Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game!

Miss E wrote:
> Righty, got myself nightlife EP. How to I install this but keep my
> existing game am playing on Sims 2? Is this possible? I dont want to
> loose it as I have spent ages on it! Even if I can keep my sims that
> will do ( maxed out everything )

As Rumpel says, back up your neighbourhoods and downloads, and anything else
you modified. But everything should be there. First time you run the game
you might see a screen about custom content - I can't remember if that forst
came with Nightlife. If you do you need to click to enable it - and restart
for that to take effect. You might like to play a disposable neighbourhood
to make sure all is running as it should, first, and any hacks you have you
need to check compatibility - they may have been updated for the EP and you
will need to get those versions.

Then have fun.


--
kat
>^..^<
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game! 

kat wrote:
> Miss E wrote:
>> Righty, got myself nightlife EP. How to I install this but keep my
>> existing game am playing on Sims 2? Is this possible? I dont want to
>> loose it as I have spent ages on it! Even if I can keep my sims that
>> will do ( maxed out everything )
>
> As Rumpel says, back up your neighbourhoods and downloads, and
> anything else you modified. But everything should be there. First
> time you run the game you might see a screen about custom content - I
> can't remember if that forst came with Nightlife. If you do you need
> to click to enable it - and restart for that to take effect. You
> might like to play a disposable neighbourhood to make sure all is
> running as it should, first, and any hacks you have you need to check
> compatibility - they may have been updated for the EP and you will
> need to get those versions.
> Then have fun.

Evelyn has Pets already so she should only see some gameplay changes with
Nightlife installed, but her save games will be in the same format because
Pets is newer than NL.

It's always sensible to back up before installing a new EP as the others
have said. There are those rare times that an installation goes badly and
stops when it gets to 99%. And then it uninstalls itself, taking your save
games and custom content with it. So it's best to back up first, install
afterwards. And check your backup. About a month ago I lost almost
everything because I got a bad burn with a DVD and I coudn't get about half
of my files back off the DVD. I lost the hoods I was playing and some custom
content.

Since Pets is newer all hacks, etc, should already be up-to-date.

Engram
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game! 

On Tue, 29 Jan 2008 08:05:43 +1100, "Engram" <engram_au.RemoveThis@yahoo.com.au> wrote:

>afterwards. And check your backup. About a month ago I lost almost
>everything because I got a bad burn with a DVD and I coudn't get about half
>of my files back off the DVD. I lost the hoods I was playing and some custom
>content.
>
>Since Pets is newer all hacks, etc, should already be up-to-date.
>
>Engram
>

Hi

Do you still have the DVD? There is a program that can get files off of bad
DVD's, called isobuster...

www.isobuster.com

I once had a bad CD that was written to in a weird packet format and it had
been erased by mistake, and I tried EVERY recovery program I could find, and
they all said the CD had no recoverable files, then I found Isobuster, and the
free download checked the disk and found almost all of them! (You pay for the
version that recovers the files if it finds any and you're happy...)

Of course I bought it online immediately, and recovered the entire CD!

No, I don't work for Isobuster! but man it really worked! And NOTHING else I
tried did... I tried 7 programs that day.
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game! 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game! 

James wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:23:19 GMT, "Miss E" <bankie.girl.DeleteThis@ntlworld.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>>Righty, got myself nightlife EP. How to I install this but keep my existing
>>game am playing on Sims 2? Is this possible? I dont want to loose it as I
>>have spent ages on it! Even if I can keep my sims that will do ( maxed out
>>everything )
>
>
> Before I do a major install of ep's I also Package each lot to file
> as well as back everything up. If anything major goes wrong I can
> install the packed lots into a clean game. You will lose connections
> etc. this way. I have only done this once when I wanted a new start
> after buying 3 EP's at the same time and I was having problems with
> the game anyway.
> Regards
> James

That's bad boo to do that...they carry too much information around in
their fiels and later on you'll get corruption...and yeah, I know they
do it on the official site but I think EA thinks they're talking to a
pile of 13 year olds who restart a new game every week...
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game! 

