More Awesome Than You!

I know I am demonstrating great hubris in even posting here, given that I know nothing about programming, but I am desperate. I have a strange problem with  my TS2 game after installing Nightlife, and hope one of you can tell me what is wrong. When a Baby becomes a Toddler, the Wants panel is empty. After I play for about 20 min, some wants/fears appear, but then when they refresh, some are empty again. Once the Toddler becomes a Child, everything is okay.

This is the worst of the the weird things that are happneing since I installed NL. The others aren't as blatant but they all comibine to make it hard to achieve the goals of the game. Does anyone know what causes the empty wants panel? Would I need Sim PE to fix it?

First of all... the most glaring point about your post that stands out to me the most is your improper use of the word 'hubris (http://m-w.com/dictionary/hubris).' A better word would be humility maybe...

Anyways... ::) there were several posts about blank wants. I'd suggest using the search tool or even google to look for them. IIRC, there weren't any solid solutions. Some problems were caused by deleting sims and not cleaning things up properly, resulting in dangling SWAFs. This can be one cause. I don't remember what else could cause the problem, but I do have a vague recollection that there was more than one problem. Ultimately, this may be an impeding harbinger for a BFBVFS. Since your wants are actually rolling up, but only seem delayed, this could just be a performance issue with your machine. But if you have persistently blank wants and fears, that occur of a lengthy period of time... that is something else. Make sure that you have patched your game and do not have conflicting hacks. Hopefully your machine is up to date with drivers and such, and meets the minimum requirements for the game. Even those minimum requirements suck, and you really should be playing with twice the processing speed and video card memory. :P

Ste

Hubris seems fine to me, given that it means arrogance or over-confidence. It's not a word I would use in everyday conversation admittedly, but it appears to be used in the right context insofar as it makes sense the way I am interpreting what is being said, whereas humility wouldn't make sense.   I don't think anyone would apologise for showing humility, except maybe Uriah Heep.  Anyway, there is nothing wrong with posting when you know nothing about programming.  Those that do are here to help those who don't.  I don't know anything about it, either (well, I could program a Spectrum, but there ain't much call for that nowadays) but I post all the time.  There are those who probably wish I didn't, but that's another story ...

Do you have the Insimenator?  If so, you can try refreshing the Wants panel using the facility on the Aspiration thingy.  I have a recurring problem with these things as well (in my case, always with former townies & dormies who are now playable) and usually re-rolling them with that fixes it.  Not always, but usually.  Otherwise, it can be fixed with a reinstall of your latest expansion pack.  It certainly hasn't anything to do with specs in my case as my pc is brand-new and way over the recommended minimum.  It only started for me after installing the second OFB patch.

To Syberspunk and Ancient Sim 2 - I am a complete virgin when it comes to TS2 - I have no hacks, no mods, no custom content -- no nothing but what Maxis gave us, so those would not be the cause of the problem. I've been having weird things happen ever since I installed TS2, so I guess this is just an elevation to the next level of weirdness. I did do a search on empty wants panels, but nothing came up. I guess I used the wrong search terms. I'lll try some different search terms and see what pops up.

I got my computer about 4 months ago and it should be able to handl e games, but maybe I should check to see if I can upgrade it. Maybe that explains the weird things that have happened, besides this wants issue. Maybe a reinstall is what's needed.

Thanks for responding. You've both given me some ideas about what could be causing the problem.

Some of the weird things in your game will also be fixed by installing some hacks. Search here for any critical or important fixes. Avoiding any and all hacks will cause you many more problems than installing some selectively and carefully. Good luck!

You mentioned the problems began after installing NL.  I am curious, do you have Uni as well, or just base+NL?

I think it's because it's a Maxis-only game that you're experiencing bugs.  The game is bugged right out of the box, and even the patches don't fix all of the bugs, and in some cases even introduce new ones!

Downloading the critical and important fixes are not really hacks, but rather patches that Maxis hasn't made yet (you'll see this to be true if you compare Pescado's old hack list to the NL/OFB patches).

To Neriana and BlueSoup - I didn't realize that hacks would help! I'm such a novice that I thought I was safer if I didn't download anything but EA/Maxis stuff. This is interesting!

To rainbow, I do have Uni also. I didn't experience anything odd after I installed that. The odd things that happened when I first installed TS2 stopped after I quit without saving and removed some furniture that I think was causing the problem. After that, there were no more crises.  Now that I think of it, one weird thing did happen after I installed Uni, but nothing like what's been happening now. More than you asked, but that's the answer.

