When you say "the game doesn't start", you mean the AnyGame doesn't start?
Are you trying to use the AGS to run your "full" neighborhoods, i.e. the ones you used to play with the original game, but excluding Bon Voyage? This can't be done; you can only create a new game, completely separated from your normal "full" game.

As for reinstalling an EP, you must uninstall it first, or the CD won't reinstall it; and remember to backup your game before installing/uninstalling an expansion!

First off, as always, I LOVE THIS NUMENOR!! For simply having a base game to test things in that loads in less than 60 seconds from my desktop to being on a lot! This is definitely much less confusing (and more player friendly) than the previous versions.

Now here are the questions:

1.) Do you do this from the neighborhood screen as usual, or do you do it another way? I've made an empty game because I have wanted to make a pioneer neighborhood for a long time but the whole thing seemed daunting. I haven't loaded the empty game yet because I'm still trying to get everything in place first (default replacements and whatnot.)


2.) So does using an empty game save me a lot of the steps stated in the Creating Clean Custom Neighborhoods tutorial, or just make it simpler?

3.) If there is no secret lots, is there some info on how to make them, like the freetime secret lots? I'm really, really sorry if I'm being a pest.

4.) This may seem like a silly question but does this work fine with the Scriptorium? I've tried figuring it out but I've got a bad cold at the moment and it's making it very hard to focus on long and in-depth posts.

And last but not least, I think I have a Bug Report

I had just gotten IKEA Stuff and installed it. (no problems there) I tried to make a base game + only IKEA and the picture below is what I got.
I have created other AGSs since then (including ones with IKEA) with no trouble at all.

Below are the required app files.

You're the greatest!!!

Thanks so very much! I have a quick question. I have created an any game 1 and selected to only use Night Life, Seasons, Apartment Life and M&G stuff pack but I still see some university type items (very limited) - can I use those items? Thanks!

This may have already been answered, and if so, I apologize for being redundant. Will this cause a problem if I install an EP AFTER installing this? (For example, I now have OFB installed, but am installing Pets over the next couple of weeks, and am hoping to get Apartment Life soon.)

Will it preserve my savegames from OFB when I DO add in another EP? (That would really be nice, and is the only reason I haven't yet installed Pets.)

CorsetCrush:
1) You add the sub-neighborhoods (and create the main neighborhoods) from the neighborhood selection screen, just like the normal game.
2) The "Empty Game" has been introduced in the AGS purposely as an alternative to the "manual method" explained at MATY; actually, the AGS Empty Game is better, because you don't delete previously created sims: they are never created in the first place!
3) Well... no. The Empty Game is really empty, and can't be "integrated" later on (not using the same game, anyway). You see, the Empty Game has been created in order to have a clean environment where to create a neighborhood to share with other people. Therefore, once you created you neighborhood, you should save a copy of it (the "Nxxx" folder) and put it into another game.
If you intend to actually play the neighborhood, I suggest to use the "Mini-Game" option, instead of the "Empty Game"; start the "Mini-Game", delete the neighborhood that you find in it, and create a new neighborhood: it will be perfectly playable (and "empty" )
4) Yes, the AGS games automatically take advantage of the Scriptorium: all the scripts installed in the Scriptorium folders are shared between the full game and all the AGS games. But keep in mind that the Downloads folders are different, and this may lead to little inconsistencies: for example, if you installed a custom modular stair in the full game, but NOT in the mini-game, you will see an empty icon in the catalog of the mini-game (this is because the script is read by both the full game and the AGS games, but the actual package containing the mesh is installed only in the full game).
5) As for you bug report, the AGS does not contain any emulation software: it most be a software that you already had on your computer. Probably, you never needed to start the full game using the IKEA disk, and this is the reason why you never had this problem.

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Spithead - Either the objects that you claim to be from University are not from University, or they are objects originally released in UNI but then re-released with a newer EP. Either case, if you see them in game, it's safe to use them

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Netjera - This is a good question, not redundant at all; and it requires a detailed answers

First off, let's clear up that the AGS games are completely new and separated from the "full game". You can't play the same neighborhoods with Pets (full game) and without Pets (AGS).
What you can do in this case is to duplicate your full game, so to play a copy with Pets and a copy without it:
1) create a backup copy of your full game (the entire The Sims 2 folder);
2) install Pets;
3) install the AGS, selecting all the expansions up to OFB;
4) open the folder AnyGameStarter\AnyGame1\EA Games\The Sims 2 and delete everything except the little file "AnyGame1.id"
5) fill the (now) empty Sims2 folder with the files previously backupped (NOT from the current full game: by now, it's been converted in Pets format).

From now on, you can play the two games separately: they will have the same neighborhoods and sims, but they are different games nevertheless: if you kill a sim in one game, that sim is still alive in the other game.


As a side note, keep in mind one important thing: when you run the AGS installer, it creates the AGS files tailored on your current EPs. If you install a new EP, you MUST run again the AGS installer: you don't have to actually create a game, just run the installer and cancel as soon as you can. This will update all the existing AGS games to your new EP configuration.

