Top Questions
1. How do I copy and paste my Keycode?
Before You Buy
1. Basic Information - Please Read
2. Is your website secure?
3. Does Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 include spyware or viruses?
4. Will I receive a CD with my online order?
5. What are the Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 system requirements?
6. Will Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 work with Windows NT 4.0?
7. Will Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 run on my notebook computer?
8. Will Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 run on widescreen and/or multiple monitors?
9. Will Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 run on a Mac?
10. Where can I talk to real people who have used this product?
Accounts & Keycodes
1. I lost my Keycode OR I made my purchase but have not received my keycode.
2. I enter my Keycode and nothing happens OR I am told that it is invalid.
3. How do I copy and paste my Keycode?
4. I have to enter my Keycode each time I start or end the program.
5. I lost or damaged my old CD, can I get a new CD or a keycode to replace it?
Installation
1. How do I test Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 on my computer?
2. How do I install Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 once I have purchased a Keycode?
3. How do I set Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 as my default screen saver?
4. How do I uninstall Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2?
5. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 is no longer working correctly. How do I re-install the program?
6. How do I get the latest Sharks for Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2?
Operation
1. Basic Information - Please Read
2. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 Settings.
3. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep Tank Options.
4. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 Anamorphic Settings.
5. Where are the other Sharks and how do I choose them?
Troubleshooting
1. Basic Information - Please Read
2. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 works perfectly on my friend's computer, but not mine. Why?
3. The Sharks swim slowly. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 freezes. My computer shuts down or freezes.
4. Your Video Card Driver.
5. Updating Your Video Card Driver.
6. My Sharks are plain white with no textures.
7. When I try to run Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 I get the error: Missing export D3D...
8. When I exit Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2, my monitor settings are washed out/too bright.
9. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 does not fill my whole monitor screen.
10. When Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 runs, I have no sound.
11. When I run Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 from the shortcut on my desktop, my computer launches a different program.
Screen Savers & Burn-in
1. What is burn-in?
2. Screen savers
3. How can I prevent burn-in?
4. How do I fix burn-in?
Miscellaneous
1. What kind of Sharks come with Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2?
2. Can I make my own Fish for Sharks: Terrors of the Deep?
3. How did you make the 3D shark models?
Before You Buy
1. Basic Information - Please Read
Before purchasing Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 we strongly recommend you
test the program to see if it works on your computer. You can do this by downloading
the program and running the demo mode as outlined HERE.
2. Is your website secure?
Yes.
In the interest of protecting your credit card and personal information, we do have several layers of security to ensure that our sites are secure as possible. For more information on our site security, please see our security statement.
3. Does Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 include spyware or viruses?
None whatsoever.
We do not send out any product with spy ware or support spamming in any manner. Just a clean download of our Program.
However, there are companies and software pirates that grab popular online products and alter them to include invasive spy ware and even viruses.
If this has happened to you, please let us know the address of the web site that sold or offered you our product. You can contact us by e-mail.
There is a free product called AdAware, that we ourselves use. This program gets rid of all sorts of spyware, etc. on your machine you might not know about. AdAware can be downloaded from:
LavaSoft
Also, Microsoft has recently released their anti-spyware program. Information on it can be found HERE
Afterwards, if you are still interested in Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2, please download it from our site where we guarantee a download free of any other annoying ads or programs.
4. Will I receive a CD with my online order?
No.
We do not make a CD for Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 at this time.
5. What are the Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 system requirements?
To run Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2, you will need:
- Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, or XP (Home or Professional).
- A Pentium-class CPU (200 MHz or faster).
- 64 MB of system RAM.
- A DirectX 7 compatible, 3D Accelerator Video Card with 16 MB or more of on-board RAM.
- 5 MB of free Hard Disk Space.
- DirectX 7 or better installed on your computer.
- The latest drivers for your video card. These are best found at the video card manufacturer's site. The Windows update feature is not sufficient for this task. For more information, click HERE.
6. Will Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 work with Windows NT 4.0?
Sharks: Terrors of the Deep will not work on Windows NT 4.0. Sharks: Terrors
of the Deep requires DirectX 6 or better to run and Windows NT 4.0 does not
support DirectX.
