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LIFESTREAM

Error - Video sequences don't play, you can hear the audio of the sequence but see no visuals, or receive the following error when a movie sequence is about to play:  Error while attempting to play the following video file: <filename.avi>. Automation Error. Unspecified Error.  (If you receive this error during the start or end of Chapter IX (9), then read the solution for the next error below.)
Solution - Lifestream requires the Xvid video codec to play.  When installing Lifestream, you are asked if you want to install the codec.  Uninstall Lifestream and reinstall it, choosing YES when asked to install the Xvid codec.  If you already have the Xvid codec installed, then a possible conflict may occur if you also have DivX installed on your system.  If this is the case:  uninstall DivX, uninstall Xvid, uninstall Shady Brook, restart your computer, and then reinstall Shady Brook and Xvid.  Your problem should be solved!

Error - At the start or end of Chapter IX (9), the game crashes with a random error.
Solution - This is, by far, the single most frequent error report I get!  Certain soundcards that are built into a computer processor are incapable of playing multiple tracks of audio at once.  As a result, when two applications both attempt to use the sound card at the same time, a crash results.  Luckily, there is a fix.  The version of Xvid, the codec that plays the Lifestream video sequences, has a newer version that will play the multiple tracks.  Follow these steps to solve this problem:
1.  Uninstall Xvid from your system.
2.  Download this version of the Xvid installer.
3.  Unzip it and then run the EXE file to install Xvid.
4.  Restart your computer.
After this, the video sequences should run properly!  If this solution does not work, or if you need more detailed instructions, please do not hesitate to contact me via the form below.

Error - When starting the game, you receive an error message saying that your audio card is already in use by another application, even though nothing else is open.
Explanation - Certain soundcards that are built into a computer processor are incapable of playing multiple tracks of audio at once.  As a result, when two applications both attempt to use the sound card at the same time, a crash results.  Currently, the only known soundcard that is incompatible with Lifestream is the SoundMax brand of card.  Unfortunately, there is no known fix at this time.  As a result, we have listed the SoundMax sound card as incompatible in the system requirements of Lifestream.

Error - In Chapter III (3), the peg puzzle does not appear, is not playable, or does not play properly.
Solution - The peg puzzle, along with a handful of others in the game, uses Macromedia Flash.  If you are having trouble getting this puzzle to work, then you simply need to install the Macromedia Flash player, which is completely free and available via download here.  Simply download and install the Flash player and the puzzle should work!

Error - The game's sound is garbled or dialog is missing or gets cut off.
Explanation #1 - Certain soundcards that are built into a computer processor are incapable of playing multiple tracks of audio at once.  As a result, when two applications both attempt to use the sound card at the same time, a crash results.  Currently, the only known soundcard that is incompatible with Lifestream is the SoundMax brand of card.  Unfortunately, there is no known fix at this time.  As a result, we have listed the SoundMax sound card as incompatible in the system requirements of Lifestream.
Explanation #2 - Make sure that your system meets the minimum requirements for Lifestream.  Low-end systems may experience garbled audio.

Error - You receive an error message after every frame or receive the following error message:  An error has occurred. The game may not work properly. Pres "esc" and then click "Exit" to quit. Error description: Error executing script. Make sure that the global variables do not have names that are reserved by the engine. The Scripting Engine returned the following error message: Invalid character.
Solution - Your PC has a second language - other than English - installed, or is using another language as the default language.  On some computers, this can cause a conflict with Lifestream's scripting engine, causing this error message to appear.  To fix the problem, simply temporarily remove the secondary language (or switch the primary language to English if it isn't).  This should fix any error messages you receive relating to the scripting engine.

Error - When video sequences play, they appear either darker than the game itself or extremely bright.
Solution - On some systems (mostly systems containing an nVidia GEForce graphics card), DirectX (a vital Windows component) interferes with the Xvid codec, which drives this game's video sequences.  As a result, the video sequences appear either a shade or two darker or much brighter than the rest of the game.  To solve this, follow these steps:
1. Right click on your desktop and choose PROPERTIES.
2. Choose the SETTINGS tab.
3. Click the ADVANCED button.
4. Choose the tab that lists your graphics card.
5. On the left, choose COLOR CORRECTION.
6. On the Color Correction page, click on the dropdown box right below the words "Apply color changes to:". Choose Overlay.
7. Click the RESTORE DEFAULTS button.
8. Go to the dropdown box again and switch it to ALL. Your screen will turn super bright.
9. Click the RESTORE DEFAULTS button once again.
10. Click APPLY and then click the OK button.
If this does not solve your problem, then please contact us via the form below for further details.

