So, hey, is anyone interested in the Tutorial neighborhood?

[SaraMK]

It's a stupid thing, and I made it just because I wanted to see if I could. Do you know if anyone else has already made it playable? I wouldn't be surprised, since it was ridiculously easy to do.

The lovely little neighborhood is inhabited by three clones of Joe Sim, two clones of Jane Sim, and a bunch of NPCs.

It plays just like any normal neighborhood, and is about 13MB without being zipped up, so probably under 5MB when zipped.

For people who are truly bored.... because that's the only reason I can imagine anyone would want to play in the Tutorial neighborhood.

I'm pretty sure it would be compatible for anyone, including people with just the base game.




Download Links:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=S9Y9IE7S

http://www.box.net/public/najqudggjq

You may also request it by email at saramkirk at yahoo dot com

This is a .rar file about 6.5MB in size.

Description:

This is the Tutorial Neighborhood made playable. It is inhabited by three clones of Joe Sim and two clones of Jane Sim. The three building tutorial houses don't show up for unknown reasons, so I recommend bulldozing the empty lots as soon as possible.

WARNING: DO NOT rename the neighborhood to "Tutorial." If you name this neighborhood "Tutorial" you will break it, because the game will confuse it with the real Tutorial.

Compatibility: Compatible for anyone! Even if you just have the base game with no EPs.


While I'm on this subject, I think it would be only right to actually explain how this was done, in case someone else wants to be able to do this for themselves in the future.

First of all, all the files are located at C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2\TSData\Res\UserData\Neighborhoods and you need to make a copy of NeighborhoodManager.package (file), N001_Neighborhood.package (file inside the N001 folder), N001_Neighborhood.png (picture file inside the N001 folder), and Tutorial (folder). NEVER work with the original files! Always use your copy for all editing.

The Tutorial neighborhood was missing two files that seem to be rather critical to making it work. One is "Catalog Description." It looks like just a simple text entry, but do not be fooled! This little file can make or break the neighborhood. The second one is "ID Number" which seems to be the thing that tells the neighborhood to actually show up on the selection screen.

There is no way to create these entries by hand, so, you will need to extract them from a normal neighborhood. Open N001_Neighborhood.package, select Catalog Description, right-click and choose Extract. Then open the Tutorial neighborhood (called Tutorial_Neighborhood.package) and import the file you extracted (right-click anywhere in the right-hand screen and choose Import). Next do the same thing for ID Number.

Now you must change the Catalog description. Call the neighborhood anything you like, but NOT "Tutorial." If you call it "Tutorial" the game will confuse it with the real tutorial, and while it will show up as a selectable neighborhood, all options will be disabled (taking pictures, saving lots, etc). Don't forget to click the Commit button after you change the text.

Next, you need a picture for your neighborhood. Any picture will do. This is what you'll see on the neighborhood selection screen. Grab the Pleasantview picture, it's called N001_Neighborhood.png. Open it in your favorite image editing program and change it to whatever you want. Place it in the same place as Tutorial_Neighborhood.package.

Now open C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\EA Games and remove your saved game (the entire The Sims 2 folder). Then, create a folder called The Sims 2, and inside it a folder called Neighborhoods. Take the NeighborhoodManager.package and put it inside the Neighborhoods folder. Take the Tutorial folder and put it inside the Neighborhoods folder.

Rename the folder from Tutorial to N001. Rename Tutorial_Neighborhood.package to N001_Neighborhood.package. It helps to use a renaming tool of some kind. Everything in the Characters folder needs to be renamed the same way (change Tutorial_ to N001_) and everything in the Lots and Thumbnails folders needs to be changed too.

That's it. Load the game and you should have a playable tutorial neighborhood.



EDIT: I finally tracked down the original pictures for this neighborhood. Maxis hid them in the ui.package file. Here they are for anyone who wants them.

[Elven Ranger]

i actually wouldnt mind taking a lookie at it.

[witch]

Yeah. ditto please. After all, we wouldn't need to keep the maxis sims...

[Adara]

That would be great 

[Ancient Sim]

I had a go at playing this a while back, but it wouldn't work, I couldn't get it to show-up on the main screen.  I renamed everything so it was Neighbourhood 3, but it just wouldn't show up.  I think it's because there's no neighborhood.reia package, but as these seem to be specific to the neighbourhood, I didn't really know how to make one.  I thought the game would generate it, but presumably it couldn't because the neighbourhood wasn't accessible.  I've just had another go, but the same thing happened.  I'm obviously doing something wrong, so I will work at it a bit more.

