Any opinions about my plans for game renovation? RAM Update!

[kazebird]

First of all, I must tell you that I am really hackaphobic. So much to the point that at one time I would not download anything unless it was a very essential fix.

         I used to have a ton of downloads, but after several cases of BFBVFS grew a disdain for them. Even though most cases of BFBVFS had nothing to do with the 50+ downloads, I began making rules for what I download. Specifically the following:

- No huge hacks!
- No downloads that need to be placed outside of the downloads folder.
- Nothing that brings a risk upon being removed (I really am still very adamant on not having a game that relies on the downloads I install.)
- No more than ten custom meshes at a time (Have you seen how much space those things take up?)
- Nothing that I don't know exactly how it works in-game before installing.

Most of them are legitimate concerns, but I am trying to break out of the first two rules, since they are mostly just paranoia. I feel very frightened by the prospect of another BFBVFS, so I want some opinions on the hacks I want to download, and some answers to the questions I have about them.

I want to renovate my game with the following large hacks:

Gunmods Radiance Lighting mod 2.3 beta 2 (Newest version) via Scriptorium

-Will my system be able to handle it? (Specs at bottom.)

-When I installed the original lighting mod a long time ago, empty rooms were pitch black, making it nearly impossible to add last minute basements. Has this feature been carried forward and if so, can you restore this part of the mod to be slightly lighter?

-Is there any risk installing or uninstalling either the mod itself, or the scriptorium?

-Has anyone had a bad experience from this?

Lord Darcy's More Deco Slots

-I had tried this once, but for some reason any wall hangings would jump to the slots, making it impossible to properly hang a wall hanging after placement of a deco slot effected object. Has this been fixed since?

-Are there any glitches to be noted?

J.M. Pescado's Apartment Hack

-I notice he added an option to rent an apartment furnished, which previously only appeared in debug mode. Is this safe? I know he is one of the greatest modders around (neck and neck with Numenor,) but everyone can make mistakes. I just want to make sure no one has had problems with this feature.

-Are the functional Apartments in Uni useful? Also, does this mod make the premade EAxis apartments available to place on campus, if you don't want to make your own?

Numenor's CEP 9

-I see a lot about "CEP extras." What are they?

-Is it fully updated? Because on the page it says "THIS IS AN EARLY RELEASE, MOSTLY CONTAINING FIXES & EXTRAS"

-How big is the hack/fix?

Please post your comments, and stop my phobia of downloads.

My Specs are

All EPs, GLS, K&B, M&G
iMac Intel
Windows XP SP2
Intel Core 2 Duo
2.16GHz, 0.98 GB of RAM
ATI Radion X1600

[Zazazu]

J.M. Pescado's Apartment Hack

-I notice he added an option to rent an apartment furnished, which previously only appeared in debug mode. Is this safe? I know he is one of the greatest modders around (neck and neck with Numenor,) but everyone can make mistakes. I just want to make sure no one has had problems with this feature.

-Are the functional Apartments in Uni useful? Also, does this mod make the premade EAxis apartments available to place on campus, if you don't want to make your own?

Parrot, sometimes your complete lack of sense amuses me. This is one of those times. Thank you.

Yes, Pescado's ahfixes is good stuff. I've never had an issue with it, and I use the option to rent furnished only. Apartments in Uni are useful if you'd like to have apartments in Uni. Do you usually stick students in the dorms or in a house? If in a house, apartments can be a good alternative. I can't speak for the EAxis buildings as I've trashed them all (bastards thought they could hide them and make them irremovable, but they can suck it) and I only use my own lots. They work just fine, as I've played two separate apartment buildings in Uni with no issue.

CEP is good stuff.

If you want to have recolors of your Maxis items, you want it. It's fully updated as far as I know. Radiance Lighting...I use the fixed and updated version here. It works quite well. No issues. I don't see any reason why your system wouldn't handle it. Rooms without windows will be very dark, as they would be in real life. Place a light. Set the light to always on. Problem solved. It's worth it to me.

I don't use LD's deco slots as I'm used to using OSMPs for everything. I can tell you that unmodded, items like the toddler potty and the oven exhibit the behaviors you've noted.

As for not having custom meshes...I don't get you there. Really, I don't. MORE CC. Compressorize it.

[caterpillar]

I use LD's deco slots and have never noticed that problem, or any problem with them.

[kazebird]

Parrot, sometimes your complete lack of sense amuses me.

I can't help it that a witch weighs as much as a duck, because it's made of wood.

But on a more serious note, I am very paranoid when it comes to keeping my game safe.

[J. M. Pescado]

-I had tried this once, but for some reason any wall hangings would jump to the slots, making it impossible to properly hang a wall hanging after placement of a deco slot effected object. Has this been fixed since?

