Development

In the next week or two we will release Alpha 12 of Universe Sandbox ².

Here are some of the features you can look forward to:

1. A whole lot more choreography
   • We now have around 200 presets for you to experiment with, including a bunch of 3D patterns.
2. Improved supernovas
   • The supernova blast itself won’t look too different, but we’ve improved their interactions so they more accurately destroy the nearby planets and moons.
3. Better visuals for bodies and particles
   • We’ve improved the consistency between materials and visual representations – for example, you’ll no longer see fragments of hydrogen that look like chunks of rock.
4. Random solar system tool
   • You can now generate an entire solar system based on a set of customizable parameters, such as the number of gas giants and moons, and the distances between the bodies.  See the screenshot below for a peek at this new tool.

 

 

As always, we will post an announcement on the forum when Alpha 12 is available: Universe Sandbox ² Alpha Discussion. Steam will automatically download the update.

If you do not already own Universe Sandbox ², you can buy it now to get instant access to the alpha and receive free updates up to and including the final release: Buy Universe Sandbox ².

Alpha 11 of Universe Sandbox ² introduces two substantial features:

1. Shockwaves

   You’ll notice this addition as soon as you throw an asteroid at Earth. The video below was made by Thomas, our physics programmer (note: the video says it’s from alpha 10.2, which became alpha 11).
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQT6uKOpZlU
   Thomas and Georg, our visual artist, continue to improve shockwaves and collisions with each alpha release. Still on the to-do list is fully integrating shockwaves, so that the traveling wave heats up the surface of the impacted body and pushes water, for example.

2. Choreography

   Alpha 11 gives you the ability to create orbital “choreography.” You can choose between a list of presets or set your own parameters to create seemingly impossible multiple-body orbital patterns.

   We’ve been given over 200 starting conditions for orbital choreographies from Greg Minton, and we’ve already implemented some of the most interesting of these. Check out his work and draw your own choreographies on his website: gminton.org/choreo.html

   Below you can see 32 bodies in very precise orbits around each other:

   

   Of course, while these orbits work on paper, they are not always stable when actually simulated. After slight changes in their courses with each orbit, eventually the system falls apart and the bodies either collide or speed off into the emptiness of space. 

With these two additions and the introduction of 64 bit versions for Windows and Linux, alpha 11 of Universe Sandbox ² is the biggest update we’ve released recently. But that doesn’t mean we have small plans for the next version… stay tuned for alpha 12.

In 2011, Dan hired two developers to begin work from the ground up on a new Universe Sandbox.  By 2012, the team had added two developers, and the demo they showed that summer in Amsterdam at the Unite conference was impressive and promising.

A few weeks ago, PAX Prime finally let us deliver on that promise.  We’re now a team of seven developers, and we’ve been working on Universe Sandbox ² for almost three years… There is nothing more thrilling than seeing eyes light up and jaws drop at the sight of a molten Moon inching its way toward an unsuspecting Earth. Yes, jaws dropped.

“And it’s all simulated in realtime using real physics,” we’d mention, though few peeled their eyes away from our planet’s destruction. Understandable; it does look pretty cool.

But those who stopped by our booth weren’t just impressed with the cosmic eye candy. We had plenty of astronomy and physics buffs swing by who were eager to discuss the data and mechanics behind it all. Of course, that’s what gets us excited, too.

In short, PAX was exhausting, exciting, and above all inspiring. Having a space in the Indie MEGABOOTH reminded us all that we’re part of an incredibly supportive and energizing community.

While not all of us were able to attend, we hope to get the whole team together again soon so everyone can experience firsthand our fans’ reactions. It truly is great seeing others express as much enthusiasm as we do for our unique simulator.

Fortunately, there’s plenty of time for showing off in the future. We are still in alpha. There’s a lot of work to do.  Demoing for four days also revealed some issues, but it also made us all the more excited to continue fixing and improving. We look forward to making Universe Sandbox ² the best it can be.

