Life hack for The Sims 2! (credit to crosimmer on twitter!)
Hi! Iâm BoltCore and welcome to my blog! So i was scrolling on twitter and then saw a post by crosimmer saying that you can skip the selecting main menu for the sims 2! So with this your game will just load the hood you want or the lot you want! I think this was introduced for testing purposes and also for showing the demo version of the game at E3 or such!Â
To âtellâ the game to skip the menu and instantly load the hood you wish you just need the gameâs shortcut! Then Right-click on the shortcut and go to the target line! Should look like this:
At the target line,press spacebar once and type: (with the â-â)
Then click apply and you can close the window then open the shortcut to see the results! :D
(note that this dosent work with subhoods,only main hoods!)
But thatâs not all! You can also load a specific lot! to do that you have to specify the lot adress! For example,to load the goth family you have to type:
-load:âN001;165 Sim Laneâ and yes in a lot case you need to put the quotes before the hood s name and after the lotâs name!!!
You can also load CAS (Create-a-Sim) too!,for pleasantview type load:âN001;CAS!â ,the same rule applies!
Again crosimmer is a legend in the sims community <3 xoxo
Anyways i hope you find this quite helpful ! if you have questions please ask!
Follow crossimmer on twitter:Â https://twitter.com/Crosimmer
Follow me on twitter:https://twitter.com/LucasTheGAMER3
Link to thread:https://twitter.com/Crosimmer/status/1394601339129368577
If you want to learn modding, I highly recommend Williamâs tutorials đ He has a nice and clear style of explaining things, a pleasure to watch.
Videos are packed full of useful info bits, will answer many questions about reading BHAVs and help you grasp the general structure of object coding. These two are more broad, there are other tutorials that cover more specific topics as well.Â
On a side note, @picknmixsims hearing you say that youâre bad at labeling your code cracked me up. Sooo relatable! Iâve become too lazy to label variables and params. I do constants, since they are pretty useless otherwise. Attributes to keep sane. But to go and create labels for BHAVs, nah. I feel so much better all of a sudden đ
I've always hated how the camera jumps up and down when playing tall and slim buildings. Turns out, it's really easy to fix! Itâll take you less than a minute. All the details under the cut.
All it takes is opening the LiveCamera.txt file in your Documents>Cameras folder with a text editor and changing these two parameters near the bottom to a higher value. Doesnât matter if you're using a custom camera mod or not. Those parameters should be there. I have set mine like this (remember to save a backup just in case you don't like these changes).
It might seem a bit extreme, but I still think itâs fine.
-The top parameter, floorheightsamplerange, handles how much the floors âextend outâ, so the camera object can stand on it mid-air. The higher it is, the further the floor will extend. This will make it so your camera will be able to stick to the floor youâre on, even if you pan away from the building. No more annoying jumps up and down!
-The parameter below that, floorheightsampleinnerrange, handles the transition between sticking to the current floor and dropping to the ground level once it goes past the edge. The higher it is, the smoothest the fall will be.
Iâll note though that the behaviour of these parameters might not be 100% accurate with how the game actually works, but from what I tested I think itâs pretty close as an explanation. If someone knows better how this Live Camera works, please let me know and Iâll try my best to correct any inaccuracies.
Save the .txt file and check how it works in game. It might feel weird at first, but personally I find it so much smoother and easier to handle. If youâre not happy with these values, close the game and edit those parameters until you find your sweet spot. Unfortunately, you will have to close and open the game every time you change it to check how it works.
Thereâs so many cool Custom Camera mods out there that I thought itâs probably better to just show how to edit those 2 parameters than editing and reuploading all of them.
So yeah, thatâs it. Now you can play those tall lots without getting a headache. Go ahead and send your college simmies to that hideous Sim State Tower with a hot tub on top of it. Now youâll be able to see whatâs going on up there.
One of my favorite lots in my Finchwick hood, inspired by S4 Cottage Living. This lot was not made by me,as I am a very basic builder; it is my redecoration/edit of this beautiful creation by @alexbgd using the S3 Old Mill set.