You're also perfectly safe installing things like clothing, hair, object recolors, etc. They'll slow down the time it takes for your game to load, and if you have a lot of very large (file-size) objects on a lot, they'll slow that down too, but they won't cause any other problems if they're made correctly.

If you do find a hack or object that causes problems, it's also very simple to just remove it. It can be time-consuming to track down the offender, though. Don't be afraid to try custom content and hacks that are supported (especially those from this site) in your game. They do improve the game immensely, and I personally would not still be playing without them :).

minonda - if you do wish to install Pescado hacks/critical fixes which is HIGHLY recommended you can get the very latest versions for NL here http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/ffs/nl/hacks/ - don't forget to read the RTFM.

At the very least, I think you should get the following.  As stated by BlueSoup these are mostly fixes and not hacks (i.e. the kinds of things that maxis ought to release in a patch to get the game working properly)

badbirthfix
bdaypartywantfix
captainhero
carpoolfix
cellphonefix
computerchatfix
crumplefix
deathfix
dormbillfix
dramafix
finalfix-nlp2
fratfix
gradpartymemfix
handheldfix
housepartyfix
moveoutbugfix
nocorruptdeath
nounlinkondelete
pianofix
romanceurnstonefix
ssfriendcountfix
vampirefixes
weddingpartyfix

Thanks. I will install the Pescado hacks. Last night I uninstalled and reinstalled everything -- TS2, Uni, and NL. When I installed NL the first time  I realized that I had neglected, when installing the first 2, to turn off all the programs that they say you should turn off before running the game, and decided that maybe that was the reason for all the things that had gone wrong since I started playing.

I am now starting with a blank slate, so maybe things will go better. I realize, after seeing the responses to my post, that the game itself is full of bugs, but at least I know I installed it right and can take the suggestions made here to keep crazy things from happening.

Hrmm.... I'm not so sure about that, about how you are interpreting her statement 'within the context' of her post.


How is 'posting here' demonstrating her 'arrogance and over-confidence' as you put it? The way that I interpret the word, and the context within, is that it would be more arrogant of her to NOT post and NOT ask for help. The fact that she is asking for help, to me, seems like she is demonstrating humility, which is the closest word that resembles hubris, but sort of means the opposite. *shrugs*

Now I could be totally off base and misinterpreting things, as I am wont to do, and quite often. :D But I just really like the word hubris, and think that everyone should know how to use it properly. We all learn it when reading the Odyssey, but it's a shame, and I can easily how it happens, when the use of it is obfuscated.

If anyone here demonstrates hubris, it would most likely be a certain Fat Obsterperous Jerk ;) The thing about demonstrating hubris is... that you generally don't realize you are doing it, or in the very least, you certainly don't care that you are, and most likely wouldn't admit to doing so. That is sort of inherently part of the definition. :P


There is totally nothing wrong with posting questions or problems, who ever said you needed to know how to program to play the game or use hacks? That's just silly. This is just a general comment, not directed to anyone specifically. Despite the sardonic, cynical tone that this forum and it's membership generally seem to assume, I don't think anyone here has the hubris ;) to derisively mock people for their lack of programming or computer-related knowledge... well... at least not openly. And if they do so openly, surely it's in jest. Well... except maybe for a certain Fat Obstreperous Jerk. :P

And are you kidding about the 'probably [wishing you] didn't ... post all the time' bit?

ETA: I'm an idiot. I was reading more than one thread at a time and I confused something I read from ZZ with AS. :P It's too early for me to be awake.

Regardless... Ancient Sim is also a staple.

/me staples Ancient Sim to the forums.

There! See! You're a staple! ;D

/me takes the staple gun to his head as well. ::)

xoxo

Ste

Hehe. And yes, I am a total hypocrite for going off-topic, but I don't care. Nyah! :P

What does ZZ have to do with Ancient Sim, anyway? Or this thread, for that matter? Didn't ZZ storm off in a huff over something awhile back?

I think Ste is a bit confused.  :D

Yes, I Was confused! This is why I shouldn't be awake at this time of the day and why I really shouldn't read multiple threads at once.  ;D

/me crawls back into bed and pulls the cover over his head hoping to suffocate.

Ste

PS. I really must be losin it. Cuz just yesterday, I 'pulled a ness' and now I'm going totally senile. ::)

Translation for the translator:  Before minonda posted her question, she didn't know she would be welcome here.  She was afraid she would be viewed as a newbie butting into the big kids' clubhouse.  That is the sense in which she thought she was being arrogant, by posting her question here as opposed to some less Awesome site.   