 

Contents

• Common Solutions
  • Windows
  • Mac
  • Linux
• How to…
  • Access Old Versions
  • Force CPU-Mode
  • Force OpenGL
  • Force Single-Threading
  • Enable Safe-Mode
  • Reset Settings
  • Force DirectX 9
  • Show Screen Selector (Fix Resolution Errors)
  • Verify Integrity of Game Files
  • Reinstall Universe Sandbox
  • Disable Steam Overlay
  • Change Version
  • Opt Out of Betas
  • Opt Into Preview Version
  • Update Universe Sandbox
  • Update Universe Sandbox on Steam
  • Update Universe Sandbox on the Microsoft Store
  • Update Universe Sandbox on Epic Game Store
  • Update Universe Sandbox on GOG
  • Update Universe Sandbox on itch
  • Update Universe Sandbox on Oculus
  • Update Universe Sandbox for Education
  • Update Universe Sandbox on TeacherGaming
  • Update Your Video Card Drivers on Windows
  • Change GPU Scaling (Fix Black Screen on Startup)
  • Change System Time Zone (Fix Black Screen on Startup)
  • Change Nvidia Antialiasing Transparency (Fix Blocky Graphics on Planets)
  • Email Us Your Log File
  • Email Us Your Crash Dump Files
  • Send Us Your Log File In-Game
  • Email Us Your Saved Simulation
• In-Game Notifications & Warnings
  • Simulation files from older versions & previews
  • Render textures/Image effects not supported
  • Shader Model 3.0 not supported
  • Not running latest version
  • Not running latest version (standalone)
  • Launch options are enabled
  • Steam Required
  • Update 24 minimum graphics requirements
  • Can’t access documents
  • Your Settings/Data Need to be Moved Manually
• Purchase Help
  • Please see our FAQ

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Common Solutions

If you’re having issues starting up Universe Sandbox, please try the solutions below.

If you’ve tried the solutions below and you’re still having issues, please send us your log file and crash files (if crash files were created). Instructions: Log Files | Crash Files

Common Solutions | Windows

1. Restart Steam
   • In top-left of window click Steam > Exit
   • Open Steam again
2. Restart your computer
3. Verify integrity of the game
4. If you see a black screen on startup but can still hear music…
   • Change GPU Scaling
   • Change System Time Zone

Common Solutions | Mac

1. Restart Steam
   • In menu bar click Steam > Quit Steam
   • Open Steam again
2. Restart your computer
3. Verify integrity of the game
4. Show screen selector (fix resolution errors)

Common Solutions | Linux

1. Restart Steam
   • In top-left of window… Steam  -> Exit
   • Open Steam again
2. Restart your computer
3. Verify integrity of the game

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Access Older Versions of Universe Sandbox

If you have older hardware that is unable to use the latest version of Universe Sandbox, you can try to run older versions of Universe Sandbox that have lower requirements.

If the following version doesn’t work, you can try an even older version.

Steam Version

1. Exit Universe Sandbox
2. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
3. Click on Properties
4. Select the Betas tab
5. Set the dropdown menu to *update-24.1.2-directx10
6. Close the Properties window
7. Steam will now update Universe Sandbox to the last DirectX 10-compatible build
8. Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox

GOG Version

1. Open the game card for Universe Sandbox in GOG Galaxy Library.
2. Select the More option then Settings.
3. Select ON from the drop-down menu in the Beta Channels option on the right-hand side.
4. A Channel option should now be visible. Select the channel update-24.1.2-directx10
5. Click INSTALL

Why?

In order to continue improving Universe Sandbox, we need to take advantage of ever-improving graphics technology. Unfortunately, this means that sometimes we must drop support for older hardware that can’t handle these new requirements.

Still won’t run?

If you’re still unable to run Universe Sandbox, please contact us for support or to request a refund.

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Force CPU-Mode

1. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
2. Select ‘Properties’
3. Select the ‘General’ tab
4. Enter  -forcecpu  into the launch options (note the dash at the beginning)
5. Close the Properties window
6. Launch Universe Sandbox

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Force OpenGL

1. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
2. Select ‘Properties’
3. Select the ‘General’ tab
4. Enter  -force-opengl  into the launch options (note the dash at the beginning)
5. Close the Properties window
6. Launch Universe Sandbox

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Force Single-Threading

1. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
2. Select ‘Properties’
3. Select the ‘General’ tab
4. Enter  -force-gfx-st  into the launch options (note the dash at the beginning)
5. Close the Properties window
6. Launch Universe Sandbox

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Enable Safe-Mode

1. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
2. Select ‘Properties’
3. Select the ‘General’ tab
4. Enter  -safemode into the launch options (note the dash at the beginning)
5. Close the Properties window
6. Launch Universe Sandbox

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Reset Settings

You can manually reset Universe Sandbox’s settings by deleting the settings file.

