TECHNICAL SUPPORT



Please read the following questions carefully.
Most problems will have their answers here.

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I'm getting random lockups and a frozen mouse, or the screen crashes while running the PC version of Who Is Oscar Lake?®, what can I do? (also see Question #2)
You may need to adjust the QuickTime settings. Although QuickTime automatically adjusts its settings according to the computer hardware and software that it detects, sometimes it may make incorrect identifications. Therefore, we are able to adjust the QuickTime settings manually. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU FOLLOW THESE STEPS YOU MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE 16 BIT VERSION OF QUICKTIME, NOT THE 32 BIT VERSION.  There are two ways to do this, depending on how severely your computer is locking up. If your machine is locking up, but you are still able to access the QuickTime control panel applet, use this method:
  1. Go into the Windows Control Panel. For Windows 3.1x users, it is in the main group. For Windows 95/98 users, click Start | Settings | Control Panel.
  2. Look for the QuickTime Icon. There may be two icons for QuickTime. We need to use the one that controls the 16-bit version of QuickTime (you may need to open each one to find out which one it is).  Double click the QuickTime icon.  If your machine crashes when you open the QuickTime control panel, restart Windows and press the F8 key.  This will start up Windows in "Safe Mode".  You should then be able to access the QuickTime control panel without crashing.  Remember to restart Windows again (not in "Safe Mode") before running the application.
  3. Double clicking the QuickTime icon will bring up a new window.    Towards the bottom of this window there should be a button labeled "More".  Click on the "More" button.
  4. There should now be some tabs at the top of the screen.  One of the tabs should say "Video" on it. Click on the tab that says "Video".
  5. A new window will appear. Towards the middle of this window there should be an option that says "Optimization", and under that you should see "Draw Method". These are the settings that QuickTime uses when talking to your computer hardware.
  6. We need to adjust the "Draw Method" setting.  One setting should be currently highlighted.  If your computer is locking up, most likely the "Draw Method" setting is the culprit.  In order to have QuickTime talk to your computer in a way that it can understand, we need to drop the setting down to a lower one.  Simply highlight "BMP".  This setting works on most computers.
  7. Now that "BMP" is highlighted, we need to save the changes. Click on the "Apply" button at the bottom of the current window.  Windows will ask you if you want to save your modifications (Hint: You do!) and then you can close the QuickTime window.

If you are not able to access the Control Panel applet, you have to manually adjust the QuickTime initialization file. This file is called "qtw.ini" and is located in your Windows directory (wherever you installed Windows). This is the procedure:

  1. Open qtw.ini in a text editor of your choosing. (You may use Windows Notepad or MS-DOS Edit.)
  2. There should be a heading labeled "Video". Under this heading, there should be a line labeled "Draw Method=".
  3. Delete what is currently after the "Draw Method=" and insert "BMP".
  4. Your edited line should look like this: "Draw Method=BMP" (no quotes).
  5. Save the file and try and run the program.
Do I need to install QuickTime to run Who is Oscar Lake? 
Yes, you do. But it is part of the setup process when you first install Who Is Oscar Lake?®  Follow the directions on the screen. Be sure to delete any older versions of QuickTime (older than 2x), not the newer versions.

But don't worry:  installing the older version will NOT delete your newer version, because it can't find that newer version (if it can't be found, it can't be deleted).  All you'll be doing is creating a separate file for the 16-bit version so that it can be found again each time you play.   The program will delete only versions of QuickTime which are older than itself and 32-bit is NOT older.

  Do you get the message saying "Cannot find (or load) QTMOVIE.VBX"?
 
When you are asked if you want to install the older version of QuickTime, you must choose yes, even if you have version 3.0.2.   If you don't, you'll get the error message (Cannot find (or load) QTMOVIE.VBX).
Who Is Oscar Lake?® was created with a 16-bit code and the newer version of QuickTime (3.0.2) is a 32-bit code.  Oscar Lake must use QuickTime version 2x because that is a 16-bit version (therefore, compatible).  The test movie (MOVIEPLAYER.EXE) will run because that is a 32-bit (therefore compatible with your newer version of QuickTime).
I'm having problems running Who Is Oscar Lake?® (also see Question #2)
Who Is Oscar Lake?® requires QuickTime software to run. If QuickTime is not installed properly, various problems may occur.

