System Requirements

• "SimCity Societies" runs on either Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista. You need at least 512mb of RAM, though 1gb is recommended. The game will work with video cards that have come out after Nvidia's FX5900 or the ATI Radeon 9600. You will also need the latest release of DirectX 9.0c, which is included on the installation disks. If your computer does not meet these requirements, you may experience errors and the game may be unplayable.
  
  

Installation Errors

• Problems related to installation are most commonly due to a scratched or dirty disk. Carefully wipe the information side of the disk with a clean cloth from the center outwards before attempting to install. If your disk arrived scratched or damaged, you may contact the customer service number in the back of the instruction manual for a replacement. Your disk drive may also become damaged with dust or debris, and should be cleaned using a professional cleaning disk. This is available at most local computer stores.
  
  

Loading Crashes

• Crashes that occur during loading sequences or introductory videos may be due to outdated video codecs. When your codecs are not up to date, the video components of your computer do not know how to render the movies and will cause a game crash. You can update your codecs with the K-Lite Codec Pack, available at CodecGuide.com. Also, you should check the website of your video card manufacturer and ensure you are running the latest version of your video card drivers.
  
  

Low Frame Rates

• Once the game has loaded, you may experiences choppy displays resulting from low frame rates. Enter the "Options" menu and lower the graphics settings under "Video Options." On the highest settings, many computers will struggle to make the real-time calculations necessary for full graphical display of the game. You may also try lowering the resolution to increase frame rates.
  
  

Gameplay Problems

• There are known bugs and errors that made it into the original release of "SimCity Societies." These include some disappearing buildings or roadways and graphic corruptions. These have been patched by EA and may be updated either by purchasing the Destinations expansion, or downloading the patch for free directly from the EA patch update page on its website. If you run into bugs not noted in the previous patch notes, you can report them on the official support forums for assistance.