First, find the folder where the settings file is saved:

1. If you can run Universe Sandbox, from the home menu, select “Debug Tools”
2. Select ‘Open Persistent Data Path’

If you can’t run Universe Sandbox the file is found here:

• On Windows: C:\Users\[your username]\AppData\LocalLow\Giant Army\Universe Sandbox
• On Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Giant Army/Universe Sandbox

After locating the file:

1. Select the file ‘settings’ and either rename or delete it
2. Launch Universe Sandbox

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Force DirectX 9

If you have older hardware that is unable to run DirectX 11, we have preserved a DirectX 9 build. To switch to the DirectX 9 compatible build:

1. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
2. Click on ‘Properties’
3. Select the ‘Betas’ tab
4. Set the dropdown menu to *update-21.3-directx9
5. Close the Properties window
6. Steam will now update Universe Sandbox to the last DirectX 9-compatible build
7. Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox

After switching to the DirectX 9 build, you must also force Universe Sandbox to run in DirectX 9 mode:

1. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
2. Select ‘Properties’
3. Select the ‘General’ tab
4. Enter  -force-d3d9 into the launch options (note the dash at the beginning)
5. Close the Properties window
6. Launch Universe Sandbox

Why?

Universe Sandbox dropped support for DirectX 9 in October 2018. This is because Unity, the development platform used to create Universe Sandbox, no longer supports DirectX 9. Update 21.3 is the last version of Universe Sandbox to support DirectX 9.

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Show Screen Selector (Fix Resolution Errors)

This launch option is intended for users who have received screen resolution error messages and are no longer able to start Universe Sandbox (caused by Unity registry errors).

1. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
2. Select ‘Properties’
3. Select the ‘General’ tab
4. Enter  -show-screen-selector into the launch options (note the dash at the beginning)
5. Close the Properties window
6. Launch Universe Sandbox

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Verify Integrity of Game Files

1. Right click on the game title in your Steam Library
2. Select ‘Properties’
3. Select the ‘Local Files’ tab
4. Click ‘Verify Integrity of Game Files…’ This verifies and re-downloads any files that are incorrect.
5. Once complete, launch Universe Sandbox

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Reinstall Universe Sandbox

1. Right click on the game title in your Steam Library
2. Select Manage > Uninstall

This will remove the installation of the game, but will not remove game files like screenshots, objects, and simulations

1. Once uninstalled, right-click Universe Sandbox in your Steam Library (if you can’t find it, try searching)
2. Select Install
3. Once Steam has finished reinstallation, launch Universe Sandbox

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Disable Steam Overlay

1. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
2. Select ‘Properties’
3. Uncheck ‘Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game’
4. Close the Properties window
5. Launch Universe Sandbox

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Change Version

1. Exit Universe Sandbox
2. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
3. Click on ‘Properties’
4. Select the ‘Betas’ tab
5. Set the dropdown menu to the version you want to change to.
6. Close the Properties window
7. Steam will now update Universe Sandbox to the selected version
8. Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox

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Opt Out of Betas

1. Exit Universe Sandbox
2. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
3. Click on ‘Properties’
4. Select the ‘Betas’ tab
5. Set the dropdown menu to ‘NONE – Opt out of all beta programs.’
6. Close the Properties window
7. If you had opted into a beta, Steam will now update Universe Sandbox to the latest version
8. Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox

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Opt Into Preview Version

We occasionally offer previews of upcoming releases. These preview versions (formerly called “Community Tests”) are works-in-progress and are made available so the community can help us with feedback and testing. These preview features are subject to change, may contain bugs, and may have stability and performance issues.

Any previously saved simulations or objects from officially released versions of Universe Sandbox that are loaded in preview versions may look or behave differently than expected.

Similarly, any simulations or objects that are saved in a preview version of Universe Sandbox may look different when they are loaded in other versions of Universe Sandbox.

If a saved simulation or object looks different than expected, you can open the simulation or object in the most recent version of Universe Sandbox and resave it.

