Good reason for *not* getting FFS (Family Fun Stuff)

[RainbowTigress]

I was viewing someone's profile on the BBS, and I saw the wheel icon for Family Fun (I refuse to use FFS, because that means Flying Fish Systems ).  I had never seen it before and I checked out the properties for the icon, and I saw it had SP1 in the description.  I was thinking "Service Pack 1" like with Windows.  I was going to ask someone about it, because I wondered if Maxis had somehow slipped a patch in the pack to make people have to buy it. 

[skandelouslala]

I never had any interest in these object packs and never will.
Geez the least they could do is add some new interactions and aninimations

[Pegasys]

It gets worse. You may have seen, a day or two ago, MaxoidKane's posting about a bug that had been discovered about clothes disappearing from the catalog, but she also listed a workaround. I was dismayed to see a bug cropping up so soon but glad they at least reported up front and caught it before players did (although the goal is to catch these types of bugs before the pack is shipped...)

However, people have now reported that the workaround doesn't work - FFS clothes purchased for Sims at community lots have disappeared from the catalog completely.

WTF???  Does Maxis understand what testing means?

This is so sloppy, especially coming on the heels of the "delete a uniform and the LOT disappears!" fiasco of OFB. How can things like LOTS and CLOTHES just up and disappear?

I can only surmise that with every EP/pack they're continuing to tweak and tune the base code for speed, etc. which is good - IF and ONLY IF  it's adequately tested.

[Aldebaran]

I am not sure how true that is but it seems insane to increase specs for OBJECTS?! What the hell are they thinking?

Maybe they went overboard with the vertex/polycount... who knows? Or it's just a big, fat conspiracy to upgrade computers.

[Havelock]

I am not sure how true that is but it seems insane to increase specs for OBJECTS?! What the hell are they thinking?

Maybe they went overboard with the vertex/polycount... who knows? Or it's just a big, fat conspiracy to upgrade computers.

I think not Polys are to high but it looks they have tweaket how the Grafics work its  more shiny and runs better and faster on my comp now. But the same tweaking could possibly ruin other Games as describet in BBS with incompatle Drivers or something.

[maxon]

Damn you Pegasys you beat me to it.  Here's the actual posting:

Recently it has been discovered that if you use one of the Family Fun Stuff
outfits in Create-A-Sim and exit the game, when the game reloads the outfit
will no longer be available in Create-A-Sim or to purchase on a Community
Lot (although the created Sim will still have the outfit).  This issue is
considered top priority and a fix for this is on its way, but for now here
is some information to help you work around the issue.

  a.. If you have not yet used an Family Fun Stuff outfit in Create-A-Sim,
it is recommended that you don't create Sims with these clothing, and
instead have them buy the clothing at a Community Lot (as this will not
cause the issue) until the patch is applied.
  b.. If you are already experiencing the issue and backed up your data
before installing Family Fun Stuff, you can restore your outfits.  First,
uninstall Family Fun Stuff, then restore your data, and finally reinstall
Family Fun Stuff to restore your clothing.  Once restored, just remember not
to use the outfits in Create-A-Sim until the patch is applied.
You have been warned!


Ain't that great?

[Simsbaby]

 

Valerie Holland Mansion

[phyllis_p]

I was viewing someone's profile on the BBS, and I saw the wheel icon for Family Fun (I refuse to use FFS, because that means Flying Fish Systems ).  I had never seen it before and I checked out the properties for the icon, and I saw it had SP1 in the description.  I was thinking "Service Pack 1" like with Windows.  I was going to ask someone about it, because I wondered if Maxis had somehow slipped a patch in the pack to make people have to buy it. 

I don't know what the SP1 might denote, but I've read that the pack, in addition to the objects and clothes, also adds some things that come with various expansions:  romantic likes/dislikes (Nightlife) and locking doors (OFB) are the two that come to mind.  Not useful for folks who already have the expansions, but possibly a "service pack" for people who only have the base game?  I don't know, I'm just speculating on the meaning of SP.

[Fat D]

they call it shopping pack.

[vector]

(I refuse to use FFS, because that means Flying Fish Systems )

I dunno, where I come from, FFS actually stands for something else, something more suitable. For Fox-ache? For Fock-sake? For Fix-sack? You get the picture.

[JenW]

Okay, for the builders. Last night I installed two lots packaged with the Family Fun pack (I do not have it yet). I was able to enter both lots with NO errors, NO hanging, NO crashing. One of the lots contained FF objects which didn't seem to show up (I need to take a closer look to verify that, but I'm sure it'll be the case). So, for builders not wanting it just because of that issue, it doesn't appear it's going to be a problem. Thank goodness

[Karen]

I don't know about anybody else, but it seems the more I hear about this pack the less I want it.  Between the general bugginess and the fact that there apparently are no new interactions or animations added, it sounds like it's a lot more trouble than it's worth.  And what they *did* include, I have very little use for.  Why on earth Maxis thinks it's some sort of revolutionary new concept to have matching clothing across multiple age groups, I have no idea.  That's easy enough to do without this pack, if you know how to use Body Shop.  And the animal costumes just seem silly to me, like the mascot introduced in Uni -- not something I particularly want to see in my game. 

