Deleting Maxis families is a Bad Thing?

[Maygus]

Configuration:  iMac with base game, all six mac-available EPs (Uni through BV), and Aspyr combo-patch.

I installed the base game and all expansion packs in one fell swoop, did the patch, and then launched the game for the first time.  I entered Pleasantview and clicked the garbage-can icon to delete the duplicate Maxis families in the family bin (Traveler, Ottomas, etc) except for Cyd Roseland cuz I'm going to marry him off to Brandi Broke.  The Pleasantview-only families like Burbs and Oldies are still there.

After browsing this forum, I learned that deleting sims can leave debris which causes problems.  So my question is:  did I do a Bad Thing?  If so, is there a way to fix the problem given that I cannot run PC-based modding tools like SimPE?

(If this is a dumb question, feel free to point and laugh.)     

[nanacake]

Well I think it's still possible for you to use empty templates at this time:
http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,4306.0.html

I am using Mac and this works but the file paths to the main folders is different (installed to HD)
C:\Program Files\ means: Macintosh HD/The Sims 2/

Read the instructions carefully you will need to browse to when file paths are listed. You might have to enter admin password to change the files or get info > set permissions to read & write.

[pbox]

If you've only just started playing, you can simply trash your game folder - the game will generate a new one (with a new Pleasantview, etc in it) the next time you start it. If you don't want the EAxian families, townies etc, then you should install the Empty Templates before you do so.

[Maygus]

Ok, just to be safe, I deleted my "The Sims 2" folder and started over again.  All of the Maxis families are back.

nanacake, thanks for the info about using empty neighborhood templates.  After I gain more experience with the game, I'll try creating my own neighborhood and populating it from scratch.

[eccentricgnat]

If you are running Leopard 10.5. whatever...You can down load a house-sim installer, that works somewhat like clean installer.

Here is the link:

http://www.djssims.com/index.php?category=1&subcat=5

It is the one called: Mac UnPac Version 1.0.  Read the instructions on the website.

It works with Leopard, and java. I use it all the time.  It seems to load the sims and houses, I am trying to remember if it is houses or just sims, to the main hard drive.  Go to your Finder > Macintosh HD > and look for strange files with numbers and letters. The files will not be in a folder.  Just to be safe copy them to a folder to the desktop, then move that folder to your downloads folder in the Documents > EA Games > The Sims 2 > Downloads.  If you don't have such a folder make one, and make sure you capitalize the D in Downloads.  Unix is very picky about folder names, etc.  Put sims you install into a folder called SavedSims, in the (The Sims 2) folder.  Once again make sure to capitalize the letters.

Interesting you got the large update to work, from Aspyr.  It just borked my mac. It slowed it down to a crawl.  I just use the first Pets patch.  Good luck

 

[seelindarun]

You should know that MacUnpac does not clean sims that come packed with houses.  It is not safe to install sims this way, unless you are very, very sure that the creator uploaded those sims after cleaning up all their memories and relationships.

MacUnpac was meant to be used to install just the lot, and CC of your choice.  It's perfectly safe to install houses without sims.

[Maygus]

I'm running 10.5.5.

So far, I've only installed lots that I downloaded from modthesims2.com.  Those lots were new and unoccupied when they were packaged and so far, I haven't had any problems with them.  (I installed them with the package installer that comes with the game.)

Interesting you got the large update to work, from Aspyr.  It just borked my mac. It slowed it down to a crawl.  I just use the first Pets patch.  Good luck

Initially, I installed the base game and OFB only.  I played around with that configuration for several days and then installed the other EPs.  After doing so, most of the occupied lots lagged so badly that they were unplayable.  So, I uninstalled everything and did the new one-fell-swoop installation that I described in my first post.  Then I downloaded the combo patch directly from Aspyr's website (not a mirror site or third-party gaming site), and now all of my Pleasantview lots play just fine.  I haven't yet played the other neighborhoods.

[Gwill]

It is not safe to install sims this way, unless you are very, very sure that the creator uploaded those sims after cleaning up all their memories and relationships.

Just curious; have you ever seen a creator do that?

[seelindarun]

I seem to recall that cwykes asked some questions about how to do exactly this.  I'm not sure how definitive the result was, but I'd feel fine about putting in one of her families. 

Also, TSR recently started a new section for families, different from challenges.  I'm much more dubious about how clean those are, but at least the creator was aware of potential problems and made some effort to fix them.  I do agree though, I'd never install a family unless the creator explicitly said they had taken measures.  Even then, I wouldn't do it, if I had any doubts about the creator's SimPE skillz.

ETA: I seemed to recall incorrectly -- corrected the name of the MATYzen who does take measures to clean up occupied lots for download.