Okay, so IF I'm understanding you correctly - and I MAY not be... 1) I can't install any EPs after this, because it converts files to the AGS "format"; 2) Installing a new EP doesn't delete saved games, it converts them into a new format; 3) If I want to retain a game in the old format, I need to create a backup, then upgrade the EP, then install AGS with the special instructions given for two game trees.

Am I following correctly?

Thanks for such a fast response, I really appreciate it!

Edit: Disregard #1, I missed the end of your post explaining how AGS worked, until I posted - sorry!

So I was using this to build a house to upload to here last night and I was using the AGS Standard thing with all the exp. packs but no sps and I was really tired so I went to bed. Just now I started up the same version and the house is gone?!
I spent ages on it :l
Isnt this program for creating houses and uploading them without having to make it need every ep and sp you have?? Well where did my house go
I must admit I hardly understand any of this I just tried to follow it and it opened and stuff okay so I thought everything was good but apparently not
So how do you make it so each time you open it what you did before was still there?
I know I saved and everything, definitely. Dont tell me I have to start ALL over again for the 3rd time, please!
My game was crashing before so I lost 2 other houses I worked on..I'm ready to give up !! Argh!

Edit: Okay. I'm over it.
Now my problem is a can't play the game at all.
I uninstalled this and when i try to play my normal game EVERYTHING is gone.
Know why that is either? The launcher says I dont have H&M and K&B although I do.
:S

Numenor- It's good to know that it wasn't the AGS causing the problem, now I just need to figure out what is! I thought that popup sounded kinda odd and not your style.

Thank you for the very through responce about the empty game. It's greatly appreciated.

Just to clarify: If I make a neighborhood in an empty game, save it and put the Neighborhood file in a Mini game (with no townie, pets, NPC regen hacks) it will work the same without having to manually clear everything out? That was always the most daunting part.

Netjera - I think you got it, but I'd like to clarify this some more, so to avoid possible misunderstandings.
Installing a new EP updates the saved "full game" only; it doesn't modify the saved mini-games; actually, the mini-games ignore completely that a new EP was added, and this is the problem: when you run a mini-game, it temporarily changes your Registry, and then restores the normal values for the "full game", but it doesn't know that the full game has gained a new EP!
For this reason, you must run the AGS installer after installing a new EP only to "inform" the AGS that the full game has changed; this will NOT modify the EP included in the mini-game, nor "convert" the saved mini-game to a different format.
On the other hand (your question 3) if you want to retain the format of the saved full game, you have to backup it and use the backup to replace a purposely created mini-game.

aeowyn22 - Under normal conditions, you definitely should find all the lots you built in a mini-game every time you run that mini-game. There is obviously something wrong in your games (full and mini). And in this case, you have uninstalled the AGS, thus deleting entirely the mini-game and the lot you built in it. At this point, we can't do anything but trying to restore the Full Game.

Do this:

1. Run (as administrator) the AGS installer; it will create the icons on your desktop;
2. run again the AGS using the "standard" icon, and create a mini-game (this should also fix the most common and frequent problems regarding the Registry and the Full Game);
3. Try running (as administrator) the full game, and check if you neighborhoods are back;
4. then run the mini-game, modify something and exit; run again the mini-game and check if your modifications are still there;
5. If there are still problems, compress your AppFiles folder into a zip and post it here.

Corsetcrush - Yes, the neighborhood created in an empty game - if you never played any of its lots - is perfectly clean, and doesn't contain any townie, NPC or pet to delete. When placed into a mini-game, the neighborhood will be immediately associated with the required hidden lots, but still no townies, NPC and pets will be created (they will be spawned when needed, though).

Numenor - Thanks so very much - for everything. I thought they sold some "items" in more than one pack which is lazy and unfair on their part. I am in awe of your talent - thanks so much again!

I have installed the AGS, with the normal base game and the mini-neighborhood.

Now here is the problem i have:
I have built a Lot in this neighborhod which i wanted to turn into a Pack, but when i hit the "pack-button" it says, that an error occured (and i can only push the ok-button) thats it.
I made and packed a lot there before, and everything worked.

Nobody else seems to have this problem. Maybe somebody can help me to put this Lot into a Packagefile?? One i can offer here to download?

thank you.

Lacrisa also created a new thread for this issue:

http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=318672

I posted some suggestions in that thread before I saw the post here. If this problem is not related to the AGS, I'd suggest that people respond in the other thread.

Update:

Looks like this was an issue with special characters in the name of the lot, specifically quotes and dashes.

Okay, thanks. For some reason, I thought that when I installed a new EP, that it wiped out saved games from the old one. So, for example, I've been avoiding installing Pets, because I thought I'd lose my saved games for OFB and wouldn't be able to play them anymore.

That's why I was wondering if this could be used to prevent that.