This is really more a harmless snapping behavior. Move the slot object out of the way when placing an object if it is snapping things into it, it's not really a bug.

All EPs, GLS, K&B, M&G
iMac Intel
Windows XP SP2
Intel Core 2 Duo
2.16GHz, 0.98 GB of RAM
ATI Radion X1600

[seelindarun]

Yes, Pescado's ahfixes is good stuff. I've never had an issue with it, and I use the option to rent furnished only. Apartments in Uni are useful if you'd like to have apartments in Uni. Do you usually stick students in the dorms or in a house? If in a house, apartments can be a good alternative. I can't speak for the EAxis buildings as I've trashed them all (bastards thought they could hide them and make them irremovable, but they can suck it) and I only use my own lots. They work just fine, as I've played two separate apartment buildings in Uni with no issue.

I disagree with this advice.  apthack allows uni apartments (distinct from alfixes), but I feel it is too advanced for parrot for this reason:

-Are the functional Apartments in Uni useful? Also, does this mod make the premade EAxis apartments available to place on campus, if you don't want to make your own?

As discussed in the apthack thread, using apartments made in sub-hoods other than uni will bork their class controllers.  I feel parrot will be unable to cope with this.  Furthermore, apthack puts certain requirements on how townie-occupied apartments are furnished, if you wish to avoid their demise.  Again, I think this is too great a burden on parrot's phobias, if all that is desired is a way to rent apartments furnished.

[kazebird]

Why is everyone pressuring me into getting more RAM! *sigh...* Well it will improve performance, but the game runs fine with what I have. No lag... Nothing.

P.S: J.M, can you check your private messages please?

Edit: Linda (if I may call you that,) I don't even mind having to furnish apartments myself. Buy mode is like the dessert to build mode (which is also fun, but time consuming.) My major want for this mod is due to the AI fixes, and such

[seelindarun]

Buy mode is like the dessert to build mode (which is also fun, but time consuming.) My major want for this mod is due to the AI fixes, and such

In that case, I think you'll like the improved AI.  It doesn't make apartments any buggier than it is already, but you should be aware that simply playing apartments seems to invite more borkage than playing regular houses.

If you get the lighting mod, I think you may want more RAMz.  Also, if you follow earlier advice to get over your fear of custom meshes (or CC in general), you'll need more RAMz.  Finally, if you do manage to avert BFBVFS for many generations, your 'hood will begin to show some lag from the sheer weight of its occupants, even without CC.  RAMz would help -- it's cheap and it's easy to add, even on an iMac.

[Zazazu]

Why is everyone pressuring me into getting more RAM!

RAM makes it go WHOOSH! Also, RAM sticks are ridiculously cheap. My 4 GB (4  1GB sticks) set me back about $50 a year ago. They are even cheaper now. Upgrading your RAM will drastically improve system performance.

[Count Four]

Why is everyone pressuring me into getting more RAM!

RAM makes it go WHOOSH! Also, RAM sticks are ridiculously cheap. My 4 GB (4  1GB sticks) set me back about $50 a year ago. They are even cheaper now. Upgrading your RAM will drastically improve system performance.

This.  In December, I picked up 2GB of RAM from New Egg for $25, after mail in rebate.  And yeah, it makes the game run better.

I've got InSim, most of the Director's cut from here, and tons of new CC. My computer doesn't even hiccup.  I've been able to download CC that I wouldn't have dared put in the game four months ago, for fear of freezing and lag.  The computer, of course, also runs other apps more smoothly.

Get some more RAMs. You won't regret it.

[kazebird]

How much RAM can an Intel Core 2 Duo handle?

I know the amount of RAM usable is directly related to the amount of cores your system has.

[Marhis]

I have the same iMac with 4 Gb RAM. On Bootcamp, though, Win XP sees only 2 Gb, so I guess it would be the correct amount.

[Pyromaniac]

I have the same problem using LD's more deco slots, but there's an easy workaround. Tapping 'm' on your keyboard will 'unstick' the wall hanging and make it behave normally again. Or you could just move the deco-affected object out of the way for the time being, place the wall hanging, and move it back.

[theresatv]

How much RAM can an Intel Core 2 Duo handle?

I know the amount of RAM usable is directly related to the amount of cores your system has.

I don't think the number of cores is the limiting factor. My understanding is that it depends on if it's a 32-bit or 64-bit processor. If you have a 32-bit processor OR a 32-bit operating system you are physically limited to addressing no more than 4 GB of RAM. Other factors may reduce the amount you can actually use. If you have a 64-bit processor AND a 64-bit operating operating system you can theoretically address a ridiculously huge amount of RAM.

Core 2 Duos come in both 32 and 64-bit flavors, I believe. I have no idea if Macs and/or the MAC OS are 64-bit or not, as Macs annoy me.

The Sims 2 with multiple expansions under 1 MB of RAM was usable but borderline annoying on my old XP machine. RAMs are cheap. You will like them.

[Marhis]

All Macs have the Intel Core 2 Duo 64 bit processor, Mac OS X handles 64bit natively. My XP is probably 32 bit, that's why I can only use 2 Gb in Windows.
BTW, is it possible to upgrade an XP 32 bit to a 64 bit one officially (I mean legally, non pirating)?

ETA: forgot the "?"

[Ambular]

If Gunmod's radiance is too dark for you, you might consider getting Spookymuffin's lighting mod instead.  It doesn't change daytime or nighttime lighting, it just adds a nice dawn and dusk effect in the morning and evening.  Topic here: http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php?topic=13778.0

[Lord Darcy]

Lord Darcy's More Deco Slots

-I had tried this once, but for some reason any wall hangings would jump to the slots, making it impossible to properly hang a wall hanging after placement of a deco slot effected object. Has this been fixed since?

Actually, this is a normal EAxian behaviour which came with AL's dresser update, not something caused by my mod. Try in a hack-free game (that is, if you have either AL or M&G) with a newly bought EAxis dresser and you'll get the same result.

In pre-AL EPs, the height type (I7) of dresser slots was 11 (decorative), which was why they couldn't accept a lot of EAxian/custom objects that were not prepared for decorative slots. The only exceptions are 5 IKEA dressers. My pre-AL version of More Deco slot mod changed the height type from 11 to 8 (end table), so that they can accept everything which can also be placed on end tables.

In AL, EAxis changed the height type of dresser from 11 to 13 (shelf). The advantage of shelf slots is that you can put even more objects which you cannot place on regular surfaces, like teddy bears. But it comes at the cost of annoying behaviour regarding wall decorations that you've described. It only happens when moveobjects cheat is on. It seems that moveobjects cheat bypasses "Prevent Placement" BHAV.

The workaround is either turn moveobjects cheat off or move the slot object out of the way as Pescado suggested.

[kazebird]

It isn't that, because it wasn't a dresser that caused this. In the instance I can remember, it was one of the televisions.

[morriganrant]

It isn't that, because it wasn't a dresser that caused this. In the instance I can remember, it was one of the televisions.

The fridges too. I think that Darcy is saying that because of what Eaxis did, this is a side effect of what his more deco slots do as well. Meaning, not his fault that it happens, blame EA. Or I could be wrong, I have a headache. Simply move the item one block out of the way, put the wall object on the wall, and move it back, no big deal. It did confuse me the first time I came across this issue though, It took me a few moments to figure out why the fire alarm "disappeared" when I tried to place it behind the fridge ...then I discovered it several sim feet in the air above the fridge.

[J. M. Pescado]

I don't think the number of cores is the limiting factor. My understanding is that it depends on if it's a 32-bit or 64-bit processor. If you have a 32-bit processor OR a 32-bit operating system you are physically limited to addressing no more than 4 GB of RAM.

You cannot actually *RUN* a 64-bit OS on a 32-bit processor, so it's all down to the OS.

Core 2 Duos come in both 32 and 64-bit flavors, I believe. I have no idea if Macs and/or the MAC OS are 64-bit or not, as Macs annoy me.

I think all core2s I've heard of are 64-bit enabled, but most OSen do not run 64bit because it has not become popular yet.

[Lord Darcy]

I think that Darcy is saying that because of what Eaxis did, this is a side effect of what his more deco slots do as well.

Yes, what you said. The same thing happens to all slot objects, not just dressers.

[kazebird]

Okay, I have now upgraded from 1GB of RAM (displayed 0.98GB) to 4GB of RAM (displayed as 2.98GB)

Loading onto this site shows a speed improvement!

I am going to load up the game in a few minutes. I would love some input on what hacks to get.

[keirra]

Take a look at Pescado's DC. There are only about 7 files in there that I don't use.

[fleurcreole]

I have 4 gb on a 64 bit vista home laptop. It is expendable to 8gb. My game runs fine right now and doesn't lag. Loading time is half and hour but my dl folder is huge and I'm weak. Plus I don't mind much. But with sims 3 coming out soon so I was wondering if upgrading to 8 gb would be a wise investment at all?

You've probably loaded up your game already  but I have almost all of the DC and my game runs fine. Of course if you ever download any fixes from elsewhere (*gasps*) do be careful about hack conflicts. I learned the hard way.

[kazebird]

It's running great! It finished loading my legacy house just as the loading music started!

I just made the Servo Store, which is under management of Bigfoot, and owned by my legacy elder, Herbert Greenwood. But I will stop boring you guys with details, point is loading is faster.