Resolved: Installation Order for Expansion Packs

[Chairman Greg]

In preparation for finally biting the bullet and installing all the stuff up to (but not including) Pets, I wrote a tutorial topic of the installation order at the Hullabaloo.
I don't want to post it here, too, because I don't want to try to maintain in two places. If you click the link, the Insim BBS should pop a new window with the Hullabaloo topic. You don't need to create a Hullabaloo ID unless you want to post a note there.
 
Now, here are the big questions:
[LIST=a]

• Do I have to install the patches as I go? (Are they included in later expansion packs? Can I install them all at once at the end?)
• Are any of these things (besides Pests) so horribly buggy that I don't want to install them at all?
  
• Do I need to have my existing neighborhoods in place when I install later expansion packs? (Right now I have just the base game + University, and a tremendous investment of my life in the neighborhoods I already have.)

Thanks for your help! :smile:

[Sleepycat]

after looking at your tutorial - if you don't have Pets then you don't need to install the Pets Bodyshop Patch...

a. I did when I recently reinstalled the game and EPs + SPs

b. they all have bugs but the patchs fix a lot of them (Pets isn't that buggy) - you can get fixes for a lot of the unfixed EP bugs at MATY

c. word is that you don't but I always leave my neighborhoods in when I install a new EP/SP (always backup your hoods first!)

[ancienthighway]

In actuality, it makes no difference as to the order EPs and SPs are installed.  I'm pretty sure I saw a post by a Maxoid some time ago that stated this.

As for your questions
1.  Patch as you go.  I believe if you don't the installation process may prompt for patches needed but not installed, but why take a chance.
2.  I agree with Sleepycat that Pets wasn't as buggy as everyone made it out to be.  The two biggest bugs are Pets was based on the unpatched OFB engine and Bodyshop.  There is a patch available for Pets Bodyshop.
3.  After making a backup of my game, I've always left my neighborhoods and CC other than mods/hacks in the game when installing.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Always remove downloads that you want to keep before uninstalling.  The process of uninstalling will delete without prompt everything in The Sims 2 folder.

[Chairman Greg]

Thanks, Sleepycat!  

So, an important part of the preparations is to make sure you have all the patches ready.  And all the fan-created hacks.

I'm thinking that if I don't need to have the Neighborhoods in place, it would be easy to make a backup by simply renaming my The Sims 2 folder and then installing from scratch.  But just in case, maybe I'd better haven't them there and just start from where I am.  

So I'll just need to do steps 5 through 11 in my tutorial.  Then come the hacks; hundreds of 'em.

I tend to install hacks and fixes by Squinge, TwoJeffs, and JM Pescado, in that order of preference.  Updating those things is gonna be quite a chore!

[Sleepycat]

your welcome

the easiest way to update JM Pescados is to download his directors cut and then delete the hacks you don't plan to use. most of his RTFMs are available in a zip, thanks to Venusy http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,6109.0.html
IMO his are the most important since he mostly does game bug fixes.

Twojeffs is working on his new directorys (and directors cut) that will make downloading his easier
http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,7158.0.html

[BeosBoxBoy]

Chairman Greg:

I recently re-installed and currently only have the base game and Uni EP installed as well - and believe it or not - I like the game better :lol:

I am annotating your list with notes based on the past two years of experience helping and trouble-shooting 1000s of help requests & PMs

• Base Game: The Sims 2* September 17, 2004 <- known  Maxis-acknowledged catastrophic bug involving remote control car; almost no support for custom objects; in some language versions of the game custom meshes cause fatal error when sim is hired for employment; this continues to be a problem for many in all EPs AFAIK; three versions exist: CD, DVD (Deluxe), and Holiday - IMHO there is not particular benefit from buying the DVD version, and the Holiday combo inherits the bugs of the Holiday 2005 SP.
  