To see if QuickTime has been installed correctly, you can attempt to play one of the QuickTime movies directly from the QuickTime Movie Player application. Movie Player will have been installed during the QuickTime installation. Do the following:

Launch the QuickTime Movie Player. It is called PLAYER.EXE, and is located in the Windows directory (usually C:\WINDOWS\PLAYER.EXE).

Choose File|Open from the Movie Player window. A File Open dialog box will appear, select the title QuickTime movie (located on the Who Is Oscar Lake? CD-ROM). If your CD-ROM drive is drive D:, the movie is located in the following location:

English
D:\L1\MOV\TI\L1TIT000.MOV

Spanish
D:\L2\MOV\TI\L2TIT000.MOV

French
D:\L3\MOV\TI\L3TIT000.MOV

German
D:\L4\MOV\TI\L4TIT000.MOV

Italian
D:\L5\MOV\TI\L5TIT000.MOV

If a movie appears, press the Play button (located on the bottom left of the movie's window). The title movie should play with music.  If you do not get the Who Is Oscar Lake?® title movie playing smoothly with music, then you do not have QuickTime for Windows installed correctly.   Re-install QuickTime by following these directions:

Windows 95:
  1. Go to "Start" and select "Run"
  2. At the prompt, type "d:\QTW20\SETUP"
  3. Follow the instructions on the screen.
  4. *** Delete any older versions of QuickTime ***
Windows 3.1
  1. Go under "File" in the Program Manager and select "Run"
  2. At the prompt, type "d:\QTW20\SETUP"
  3. Follow the instructions on the screen.
  4. *** Delete any older versions of QuickTime ***

If QuickTime is installed properly, please check to see that your computer is running optimally. Disable any screen savers that are running in the background and close all applications prior to running Who Is Oscar Lake? Be sure that your computer meets the minimum requirements.

Do you get the message:  "Unable to copy file 'cmdialog.vbx' corrupted archive file"?
If you do, then try another machine.  If you get the same message, the disc is bad.  The files that the message refers to cannot be corrupted because then everyone would be getting that message.  It seems that your machine just "thinks" it's corrupted.
 
I'm having problems with sound.
Check Midi Drivers

Who Is Oscar Lake? relies on your PC being configured correctly to play Midi music files. To see if your PC is configured properly, you can attempt to play one of the Who Is Oscar Lake? Midi music files from the Windows Media Player application.

Run Media Player. It is called MPLAYER.EXE, and is located in the Windows directory (usually C:\WINDOWS\MPLAYER.EXE).

Choose Device|Midi Sequencer from the menu bar. If Midi Sequencer is not listed under the Device menu, then you do not have Midi drivers configured correctly on your PC. If you do have the Midi drivers installed, a File Open dialog should appear. Assuming your CD-ROM drive is drive D:, select the following file:

English
D:\L1\MID\ZEBRA14.MID

Spanish
D:\L2\MID\ZEBRA14.MID

French
D:\L3\MID\ZEBRA14.MID

German
D:\L4\MID\ZEBRA14.MID

Italian
D:\L5\MID\ZEBRA15.MID

Then hit the Play button in the Media Player window. You should hear music playing. If you do not, then you do not have your Midi drivers configured properly. Check with your PC manufacture to determine how to install your Midi drivers correctly.

Check Audio Drivers

Who Is Oscar Lake? relies on your PC being configured correctly to play audio files. To see if your PC is configured properly, you can attempt to play one of the Who Is Oscar Lake? audio files from the Windows Media Player application.

Run Media Player. It is called MPLAYER.EXE, and is located in the Windows directory (usually C:\WINDOWS\MPLAYER.EXE).

Choose Device|Sound from the menu bar. If Sound is not listed under the Device menu, then you do not have audio drivers configured correctly on your PC. If you do have the audio drivers installed, a File Open dialog should appear. Assuming your CD-ROM drive is drive D:, select the following file:

English
D:\L1\SEV\ABAR.WAM

Spanish
D:\L2\SEV\ABAR.WAM

French
D:\L3\SEV\ABAR.WAM

German
D:\L4\SEV\ABAR.WAM

Italian
D:\L5\SEV\ABAR.WAM

Then hit the Play button in the Media Player window. You should hear audio playing. If you do not, then you do not have your audio drivers configured properly. Check with your PC manufacture to determine how to install your audio drivers correctly.

Why do I get error, "Sound card MCI drivers not installed properly"?