"James" <J.C.B.RemoveThis@Gothicbtinternet.com> wrote in message
news:trgup31dfl70p6cstc5vj38tukandne64q@4ax.com...
> Before I do a major install of ep's I also Package each lot to file
> as well as back everything up. If anything major goes wrong I can
> install the packed lots into a clean game. You will lose connections
> etc. this way. I have only done this once when I wanted a new start
> after buying 3 EP's at the same time and I was having problems with
> the game anyway.

You mean lived-in lots? mmmm.... not good.

Best wishes
maxon
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game! 

"Engram" <engram_au.DeleteThis@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:479e43a9$0$25819$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
> kat wrote:
>> Miss E wrote:
>>> Righty, got myself nightlife EP. How to I install this but keep my
>>> existing game am playing on Sims 2? Is this possible? I dont want to
>>> loose it as I have spent ages on it! Even if I can keep my sims that
>>> will do ( maxed out everything )
>>
>> As Rumpel says, back up your neighbourhoods and downloads, and
>> anything else you modified. But everything should be there. First
>> time you run the game you might see a screen about custom content - I
>> can't remember if that forst came with Nightlife. If you do you need
>> to click to enable it - and restart for that to take effect. You
>> might like to play a disposable neighbourhood to make sure all is
>> running as it should, first, and any hacks you have you need to check
>> compatibility - they may have been updated for the EP and you will
>> need to get those versions.
>> Then have fun.
>
> Evelyn has Pets already so she should only see some gameplay changes with
> Nightlife installed, but her save games will be in the same format because
> Pets is newer than NL.
>
> It's always sensible to back up before installing a new EP as the others
> have said. There are those rare times that an installation goes badly and
> stops when it gets to 99%. And then it uninstalls itself, taking your save
> games and custom content with it. So it's best to back up first, install
> afterwards. And check your backup. About a month ago I lost almost
> everything because I got a bad burn with a DVD and I coudn't get about
> half of my files back off the DVD. I lost the hoods I was playing and some
> custom content.
>
> Since Pets is newer all hacks, etc, should already be up-to-date.
>
> Engram
>Righty, firstly, got it installed and everything running fine ( still kept
>all my old sims n neighbourhoods) but can you tell me, when I create stuff
>like sims houses etc, what folder do they go in? Where are the saved files?

PS I dont have pets installed on my laptop, wasnt really bothered about
putting that on although you are correct I do have it , well remembered lol

one thing there is a change with thought thats quite funny - I had a dukebox
and now its just the usual hifi thats in sims2 but with flashing blue
speakers lol
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game! 

James wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:23:19 GMT, "Miss E" <bankie.girl DeleteThis @ntlworld.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Righty, got myself nightlife EP. How to I install this but keep my
>> existing game am playing on Sims 2? Is this possible? I dont want to
>> loose it as I have spent ages on it! Even if I can keep my sims that
>> will do ( maxed out everything )
>
> Before I do a major install of ep's I also Package each lot to file
> as well as back everything up. If anything major goes wrong I can
> install the packed lots into a clean game. You will lose connections
> etc. this way. I have only done this once when I wanted a new start
> after buying 3 EP's at the same time and I was having problems with
> the game anyway.
> Regards
> James

Very bad thing to do! You should never package a lot with sims in it if
you've EVER played those sims in any neighborhood. They carry with them
memories of every sim they've ever met, and since those memories are tied to
sims via GUID number, once you remove the sims, even if you put them all
together again into a new neighborhood, the sims will all have different
GUID numbers. All those "phantom sims" in the memories get passed from one
sim to another through chatting and gossip until they have spread through
the whole neighborhood. Pretty soon, you start having toddlers with adult
wants and screwed up DNA and when you least expect it, the neighborhood
implodes and becomes corrupted.

Instead, save the entire neighborhood folder. If it's just one
neighborhood, go into My Documents/EA Games/The Sims2/Neighborhoods and save
out the proper subfolder. That will save the entire neighborhood, all sims
and relationships intact, with no dangling sim files.