Do you remember the bar in this picture? I've tried to recreate it as best I can, giving it a personal and warm touch. It was originally intended for Pleasantview, but I've placed it in my personal Riverside game.
but i need an up-to-date version, mine is still on the update from May 2 and windows tells me it is out of date, but won't give me the option to update either
turns out it's (probably) because TPM is disabled and even my brother has no fucking clue why or what to do now without making it freak out about secure boot next
he just said "whoever says windows is easier to use than linux is either in denial or deranged, even I can't deal with this mess anymore" lmao
If you play Sims 2 on Windows, get frequent-ish crashes and your crash logs say something about "ACCESS_VIOLATION" and "cTSAudioCOMDirector::OnStart", please dm me
Possible Fix for Sims 2 RPC Access Violation Crashes (Audio Related),
I was running into repeat 0xC0000005 Access Violation crashes in Sims 2 RPC. The error logs always pointed to cTSAudioCOMDirector::OnStart, even when I had audio disabled in the game. I went on the TS2 Community Discord and realized I had likey found the fix while waiting for an answer, and @brandinotbroke and I were discussing this being a major issue for many players - a random crash here and a random crash there.
Most likely culprit? An updated audio driver or a Microsoft update that was largely audio focused. Hence why its at random, and why a seemly previously working game no longer seems to. This update introduced a stricter behavior in the audio stack that exposed Sims 2âs lacking/missing sound assets. The fact missing files didn't crash before suggests Windows tolerated bad audio calls; and now it might be less forgiving.
Symptoms: Crashes happened while loading or playing lots (building mode included). Exception logs showed audio-related functions failing. audioerrorlog.txt filled with lines like âFailed to GetSoundDefinitionâ and âFailed to initialize soundâ. Game would crash after 1â2 hours at most.
Fix that worked for me: Dropped a dsound.dll wrapper into the TSBin folder. HERE: https://www.indirectsound.com/
This intercepts DirectSound calls and prevents them from crashing the game.
Results: Game has now been stable for 6+ hours (previously it always crashed within ~2). Errors still appear in audioerrorlog.txt, but the game ignores them instead of dying.
I was able to keep building a large set without issues. So if youâre getting RPC crashes tied to audio (even with sound disabled), try adding a dsound.dll wrapper â it seems to stabilize things without needing to strip the entire Sound folder.
A quaint cottage inspired by a photo I used chatGPT to make, using various prompts.
Honestly, Iâm not too thrilled with the idea of using AI for creativity⊠but it certainly helps when youâre struggling to paint the image thatâs in your head. :)
Think Iâll make several houses of this style in the future.
Original Sims 4 Challenge here by moonfi - this is just an adaptation for TS3!
I love the idea of the original globetrotter challenge by @moonfi but the original rules are for TS4 and are specifically themed around those worlds, so I decided to make my own version adapted for the TS3 worlds / gameplay, ofc all credit goes to moonfi for the original idea :)
Credit also goes to @florydaax for the store world legacy & @horusmenhosetix for the HIX Completionist Challenge - I took some inspo from both of those to come up with the goals for each location
This is my first attempt at creating a challenge for public release so if anyone has any feedback / suggestions pls lmk
Feel free to tag me or use #TS3Globetrotter if you try this out I'd love to see how your gameplay goes - no obligation to do that though! I'm just curious lol :)
Your sim is an adventurer visiting many places around the globe⊠Begin your explorations in the challenge belowâŠ
[Google Docs Version HERE - I reccomend reading the challenge on there & making a personal copy for gameplay!]
There are two ways to play this challenge, the original way is intended to be played with one sim. If you're going this route itâs best to turn the aging off or set it to long - However, there is also an option to play this challenge generationally if you wish (just treat each âroundâ as a new generation or span 2 rounds across each generation etc. Itâs up to you how you want to work that out!)
