2020-2021 Simcity Download Instructions for PC

2020-2021 SimCity Download Instructions for PC

SECTIONS: Basics – Page 1 Troubleshooting – Page 2 Downloading & Installation – Page 2 Offline Play Instructions – Page 9 Code Workarounds – Page 10

BASICS

Remember: • This year, SimCity is not a required or judged component of the Future City Competition. However, teams can still use SimCity as an educational resource.

Origin Account Tips: • Educators should manage and save the login information associated with each SimCity license so they can be reused again next year. o Even if computers are “cleaned” over the summer, past logins will still work and be able to access and re-download the software. • If you have teams that will be sharing computers, you can share IDs. See section “MULTIPLE REGIONS UNDER ONE ORIGIN ID” on page 11 for details. Note: for each unique Origin ID, you will need a unique email address.

Game Play Modes: • Single Player/Offline: We highly recommend that teams create their cities in Single- Player mode (offline). The game will be saved to the hard drive of the computer that the team is using. • Multi-player/Online: If using this mode, the game should be set to “private” so that no other online players can modify the team’s city. The game will be saved to Origin’s server. *Please note that sometimes Origin has connectivity issues with their servers, which can impact a team’s ability to access and play their game.

SimCity codes:

1 • SimCity codes are assigned to your FutureCity.org account once you complete the Program Details Survey during the registration process. Please review the “How to Get SimCity Codes” document at futurecity.org/resources if you are having trouble locating your codes. • Note: You may redeem a single SimCity product code up on to five computers. See the section on USING THE SAME ORIGIN ID ON MULTIPLE COMPUTERS on page 10.

SimCity Specs for a PC: SimCity will run on Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7. You will need:

• Intel players will need, minimally, a 2.0 GHz Core2Duo, while AMD players will need at least an Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 4000+ • At least 2GB of RAM • 10 GB of hard drive space • At least a 512 MB video card featuring either an NVIDIA 7800 or better, an AMD chipset of at least an ATI Radeon HD 2x00 or better, or Intel Series 4 integrated graphics or better.

Note: SimCity is not officially supported on Windows 8 or Windows 10, though players should still be able to build their cities using these operating systems. See http://help.ea.com/en/article/simcity-system-requirements/ for further details on Windows compatibility with SimCity.

TROUBLESHOOTING If you encounter errors while downloading and installing SimCity, please refer to this helpful page (https://help.ea.com/en/simcity/simcity/) from Origin regarding issues and solutions.

DOWNLOADING & INSTALLATION Note: These instructions were created using Internet Explorer 10.

*Note: If you previously downloaded Origin on your computer and already have an Origin username and password, skip to Step 6.

STEP 1. Go to http://www.origin.com and click on “Download” (see red box on left-hand side of screen in image below):

STEP 2. Click “Download” for Windows (see red box in below image):

STEP 3. The image below should appear in the bottom of the same browser window (as above image), Click “Run”:

The following should appear mid-screen:

3 STEP 4. Click “Install”:

STEP 5. This window should appear next (click checkbox to accept the EULA and then click “OK”):

The two windows below should appear:

STEP 6: Sign in using your email address/existing Origin ID or create a new Origin ID and password. Then click “Sign in” or create an account by clicking on “Create an account.” (Note: To authenticate the Origin ID on the computer, you will need an Internet connection. You must log in to Origin in online mode the first time even if planning to play the game in offline mode):

STEP 7. Click on “Game Library” button (highlighted in red below).

STEP 8. Click on “Add A Game” in the upper right-hand corner of the screen (highlighted in red below).

STEP 9: Click “Redeem Product Code” to enter your code.

STEP 10. Cut and paste the 20-digit product code you received via the Online Submission Center at www.futurecity.org. (Login to your Future City account. The product codes you requested are listed in the Educator Pages drop down menu, under “SimCity Codes.”)

