Apologies, but after much searching, I still cannot find the answer to my question(s). I haven't played in some time and know there is an answer to this but cannot remember.

1) On re-entering University, I have a sim who appears normal in every way, but when he selects anything for an action, his select menu floating head is shrouded in shadow. If I go to change his appearance or regenerate his portraiture, that too appears shadowed (and if I confirm, then even his icon down in the control panel becomes shadowed. How can I restore his normal appearance?

2) Possibly related? His grade/semester bar is reading as if he has fulfilled none of his skill point requirements, but has maxed out the lowest level available (the bubble has three partitions, and the lowest one is completely full). However, instead he has all the skills needed but has not yet gone to class (so his bubble should be empty and with no partitions). He is a starting freshman, if that makes any difference.

I feel like there's something I'm supposed to do to "reset" him, but I cannot remember what. The tombstone of L and D? Something in the Casual Romance adjuster? The FFS debugger? Ugh, I can't believe how rusty I am at troubleshooting all this. Any kick that points me in the right direction is much appreciated. Thank you!

I run Uni, Downtown, Pets, and Seasons only. I have only recommended MATY and 2Jeffs mods.

Okay, that seems logical, but I thought I should check before making an ass of you and me. Well, just me maybe.

In searching around, I saw a similar topic to this, but it didn't answer my question and in any case was far enough back that to post there would be to practice necromancy.

So, is there a way to limit the number of unplayables who show up on comm lots? My game seems to think that my downtown lots can handle twelve sims, not including on-lot service sims. While complimentary, this is not actually true, and shortly the lot begins to lag pretty heavily...still playable, but annoying. I see threads on how to increase the number of sims on a comm lot, but how do I reduce the number...universally, if possible? Thanks in advance!

My update as promised: all is running swimmingly and I seem to have no problems with either hacks or the giant Aspyr patch. I am running a PowerMac, though, and not an Intel. There seem to be reports of the giant patch not working as well for Intel models. Be warned!

Ha! Since I'm starting from scratch, I'll be happy to be a guinea pig for this patch. The EPs all arrived today, so give me a week and I'll let you know how it goes...

seelindarum,

Thanks for your help. I noticed that once I had started up the game once (to create my own neighborhood in prep for my new take on the game), a "Download" folder was automatically generated. "Duh" to me for not thinking of that...
In other news, it looks like there is a patch at Aspyr for Seasons, so I picked up the combined patch there.

notveryawesome,

I hear you about OfB. I definitely looked into it hard, but ultimately it just doesn't interest me. I totally see why it's perfect for other players, but I have no interest at all in expanding the amount worklife is a factor in the game. In fact the idea of having my sims run their own businesses honestly sends shudders down my spine. Definite anti-fun for me. I would pick up the expansion anyway if it expanded other aspects of the game...but it doesn't in any significant way.

Oddly, I think my view is the opposite of yours: I really love how jobs work in the core game. In fact, my primary criteria for buying a new EP is "does it have new jobs?". That's why Pets and Seasons are on my list (don't care that much about the subject but - woo! - they have new jobs) and BV isn't ("vacations? kind of interesting...no new jobs? later, skater.").
Odd, no?

So, I played TS2 on a PC from the beginning up until about when Pets came out. At that time - due to a hideous breakup - I lost access to the game and stopped keeping up on things. Now, it's Christmas, and I just got a copy of TS2 for Mac from my dad (I forgot that it was on my Amazon wish list). I take this as a sign...so here I am, getting back in the game. Starting over, really.

...only I know how critical it is to get things set up properly with this game so as to avoid aggravation or even a BFBVFS. So, can anyone please answer a few questions I have? I used to know what I was doing, and I've already answered many of my questions by poking around and downloading things. But I still have a few things I'd love answered. Please be warned that some of them are stupid! Thanks in advance!

I'll lead off with the stupidest question: on my Mac, where do I put any downloaded hacks or mods? There is no "download" folder...do I just create one? If so, in which directory? I know this is answered somewhere but for the life of me, I can't find the answer. Sorry!

Did SimPE ever come out for Mac? outside of running it on BootCamp, that is...

Is the Armory full of obsolete hacks, or is there useful stuff in there for those running, say, Seasons? I've downloaded a ton of useful things already, but it's nagging at me that I might be missing some still from the old days. Maybe the older ones are no longer necessary or incorporated in Firing Range hacks?

I'm intending to get Uni, NL, Pets, and Seasons, but not OfB or BV or any Stuff packages. Are there any problems anyone can see with this config? Are any of the newer EPs so FUBARed that I shouldn't bother?

Again, thanks so much. It's going to be fun to be back...now please go ahead and shower me with abuse.