The challenge is NOT about accumulating money, but enjoying the gameplay. Each round has its own main LTW and a few other goals to fulfil, but it rarely has a specific career your sim must follow - thatâs because the focus should be on exploring the world around them rather than spending a lot of time in rabbitholes
This challenge uses a combination of store worlds & EP worlds, but Iâve also included few alternative custom worlds for each round you can use instead if youâd prefer - if you want to take creative liberty and choose your own world youâd rather use for a round thatâs totally fine! Just make sure it fits in with the correct vibe & theme for that round / generation
You can play these rounds in whatever order you want to, but Iâve presented them in a similar order to the original challenge w. each backstory following on from the last - you can ignore or alter the backstories as you wish to suit your gamplay ofc!
THE RULES:
MOD RECCOMENDATIONS: This challenge can be played without mods, but it is definitely enhanced by their inclusion, so here are some suggestionsâŠ
NRAAS Traveller will allow your sim to travel to any world you have installed, and retain relationships w. sims from previous trips once they move worlds
NRAAS Tempest will allow you to take control over the world climate, which is recommended for full immersion - I also suggest checking out Pudding Paradeâs Tempest project to find some premade settings for several types of different climates you can just place in your save!
UPDATE: Pudding Parade has also made some preset suggestions for this challenge here!
You might also want to check out my mod / CC reccomendation list for off-grid living :)
Create a sim (any age, but recommended to start with a YA), and once you move them to the first location give them a tent and set the funds to 0â50 simoleons (0 for a more challenging start)Â
Cheats bar: testingcheatsenabled TRUE // familyfunds [insert household name] 0
Main LTWs must be completed during their round, the other goals must be completed at least halfway before moving to a new location
You have a choice of several LTWs to complete for each round - take your pick of one of these, itâs not expected for you to do more than oneÂ
If youâre only playing with one sim for the duration of the challenge, you can either buy a LTR to change your sims lifetime wish for each round, or go and change it manually in CAS through cheats
Your sim cannot travel to places outside the world youâre currently playing in (unless specified by that round)
They can apply for a job once they have: a tent (or a bed), a campfire (or a stove), a fridge, a toilet, a shower, a sink, a counter, a chair. they must quit their job when you move to the next location. your sim can make money by selling things they found and created from their family / personal inventory.
You can purchase (or ârentâ for the purposes of storytelling) a house in a world once you have the funds to do so - just know youâll have to leave it behind when you move, so donât get too invested!
When moving to a new location your sim can take one piece of furniture and their tent. you should sell the rest. all the collectibles or souvenirs your sim found and put in their inventory travel with them as well - just no big bits of furniture like sofas, beds etc.
In order to move worlds, your sim needs to have 20,000 simoleons in the bank - you can cheat this money if you need to, but you must reset your family funds back to normal once theyâre in the next world.Â
If your sim forms relationships or has kids in a previous world, they can either abandon / leave them behind completely or bring them along to the next world - itâs totally up to you!
As an additional challenge, aim to master the Photography skill & take scenic photos of every town your sim visits
NEW RULE: Your sim can swap out one of their traits each round to be better suited for the gameplay - I've included some trait suggestions, but it's up to you what you decide to go with
ROUND 1: THE ARCTIC â°ïžđ
WORLD REC: Aurora Skies / Saaqartoq
Recently packing up all their belongings and hopping on a plane from their hometown of Sunset Valley, your sim wishes to explore the world. Their first stop is to experience the most unique wonderful natural anomalies to be found in the cold arctic ocean. Where better to start their adventures than in The Arctic at the very top of the world?
Seasonal Recommendation: Set the town to a cold temperature climate using NRAAS Tempest OR disable Summer
Complete the following Skill Challenges:Â
Logic: âCelestial Explorerâ
Collecting: âMetal Collectorâ & âGem Collectorâ
Science: âExperienced Experimentalistâ
Obtain the 'Forbidden Fruit' seed
Reach level 7 of the âLogicâ, âScienceâ & âHandinessâ Skills
Reach level 3 of the âFishingâ skill
Get the âMy Best Friendâ Lifetime Reward
Swim in the hot springs / cold ocean for at least 1 hour
Go ice skating (on a rink OR on a natural body of water)
Take a romantic ride with another sim in a hot air balloon
Woohoo in the âscience labâ lot OR in a hot air balloon
Gain the âpolar bear clubâ moodlet from swimming in natural water during winter
âWatch the starsâ or stargaze through a telescope for at least 2 hours during an aurora event (or between 12-4AM if youâre not playing in a world w. Auroras enabled)
Having spent a good chunk of time immersing themselves in the scientific community, your sim feels like theyâve achieved enough to deserve a nice holiday. They set out to a warm island town to relax. They just want to chill, run away from the cold and sink their toes into the ocean. Theyâve dipped their toes into fishing before, and would now like to fully immerse themselves in the deep blue sea and see what kind of things they can find.