Why the clones, incidentally?  I noticed that.  Only recall one of each in the house when I played the Tutorial originally, but looking in SimPE it would appear all five of them are part of the same family.  I also noticed that one of the Jane Sims has a memory of burning herself.  I will have to go play the Tutorial again, see what's what.  If I get this to work I will change their name to Newbie, as it would appear that Joe is the son of Bob & Betty.  Wonder if he knows he has a sister called Brandi living in a parellel universe?

OK, having been into the Tutorial, I think the problem is that there is no neighbourhood template associated with it, so presumably if I create a new neighbourhood with whatever terrain I want and put the files into it, it will work?  One way to find out, I suppose ... gee, I must be bored.

[SaraMK]

I had a go at playing this a while back, but it wouldn't work, I couldn't get it to show-up on the main screen.  I renamed everything so it was Neighbourhood 3, but it just wouldn't show up.  I think it's because there's no neighborhood.reia package, but as these seem to be specific to the neighbourhood, I didn't really know how to make one.  I thought the game would generate it, but presumably it couldn't because the neighbourhood wasn't accessible.  I've just had another go, but the same thing happened.  I'm obviously doing something wrong, so I will work at it a bit more.

Why the clones, incidentally?  I noticed that.  Only recall one of each in the house when I played the Tutorial originally, but looking in SimPE it would appear all five of them are part of the same family.  I also noticed that one of the Jane Sims has a memory of burning herself.  I will have to go play the Tutorial again, see what's what.  If I get this to work I will change their name to Newbie, as it would appear that Joe is the son of Bob & Betty.  Wonder if he knows he has a sister called Brandi living in a parellel universe?

OK, having been into the Tutorial, I think the problem is that there is no neighbourhood template associated with it, so presumably if I create a new neighbourhood with whatever terrain I want and put the files into it, it will work?  One way to find out, I suppose ... gee, I must be bored.

He he he. I'm just a bit more awesome, then.

The neighborhood is missing a couple of files, which you would see if you open both it and a normal neighborhood side by side. To make it work you need to rip out all the stuff from the normal neighborhood and dump it into the tutorial neighborhood, and then change some names so that the game stops thinking it's the Tutorial neighborhood.

Why the clones? Well, there are 3 tutorial houses, and each one is a differemt scenario that the tutorial takes you through. I guess Maxis wanted it to be the same sims each time.

Here are some pics, and I'll be uploading the neighborhood shortly.

The first Joe Sim in his little house.





The second house, with Joe and Jane.... and the baby I had them have wwhile testing whether the neighborhood would really play properly.







And the last house, with Joe and Jane again.





And the neighborhood.

[PlayLives]

How can I get just the terrain? I don't want the clones/sims in it.

[BlueSoup]

I like the terrain too...

[SaraMK]

How can I get just the terrain? I don't want to clones/sims in it.

I don't know. I haven't been able to find it in the files. I think it's a hidden thing (or Maxis just forgot to include it), and must be lurking somewhere.... maybe some of the people who are good a fixing missing stuff should be asked to look for it.

I'll try my best to figure out where it is, but can't promise anything.

It is a nice terrain.

[nectere]

heh just as I was reading and saw the terrain...I thought what a nice tiny terrain!

hmm a terrain is a lurking and needs a huntin!

[Elven Ranger]

yeah, its a pretty lil island. Hope it can be found. Mind you, I wount mind it WITH the tut familys in if it can be played normally?

[nectere]

hmmm I couldnt find it anywhere, not on any disks either - uh so good luck and let us know if you find it, and then tell me pretty please where you found it.

[SaraMK]

The neighborhood has now been uploaded and is available from the first post in this thread. Enjoy.

[SaraMK]

yeah, its a pretty lil island. Hope it can be found. Mind you, I wount mind it WITH the tut familys in if it can be played normally?

Yes, it plays 100% normally like any other neighborhood.

hmmm I couldnt find it anywhere, not on any disks either - uh so good luck and let us know if you find it, and then tell me pretty please where you found it.

Exactly. It's weird. I also can't find all the snapshots that are quite obviously being used. They just don't seem to exist anywhere, but when you load the tutorial, there they are... ugh.