Numenor! Thanks for such a quick reply!
Two words:
YOU. GENIUS. !!
I re installed your AGS and I did the create a mini game thing then started up my normal game and it.. WORKED! Everything is there! All my old stuff + the house I built! And I thought it was gone! PHEW! Big sigh of relief! Thank you so much!
Now you say to run the mini game, modify it etc. Should I still do that if running the full game worked? Can I play my full game with everything now?
Also, should I just keep all the AGS stuff exactly where it is and not touch it now?
Sounds like a good idea
Thankyou so much, again, you are the BEST and I mean THE BEST
Laura

If everything works fine, there is no need to run the mini-game; on the contrary, if you don't need it any more, you can safely delete it (run the AGS installer and choose "Delete all games"). Don't be afraid: removing the AGS and the mini-game will not break your full game

Please help me. I've read all the posts and faq. I really want to be able to use ags. The problem is everytime I play a game,using ags, my main game refuses to run. I've followed the instructions over and over on how to fix this problem, and my main game still won't run. I tried to include the ags appl. file here but without success. I've all EPs and Sp's in my main game. I just wanted ags so that I could create lots(with only the base game) to upload to the exchange. I already uploaded 3 lots, using ags. The problem is now my main game won't work. Since other simmers can use ags without a problem, I want to find out what keeps me from using ags problem-free. I am really sick with frustration. Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Exactly, what happens when you run the full game? Error messages, crashes, unexpected shutdown, or maybe nothing at all?

In order to post your AppFiles folder, you have to compress it into a zip, then click the "Go Advanced" button (located under the "Quick Reply" box) and then click "Manage Attachments".

This is what happened with my full game---when I tried to load it,it stopped loading when the "Mansion and Gardens" screen appeared,even though the usual music played and after waiting a long time,I checked my taskmaster which said "Mansions and Gardens" was not responding. I tried all what I read and I reread this thread to see if I missed something important. I am really stumped,but I hope to find the solution. I uninstalled ags for now. I had to uninstall all Eps,SPs, and even the base game. When I reinstalled all plus my saved "the Sims" folder,my full game played fine again. This is the second time I had to do this (after creating and uploading lots from anygame,base game only). What am I doing wrong? I have vista home premium and anygame is in a different folder than my full game---both are in documents. I just got tired of my lots(w/all EPs and SPs) being culled within 3 weeks. I was delighted to see the huge increase in downloads of my 3 ags lots (which are still on my simpage)---I just enjoy sharing.

I downloaded ags again to see if I could post appfiles & agsinstaller log this time. I'm going to wait to start a new ags game till I hear feedback on this appfile attachment. Thank you Numenor for responding to my request for help.

Catshirlann - The files you have attached don't show anything wrong, they are perfect. But of course I have no game log to examine, because you didn't try running the AnyGame1.
Here is what you should do, in order to test the AGS installation without risking to break your game installation:

1. create a backup of the entire folder C:\Users\catshirlann\Documents\EA Games and keep it in a safe place;
2. also keep a copy of the file "Sims2_Full.reg", stored in the AppFiles, just in case;
3. run the AnyGame1, and quit it when you see the neighborhoods screen;
4. run the Full Game; if it loads fine, then the test is over
5. if the Full Game can't load, try the following solutions:
   • Go to (Documents)\EA Games\The Sims 2\Config, delete the file "userProps.xml" and rename the file "userProps.bak" as "userProps.xml"; then run again the Full Game;
   • if the Full Game still doesn't work, double-click on the file "Sims2_Full.reg" found in the AppFiles folder, and confirm the operation (if for whatever reason the AppFiles is no longer available, you stored a copy of the reg file earlier, right?); when done, RESTART WINDOWS and then run the Full Game again;
   • if still the Full Game refuses to start, delete the entire folder C:\Users\catshirlann\Documents\EA Games, and replace it with the backup you created earlier. At this point, you have completely restored both the full game and the Registry, so you should be able to run the full game.

Oh, great, a new version. I love this.

Alright, I think I already know the answer to my question, but I'll ask anyway.

I made a new AGS Game with FT, NL, AL, IKEA, and KB. Whenever I try to start the game, I get a message telling me I should be trying to run Mansion and Garden, not Apartment Life.

EDIT: Forgot the AppFiles

Numenor, thank you for saving me from having to uninstall and reinstall all my EPs & SPs again. I did follow your advice. I was puzzled that I did not have the"userProps.bak" file,so I had to skip that solution. I had to end up replacing my EA Games folder with the backup created earlier and I am able to run my full game again. I have attached the game log of Anygame 1 so that you could examine it. I am worried that I might not be able to enjoy the benefits of ags. Thank you so much for your kindness and help.

Ceegamus - There is something wrong in your AGS installation; the mini-game doesn't run correctly. Whatever cause you may be thinking of for this malfunction, it's useless to discuss it without an AppFiles to examine; please provide it, and I will take a look.


catshirlann - When I asked for the "game log" I was talking about the .log files contained in the AppFiles. The Sims2 logs are impossible to understand for me -