It's a shame they wasted this opportunity.  I'm sure there are a lot of folks out there who would have loved to see some new interactions for kids, like they added with OFB.  Instead we got a bunch of useless crap that doesn't even add new functionality to the game.

Speaking of which:  does anybody remember the screenshot of the adult reading to a group of kids in costumes?  Can anybody with the FFS pack confirm whether this is in fact possible (reading to more than one child) or whether it was a staged screenshot, like some of us suspected?

Karen

[miramis]

I think I'd rather do without this, there is always the community after all and I didn't think the christmas party pack was worth the money I paid for it either.  It's kind of strange to me to pass up on something officially Sim, and yet I'm not bothered by it which tells me I've made the right choice.  I don't really feel like I'm missing anything at all. *shrug*

[Tina G]

From everything I've read and seen so far, I would not install that junk on my computer if EA PAID me to do it.    I get enough bugs, glitches, and headaches from the EPs as it is without paying good money to get more with only half (or less than half) the things that make it almost worth it.

[kacidama]

I had this pre-ordered on Amazon and after reading all this I tried to cancel the order but the status is *dispatching soon*
I bet there will be a LOT of these FFS on eBay going VERY cheap 

[Database]

Oh, certainly. I think this is just a Maxian con to try and get more money out of us.

The sad thing is, hundreds of sheep will rush out and buy it regardless of it's worthlessness.

[Jysudo]

From the way I see it, the FFS seems to be a alpha version. I mean how can they screw up with outfits if they actually bother to do a little testing?
Maxis has disappoinited me once again...I am now a neg 5 stars disgrunted customer 

[Paperbladder]

They spent like 2 days making the Family Fun Stuff, hence the bugginess in it.  I don't see any other reason why they would mess up this badly on it.

I'm not even sure this is worth torrenting to be honest.  If it makes your stuff undistributable and bugs up your game just to add some MCC (Maxian Custom Content), then what's the point?  Not to mention the fact that they've added clothing and objects 4 times and they didn't have this problem.

I'm just waiting for Pescado to chime in if it'll be supported here or not.

[jsalemi]

Well, the FF pack hasn't really added anything new to the game if you have the other EPs, so there's probably nothing to 'support'. I played with it for a couple of hours last night, and it didn't appear to break any of the hacks I have (which is most of those here plus some others) or custom content. The only weirdness after installing it was the ususal sims standing by their beds  and the cheap stereos playing music even though they're off when you first go into the lot.

[Unnicknamed]

Family Fun is not fun

[magic cookie]

This pack REALLY sucks.

And I thought the holiday one was bad but it came with some new food, new music, NPCs, and even had some objects with interactions (fireworks, reindeer...).

This pack, on the other hand, is absolutely empty, comes with little content, which is mostly decorative and is very buggy. They actually have included a Nautical "collection" made of six items. This is ridiculous!

I am appalled when I remember the questions Maxis asked in their surveys about the kind of stuff we would like to see in their shopping packs, as it included careers and stuff like that.

Yup, you can get wayyy better stuff for free at some great sites!

[maxon]

This pack REALLY sucks.

This pack, on the other hand, is absolutely empty, comes with little content, which is mostly decorative and is very buggy. They actually have included a Nautical "collection" made of six items. This is ridiculous!

As I'm reading about it, it's getting harder to think this is anything more than a cynical money grubbing excercise on EA's/Maxis's part.  I can't say I'm even remotely tempted to buy it.

[Process Denied]

This really sucks!!  I already ordered it.  I felt left out when they started recoloring the Santa hats and I couldn't get one--sniff.  I want some new Sim stuff!!  In bulk!! Gosh darn it!!  I'll still install it knowing me--but I'll make sure I remember to back up my games.

[trancejeremy]

As I'm reading about it, it's getting harder to think this is anything more than a cynical money grubbing excercise on EA's/Maxis's part.  I can't say I'm even remotely tempted to buy it.

How could you think anything but? I don't think EA/Maxis is making any pretense about it, the "shopping" packs are pretty much meant to compete with Sims paysites. They figure if people will join paysites to get objects which have no new animations or such, then they will buy them from EA, too.

[Paperbladder]

Actually, people are buying heavy amounts of this pack, either that or one very determined fan.  According to Amazon, it was the most ordered PC game.

The Sims Community brought these packs onto themselves.  People found that it was right to pay for Custom Content, and now you pay for Maxian Custom Content.