More Awesome Than You!

I've posted this in a couple of other places.  Thought I'd put it here and get made fun of.

Maxis tried really hard on this one, but it's not nearly as useful as Clean Installer.

The interface is pretty direct,and easy. You've got a picture of the texture -- just like the one in Clean Installer -- in the upper left. You can sort or show objects by Asset Type (eye makeup for instance), reference name (Blush Beige), File Name (Blusbg32.package), Creator (all my stuff just says "user created"), Status (enabled or not enabled).

You can also list things by Skins, Objects, "Design Mode", Potential Hacks, or everything.

It gives you the ability to delete, or disable (that is keep it from working in the game, but not deleted) or enable stuff you've disabled.

If you right click on an entry, and you've told it to go ahead and connect to the Sims2 Official site, it'll tell you what stuff you got this from if it's on the Exchange.  Pretty useless unless you really want to send nasty emails to the person who gave you that SimstransmitSTDs Hack.

However....

When you delete something, just like in the game, it bumps you back to the beginning of the list. So, if you delete something thats 27 skins down the list, it will put you back to the first thing in the skins list. Worse, it will rearrange everything so if you know what item 26 was to find your way back, you'll find that item 26 might now be item 3 or 306.

The object display shows a lot of stuff as just solid black. Sometimes this is because the object _is_ black, and sometimes, I suspect, it's because the file is empty. Sometimes it's because it's a mesh and doesn't have a texture. I won't say the view is useless for this reason, but it's not very helpful.

It also doesn't catagorize things very well. It appears to recognize some meshes --mostly hair meshes. However, all object meshes are shown as hacks.

Some hacks are shown as objects.

Some object recolors appear under Object.

Most object recolors, however, show up under "Design Mode", along with terrain paints, walls and floors (which aren't labeled as such--they're both called "Product Pattern".)

Careers are labeled as objects.

Some items on each list are shown in red text, but I can't find any explanation of why.

So, if Mom says you can only use accessory programs downloaded from Maxis, it works. Otherwise ask Dad if you can download Clean Installer instead.

Wow! Thanks for the useful review!  -  I'll ask Dad only, and use the Clean Installer...:).

So in another words it's just like the clean installer but crappier.
Thanks that confirmed my suspicions.

So how does it react to hacks?

It doesn't at all.  It lists them,  tells you what they're doing if you're bright enoug to understand comments like: "Overrides Behavior trees: Interaction--Get Mail."  (And I suspect these are your notations, or TwoJeffs notations not theirs.   Cause only some of the hacks have a description.

And I think it uses the red font for things it thinks are hacks, but doesn't always get it right.

Otherwise, nothin'.  Doesn't remove 'em.  Doesn't tell you they'll cause your Sims toenails to fall off if you don't erase them RIGHT NOW.   Just tells you what it thinks are hacks and sits there. 

OK, there is one other useful feature.  It tells you what folder the file is in, so you can find stuff in weird places like your "Saved Sims" folder.

I can't believe no one else has mentioned this yet...this custom content manager comes in a zip file!

I'm stunned that they put forward this custom content manager thing in a ZIP FILE, when the people who are silly enough to download off the exchange (therefore needing it the most) generally cant open a zip file to save their life anyway...What happened to the idea of self opening downloads, like all the others off the maxis site?  If compression's an issue, why not compress it, then write a self-extractor for it...i'll never know

Apart from that, it seems like a much slower and more inconvenient version of the clean installer...which makes me wonder what maxis would attempt to create if they ever did a program to edit objects...

Okay, I KNOW this is going to sound like a really stupid question here, but I'm gonna chance ending up in retardo land by asking anyway.  I have a lot of items in my clean installer that have no category, and the name is a jumble of letters and numbers.  Are these thing all deletable?  Are they possibly useful items?  Should I blanket delete everything without an understandable name?  I was trying to organize my download folders, but with so many of these thing that I didn't know what they were, it made it difficult.

Chris

Things without comprehensible names were crap you installed as a result of installing a sims2pack. Unless you happen to acquire skins you actually use in this manner, a name which consists purely of a string of incomprehensible gibberish should be summarily destroyed.

I do have quite a few skins that I do use.  In fact, I rarely use Maxian skins but almost always use the custom skins.  Perhaps I should just backup the files, go in and disable them all and see what's missing? 

Chris

I clicked on the exe file and it didn't even do anything.  I wonder if it is even worth downloading.

I would say NO - Clean installer is far superior. I got it to download, but it won't load up - it freezes and when I try to kill it it says "program not responding".  ::) And there's a dozen more people that had the same experience at N99.

Let's be realistic: Did you honestly expect Maxis to make something that didn't suck?