I'll let you know if I have any luck.

[Elven Ranger]

thanks Sara Oh, ive just email'd  yu:)

[SaraMK]

thanks Sara Oh, ive just email'd  yu:)

Sending to your yahoo address, since I don't know what the attachment size limit is on your other one.

[KellyQ]

I'm more then slightly embarrassed to ask this but..here goes..
I downloaded this and I assume (and you know what they say about assuming) that I extract the files into my Neighborhood folder?
The other thing I noticed is that the files are named N001, which isn't that the same as Pleasantview? Wouldn't that replace Pleasantview then?

[Elven Ranger]

Lovley Got it, thanks

[SaraMK]

I'm more then slightly embarrassed to ask this but..here goes..
I downloaded this and I assume (and you know what they say about assuming) that I extract the files into my Neighborhood folder?
The other thing I noticed is that the files are named N001, which isn't that the same as Pleasantview? Wouldn't that replace Pleasantview then?

It's best to create a completely new game set. This neighborhood is pretty much useless and you will probably want to delete it after playing a few hours.

Instructions:

Open My Ducuments\EA Games\ and remove the entire The Sims 2 folder. Run the game. Exit the game as soon as you reach the neighborhood selection screen. Open My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\ and delete the Neighborhoods folder. Take the file you downloaded from this thread. It will be a folder called Neighborhoods. Just put it where the one you deleted was.

There is a way to add this neighborhood to the same game set as your existing neighborhoods, but it will involve renaming a lot of files and possibly editing the file in SimPE. It shouldn't be hard, but I really think it's best to give this neighborhood its own game set, at least until you decide whether it is really worth keeping.

[KellyQ]

Oh, I see. Thank you for answering my question.

[Ambular]

There is a way to add this neighborhood to the same game set as your existing neighborhoods, but it will involve renaming a lot of files and possibly editing the file in SimPE. It shouldn't be hard, but I really think it's best to give this neighborhood its own game set, at least until you decide whether it is really worth keeping.

Don't suppose you'd be willing to post instructions for that when you've got some time? 

[SaraMK]

There is a way to add this neighborhood to the same game set as your existing neighborhoods, but it will involve renaming a lot of files and possibly editing the file in SimPE. It shouldn't be hard, but I really think it's best to give this neighborhood its own game set, at least until you decide whether it is really worth keeping.

Don't suppose you'd be willing to post instructions for that when you've got some time? 

Instructions:

MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS!!! It is only necessary to backup the Neighborhoods folder, so don't worry about the Downloads folder or anything like that.

Open C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Neighborhoods and write down the folders you see there (N001, N002, etc).

Load the game (with your existing neighborhoods). Create a new custom neighborhood (use any terrain, it does not matter at all what it looks like). Exit the game.

Open C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Neighborhoods and find the new folder (the new custom neighborhood). Lets say it was N005.

Open N005 and delete everything inside it except the N005_Neighborhood.package file. Open that file in SimPE. Locate "ID Number" on the left-hand side of the screen and select it. On the right-hand side of the screen, right-click on the entry and choose Extract. Save that file somewhere where you can find it easily. You can now delete the N005_Neighborhood.package file. You now have a completely empty N005 folder.

Take everything from the N001 folder (that you downloaded from me) and put it into the N005 folder.

Open the N001_Neighborhood.package file in SimPE. Locate "ID Number" and select it, right-click on the entry, and choose Delete.

Right-click anywhere on the right-hand side of the screen. Choose Import. Find the file you extracted earlier and import it. Save. Exit SimPE.

Now, rename all the files from N001_ to N005_.

EDIT to note: You should remember to delete that file that you extracted.

[vcline]

I think these instructions should go in The War Room, they seem really useful.  I think you described the same thing in an old thread, something about alternate reality.

[ZiggyDoodle]

Not sure what's going on, but all the pictures overlap other posts and the text is garbled in between.  It all sort of slops out of the text box and pours down the rest of the pages.

[Edited a minute later: a reload seems to have fixed the problem.  TGIF]

[SaraMK]

Not sure what's going on, but all the pictures overlap other posts and the text is garbled in between.  It all sort of slops out of the text box and pours down the rest of the pages.

[Edited a minute later: a reload seems to have fixed the problem.  TGIF]

I put an extra space between them. Maybe that fixed it.