6 Note: Some users have had trouble when they type in the product code manually. We suggest copying and pasting. Click “Next”:

STEP 11: When this new window appears, press “Next”:

STEP 12: Hover over SimCity image and click “Download”:

STEP 13: Click “Download Now”:

STEP 14: Click the checkbox to accept the EULA (below window) and click “Download Now”:

STEP 15: The download may take a long time and is very bandwidth intensive. Click on the upward orange arrow for the progress window:

8 OFFLINE PLAY INSTRUTIONS

EA has updated SimCity to allow for offline play – anytime, anywhere without the need for an internet connection. Offline play is called Single-Player mode. It allows players to save games locally on a computer. An internet connection is not needed for game play.

*Future City recommends creating your Virtual City in offline (single player) mode.

Once you have downloaded SimCity and Origin, you no longer need an active Internet connection to play. However, you will need to log in to your Origin account each time you want to play SimCity. Simply select Origin → Go Offline to switch to offline mode for your account. It should remain in Offline Mode until you change it.

For further instructions regarding playing SimCity in offline mode, please refer to the “SimCity Tips & Play Instructions” resource (at futurecity.org/resources - filter for SimCity.

9 CODE WORKAROUNDS

What if you have more teams than software codes?

Option 1: USING THE SAME ORIGIN ID (AND SIMCITY DOWNLOAD CODE) FOR MULTIPLE COMPUTERS: We have had some success with this process – but note: it has not been completely tested for all variations. 1. Create the Origin ID and download SimCity as described in the download instructions (steps 1-15). 2. Log out of Origin. 3. Move to the second computer. Log into Origin using the first Origin ID (step 1). a. After you log in using the previously created Origin ID, it should download SimCity to the second computer without a new download code. b. We have successfully done this on up to 5 computers before getting an error. At that point, use a new Origin ID and download code. And, repeat for another 4-5 computers.

Example of login information associated with each SimCity code to download license on 1- 5 computers:

SimCity Code One: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-ABCD (16 digit code) Email or username registered: [email protected] Password created: FutureCity1 (This login can be used on up to 5 computers when applying the exact login associated with this license.)

SimCity Code Two: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-EFGH (16 digit code) Email or username registered: [email protected] Password created: FutureCity2 (This login can be used on up to 5 computers when applying the exact login associated with this license.)

SimCity Code Three: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-IJKL (16 digit code) Email or username registered: [email protected] Password created: FutureCity3 (This login can be used on up to 5 computers when applying the exact login associated with this license.)

Important: Educators should manage and save the login information assigned to each license so they can be reused again next year.

10 LOGGING ON WITH SAME ORIGIN ID ON MULTIPLE COMPUTERS Now that you have more than one computer sharing the same Origin ID, you can play SimCity on all of them at the same time – if all accounts are offline. 1. Computer 1: log in to Origin and “Go Offline.” Play SimCity in Single-Player mode. 2. Computer 2: after computer 1 is “offline,” you can log in to Origin on computer 2 and “Go Offline.” 3. Computer 3: with computer 1 and 2 offline, you can log in with computer 3. “Go Offline.” 4. Continue as needed. 5. If you log in to Origin and the account is online with another computer/user, you will get a message informing you the account is already in use and asking if you would like to close the other session. If you click yes, you will be closing down the first user. This error message means that the user did not go offline as instructed.

Option 2: MULTIPLE REGIONS UNDER ONE ORIGIN ID

If you have multiple teams sharing the same computer, they can share the same Origin ID and SimCity. The steps for logging in and starting SimCity are the same as above.

Teams can share the same Origin Account, but need to create their own game/region.

Start at the first SimCity screen and make sure you are in “Single Player” mode.

Select “Play” (not “resume”).

Note: Because the games are stored locally on the computer, the teams will need to use the same computer each time.

You will see this screen. Select “Create Game” to start another game-region under this Origin account ID.

Follow the instructions above: • Select a region • Give the region a unique name • Select a city site

11 Make sure the next time the team logs in and starts SimCity that they select the correct Region and City to play.

Rather than “Resume,” use the “Play” button to select the correct Region and City.

Note: anyone logging in will be able to access any game. Make sure teams are playing the correct game. You might want to make back-up copies of games (just in case).