7. Will Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 run on my notebook computer?
Only notebooks with a GeForce2Go, Rage Mobility or S3 Savage chip will run
Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2. The NeoMagic chip will not work.
8. Will Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 run on widescreen and/or multiple monitors?
Yes!
Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 supports widescreen AND multiple monitor displays. It will mirror the Tanks in each of the monitors you have, but will not stretch the Tank across your displays.
For more information on the widescreen and multiple monitor features, see our entry on the program settings HERE
9. Will Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 run on a Mac?
Not yet.
We are considering a version of Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 for
both MAC OSX.
10. Where can I talk to real people who have used this product?
Check out the fan site below. This site is complete with wish lists and discussion
forums on many of our products.
Inside: LifeGlobe fan site
Accounts & Keycodes
1. I lost my Keycode OR I made my purchase but have not received my keycode.
Please go HERE and enter your e-mail to retrieve your keycode.
If this procedure does not work, e-mail us the following information where applicable and we can retrieve your information from our customer database:
- The full name you registered under.
- The Order Number from your confirmation e-mail.
- Both the first four AND last four numbers of the credit card you used.
- Your email address at the time of purchase.
- Your old Keycode. (If you are upgrading from an older code)
- The date of your purchase.
2. I enter my Keycode and nothing happens OR I am told that it is invalid.
There are three things that can cause this error.
1. Some characters in the Keycode can be easily confused (i.e.
O and zero, capital I and the number one, etc.). Try to copy and paste your
Keycode into the registration space to avoid any possible input errors. Also, if you are upgrading from a CD you will need to make sure it is in the drive while entering the keycode.
2. You may be attempting to use your code in another version
of Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2. Check your confirmation e-mail to see which
version you purchased and make sure this is the version you downloaded.
3. Your copy of Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 may have been
corrupted during download or installation. Try downloading a new copy of the
program and reinstalling it. Be sure to deactivate your anti-virus software
for the duration of the download and install. For full reinstallation instructions,
click HERE.
3. How do I copy and paste my Keycode?
Please Note: If you are upgrading from a CD, you will need to make sure that the CD is in the drive during this procedure.
To copy and paste the Keycode, do the following:
1. Hold down the left mouse button and pass the cursor over
the Keycode. This will highlight the code in black.
2. Let go of the mouse button and move the cursor to the center
of the highlight without pressing any buttons.
3. Press the right-most mouse button and select "Copy"
from the pop-up menu.
4. Double-click on Sharks: Terrors of the Deep icon to
bring up the registration window.
5. Put the cursor in the registration box, click the right-most
mouse button again and select "Paste" from the pop-up menu. The Keycode
should appear in the registration box. Be sure to eliminate any spaces before
or after the code so you can have a clean paste.
6. Press the Enter key. The program should start right up.
4. I have to enter my Keycode each time I start or end the program.
This can be caused by a couple of things:
A. If you have a single user profile on your computer and Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 requests a keycode each time you run or exit, try reinstalling the program. Be sure that you have your anti-virus software disabled during the installation. For full reinstall instructions, click HERE
B. If you have a multiple user profiles on your computer and Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 requests a keycode while in every profile, see the instructions under A, above.
C. If you have multiple user profiles on your computer and Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 requests a keycode while in all but one profile, you will need to install Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 in the other profiles while they have Administrative access.
On a computer with multiple user profiles, only profiles that have administrator access can effect changes to the computer's registry, where our Keycode is stored. Not having Administrator access to the computer means that Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 cannot register itself correctly. You will have to change each user profile to accept registry changes and then enter the Keycode into each profile.
To change the user profile in Win 2000/XP:
1. Click on the START button and select "Control Panel".
2. Double-click "User Accounts".
3. Select the task "Change an Account" and then click on the account to be changed.
4. Click on "Change my account type" and read the instructions for changing each profile to "Administrator" status.
5. I lost or damaged my old CD, can I get a new CD or a keycode to replace it?
Unfortunately we cannot substitute a keycode for a lost or damaged CD nor can we replace the CD. Please e-mail our Technical Support for other possible solutions to this issue.