Please see our forum or our Discord for announcements or to report any bugs or feedback about previews.

1. Exit Universe Sandbox
2. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
3. Click on ‘Properties’
4. Select the ‘Betas’ tab
5. Set the dropdown menu to ‘!preview-version’
6. Close the Properties window
7. Steam will now update Universe Sandbox to the preview version
8. Once updated, launch Universe Sandbox

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Update Universe Sandbox on Steam

Steam should automatically download the latest version of Universe Sandbox once it is available.

If Steam isn’t automatically updating Universe Sandbox, follow these steps until Steam begins downloading the update:

1. Restart Steam
2. Verify integrity of game-cache
   1. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
   2. Select ‘Properties’
   3. Select the ‘Local Files’ tab
   4. Click ‘Verify Integrity of Game Cache’ 
3. Ensure you are opted out of Betas
   1. Exit Universe Sandbox
   2. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
   3. Click on ‘Properties’
   4. Select the ‘Betas’ tab
   5. Set the dropdown menu to ‘NONE – Opt-out of all beta programs.’
   6. Close the Properties window
4. Reinstall Universe Sandbox
   1. Right-click on the game title in your Steam Library
   2. Select ‘Uninstall…’
   3. Select ‘Delete’
      1. This will remove the installation of the game, but will not remove user files like screenshots, objects, and simulations
   4. Once the process is complete, right-click on Universe Sandbox in your Steam Library
   5. Select ‘Install Game…’
   6. Once Steam has finished reinstallation, launch Universe Sandbox

If you’re still receiving a notification that you aren’t running the latest version, please contact us.

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Update Universe Sandbox on the Mircosoft Store

Please visit Microsoft Support for instructions on updating games, including Universe Sandbox, in the Microsoft Store.

---

Update Universe Sandbox on Epic Game Store

The Epic Games Launcher should automatically download the latest version of Universe Sandbox once it is available. For more information please visit Epic Game Store support.

---

Update Universe Sandbox on GOG

There are two ways to update Universe Sandbox on GOG: you can either use their GALAXY client (recommended) or download Universe Sandbox as an offline installer. GOG provides the most up-to-date instructions for both of these methods on their support page “How do I download my purchased items?”

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Update Universe Sandbox on itch.io

The itch app looks for game updates on start-up, and every 30 minutes. If the app is not automatically updating, try restarting the itch app. For more information please visit itch support.

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Update Universe Sandbox on Oculus

The Oculus App should notify you when Universe Sandbox is ready for an update. For more information, please use the Oculus support page.

If you have already emailed us, you should receive emails from us on release days informing you that a new version is available. Please contact us if you believe you’re not receiving these emails or if there is a problem with your download.

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Update Universe Sandbox for Education

Teachers and Students

If you’re using a standalone license provided by your school or institution, please contact the appropriate technical/administrative staff and let them know the version of Universe Sandbox they have is out of date.

IT and Administrative Staff

If you’re the administrative staff or our primary contact, you should receive emails from us on release days informing you that a new version is available. Please contact us if you believe you’re not receiving these emails, or if there is a problem with your download.

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Update Universe Sandbox on TeacherGaming

If you previously bought a license through TeacherGaming, please email us and provide proof of purchase if possible.

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Update Your Video Card Drivers on Windows

First, identify your video card:

1. Open the Start menu
2. Type ‘Device Manager’ (without quotes) in the Search text box then press Enter
3. Click the Device Manager shortcut
4. In Device Manager, expand the ‘Display adapters’ section
5. Note the manufacturer of the video card listed

Now head to the manufacturer’s website to update your drivers. The website will likely auto-detect your specific video card model.

• Nvidia Drivers
• AMD Drivers
• Intel Drivers

For more detailed instructions on updating your drivers, please see this guide from How-To Geek: How to Update Your Graphics Drivers for Maximum Gaming Performance

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Change GPU Scaling

If you see a black screen when you start Universe Sandbox but can still hear the game’s music, we recommend trying this solution. If you still see the black screen, try Change System Time Zone below.