• Patch: The Sims 2 (Patch also changes censor grid method in most language versions AFAIK)
• Expansion Pack: University March 2, 2005 <- known Maxis-acknowledged catastrophic bugs involving saving lot while cellphone is being used, remote control car still an issue, advertising of many items grossly out of control, YAs get stuck as YAs after graduation/dropping out or stuck in the Uni neighbourhood if dropping out, numerous others; massive shift in custom object support method; adds "young adult" pseudo-life stage
  
• Patch: University (Patch also changes censor grid method in most language versions AFAIK)
• Expansion Pack: Nightlife September 13, 2005 <- known Maxis-acknowledged catastrophic bug involving vampires biting NPCs; this EP changes the censor grid method; increased problems with custom content cataloguing method, custom clothing mesh become increasingly problematic after this EP is released; starting with this EP lighting mods now begin to have high risk of face template corruption in sim packages
  
• Patch: Nightlife
• Stuff Pack: Holiday Fun Stuff November 2005 <- known custom content cataloguing bugs, many must remove SP to regain missing custom clothing
  
• Expansion Pack: Open For Business March 2, 2006 <- sweeping change to game infrastructure to add support for businesses - custom content often must be made specifically for OFB or Pre-OFB version of games (chiefly refrigerators and support for being placed on business shelving); this is perhaps the least buggy release to date
  
• Patch: Open For Business
• Stuff Pack: Family Fun Stuff April 13, 2006 <- known Maxis-acknowledged catastrophic custom content cataloguing bugs - often cannot be resolved while SP is installed
  
• Patch: Family Fun Patch <- resolves most of cataloguing errors for many users, but not all, some must remove SP to regain missing custom clothing; patch has equal likelihood of resolving or exacerbating the cataloguing issues
  
• Stuff Pack: Glamour Life Stuff August 13, 2006 <- known custom content cataloguing bugs - often cannot be resolved while SP is installed - occurs far less frequently than in earlier SPs
  
• Expansion Pack: Pets October 17, 2006 <- known custom content cataloguing bugs; Body Shop has Maxis-acknowledged catastrophic flaws; known face template errors; known species errors; known relationship errors; known accessory errors; now begins massive shift in layering method; sweeping change to game infrastructure to include pets - custom content frequently must be made specifically for Pets or Pre-Pets version of games
  
• Stuff Pack: Happy Holiday Stuff November 2006 <- does not seem to be as flawed as the 2005 Holiday release or the Holiday Sims combo-base game (which incidentally has been removed from distribution)
  
• Patch: Pets Body Shop December 2006 <- addresses ONLY Body Shop custom content files, does not resolve mesh inclusion issues or repair files made prior to patch
  
• Patch: Pets Not published yet.
• Expansion Pack: Seasons Probably coming in March 2007

As an addendum, there are problems with certain Maxoid-made items on the exchange with some installs; the Urbz for instance often causes issues for many players and the Alienware computer does not support Uni & OFB menu interactions.

[Chairman Greg]

Wow!  Thanks, Jakov!  I'm thinking I should cross-reference that thread over there to this thread over here so folks can get the collective wisdom about all these things.

I was successful in installing everything except Pets and after a few timid tests, it looks I just need to hunt down some conflicting hacks to get everything working smoothly.  I know that's old hat for most folks but I was terrified about what it might do to my game!

I did patch as I went, though each pack checked to make sure the game was already patched before it installed.  Sometimes EA gets it right.

I'm inclined to agree with you.  I really like the game with just University installed and could probably have fun playing with just that toy for another decade or more.  My primary motivation for installing all the other toys was wanting the additional goodies and animations for story illustrations; I was suffering from acute expansion-pack envy.

Now my sims can look out at the view and actually have a view to look at!



Before yesterday, I had to Photoshop stuff like this!
Well, it's a big deal to me! (It's a scene from Anja's story over on the adult site.)

I installed almost the full set of FFS hacks; still need to make sure that the Squingification of my game is up to date.

And I am very happy to report that Insimenator is working like a charm!  Happy!  Happy!  Joy!  Joy!  Thanks to Eric for such outstanding work on it!  Can't say that enough!  :happy7:


Of course, now all my sims are campaigning for cars and places to go in them.  It never ends!