Possible Conflicts...?

[Count Four]

Okay, so I'm a stupid noob and totally non-awesome.

Are any known conflicts between MATY hacks and inSIM.  (I also have no idea of the local opinion of inSIM.) Can I use some of these hacks right alongside inSIM without my game exploding or something?

I use inSIM most frequently to max selected needs, buy and change clothes and sometimes to assign badges to servos.

[Khan of Wyrms]

Back up your game, stick them in, and find out.  Feel the empowerment of taking your own destiny into your own hands.
Feel the fire that comes from a flame of your own making!

Did I mention backup your game?

[KellyQ]

I use Insim and of course, Awesome Hacks; I am unaware of any conflicts.

[Lorelei]

This post assumes that you have downloaded the recommended Awesome Hacks and have read the farking manuals that accompany them.

Tools that you should have (use Google to get them):

Sims2Pack Clean Installer (rather than Maxis installer).
Why? Because you can use it to scan your Downloads folder and eliminate duplicate files and other file maintenance stuff.

Sims2HackDetect
Why? Spotlights conflicts. Note that even Awesome hacks may come up as conflicts; one in particular requires that Pes' hack loads before 2Jeffs' hack.

Sims2Categorizer
Why? You can recategorize objects, set pricing, set comm/res, more. Does not work with BodyShop stuff.

(Colour Options tool) CEP
Why? Vital if you want recolours to show up in your game.

InSIMinator
In-game management tool; invaluable for reducing annoyances. Make sure you only have one version in your game and that it is the version compatible with your latest EPs.


Useful, but not vital:
JDirPrinter
Optional, but quickly lists the file names in any directory folder, including subfolders. I've used this to list all hacks in my DLs folder.

A screenshot tool, like FRAPS or Gadwin.
Optional, but if you ever plan on storytelling, these give better res pix, even if you don't play Sims2 in full screen mode.

SeeThem
Why? Somewhat outdated, but edits your userinfo file quickly with preferred boolprop options. Includes censor remover toggle. Not as useful as learning to edit your file yourself, but easy for quick and dirty re-censoring if you share your game with kids, etc.

DAP (Download Accelerator)
Why? When dealing with sites, like MTS2, that occasionally time out while downloading (the dread 503 error), this resumes the download for you. You don't need to worry about the name of the file until it completely downloads. Just rename it to have a ".zip" or ".rar" as applicable. It should then open up fine.


Other tools I have but don't use all that often:
SimPe.
Why? General file maintenance, but this has the potential to fark your game royally. Always back up first, and backup before opening SimPe, don't use SimPe backup option. Very powerful tool, but is bloatware. Get the plug-ins to colour bin hair, etc.

TS2Enhancer
I wouldn't have this without a bit of the old yo ho ho, as it is a pay program. Why not pay for it? Customer service sucks, and buying it once does not mean you won't have to buy the key repeatedly if your computer crashes. Similar to SimPe, with same potential to farkle your game. Does not handle colour binning. Again, should backup your game files before using and not trust the tool's backup option.

Delphy's Organizer.
Haven't used it yet; user issues concerned me. He's actively updating this, however, so I anticipate that it may be useful in the future.


Tool I am looking forward to:
JFade is working on an organizer for Bodyshop elements like clothing, etc. (if I understood correctly), and if it winds up being as useful as SimCat, I will have to find a way to send him cookies.

[Gwill]

Don't use insim.  Use awesome hacks and debug mode in stead.

[Count Four]

Sims2Pack Clean Installer (rather than Maxis installer).
Why? Because you can use it to scan your Downloads folder and eliminate duplicate files and other file maintenance stuff.

Sims2Pack Clean Installer: Got it.
Maxis installer sucks.

Sims2HackDetect
Why? Spotlights conflicts. Note that even Awesome hacks may come up as conflicts; one in particular requires that Pes' hack loads before 2Jeffs' hack.

Will Google.

Sims2Categorizer
Why? You can recategorize objects, set pricing, set comm/res, more. Does not work with BodyShop stuff.

Download corrupted, need to try again.

(Colour Options tool) CEP
Why? Vital if you want recolours to show up in your game.

Got it. First thing.

InSIMinator
In-game management tool; invaluable for reducing annoyances. Make sure you only have one version in your game and that it is the version compatible with your latest EPs.

Got it.
Subquestion: I get sims age transitioning with no LTW sometimes. (I roll them a LTW with inSIM when that happens.) Do we think that's a trivial inSIM issue or a piece of EA flunkery? I'm not sure, as I got inSIM at about the same time I bought my very first EP.