If you have an Nvidia graphics card:

1. Right-click on your desktop
2. Click “Nvidia Control Panel”
3. Click “Display” then “Adjust Desktop Size and Position”
4. Set scaling mode to “No scaling”
5. Apply settings
6. Launch Universe Sandbox

If you have an AMD card:

1. Right-click on your desktop
2. Click “AMD Radeon Settings” (or Catalyst)
3. Click “Display”
4. Set scaling mode to “Full Panel”
5. Apply settings
6. Launch Universe Sandbox

If you have Intel graphics (or the above options did not work):

1. Right-click on your desktop
2. Click “Intel Graphics Settings”
3. Click “Display”
4. Set scaling to “Maintain Aspect Ratio”
5. If you do not see “Maintain Aspect Ratio” as an option, try adjusting the resolution
6. Apply settings
7. Launch Universe Sandbox

These are user-suggested solutions from this thread on the general Steam forum.

This appears to be an issue related to Unity (the game engine we use) and the Windows 10 Fall Creator Update. We are looking into fixing this for future updates.

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Change System Time Zone

With Update 22 of Universe Sandbox (released November 15, 2018), some users have reported seeing a black screen on startup that is not fixed with the above solution of adjusting GPU scaling.

If adjusting scaling didn’t work for you, please try manually changing your time zone to another zone, then set it back again.

How to change your time zone on Windows 10

How to change your time zone on Windows 7 (click Apply after changing it each time)

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Change Nvidia Antialiasing Transparency

If you see “blocky” lines on planets in Universe Sandbox (see image below) and you are using an Nvidia graphics card, then please try disabling Antialiasing Transparency in the Nvidia Control Panel.

1. Right-click on your desktop
2. Click “Nvidia Control Panel”
3. Under “3D Settings” in the left sidebar, select “Manage 3D Settings”
4. Set “Antialiasing – Transparency” to Off
5. Apply settings
6. Launch Universe Sandbox

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Email Us Your Log File

1. Make sure Universe Sandbox is closed. If reporting a specific issue or crash, please send us your log after the issue occurs and before running Universe Sandbox again; running it overwrites the log
2. Find your log file (Instructions: Windows | Mac | Linux)
3. Attach the file to an email
4. In the subject line, briefly describe your issue
5. Provide details about your issue in the body of the email
6. Please include a link to the forum topic if you posted on a forum
7. Send the email to support at universesandbox dot com

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Log Files | Windows

Filename(s): Player.log and (optionally) Player-prev.log

*Windows may hide the .log extension by default, your log file may just appear as a text file with the name “Player”

Typically located here:

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Giant Army\Universe Sandbox

To quickly find this folder, copy and paste the above into the address bar of File Explorer.

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Log Files | Mac OS X

Filename(s): Player.log and (optionally) Player-prev.log

Typically located here:
~/Library/Logs/Giant Army/Universe Sandbox/Player.log

Due to operating system version differences, sometimes the log file can be found in an alternate location:
~/Library/Logs/Unity/Player.log

To quickly find this folder:

1. Open Finder
2. Click the Go menu in the Menu bar
3. Select Go to Folder…
4. Type ~/Library/Logs/Giant Army/Universe Sandbox/Player.log
5. Click Go

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Log Files | Linux

Universe Sandbox on Linux is no longer supported natively and can be run using Valve’s Proton, software built into Steam that allows Windows games to run on Linux.

Filename(s): Player.log and (optionally) Player-prev.log

When playing through Valve’s Proton on Steam, log file are typically located here:

~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/230290/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/LocalLow/Giant Army/Universe Sandbox/

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Email Us Your Crash Dump Files

1. Find your crash dump files (Instructions: Windows | Mac)
2. Attach the files to an email
   1. If you are on a Mac, please also attach your log file
3. In the subject line, briefly describe your issue
4. Provide details about your issue in the body of the email
5. Please include a link to the forum topic if you posted on a forum
6. Send the email to support at universesandbox dot com

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Crash Dump Files | Windows

Filenames: Player.log, error.log, crash.dmp

Please include all of these files. They are located in a folder named with the date the crash occurred.

Usually located here:
%AppData%\..\Local\Temp\Giant Army\Universe Sandbox\Crashes

If you are able to start Universe Sandbox, you can open this folder:

1. In Universe Sandbox, click Home button (top-left)
2. Click ‘Debug Tools’
3. Click ‘Open Crash Dump Location’

Note: This folder will not exist if no crash files have been created.