Note: If your world doesnât have dive lots or seashell spawners, I highly recommend placing some down so you can complete all the challenges for this round!
Seasonal Recommendation: Set the town to a hot temperature climate using NRAAS Tempest OR disable all seasons other than Summer
Trait Rec: Loves the Heat / Loves to Swim / Sailor / Angler
Complete the following Skill Challenges:Â
Fishing: âAmetur Ichthyologistâ & âCommercial Fishermanâ
Scuba Diving: âPearl Diverâ & âSavvy SnorkelerâÂ
Master the âFishingâ & âScuba Divingâ Skills
Meet & become friends (or lovers) with a mermaid
Get a sunburn & a suntan (the tan can be real or from a machine)
Get the âImmune to Heatâ Lifetime Reward
Dive in all your worldâs dive lots
Buy a boat
Fight a shark
Collect all seashells
Sunbathe in one long session on the beach for 4 hours
Go scuba diving & swim in the ocean for at least 3 hours
Woohoo in an underwater cave
Obtain the 'Mr. Marnier' Gnome
ROUND 3: DEEP IN THE WOODS đČđŠ
WORLD REC: Hidden Springs / Moonlight Falls / Great Bear / Ainali / Eriu Fe
Your sim has grown tired of the endless heat on the islands and wants to move somewhere cooler again. The smell of pine trees and a more rustic way of life has been calling their name for some time now. They wish to admire nature, sing with the birds, get their hands into the rich soil to grow some interesting plants and go hiking in the woods.
Seasonal Recommendation: Leave all seasons on default OR just disable snow
Trait Rec: Gatherer / Green Thumb / Loves the Outdoors / Night Owl / Vegetarian / Animal Lover
Complete the following Skill Challenges:Â
Gardening: âMaster Planterâ & âBotanical BossâÂ
Collecting: âButterfly Collectorâ, âFirefly Collectorâ & âBeetle CollectorâÂ
Get the âSuper Green Thumbâ & âCollection Helperâ Lifetime Rewards (if you donât have collection helper already)
Master the âGardeningâ Skill
Complete the âOmni Plantâ opportunity Chain (info here)
Own at least 2 minor pets (lizards, snakes, rodents or birds - or a combo of these)
Drink from the âfountain of youthâ & âwish for youthâ (you may need to place it down in edit town)
Plant every plant from the Grocery Store
Pick all the wildflower types
Observe all wild animals that come onto your home lot
Befriend a deer
Go hiking all day (walk to some community park lots, preferably up a mountain) and sleep out under the stars in a sleeping bag on a community lot at least 2x
Cook potatoes, garlic, onion, tomatoes, fish and roast marshmallows over a campfire at least once
Woohoo in a tent
Consume all the herb types (in whatever way you want) and feel their moodlet effects
ROUND 4: THE DAZZLING DESERT đžđ
WORLD REC: Lucky Palms / Strangetown (V1) / Strangetown (V2) / Wild Wild West
Living in the woods was a great way for your sim to recharge their batteries and take it slow for a while, but now theyâre ready for a bit more excitement! They find themselves among the vibrant desert sands, hoping to let loose, party a little bit, and also venture a little bit further out to do some archaeological exploration in a new landscape
Seasonal Recommendation: Set the town to a hot / desert temperature climate using NRAAS Tempest OR disable all seasons other than Summer
Trait Rec: Loves The Heat / Lucky / Party Animal / Daredevil / Adventurous
LTW: âPrivate Museumâ / âMaster Romancerâ / âLifestyle of the Rich & Famousâ / âVocal Legendâ
Other Goals:Â
Complete the following Skill Challenges:Â
Charisma: âCelebrityâ
Mixology: âCool CreatorâÂ
Reach level 7 of the âMixologyâ, âGamblingâ & âCharismaâ Skills
Go to the casino at least 10x
Make 3 wishes at the wishing well
Host 5 parties
Set off 10 fireworks
Visit & drink at bars on at least 10 different occasionsÂ
Obtain a âDusty old lampâ and make a wish of your choosing
Get the âLearned Relic Hunterâ Lifetime Reward
Visit Al Simhara and get a maximum visa level for Egypt
Dig at 10 dig spots in Al Simhara
Find at least 30 relics
Analyse every relic your sim finds
Woohoo in a sarcophagus OR a hot tub
ROUND 5: STONE-BAKED SUMMER đđŸ