Useful, but not vital:

JDirPrinter
Optional, but quickly lists the file names in any directory folder, including subfolders. I've used this to list all hacks in my DLs folder.

IT RECOGNIZES SUBFOLDERS?!!!11!1? 
Wow. Definitely Googling for this.
(All my hacks/mods are in my Mods-hacks subfolder, though.)

A screenshot tool, like FRAPS or Gadwin.
Optional, but if you ever plan on storytelling, these give better res pix, even if you don't play Sims2 in full screen mode.

Pass. Storytelling would be an exercise in tedium with my slowass dial up.

SeeThem
Why? Somewhat outdated, but edits your userinfo file quickly with preferred boolprop options. Includes censor remover toggle. Not as useful as learning to edit your file yourself, but easy for quick and dirty re-censoring if you share your game with kids, etc.

Censor blur removed with simPE. Children left here unattended will be destroyed.

DAP (Download Accelerator)
Why? When dealing with sites, like MTS2, that occasionally time out while downloading (the dread 503 error), this resumes the download for you. You don't need to worry about the name of the file until it completely downloads. Just rename it to have a ".zip" or ".rar" as applicable. It should then open up fine.

Got Free Download Manager, it's reliable.

Other tools I have but don't use all that often:

SimPe.
Why? General file maintenance, but this has the potential to fark your game royally. Always back up first, and backup before opening SimPe, don't use SimPe backup option. Very powerful tool, but is bloatware. Get the plug-ins to colour bin hair, etc.

Got it. I proceed with caution and detailed instructions, no matter what I'm doing with simPE, partly because it's a pain in the ass to figure out how to use it.

TS2Enhancer
I wouldn't have this without a bit of the old yo ho ho, as it is a pay program. Why not pay for it? Customer service sucks, and buying it once does not mean you won't have to buy the key repeatedly if your computer crashes. Similar to SimPe, with same potential to farkle your game. Does not handle colour binning. Again, should backup your game files before using and not trust the tool's backup option.

But is it easier to understand?

Delphy's Organizer.
Haven't used it yet; user issues concerned me. He's actively updating this, however, so I anticipate that it may be useful in the future.

Not got. I've read about it, but nothing I've seen compels me yet.

Tool I am looking forward to:
JFade is working on an organizer for Bodyshop elements like clothing, etc. (if I understood correctly), and if it winds up being as useful as SimCat, I will have to find a way to send him cookies.

That'd be handy.

I'll check into the things I don't have yet.  I'm working on learning all the cool and shiny things, but there's a lot of it to learn. Thanks for taking time to make the comprehensive check list, Lorelei. 

[SaraMK]

TS2Enhancer is good for the SimPE-phobic and the noobs. For everyone else it's useless. It does very little that can't be done in-game with hacks like InSIM, LotDebugger, etc. The only potentially useful feature is the cloning lab, since SimPE's is unnecessarily clunky to use. It does not have 99% of SimPE's capabilities. It only  edits sims and their attributes and relationships. Even there, it's very limited.

However, keep in mind that in certain circumstances it permanently corrupts a neighborhood. Often just by opening the program, since it automatically opens the first neighborhood on your list.

In any case, why you'd pay for it when there's a perfectly good crack available is beyond me, really.

[Lorelei]

Sims2Pack Clean Installer

Sims2Pack Clean Installer: Got it.
Maxis installer sucks.

Sims2HackDetect

Will Google.

InSIMinator

Got it.
Subquestion: I get sims age transitioning with no LTW sometimes. (I roll them a LTW with inSIM when that happens.) Do we think that's a trivial inSIM issue or a piece of EA flunkery? I'm not sure, as I got inSIM at about the same time I bought my very first EP.

JDirPrinter

IT RECOGNIZES SUBFOLDERS?!!!11!1? 
Wow. Definitely Googling for this.
(All my hacks/mods are in my Mods-hacks subfolder, though.)

A screenshot tool, like FRAPS or Gadwin.

Pass. Storytelling would be an exercise in tedium with my slowass dial up.

TS2Enhancer

But is it easier to understand?

I'll check into the things I don't have yet.  I'm working on learning all the cool and shiny things, but there's a lot of it to learn. Thanks for taking time to make the comprehensive check list, Lorelei. 

Too tired to break apart all the quoting, but here are replies, in order:

Maxis installer is non-awesome, yes.

S2HD is a vital tool. Highlights hacks in red, dupes in pink. (No clue what it does with dupe hacks!)