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Crash Dump Files | Mac

Filename: Universe Sandbox_[dateofcrash].crash

This file will be located in ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports.

To quickly find this folder:

1. Open Finder
2. Click the ‘Go’ menu in the Menu bar
3. Select ‘Go to Folder…’
4. Type ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports
5. Click ‘Go’

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Send Us Your Log File In-Game

1. Launch Universe Sandbox
2. Reproduce your issue or bug
3. Click the ‘Home’ icon in the top-left
4. Click ‘Send Feedback’
5. Enter your email address
6. Select the ‘Bug’ category
7. Describe your issue in the Comment text box
8. Please include a link to the forum topic if you posted on a forum
9. Make sure ‘Log File’ is checked
10. Click ‘Send’

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Email Us Your Saved Simulation

If there is an issue with a specific simulation that you have created, we may ask you to send us your simulation file so we can look into it.

1. Launch Universe Sandbox
2. Click Home icon in the top-left
3. Click ‘Open’
4. Click ‘My Sims’ tab
5. Click ‘Open Simulations Folder’ tile to open your computer’s file browser
6. Find the .ubox file for your simulation
7. Attach the file to an email
8. Send the email to support at universesandbox dot com

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Simulation Files From Older Versions & Previews

Universe Sandbox is in active development, and we regularly add new features to make our simulation even more realistic. We occasionally also make preview versions of these upcoming, unfinished features available. Objects and simulations saved in older versions or early previews may look different than expected when loaded in new versions.

The best way to keep your simulations and objects up-to-date and simulate them even more realistically is to resave them in the latest version. For simulations, you can do this by

1. Opening the simulation in Universe Sandbox
2. Selecting the Home icon in the top-left
3. Selecting “Save & Share”
4. Adjusting the name or description of your simulation as desired, then select “Save”

For objects, you can do this by

1. Selecting the Home icon in the top-left
2. Select “New” to open a new simulation
3. Selecting Tools > Add
4. Selecting the “My Objects” tab
5. Adding the desired object to the simulation
6. Opening the object’s properties by selecting it, then selecting the Expand button on the mini properties panel
7. Selecting the “Actions” tab
8. Selecting “Save This Object”
9. Adjusting the name as desired, then select “Save”

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Render Texture/Image Effects Not Supported Warning

To ensure this isn’t a software-related problem, try updating your video card drivers.

First, identify your video card (on Windows):

1. Open the Start menu
2. Type ‘Device Manager’ (without quotes) in the Search text box then press Enter
3. Click the Device Manager shortcut
4. In Device Manager, expand the ‘Display adapters’ section
5. Note the manufacturer of the video card listed

Now head to the manufacturer’s website to update your drivers. The website will likely auto-detect your specific video card model.

• Nvidia Drivers
• AMD Drivers
• Intel Drivers

For more detailed instructions on updating your drivers, please see this guide from How-To Geek: How to Update Your Graphics Drivers for Maximum Gaming Performance

If you are still seeing this warning after updating your drivers, then it’s likely your hardware does not support these features. In order to run Universe Sandbox, please try using another computer or upgrading your hardware.

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Shader Model 5.0 Not Supported Warning

Shader Model 5.0 is a hardware specification for video cards.

If your card does not support this feature, then you must try using another computer, or upgrade your hardware, in order to run Universe Sandbox.

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Not Running Latest Version Notification

If you’re not using Steam…

If you’re running an old version of Universe Sandbox and not using Steam, please buy Universe Sandbox to run the latest and best version.

Or add Universe Sandbox to your Wishlist on Steam to be notified when it’s on sale.

If you are using Steam…

If you received a notification that you’re not running the latest version of Universe Sandbox, try restarting Steam to force-start the automatic update process.

If that doesn’t work, please follow these steps: Update to Latest Version of Universe Sandbox

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Not Running Latest Version Notification (Standalone)

If you’re using a standalone copy owned by a school or other institution…

Please contact the appropriate technical/administrative staff and let them know the copy is out of date.

As described below, please note that sometimes there is a delay between when we release updates on Steam and when they are available on the TeacherGaming Store. The delay should be no longer than a few business days.