Error - The background music is too loud and I cannot hear what characters are saying!
Solution - On some systems, this has been known to occur.  To fix it, follow these steps:
1.  Open your computer's Control Panel.  This can be accessed by going to the Start Menu, choosing Settings, and then choosing Control Panel.
2.  Choose Sounds and Audio Devices.  Double-click to open that window.
3.  Click the Audio tab.
4.  Click the Advanced button in the Audio Playback category.
5.  Click the Performance tab.
6.  Change the Hardware Acceleration tab to Basic.
7.  Click okay.
8.  Restart your computer.
After this, the volume should work properly!  Please note that, after finishing the game, you may want to change the Hardware Acceleration tab back to what it was prior to making this change.  If this solution does not work, or if you need more detailed instructions, please do not hesitate to contact me via the form below.

SHADY BROOK

Error - I'm right near the end of the game about to fight Curly a second time, but cannot proceed because there isn't any place on the screen that is clickable.  Help!
Solution - This is a bug in the game code that occurs if Adventure Only Mode is enabled.  There is a patch available to fix this error.  When installing the patch, please be sure that the installation folder is the same as the folder to which you installed the game.  To download the patch (120 kb), please click here.  Alternatively, you can manually turn off Adventure Only Mode.  The downside is that you will have to play through the final action sequence.  However, if you cannot get the patch to work, then this is the best way to go.  To turn off Adventure Only Mode, follow these steps:
1.  Open your saved game file in Notepad.  Your saved game file is in the game's folder (Program Files\Shady Brook\ by default) and is named SavedGameName.sav (where SavedGameName is replaced by the name you typed in for your saved game).
2.  Near the top, you will see a line that reads "Adventure Only Mode".  Below this is the number 1.  Change this 1 to a 0 and save the game.
You can then play the game as normal!  If neither of these solutions works, please do not hesitate to contact me using the form below.

Error - My disc drive will not read the DVD.
Explanation - Shady Brook is available only via DVD and, as such, will only work on a DVD-ROM drive.  If you do not have a DVD-ROM drive, then it will not work.  (For example, a regular CD drive will not be able to read the DVD.)  In addition, some older DVD-ROM drives (released prior to 1999) may not read the disc properly.

Error - My DVD says that the game is compatible with Windows XP only.  On your site it says that the game will run on Windows 98, 2000, ME, and XP.  Can you please explain this?
Solution - On our first batch of DVDs, the DVD itself has printed on it "Windows XP", implying that the game will not work on other Windows-based platforms.  This is an error.  Shady Brook is compatible with Windows 98, 2000, ME, and XP.

Error - Certain scenes take a long time to load and/or characters appear in a scene a few seconds after the scene itself appears.
Solution - All characters/animated pieces of a set were created as video files and run off of the DVD.  On some slower systems, it may take a few seconds for the entire scene - including any characters in a particular frame - to load.  This is normal and will not affect gameplay.  If it bothers you enough to affect your experience, and if you are brave, you can copy the entire contents of the game to your hard drive.  Please note, however, that doing so will take up approximately 3.5 GB of hard drive space.  To do this, follow these steps:
1.  Open Windows Explorer.
2.  Copy all files on the DVD to the Program Files\Shady Brook\ folder (or whichever alternate folder to which you installed the game), placing each file in the same folder name on your hard drive as it is in on the DVD drive.  For instance, all files in the Frames folder on the DVD drive should go in the Program Files\Shady Brook\Frames folder on your hard drive.
3.  In the Program Files\Shady Brook\ folder, rename RunFromCD.dat to RunFromCD.old (or rename it to any other name).
4.  Run the game.  The DVD will not need to be in the drive, and the slowness should disappear!
If you have followed these steps and still cannot get the game to run from your hard drive, please do not hesitate to contact me using the form below.