I have not had any probs with LTWs, so can't help you there. I also bought everything (but Seasons, which I got later) all at once this January (except for FFS).

Yes, everything in a certain folder you scan. Cool, huh?

Screenshot tools are also good for showing in-game borkery to others for help with ID'ing problems, but EA defaults should suffice, yup. Also, I'm on dial-up, too. Occasionally share story photos, but can relate to aggravation involved. Free photo album option (other than usual suspects): http://www.imagestation.com

Yes, TS2E's very intuitive to use. Not worth buying, though. SaraMK explains why very well. I used it twice, never again, as it wasn't useful for me. Mainly wanted to see what idjits were paying for!

...& you're quite welcome.

Gwill also has a point, but I still use InSIM with Awesome hacks. Can't play at all w/o Awesomeness, but InSIM is idiot-proof in-game. Sometimes I am lazy.

[KatEnigma]

The things you use it for can be done without InSim, either with debug mode things or Awesome hacks.

Debug: Slide up select needs (or down, if you'd like) and spawn the Badge Juicer to give badges.

Clothing Tool: Buy and Select Clothes.

Lot Debugger: Lets you roll/re-roll wants, among other useful things

InSim has conflicted with some Awesome hacks in the past, and probably will again. Awesome hacks that do things individually are always a better bet than a hack that tries to do 20,000 things at once, especially as it sinks its hooks deep into your game.

[Count Four]

I do like inSIM. Click ground, spawn, use, delete.  It seems quicker than fussing around with testingcheats and the tombstone all the time.

TS2Enhancer--I don't think I'd pay for it if it's no better than that. I'll stick with simPE, no matter how bloated it is. Given, it can fuck up the game, but I can generally figure out what I want to do, given time. Now to figure out how to reprice astronomically expensive CC.

I'll keep an eye out for conflicts with the Awesome I try. It'd be hard to sell me on having a ton of hacks, though, because sims that function perfectly all the time would get boring. The cheat overdose syndrome.

Thanks again for all the info!

[floopyboo]

I love insim for one reason. Instant teleportation.

The brat podling wants to follow mummy on the next floor? bing, blue glow, she's there. Some idiot nanny put the kid on the only floor with no access to any of the toddler items for reasons only known to nanny logic? Bing, blue glow, and back to the skilling we go. The great god Floopy wants to know how deep the snow is? Bing, blue glow, now we know it's two toddlers deep.

Okay, so I'm a little obsessed with the sudden and easily accessable ability to move a sim wherever I want it. I like the other things available on the insim too, but the teleporting goodness is definitely a keeper.

[Sagana]

Insim is a wonderful all-in-one easy in-game sim editor. I use it all the time to turn playables into townies, select townies, change their names, make them look however I want, teleport a sim in that won't behave, setup family relationships, make a kid without parental ties etc. A lot of stuff people use simePE for (I'm simPEphobic). Whatever adds to the storyline. It also combines well with the lot debugger if there are problems - the debugger's great if you can get to buy/build mode or already have it on the lot. if you can't get to buy/build, but have a sim, you can spawn something for whatever you need.

I use it with the MATY hacks and don't have any problems (though I don't use the entire director's cut). I think the better hackers have come a long way to making things that aren't very conflicting.

The only thing about insim is to remember to take it out whenever there's a new EP and wait for the new release - patiently, even if it's driving you crazy waiting

[Count Four]

YES! Universal teleportation, the only thing that makes large lots bearable. When you have to go to the bathroom THAT badly, it shouldn't take you half the day to mosey your way over to the crapper.

Luckily for me, sagana, I am so far behind in EPs, by the time I get to Seasons, inSIM will probably be compatible for the next EP.

I'm liking the awesome, though. I installed the stuckobjectremover last night to deal with a stuck out-of-stock sign on a business, and it burninated six items on one tile. I believe this happened because the only worker was the owner and when he went to the open-closed sign to close the business, customers who had chosen things to buy detected no cashier at the register, walked to the edge of the lot and 'dumped' their un-paid for items before stepping off. Thank you, EA, for that bit of stupidity.)

p.s. Is there a fix around here for the beds/inventory bug? (You put a bed in inventory, take it out again later--especially on a new lot--and no sim can use it; no choice but to scrap it and buy a new one.)

[AnnaM]

Now to figure out how to reprice astronomically expensive CC.

