Reposting this because it got deleted for no reason!😍💓
This guide details how to install and optimize TS2 with essential fixes for modern systems in 2024 and beyond!
Includes download/install instructions for the full Ultimate Collection (w/ Starter Pack web install hosted on GitHub), as well as disc & Origin UC install info for those who own them, plus graphics setup and Sims2RPC/alternative fixes.
Easily setup The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection on modern 2023 systems.
Also check out my GitHub (@voicemxil) where you can find all my installers!
Video walkthrough of the guide from @acottonsock is available here!
I updated my resources page to include a few programs & utilities I use that I think everyone would benefit from! Veteran players probably know at least a couple of these very well, but hopefully some players can benefit from this! Sharing the information here too so it can be saved more easily if anyone wants to. But the Resources link in my pinned post also has this section now.
This isn’t a comprehensive list of all TS2 outside programs and utilities I use, as some are more infrequent and specialized, or tailored to CC makers or intermediate and advanced builders. These are ones I use regularly and would recommend for your average player.
Hood Checker - checks your hood and cleans it up to prevent corruption. Thanks to April Black’s work we now know corruption is far less of a risk than once believed, but this tool is still totally worthwhile to use regularly to clean your hoods I think. As April mentions in her video, the main categories you should be worried about Hood Checker finding errors in are Family Ties and Sim Wants and Fears (I’ve never had it find errors there and my hood has currently been played for over 6 years).
Object Relocator - Easy to use tool so you can recategorize objects, re-price them, and move them easily between build and buy mode. All things you can do with SimPE but far less fussy and way faster.
Outfit Organizer - Another tool that simplifies an established SimPE capability, you can very quickly change which outfit categories clothing shows up in, which age groups (assuming body type compatibility, it will not magically morph an adult outfit to fit teens for example), which gender (again assuming body type compatibility, for example all ages up through child have identical body types for male and female) and even shoe sounds where applicable. Really great if you want that fancy dress to only show in formal and not everyday, or if you’ve got the Separates For All mod and you want to make that really casual t-shirt available in the pajamas and gym categories too.
Sims2Pack Clean Installer - Sims2Pack file types are used for lots and Sims. This tool lets you see any and all CC that got packaged with the Sim/lot and remove anything you don’t want to download with a simple tickbox. I especially like to use this when downloading Sims with CC if I prefer to have a CC free version of them (ie: only their facial structure) and layer in my own CC in game. Also useful for lots if you see that there is a bunch of CC included from a build set you already have, and you don’t want to download duplicate files, or you just aren’t interested in any of the custom wallpaper the builder put in the house and you’ll put your own in when you place in your game.
Ok, so you play TS2 and want to be able to see your sim’s genetics while in game like this:
Well it isn’t well known or easy to do because first you have to know that you need to change the game’s config. It’s not enough to turn on ‘boolprop testingcheatsenabled true’ when you’re in the game - it needs to be on before you’re in the game.
But how can you do that, you may ask? It’s actually not too hard:
1. Open a notepad document
2. Write ‘boolprop testingcheatsenabled true’ in the document (you can also add in other cheats you want on by default, I have not done this but others have)
3. Save it: a) named ‘userStartup.cheat’ b) as ‘All Files’ instead of a text document c) in My Documents > EA Games > The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection (or equivalent) > Config
So it should look basically like the above (you can see the one I created earlier which is listed as a ‘CHEAT File’ now as a result).
4. If the above stage has worked, when you load the game and go into a lot you should have the boolprop code in the top right without having touched boolprop in-game yet.
5. With all the above working correctly, type ‘SimDNA [sim’s first name]’ (capitalisation doesn’t appear to matter, ‘simdna lyle’ works just as well) into the Ctrl-Shift-C cheatbox, and the textbox of the genetics should appear!
Additional Notes:
- It will only work with sims presently on the lot, they do not have to live there necessarily, but you can’t do it on sims who are at school or work
- I don’t know if it works on ghosts but will probably find out some day soon while playing >.>
- The first of the two genetics for eyes and hair is the one that you see, the second is the carried hidden gene
- As per my example above, a lot of genetics (especially custom) appear as a string of letters and numbers, so you kind of have to learn what those refer to so you know what it means when not visibly obvious - I have default replacements and custom eyes in, so yours may not match the ones on my example
- If having the cheat(s) on all the time is bothersome, apparently you can turn it off normally in-game once you’ve done what you have to (I don’t know if the simDNA cheat will still work if you then turn boolprop back on again in the same play session though)
- Personally I may not keep it in my files all the time, but I did go through a large neighbourhood I’ve been playing 5 gens and made a note of everyone’s genes, so it’s a nice option to have!
Thank you to the people who boosted my original question and made me aware that this is even an existing possibility, @crispsandkerosene @krabbysims @mayfairsims @rosefyrefyre this website from 2006, and my fiance who knows computers better than me <3
[Guide] Using Magpie to upscale TS2/3: no more tiny UI!
After finally getting the older Sims games set up for modern resolutions, you may be shocked to find the UI is super tiny! The older games’ UIs are designed around lower resolutions, and don’t scale for high DPI like in TS4. If you try to use Windows DPI scaling to fix it, it can make the game blurry.
Luckily, there’s an easy solution! Magpie is an open-source window scaling app for programs and games, which lets you upscale from a lower resolution without losing too much quality. It comes with well renowned scalers, such as Lanczos and FSR. Upscaling from a lower resolution solves the small UI issue and can even improve performance. You can also use similar programs like Lossless Scaling for the same result.
Here’s how to use it:
Set the game to run in windowed mode. For Sims 2, you can do that through Sims2RPCSettings, or by adding “-w” to your shortcut target if you don’t have RPC. For Sims 3, you can use the in-game options.
Once running in windowed mode, set the game to run in a resolution lower than your native screen resolution, such as 1080p if you have a 1440p or 4k screen, or 720p if you have a 1080p screen.
Install and open Magpie. Once it's running, press Windows+Shift+A while clicked inside of the game window. If everything worked, it should upscale to borderless and fill the screen!
You can configure your scaling settings through the sidebar in the Magpie app if you want to try out the different filter options.
The original site for EmptyStandbyList.exe seems to be dead. That's a big issue if you're trying to use the reddit guide or @thejessachannel's How To Stop Sims 2 Crashing video to clear it, which can sometimes help with crashing/pink flashing issues!
Here is an archive.org link that has a working download:
EmptyStandbyList.exe is a command line tool for Windows (Vista and above) that can empty: process working sets, the modified page list, the
I recommended following the reddit guide to make sure it runs in the background & doesn't interrupt the game.