WORLD REC: Monte Vista / Veronese Island / Lago Simiore / Isla Escudo
All that partying has left your sim wanting to take it a bit more slowly and go back into nature. Theyâre feeling drawn to beautiful rolling hills, olive trees and cobblestoned streets. All this tasty produce the land is known for has made them want to try their hand at cooking and nectar making, after all, if they really want to experience the culture they need to learn to eat and drink like a local too! Theyâre also beginning to get inspired by the gorgeous scenery and want to try their hand at some art.
Seasonal Recommendation: Set the town to a warm / Mediterranean temperature climate using NRAAS Tempest OR disable Winter
LTW: âCulinary Librarianâ / âCelebrated 5-Star Chefâ / âBottomless Nectar Cellarâ / âMaster of The Artsâ
Other Goals:Â
Complete the following Skill Challenges:Â
Cooking: âStar Chefâ, âWorld-Class Chefâ & âMenu Mavenâ
Painting: âBrushmasterâ
Sculpting: âChiselmasterâ & âMaster SculptorâÂ
Reach level 7 of the Cooking, Nectar Making & Painting OR Sculpting Skills
Get the âBorn to Cookâ Lifetime Reward
Obtain every type of grape from all the worlds
Collect and learn all the recipes
Travel to Champs Les Sims, learn the Nectar-Making Skill and purchase at least 1 Nectar Maker for your lot
Make every type of meal on the wood-fire oven
Purchase a wood-fire oven for your home lot
Create at least 1 perfect-quality nectar
Visit the âArt Galleryâ & âMuseumâ lots in town
Sell §5000 worth of paintings &/ sculptures
Get up to level 5 in an instrument of your choice
âPlay for tipsâ for at least 3 hours on a community lot
ROUND 6: SPOOKS IN THE SHADOWS đžïžđȘŠ
WORLD REC: Midnight Hollow / Moonlight Falls (if not used already in round 3) / Bridgeport / Halloween Hideaway / Haunted Valley II
All that cooking, nectar making and painting was very relaxing, but your sim is ready for one more final, exciting adventure now before settling down for good. Theyâve been hearing rumours about strange supernatural happenings in a distant corner of the world, and theyâre keen to check out whatâs going on for themselves. They find themselves in a dark place where mysticism and strange happenings seem to lurk around every cornerâŠ
Seasonal Recommendation: Leave as is or use NRAAS Tempest to create a more rainy / foggy & slightly colder climate
Trait Rec: Neurotic / Perceptive / Coward / Brooding / Supernatural Fan / Supernatural Skeptic / Night Owl
LTW: âParanormal Profiteerâ / âAlchemy Artisanâ / âLeader of the Packâ / âMystic Healerâ / âTurn The Townâ / âZombie Masterâ
Other Goals:Â
Complete the following Skill Challenges:Â
Alchemy: âMaster Alchemistâ
Collecting: âMushroom Collectorâ
Master the âAlchemyâ Skill
Become a supernatural being of your choosing (fairy, werewolf, witch or vampire)
Get the âAlpha Wolfâ OR âMagic Handsâ OR âImmortalâ OR âKing / Queen of the Faeâ Lifetime Reward depending on your supernatural type
Visit the âGraveyardâ lot and hang out / sleep there for at least 1x from 8pm-8am
Get into a fight with a supernatural being during a full moon
Donate plasma to a vampire
Turn 3 sims into supernatural beings (either your supernatural type by biting them or another type by using elixirs)
Woohoo in a fairy house OR magical wardrobeÂ
Create a playable ghost OR resurrect a ghost using Ambrosia
Have a child with said ghost or previously-a-ghost sim
ROUND 7: SETTLING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE đŸđź
WORLD REC: Appaloosa Plains / Dragon Valley / Riverview / Constant Springs / Winchester Farming Community / Country Love
After delving into just about every corner of simnation, your sim is beginning to feel like itâs time to hang up their walking boots and settle down in the good life with their family. But their work isnât done just yet, they have grand aspirations of owning their very own farm, surrounded by a brood of animals and maybe even a few more kids. If theyâre gonna plant roots somewhere, theyâre gonna do it to the fullest extent!
