More Awesome Than You!

I got a new PC today and I'm almost ready to install the Sims 2 base game and apply the EA patch for it.  I have all the EP's and I will probably add most of them later after re-reading the SecuROM thread for particulars about dealing with it on Windows Vista 32-bit.  I'm confused by the current description of issues that the base game patch supposedly fixes because it says it includes fixes for problems in expansion packs, for instance :  "Witches no longer have the option to use ‘Materialize' spell in other vacant or occupied hotel rooms."  Could a fix like that be installed "on hold" until Bon Voyage and Apartment Life are installed on later dates?  Or am I supposed to install all my Sims EP's at once and hold off on any patches until then?

When I recently reinstalled, I patched after each EP. Just remember not to actually run the game until after you have replaced your final EP with its no CD .exe to avoid SECUROM. (And be administrator while installing.)

Yes, this is standard practice.  Patch after installing EP, then move on to the next EP and patch.  If you are reloading the whole game (Base plus all EPs), there is no real reason to run the game until after the whole install process is finished.  Then you can load clean templates (if you want them) once, get your no-cd crack for the latest EP running (remember that M&G functions as an EP), load awesomeware, and you're good to go.

I would like to add an exception to Jolrei's comments.

If you would like to retain the pre-prepared stories in the various EPs, then you do need to load the game after installing the EP. Because I still have the no CD crack for the base game I can pop that in and run the game during the install process. I'm not sure if each neighbourhood has to be entered as well, although I do that too just in case.

If you don't do this and just go through the complete install without booting the game, you won't have any of the pre-made scenarios. I generally only bother with the base game scenarios, I'm not sure which other EPs have them.

You mean, like Vicund Curious won't get abducted?

We recently did a full re-install of our sims 2 here, and I'm pretty sure we didn't load the game after anything exept the last EP+patch.   As far as senarios go, the only one that I am actually aware of that I actually care about is Vicund's abduction.  I guess I can just have him "Summon Aliens" and hope for the best.

Yes.

It is a point.  I decided about 2 minutes after loading the base game for the first time that I did not care at all about the pre-conceived stories.  I have never played any of the Maxoid 'hoods (except as test hoods).  Not having been a TS1 player (not sure why now), I also could not have possibly cared less about Bella (whoever she is/was, although I gather that she was terribly important to some people).  I went straight to building a custom 'hood and having it go BFBVFS in 2 months of play.  Happy days.

Anyhow, all that to say, when I got NL, OFB and BV (all in one weekend), I just loaded and patched them all before running a test.

I've had mixed results.  But the scenarios seemed to work fine for me the last time I did a full re-install without loading the game in between EPs.  The only irregularity being Pascal Curious having a human baby instead of an alien one.  I just terminated the pregnancy with the Sim Blender and re-impregnated him with my custom PT.  Don Lothario doesn't leave Cassandra at the alter anymore either.  But I've noticed this since Seasons, so I contribute it to the increased relationship gain during summer.

None of the EPs came with scenarios as far as I can tell.  Usually I just read the sim bio in the Simology pane and try to go with the story from there.

This happened to me too.  If I recall correctly, the other parent was messed up and not a PT.



That happened to me too the very first time I played, using just the base game.  In fact, he's never left her at the alter in my game.  Maybe I let them do to many relationship building actions before sending them to the alter?

The altar thing is not actually specifically inherent to the base game, it's an artifact of how the relationships are rigged, assuming you play that scenario first, in te exact braindead manner that they tell you to. If you don't deviate at ALL from the what they say to do, it will happen. If you play as any TS1 or TS2 veteran would, it won't happen, because the conditions are poised that finely. The conditions for being left at the altar are otherwise basically impossible to fill in actual gameplay without making it visibly and obviously apparent that it won't work. It's possible to cause it deliberately, but you will KNOW at that point that you've done it, it won't be something that appears spontaneous like in the scenario, because that kind of STR/LTR combo cannot normally occur.