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Mad Poster
#13726 Old 27th May 2018 at 11:05 PM
Saving while on the phone isn't a big deal - just keep lot debuggers around and nuke offworld loiterers after a reset.

Tombstones - just don't delete them (or break the urn and clean up the ashes).
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Alchemist
#13727 Old 27th May 2018 at 11:33 PM
Does rain water plants in Seasons?
Top Secret Researcher
#13728 Old 27th May 2018 at 11:44 PM
Quote: Originally posted by kestrellyn
Saving while on the phone isn't a big deal - just keep lot debuggers around and nuke offworld loiterers after a reset.

Tombstones - just don't delete them (or break the urn and clean up the ashes).


Really? I mean I have that thing on my lot that looks like a black box with a nuclear sign on it because I read it will prevent lot corruption.
But when clicking on it, there is all that stuff that I don't know what it means, so I'm scared to do anything with it. My main problem is, I don't speak TS2 anymore and I'm coming to realize I never did very well. I don't expect anyone to explain everything to me, there is just a lot that I need to relearn and figure out and as always, learning by doing is my best strategy. Albeit a slow one with mishaps.

But there will be the occasional post in the "Stupid Questions" thread.
But I appreciate you guys answering my questions when I have them!
Mad Poster
#13729 Old 28th May 2018 at 1:26 AM Last edited by kestrellyn : 28th May 2018 at 1:39 AM.
Quote: Originally posted by 310175
Really? I mean I have that thing on my lot that looks like a black box with a nuclear sign on it because I read it will prevent lot corruption.
But when clicking on it, there is all that stuff that I don't know what it means, so I'm scared to do anything with it. My main problem is, I don't speak TS2 anymore and I'm coming to realize I never did very well. I don't expect anyone to explain everything to me, there is just a lot that I need to relearn and figure out and as always, learning by doing is my best strategy. Albeit a slow one with mishaps.

But there will be the occasional post in the "Stupid Questions" thread.
But I appreciate you guys answering my questions when I have them!


The lot debugger is a black box with the batman symbol on it. You shouldn't need most of its options, but if you have a problem someone might know of an option on it that will solve it. The main important ones are Fix... Nuke... and the Memory menu. Most of the fix options won't mess things up too badly, and if you see something there that you don't see normally it's probably a good idea to try it, especially if something is wrong. The only things I'd say are, don't fix "work state" while someone is at work normally, don't nuke sim schedulers if you have an NPC scheduled (unless you think something is wrong with the NPC not showing up), don't nuke stuck bills if your bills aren't stuck (unless you just don't want to have to pay bills). Information just displays info, I don't believe it actually does anything. Memory allows you to clear certain memories/gossip, which you should definitely do regularly - at a minimum clear it from the dead and clear boring gossip, but you might also want to clear all gossip if you don't like it or all trash memories (like the mystery sim memories). None of this should damage your game, and it will cut down on the junk floating around significantly. To avoid firstborn syndrome, save the game when your sim is about to give birth and then click on Fix...Rerandomize Sim Generator, which will pause for a while and quit to the hood, but since you saved first, it's fine. That ensures that all your kids don't come out identical.
Mad Poster
#13730 Old 28th May 2018 at 1:52 AM
As for getting off the "rags-to-riches with very little variation" wheel, there's a sticky thread called "Keeping the Game Interesting," in which people discuss how to get into the sandbox mindset. You may also find that reading the "What's Happening In Your Game Right Now" thread, and various threads discussing playstyles, inspiring; and of course reading people's sim blogs and simblrs can do the same.

The thing to remember is, that this is a sandbox game, not a quest-based one, and most of it happens inside your head. It's 100% up to you how interesting it is. Don't let yourself get distracted by the race to the top of the career or grinding for 50 1st dates or whatever, if that's not what you like. What parts to you enjoy most? Odd are, not watching your sim read to improve mechanical skill! Think about the narrative elements, about character, conflict, plot, motivation; about culture, economy, history; about genetics; about what the personality points actually mean for this sim rather than that sim. Is this sim lazy, or physically limited? Is this sim misanthropic, or afflicted with social anxiety? Spend time interpreting autonomous behavior in light of the context and the wants panel. Or make a Prosperity or BACC or integrated hood with no careers at all, where everything has to be created and built in-game.

