2nd user account, separate game?

[pentabet]

I have seen this option suggested on several forums as a way to test an error in a clean game.  But I haven't found much information about using a second user account on my 'puter as a valid second setup.
For example, if I want to create a neighborhood with certain hacks that I don't want shared between it and another neighborhood in my current game, could I create the second neighborhood in a clean game on another account, keeping all hacks etc. separate from the original?  Will it work properly, without overlapping?

[vecki]

Used to work ok for me when I used multiple accounts on XP.  That way could have a 'kid friendly' game, where the kid could make a bajillion families, dress them up, throw them in to a lot and watch them die because she didn't know what she was doing (and god forbid I try to help - 'I R PLAYING - YOU GO WAY'), and then have a naughty, hack filled game for myself.

[Zazazu]

For example, if I want to create a neighborhood with certain hacks that I don't want shared between it and another neighborhood in my current game, could I create the second neighborhood in a clean game on another account, keeping all hacks etc. separate from the original?  Will it work properly, without overlapping?

Yes. Anything in your "My Documents" folder isn't shared between accounts. When you create a new account, the MyDocuments/blahblah folder will be blank. No hacky-poos.

[Gastfyr]

huh.  I didn't know that.  This could be useful information.   

[pentabet]

Thank you all very much.  This is great news.  Now I can have my medieval Transymvania without seeing all my modern stuff in there getting in the way. 

[My intention is to get about a third of the desired population set as vamps, a third as werewolves, and the last third will be helpless humans.  Muahahahahaha...]

[witch]

Crikey, you don't need to create extra accounts. Just have a bunch of sims 2 folders - I rename mine according to what I want to play.

[vecki]

When I had the second XP account, it was mainly because trying to load TS2 in the admin account took a good 20 minutes just to get to the neighbourhood screen.  The second account literally took 7 minutes to get from putting the disk in to getting into a lot, despite all of the CC I had.

[Inge]

It's much easier setting up the 2nd account than moving huge Downloads folders about all over the place

[Dea]

You don't have to move anything just rename the EA Games folder to EA Games-XX or something and start the game, a new folder will be created.

[Inge]

Great, and then when you want to play your usual game again you have to rename the new folder to something else, name the old folder back to the original and so forth.  It's still far more clicks and typing and errorprone than simply logging into your other account and clicking the game shortcut.

[witch]

Yeah, but XP creates so much shit associated with each new user account, I prefer to avoid that. Plus then you're going back and forth from account to account loading hacks - like the hack fixes for bugs. Far easier to do it all in the same EA folder - and quicker.

If you don't decide to have synched download folders, it only takes a moment to drag the folder. The files don't actually move if they're on the same physical HDD, just the pointers to them. Although the point was to have different content for the two games.

If you're scared of forgetting to change the name of the sims 2 folder before playing, just create a game icon that runs a batch file, that way the offspring won't inadvertently load the wrong game.

[Inge]

For the children sharing your computer situation there are a lot more compelling reasons to make them their own accounts than the possibility of seeing a Crammyboy!  Stuff like getting your files wiped out during a tantrum.

[witch]

True. I've never had a child near my computer, thank gawd.

[Zazazu]

For me, having a 2nd account is much easier. The second account has a basic background and no program icons on the desktop. This reminds me, mentally, that this account is my hackless testing/lot cleaning account. I don't have to worry about updating hacks because I don't have any hacks on it.

[rhodaloo]

My college age daughter has her game on another account on my computer.  She knows that having the Sims on her computer at school will too distracting.  Periodically I drop the most recently updated mods into her files.

[BattyCoda]

I prefer to avoid that. Plus then you're going back and forth from account to account loading hacks - like the hack fixes for bugs. Far easier to do it all in the same EA folder - and quicker.
 

Actually, if you're on an admin account, you can copy stuff into all user account documents folders from your admin account.
So, when you update your main, you can also update all other accounts; no going back and forth.

[pentabet]

I think I prefer the idea of a second user account, but I'll go through my admin account and hand a few files over that I know I want to share.  Like most of my no(annoyingbehaviorinsertedhere) stuff.