Hobbies And Interests
"The Sims: Makin' Magic"
Released in 2003, "The Sims: Makin' Magic" focuses solely on supernatural elements. Players can now make their Sims create and use charms, wave a wand to cast magic spells and interact with a variety of supernatural characters including a skeleton maid and dragons. While "Makin' Magic" does not require the other six expansion packs to run, extra bonuses are applied to your game if they are installed. For example, having the "Unleashed" expansion pack allows you to create a potion in "Makin' Magic" that can turn your pet into a human being.
User Error
One of the most common problems when any game, including "Makin' Magic," does not install is user error. This is defined as something you are doing or have done which makes the game not work properly. Examples of user error include scratches on the game disc or inputting the wrong CD key letters or numerals when the game prompts you for them during installation. To avoid user error, take good care of your "Makin' Magic" disc, always returning it to its case when not in use. Carefully examine every letter or number of your CD key before typing it. If the CD key still does not work, and you have entered it correctly, you must contact the publisher, Electronic Arts, to receive a replacement.
Installation Order
When installing "The Sims" and any expansions, the order in which the expansions are installed is important. "The Sims" should always be installed first before attempting to install any expansion. After installing "The Sims," it is best to install the expansions in the order they were released. For example, if you only own "Unleashed" and "Makin' Magic," you would install "Unleashed" first because it was released before "Makin' Magic." Installing the expansions out of order can not only lead to problems in-game, but problems installing the games as well due to different patch versions on each disc.
Downloaded Items
It is possible to download a large variety of user-made items for "The Sims," such as custom furniture, clothes and hair. Occasionally, downloaded items can cause problems when the expansion packs are installed. When installing a new expansion pack, such as "Makin' Magic," temporarily remove all downloaded content from your "The Sims" folder. You do not need to delete this content; simply place it on a different section of your hard drive until the "Makin' Magic" installation is complete.