Love toddlers? Play a 7-toddler challenge! Run a neighborhood day care or an orphanage! Get a trips and quads mod! Hate toddlers? Develop a society in which babies are taken from parents and raised in an institution till they become children or teen-agers (depending on what ages you like to play) and have people who want families adopt them at that age, having cheated them to grow up and have randomized skills - and possibly some of the psychological problems that come with institutionalization.

Love building? Spend all your time building and play-testing. Make lots to upload, take part in contests. Building is just as much playing as character play is.

Unbox your mind, and the sky's the limit.

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
Mad Poster
#13731 Old 28th May 2018 at 4:32 AM
There's also the What's going on in your game? (TS2)-social group where people have threads dedicated to their hoods and sharing stories from them or just what they are up to. Might be a good way to see how other people play their games and get inspiration

Creations can be found on my on tumblr.
Top Secret Researcher
#13732 Old 28th May 2018 at 6:51 AM
Quote: Originally posted by kestrellyn
...To avoid firstborn syndrome, save the game when your sim is about to give birth and then click on Fix...Rerandomize Sim Generator, which will pause for a while and quit to the hood, but since you saved first, it's fine. That ensures that all your kids don't come out identical.

Hm, too late for that, my firstborns were twins and are now toddlers, so they are supposed to be identical. I'll see if the next one looks different. Does this happen every time?

Other question: if I place a few of my own sims in my town, should they show up on various community lots or is it always the same Maxis-generated sims?
Lab Assistant
#13733 Old 28th May 2018 at 7:28 AM
Quote: Originally posted by 310175
Hm, too late for that, my firstborns were twins and are now toddlers, so they are supposed to be identical. I'll see if the next one looks different. Does this happen every time?

Other question: if I place a few of my own sims in my town, should they show up on various community lots or is it always the same Maxis-generated sims?


It will be a mix of both I always see 2/3 of my simmies in the community lots. :lovestruc

As for a question of my own, this outfit - when is this one used ? I want to replace this one, but since it falls under the 'NPC/Career & Miscellany Outfits', I was curious.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#13734 Old 28th May 2018 at 7:44 AM
Empty templates question.

It's been a while since I did these, is it normal on first load up of a new sims 2 folders, new custom hood for the game to make Pet's, Weather, Exotic destinations etc with empty templates in place.

I checked a few on my install and the neighbourhood templates I looked at like Seasons shows no characters.

@pannisim I don't recall ever having seen the game use that one.

@310175 playable and Maxis (if you have them) will show up.

@omglo I believe so. I find my watered plants get too wet when it rains.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Instructor
#13735 Old 28th May 2018 at 9:34 AM
@310175 Firstborn syndrome is only occuring in the first birth after starting up the game. So the second, third, hundredth etc. child of the same parents born without exiting and starting up again, all have different genetics. Your twins should look different (unless the parents have identical faces).

@joansarah77 it is normal. Empty templates don't prevent the stealth 'hoods from being created, they just prevent the creation of the standard Sims and lots. No characters in the 'hood folder under Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2 = everything's all right.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#13736 Old 28th May 2018 at 10:50 AM
No it wasn't normal, but that's okay Voleste helped me. My empty templates included empty stealth ones as well (empty everything) but even an empty Pets folder didn't stop the game making 'pets' on the hood screen until I renamed the folder. Odd but it worked.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#13737 Old 28th May 2018 at 12:12 PM
Quote: Originally posted by kestrellyn
Information (on the lot debugger) just displays info, I don't believe it actually does anything.