Error - Video sequences don't play, you can hear the audio of the sequence but see no visuals, or receive the following error when a movie sequence is about to play:  Error while attempting to play the following video file: <filename.avi>. Automation Error. Unspecified Error.
Solution - Shady Brook requires the Xvid video codec to play.  When installing Shady Brook, you are asked if you want to install the codec.  Uninstall Shady Brook and reinstall it, choosing YES when asked to install the Xvid codec.  If you already have the Xvid codec installed, then a possible conflict may occur if you also have DivX installed on your system.  If this is the case:  uninstall DivX, uninstall Xvid, uninstall Shady Brook, restart your computer, and then reinstall Shady Brook and Xvid.  Your problem should be solved!

Error - When starting the game, you receive an error message saying that your audio card is already in use by another application, even though nothing else is open, the game crashes, or the game freezes.
Explanation - Certain soundcards that are built into a computer processor are incapable of playing multiple tracks of audio at once.  As a result, when two applications both attempt to use the sound card at the same time, a crash results.  Currently, the only known soundcard that is incompatible with Shady Brook is the SoundMax brand of card.  Unfortunately, there is no known fix at this time.  As a result, we have listed the SoundMax sound card as incompatible in the system requirements of Shady Brook.

Error - Certain puzzles do not appear, are not playable, or do not play properly.
Solution - A handful of puzzles in the game use Macromedia Flash.  If you are having trouble getting certain puzzles to work, then you simply need to install the Macromedia Flash player, which is completely free and available via download here.  Simply download and install the Flash player and the puzzle should work!  The download should take fewer than five minutes, even on a 56k modem connection.

Error - The game's sound is garbled or dialog is missing or gets cut off.
Explanation #1 - Certain soundcards that are built into a computer processor are incapable of playing multiple tracks of audio at once.  As a result, when two applications both attempt to use the sound card at the same time, a crash results.  Currently, the only known soundcard that is incompatible with Shady Brook is the SoundMax brand of card.  Unfortunately, there is no known fix at this time.  As a result, we have listed the SoundMax sound card as incompatible in the system requirements of Shady Brook.
Explanation #2 - Make sure that your system meets the minimum requirements for Shady Brook.  Low-end systems may experience garbled audio.

Error - You receive an error message after every frame or receive the following error message:  An error has occurred. The game may not work properly. Pres "esc" and then click "Exit" to quit. Error description: Error executing script. Make sure that the global variables do not have names that are reserved by the engine. The Scripting Engine returned the following error message: Invalid character.
Solution - Your PC has a second language - other than English - installed, or is using another language as the default language.  On some computers, this can cause a conflict with Shady Brook's scripting engine, causing this error message to appear.  To fix the problem, simply temporarily remove the secondary language (or switch the primary language to English if it isn't).  This should fix any error messages you receive relating to the scripting engine.

Error - When video sequences play, they appear either darker than the game itself or extremely bright.
Solution - On some systems (mostly systems containing an nVidia GEForce graphics card), DirectX (a vital Windows component) interferes with the Xvid codec, which drives this game's video sequences.  As a result, the video sequences appear either a shade or two darker or much brighter than the rest of the game.  To solve this, follow these steps:
1. Right click on your desktop and choose PROPERTIES.
2. Choose the SETTINGS tab.
3. Click the ADVANCED button.
4. Choose the tab that lists your graphics card.
5. On the left, choose COLOR CORRECTION.
6. On the Color Correction page, click on the dropdown box right below the words "Apply color changes to:". Choose Overlay.
7. Click the RESTORE DEFAULTS button.
8. Go to the dropdown box again and switch it to ALL. Your screen will turn super bright.
9. Click the RESTORE DEFAULTS button once again.
10. Click APPLY and then click the OK button.
If this does not solve your problem, then please contact us via the form below for further details.

Error - The background music is too loud and I cannot hear what characters are saying!
Solution - On some systems, this has been known to occur.  To fix it, follow these steps:
1.  Open your computer's Control Panel.  This can be accessed by going to the Start Menu, choosing Settings, and then choosing Control Panel.
2.  Choose Sounds and Audio Devices.  Double-click to open that window.
3.  Click the Audio tab.
4.  Click the Advanced button in the Audio Playback category.
5.  Click the Performance tab.
6.  Change the Hardware Acceleration tab to Basic.
7.  Click okay.
8.  Restart your computer.
After this, the volume should work properly!  Please note that, after finishing the game, you may want to change the Hardware Acceleration tab back to what it was prior to making this change.  If this solution does not work, or if you need more detailed instructions, please do not hesitate to contact me via the form below.

If your error message is not listed above, then please feel free to contact us using the following form: