How can you change the music on the loading screen?

[Kitten of Evil]

I just got OFB, but I don't really like the music it plays on the loading screen when you first boot up the game.  I liked the NL music better.  Is there any way to make it so that it plays the NL loading music instead of the OFB music?

[yetyak]

There was mention in a thread on another forum that Quaxi was going to put the ability to change the loading music into SimPe. Then it was going to be in a future version.  Haven't been back to that forum to see if that thread is even still there.  I hope he does include that feature, I like the original tune best.
I'll be real interested to find out if anyone has any other way to do this, too!!

[AllenABQ]

That would be cool, if its possible.

I'm not impressed with the load screen OFB music.

And if I had my druthers, I'd pick the load screen music that shipped with the base game.

[yetyak]

Allen, did you wish for this in Sims 1 also?  I always wanted a way to keep the base music then, too.  And it seemed to get worse with each expansion.  I really hope that doesn't happen with Sims 2...

[gynarchy]

I was wondering the same thing when I loaded OFB for the first time. I'd much rather hear the original TS2 loading music or even from Vacation or Superstar.

[Venusy]

Try extracting the music from "C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Nightlife\TSData\Res\Sound\Splash.package" (assuming default NL install directory), and replacing the file in "C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Open For Business\TSData\Res\Sound\Splash.package" with the extracted NL startup music.

I've forgotten the exact process for doing this though, but that's a rough outline. I'll try getting some pictures later.

EDIT: It's as easy as extract, save, replace. Remember to back up the OFB file before trying this!

Extract
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Open "C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Nightlife\TSData\Res\Sound\Splash.package", right click on the mp3/xa file, and hit extract.

Save
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Save the file to a location where you know that you will find it. I've chosen the desktop, but it can be anywhere.

Replace
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Open "C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Open For Business\TSData\Res\Sound\Splash.package", right click on the file, hit replace, and find the file you saved. Job done.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This has not been tested in game, as Open For Business isn't running properly for me.

[Dark Trepie]

I rather liked the Uni splash screen music myself.

Speaking of music and OFB.  Any new radio stations?  Or just new songs added to existing radio stations?  I read in another thread that there was an 80's song somewhere in there.

[gynarchy]

There's a New Wave station with some 80's songs in Simlish and a Shopping station with build/buy (I think) music from TS1. I don't usually get to play with the sound on so I'm not sure if there are new songs on the other stations.

[Kitten of Evil]

Thanks, Venusy!  That worked fine.   Now I don't have to listen to the OFB music.  Hopefully the music for the next expansion is better...

Edit: Just for fun, I tried replacing the music with a completely different song that I have that isn't even from the Sims, and that worked too.  I wonder if it's possible to do that for the neighborhood music, too...

[cwykes]

The neighbourhood music is even easier to do.  Open up that music folder in my documents and put your favourite mp3 file(s) in the nhood folder.  I have classical music everywhere in my game - very restful, but they do look odd dancing to it!