Hidden cheats?

[PlayLives]

Have you heard about any of the below "hidden" cheats? What do you think?

1 - 'AllMenus On' - This cheat unlocks ALL possible interactions with objects and sims.
It only works if the game is launched in debug mode, so you'll have to make some changes in your game registry files.
What does that mean? Can I activate it by using testingcheatsenabled?

2 - FBA 1 - useful for gameplay. FBA = find best action.
Sims become 'smarter' and fulfill the needs that they need most. So if their hunger motive is in red they'll go and get something to eat first and then go play piano.

[dizzy]

Normally you have to shift+click to see debug menus (in debug mode). Plus there are some interactions that are autonomous-only that the allmenus unlocks IIRC.

FBA 1 is the normal mode. FBA 2 was the scrapped attempt to make sims do things they "needed" to do like spend time skillinating, etc. I see no difference in FBA 1 and 2 ever since OfB, though.

[KevinTMC]

So they considered making Sims slightly less dumb than stumps, but never got round to it? Even through three expansion packs?

Sounds like some folks at Maxis need a working "FBA 2" mode even worse than the average dormie...

[moonluck]

Hey, I am heard that SimDNA 'First name of sim' is a cheat but it doesn't seem to work in my game. Yes I actually put the name. Is this just another twinZR2cute or am I just doing it wrong somehow?

[Brynne]

You have to start the game in debug mode (put it in your user startup file) and then the cheat will work once in game.

You'll get a pop-up like this when you type in SimDNA name:



I can't get AllMenus on to work, though, and my game is always started in debug mode. 

[dizzy]

There were a number of these cheats in the base unpatched game that are no longer around (like the sim skin browser and the UI browser).

[Pegasys]

Have you heard about any of the below "hidden" cheats? What do you think?

1 - 'AllMenus On' - This cheat unlocks ALL possible interactions with objects and sims.
It only works if the game is launched in debug mode, so you'll have to make some changes in your game registry files.
What does that mean? Can I activate it by using testingcheatsenabled?

http://www.jd-movies.com/allmenus.php

Awesome, awesome cheat for moviemakers (and possibly storytellers).

In case you've already visited the link, and still can't get it to work, you do need to make the changes to the game files as described in the link. Simply typing boolprop testingcheatsenabled true won't work, nor will having it in your userstartup file.  And it has to be in the latest EP/stuff pack game file (e.g. if you're using Family Fun, then update the Globalprops.xml file in your FFP folder, not the one in your Sims 2 folder...)

[Brynne]

I'm gonna have so much fun with my next movie. 

(as soon as I figure out what I'm going to do  )

[moonluck]

Oh, so I was doing it wrong.

[Brynne]

Okay, I had boolprop in my startup file in my My Doc/EA Games/Sims2/config user startup.cheat, but not in the Program Files/EA Games/TS2/OFB yada yada file. I just put that in and am loading the game. I hope it works! 


ETA:

YESSSSSSSSSSSSS! It worked! My game is gonna be so much more interesting, now!!!!

ETA:

Okay, so it is a little gross that the flirt options show up for family members...my game won't become quite *that* interesting. 

[lindaetterlee]

Oh common Brynne. You know ya wanta.

[Brynne]

Oh, no I don't wanna. 

*gag*

[J. M. Pescado]

The Allmenus cheat is very dangerous. Many menu options are disabled because their options are invalid for technical reasons, not just gameplay reasons. If, for instance, you enable a menu option that was disabled because you lack the proper expansion pack or patch for it, picking it may instantly cause your game to crash. Picking an option that's disabled because it's not supposed to be used will risk corrupting or crashing your game.

[lindaetterlee]

While we are talking about cheats, can someone give me more information on faceBlendLimits? I've had it in my cheat file so long i can't remember if i've ever noticed any difference.

[Pegasys]

Hmmm, I'm not surprised it's considered to be dangerous. Still, it's a great tool if used with caution. For example, it's very frustrating when half of the "Flirt" options disappear when Sims get to know each other very well. I would never use it for gameplay, but in movie-making it's much easier to use Allmenus than to drag down the relationship bars to get to that precise point where "Hit On" is available.

Plus you can have your First Kiss over and over again

[Dopp]

Just a suggestion, no offence intended: with regards to the flirt options the casual romance mod allows you to perform some of the "lower level" flirts even at high levels. Perhaps it might make a safer alternative to using the allmenus cheat?

[Pegasys]

True, but there's a lot more than the Flirts that become available. Personally, I throw caution to the wind during moviemaking.

