Second AL patch is out.

[Inge]

The patch contains both sets of fixes.

[Bruce Banner]

I knew the patch change for Apartment Sims to retrieve their bills was going to be a problem. Now I am having half-dead Sims get up out of bed to get the bills when they live in a residence! It seems to pick whichever Sims has the worst motives, like it does when it chooses a Sim to age up infants.

My seriously ill, pregnant mom was made to repeatedly get out of bed while the father played near the mailbox. I say repeatedly because I kept canceling it from the queue. So if you cancel it, you need to get another Sim to get the bills or it will just keep calling that same Sim over and over. The only good news is that the modded mailbox cover is still working for the residential Sims. They place it there rather than inside, although once when I told them to pay the bills they ran to the edge of the lot to retrieve bills on the sidewalk. I didn't see them place them there, so I'm not sure what happened with that.

For now the Auto Bill Payer object from Sim Wardrobe might be a good workaround for you ( http://www.simwardrobe.com/ ) . Look in the Home Life improvements bit in the Sims 2 objects section there . The bills are pretty much automatically paid just a moment or two after they've just arrived which hopefully won't even give a sim time to queue up an action for the mailbox 

[SnootCB]

I installed it about 5 minutes ago (I'm infected with Securom already anyway).  No problems so far, but, you know, I've only been playing for 5 minutes.  Anyway, it didn't cause a reset.  The 2 lots that I've visited so far were exactly as I left them.  I seem to remember that patches caused a game reset... is that just my imagination?  Did it not install properly, or can anyone else with the patch confirm this?

[rufio]

Installing the patch will not install SecuROM on your system.

Thanks for confirming that, guys.  I'm just too paranoid about this.

Pescado, I love macrotastics, but if the whole AI system were run the same way, it would get boring.  It'd be nicer to see something similar that allowed for some randomness dependent on the personality of the sim, the sim's mood, etc.  After all, people don't always do the most logical thing either.

[cow_tools]

I installed it about 5 minutes ago (I'm infected with Securom already anyway).  No problems so far, but, you know, I've only been playing for 5 minutes.  Anyway, it didn't cause a reset.  The 2 lots that I've visited so far were exactly as I left them.  I seem to remember that patches caused a game reset... is that just my imagination?  Did it not install properly, or can anyone else with the patch confirm this?

I didn't get the reset either.  I was confused.  Thanks for letting me know I wasn't the only one.

[kiki]

I installed it about 5 minutes ago (I'm infected with Securom already anyway).  No problems so far, but, you know, I've only been playing for 5 minutes.  Anyway, it didn't cause a reset.  The 2 lots that I've visited so far were exactly as I left them.  I seem to remember that patches caused a game reset... is that just my imagination?  Did it not install properly, or can anyone else with the patch confirm this?

I didn't get the reset either.  I was confused.  Thanks for letting me know I wasn't the only one.

it's 50/50 chance really imo, same as how some people find that installing new EPs or SPs wipes out their DL folder, others find their DL folder all safe intact after a new EP installation.

[J. M. Pescado]

Pescado, I love macrotastics, but if the whole AI system were run the same way, it would get boring.  It'd be nicer to see something similar that allowed for some randomness dependent on the personality of the sim, the sim's mood, etc.  After all, people don't always do the most logical thing either.

Sims, alas, don't have enough character attributes to really define differentiation. One approach I've used is to check the macro-network for basic motives, and if all basics are filled, allow the EAxis AI to pick something at random.

[kazebird]

Does anyone with the patch know if the spawning has actually stopped, like it is supposed to? Maybe someone with Securom on their machine, who is willing to take out notownieregen?

[J. M. Pescado]

The spawning never stops. EAxis likes to pile MOAR SIMS at us.

I have noticed that if a vampire is set to macro-hobbinate during daylight hours (if he's in his crypt where the sun-it-burns does not shine, he will be sent to the coffin, sent to the bathroom, and then will hobbinate until the energy bar drops a bit, and then will be sent back to the coffin, rinse, repeat for the rest of daylight hours.  Clearly, vampires should be in their coffins when the sun is up.

This sounds like coffin-ADHD. You should get the Sleep Clock to prevent it.

[MaximilianPS]

did they have fixed the "call for emergency" queue ?
actually i still have the problem that the sims didn't run to the phone and the "react to the fire" cancel the "call for emergency" action 

[Marhis]

did they have fixed the "call for emergency" queue ?
actually i still have the problem that the sims didn't run to the phone and the "react to the fire" cancel the "call for emergency" action 

Uh, Isn't it that way by design? I remember they always acted that way, since the base game.

[J. M. Pescado]

I find it funny that they bothered to code all this new stuff dealing with fires, an old problem that players should have long since conquered.

[MaximilianPS]

DOES IT MEAN THAT I'M

[EsotericPolarBear]

Sims, alas, don't have enough character attributes to really define differentiation. One approach I've used is to check the macro-network for basic motives, and if all basics are filled, allow the EAxis AI to pick something at random.

This sounds ideal.  I hate having my sims sit around like lumps on power idle, but only slightly less than I hate them constantly committing motive-suicide.  I like seeing my sims live out their lives and do their own thing...I just don't like that their own thing involves ignoring their needs.

