Deleting Maxis Made Sims - Possible?

[nekonoai]

Is it possible to delete the hordes of Maxis made sims that come up in CAS? I'd like to just have my created/downloaded sims show up in there, and get rid of all the rest. Are there character files somewhere that can be dumped to get all these ugly losers out of my sim bins?

[SaraMK]

They're in a file called globalcatbin.bundle.package and deleting it removes the sims... but breaks half of CAS at the same time.

I'm sure there is a way to selectively remove just the sims from that file. I was bored and just poking around, not actually trying to do anything useful, so I didn't do any further investigation.

[Theo]

I poked around the globalcatbin.package file once, and tried to 'hide' the AGED resources by setting the value of the flags property.

The result was that the sim templates still had their reserved space, but couldn't be selected anymore. I didn't try to delete the AGED's, maybe that's the next step

[notveryawesome]

There's probably a way to hide the sims, the way Maxis hair and outfits can be hidden in CAS, but completely removing them seems risky. I have no idea how to do either of these things, so I'll just crawl back under my rock now.

[nekonoai]

Dang.  Why must there be so many of them?

[Simsbaby]

To annoy you.

Anyway, I had removed the age data from the package file and now they don't show up anymore, so I don't have a ton of extra pages in there. So far I haven't ran across any glitches, but there might be a few.

[Theo]

* clicks thanks button * 

[Ambular]

To annoy you.

Anyway, I had removed the age data from the package file and now they don't show up anymore, so I don't have a ton of extra pages in there. So far I haven't ran across any glitches, but there might be a few.

Would you be willing to explain how this is done, Simsbaby?  I've got mine open but for the life of me I can't figure out which of these resources is age data...

[Simsbaby]

I have never been that good at explaining things, so I hope that should work for you, if it doesn't I can try to type something up.  I didn't try it with my game, but I think this should get rid of the University bin sims also.

[Ambular]

I have never been that good at explaining things, so I hope that should work for you, if it doesn't I can try to type something up.  I didn't try it with my game, but I think this should get rid of the University bin sims also.

Heh, okay, I get what I was doing wrong.  I naively assumed I'd need the version that was in the Pets folder, not the original game file.  Thanks!

[nekonoai]

Thanks for that. I'm gonna back up that file and then try doing this. ^_^

[Theo]

I have never been that good at explaining things, so I hope that should work for you, if it doesn't I can try to type something up.  I didn't try it with my game, but I think this should get rid of the University bin sims also.

Heh, okay, I get what I was doing wrong.  I naively assumed I'd need the version that was in the Pets folder, not the original game file.  Thanks!

But some expansion packs also add more sim templates to that list, so you may have to look on those packages as well

[Ambular]

Awesome, it worked!  *Glomps Simsbaby!*  Now I wonder if there's a way to extract just the Age Data and gimmick it so it'll hide them, and put that in a package by itself so it can go in Downloads instead of borking the original file... *goes to play*

[Ambular]

Hmm.  Well, this is weird.  I got most of them to hide without changing the core game file, but some of them stubbornly refuse.  Maybe someone more awesome than I can figure out why (in any case, the attached file does get rid of a good majority of them when placed in Downloads.  Anyone want to test to make sure it doesn't crash anything?  I took code from the files in three EP's.)

[maxon]

I'll test that - well done.

Edit:  Well, I had a quick try in Bodyshop and it does weird things.  I can't see that there's any decrease in the number of sims and it mucks up the textures - see picture.

I have to go out shopping now and then work later - but I'll try it in the game later on today.

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/?action=view&current=BodyshopwithHideMaxisSimsHack.jpg

Actually now I look at that again - it seems to have hidden the Maxis student sims - those are adults from the base game I think.

[SaraMK]

That's pretty much why I never pursued the removal of these sims. It broke exactly like that for me, only it was CAS... I never checked Bodyshop.

[maxon]

Hi AmberDiceless - a report

The hack does not crash the game and does work in CAS.  I fiddled around for a while in there and everything seemed to work ok.  I have everything up to Pets but not the stuff packs.

I tried generating several sims of all ages - worked
Tested the skintones, eyes and other skins  - no problems
Generated a number of random babies of couples - no problems

There were some sims left in each category except the young adult sims - where both sexes had no Maxis sims left in.  Here are the numbers:

Female Toddler        14        Male Toddler         16
Female Child              2        Male Child              13
Female Teen            11       Male Teen               5
Female YA                 0       Male YA                  0
Female Adult              4       Male Adult               1
Female Elder               5      Male Elder                5

However, the big problem is in Bodyshop (which I use a lot since I skin occasionally) where, not only do you get the graphic problems as seen in my earlier picture but also when you click on the sims, they appear to become deletable - a bit worrying that (the little trash can icon lights up - this doesn't happen in CAS).  As it is, I probably wouldn't want to use this because of the problems with Bodyshop - I would REALLY like this sort of hack though and might be tempted to put it into the game when I'm going to use CAS even if you can't sort out the problems. 