Installation
1. How do I test Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 on my computer?
There is no separate "demo version" of Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2.
We built Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 to act as a demo unless you entered
a valid keycode. To properly install Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2, and activate
the demo mode, follow the instructions below:
1. IMPORTANT: Before installing, be sure your anti-virus software is deactivated for
the duration of the download and install.
2. Delete any old versions of Sharks: Terrors of the Deep
on your system to avoid conflicts.
3. Disable any virus protection software you might be running
for the duration of the download and installation.
4. Download the newest release of Sharks: Terrors of the Deep
from HERE.
5. After downloading the program, find the folder you downloaded
to and double-click on Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 file. This will run the
Setup Wizard, which will install Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 on your computer,
simply read and follow the instructions for installation.
6. Once the installation process is complete, there should
be a new icon on your desktop that looks like a hammerhead shark. Double-click on this
new icon to bring up the registration box.
7. Type LIFEGLOBE into the registration box. This will unlock the demo
mode.
8. Don't forget to reactivate your anti-virus software.
9. While Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 is running, press
the space bar to change your settings.
10. Let Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 run for a little while
to be sure everything is working properly. If you have any problems consult
the Troubleshooting section of this FAQ.
2. How do I install Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 once I have purchased a Keycode?
Once you have purchased your keycode you can activate the full version of the
program. To properly install Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2, and activate the
full version, follow the instructions below (If you have already installed the
newest demo version, skip to step #6):
1. IMPORTANT: Before installing, make sure you have your keycode handy and be sure your anti-virus
software is deactivated for the duration of the download and install.
2. Delete any old versions of Sharks: Terrors of the Deep
on your system to avoid conflicts.
3. Download the newest release of Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2
from HERE.
4. After downloading the program, find the folder you downloaded
to and double-click on Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 file. This will run Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 Setup Wizard, which will install Sharks: Terrors
of the Deep 2 on your computer, simply read and follow the instructions for installation.
5.Once the installation process is complete, there should be a new icon on your desktop that looks like an orange and white fish over a clock.
6.If you are Upgrading from an older CD, place your CD in the computer. Click Exit or Cancel on any automatic window that may appear. If you are not upgrading from and older CD version, please skip this step.
7.Double-click the new Aquarium icon to bring up the registration page.
8. Copy and paste your keycode into the registration space
to avoid any possible input errors (Some characters can be easily mixed up i.e.
the letter O and zero, capitol I and the number one, etc.) and press enter.
9. Once the program is running, press the space bar to change
your settings.
10. Don't forget to reactivate your anti-virus software when
you are finished.
3. How do I set Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 as my default screen saver?
To set Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 as your screensaver follow the instructions
below:
1. Right-click on your desktop. This will bring up a small
menu window.
2. Select "Properties" from the menu. This will open
the "Display Properties" window.
3. Click on the tab along the top marked "Screen Saver".
4. Using the scrolling menu, select Sharks: Terrors
of the Deep 2 logo should appear in the small computer monitor at the top of this
window.
5. The length of time until the screen saver activates can
be adjusted at the left.
4. How do I uninstall Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2?
The simplest way to unisntall the Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 is to run the Uninstall option through the START menu under Programs/LifeGlobe/Sharks2. Alternatively, you can use the Add/Remove Programs utility located in the Windows Control Panel to remove "LifeGlobe Sharks, Terrors of the Deep 2".
This should clean your system of any Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 data. However, if you want to be doubly sure, you can go through the longer uninstall process below:
1. First, click on the Start button then select Programs/LifeGlobe/Sharks2/Uninstall LifeGlobe Sharks, Terrors of the Deep 2.
2. Next, click on the Start button then select "Find" or "Search" and search for all copies of "SHARKS2.scr" from your system. When the list of files displays in the Find window, just right click on each of our fish icons and choose delete. If you find no files at all, that is okay. It just means that everything was removed properly in step one.
3. Re-boot your computer. Your computer should now be completely free of all Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 data and programs.
5. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 is no longer working correctly. How do I re-install the program?
There are several cases where you may need to uninstall and reinstall Sharks:
Terrors of the Deep 2. Please consult the Troubleshooting section of our FAQ first
for a solution there. However, corrupt downloads, new system settings, new video
card drivers, or other such circumstances may make Sharks: Terrors of the
Deep 2 stop running properly. If you cannot find another solution and would like
to do a full re-install of the program we suggest the following steps:
1. Perform the long version of the Uninstall process outlined
HERE.
2. Install the program as outlined HERE.
These two steps will give you a clean slate as it were, allowing Sharks:
Terrors of the Deep 2 to adjust to your system's current settings.
6. How do I get the latest Sharks for Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2?
The Sharks in Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 are a part of the program itself,
so they cannot be downloaded separately. To update to the newest version of
the program, please go though the following steps:
1. Perform the long version of the Uninstall process outlined HERE.
2. Install the program as outlined HERE.
These two steps will give you the latest version of Sharks: Terrors of
the Deep, with all of the new Sharks.
Operation
1. Basic Information - Please Read
Hotkeys for Sharks: Terrors of the Deep:
ESC - Exit program.
'Spacebar' - Settings menu.
A - About window.
H - Help window.
B - Sound sound on/off.
Ctrl-B - Debris on/off.
C - Water Surface on/off.
Ctrl-C - Caustic on/off.
E - Extras on/off.
F - Full screen/windowed mode.
Ctrl-F - Fog on/off.
L - Automatic light changes on/off.
M - Enable/disable Exit on Mouse Move.
Ctrl-R - Restore default settings.
S - Show frame rate information.
W - Wireframe/normal mode.
Ctrl-W - Widescreen on/off.
T - Tank cycling on/off.
Shift P & P - Cycle forward/backward through tanks.
'[' and ']' - Cycle forward/backward through tank.
Up/Down Arrow - Main Lights up/down.
Right/Left Arrow - Background lights up/down.
2. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 Settings.
All of the options below are found under the Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2
menu under the "Settings" tab. To bring up the menu, press the spacebar on your
keyboard while Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 is running.
Exit on Mouse Move - If this is checked; you can exit the
Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 by moving your mouse or pressing a non-hotkey
(see above) on your keyboard. If this option is not checked, you can only exit
the program by pressing the ESC key.
Disable Monitor Sleep Mode - Some monitors will shutdown after
a period of time. This option allows the Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 to override
this shutdown and continue playing the aquarium on your monitor.
Always on Top in Windowed Mode - When the Sharks: Terrors
of the Deep 2 is in Windowed Mode (See "W" hot key above.) this option will
place the aquarium window over any other program you are running.
Use Widescreen - Displays Sharks, Terrors of the deep in wide screen mode which uses an additional Fish (for a total of eight) and expanded background
art.
Start Window Mode - Launches Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2
in windowed mode to take advantage of Anamorphic Settings. For more information
on Anamorphic Settings click HERE.
Limit Frame Rate - Forces the frame rate (animation speed) of Sharks:
Terrors of the Deep to the frequency you select. If Sharks: Terrors of the Deep
is jerking, or running slowly, you may need to reduce the frame rate below the
default 62 by using the slider bar.
Sound - Background sound.
- Always On - Sound will always be heard when the progam is running.
- When Active - Sound will only be heard when the program window is visible. Helpful when Sharks: Terrors of the Deep is in Windowed mode (see "F" hotkey above.)
- Off - Turns off sound entirely.
- Volume Slider - Controls sound volume.
Monitor Settings
Each of your monitors can be set separately by choosing the monitor with a dropdown
menu. Once selected you can change the individual settings as outlined below.
Desktop Anamorphic Factor - Sets Anamorphic Factor for Windowed
mode (see "F" hotkey above.). For more information on Anamorphic settings click
HERE.
Select Monitor - Dropdown menu lets you choose one of your
monitors.
Anamorphic Factor - Sets Anamorphic Factor for the specified
monitor. For more information on Anamorphic settings click HERE.