We've noticed that this error comes up on certain machines that have the Windows 95 UPDATE installed. It appears as if the upgrade does not attempt to override the original Windows 3.1 drivers, and that seems to be why this error comes up. The only solution is to remove all audio-related drivers, and then install new drivers either from the Windows 95 CD, or the latest version Windows 95 sound drivers that can be found at the Website of the sound card manufacturer.

I hear sound from QT movies, but not any other sounds.

The sound problem is being caused by SoundBlasters "SoftSynth" extension. When loaded in memory, it takes exclusive control of the audio port, and the app needs that port to play sounds.

Go to Start/Settings/Control Panel and open the "Multimedia" control.
Click the tab that says "MIDI". Under "Instrument", click on "Audio for AWE Wave and MIDI", then click "apply". Re-start Windows, and try running the app.

 

On my MAC, I get a message that says, "Needs 4MB of RAM or greater"

Who Is Oscar Lake?® was created only for System 7.  There is something in Systems 8 and 9 that interferes with the program.  (Usually you will see a message that says "needs 4MB of RAM or greater".)  However, you can download (for free) the Mac Patch from the front page of this site.  The patch will enable you to play the entire game.  But Systems 8 and 9 will not allow you to use the ACTIVITIES part of the program (which is separate from the game; that is, you don't need the ACTIVITIES to play the game).  We are currently working on a patch for the ACTIVITIES and as soon as it's ready, we'll make the announcement on the front page.  So keep checking back.

I'm getting a memory error while running the app on a Macintosh with system 8.0 or higher.

Go to http://www.languagepub.com and download the Macintosh Patch that corresponds to the current language of the disk you purchased. Once the Mac patch is downloaded, it must be un-compressed using Stuffit Expander app.

Then copy the resultant Oscar application into the folder on your HD where oscar was origionally installed. You should get a confirmation box that says "File exists, Overwrite?". Once installed, try to run the app again.

 
I get various error messages and system crashes on the Mac upon loading and/or while I'm playing the game.
Whenever your system unexpectedly quits, no matter what type or error message you get there are some remedies to the problem.
Restart your Mac
After almost any system crash, you have to restart. The point is that restarting may turn out to be the solution to your problem. The error may never return. If it does, try another technique.
Reinstall Who Is Oscar Lake?
Occasionally, and this is very rare, the program may not have been fully installed. In other cases, the files of the installed program may be corrupted.

In any case, if the error messages or system crashes persist, you should consider reinstalling Who Is Oscar Lake? If your system continues to crash in various places other than in Who Is Oscar Lake?, reinstall the system software.

Check for extension conflicts
Extension problems are probably the single biggest cause of system errors. Usually, the best technique to see if there are any extension conflicts is to disable all extensions by holding down the Shift key during startup. To isolate the extensions that are used by Who Is Oscar Lake?, remove all extensions out of the extensions folder into a temporary folder EXCEPT for the following:

    Apple CD-ROM
    Audio CD Access
    Foreign File Access
    High Sierra File Access
    ISO 9660 File Access
    QuickTimetm;
    Sound Manager

Reboot the system and restart Who Is Oscar Lake?

I have a problem putting the money into the Ticket Agent's hands.
There are two reasons this could be happening. It’s possible that you are not dragging the money correctly. Make sure that you click on the money symbol that appears at the bottom of your screen ONCE followed by a RELEASE. The money symbol will attach to your cursor. Move the cursor to the ticket agent's hands and click on the mouse again. He will then take your money and give you your ticket.

It is also possible that you did not finish the dialog prior to giving the ticket agent the money. Once you finished your dialog, the items that you have in your suitcase will automatically appear at the bottom of your screen.

Hint: The last statement you MUST make before giving the ticket agent the money is: 



English           Spanish            French            German             Italian

"Here"          "Aquí tiene"         "Voilà"         "Bitte schön"      "Ecco qua"
I got an error message in activities: “Network Palette restoration is not supported.”
When you load a saved game from a save file, one of the pieces of information that is in the save file is the environment that you are in (i.e. the hotel, the square, the café, etc.). Each environment has its own unique palette of colors. When a saved game is loaded, the program restores the computer's palette according to what environment you were in when you saved the game. There are two places in the program where the correct palette is actually defined by where you were before arriving in your current environment, these are the elevator and the activities. For this reason, the ability to save and/or restore a game from the menu bar is disabled while you are either in the elevator or doing an activity.