Yes, I just said the same thing twice.

[Nepheris]

Right, I've got a problem.

I got AL today, and obviously don't want Suckurom. However:

- I can't download patch 1 (since EA replaced it with patch 2) and apply a no cd to it
- The archives for the no cd of the basegame I've found, are all corrupt, or the download mirrors don't work (none of them)

So basically, I can't play until a no cd for patch 2 comes out. Is there anyone who can:

- Zip up patch 1 for me and post a download link or
- Do the same with a working patch 1 no cd archive?

Cheers...

[kutto]

You could attempt the unholy hybrid. Use a no-cd from patch 1 while playing a patch 2 game. No guarantees, though.

[Zazazu]

You could also not patch, use original no-CD, and use Pescado's fixes, like most of us here. I never even swallowed patch 1.

[tgcgoddess]

Right, I've got a problem.

I got AL today, and obviously don't want Suckurom. However:

- I can't download patch 1 (since EA replaced it with patch 2) and apply a no cd to it
- The archives for the no cd of the basegame I've found, are all corrupt, or the download mirrors don't work (none of them)

So basically, I can't play until a no cd for patch 2 comes out. Is there anyone who can:

- Zip up patch 1 for me and post a download link or
- Do the same with a working patch 1 no cd archive?

Cheers...

Did you try GameCopyWorld?  I just tried to download the no cd no patch, and it worked fine. 

[Gastfyr]

Do not install until a reliable no-cd for ALp2 is released, unless you want securom back on your system.

I installed the patch like the kerrazy mow foe I am and it works fine with the previous No-CD cracked *.exe. So fill your boots.

Congrats, you are now playing the game as an Unholy Hybrid. Enjoy.

This is how we've always played the game.  My husband tried to remove Securom after reading this thread and he can't find it anywhere.  We use the launcher and a NoCD cracked game exe files.  So I guess we've been lucky in not getting Securom?

[rufio]

Sims, alas, don't have enough character attributes to really define differentiation.

I bet you would like to redesign the game so that all sims have an MBTI type instead.

[Mootilda]

I got AL today, and obviously don't want Suckurom. However:
- I can't download patch 1 (since EA replaced it with patch 2) and apply a no cd to it
- The archives for the no cd of the basegame I've found, are all corrupt, or the download mirrors don't work (none of them)

I've been using the original no-cd version with Dizzy's fixes for the portrait changes.
http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,13150.msg377007.html#msg377007

I agree with Zazazu: with alfixes, you don't really need the EA patch 1.

Patch 1 version with Dizzy's fixes:
http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,13150.msg380470.html#msg380470

[Zazazu]

Do not install until a reliable no-cd for ALp2 is released, unless you want securom back on your system.

I installed the patch like the kerrazy mow foe I am and it works fine with the previous No-CD cracked *.exe. So fill your boots.

Congrats, you are now playing the game as an Unholy Hybrid. Enjoy.

This is how we've always played the game.  My husband tried to remove Securom after reading this thread and he can't find it anywhere.  We use the launcher and a NoCD cracked game exe files.  So I guess we've been lucky in not getting Securom?

Nah, smart in not getting the SecuROM. The noCDs strip the SecuROM regardless, and there's nowhere else in the game files to get it from. You're slightly stupid in risking issues caused by references in the game .exe not matching core files.

[Nepheris]

Did you try GameCopyWorld?  I just tried to download the no cd no patch, and it worked fine.

I've tried both that one and gameburn thingie, one has mirrors that lead to 'file not found', the other has a corrupt archive for me. (don't remember which is which atm.) I'm getting a lot of 'corrupt archive' errors with winrar lately though, so it's possible that the problem is on my end, but I've no clue how to even begin fixing it and too tired atm to do research on it.

You could also not patch, use original no-CD, and use Pescado's fixes, like most of us here. I never even swallowed patch 1.

I would love to, but I can't seem to get the original no-cd downloaded. That's why I was asking if any of you could share a confirmed-to-work one.

Thanks Mootilda, I've had a really shitty day but you've just shone a bit of light into it  I'll figure out how to install the dizzy thing in the morning when I've got a clear head.

[J. M. Pescado]

I don't know if I have completely misunderstood macrotastics or what.  I have understood it to be taking EA's idea of things pushed onto sims queues by exernal controllers a step further.  My idea is to have the entire thing Sim-driven, for themselves.  For example, a sim busy reading to her child is not very likely to be planning her next fight.  The controller plans it for her however and interrupts her reading.

Macrotastics doesn't specifically "push" an action as an external controller, it's just a launcher. The player selects the action much as one would select any other action. The "Advanced" AI version that I am tinkering with takes it a step further, and hotwires the part where an autonomous action would be chosen and instead performs a Core Motives Green Check under Macrotastics: If an action is not found (either because nothing was available or because all core motives are green), it will then permit the EAxis AI to function.

[witch]

I would love to, but I can't seem to get the original no-cd downloaded. That's why I was asking if any of you could share a confirmed-to-work one.

Just downloaded original no CD crack - to check I was giving you the right one. I haven't patched my game yet, Pescado's fixes work well and I don't see the need.

No CD crack for unpatched Apartment Life This crack is from my actual game.