Seasonal Recommendation: Leave as is
Trait Rec: Nurturing / Hopeless Romantic / Animal Lover / Cat Person / Dog Person / Equestrian / Family-Oriented / Loves the Outdoors
Complete the following Skill Challenges:Â
Riding: âEquestrian Championâ
(HORSE) Racing: âEndurance Equineâ
Master the âHorse Ridingâ Skill
Own a horse who masters the âJumpingâ & âRacingâ Skills
Get the âRaised by Wolvesâ Lifetime Reward
Own a cat OR dog who masters the âHuntingâ Skill
Own at least 4 animals total (at least 1 of each type)
Woohoo in a haystackÂ
Get married
Have at least 3 children total
Teach children all their toddler skills
Do homework with children at least 1x per child
Be âbest friendsâ with all of your children
(OPTIONAL) ROUND 8: TO THE MOON đđž
WORLD REC: Lunar Lakes / Moon Base Delta / Cronor / Mermaidia
Your sim thought their adventures were over now that theyâve explored everything this planet has to offer⊠That was until they were given the opportunity to be one of the first colonisers of a brand-new civilisation on a planet in outer-space. Theyâll have to do their fair share of mucking-in, helping the community create new inventions or assisting in the townâs military force to defend from space-invader attacks, but itâs a brand new frontier, and your sim definitely aims to be at the front of it!
Seasonal Recommendation: Use NRAAS Tempest to create a climate where it is usually always the same weather but with more fog & hail OR disable all seasons other than Spring & disable rain (treat hail like meteor showers)
LTW: âMonster Makerâ / âLeader of the Free Worldâ / âPerfect Mind, Perfect Bodyâ / âBecome an Astronautâ
Other Goals:Â
Complete the following Skill Challenges:Â
Collecting: âAmateur Rock Finderâ & âAwesomest Rock Collector in the Universeâ
Handiness: âElectricianâ, âPlumberâ & âTinkererâÂ
Inventing: âScrap Collectorâ
Master the âInventingâ & âAthleticâ Skills
Invent at least 1 simbot
Get the âTeleportation Padâ & âClimation Control Unitâ Lifetime Rewards
Get abducted by an alien
Befriend an alien
Have an alien baby OR move in with an alien (you can send the baby back to its homeworld once its born if you want)Â
First sims drawing since I used to draw my families as a kid! Younger Polly, because I've been kind of obsessed with him lately. I imagine a hawaiian shirt was the first thing he got on his quest to fit in on earth, just pull that bad boy on over the spacesuit, nobody will ask
Little White Wedding Chapel đ€”đ»đ°đ»đâđïž đâđïžđ„
I was watching @kayleigh-83 youtube and saw her wedding chapel and needed to recreate it because it was so beautiful, so the exterior is a recreation of that because I just loved it.
Fun Fact: My husband and I got married at the little white wedding chapel in Las Vegas 10 years ago! Don't think either of us remember that night lol! đĄ»đĄ»đĄ»đĄ»
Rocket made these for AF on meshes that came with H&M. I put them on Dustfinger's TF meshes and repo'd them to the AF files, which are included. Blouse Skirt has 6 textures, set as Everyday. Halter has 4 textures, set as Everyday & Formal
Download - Alternate
scarletkabby's simblr @scarletkabby - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag