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FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Code3D really free? What’s the catch
What are the system requirements for running Code3D?
How do I install Code3D?
What are hardware fingerprints and product keys?
Can I use my own photos?
In the “New Code3D Project Box,” what is the difference between Terrains, Environments and Sample Scenes?
Why does it take longer for some scenarios to load?
Is there a limit to the number of hazards that can be placed in a scenario?
Are larger scenarios (those with more objects or timeline markers) more likely to crash the program?
How can I view lesson plans for the pre-built scenarios?
How can I save information about scenarios I’ve created or view information on scenarios others have created?
Is there a way to list out the scene markers with their associated times and properties from my scenario?
Why doesn’t my saved screen shot appear in the MyScenario’s Preview window?
How can I share my scenarios?
Is there a way to lock a scenario so that it can not be edited by others?
When I open a pre-saved or shared scenario the sounds/images will not play/appear, is there a reason why?
Can my students type their answers to the questions I've asked on screen using textboxes in Code3D?
Will there be more library objects?
I’ve gotten lost in the 3D environment, is there a way to return to the starting view?
How do I get the free movement tools to appear in the editor mode?
How can I leave multiple objects visible on the timeline?
What is the purpose of the green man in each scene?
I saved a camera angle, but it doesn’t go there when I’m in real-time.
I am using the arrow keys on my keyboard (or WASD keys) and nothing is happening, why is this?
I am trying to move an object, but the tool bar does not appear below the object I want to move!
Tips and Tricks
Realism of Hazards
Reduce Scenario Loading Time
Timeline Marker at the Scenario’s End
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Code3D really free? What’s the catch?
No catches, Code3D is free. We want to make great 3D simulation software that is available to all emergency responders for free. We aren’t going to sell your e-mail addresses or your phone numbers for profit. If you notice, several manufacturers have put their products into the program for you to use and enhance your training, which is how we have made our money.
We also offer scenario building and custom modeling services, and those we charge for. If you need us to build you a scenario, you can send us a lesson plan and we will build it for you. If you needed a special building, landmark, vehicle or other object in your training scenarios, you can send us photos of it and we will build it for you to use in your training. If you are interested in either of these services, please contact Emily at
register@simopsstudios.com
.
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What are the system requirements for running Code3D?
Code3D will perform adequately with the following system requirements:
Graphics card with at least 32 MB of video RAM
1.0 GHz processor
512 MB RAM
Windows 2000, NT, XP or Vista (running at least 1024 x 768 resolution)
At least 1 GB of hard drive space
For improved performance, we recommend a stand-alone graphics card with a minimum of 128 MB of video RAM and that you have the most recent video drivers installed from the manufacturers’ website.
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What do I need to do in order to install Code3D?
To install Code3D, you will need permission to install Program Files and permission to write to your Shared Documents folder. If you do not have these permissions, the installation will not complete successfully; contact your System Administrator or IT Department for help.
If you are the System Administrator or in the IT Department and are having trouble with this, feel free to contact us anytime at
support@simopsstudios.com
or call 1-877-921-1212 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST, and our tech support staff will walk you through the proper installation process.
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What are hardware fingerprints and product keys?
Each copy of Code3D must be registered and fingerprints and keys are used in the registration process. Each copy of Code3D must be registered with Sim Ops Studios.
At the end of the istall process, Code3D will give you a hardware fingerprint and ask you to contact Sim Ops Studios for a license key. You can contact Sim Ops Studios by e-mail or by phone during business hours. When you contact Sim Ops, provide your account name, contact information, and hardware fingerprint. Once we receive your request, we will give you a product key that unlocks Code3D on your computer. You will need to do this for every computer you put Code3D on. You can have as many keys as you’d like, they’re all free.
You can call us at 1-877-921-1212 or 412-904-5097 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST, or e-mail us at
register@simopsstudios.com
.
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Can I use my own photos?
You can use your own photos but they will not be transformed into 3D. You can use them two ways. You can add them as objects into the scene, or as photos that will pop-up and cover the entire screen at a timeline point. To add objects into the scene you can select photos from the library, to add a pop-up photo you need to create a scene event (yellow marker).
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In the “New Code3D Project Box,” what is the difference between Terrains, Environments and Sample Scenes?
