How do you feel about FREE TIME?

[xoJessi]

What are your personal thoughts on Free Time.

Is it one of the best EPs?
Is it one of the worst EPs?
Is it worth the money?

What are your favorite things about Free Time.
What should have Maxis done differently.
Are you experiencing any problems, any funny glitches.
Any advice for those still on the fence?

Explain below and let us all know your Free Time Experience!!

[xoJessi]

So sorry for the double post but...

I guess I'll start by saying I don't like the fact that when your at the top of something (Enthusiasm) you glow. It would be fine if you had that option but for storytelling and stuff, that might not come in handy.

I'm also not a big fan of the already chosen Hobbies. It's cool under some circumstances but in few it's kinda contradicting.... Even if there was a cheat or something it would be better.

Also there are a lot lacking in the science department, Hobbie wise. Starting off all I could find is ants and the telescope, and in the day time I hate spying on people because they come over and slap you and Sims get tired of the ants after a minute or too.

The constant phone calls and that random dude showing up at the house is a little annoying too. I just don't get his purpose. I know he gives you the Sims 3... but showing up at every house gets a bit annoying.

I do like the fact that there are sports and you can gain points for doing everyday stuff. "Fixing broken items, Raking leaves"

So far it's an Alright EP for me!

[BeosBoxBoy]

Is Free Time one of the best EPs?
I guess the answer to that is really determined by what you want to do with the game.  For some people, just collecting custom content is enough.  For some, it is all about building great lots.  For me, it is about my Sims doing real life things like exercising and playing sports, having hobbies like car restoration, cooking, writing, and playing with model trains (things I do in real life).  I don't think I will be all that enthusiastic about ballet and playing music, since I don't do those in real life. All in all, this EP does add a dimension of play to the game that adds to the verisimilitude and game immersion in the same way that Nightlife added the romantic activities of dating and Seasons added the aspect of seasonal change and weather.

I could do without most of the new Free Time NPCs and all the goal-oriented overhead of the hobbies, but that's EA, they think in tiny, little boxes arranged all in neat rows.  I could have done without the Genie... and most of the other craptastic "creatures".  I really have no use for anal-probe-wielding aliens, brain-eating zombies, blood-sucking vampires, etc.  If I was into that scene, I'd probably hang out with more lawyers.

Game immersion is a different experience for everyone, we approach the game with different goals, so it's impossible to say that this EP will please everyone, it obviously won't. All I can say is that Free Time adds something that has been conspicuous by its absence more than it adds something demanded by the fans: Another layer of complexity to make both the Sims and the lives they lead more like the lives we lead.  If you play The Sims 2 to escape life, then you don't need this EP, you can do quite well without it, in the same way that anyone who has ever worked with the public would think that the additions made by Open for Business are about as much fun as working a ten hour shift at the mall.

University is a mixed bag -- I honestly only install if for the objects and additional want slots, the university experience of the Sims ain't nothing like my real experience of it, so the University EP is just a toilet-humour driven American movie to me.  The Pets EP is utterly useless fluff, the little crescent of skin that sticks out between your thumb and forefinger is more useful to the game than Pets EP.  After all the marketing hype for Bon Voyage, the single addition I find of any use in BV is the beach lots and the beach & camping objects and interactions -- the rest could be dropped into my system dustbin without remark.

I think everyone knows by now that I am very critical of EA. I openly and cordially hate them and want every man and woman among them to die of ass cancer; so, when I say I like Free Time EP... well, I feel like I am selling my soul for pocket change to buy a "40" of malt liquor... I still like Free Time.  Maybe I have the brain worms after all.

Is Free Time one of the worst EPs?
Certainly not, the Pets EP holds that title far above all others. see above for more commentary

Is Free Time worth the money?
I would say yes, simply because it finally gave me many of the things I have wanted since day one: male oriented activities that allow my guy Sims to act like guys.

What are your favourite things about Free Time?
"Guy" stuff interactions, there are far, far too few of them to suit my tastes.

What should have Maxis done differently?
I'd have been in Heaven if EA had added real boxing matches, American football, ice and field hockey, lacrosse, tennis, hand-ball, volley-ball, competition swimming, jai-alai, REAL water-skiing, and tobogganing... in other words, if they had left every single female-gender-biased item out of the EP and gone over-the-top male-stereotype.

Are you experiencing any problems, any funny glitches?
No, but I don't use many hacks or mods. I have a total of four mods that I use: Lizzlove's no privacy mod, LizzLove's no jealousy at all mod, Merola64's multi-purpose painting, and InSIMenator.  Since I knew that there would be issues with InSIMenator, I pulled it out and not so much as a hiccough.  The EP has performed without a single defect or bug for me... the first EP for The Sims 2 to ever do so.

Any advice for those still on the fence?
If you want hobbies for your Sims, get it, if not, pass it by, it's your decision, it's really about what you want from the game.

[Synerje]

I think everyone knows by now that I am very critical of EA. I openly and cordially hate them and want every man and woman among them to die of ass cancer

Haha, you're definitely not the only one who thinks that.

As for me, i don't think it's one of the best EP's, or the worst either.
It's okay, i really hate those idiots showing up at your house at random times aswell.
The hobbies are also okay, could have been made more interesting i guess, being  "In the Zone" is stupid though, the whole glowing thing.
I would have loved to see some more hobbies though aswell, volleyball would have been cool, and some martial arts, like Karate. And surfing would have been cool, or knowing EA... They could have merged it with NFS and put street racing in it LOL
Shockingly enough, i don't have any glitches with this EP, i removed all my hacks, and i'm gonna try them out a couple at a time to see which ones work.

Umm... What's with the Genie? Has anyone seen that "creature" yet?
I only like vamps from NL anyway, since i have some twisted little thing for anything vampire-related.