I use the Sims2 Categorizer by Paladin for this. Dead easy. Same for changing object descriptions and/or names. Though in my case it's usually repricing ridiculously cheap content... I like Tarox's stuff, but most of it is priced between 10 and 100 simoleons. I wonder if he's poor, or if he likes his stuff to be listed first...  He also often doesn't rename his recolours, which keep the same name as the original Maxis object, despite being sometimes completely different in the case of decorative items. S2Cat sorts that out too.

[AnnaM]

Count Four: I thought the beds problem was due to the SmartBeds hack (which would make some kind of sense), but I haven't checked. Just throwing it here so people can laugh at it.

[miros]

Delphy's Download Organizer is finally ready for production.  I have a few false positives, but those I can remember!

You definitely want the HCDU from SimWardrobe http://www.simwardrobe.com 

I run these two programs everytime I install stuff!

[Zazazu]

InSIMinator
In-game management tool; invaluable for reducing annoyances. Make sure you only have one version in your game and that it is the version compatible with your latest EPs.

Got it.
Subquestion: I get sims age transitioning with no LTW sometimes. (I roll them a LTW with inSIM when that happens.) Do we think that's a trivial inSIM issue or a piece of EA flunkery? I'm not sure, as I got inSIM at about the same time I bought my very first EP.

I commend you on your superior quoting abilities.

For the LTW on age transitioning...are you referring to the child-to-teen transition? I never get a LTW directly upon transition, not since Uni first came out. It will pop up in a few sim hours. If I'm impatient, I'll exit and reenter the lot and the LTW will be set. Definitely EA borkedness. I don't kill kittens or puppies. I prefer to use the age sim cheat to age up, stud farm, then age down my one teen father, and wouldn't even have done that if I hadn't found out that my only mate choice for my C generation was marked for grilled cheese zombification.

[Sagana]

I thought the beds-inventory thing was/was supposed-to-be fixed with a patch. If it wasn't actually there was a fix at one point - check out Pescado's fixes.

You need to satisfy one of the current wants to get the LTW to roll up. Either that  or exit and reenter as stated above.

[Count Four]

I use the Sims2 Categorizer by Paladin for this. Dead easy.

Yes, so I've finally discovered. (I got a corrupted DL; had to try again.) I've got-- I had a couple things that were just ridiculous, like a 6e/6c bed priced at something like $3700; eksqueez me but that's outrageous, no matter how pretty it is. $1000-2000 for a 6/6 bed seems more sensible.

Count Four: I thought the beds problem was due to the SmartBeds hack (which would make some kind of sense), but I haven't checked.

No, it had to be the game, because it was happening before I ever had a mod/hack of any kind. *tips hat to EA* I've also had it happen a couple times, nearly always with a child's bed, since patching.

I commend you on your superior quoting abilities.

For the LTW on age transitioning...are you referring to the child-to-teen transition? I never get a LTW directly upon transition, not since Uni first came out. It will pop up in a few sim hours. If I'm impatient, I'll exit and reenter the lot and the LTW will be set. Definitely EA borkedness. I don't kill kittens or puppies. I prefer to use the age sim cheat to age up, stud farm, then age down my one teen father, and wouldn't even have done that if I hadn't found out that my only mate choice for my C generation was marked for grilled cheese zombification.

Thank you!  *takes a bow* 

You need to satisfy one of the current wants to get the LTW to roll up. Either that  or exit and reenter as stated above.

Cool, I'll keep that in mind. It usually is the teens, but sometimes its brand new shiny CAS sims, though it'd be the same reason.
 
I've also had a teen transition to adult and lose LTW, though that may be a computer burp or lot glitch since it happened in a very large family.

[notveryawesome]

Just an FYI for those who want teleportation abilities without using InSim: Monique at MTS2 (I think she's still there, though I've heard rumours that she's moved to InSim) has a mod that allows all sims to teleport. It works just like the 'Go Here' or 'Run Here' actions do.

[Alexx]

Something about TS2Enhancer:it's very usefill tool for fast investigation character folders,for fast retuning relationship between sims e.t.c
No need to pay for this one,here is launcher.exe that can be used with BV version.

[Zazazu]

SeeThem
Why? Somewhat outdated, but edits your userinfo file quickly with preferred boolprop options. Includes censor remover toggle. Not as useful as learning to edit your file yourself, but easy for quick and dirty re-censoring if you share your game with kids, etc.

Censor blur removed with simPE. Children left here unattended will be destroyed.

 I didn't knwo that you could do that in simPE

Hi sweetie. Big scary lich guy means no posting 'cause topic is dead. Especially if you have nothing useful to say. OK?

[notveryawesome]

A general FYI: the InSim Object edition is generally safe; it's the Sim and Destination editions that sometimes cause problems.