Black - Blacks out the specified monitor. If you are seeing
black on one monitor and not the others, most likely this option has been checked
for one of your monitors.
Windows Resolution and Color Bit - Controls the Desktop resolution and
Color depth settings that Sharks: Terrors of the Deep uses when it runs full
screen.
- Resolution Dropdown menu - "Default Desktop
Resolution" will match the aquarium display to your current desktop settings.
- 16/32 bit - Forces program to display
at 16 or 32bit color depth regardless of desktop settings.
Reset to Default - This button will return ALL options back to their
default settings.
3. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep Tank Options.
All of the options below are found under the Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2
menu under the "Tanks" tab. To bring up the menu, press the spacebar on your
keyboard while Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 is running.
Reef Tank - This window shows you all of the available Tanks. Checking
the boxes to the left of each tank view will select it for cycling.
- Cycle Selected Tanks - Checking this option
will cycle the tanks from the list chosen above.
- Time Slider - Determines the length of time
that each tank view is displayed before cycling to the next. From 8 seconds
to 10 minutes.
Lights
- Automatic Lights - To prevent your monitor from burning
in, the Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 will cycle the lighting from light to
dark across the tank. Un-checking this box will give you full control of the
lighting.
- Delay Slider - Determines the length, from light to dark,
of the lighting cycle when in Automatic lighting mode.
- Lights Slider - Manual setting for the lighting when not
in Automatic lighting mode.
Compatibility and Speed Options - These options, while visually attractive,
may take up extra processing power. If Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 is running
slow or jerky, you might try disabling some of these options.
- Fog - The cloudiness of the water.
- Caustic - The ripple effect on the bottom
of the Tank and top of the Sharks.
- Water Surface - The distorted glow from
the water's surface.
- Bubbles - The occasional bubbles that float
from top to bottom of the Tank.
- Extra Fish - The small schools of fish that
swim bravely amongst the Sharks.
- Amount of Extra Fish Slider - How many little
fish you want displayed on screen.
Reset to Default - This button will return ALL options back to their
default settings.
4. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 Anamorphic Settings.
The Anamorphic settings are defined as follows, though they may require slightly different
numbers on your specific monitor:
- 1.0 - Fills any screen. If the program is set to widescreen
and you have a widscreen monitor, there will be no distortion.
- 0.8 - Will "Letterbox" the program display, placing a black
bar at the top and bottom of the screen. This setting will allow the widescreen
mode to appear without distortion on a normal ratio display.
- 1.2 - Will "Sidebox" the program display, placing a black
bar on the left and right of the screen. This setting will allow the normal
mode to appear without distortion on a widescreen display.
5. Where are the other Sharks and how do I choose them?
Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 can display a variety of Sharks, from
a library of different species. The number of Sharks depends on the Tank you have chosen on the "Tank" tab of the settings menu. To access and use this library, please follow the
instructions below:
1. Press the space bar while the program is running. This
will bring up the Settings window.
2. Click on the "Sharks" tab. This will take you to
the Sharks selection page of the Settings window. On the right you will see a
visual library of Sharks to choose from. On the top left are a number of slots
showing the Sharks currently chosen for your tank. The bottom will show vital
information on each Sharks.
3. By left-clicking on a Sharks you can see its information
in the bottom left. By double-clicking, you can set the Sharks as one of your
tank choices, filling one of your slots. Double-clicking the "X" (OFF)
will leave that slot blank and Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 will have one
fewer Sharks on the screen. If you double-click the "?" (RANDOM) Sharks: Terrors of the Deep will pick a Sharks for you at random, every time you
open the program.
4. Checking the option "Don't Duplicate Random Choices"
will make sure that no random choices are the same.
We will be adding more Sharks to the library in the future.
Troubleshooting
1. Basic Information - Please Read
The graphics used in Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 require a fairly up-to-date
computer with a strong graphics card. Our realistic graphics use the same system
resources as some video games. If you do not have your computer set up for this
kind of activity, do not worry, 99% of all graphics problems can be solved by
simply updating your computer's video card drivers. For more information, see the driver update section HERE.
