Support

Questions about installing and uninstalling games on your computer

• How does this all work? Please explain the difference between the free trial and the full version.
• How do I find the game I'm looking for?
• How do I download a game?
• How do I install a game?
• How do I un-install my game?
• How do I buy a game?
• What are the system requirements for PlayFirst games?
• I installed a free trial that I have never played before and the game says my trial time is expired.
• When I play Diner Dash, I get an error that says something about "Macromedia Projector" or "Macromedia" and the game stops working. What should I do?
• When will I receive my back-up CD? When I attempt to install my back-up CD why does it ask me for an unlock key code?
• Can I buy a CD-ROM instead of a download? Why purchase my PlayFirst game from you and not another retailer?
• I purchased a PlayFirst retail hard copy version game which came with a free game offer. How do I redeem my free game?

1. How does this all work? Please explain the difference between the free trial and the full version.
   • PlayFirst games work on a "Try before you Buy" system. When you download one of our games, you get what is called the "free trial" version.
   • For most of our games, the free trial version lets you play the game for a limited period of time (usually 60 minutes). For these games, when the trial period ends, the game will lock completely and you will need to go back to the website and buy the game and get an unlock key to unlock the "full version" of the game.
   • Other games, including Diner Dash: Hometown Hero, offer a level-based trial.
     • In Diner Dash: Hometown Hero you can play in Story Mode for the first seven levels of the first restaurant.
     • You can play in those seven levels as long as you want, but you will need to buy the game to unlock the rest of Story Mode. However, My Diner and My Waiter are freely available to you, and you can play Endless Mode using the Waiter you create.
     • You can also host multiplayer games in the first restaurant (Safari Café) or your Diner, and join any multiplayer games that other players host.
     • To unlock the rest of the levels in Story Mode, you will need to go back to the website and buy the game to get an unlock key to unlock the "full version" of the game. You can also buy the game from the Diner Dash Boutique. To get there, click on the SHOP button on the main menu in the game, and then click "BUY DINER DASH."
   • When you buy a game, you get an unlock key which lets you unlock the free trial version of the game that you downloaded and installed onto your computer. Once the free trial is unlocked, it becomes the full version of the game.


2. How do I find the game I'm looking for?
   • There are three ways to look for games:
     • If you know the title of the game you are looking for, use the search box in the upper right corner of our web site.
     • To see a list of all games that are available, use the "GAMES" link located at the top of our web site. You can then narrow your search by changing the settings on the left side of the page.


3. How do I download a game?
   1. Find the game you are interested in and click the "Download" button by the game. (Use the links at the bottom of the left column to select a different operating system.)
   2. Depending on your operating system and browser, you will be prompted to download and install the file.
      • Internet Explorer users should click the "Open" button to download and install in one step.
      • Mac users click the "Continue" button to install the game once the download has completed.


4. How do I install a game?
   • Once you have downloaded the game, simply click the "Open" button on the download dialog or double-click the downloaded file. This will start the installation wizard which will guide you through the installation.


5. How do I un-install my game?
   • Click on the Start button
   • Click on All Programs
   • Click on the PlayFirst link
   • Navigate your mouse to the right of the PlayFirst Link and find the game you want to un-install
   • To the right of that game you will see a drop down of Options
   • Select the uninstall option (with a trash can icon)
   • Then follow the Uninstall options - We advise the Automatic method - click next
   • Click Finish and the game will be removed.


6. How do I buy a game?
   • There are two ways to buy a PlayFirst game:
     • Click the "Buy Now" button on the trial window that comes up when you start the game. This will open a web page to the shopping cart section of our site. You will need to proceed through checkout to complete the purchase.
     • Find the game you are interested in and click the "Buy" button by the game. You will need to proceed through checkout to complete the purchase.
   • Once you have completed your purchase, you should receive a confirmation email which contains your unlock key. (We suggest saving the confirmation email for future reference). You can then use the unlock key to unlock the free trial version of the game on your computer.


7. What are the system requirements for PlayFirst games?
   • The games we offer can be played on a variety of different machines. Typically, if your computer is less than 5 years old, it should be able to run our games. For PC games, you will need to have Internet Explorer 5 or higher in order for our Digital Rights Management software to function correctly. For detailed system requirements information on particular game, clicks the "System Requirements" link underneath the "Buy" and "Download" buttons.


8. I installed a free trial that I have never played before and the game says my trial time is expired.
   • This could be because the game was previously installed and played on your computer, and was uninstalled. Please purchase the game from our site to play the full version.


9. When I play Diner Dash, I get an error that says something about "Macromedia Projector" or "Macromedia" and the game stops working. What should I do?
   • A very small number of users encounter a problem with Macromedia Projector while playing Diner Dash that can be resolved by turning off the sound (both music and fx) in the game:

     Main Menu → Options → Music: OFF; Sound FX: OFF

10. When I play my game, I get an error that says something about "Out of memory". What should I do?
    • Typically this error can be resolved by changing your display settings. If that does not work for you, some other things to try are:
      • First, uninstall the game and re-download the installer from our site. Once you've reinstalled it, try launching the game again.
      • Close other programs that might be running in the background.
      • If you are still receiving the same error message, check with the manufacturer of the card or the vendor where you purchased your computer and see if they have any current drivers available for your card if it has not been updated within the last three months.
11. When will I receive my back-up CD? When I attempt to install my back-up CD why does it ask me for an unlock key code?
    • Typically back-up CDs are shipped via USPS First Class Mail, USPS First Class Mail International (from USA), or via Deutsche Post (from Germany). Orders process and ship within 2-3 business days. Delivery time frames are as follows: Orders shipped to USA, Canada, and Europe should arrive in 5-7 business days. Orders shipped to Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong should arrive in 14 business days, and elsewhere can take up to 21 business days.
    • When installing your back-up CD, make sure you are connected to the internet, as your game will need to communicate with our server to unlock your game. To unlock your game you will need your unlock key. You can find your unlock keys on your PlayFirst account. Sign in to playfirst.com and go to https://www.playfirst.com/secure/unlockkeys.html or click on your Avatar "Get My Unlock Keys," under "My Account Info."
    • If you are having a connection issue or your unlock key is being rejected, please refer to #7 of Purchasing and Unlocking.


12. Can I buy a CD-ROM instead of a download? Why purchase my PlayFirst game from you and not another retailer?
    • Though many of our titles are available at major retailers, at this time PlayFirst.com does not provide our games in any other form other than the downloadable installer. You can, however, purchase a back-up CD to go with your download version. Please note that when you install using the back-up CD, you will still need an internet connection to access the full version of the game. For questions regarding back-up CD shipping and installation, refer to #11 of Downloading and Installing.
    • The advantage of purchasing a PlayFirst-developed game from our site is that you will be able to get it during its exclusive release period when it's not available anywhere else. Once you have it, you'll also be able to submit your global high scores with your registered account. Additionally, as a PlayFirst member, you will be able to participate in the many features available on our site, such as Tips, the Forums, game medals and badges, our PlayPass offer, and access to new game updates!


13. I purchased a PlayFirst retail hard copy version game which came with a free game offer. How do I redeem my free game?
    • Many of our retail box titles come with a free game offer if you register a PlayFirst account. If you have been unable to redeem the offer, send a request to support@playfirst.com and include the exact URL generated after you click on the "I Want a Free Game" link from within your game. Our support team will validate your offer and assist you further with your download.