If you own/administrate a TeacherGaming copy…

Once the update is available on the TeacherGaming Store, you should receive an email from TeacherGaming notifying you of the update and you may follow the directions below to download it.

If you have not received an email from TeacherGaming but you see a notification that your copy is out-of-date, then it is likely not yet available. There is sometimes a small delay between when we release an update on Steam and when it reaches the TeacherGaming Store.

Download the latest version from TeacherGaming Store:

1. Log into your account on the TeacherGaming Store using the Login button in the top-right
2. Click Profile > Downloads in the top-right
3. Find your Universe Sandbox order and click View
4. Click Download for the version appropriate for your hardware

If you need additional help, please contact us.

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Launch Options Notification

You will see a notification in Universe Sandbox if you have set any launch options.

Launch options are typically used for troubleshooting issues by forcing Universe Sandbox to start with certain options enabled or disabled.

To remove launch options:

1. Right click on the game title in your Steam Library
2. Select ‘Properties’
3. Select the General tab
4. Delete all text to remove launch options
5. Close the Properties window and launch Universe Sandbox

Learn more about Steam’s launch options

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Steam Required

You may see an error message when starting up that says “Steam Required: You must be running Steam to use Universe Sandbox.”

This is a Steam error which sometimes appears even if Steam is running. It is a frustrating error, but it is usually fixed once Steam properly syncs again.

If you see this error while Steam is running, try the following in this order:

1. Make sure you are launching Universe Sandbox from directly within your Steam Library (not via a shortcut)
2. Reinstall Universe Sandbox
3. Restart Steam
4. Restart your computer
5. Check for Steam updates: Steam > Check For Steam Client Updates…
6. If steps 1-5 do not fix the issue, manually check your Steam version: Help > About Steam
   1. Note the “Built” date, then compare it to the latest post on Steam’s site
   2. If your version is older AND step 5 didn’t work, then follow these instructions to uninstall Steam then reinstall it: Windows | Mac (make sure you read all of the steps and move your game folder first!)

If you are still seeing this error, please contact us.

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Update 24 Minimum Graphics Requirements

As of Update 24 in November 2019, Universe Sandbox includes a feature called Surface Grids which vastly improves the surface simulation of planets, moons, and other objects. This feature relies on video memory. Some computers with low amounts of video memory or shared video memory may struggle with running Surface Grids.

If Universe Sandbox consistently runs slowly, try lowering Surface Simulation | All Maps Atlas Resolution in Home > Settings > Performance.

If it continues to run slowly after lowering Surface Simulation | All Maps Atlas Resolution, we recommend using the previous version of Universe Sandbox, Update 23.2. Learn how to switch to Update 23.2

See hardware recommendations

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Can’t Access Documents

With macOS Catalina (10.15), security measures in macOS have been greatly increased and users must specifically give permission to applications to access their files. When you start Universe Sandbox for the first time in macOS Catalina, you should see a prompt asking if you want to allow Universe Sandbox to access your Documents folder. Click OK.

If you do not click OK or you do not see this prompt, you will see an error message in Universe Sandbox when attempting to access your saved simulations and objects. To fix this, adjust your Security & Privacy settings:

1. Click the Apple icon in the menu bar
2. Click System Preferences
3. Click Security & Privacy
4. Click the Privacy tab
5. Click Files and Folders
6. Check the box below Universe Sandbox (if required, click the lock icon in the bottom left and enter your password to make changes)

If the issue persists, please reinstall Universe Sandbox and follow the steps above again.

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Your Settings/Data Need to be Moved Manually

Why?

Universe Sandbox removed the 2 from our name as of Update 25 in March 2020. Due to limitations of our game engine our data folders will need to be renamed along with the change to the app name.

Universe Sandbox will attempt to relocate these files automatically. Some system settings or security software such as antivirus or firewall may prevent Universe Sandbox from automatically relocating these files.

How to move your files:

1. From within Universe Sandbox, click Home
2. Click the “Action needed to move your Universe Sandbox settings/data.” banner
   
3. Click on “OPEN FOLDERS”.
   
   Two folders will open outside of Universe Sandbox: “Universe Sandbox ²” and “Universe Sandbox”.
4. Click and drag to highlight all files in the “Universe Sandbox ²” folder (note the 2)
5. Drag and drop the files into the “Universe Sandbox” folder