The best way to test Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2's compatibility is to
download the program and run the demo version as outlined HERE.
2. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 works perfectly on my friend's computer, but not mine. Why?
We are sorry, but without knowing the exact specifications of both computers,
this is impossible to answer. If you cannot find the answer to your problem
in this FAQ, you may fill out a troubleshooting form found, HERE, to help us
solve your problem.
3. The Sharks swim slowly. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 freezes. My computer shuts down or freezes.
Slow animation or freezing can be caused by a variety of things. Let's try
a few of the basics and see what might be causing the issue:
1. IMPORTANT: Be sure that your video card
has 16 megabytes or more of video memory and an up to date driver. Do not skip
this step! Even if your computer is brand new or you've recently updated drivers,
there can still be problems in this area.
Click HERE for more information on your video card and how
to check it.
2. Examine the programs in your System Tray (The area just
to the left of the clock on the Taskbar). Placing your mouse cursor over the
icons will give each you item's full name. If you have Windows XP you may have to
"Show hidden icons" using the small circle and arrow button to the
left of the System Tray.
If the icon is Windows or another program waiting to update, run the updates then continue.
If the icon is not one of your basic system functions (volume, task manager, mouse,
video card, printer, etc.) exit, disable or close the program. Right-clicking
will usually give you options. Then, check if Shark Aquarium exhibits the same
behavior.
3. Check the "Compatibility and Speed" settings in the Sharks settings menu as outlined HERE.
4. Double-check your computer for spyware or viruses.
If none of the above solves your problem, please contact us using the Tech Support page HERE
4. Your Video Card Driver.
The video card is the graphics workhorse of your computer. If it is not strong
enough (lacks enough memory), it won't be able to perform smoothly. The same
is true if the video driver your computer is using is out of date or corrupted.
To check your video card's memory and driver do the following:
1. Close all programs that are running.
2. Click on the START button and select RUN.
3. In the box that appears, type in "dxdiag" (not
the quotes, just what's in them).
4. This will bring up the DirectX Diagnostic tool. Wait for
it to fully load.
5. Click the "Display" tab.
6. All the information on your video card is in the upper
left under the heading "Device". You'll want to write down the following
information:
- Name
- Manufacturer
- Chip Type
- Approx. Total Memory
If the Approx. Total Memory is below 16MB (megabytes), your video card does
not have enough video memory to run Shark Aquarium and you should contact us
to let us know.
7. All of the information about your video driver is on the
right-hand side under the heading "Driver". You'll want to write down
the following information:
If the date is more than six months old, you will want to update your video
driver. As outlined HERE.
IMPORTANT: If you have a laptop, you will want to go to the
laptop manufacturer's website to find a new driver.
5. Updating Your Video Card Driver.
It is important to make sure you have the latest driver for your video card from the manufacturer. We have found that outdated drivers are the number one reason for many problems.
IMPORTANT: If you have a laptop, you will want to go to the
laptop manufacturer's website to find a new driver.
PLEASE NOTE - The Windows update function is often not sufficient for updating your video card drivers.
Video card manufacturers update their drivers once every THREE to SIX months. These new drivers can usually be found on their websites. Using the information you gathered HERE about your video card, you should search the Internet for the manufacturer's website and download the driver from there.
Read the installation information on the manufacturer's site very carefully. There is no standard way to install updated drivers, though many companies are including auto-installers with their driver downloads.
If this update does not solve your problem, please contact us using the Tech Support page HERE
6. My Sharks are plain white with no textures.
The first thing to try is the following:
1. Run the program, then press the space bar to bring
up the Settings menu.
2. Make sure the option "Exit on Mouse Move" is
NOT checked.
3 Click the Exit button and press Ctrl and the "T"
key at the same time. Ctrl-T changes the way Sharks: Terrors of the Deep handles
the textures (skin) of the Sharks.
If it works, go back to the Settings menu and change a few of the Sharks selections
to save the new graphic setting.
