The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection - "FREE" limited time offer

[jrcaporal]

Ok, so basically Origin is "giving away" The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection if you own a legit copy of any Sims 2 game registered it to your account. It's a limited offer since they're actually planinng to sell it in a near future, even though the game will lose technical support on the 22nd  

This is the mail they sent to people who own the digital version of any Sims 2 game:

Dear Origin Gamer,

Your current version of The Sims 2 will lose technical support on 22 July 2014. We want you to have the most up-to-date version of The Sims 2 in your collection, so you will see a brand new addition to your Origin library: The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection!

This is the most up-to-date version of The Sims 2 and the version that is still supported by Origin. It also features a lot more content than you may already have in your current version ofThe Sims 2.

The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection will appear in your Origin library automatically. You'll need to download and install it to your computer to play it.

You're free to continue playing your existing version of The Sims 2, but please note that it is an older edition of the game that will soon lose technical support. To continue receiving support on your progress of The Sims 2 - including Sims characters, houses, etc. — you will need to transfer your save files of The Sims 2 to the Ultimate Edition. To learn more about backing up your data, please visit: http://help.ea.com/en/article/backing-up-your-sims-2-files/.

Once you've migrated your Sims' lives to The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection, you can better organize your Origin game library by hiding your previous version of The Sims 2. Click on the tile for The Sims 2 in your Game Library for the option to hide it. If you need additional directions, we've got you covered.

Thanks for your continuing passion for The Sims.

But if you're like me and bought the Disks when they came out instead of the Digital ones here's a way to get it:

• Contact EA and ask them to register any of your LEGIT Sims 2 games to your Origin account: http://help.ea.com/en/contact-us/
• After you found your game on the list select "Codes" as the topic and then type "I want to register my Sims 2 games in Origin" in the details box.
• You'll have to wait around 40-60 minutes before an Advisor talks to you, or even longer.
• Tell them you want to register your Sims 2 game in Origin.
• If you're lucky they'll add to your account the Ultimate Collection right away.
• If not then proceed to register your game and after it's done you should receive the e-mail telling you they'll add TS2 UC to your account because TS2 will lose tech support soon.

[Tia]

I actually think they said that version would be supported still. I got that email.

[wizard_merlin]

Why is this in the TS3 section?  This sounds like nothing more than a gimmick by EAxis to get those TS2 players not currently using (or needing) Origin to start using Origin.

[Cyjon]

Has anyone run hackdiff on this to see which engine it's running? Some people are saying "It's AL/M&G, duh" without checking, but I don't trust EA to be that smart and historically the combo packs have their own twisted object.packages. Plus from what I've heard there are 3-4 updates once you download, so even if it was based on M&G it might have been modified from there. I'd do it but I see no reason to touch this pile of crap since I already have all the packs.

[jrcaporal]

Has anyone run hackdiff on this to see which engine it's running? Some people are saying "It's AL/M&G, duh" without checking, but I don't trust EA to be that smart and historically the combo packs have their own twisted object.packages. Plus from what I've heard there are 3-4 updates once you download, so even if it was based on M&G it might have been modified from there. I'd do it but I see no reason to touch this pile of crap since I already have all the packs.

The exe file it uses is Sims2SP09 (M&G), but the loading screen shows it's the "Fun with Pets" Collection (which is a repack of Pets + Family Fun + Mansion & Garden).

There are 3 update files included: Sims2UPD, Sims2UPD0 & Sims2UPD16, but when you try to run them there's an error message telling you the game isn't installed. This might be because the Origin manager downloads and installs the game at the same time in its own Origin Games folder instead of the old Electronic Arts one. The odd thing is that you don't have to open Origin (or any CD/key) to play this game but SecuRom is still included.

[Tia]

Now its free to anyone that wants it.

    Because you're a passionate The Sims 2 player, we're making The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection available free of charge to download to your Origin library. To add the game, just follow these steps:

        Start by downloading and installing Origin. If you already have Origin you can skip to step 3.
        Not an Origin member? Create a free Origin Account to get in the game.
        Launch Origin and log into your Origin Account.
        From the ‘Games' tab in the Origin menu, select ‘Redeem Product Code' and enter the code
        I-LOVE-THE-SIMS

    If you're already an Origin member, you can also redeem your code online. Just visit the Origin code redemption page and log in to your Origin Account. Then enter I-LOVE-THE-SIMS in the ‘Product Code' field.

    Log into Origin and download and play the game any time you want .

    Thanks for being a passionate The Sims fan, and enjoy your copy of The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection.

    This code will available for redemption until July 31st, 2014 at 10AM PDT.

[McCrea]

On Origin, you can redeem product code I-LOVE-THE-SIMS to get The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection for free. 

This code will available for redemption until July 31st, 2014 at 10AM PDT.

http://help.ea.com/en/article/how-to-get-the-sims-2-ultimate-collection/

[unknownlUser]

You're a bit slow there, mate.

And appears to be lost. "The War Room" TS2 gameplay-related strategery, tips, facts, and data. It is not for news...

[Cat Moonshadow]

I know I might live to regret this question, but my lifespan is shrinking anyway.

I have bought most hardcover Sims 2 games, but no crappy Stuff Packs. I've played with a no cd crack since forever due to my inexperienced attempts at killing off Suckurom. I think I've done okay.

Now I've downloaded the Ultimate Collection because my greedy little heart liked getting something for free, even though it's mostly crappy Stuff Packs.

Of course, this time it's a digital download, and Securom installs on my system every time I start the game. I have gone through this tutorial: http://www.reclaimyourgame.com/showthread.php/314-quot-SecuROM-Removal-Instructions-quot-Revised

I can delete most things except the main Securom folder and something called "License information".

I launch the game through the .exe found in the EP9 / TSBin folder.

I have searched everywhere I know, but I cannot find anything that will help me run the game without installing Securom every time. I have asked my IT-educated civil engineer husband (who does not play The Sims 2 but plenty of other digitally downloaded games and apparently is not worried about spyware), and he says I should just live with it. I don't want to do so. So I ask humbly if anyone can update me on the subject? I have ARR'd plenty of things over the years, but have never played a digitally downloaded game before, so I really don't know and google won't tell me no matter what I search for.

[jrcaporal]

The thing is every time you run the Sims2EP9.exe it installs SecuRom, to avoid this we normally would need a "crack" but since this game doesn't ask for a key/CD there's virtually no demand for it.