The "One True Hobby" and "LTA Milestones" menus are clickable - you can change a hobby by clicking the one you want the sim to have and add LTA milestones if your sim seems to be missing some. (I don't know of any way to remove milestones that you want to get rid of). The "Favorite food" section might also allow you to change the sim's settings - I've never messed with the favorite food settings myself.
Instructor
#13738 Old 28th May 2018 at 12:17 PM
Then you aren't just using empty templates (which I answered to), but preventing any templates from being used at all. Never knew that works.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#13739 Old 28th May 2018 at 1:03 PM
well, there are empty templates for the stealth hoods. http://modthesims.info/d/520751 But for some reason some of them weren't working, but renaming the folder did.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#13740 Old 28th May 2018 at 1:55 PM
Sometimes depends on your exact set up of EPs/SPs - with the collection packs, there's sometimes another set of folders somewhere.

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
just a girl
#13741 Old 28th May 2018 at 2:08 PM
I find it better (for me) to let the game attach a stealth sub-hood with no sims (using cleaned out template). You'll see "Creating pets" on the screen, but no characters will be added to the 'hood, since the game will copy cleaned out template. But if you avoid creating/attaching stealth-hood, the game will try to find and attach it every time you load the 'hood. One day you may forget about it and rename that template back or put the original folder back for some other 'hood or something - and the game will go "finally i found it!" and attach it happily to your 'hood
If you let it attach clean template once, it won't try any more, whatever you do to templates folders.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#13742 Old 28th May 2018 at 2:17 PM
Quote: Originally posted by maxon
Sometimes depends on your exact set up of EPs/SPs - with the collection packs, there's sometimes another set of folders somewhere.


No, all individual disks, every last one of them.

@Lamare yes, it's sneaky. I am hoping with the folder renamed (I did all of them, even the working ones) that I have firmly stamped out any sign of them.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#13743 Old 28th May 2018 at 3:07 PM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
No, all individual disks, every last one of them.

@Lamare yes, it's sneaky. I am hoping with the folder renamed (I did all of them, even the working ones) that I have firmly stamped out any sign of them.

Well, the game must be getting the files from somewhere - did you work out where?

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#13744 Old 28th May 2018 at 3:17 PM
No, the pet folder was empty but soon as I renamed it, it stopped showing on loading the new folder new hood. I wouldn't have thought to do it but Voleste said that worked for her.
Screenshots

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#13745 Old 28th May 2018 at 7:51 PM Last edited by SneakyWingPhoenix : 28th May 2018 at 7:52 PM. Reason: link fix
Has greatcheesecakepersona uploaded his Clean UI for download.

P.S. Sorry for my bad english.
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#13746 Old 28th May 2018 at 8:50 PM
Quote: Originally posted by SneakyWingPhoenix
Has greatcheesecakepersona uploaded his Clean UI for download.

oooo I've been waiting for that. <goes off to see>

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Alchemist
#13747 Old 28th May 2018 at 9:33 PM
lots in a neighborhood/sub-neighborhood.
would the only limits on the total be the following?
-computer memory
-the amount of space in the neighborhood/sub-neighborhood
-the dimensions of the lots
or is there a "hard coded" limit?
Forum Resident
#13748 Old 28th May 2018 at 10:57 PM
Your graphics card could be another limiting factor. I've got a decent card, but if too many lots have too many objects that are visible in 'hood view things stop rendering properly (in hood view, I get lines spreading out and zigzagging as if the objects are exploding). The game still plays and otherwise runs smoothly for me, but I stop adding more lots and decrease the number of items on lots to that 'hood and add a new sub-hood. Right now, I'm planning a new 'hood with smaller maps and more sub-hoods so that I can use more hood-visible cc.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#13749 Old 28th May 2018 at 11:09 PM
I would say the limit would be on your computer hardware.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#13750 Old 29th May 2018 at 12:01 AM
Quote: Originally posted by maxon
oooo I've been waiting for that. <goes off to see>

No not yet - alas.

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
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