Transferring neighborhood to a different computer?

[elle.jae]

True to form, the things I think will be very simple always end up taking a lot of time to figure out.

Before I got Pets, I restarted Pleasantview. My old neighborhood had gotten a little out of control population-wise because I married in too many townies. So I took out the old Pleasantview, and a new clean one generated. I've been playing that one for awhile, but I've been thinking about some of the sims in my old neighborhood. I mostly just want to see how some of the kids turned out, since I was just getting into generation 3. The problem is that I installed Pets after I took out the old neighborhood, so it won't work.

BUT I thought I had figured out a way around it. My fiance's computer can run the game really well, too, so I thought I'd just install everything up to Pets, put in the old neighborhood, and then install Pets to update the old neighborhood. It seemed so very simple. So I copied my neighborhood folder (renamed N004) and my downloads folder, installed the game and EPs, and put my stuff in. But it doesn't work.

First it was crashing during the loading screen. I took out the downloads folder, and that fixed it. But now neither my neighborhood or the new Pleasantview are showing up - only Strangetown and Veronaville. Am I leaving something out? Or is this not as simple as I thought it would be? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Venusy]

Did you rename EVERYTHING to N004, or just the folder? Because it doesn't work if only the folder is renamed.

[elle.jae]

Ah. No, I didn't. What all has to be renamed?

[elle.jae]

Oh. Ha. I think I've got it. I wasn't even thinking of all of those other files. *smack forehead*

[miros]

Every single file inside the N001 folder has to be renamed to N004.

[Sleepycat]

your old neighborhood would have been 'updated' for Pets once you loaded it in-game.


alot of people (like JM) actually remove their neighborhoods before installing new EPs and then place them back in afterwards.

[witch]

your old neighborhood would have been 'updated' for Pets once you loaded it in-game.
alot of people (like JM) actually remove their neighborhoods before installing new EPs and then place them back in afterwards.

I usually make a clean Sims 2 folder by renaming the old one, then I get a clean install of an EP and can add my stuff back into the new folder or just rename the old folder.

[LynnMar]

alot of people (like JM) actually remove their neighborhoods before installing new EPs and then place them back in afterwards

that is the way I always do it but this time something went terriblly wrong.  I don't know if it was my old neigborhood or pets.  But it must have been pets because I had no problem with the neighborhood before.

My problem is in University.  I cannot delete any of the pre-made uni dorms that are in the lots and houses bin.  when I click on them the garbage bin is greyed out.   Has anyone else experienced this problem?   I know it is not a critical problem but it bugs the heck out of me.   

[RainbowTigress]

I've copied neighborhoods to my other computer running the same EPs and they work fine.  The only problem I can think of is if you have different hacks, the sims might get reset, and if you are missing hair meshes, your sims using those will be bald and you won't be able to change their hair unless you put in that mesh. 

You do have to rename all the files in the subfolder as Venusy mentioned if you are putting it in a different Nhood slot, but you can use wildcards to make it easier.  I do it in DOS but you might have a file management program to help with this task.

[angelyne]

Have you tried deleting the two .cache file in C:\Documents and Settings\owner\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2 ?

[AuKestrel]

I've copied neighborhoods to my other computer running the same EPs and they work fine.  The only problem I can think of is if you have different hacks, the sims might get reset, and if you are missing hair meshes, your sims using those will be bald and you won't be able to change their hair unless you put in that mesh. 

You do have to rename all the files in the subfolder as Venusy mentioned if you are putting it in a different Nhood slot, but you can use wildcards to make it easier.  I do it in DOS but you might have a file management program to help with this task.

So... bear with me here. Theoretically is it possible, if you've never used/visited the Downtown in one custom neighbourhood, to overwrite it with the Downtown file(s) from another custom neighbourhood? I don't think it's that simple, since the character files are going to be different (name and number wise) but it's an intriguing theory.

[RainbowTigress]

No, I don't think that would work or be a good idea.  All the character files for Downtown and other subhoods are contained in the main neighborhood.package file.  I was only talking about moving the entire neighborhood folder from one PC to another, with all subhoods and character files intact.

[AuKestrel]

No, I don't think that would work or be a good idea.  All the character files for Downtown and other subhoods are contained in the main neighborhood.package file.  I was only talking about moving the entire neighborhood folder from one PC to another, with all subhoods and character files intact.

The more I thought about it the more I realised that was simply not logical, given what I know (very little, indeed) of the main neighbourhood structure. I'm going to back up my neighbourhood and try importing a family (sans house) and see how it goes. Otherwise I might try this cloning idea. This is what I get for thinking I could play Sims on vacation instead of toughing it out and waiting to get back to my main computer!