Hope springs eternal in the simmer's breast.  ::)

I tried to launch it, it churned for a while, then gave me the extremely helpful error message of "Error!" *bitchslaps Maxis* Gahhh, developers...at least I know developers writing stupid/incomprehensible error messages isn't limited to my company.

Hey JM, on the filenames of random crap, I thought those were probably houses or something...so they're not? Are they the empty packages Clean Installer shows? Where are the houses? Being a builder I should know this, I guess, but I don't *holds onto lips*

Jen

I downloaded this last night and re-downloaded it quite a few times, putting it into various different folders, because whenever I clicked on the exe file my pc just hung.  Eventually I got so fed-up I went to make a coffee - came back and it had loaded.  Turns out it is EXTREMELY slow to load (or at least it is for me, probably because I have a lot of downloads), so that's probably the reason it appears not to be working when you click the exe file.  Why they have zipped it and not put it into a package file I have no idea - it gives you no suggestion whatsoever of where to put it.

The most useful aspect of it is that it shows the file path, which Clean Installer doesn't, at least I don't recall it doing so.  It doesn't appear to show empty files though, or duplicates.  Also, there appears to be no option to check sub-folders, it groups your entire downloads folder and subs together, which is probably why it takes so long to load.  Rather interesting also that a lot of JM and TwoJeffs' mods were nice and blue and referred to as objects, not hacks.

Depends on which "object" you're referring to. Some of the goodies *ARE*, in fact, "objects", and not actually "hacks". Macrotastics and all of its associated packages, for instance, are actually self-contained objects that don't override anything. Other objects, like APO, are "dirty" objects that contain both an object and an associated global override required as a hook for the object, and thus are more properly hacks with an interface object. Still others, like the Phone Hack, contain an OBJD, but are purely hacks, not objects. These may potentially be misidentified by a particularly stupid scanner. Like one that might be written by Maxis.

If Body-Shop and Home-Crafter are any indicators of Maxis' talents for software, the CleanInstaller stays. Sorry, but I have absolutely no faith in Maxis and anything they put forth. They don't seem to have any clues about their own products, and if things go wrong, they are about as helpful  as... well I can't think of anything less helpful. I don't think they ever test anything they throw out for their customers, not the game, the ep's, or any other add-on software.

G.

The only good thing about the Content Manager when compared to the S2PCI is that the Content Manager runs on limited accounts. This is only a minor annoyance with S2PCI, especially seen as about half the programs on my PC don't run on limited accounts.

Well, if it lets you view the outline of meshes that will help me out since I suspect I have a few untextured meshes in my game.
This is a joke right? Cause if it is... I think I have a hack request I want to make...

I've been using DatGen. It's got a pretty decent file scanner. All my "gibberish" files were just that. Gibberish. They were all empty files, so I deleted them and haven't had any problems.

I've been using DatGen. It's got a pretty decent file scanner. All my "gibberish" files were just that. Gibberish. They were all empty files, so I deleted them and haven't had any problems.

Please...what is DatGen, and where can I find it?

It's now on TSR, but it's a free download. You can also check out the creator's site: http://www.datgen.info/

What I've done with those files I've got with those ridiculous file names is to extract them again using the MultiSims2Pack Installer, working in a folder so it will place the file there (provided you tell it to once) and you can then delete the Sims2Pack and the temp file.  Call the folder whatever the file is, (it's full name in english or whatever language you prefer) and keep it in a folder of similar backups.  That way, if your original becomes corrupted for some reason, at least you can find it via SimPE and the Windows search engine.

It hangs when you open because it auto scans the downloads instead of waiting for the command like sims2pack does.  I like sims2pack better, but I will hold on to this other thing in case I need it.

Heh and I haven't been to the offical site in so long, someone left me a message in my gbook cussing me out.  GLORIOUS!  I left a flaming bag of poo in his mailbox also.

If I tell you it's a joke, you'll request it.  If I tell you it's not a joke you'll want to know where to get it.  So I am going to remain discreetly silent. ;D

My theory?  This is a direct response to the recent claims that Sims 2 custom content allows people to turn it into "porn" and that Maxis supports, at least by tacit concent, these custom modifications and the mod community in general.  I think this was thrown together very quickly to give people (read: parents) an easier way to scan their custom content and remove anything they find personally objectionable.  This is why it takes a while to load (no time to optimize it), why it doesn't retain sorting options and such after an item is deleted, and why it is distributed in a ZIP file.  They obviously handed it to a small team of developers and told them to get it out ASAP.

Now Maxis can say that they've taken action to help keep custom content out of the game (by end-user choice) and thus retain their T rating.  It's a good solution -- putting responsibility squarely where it belongs.  If you ask me, I don't think they needed to do this.  The hot coffee problem was due to the content being unlocked -- it was already there, created by the developers.  Maxis hasn't put anything "naughty" in the game and shouldn't be held responsible for the content created and distributed by third parties.  But I'll stop there... I'm sure this particular issue has been beaten to death with a flaming flamingo by now.

