@Cloud_Strife

No, if you have Deluxe, you don't go the the Downloads folder. For neighborhood installation, you NEVER go into the Downloads folder.
Put the neighborhood folder (D001 or DE01) you downloaded into this path:
C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Double Deluxe\EP2\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate

If you want to install the main hood version (only NDE1!!!), it should go into
Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Neighborhoods

Hey, Jawusa. I noticed that there's an extra N004 thumbnail file in the Thumbnails folder for the Veronaville templates. Is it safe to delete them?

@Sketching

Yes, it snuck into the file while I was doing the templates... but it's safe to delete. It contains nothing. Don't worry!

Sweet - I held off on opening the hood, worried I might break something running two thumbnail files at once. Thanks, Jawusa!

Created an account just to say thank you for this! My old Pleasantview had 1,800 characters!
So far I've installed all the expansion packs I have, included all the mods such as no townie regen, no dormie regen, etc. My first sim went to a community lot and it was empty lol! (except for unsavory charlatan who showed up shortly after), sure enough my folder showed 2 characters.
I used the force create NPC's and townies, and I ended up with 133 character files (going to check if I need to make downtownies next). I think there was a mod to have "only one of each NPC" but I didn't download it.
I have the Sims 2 Super Collection for Mac, if anyone is wondering where the expansion pack files are, right click show package contents > contents > home and replace what's necessary there.

So the Maxis stuff has to be renamed what_old? Or something like that?


Sincerely,
Michael Simkins/Cloud_Strife

@Cloud_Strife
Yes, that would do that trick.
If it does not work, try cleaning entries in the AppData

C:\Users\Your Username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES

And now, a truly dum dum question: you say "cut & paste", does that mean to FIRST DELETE the "N001" (for example) that is already in the hood folder, THEN cut the N001 (correction: the non-default is NE01) that I have opened on my desktop and paste it into the hood folder? I'm doing the non-default versions, so assume that if I deleted this NEW N001{NW01}, the game would regenerate the OLD version.
ALSO: what about new hoods made from SC4terrains?

Been looking for truly clean and empty vacation/university/hobby/magic 'hoods for a long time. Thank you!

@grammapat

You only need to remove the original files if you are getting the default versions. The non-default versions are NOT to delete townies and such. It's only for renovating purposes.
As I recall correctly, you want to delete the townies. In this case, you want the default versions. Otherwise, you won't get rid of the townies.

Just remove the original N001 and place my empty one in there.
Any new hoods made from SC4 terrains won't have townies then. Existing neighborhoods will NOT be affected. So there is no point in installing these templates if you are trying to delete townies from an existing neighborhood.

Your "clean hoods" (which are the hoods with empty houses, no bin Sims, and no townies) works as advertised!
It's the "Stealth hoods" - which are supposed to let me build hoods that won't generate townies - that I'm having trouble with; the usual horde of townies generates

@grammapat

Did you ensure that you removed the original stealth hoods completely before installing mine?
If you just move and replace existing files, the sims will still show up. Make sure that the "Characters" folder inside the stealth hood template really is empty.

The Characters folders are empty, and yes I removed the originals.Um...I got the 5 you had; but don't the original hoods also have Stealth hoods that generate townies (N001,N002,N003)

And another thing: how do I get rid of the Sim pictures (stories?). Which are odd, since there ARE NO Sims (playables, townies, bin).

@grammapat

The Sim pictures are inside the Storytelling folder. Just delete everything that is inside that folder.
The original hoods don't have Stealth hoods at the very beginning. The Stealth hoods are added when the neighborhood is first loaded.

So, if you want to have a truly empty neighborhood, you have to install the Stealth hoods and the emptied hoods at the same time and LOAD them together for the first time.

excuse somebody knows some mod so that there are more sims in public places

Thank you so much for this...

Thank you so much for your hard work! I've been looking for this for years! :)

I created a new neighbourhood after I did these things exactly as you said. The stealth ones worked fine. I couldn't test Uni, OfB ect because it is going to be a BaCC. But the clean N001 Template somehow didn't work. SimPE and the SimBlender both tell me that there are the typical N001-Townies like in every custom neighbourhood.

I also have the Hacks antiredundancy and notownieregen. But is that a problem?

@_Aliena_

What happens if you completely remove the N001 folder?
If it does not work, try cleaning entries in the AppData

C:\Users\Your Username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES

It just generated a new normal Pleasantview folder.
But after cleaning entries, I was able to creat an empty neighbourhood - hurrah!
Thank you very much, Jawusa! Have a nice day

I've noted that it stated that the non-default version goes in the Neighborhood folder in the document folder. Can I also place it in the program folder next to the original one as well?

@soriya

There is no point in placing the non-default ones into the program files folder.
It's only to prevent townies from occuring, that is why, it is placed in the program files. But this is only for the default versions.

The non-default versions are standalone neighborhoods that have nothing to do with the originals.

thanks!

Thanks so much for creating these empty hoods !!

A question : I have MM2TR's cleaned N-hoods incl. Strangetown.

Now am planning to put in the Default Empty Strangetown hood.
As in, No, I do not want the townies to auto-generate as I make my own in the create-a-family option.
I realize the NPC's will auto-generate even with a totally empty hood.

So, since I had the clean hoods installed in the C/Program filesx86/ ; can I put the new empty Strangetown hood in the Sims 2 folder in the My Documents folder ?

I already have all mods to prevent spawning and totally empty hobby/pets/magic/etc. hoods from before.
They're already installed in the ProgramFilesx86 location on my C drive.