By downloads, do you mean custom content or does that include hacks as well? I assume just CC.
For the MacFAQ, that could definitely be seen as a disadvantage.
(For me, I only use hacks and don't care about CC. However, I definitely don't want a limit to how many hacks I can use.)

Does anyone know a way around this? This seems like there would be an easy fix.

Thank you all SO much for all of the great information so far! Some of it I had seen elsewhere, but it's incredibly useful to have it in one place (I think so, at any rate).

It does indeed sound like my slightly older iMac G5 will have no trouble whatsoever, so I might make that expensive switch soon.

Just one thing to keep in mind as we continue:

The idea here is to try to compile as much pertinent Mac TS2 info as possible into one thread. Therefore, please try not to get into a Mac vs. PC war here; I believe there may be one or two other threads somewhere on the internet where people fight over this issue. 
Take it somewhere else, please, so that it doesn't clutter things up in this specific thread. (I mean that with all kindness)

I notice there is an increase in Mac posts on this site; here and elsewhere, it seems like the trend is moving more and more towards Mac gaming. This pleases me. Therefore, I would love to try to compile some basic and not-so-basic information in one place. Perhaps this thread? For my own part, I am a longtime Mac and PC user and am comfortable with either. I was impatient when TS2 came out and got it for my wife's PC. Now, I'm on the verge of getting Pets and wonder if I shouldn't just get the whole set again for Mac. I have one of my extremely rare disposable income moments right now, but even so, that's some money regardless.

So...

1) What are the general disadvantages of running the game on a Mac?
My understanding is that one cannot edit custom content. Also, SimPE will not work. However, if you partition your drive and install Windows, then you can do all of this on the PC side. Is this correct?

Also, are there Mac-specific bugs? Do all Awesome hacks work?
Are patches compatible?

2) What are the general advantages?
Do graphics run more smoothly?
Are load times faster?
Are some bugs avoided or hacks unneccesary?

3) What specs will allow the game to run with full detail and movies?
The minimum specs are easily available from Aspyr. However, what are the minimum specs for the full graphics?
For example, I use a 2GHz G5 iMac PowerPC with 1.5GB RAM. I use the standard built-in ATI Radeon 9600 graphics card with 128 MB VRAM. If I switch, will I finally see fingers? not to mention movies?

4) Are there any miscellaneous specific issues that someone getting this game for Mac should know?


Thanks for any responses both to these questions in general and mine specifically!

Please note the syntax:
J.M. did not say "all religious beliefs are wonky". He simply stated that some wonky religious beliefs exist, 'kay?
Nevertheless, if you are already offended, I strongly suggest you not ask him for further clarification...

Mmmm...jerky.

*Homer Simpson drooling sound*

Playing simmies is very good. Fighting over simmies is totally Jelenedra.

Actually, I did think your response was funny. I also thought it was kind of jerky and had way too much potential to completely derail the discussion. I thought a similarly jerky (but funny!) response was appropriate. Sorry if you thought it was too much.

I generally don't mind writing things down while playing games, but keeping an active file on my desk seems a bit much, you know? Sims2DB sounds like a good solution, though.

Will do. That's an easy fix to remember.

As for Ivy's help, I can use that same helpful notebook to play every aspect of The Sims 2. I don't even need a computer! Wow!
You know what? We can even play the game outside! Together! Quick, you go first, and I'll be right there! No, really. I'm right behind you.

These are two totally separate questions, but I suspect that the first is easily answered, so I combine them here to save space. Yes, I know that the internet has plenty of space...

I run TS2, Uni, and NL with all patches.

1) When sims move in together after college, if I have them put their diplomas up on the wall, they always clone the first one to go up. i.e. Sally and Sorkie Sim move in together. I put both diplomas up, but thereafter they both read as Sally's diploma no matter what. Sorkie's diploma is gone for all time. I seem to remember there is a fix for this, right?

2) On the other hand, I'm pretty sure this second feature does not exist. I would love a tool that can bring up a quick list of everyone a currently-controlled sim has ever woohooed. When I'm pushing my Romance Sims up to 20 woohoos and beyond, it's a horrendous pain to cycle back through a lifetime of memories just so I can see whom they've already banged! Would this hack be of interest to anyone else?

Speaking of ugly...

http://gofugyourself.typepad.com/go_fug_yourself/2006/03/oscar_fug_parti_1.html

That almost exactly echoes my normal headmaster strategy. The problem was that he didn't give any points for the food (lobster thermidor!) and then got seriously buggy after that. I did use the "Entertain - call for dinner" option rather than just serve the food, but he didn't seem to care. Also, I didn't save after calling him, since I know that messes things up.