Jeanie
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game! 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game! 

James wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:55:52 GMT, "Jeanie" <Nobody.RemoveThis@home.com> wrote:
>
>> James wrote:
>>> On Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:23:19 GMT, "Miss E"
>>> <bankie.girl.RemoveThis@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Righty, got myself nightlife EP. How to I install this but keep my
>>>> existing game am playing on Sims 2? Is this possible? I dont want
>>>> to loose it as I have spent ages on it! Even if I can keep my sims
>>>> that will do ( maxed out everything )
>>>
>>> Before I do a major install of ep's I also Package each lot to file
>>> as well as back everything up. If anything major goes wrong I can
>>> install the packed lots into a clean game. You will lose connections
>>> etc. this way. I have only done this once when I wanted a new start
>>> after buying 3 EP's at the same time and I was having problems with
>>> the game anyway.
>>> Regards
>>> James
>>
>> Very bad thing to do! You should never package a lot with sims in
>> it if you've EVER played those sims in any neighborhood. They carry
>> with them memories of every sim they've ever met, and since those
>> memories are tied to sims via GUID number, once you remove the sims,
>> even if you put them all together again into a new neighborhood, the
>> sims will all have different GUID numbers. All those "phantom sims"
>> in the memories get passed from one sim to another through chatting
>> and gossip until they have spread through the whole neighborhood.
>> Pretty soon, you start having toddlers with adult wants and screwed
>> up DNA and when you least expect it, the neighborhood implodes and
>> becomes corrupted.
>>
>> Instead, save the entire neighborhood folder. If it's just one
>> neighborhood, go into My Documents/EA Games/The Sims2/Neighborhoods
>> and save out the proper subfolder. That will save the entire
>> neighborhood, all sims and relationships intact, with no dangling
>> sim files.
>>
>> Jeanie
>>
> I have had no trouble after doing this and the game ran perfectly for
> ages but when I got all the EP's I started again from scratch. New
> Lots, new Sims. just to keep me interested.

Well, no one can make you stop taking chances with your own game, but be
aware that this WILL corrupt your sims character files and their memories
and will glut your Characters folder with "phantom" sims. Sooner or later,
the wants will become corrupted, you will start having dead sims available
in the phone menu, things like that. It WILL happen. It might not have
happened YET, but it WILL. I cannot tell you the number of times in this
forum and others I participate in online, where people have entered to make
a post that says "Help! My sims have no wants!" or some such. It WILL
happen. Trust me. Then do what you want.

How do you remove Sims
> before Packaging because a lot with the Sims removed looses all the
> furniture and other items in the lot and just seems to keep the basic
> building.
> Regards
> James

You can go here

http://www.simlogical.com/sl/Sims2Pages/Sims2_Moving.htm

And download the "stay-Things shrub". Place it on the lot BEFORE you move
the sims to the bin. It will keep everything on the lot as it sits when you
package it up.

Jeanie
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game! 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game! 

>> You can go here
>>
>> http://www.simlogical.com/sl/Sims2Pages/Sims2_Moving.htm
>>
>> And download the "stay-Things shrub". Place it on the lot BEFORE
>> you move the sims to the bin. It will keep everything on the lot as
>> it sits when you package it up.
>>
>> Jeanie
>>
> Thanks Jeanie will get that. It's the Lots I tend to invest the time
> on. I can easily create new Sims if problems occur. I just enjoy
> building Houses, Dorms, Shops etc. If I check the Sims memories would
> this help me check which Sims might have problems. When I started
> again from scratch there may have been 2 lots I put back from package
> but I cannot remember which ones. I have SimPe would this help at
> all..
> Thanks for informing me about this problem I did not intend to be
> dismissive. All my time ATM is taken up with the new Kuju Rail
> Simulator building a Route so my other programs are taking a back seat
> for a time. ( I am a Geek lol ).
> Regards
> James

You can look at your sims in SimPE, use the Neighborhood Memories function.
You will likely see a great many "Unknown" sims in their memories. As they
chat with other sims (which happens whether you are playing them or not --
there are always sims on community lots that you aren't controlling that are
just gabbing away to each other -- they will be passing these corrupted
memories around. If you watch the speech bubbles, you might note that
sometimes there are lines through the icon depicting what they are talking
about. That's a corrupt memory being passed on.