Anyone who can post using real words and not netspeak or some other, is totally fine by me.  ;D

I think Syberspunk has been hitting the bubble blower a bit too much today.  ;D

Thanks, gjam, you understand how I felt when I posted. I've been reading the posts here for about a week and came to the conclusion that everyone here is a programmer and that I would be scoffed at for having the temerity to ask a question. Like a little kid coming to the table where all the grownups are talking.

Thank you too, BlueSoup. This place is such a vast improvement over the Sims2 message board, even though I don't know a quarter of what anybody's talking about.

Can someone telll me where to find the RTFM? I did a search but didn't find where it is.

Also, back to my issue about the blank wants panel, I neglected to note that I had six panes, not four. After finding the other posts about this issue, I saw that other people had six panes too. I forgot already what the significance of that is, but I thought I'd mention it.

If you go to the directory, you'll find the individual hacks for your game and the RTFM's will be included in each zip.

www.moreawesomethanyou.com/ffs

Ahhh... now see... I was clearly demonstrating hubris because I was unable to see it from that angle. Thanks for that!

/me mashes the Thank you button! *baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa*


Hey... I was out late last night watching Superman in 3D, which made my eyes and head hurt. I didn't get home until like 2ish and I didn't get to bed until like 4ish or quite possibly later. Yeah... that's the ticket... see... yeah... that's my story and I'm stickin with it... nyah... :P


Ahh... well I can understand where you could get that perception from. Everyone here (well everyone else except me :P) is quite intelligent and seem to know a lot more about computers than your average Sims 2 player. That's why I really love this place, because even as a programmer myself, I don't know jack shit about hardware (I absolutely hate hardware!!!) I can always pose my own questions, and all I have to fear is being pointed and laughed at. Which really ain't no big thing if you think about it, you just kinda have to develop that tough skin when it comes to postin in these parts. See above as an iconic example. :P


Yeah, this totally is a much more awesome board than everyone else. ;) More awesome than me, that's for sure. But I'm not afraid to be arrogant and post every frickin single day, and poke my nose into everyone's business and throw about my weight as if to portend that I actually know something. That's the other thing, it's all smoke and mirrors with some people. Just play along.

Oh... and there's an RTFM? Like for the boards you mean? Like overall? Hrm... I don't remember reading that anywhere. In some boards, there may be a stick at top, and on the main page of the forum, each board does have a little mini description. I'm not sure if that's what you meant? I know twojeffs and crammyboy have RTFMs for their hack sections... I don't remember if Pescado has one now. He probably had one, but it may have been eaten by the boards a long time ago or during Hurricaine Josh, and was never really put back. There is a list of hack descriptions... but I don't think that's what you mean either. *shrugs*


Hrm... I wish I could help. Maybe one the gameplaying experts whose had experience with this will come forward and drop some knowledge on this. Personally, I don't know jack about the real game because I hardly ever actually really play it? lol. ;D

Ste

I'm no programmer.  I ask lots of questions.  That's how I've learned what I know, plus stuff I've learned through experience and spending WAY too much time playing the game.  :P  And I don't mind passing along what I've learned.  I think the way questions are asked make a difference too, and from your posts, you sound like an intelligent person.  JM comes across as arrogant at times (well, maybe ALL the time) but he doesn't mind answering questions.  That goes for TwoJeffs too, minus the snob part.  I think most people here are willing to help for the most part, they just expect people to be able to do some things for themselves.

As for the RTFM, it depends on which one you want?

When I first started hanging out on this forum, it was in RL (back when it didn't suck), and I was scared to death to post in Podium.  It wasn't until after Pescado started harassing me that I felt comfortable pressured enough to post in the Podium.  And I am definitely not a programmer, or a creator of anything, really.  I just play the game and mostly remember what other people say.

I was asking for the RTFM because someone suggested that I read it, so I thought it was just one big document that covered everything. I see now that it's different for each hack, so there are a lot of them. I don't even know what it stands for, except maybe Read the Fucking Manual? (Guessing).

Yep that's what it is and that's what it stands for.

You can't tell... but I'm doing the 'pointing to my nose/tapping my nose with my finger i.e. right on the money' gesture. :P

Ste

Ah, now, see...I've been here for a while and just now, just then, I learned what RTFM stood for.

But then again, I definately am not teh awesome.

Has nothing to do with awesomeness -- RTFM has been around forever.  I remember hearing it back in the mid-80's, and I'm pretty sure it goes back before that. May even be a WW II think, like SNAFU and FUBAR.

Oooh, I knew FUBAR!  :D

I so proud.

Whew!  Glad I read you right. 

But I recognized the feeling--that's how I was at first.  (I still don't post much, but that's because I usually can't think of anything useful to say, or else someone has beat me to it.)