If this does not work, the problem may be your video card driver. Please click
HERE and read the Driver Update entry.
7. When I try to run Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 I get the error: Missing export D3D...
Your computer may not have Direct X, or may have an old version of Direct X.
Direct X is a graphics language program required for running Sharks: Terrors
of the Deep 2. Click on the following link to Microsoft's Direct X website and
download the latest version.
If you know that you already have Direct X installed on your computer, than
you may want to run the program's self-diagnostic tool as outlined below:
1. Click on the "Start" button and select "Run".
2. Type in "dxdiag" and click OK. This will open
the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. The version of DirectX you are running will be
displayed toward the bottom of the first page.
3. Go through each tab and click the buttons with the word
"Test.." in them. This will take you through a series of diagnostic
tests.
4. When you get to the "Display" tab make sure that
"Directdraw" and "Direct3D" are enabled. If Direct3D is
"Not Available" right click your desktop and click "Properties."
Go to the "Settings" tab, click "Advanced." Go to the "Performance"
tab and make sure hardware acceleration is set to Full.
5. If you find any problems you will need to download and reinstall
DirectX from the link above.
8. When I exit Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2, my monitor settings are washed out/too bright.
This is a problem that only occurs with ATI video cards. You need to change
your setting for Overlay Brightness as outlined below:
1. Right click on your Desktop.
2. Click Properties.
3. Click the "Settings" tab.
4. Click the "Advanced..." button in the bottom right
corner.
5. Click the "ATI Color" tab.
6. Along with the setting for Desktop Brightness is a setting
for Overlay Brightness. Set the Overlay brightness to the minimum.
9. Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 does not fill my whole monitor screen.
The geometry on your monitor for the screen mode Sharks: Terrors of the
Deep 2 is using may not be edge-to-edge. Try adjusting your monitor settings.
These are usually located on the front of your monitor. Your monitor should
save these changes and they should only be in effect when Sharks: Terrors
of the Deep 2 is running.
If you still cannot get the display to fill the screen you may have to override
the refresh setting in DirectX. Check your monitor manufacturer's web site and
see what the optimal refresh rate is for the resolution you want to run.
1. Click on the "Start" button and select "Run".
2. Type dxdiag and click "OK".
3. Click the "More Help" tab.
4. Click the "Override" button.
5. Enter the optimal refresh rate for your monitor. DirectX
limits some programs to 60hz by default.
10. When Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 runs, I have no sound.
Try to remove and reinstall your Audio Compression software.
1. In Windows98 or ME click on the Start button then select
Settings/Control Panel/Add-Remove Programs.
2. Click Windows Setup, scroll to and select Multimedia then
click the "Details" button.
3. Uncheck "Audio Compression" and click "Apply".
4. Re-check "Audio Compression" to re-install (at
this point you might be asked to insert your Windows disk) and click OK.
If you are running another operating system or the Aquarium sound still does
not work, we suggest you uninstall and reinstall your sound card driver. The
latest version should be available on your computer manufacturer's website and/or
your sound card/chip manufacturer's website. Check there also for specific instructions
on how to uninstall and reinstall.
To check which sound card you have click on the "Start" button, select
"Run" and type in "dxdiag" then click OK. This will open
the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. Click the Sound tab. Your sound card will be listed
under the Device heading.
11. When I run Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 from the shortcut on my desktop, my computer launches a different program.
AutoCAD or some other program has changed the association of the .SCR file
type. Here is a way to work around that:
1. Open your My Documents folder and select "View"
("Tools" for Windows XP) from the Menu Bar then click on "Folder
Options..."
2. Click the "View" tab, uncheck "Hide file
extensions for known file types" and click the "Apply" button.
This will allow you to view the file extensions for all files.
3. Close your My Documents window.
4. Delete the Aquarium icon from your Desktop.
5. Copy and Paste the Sharks2.scr file to your Desktop from
your C:WindowsSystem (System32 for Windows XP) folder.