Any advice for those still on the fence?
Look at the screenshots, read all the topics about it you can find, and then decide when and if you wanna get it.

[Duncan7291]

I could have done without the Genie... and most of the other craptastic "creatures".  I really have no use for anal-probe-wielding aliens, brain-eating zombies, blood-sucking vampires, etc.  If I was into that scene, I'd probably hang out with more lawyers.

So I happen to be an attorney and into that "scene" ...what does that say about me Beosboxboy?

Duncan

[Theraven]

there's a lot of fun features with this EP. some I've missed terribly (like football, though I hate football/soccer in real life, it's fun seeing them play ). it's also fun that the toddlers can do more, and the clothes for them are really cute. I miss a few new hairstyles for them, though. I tested the game yesterday, and still didn't get through everything (like secret lots and such).

so yes, I love it!!! (exept for the little ingame screenshot problem I've got, but it might be something else than a bug. does anyone know what it might come from?)

[dracine]

I'm really enjoying it so far.

[tiecg1]

so far seasons is still my favorite and I have all the EPs, including freetime

[kevida97]

I am mostly reading this thread for everyone's opinion on the EP so that I can decide whether I'll be getting this EP or not. Beosboxboy, I had to laugh at your comment about EA dying of ass cancer! I mean you have a right to express your opinion but isn't that just a little extreme? Anyway has anyone done anything with the "seconary aspirations"? How well do they work? I'll probably go ahead and get this EP because I am a Sims 2 ho!

[JoDawn]

I've never had a problem with an EP before. And I always just left my hacks in when I installed it.

So I took them out this time. And I was able to play it after I installed them, and then it suddenly stopped.  So now I have to take them out again, I guess.

[StaceyV10389]

I love it I'm with you on the lack of science-y stuff - pretty disappointing really, but the rest of it I'm happy with. I even have a certain affection for the present guy because it means I can scrape up a bit more money for some of my less fortunate sims.

My big thing is the family oriented stuff, like the toddler activity table and *new* clothes not to mention the new interactions. And I love the car restoration Not to mention the basketball and soccer!

The pre-chosen Hobbies annoy me though, just about every sim I've played so far has "Tinkering" or whatever that is. Really grinds on me.

Overall, I think its easily the best EP and you'd have to pry it from my lifeless hands to get it away from me *lol*

[Theraven]

they "choose" those hobbies according to personality if I'm not mistaken. just make sure they all have different personality point levels, and they'll choose a different hobby.

oh, and I have to say I love the fact that toddlers suck their thumbs. it looks soo cute! and that children can learn toddlers songs is just as cute! I love all the new toddler things, and of course everything else. not a single thing I won't use here. FT is definitely worth the money, in my opinion.

and the "call on aliens" action is just hilarious - though I had to try for a long time before he finally got abducted. he got the cutest alien baby ever in my game, too

[Micke]

The toddler are a lot more cuter and I'm in love with he nursery rhymes.
The thing that is most annoying is that every time my sims are studying something just because they need it for their promotion, I have a bunch of people in my house and they get a bunch of phone calls who wants them to subscribe to magazines and stuff.

[geezy33]

Well, I'm mostly into Open for business, to me it's my best sim game.
free time, I won't be getting this EP, cuz i just don't want too many sim games on my PC. Free time looks interesting, but not for me at the moment, I'm more interested in Changing my NPC,Townies,Downtownies and College Students to Real people. In my game, I'll say that maxis is dead lol.

[HB_princessakasha]

Personally i love Freetime, way more than i do Bon Voyage..and Pets...and University, simply because once my teen sims go to college i rarely even play with them anymore *so sad* and with Bon Voyage its like...they go on vacation and i get bored :x

Freetime should've been the first or second EP, ive found myself more driven to play the sims after i installed it then i have since Nightlife came out. Somethings i don't like at all about the EP is the fact that those club memeber NCPs walk into your house weather your doors and locked or not and just...stare at you. Onetime my sim was sleep and apparently he got a membership to a club and the creepy NCP stood over his bed for hours then walked away.

I don't like that hobbies are kinda like goals, instead of things to do and im really not pleased with the natural talent random..select thing. o___o my sim likes painting and dancing why is her natural talent sports when she has no interest in it? but thats somethin small. Another thing that bugs me is the colors of the custom car that your sims build, their kinda ugly and bland, expecially since black comes with this ugly fire design on the side.. but im sure someone will fix that as well

I also like the fact they added more games for gamer sims as well, because installing some of the custom games that people create gives me a headache trying to install. Sims can play sports now, so ya'know. Sports parties have more use. And i like that sims can watch movies. Random crappy movies, but movies none the less.

uhmm..overall its really good, i love it. its just hard to play when ya don't have your InSIM and Teen installed cuz...teen sims can't woohoo and get pregnant so their stuck with jus makin out. but overtime when people start to really get into the hacks and CC for it, it'll be better...

did i make sense?

Is it one of the best EPs?
Its up there! Not THE BEST but its one of my top favs

Is it one of the worst EPs?
nah. Pets take the cake

Is it worth the money?
Yeap

What are your favorite things about Free Time.
i like to make my male sims get shirtless and work on a car...to be honest.

What should have Maxis done differently.
make it less goal driven, take out some NCPs...put a little bit more effort into the overall design and concept.

Are you experiencing any problems, any funny glitches.
actually i am, but im not sure if its cause of my hacks or what. but apparently when my sims leave the lot on their car (ex. goin to school, work, community lot, takin a spin) and when their comin back. my game freezes for about 5 seconds. and then resumes. it gets kind of irritating expecially when im busy with other sims.

Any advice for those still on the fence?
if you got all the other EPs, you might as well get this one and complete your collection o___o;;; its better than Bon Voyage IMO