More Awesome Than You!

My brother is just starting the Sims.  He's going to play the basic game a while before adding any expansion packs.

He has the official patch.  What hacks do you consider must-haves for the basic game?  I remember there were a lot of problems at the start, but can't remember how many were fixed by the patch.  Or what new problems were created by the patch.

Well, I would recommend all the hacks on this list (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/ffs/old/hacks/), but especially the Pay at Box and Phone Hack.

That list isn't quite comprehensive, it's only a partial list of stuff. You may also want to rummage the Uni directory, many of those hacks are actually from the original game and simply didn't have a new version. Check the RTFMs for details. But frankly, I'd install all the expansions at once: The expansions tend to add elements to the game that cannot be easily retroactively backported to existing sims, particularly Uni, and it's really best to experience things as a whole rather than piecemeal.

The Encouragificator uses a tri-level tree. Non-expansion TS2 does not support tri-level trees, so the final level of the tree probably isn't displaying. A workaround has now been added.

I had base game only for a long time. The critical problem no-one has mentioned is accidental portal deletion, with base game only you really need Crammyboys portal monitor and fix from MTS2.  A deleted portal is a disaster.  Avoiding corrupt deaths and death memories is important - I had nocorruptdeath in my game and don't see it on the list.  Also carpoolfix.   

When playing base game only, avoid remote controlled cars and NEVER save after you have invited the headmaster.  Otherwise your brother will be OK with base game only for a while - it doesn't have too many critical problems - Uni was a lot buggier.   

When I used the encouragificator, you didn't get a choice of what to encourage (no 3rd level) - I found Dad encouraging his daughter to be nasty and took it out of my game.    I was never quite sure the pay at box hack worked right in my game either - if there were 2 sets of bills in the mailbox, I sometimes had the repoman coming after I'd paid bills in the box.  I figured it was a Uni hack and I had base game only, but it could have been a cwykes problem.....  The coffeecup hack was my absolute favourite hack - I'd add that to the list.

First, do you have anywhere for the Sims to go - are there any community lots in the neighbourhood?  I made this mistake once before lol.

I personally suggest doing some "throwaway" gameplay in just the base game or base game + Uni to learn, especially if you never played Sims 1, then start over from scratch when you install NL and OFB. That'll save you any EP-adding headaches until the fall. ;)

Thanks for all the help.  It's been so long, I knew I had forgotten a lot. 

I want to be sure to get all the good / vital hacks, and also appreciate the tips.  It's amazing after all the problems that I could forget about the remote control car trouble.

There is a reason, by the way, he's going to play the base game, then add slowly.  He loved the original game, but got bored with it pretty quickly.  We think this will make it more interesting.

Of course, if Caesar IV is any good, we may both be abandoning the sims for a while!  That's not due until fall, though, which probably means more like Christmas.