6. Right-click on the new Aquarium icon and select "Rename"
from the menu. Change the Icon's name to Sharks2.exe. You can now run Sharks:
Terrors of the Deep 2 manually by double-clicking this Icon.
Screen Savers & Burn-in
1. What is burn-in?
Burn-in is a generic term for a ghost-like image that appears on a monitor or television after displaying an image that does not change for a long period of time. Burn-in is also called ghosting or image persistence. While the exact cause is different for different types of monitors, the result is the same, a light or dark area of the screen where the non-moving image was displayed. Due to better technology, energy saver options, and screen savers, burn-in is much less of a problem than in the past. However, any program, even a screen saver, can cause burn-in if left running long enough.
2. Screen savers
Screen savers were originally designed to help avoid the effects of burn-in by automatically changing the images on the screen when the computer was not in use (thus "saving" the screen from burn-in). They are usually set up to launch automatically by the computers operating system, waiting a specified amount of time after the last keystroke or the last mouse movement made by a user. The screen saver then blanks the screen, or more commonly produces animation effects, thus avoiding any "fixed" images.
Modern monitors are much less susceptible to burn-in than older models due to better technology and energy saver options. For these reasons, screen savers today are primarily decorative or for entertainment, and usually feature moving images or patterns and sometimes sound effects.
Our LifeGlobe and SereneScreen products are hyper-realistic simulators. They model real creatures in real environments. They are completely unpredictable, and follow behaviors modeled after their real life counterparts.
As a result, the background can remain on screen for long periods of time without change.
By default our simulators ship in a mode that cycles the background and/or lighting. Changing these options can effect some monitors over a long period of time. If you are concerned about burn-in, do not turn off this cycle.
3. How can I prevent burn-in?
Most computers have several layers of protection against burn-in:
- Better technology
- Advancements in monitor hardware and software mean that today's monitors are less likely to burn-in.
- Energy saver options
- To save electricity, monitors will switch to an energy saving mode after a period of time, either reducing the brightness of the display or turning off the display entirely.
- Screen savers
- Finally, there are an incredible number of screen savers that display moving images to reduce the persistence of a single image on the screen helping to avoid burn-in.
However, even with these advancements and options, in rare cases, burn-in can still occur. To prevent burn-in, we recommend the following:
- Different monitors have different needs when it comes to burn-in. You should check the users manual for specific information, or even contact the manufacturer, just to be sure what steps you can take for your specific monitor.
- Set the energy saver options to turn off your monitor when not in use for a long period of time.
- With any of our products, the background and foreground lighting change constantly on an automatic cycle. If you are concerned about burn-in, do not turn off this cycle.
4. How do I fix burn-in?
This depends on the kind of monitor you have.
- CRT
- Unfortunately, once burn-in occurs on a CRT monitor, there is no fix as the actual process that produces the image has been damaged.
- LCD & Plasma monitors
- The approach to fixing burn-in on plasma and LCD monitors is the same: Display a white screen on the display for a length of time equal to the image that burned-in.
Apple has an excellent article on how to go about this:
Apple: Avoiding image persistence on Apple LCD displays
Miscellaneous
1. What kind of Sharks come with Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2?
All of the Sharks that come with Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2 are listed on the product info page:
Meet the Sharks Details
If you do not see the Shark you like, e-mail us a picture and we will add it to our suggestions!
2. Can I make my own Fish for Sharks: Terrors of the Deep?
Currently we do not permit people to create or add custom fish for Sharks: Terrors of the Deep 2. There are many reasons, but the most important is that while we trust an artisan would be motivated, and even capable of creating a truly wonderful masterpiece, there are others that might not, and a version were to get out that was less than the highest quality, it might reflect poorly on us.
If you are interesting in creating fish or wildlife for our company, we are always seeking talented artists. Please e-mail
us samples of your work.
Thank you for your support.
3. How did you make the 3D shark models?
Our models were made by hand, and were designed to be very low polygon count, as well as simulate as closely as possible the real animals. Sometimes this simply required creating the creature, and watching it for days if not weeks. During this period, we fine tune the fish until we cannot distinguish between the real thing and our creation.
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