energy level (they move slower 
when tired).

So one path to increasing hunger satisfaction over time would be to first convert
time into money (through work), then take some of that money and buy a better 
equipped kitchen. Another way might be to spend time on increasing their 
cooking skill.

This same idea applies to the social side of the game. As your Sims spend time 
developing better relationships in the game you will notice that they are able 
to fulfill their social needs in less time.

Go to www.TheSims.com to find more gameplay hints and strategies. 

Tutorial
========

First-time players may want to use the tutorial to get familiar with the basic 
game controls. The tutorial can usually be completed in about 5 minutes and can
be exited at any time.

Playing the tutorial
--------------------
-   When you first enter the neighborhood, the tutorial house will have a red 
    indicator arrow. To begin the tutorial, click this house.
-   You will be given step-by-step instructions to help you learn the basics of 
    the game like using the interface, interacting with objects, and interacting 
    with your Sims.  Most dialogs will automatically move on to the next one 
    once you complete the instructions. There are a few dialogs that require 
    you to click OK. 
-   If you save the game before completing the tutorial, when you return, it 
    will start  where you left off. If you do not save, the tutorial will 
    start from the beginning when you return to the house.
-   When the tutorial is complete, you can continue to play with the Newbie 
    family. Or you can evict them in the neighborhood screen if you'd like 
    to move another family into their house.
    
Skipping the tutorial
---------------------
-   The Newbies are actually just like any other family in the neighborhood. 
    They can be evicted, moved, bulldozed or developed as you wish once the 
    tutorial is finished or cancelled.
-   If you're certain you'll never want to play the tutorial, evict the 
    Newbies. You can then either use their house for another family or bulldoze
    it and start from scratch.
-   If you want to play with the Newbie family but don't want to complete 
    the tutorial, you can enter the house and then cancel the tutorial at any
    time by hitting the q key.

Resetting the tutorial
----------------------
-   The first time you save a house, the tutorial arrow will no longer appear. 
    However, as long as you have not evicted the Newbies, the tutorial can 
    still be played by entering the Newbie house. 
-   Once you have altered the Newbie family or their house, you can "reset" 
    the tutorial at any time. Be aware that any changes you've made to that 
    house or family will be lost. If you've moved another family in, they 
    will be evicted into the Create a Family screen. From within any house:
       -   Go to Options Mode.
       -   Click Play Options.
       -   Click the small house with an arrow icon. The tooltip that appears 
           when you roll over it with your mouse will say, "Reset Tutorial."

Help system
===========

The help system detects when you're in an area of the game where further 
description may be helpful (including key commands and basic strategy). It pops 
up an icon that you can either click to get more info or ignore. Each message
will be triggered until it is viewed. Once viewed, most messages will never 
appear again.

Activating the Help System
--------------------------
-   The first few times you enter a house, you will be asked if you want to 
    use the Help System. If you click Yes, the Help System will be activated 
    until each message has been displayed once.
-   If you choose not to activate the Help System, the dialogs will stop 
    appearing. Eventually, the help system will be turned off. 
-   Once the Help System is on, each time a help message is triggered, a 
    question mark icon will appear at the upper right hand corner of the 
    screen. Click it to expand it to a dialog. 
    
Help System on Demand
---------------------
-   If you need help, click the question mark icon in the control panel to 
    bring up a list of topics. Then, click on a topic to get the help 
    information. 

Hot Keys
======== 

P or ~                    - Pause
1                         - Normal Speed
2                         - High Speed
3                         - Ultra Speed
SPACE                     - Switch character
TAB                       - Toggle between first and second stories
PAGE UP                   - Select second story
PAGE DOWN                 - Select first story
F1                        - Live Mode & Extend control panel
F2                        - Buy Mode & Toggle between function and room sort
F3                        - Build Mode
F4                        - Camera Mode
F5                        - Options Mode 
+ (or =)                  - Zoom In
- (or _)                  - Zoom Out
<                         - Rotate world left
>                         - Rotate world right
ESC                       - Cancels a pie-menu
ESC                       - Cancels the tutorial (When in the tutorial)
<                         - Rotate object left (When object is in Hand Tool)
>                         - Rotate object right (When object is in Hand Tool)
X                         - Displays next page of items in buy or build mode 
                            catalogs
Z                         - Displays previous page of items in buy or build 
                            mode catalogs
CONTROL + click on face in family gallery - Edit bio
CONTROL + C               - Copy text in text fields
CONTROL + X               - Cut text in text fields
CONTROL + V               - Paste text in text fields
CONTROL + Y               - Redo in text fields
CONTROL + Z               - Undo in text fields 
A                         - Toggles anti-aliasing
S                         - Toggles shadows 
CONTROL + S               - saves the game
Q                         - Quits the game
V                         - Version
Buy mode:
   SHIFT + Click          - buy and place multiple objects
Pool tool: 
   Click                  - place pool tile
   CONTROL + Click        - delete pool tile 
Wall tool: 
   Click + Drag           - place wall or fence tile
   CONTROL + Click + Drag  - delete wall or fence tile 
   SHIFT + Click           - place a rectangle wall or fence 
Wallpaper tool: 
   Click                   - paint wall tile
   SHIFT + Click           - paint multiple wall tiles 
   CONTROL + Click         - unpaint wall tile
   SHIFT + CONTROL + Click - unpaint multiple wall tiles
Floor tool: 
   Click                   - place one floor tile
   Click + Drag            - place multiple floor tiles
   SHIFT + Click           - place floor tiles in an entire room
   CONTROL + Click         - delete one floor tile
   CONTROL + Click + Drag  - delete multiple floor tiles
   SHIFT + CONTROL + Click - delete floor of entire room
Door tool: 
   Click                   - to place a door on a wall
   CONTROL + Click on a door - delete a door
Window tool: 
   Click                   - to place a window on a wall
   CONTROL + Click on a window - delete a window
   
Scrolling... let me count the ways
==================================

If edge scrolling option in the options panel is checked, or in other words 
"on", you can move your mouse to the edge of the game screen and the screen 
will scroll in that direction. 

Or you can hold down the right mouse button and drag the mouse in the direction 
you want to scroll. 

You can also use the cursor keys to scroll.

Hold down the ALT key and you can move the game world.

If you use the spacebar to select a Sim, the game will scroll to that Sim. 

Double clicking on a Sim in the family gallery will center the game on that Sim. 

Right clicking on a Sim in the family gallery will center on and track or 
follow that Sim until another scrolling method overrides the tracking.

Right clicking on a Sim in the relationships panel will center on that Sim 
if that Sim is in the world. 

Selecting a Sim
===============
You can click on the face of a character in the family gallery section of the 
control panel to select them. Or you can use the space bar to cycle through 
and select Sims in the family gallery. And last but not least, you can right 
click on the Sim in the world to select him or her.