Eh, I gave this Sims2 Content Manager a try. The only thing redeemable about it is that you can just look at files that are of "questionable content" by themselves. I don't think the Clean Installer has that option. However, what makes me use the Clean Installer is to view the contents of .sims2pack files before extracting them and to see what files are just worthless empty packages.

I pretty much think that they churned this together, and then threw it to the public so they can unofficially "beta" it for them. I found it particular that it came in a Zip file as well.


But knowing the tactics of the average lawyer, I am sure they'll say that Maxis programming 'allowed' them to put such "naughty content" in due to allowing Sims 2 fans to make their own content.

I got datgen downloaded and installed. It scans. I love seeing all the categories and the details, like the objects with googleplex polygons that can slow down the game etc. Very informative, this looks like the best option so far. I couldn't make datgen delete files or remove them though, right click or anything else. I don't want to search 1Gb data by hand but may have to. I'm still on the track of starting a new n'hood but want to prune my downloads first.

I tried the Maxis scanner, it got a lot of stuff wrong, not nearly so much detail as datgen, clunky cartoon interface, very windows XP, very yesterday. ;)

grrr to you.

Since it's only really clothing and a few objects that might be made and regarded as porn, I can't really see a tremendous problem.  Objects, in my view, are only really pornographic if used for certain purposes (and in that respect, almost any handheld object could be used!) and there is no programming in The Sims that lets you turn your sims into sado-masochists etc. or to even view a normal sex act - it's all in the mind!

By the same token, libraries should ban all books by people like D.H.Lawrence from their open shelves in case a teenager was to read one, bookshops should not be allowed to sell them openly in case a teenager was to buy one, while obviously adult "top shelf" offensive porn would continue unchecked!  (And in full view of every teenager who goes into a newsagents!)

Back in the 50's and 60's in the UK people fought hard to get rid of the kind of censorship that laid down the law for everyone but the privileged few who could always get around it.  I for one would hate to see a return to those Victorian Values!

And as for the content issue, anyway, does that mean that lawyers would argue that artists' materials should no longer be sold as they could be used by a teenager to paint a "suggestive" painting?

I'm pretty sure you're preaching to the choir here when it comes to the idiocy of censorship. Let's not forget that this site is the result of a fallout over censorship and nannyism issues.

Mmm. And "SimsTransmitSTDs".....now you're making me think about it. :P

I am a baaaaad influence.   :-*

I know I get on my soapbox once in a while, but I also feel if these opinions remain unexpressed frequently, those moral self-appointed guardians of our welfare have won by default!

To bring this back to the topic of content manager, I did scan a handful of those uncategorized letter/number jumble items with datgen.  It appears that at least the 10 or so that I opened have texture and/or image files.  One was grass, one was rocks, one was the picture of a lipstick, and a few had skin information.  So are these useful files after all?  Is there any way to rename them and have them still work properly?

And, JMP, Death to the Nannies!  Oh, wait, that's not what you meant  ;)

Chris

I personaly think its hallarious how they call them "potential hacks" and not hacks because even they knew that it wouldn't work right.

I, too beleave that this was because of the "JT" incadent, if you look at the credits there were about 5 people working on it.

I think that I will keep this and use clean installer, too. This does have its goods, like how it it tells what a hack overides and it tells what somethings, like roofing, is when clean installer dosn't.

:edit: the ones with red lettering are potential hacks

Do you have the latest release of datgen? It gives you the options of either putting questionable files in a temporary folder so you can go through them yourself, or it can delete them right away.  It's called the Datgen File Maid.

Yeah, I tried last night. The file maid opens a wizard. The wizard shows me the options I can scan for, I selected all available tick boxes. It scans, gives me a list of files it considers dodgy. Tells me it can't scan yet for missing textures or skins as it's beta. I select files to get rid of, click on 'delete', nothing, click on 'move to temp folder', make temp folder, nothing. Finally click next on wizard, message box says, 'beta cannot delete or move files to temporary folder.' I downloaded off the datgen site so I presume is latest version. 0.79? maybe - I'm at work. I uninstalled, tried a previous version. Can't find plugins. Put plugins in plugins folder on offchance, no joy. Have directx9c, .NET framework, .NET patch. Very frustrating evening!  ???

ROFL.

Yeah, pretty much. The only way Maxis is ever going to make something that doesn't suck is if they start manufacturing vacuum cleaners.

Is it possible you got a corrupted download?  ...just a thought.  :-\ ...and you've probably already thought of it.  ;) I downloaded DataGen v0.7.9 yesterday and it has all the necessary plugins, etc., and works fine.  I moved all the dodgy files to a temp folder without incident...at least the ones I chose to move.  Some are too valuable to get rid of...like Bathroom & Baby Controllers, and some of Inge Jones stuff.

