Virtual Seattle: Easier Than Falling Off A Ferry!

Running Virtual Seattle

Since VS2K is actually two programs in one, there are two different ways to run it. You can relax and enjoy Screen Saver Mode, or you can activate and explore the Interactive Mode.

To Start In Interactive Mode
This mode is the heart and soul of VS2K. It is here that you get to see what the program can really do. Just as with everything else, there are two exciting ways to start it up:

Method #1: The Easy Way
You may have noticed the "Virtual Seattle" icon that is now visible on your desktop. Well, double-click it. Voila!
Method #2: The Almost As Easy Way (Windows only)
Once you've finished the installation, press the START button on the taskbar in the lower left corner of the screen. Choose the PROGRAMS option. Then choose "VirtualSeattle2000". Finally, select "Virtual Seattle".

Now Interactive Mode will begin. By moving your mouse pointer around the screen you can click on different pieces of the city to trigger different events. Clicking on cars or boats or planes will give you their distinctive sounds. Certain buildings or parks will yield sounds of the city. Stop by the Seattle Center screen and put an end to the destructive digital denizen that's plaguing the millenium!

But that's not all. Virtual Seattle is also sprinkled with informative little City Bubbles. As you move your mouse pointer around the city, they'll pop-up over buildings and landmarks. Then all you have to do is choose one and click on it. Of course, different bubbles do different things:

Information Bubbles:
Clicking this bubble will bring up an information window that shows a list of the shops and businesses on the block. Select any of the Category icons at the top of the window to cycle through the Food and Drink, Entertainment, or other categories.
History Bubbles:
A click on a History Bubble will bring up a window that displays a bit of history about that particular spot on the map.

Like most explorers, however, you won't be satisfied with just one neighborhood. You'll want to zoom around and look at all twelve of the different maps that VS2K has to offer. And, of course, Virtual Seattle wouldn't be Virtual Seattle unless there were two different ways to do this:

Method #1: The Easy Way
Simply move your mouse pointer to the very edge of the screen (make sure to actually touch the edge). If there is an adjacent neighborhood in that direction, a big green STREET SIGN will appear. Click on that STREET SIGN and you'll move to another area of the city. If there is no neighborhood in that direction, no sign will appear. You can also click on the green OVERVIEW sign in the upper right corner of the screen to jump to the Overview map.
Method #2: The Really Easy Way (Windows only)
Easy just got easier. Anytime you want to move to any other of the other maps, just right-click anywhere on the screen. A window will pop up with icons of all twelve areas. Left-click on whichever one you desire and you'll be whisked there in an instant. It's computer magic!

Now you know how to make your way around the program's Interactive Mode. Whenever you want to exit out of the program and get back to your desktop, just click on the red EXIT sign that is always in the upper right corner.

To Activate the Screen Saver
The second half of Virtual Seattle's one-two punch, is the Screen Saver Mode. In this capacity, VS2K behaves like a traditional screen saver. What this means is that if you stop using your computer for a couple of minutes (i.e. don't touch the keyboard or the mouse) VS2K will automatically appear on your screen. It doesn't interfere with any of the programs you might be running, it just gives you something neat to look at. The moment you touch your mouse or keyboard again, VS2K will disappear and your desktop will return.

How do you start up Screen Saver Mode? Well, believe it or not, there are two different ways to do it.

Method #1: The Easy Way
Don't do anything at all! That's right, just leave your keyboard and mouse alone for a minute or two. Screen Saver Mode will kick in all by itself.
Method #2: Easy? Easy? I Don't Think So Pal
If for some reason Screen Saver Mode does not start up on its own after a few minutes, follow the steps listed in the Customize section to set VS2K as your primary screen saver.

Last rev. 10/26/99