It is possible that your saved file has been corrupted, and the program is attempting to restore the palette to an unsupported environment. It is also possible that you have somehow managed to create a save file while you were in the elevator or in an activity. If you are able to continue play after getting the above error message, do the following:

Load the save file. Move to a safe environment (the hotel, the café, the square, etc… anywhere except the elevator or an activity). Save the game again on top of your old save file. From now on, you should no longer experience the original error.

How do I get a label for an object? (vocabulary)
On a PC, when the cursor changes to starburst, click on the Right Mouse Button to see and hear the name of the object in the language you are learning.

The same rules apply on the Mac. The only difference is instead of clicking on the right mouse button, hold down the option key and click the mouse button simultaneously.

How do I get the person that I’m speaking with to repeat the last statement?
Point the mouse at the person that you are speaking with and click on the right mouse button if you are on a PC or hold down the option key and click the mouse button simultaneously if you are on the Mac. The person will then repeat the last statement to you.
How do I re-read the business card or invitation once I’ve put it in the suitcase?
Click on the suitcase icon on the lower right hand corner of the screen to load up the objects that you have in your suitcase if it is not already displayed on the screen. Locate the business card or invitation that you desire to read and click on the right mouse button if you're on a PC or hold down the option key and click the mouse button simultaneously if you're on a Mac.
How do I save and reload a game (scene)?
 
Saving a game (that is, saving a scene):

(1) Click FILE.
(2)  Click SAVE AS.
(3)   In the upper left of the box that now appears, you will see a small box called "File Name".  Erase what is already in this box and type in your choice for the name of the scene you wish to save (it can have up to 8 characters).  Then type .sav after the name of the scene.
(4)  Click OK.

            We suggest you name each scene  with a name that will remind you of what that scene is about. 
 
For example, when you buy the train ticket, you may want to call the scene ticket.sav.  When you check into the hotel for the first time, you may want to call the scene clerk1.sav; the second time you speak to the desk clerk, you can call it clerk2.sav.   And the third time you speak to the desk clerk...

When you go to the gallery for the first time, you can call it gallery1.sav.  When you see the woman looking at the diamond, you may want to save the scene using her name plus the number 1 after it.  The next time you see her, you can use her name again and use the number 2 after it. 

The first time you're about to use the phone in your hotel room, you can call it phone1.sav.  Then phone2.sav, etc.

The first time you use the TV, you can call it TV1.sav, then TV2.sav, etc.

When you go up to the Penthouse and see the secretary, you may want to call it secrtry1.sav.

When you go into the Penthouse office and talk to the woman, you may want to call it penthse1.sav.

We also suggest that you save each scene at the beginning of each scene.  If you save it in the middle of the scene, and then return to it, you will automatically return to the beginning of that scene, not in the middle when you stopped and saved.  The only times when you can't save a scene is in the elevator and in the middle of an activity.

When you exit the game, you will see a box that asks you if you want to save your game before you go.  If you have saved each scene at the beginning of each scene (that is, before you actually start the scene/character moving or talking), then you can always answer NO to this box.  For example, if you save the scene as clerk1.sav and then must leave the game right away, then, when the box asks you if you want to save your game before you go, you can answer NO, since you've already called it clerk1.sav.

Opening a scene:

(1)  Click FILE.
(2) Click OPEN.  At this point, you will see a box that asks you if you want to save your game (that is, save the scene you are leaving to go to, or open, another).  When this happens at the beginning of the game (that is, at the poster in the train station), you can always click NO.  You can also answer NO if you are going from one scene to another as long as you have already saved (named) the scene you are about to leave.  If you have not already save the scene you are about to leave (with the exception of the poster at the beginning, which doesn't need a name), then you will click YES here and follow the steps above for saving scenes.
(3)  In the next box, on the left, you will see a somewhat larger box under "File Name", where all the scene names are stored.   Find the name of the scene you wish to go to, click it so that it appears in the smaller box under "File Name".
(4)  Click OK.

You may go to any scene at any time during the game. 

Reloading a game is also simple. Move your mouse up to the top of your screen at any point of the game and choose File|Open from the menu bar. The game will ask you if you want to save the current game. Answer accordingly. Type in the save file that you wish to reload and click on OK. Note that Who is Oscar Lake? never loads up to your previous position in the game. Who Is Oscar Lake? always loads up to the very beginning of the game.
 
When I start the installation, I type in "x:\SETUP.exe" and nothing happens. What should I do?

 The "x" is NOT to be typed in.  It merely represents the place where you should type in the letter designation of your CD drive, which is usually either D or E.

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