DREAMWORKS INTERACTIVE SOMEONE'S IN THE KITCHEN READ ME
(c) 1996 DREAMWORKS INTERACTIVE
If you are using Notepad to read file, check Word Wrap on the Edit menu to make it easier to read. This document provides late-breaking and other information to supplement the booklet included in the CD jewel case.
Some potential issues are addressed below, but if you still need help, troubleshooting information is available from DreamWorks Product Support at (206) 635-7134, Monday through Friday 8am-6pm and Saturday 9am-3pm Pacific time.
For up-to-date news about this and other DreamWorks Interactive products, visit us at our World-Wide Web address- www.DreamWorksGames.com
* Pentium 75 with local SVGA bus video, 256-color display
* Microsoft Windows 95
* 4X CD-ROM drive
* 8 MB of RAM
* 20 MB of available hard disk space
* 16-bit Sound Blaster-compatible sound board plus speakers or headphones to hear audio
* Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device
*Warning* The Kitchen CD contains CD music or CD audio and can be played just like any other audio CD. Please remember that Track 1 on the disc is not intended for audio playback. It contains game data only, so if you play it on a regular CD player, you may hear static or silence. Loud static may damage your stereo, so make sure to skip Track 1 when playing the CD music.
* Do not remove the Kitchen disc from your CD-ROM drive while you are running the program. This could cause the program or your computer to shut down unexpectedly.
* Make sure your CD-ROM drive gives you peak performance.
To make sure that Windows is set to run your CD-ROM drive at its best:
1. Click My Computer with the right mouse-button.
2. Click Properties, and then click the Performance tab.
3. Click the File System button, and then click the CD-ROM tab.
Make sure that the Supplemental cache size is set to Large and that
Optimize access pattern for is correctly set for the type of CD-ROM drive you have. Look in your computer or CD-ROM drive manual to find out what this setting should be.
* Check your monitor video card settings.
The best settings are 640 x 480 and 256 colors. (See section 4.3 VIDEO TROUBLESHOOTING for instructions on how to change the settings.)
* If you click lots of things at once, it can get pretty noisy in the kitchen. If you want to hear what someone has to say, wait before you click something else.
* Someone's in the Kitchen requires a certain amount of free hard disk space in order to function properly. The amount required is depends on the amount of memory (or RAM) your computer has, and the memory settings for the computer. In general, the more RAM you have the less free hard disk space you need.
If you are using Windows with the default settings which allow Windows to manager the Virtual Memory, Someone's in the Kitchen runs best with at least 32 megabyes (MB) of free hard disk space. Although 32 MB is the recommended amount of disk space, below are the minimum system requirements, based on the amount of RAM your computer has:
- 8 MB or less of RAM: You must have 24 MB of free hard disk space.
- 9 to 16 MB of RAM: You must have 16 MB of free hard disk space.
- Greater than 16 MB of RAM: You must have 8 MB of free hard disk space.
If you're uncomfortable trying any of the following suggestions on your own, you may want to ask your dealer or a more experienced friend to help.
* If your problem isn't resolved by the suggestions offered in this document try looking on the DreamWorks World-Wide Web page located at www.DreamWorksGames.com. From there you can also e-mail DreamWorks technical support for further assistance.
- Finding your Product ID number or PID:
If you need to contact DreamWorks technical support, you will be asked for your Product ID number. The PID for Someone's in the Kitchen can be found in the following places:
1. When the Setup screen appears, you can record your Product ID number. The Product ID is located directly over the Install, Uninstall, and Play buttons on the Setup screen.
< or >
2. Insert the Someone's in the Kitchen disc in your CD-ROM drive. Click the Start button, point to Programs, point to DreamWorks, and then click Kitchen. The product ID is located directly over the Install, Uninstall, and Play buttons on the Setup screen.
- When you put the CD in, wait 5-10 seconds for your drive to recognize the disc.
- If the Installation screen still does not show up, open the My Computer on your desktop and double-click the Dog icon.
- If you do not see a Dog icon in My computer, double-click the My Computer icon. Double-click the CD-ROM icon and a window should appear showing the files on the disc. Double-click Setup. If this doesn't work, you may be having problems with your CD-ROM drive.
"I'm having problems with my CD-ROM drive."
Check the drive itself. Here are three things to try.
- Make sure the Someone's in the Kitchen disc is inserted in
the CD-ROM drive. (Someone's in the Kitchen won't run unless the disc is in the drive.)
- If you have an external CD-ROM drive, make sure the power is turned on and that it is correctly connected to your computer.
- Check for a hardware conflict.
Make sure the CD-ROM drive doesn't conflict with other hardware by using the Hardware Conflict Troubleshooter.