I'm grateful to Brynne for pointing me in this direction.  This is a good program, even though so much of it is beyond my current abilities. ;D

Oops! Forgot to mention that my version also says it cannot scan for missing textures or skins yet...but everything else seems to work...as far as I can tell.

Heh.

Hey, Sim City doesn't suck. The original sims, without all the demented expansion pack weirdness, didn't suck. SimAnt didn't suck. Not all of Maxis's stuff sucks; just the stuff that EA has decided will actually sell, so they can screw it up to make more money off it.

I think the Sims is a great game, revolutionary in concept to have that open ended gameplay. Will Wright seems to have an acute insight, I'm dying to see the new Spore. The sims, both 1 + 2 have kept me captivated for nearly five years, I play many other games but always return, no other game is as addictive for me.

The extras, the modding, fixing, building, importing, creating, sharing and talking about the game on the net expand the experience in many unexpected ways. I think the game itself is fantabulous, it is so amazingly complex I wonder how it works at all - sometimes I feel that way about computers too, I'm just grateful they go at all.

Unfortunately there is one main flaw, the iteration problem, and quite a few other smaller problems. No other EP has been this bug-ridden. I remember the 1st or 2nd EP of sims 1, I was disappointed because the occasional bag of crisps got stuck on the floor.  :-\

I suspect this lowering of quality lines up with EA taking over Maxis and running the programmers into the ground in search of the mighty dollar. I'm sure Maxis is not full of happy little elves gleefully getting our xmas presents ready, programmers probably work on modules, some may never have seen the game they're coding for, testing is not done for long enough, the whole programme development lifecycle has been accelerated. I got a quote off the net once that I think is applicable:

"You can have your software;       Fast     Good     Cheap            - Pick any two."

I don't hold up much hope for a quality increase, no matter how many maxoids are employed on the publicity team.  :(

While people continue to buy them, they'll continue to try to get them out as fast as possible, if people stop buying them they'll just stop making them - they won't get the message that it's the poor quality that people are rejecting, not the product itself!  So the consumer really has no way of making their opiniions heard!

Yes, yes we do.

Plane tickets to Redwood.
Instrument of thwappage.
Large sign reading "It's the bugs, stupid!" for every executive there.
Staple gun.

Some of us can't afford plane tickets to anywhere!

There's always letter writing campaigns - write letters to the execs, write letters to gaming magazines and any news source that will publish your letter, write on online forums and blogs. Of course, that takes a lot of effort and isn't nearly as fun as taking some brainless exec by the lapels and shaking him...

But safer!

Put staples in the letters? Or some sort of live animal with teeth?

Bugs of course, lots!

I still haven't seen any answer to this, so thought I'd bump it.  Are these files just garbage pieces of these textures and objects and skins, or are they useful files?

Chris

In the course of cleaning out my downloads folder, I came to the conclusion that these are indeed useful files...annoyingly enough, when you download a lot or Sim with custom stuff, the custom stuff is given a garbage file name rather than the original file name (which probably actually made some sense). I deleted a bunch before I realized this, and now I have some houses missing wallpapers....

Jen

If you check these "garbage" files in SimPE to find out where they came from, you could download the original file, use the multiinstaller to install them to a folder, then put them where you want them and delete the "garbage file " afterwards.  That way, the walls in your houses should not disappear - at least, mine haven't.

Except that I have houses with walls and floors that have not been uploaded separately anywhere :)

Jen

That is a nuisance!  I suppose you could get the house again and reinstall it, that way those files should reappear, then instead of deleting them, if you put them in a file with a clear label so you know what they are, you don't run the risk of forgetting in the future.

Okay, well at least I feel better now.  I just downloaded CM tonight to try it, and whaddya know, it wouldn't open; got stuck, with task mgr saying "not responding."   I'm glad I decided to come here and see if anyone else had the same problem.  As others pointed out, it probably wasn't "broken," just churning through all my downloads.  I guess it's not a good idea to have a downloads folder that's almost a gig.  At least not if I want to use a Maxis tool.  <sigh> 

Anyway, I registered here mostly just to post this reply and say THANK YOU to all of you for relaying your experiences and thus allaying my fears.  :)  I've been lurking about since Pescado created this site, but I'm shy   :-[

Anyway, enough of my simpering.  Pescado, YOU ROCK!!   I don't know how I ever played the Sims2 without your hacks and particularly your FIXES.  If EA/Maxis knew what was good for them, they'd hire you as a full-time consultant!

Thanks again, everyone,
Becky

Only a mere gb of stuff in your Downloads folder?  :o

I've got over 4 GB and counting. You should see how long it takes to try to run Body Shop -- when it doesn't just crash on me before it's finished.