I'm not sure if there is a way to clean up the character files once this
happens. I think the safest thing is to simply start a new neighborhood
afresh. You can use SimPE to clone existing sims from any neighborhood.
Use the SimSurgery function after your neighborhood loads. Choose the sim
you want and click "export" which will place that sim's template into both
Body Shop and CAS. If you want to duplicate the sim as closely as
possible, take a look at the original sim in SimPE, making note of their
personality, sun sign (and with the Maxis sims, those do NOT match in CAS!),
interests and skills. Create them anew in CAS for the new neighborhood and
once they have been placed on a lot, exit the game, fire up SimPE again and
edit those qualities under Sim Description.

You already know how to package the simless lots. Once they are packaged,
you simply doubleclick on them in SavedLots to install them back into the
game, making them available in all neighborhoods.

Good Luck!

Jeanie
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game! 

Jeanie wrote:
>>>You can go here
>>>
>>>http://www.simlogical.com/sl/Sims2Pages/Sims2_Moving.htm
>>>
>>>And download the "stay-Things shrub". Place it on the lot BEFORE
>>>you move the sims to the bin. It will keep everything on the lot as
>>>it sits when you package it up.
>>>
>>>Jeanie
>>>
>>
>>Thanks Jeanie will get that. It's the Lots I tend to invest the time
>>on. I can easily create new Sims if problems occur. I just enjoy
>>building Houses, Dorms, Shops etc. If I check the Sims memories would
>>this help me check which Sims might have problems. When I started
>>again from scratch there may have been 2 lots I put back from package
>>but I cannot remember which ones. I have SimPe would this help at
>>all..
>>Thanks for informing me about this problem I did not intend to be
>>dismissive. All my time ATM is taken up with the new Kuju Rail
>>Simulator building a Route so my other programs are taking a back seat
>>for a time. ( I am a Geek lol ).
>>Regards
>>James
>
>
> You can look at your sims in SimPE, use the Neighborhood Memories function.
> You will likely see a great many "Unknown" sims in their memories. As they
> chat with other sims (which happens whether you are playing them or not --
> there are always sims on community lots that you aren't controlling that are
> just gabbing away to each other -- they will be passing these corrupted
> memories around. If you watch the speech bubbles, you might note that
> sometimes there are lines through the icon depicting what they are talking
> about. That's a corrupt memory being passed on.
>
> I'm not sure if there is a way to clean up the character files once this
> happens. I think the safest thing is to simply start a new neighborhood
> afresh. You can use SimPE to clone existing sims from any neighborhood.
> Use the SimSurgery function after your neighborhood loads. Choose the sim
> you want and click "export" which will place that sim's template into both
> Body Shop and CAS. If you want to duplicate the sim as closely as
> possible, take a look at the original sim in SimPE, making note of their
> personality, sun sign (and with the Maxis sims, those do NOT match in CAS!),
> interests and skills. Create them anew in CAS for the new neighborhood and
> once they have been placed on a lot, exit the game, fire up SimPE again and
> edit those qualities under Sim Description.
>
> You already know how to package the simless lots. Once they are packaged,
> you simply doubleclick on them in SavedLots to install them back into the
> game, making them available in all neighborhoods.
>
> Good Luck!
>
> Jeanie
>
>
You know, it would be really nice if the SIMPE people would make a way
to make a printout of each SIM so that you didn't have to be writing all
the stuff down for each clone...several times i've wished that I could
do that ...I suppose I could use a print screen function but that
's such way overkill and you'd have to do it for every page on the SIM...
 >> Stay informed about: Installing Ep but keeping sims 2 game!