To use the Hardware Conflict Troubleshooter:
1. In Windows, click the Start button, and then click Help.
2. Double-click Troubleshooting.
3. Double-click "If you have a hardware conflict" and follow the on screen instructions.
*If, after you try these three things, Someone's in the Kitchen still tells you it can't find data, check to see if your CD-ROM drive is installed properly. Refer to the manual that came with your computer system or CD-ROM drive for help, or contact the company that supplied the drive.
- Make sure your speakers are plugged into the correct connection on your sound card.
- Make sure the sound card is pressed securely into its slot.
- Make sure the sound card switches and settings were set correctly when the sound card was installed. Refer to your sound card manual for more information on your sound card settings.
- Make sure the sound card doesn't conflict with other hardware by using the Hardware Conflict Troubleshooter. The Hardware Conflict Troubleshooter was designed specifically to help with hardware conflicts in Windows. To use the Troubleshooter:
1. In Windows, click the Start button, and then click Help.
2. Double-click Troubleshooting.
3. Double-click "If you have a hardware conflict" and follow the on screen instructions.
"The sound is distorted, skips, or cuts off."
- If the sound is distorted, try adjusting the sound card volume with a program that is often called a "mixer." To get to the mixer, double-click the Volume Control. Sometimes there is a little speaker located on your Taskbar that you can double-click. Or, click the Start button, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to Multimedia and click Volume Control. Turn down the volume using the volume slider bar under Volume Control and then close the Volume Control window.
- If the sound occasionally skips or cuts off, it is possible that the CD-ROM drive doesn't meeet the minimum requirements. Someone's in the Kitchen requires a quad-speed (4X) or higher CD-ROM drive. If you keep using the same CD-ROM drive, you probably will continue to hear the sound break up or skip. Or you can upgrade your CD-ROM drive for better performance.
- Most sound cards can play only one sound at a time. Some sound-producing programs, like a screen saver or any program that makes a sound in the background, may take over the sound capability of your computer and interrupt Someone's in the Kitchen sounds. If you suspect you have such a program, do not run it or any other sound-producing programs at the same time as Someone's in the Kitchen.
- If you have a Media Vision Pro Audio 16 sound card and the sound is scratchy, the Direct Memory Access (DMA) may be set too low. A DMA setting of 7 will correct any scratchy sounds. For instructions on changing your DMA settings, refer to your sound card manual.
* Your computer must display at least 256 colors to run Someone's in the Kitchen.
To display 256 colors in Windows 95:
1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Display icon.
3. Click the Settings tab.
4. Under Color Palette, click 256 Color.
5. Click OK.
If you don't have the necessary 256-color driver, or if you're not sure that your video card supports 256 colors, contact your video card manufacturer.
* Someone's in the Kitchen cinematics are best viewed if your desktop color palette is set to less than high color (16-, 24- and 32-bit color). If you are playing in any of these palettes, exit Someone's in the Kitchen and change your color palette to 256 color following the steps in the preceding section.
* Make sure you have the correct Monitor Type selected for your computer.
To do this use the following steps:
1. Click the Start button, point to Settings and click Control Panel.
2. In Control Panel, double-click the Display icon.
3. Click the Settings tab and click Change Display Type.
4. Under Monitor Type, verify that the correct Monitor Type is selected. If the incorrect monitor is selected or if the Monitor Type is set to Unknown, click Change to select the correct monitor.
"I can't get Kitchen to play full screen."
- The best resolution for Someone's in the Kitchen is 640 x 480.
- To adjust your resolution to 640 x 480 in Windows 95:
1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Display icon.
3. Click the Settings tab.
4. Under Desktop Area, move the slider bar until it reads 640 by 480 pixels.
* The Generic Text printer driver is not compatible with Kitchen.
* You can print any of the recipes that come with Someone's in the Kitchen, but you can't print recipes that you create yourself.
"Garbage text prints out."
- Make sure your printer driver setting is for your specific type of printer.
- Consult your printer's manual. You may have to reinstall your printer software.
"Nothing prints out."
- Make sure your printer is properly connected to your computer, plugged in to an electrical socket, has its power switch turned on, and that its paper supply isn't empty.
* If you're using Intellipoint software with your Microsoft mouse.
The Snap to feature can cause the mouse pointer to jump around on the screen when you do certain things in Someone's in the Kitchen. To fix the pointer problem, turn off the Snap to feature. To turn off the Snap to feature:
1. In Windows, click the Start button, and then point to Settings.
2. Click Control Panel, and then double-click the Mouse icon.
In the lower-right corner of the Mouse Properties box, you'll see Microsoft Intellipoint mentioned.
3. Click the Activity tab, and then click Snap to. Make sure there is no "x" in the box.