[Ellatrue]

I can understand why they wouldn't do it. If you make them too much smarter, you lose much of the charm of the game.

I mean I understand people here at MATY don't like it, but a lot of people wouldn't enjoy the game if their sims didn't "need them." It eliminates much of the challenge, especially for those that don't use CC (I suspect the majority).

[KittKitt]

I can understand why they wouldn't do it. If you make them too much smarter, you lose much of the charm of the game.

I mean I understand people here at MATY don't like it, but a lot of people wouldn't enjoy the game if their sims didn't "need them." It eliminates much of the challenge, especially for those that don't use CC (I suspect the majority).

Aside from plain bug fixes that Maxis should have done themselves and new colors, clothes, hair, etc..  The vast majority of my installed CC would add, rather than subtract from the challenge as it were.

TBH though, I have a hard time even thinking of the Sims as having any inherent 'challenge'.  You can't really 'win' or 'loose' or anything.  If a sim (or a whole family) dies without ever attaining their lifetime want or ever having owned their own business or whatever have you... so be it.  They're easily replaced, and the great circle of SimLife goes on.

As for my sims not 'needing me' as much..  I guess I've never seen that as particularly challenging either, since you can always stop them from their intended actions and make them do something that makes sense instead.  If they weren't quite so bloody stupid and utterly inept at basic day to day tasks though, I'd find letting them do a lot more things for themselves far less annoying.

Say for example... making dinner.  I don't know what my exact 'cooking skill' is, but I do know that if I put dinner in the oven I'm not about to suddenly decide that's no longer worth my attention and go watch TV for a few hours while the house burns down. 

Of course, as you already said, these are merely my own opinions.  Nothing says anyone else really has to share them. 

-Kitt

[Dopp]

Well, to me it would be better if the Sims just stood there like sheep waiting for directions than relying on their current AI which is inferior and even self destructive. It's all the lobsterthermidor/prank/kickybag/ADHD/pillowfight/admire/congratulate/busking/swooning/hogcomputer/snacking kind of stuff that gets me. Many of these actions are lame, idiotic, hard to cancel out of, or just plain dangerous. And when the Sims run into trouble they scream and holler at the camera, blaming ME for their crappy AI. I feel that they should either be lobotomized or given smarter AI. The current AI produces nothing but irritation.

[jrd]

While we are talking about cheats, can someone give me more information on faceBlendLimits? I've had it in my cheat file so long i can't remember if i've ever noticed any difference.

faceblendlimits on (default) will run a normalize on (born) Sim faces to make them closer to templates. This avoids some of the more extreme faces (unless you intentionally breed Marduk the Flayer).
A side-effect is that you can end up with Elf ears, as the elf template is very close to template 1.

[Karen]

You have to start the game in debug mode (put it in your user startup file) and then the cheat will work once in game.

You'll get a pop-up like this when you type in SimDNA name:

That's interesting.  I didn't know about that one.  I will definitely try it out.  Thanks!

Karen

[jsalemi]

Well, to me it would be better if the Sims just stood there like sheep waiting for directions than relying on their current AI which is inferior and even self destructive.

Easy solution -- turn Free Will off, and they'll do exactly that.

[PlayLives]

http://www.jd-movies.com/allmenus.php
Simply typing boolprop testingcheatsenabled true won't work, nor will having it in your userstartup file.  And it has to be in the latest EP/stuff pack game file (e.g. if you're using Family Fun, then update the Globalprops.xml file in your FFP folder, not the one in your Sims 2 folder...)

Yeah, that's the site I got the info from. I thought a could use it by enabling testing cheats but as you have pointed out we can't do that.
Well, since I don't do movie making, I won't be using the cheat as someone moreawesomethanme said it's too dangerous.     

faceblendlimits on (default) will run a normalize on (born) Sim faces to make them closer to templates. This avoids some of the more extreme faces (unless you intentionally breed Marduk the Flayer).
A side-effect is that you can end up with Elf ears, as the elf template is very close to template 1.

So, it is best to set faceblendlimits to off if you don't want "Elf ears" or will the alternative be even worse?

[J. M. Pescado]

True, but there's a lot more than the Flirts that become available. Personally, I throw caution to the wind during moviemaking.

That makes sense, since the consequences of corrupting your neighborhood are basically irrelevant when you're not really playing anyway, and you're probably not intentionally picking actions that require states that are not accessible. Easy example: Trying to drink an elixir of life while it is empty. Normally the game would not permit you to do this, but if this menu option were to become enabled, you could end up dividing by zero or something ugly.