Here are some pics if you're interested:

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/Hide%20Maxis%20Sims%20Hack/?action=view&current=BodyshopwithHideMaxisSimsHack.jpg

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/Hide%20Maxis%20Sims%20Hack/?action=view&current=FemaleToddlers.jpg

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/Hide%20Maxis%20Sims%20Hack/?action=view&current=FemaleTeen.jpg

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/Hide%20Maxis%20Sims%20Hack/?action=view&current=AdultFemale.jpg

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/Hide%20Maxis%20Sims%20Hack/?action=view&current=AdultMale.jpg

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/Hide%20Maxis%20Sims%20Hack/?action=view&current=AdultMaleHeads.jpg

[Ambular]

Hi AmberDiceless - a report

The hack does not crash the game and does work in CAS.  I fiddled around for a while in there and everything seemed to work ok.  I have everything up to Pets but not the stuff packs.

I tried generating several sims of all ages - worked
Tested the skintones, eyes and other skins  - no problems
Generated a number of random babies of couples - no problems

There were some sims left in each category except the young adult sims - where both sexes had no Maxis sims left in.  Here are the numbers:

Female Toddler        14        Male Toddler         16
Female Child              2        Male Child              13
Female Teen            11       Male Teen               5
Female YA                 0       Male YA                  0
Female Adult              4       Male Adult               1
Female Elder               5      Male Elder                5

However, the big problem is in Bodyshop (which I use a lot since I skin occasionally) where, not only do you get the graphic problems as seen in my earlier picture but also when you click on the sims, they appear to become deletable - a bit worrying that (the little trash can icon lights up - this doesn't happen in CAS).  As it is, I probably wouldn't want to use this because of the problems with Bodyshop - I would REALLY like this sort of hack though and might be tempted to put it into the game when I'm going to use CAS even if you can't sort out the problems. 

Here are some pics if you're interested:

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/Hide%20Maxis%20Sims%20Hack/?action=view&current=BodyshopwithHideMaxisSimsHack.jpg

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/Hide%20Maxis%20Sims%20Hack/?action=view&current=FemaleToddlers.jpg

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/Hide%20Maxis%20Sims%20Hack/?action=view&current=FemaleTeen.jpg

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/Hide%20Maxis%20Sims%20Hack/?action=view&current=AdultFemale.jpg

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/Hide%20Maxis%20Sims%20Hack/?action=view&current=AdultMale.jpg

http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/Maxon/Hide%20Maxis%20Sims%20Hack/?action=view&current=AdultMaleHeads.jpg

Thanks for that information, Maxon!  Well, since we know which file controls this stuff and I have a backup, I tried deleting one of the Maxis sims in BS to see what would happen.  All it did, as far as I'm able to tell, was delete the hack and return everything to normal, so I wouldn't worry about that.  :)  It doesn't appear to have any effect on making new Sims or custom content, either, just messes up those specific Maxis Sims.

So, it's currently good perhaps for anyone who never uses BodyShop or doesn't mind putting up with some weird-looking thumbnails.  I'll play around with the file some more when I get a chance and see if I can figure out how to get rid of them there as well, or anyone else is welcome to do the same.

[Ambular]

Just for the record, in case anyone was wondering: deleting the Age Data in the original files does NOT have these ill effects in BodyShop, and as Theo suggests, it is necessary to edit the files from all EP's that add Sims to the bin (not just the one from the base game) if you want them all gone.

However, just to add a little more confusion, you apparently have to incrementally edit the Age Data in the University file: remove ten to twenty lines at a time, starting from the bottom; save; run BodyShop; then remove some more.  (The number however may be negotiable; 10-20 worked for me, up until the final/top one, which I deleted by itself.)  If you just wipe them all out at once, or start at the top of the list, BodyShop will crash (or did for me, anyway, several times running.)

I also notice that there seems to be a good many more Age Data entries than there are Sims, which makes me a trifle nervous.  Anyone have theories as to why this might be?

At any rate, after editing all the relevant core files, my game and BS appear to be functioning perfectly and the bins are empty but for my own Sims.  Time will tell if I've missed anything...

[SaraMK]

I'm curious about what the game will do when it wants to create Downtownies and the template sims are missing. Townies are randomly generated, but downtownies are not.

[Simsbaby]

Since the nightlife sims are in a file from Nightlife, I think maybe just edit the files from Uni and TS2.

However, just to add a little more confusion, you apparently have to incrementally edit the Age Data in the University file: remove ten to twenty lines at a time, starting from the bottom; save; run BodyShop; then remove some more.  (The number however may be negotiable; 10-20 worked for me, up until the final/top one, which I deleted by itself.)  If you just wipe them all out at once, or start at the top of the list, BodyShop will crash (or did for me, anyway, several times running.)

That's really weird, I just deleted all of the age data files at once with both Uni and TS2 and I did not have any problems.

[Ambular]

Since the nightlife sims are in a file from Nightlife, I think maybe just edit the files from Uni and TS2.

Good thing I backed up all the files before I changed anything, then.  XD

However, just to add a little more confusion, you apparently have to incrementally edit the Age Data in the University file: remove ten to twenty lines at a time, starting from the bottom; save; run BodyShop; then remove some more.  (The number however may be negotiable; 10-20 worked for me, up until the final/top one, which I deleted by itself.)  If you just wipe them all out at once, or start at the top of the list, BodyShop will crash (or did for me, anyway, several times running.)

That's really weird, I just deleted all of the age data files at once with both Uni and TS2 and I did not have any problems.

Maybe it's just some weird glitch in my system, then.  It wasn't a one-time occurrence, though; I restored the file and tried it again a couple of times to be sure.