Terrains are blank and allow you to build customized environments by placing your own buildings, roads, and scenery objects. Pre-Built Environments have buildings and scenery objects on one of the terrains. These environments can be changed to suit your training needs. Sample Scenes are complete environments with events and hazards that change over time. Other complete scenarios can be found in the scenarios section of the Code3D website. They were built by other members of the Code3D community, and many include lesson plans with teaching points. Pre-Built Scenarios can also be customized to suit your own training needs.
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Why does it take longer for some scenarios to load?
The more items you place into a scene, the longer it will take to load. We suggest placing the buildings specifically designed for the background into the areas of the terrain that are in the background of the scenario’s focus. These buildings are designed to be a lower resolution so that they will allow your scene to load faster.
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Is there a limit to the number of hazards that can be placed in a scenario?
No, but the more hazards that you place in a single scenario, the slower the computer will be likely to run, especially computers with 64 MB or less of video RAM.
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Are larger scenarios (those with more objects or timeline markers) more likely to crash the program?
We have not found this to be a problem. Scenarios with a lot of hazards will cause the program to run slower on certain computers but we have not seen this to crash the program. If you do run into any crashes or technical errors, please e-mail our support team at
support@simopsstudios.com
.
A computer with 64 MB of video RAM will begin to run slow after a couple of hazards are placed. A computer with 128 MB of video RAM or higher can support quite a few hazards before a noticeable slowdown occurs.
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How can I view lesson plans for the pre-built scenarios?
To view pre-built scenario lesson plans, you will need an Internet browser. You will open Code3D and from the top menu select - Help - View Lesson Plans. A browser will appear and automatically take you to the Sim Ops Studios’ website where the entire library of pre-built lesson plans are available for free download.
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How can I save information about scenarios I've created or view information on scenarios others have created?
To view or save information on a scenario, open the scenario, on the main menu select “file” then “info” and a box will appear where you can display or create this information.
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Is there a way to list out the scene markers with their associated times and properties from my scenario?
Yes. To get a list of scene markers you must open the scenario, go to File - Scene Marker Guide, from the main menu. A box will appear with this information. To print this information, you will need to open a word processing software or notepad. You can copy to the clipboard by hitting the “copy to clipboard” button. Then you can paste it into the word processor for easy printing.
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Why doesn’t my saved screen shot appear in the MyScenario’s Preview window?
In order for a saved screen shot to appear in the MyScenario’s preview window, the screen shot must have the same file name as the scenario and be saved in your computer’s Shared Documents - Code3D - MyScenarios folder.
If this does not work, please contact Sim Ops Studios’ Technical Support by e-mailing
support@simopsstudios.com
or calling 1-877-921-1212 during business hours 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. EST.
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How can I share my scenarios?
Any scenario that you create can be easily shared with others!
You can now upload scenarios to the Code3D community directly from the Code3D program. When you have created a scenario, save it and then hit the “upload” button in the top toolbar. It will ask you to login to your Code3D.com account and enter information about the scenario. Once you have done this, it will upload to the website. You can manage your uploaded scenarios from the “MyScenarios” area of the website.
These files are saved as .scene files and by default are saved in the Shared Documents - Code3D - MyScenarios section of your hard drive. If you would like to share scenarios within your organization, you can do this by sending the .scene file to other people as an attachment in an e-mail, saving the file into a folder on a server, or posting it to another shared electronic location that others can access. Note that if you are using any images or sound files that are not a part of the Code3D library or if you have taken a preview screenshot of your scenario, you will need to be sure that these files are also sent or saved in the same location as the .scene file for whomever you are sharing with to access.
If you have scenarios that have photos or sounds that are not part of Code3D, you can easily share them by creating a .c3z file. To do this, use the File - Export option. It will ask you where you would like to save the entire scene file as well as any photos or sounds you have used. You can now e-mail this .c3z file to a recipient, upload it to our website, or save it to a disk.
If you would like to send us your scenarios, you can do so by e-mailing the .c3z file along with your teaching points or lesson plan to
scenarios@simopsstudios.com
. Not only do we love hearing from you and seeing how Code3D has been helping you to train, your scenarios will also help other instructors around the country in their training - so please, do contribute to the community!
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Is there a way to lock a scenario so that it can not be edited by others?
No. Code3D is designed so users can tailor a scenario to their own specifications and teaching methods. The scenario can’t be edited while using the real-time playback and the instructor-led mode. If you are afraid that an instructor will mess up a scenario, always save scenarios to a back-up location, or burn them to a CD for retrieval later.