It's not like I haven't had trouble with the headmaster before; in fact, despite any precautions I take it usually seems to be about a 50/50 chance of the scenario veering off into madness like this. I just had to complain because I had already had a buggy experience earlier in another lot. Bleh...and not in a good way.

Thanks for the sympathies, all!

You know, thanks to hacks and a well-oiled computer I usually run a trouble-free game, but I just need to bitch about my Sims 2 experience today, especially since I was home from work and wasted much of the day on this.

I play one lot for a while...okay, a long while (36 sim hours). Many things happen: children are born, elders frolic, maids clean up newspapers, and adults stomp their feet and cry when they can't go up the stairs. All typical. I watch the lot progress for a moment while I take a sip of coffee. In mid-sip a warning pops up. "Warning: all portals on this lot have been deleted. Exit the lot without saving!" That's when I realize that I hadn't saved the lot since playing...at all. Yes, I'm an idiot: why do you ask?

After the rage fades, I start the game again and go to another lot. Here we have a fresh-faced young lad who wants to get into private school. Being no fool (this time), I save the game at 4:30 and call the headmaster.
The headmaster shows up, looks at two rooms and then ends the tour early. Okay, no problem, I'll wow him with my lobster thermidor. The headmaster eats one plate...no food points. Then he gets on the swings and becomes un-"shoo"-" or "call over"-able. THEN he gets in the hot tub and becomes completely unselectable. Finally, with 30 seconds to go, he gets out of the hot tub and downs two more plates of lobster thermidor, gives no food points still and rejects the child. Needless to say, I exited without saving.

Ugh. It's a good thing I like boardgames.

What about my lips?

How can you tell if the concert stage is level?
The violist is drooling out of BOTH sides of his mouth.


A man walks into a club and sees a beautiful woman in a black concert dress at the bar. "Of course", he thinks to himself, "this place is across the street from the city symphony hall." Figuring he has the perfect line, he sits down next to her and says, "Excuse me, I see you just came from the symphony. I know a great viola joke!" The woman glares at him and responds in an icy voice, "I AM a violist."
"Oh...okay, that's fine," the man replies, "I'll tell it VERY...SLOWLY..."

Thanks, gjam and renatus. The extra space is probably the issue. If the pre-made houses were cheated, that would explain why I can never delete the stairs then put them back in the exact same place. I've certainly made the roof mistake before, but not all the time. Since I had no idea modular stairs take more space, that's probably the culprit.

Thanks! *breathes sigh of relief*

I have an even dumber problem, and if anyone can enlighten me, I'd appreciate it.

I can never, ever get modular stairs to show up as a "regular" staircase. That is, I can get modular stairs to connect, say, a porch with the ground, but I cannot get a legitimate (green) modular staircase to connect two floors of a house. The most common problem is in a pre-made house I will have to delete the pre-existing modular stairs for some reason. Fine. When I go back to replace the stairs I cannot get a modular staircase to be anything other than red even if I place them exactly where the old staircase was! In every case, I've had to replace the modular stairs with a full staircase.

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong? If someone could stand it, I'd love a painstaking rundown of how to do it. ("There should be exactly x squares open on the floor, the cursor commanding the stairs should be placed on the upper floor, etc.) If no one wants to bother, I totally understand.

Thanks, J.M. I tried that over the last few days in multiple lots with sims who have 100/100 relationships. No bites. If I isolate way, way away from anything distracting, the Count keeps initiating a pillow fight or the sim keeps congratulating him on graduating college...over and over and over again! What's up with that?

I think I might be ready to give up on trying to have it happen autonomously. It's not that big a deal for me, but given my ludicrous track record with random events never happening in my game, I probably need to influence to make it happen. bleh!

I mainly want it to happen to see it, but it also seems like a good way to clear out some deadwood. Boring sim gets bitten, has fun for a few days, "accidentally" goes out into the sun...

I DO have the vampire fixes hack. Is it safe to remove it? I thought it was important (can't remember its importance rating off-hand). If that IS causing the no biting and is safe to remove, I'll try it. Otherwise, influence will actually come in useful for once!

EDIT: I checked. It's Critical and prevents NPCs and townies from being autonomously bitten. No word on played sims, but I'd suspect that's the cause.

He does have the option. I heard that the biting "epidemic" won't start if you influence a bite. You have to wait for an autonomous bite. I don't mind waiting, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting my time with the YA sims and adult vampires. I have several sims with "best friend" relationships so I figure ONE of them has to be autonomously bitten, right?? (says the simmer with one alien abduction (even with 2J's increased chances mod), one set of twins, and one accidental pregnancy (with 2J's casual woohoo pregnancy set to 10% in every lot))