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When I open a pre-saved or shared scenario the sounds/images will not play/appear, is there a reason why?
The person who built the scenario probably built it on a computer that had the sounds or image file saved in a different location on their computer and Code3D can’t find the sound. (For example, your sound file is on the C drive but they portioned their drive so their sound file is on the D drive, therefore your computer can’t find the sound because it is looking on the D drive.)
You’ll need to correct the path of the sound or image file. You can do this by going to the scene marker with the sound or image and browsing your computer for the same sound.
If this does not work, please contact Sim Ops Studios’ Technical Support at
support@simopsstudios.com
or 1-877-921-1212 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST.
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Can my students type their answers to the questions I’ve asked on screen using the program?
This is currently not a feature of Code3D. Since training is often interactive and we felt that many times the questions would be answered orally, this feature was not included in the first version of Code3D. If you would like to see this, please add it to the feature request section of the Beta forum.
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Will there be more library objects?
Yes. Code3D programmers and artists will continue to update the library. We plan to offer several art updates each year on the website for free download. We hope to get manufacturers to put their products into the library, if you would like specific items, please tell us (and tell the manufacturer that you want to see their products in our art library). If you have detailed pictures of the items you are requesting, please send them to us so we have a better understanding of what they are. You can contact us anytime at
info@simopsstudios.com
.
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I've gotten lost in the 3D environment, is there a way to return to the scenario?
Yes. You can hit the “reset camera” button, the red circle next to the play button on the top tool bar, and you will be taken to the default view of the scene. The default view of the scenario is the position your camera was in the last time you saved the scenario. If you have yet to save, your camera’s default position is where the camera was when you opened the terrain/environment.
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How do I get the free movement tools to appear in the editor mode?
To toggle between free movement and snap-to-grid, there is a button on the top toolbar, it is a gridline. Click that button to turn snapping on or off.
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How can I leave multiple objects visible on the timeline?
By default, the timeline only shows the scene timeline and object that is currently selected. If you wish to have multiple objects visible on the timeline, you need to select the object you wish to keep on the timeline, then click on the eyeball icon that is at the beginning of the timeline row. When the eye is open, the object will remain on the timeline. You can then select the object in the scene by clicking the object’s name on the timeline.
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What is the purpose of the green man in each scene?
The green wire frame fire fighter represents your starting location in real-time mode. Wherever he is, and wherever the arrow in front of him is pointing, is where you will start and what you will be looking at when you jump into real-time mode.
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I saved a camera angle but it doesn't go there when I'm in real-time?
To view saved camera angles, you will need to hit the tab button in real-time mode to switch between your player camera and your tactical camera. You can view your saved camera angles using the tactical camera.
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I am using the arrow keys on my keyboard (or WASD keys) and nothing is happening, why is this?
You most likely had been working in the property panel or art library and you need to click inside the scene in order to focus the program away from the properties panel and back into the scene.
If this does not work, please contact Sim Ops Studios’ Technical Support at
support@simopsstudios.com
or 1-877-921-1212 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST.
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I am trying to move an object in my scene, but the tool bar does not appear below the object I want to move!
If you are having trouble moving an object, you may want to first look at your timeline. Most likely you are somewhere on the timeline where there is not a marker created for this object. To move objects, you must either be at timepoint 0 or create a marker on this object’s timeline at the time you would like this object to move. If you are still having trouble moving the object after creating a marker or navigating back to timepoint 0, please contact Sim Ops Studios’ Technical Support at
support@simopsstudios.com
or 1-877-921-1212 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST.
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Tips and Tricks
Realism of Hazards
To increase the realistic look of hazards, we suggest fading them in and out using the transparency bar. This makes hazards appear and disappear more gradually.
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Reduce Scenario Loading Time
To reduce scenario loading, time we suggest placing buildings from the “background buildings” category of the art library into the background of your scene instead of using the higher resolution buildings. We put these buildings into the program for use in areas that aren’t the focus of your scenario to help reduce the amount of high resolution buildings that would need to load in each scenario.
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Timeline Marker at the Scenario’s End
In real-time, the scenario will continue until you stop it. At the end of your scenario, we suggest placing a timeline marker with a text box to inform the class that the scenario has ended.
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Download the Code3D Manual Here
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