I was just wondering if anyone could help me out by either pointing me in the direction of appropriate hacks or mods (if they exist) for any or all of the following or, alternatively, by telling me why they can't exist and how foolish I am for thinking they could:

1) Vampires: I want my vampires to be able to 'Sleep in Formal'. I haven't yet seen a vampire movie where they get into their pyjamas before cold-footing it to their coffin.

2) Caffeine: any chance of having bottled caffeine? I'm thinking about the potion bottles and how useful it would be to have one that you could drink that gives you back half your energy. Maybe make you glow like smart milk until it has worn off to prevent simply living on the damn stuff and not actually sleeping ever. I can do that in my own life.

3) Something to randomise my wardrobe. Just so that if they have more than one everyday outfit it will either alternate them, in the case of two or three outfits, or actually randomly choose an outfit if you have more than three. I just get fed up of having to manually 'plan' an outfit every time they get up.

I haven't yet got any hacks in my game but I recently wiped out all my neighbourhoods and am starting fresh. I enjoy the struggle of getting a few viable seed families going, but once those first few couples are permaplat and maxed and their eldest sprogs are ready for college then the game takes on a whole different timbre. I suppose because keeping Sims happy and wealthy is too easy once the cycles are in anyway set. After the original CAS couples in my neighbourhoods all the children are superbrats and all teens go to college perma-plat, maxed for skills and with at least 1 gold badge. So, for me at least, the game needs to be approached differently and I think that the mods that you all create may be the way for me to go.

Cheers.

They must be, they keep on going there.... 

I have never eaten from a MacDonald's in my life. I'd like to say that this is because of my disapproval of their reckless growth and globalisation or because of a deep understanding of the dreadful mixture of dodgy meat that goes in to ground beef or the conditions in which the animals are raised and slaughtered.

I'd like to say this but the truth is that the first time I saw that hideous, creepy, fucking clown, grinning inanely out at me from the idiot box, I swore on all that is dear to me that I would never give him a single penny of my ill-gotten wealth.

Let's not forget that FIAT already released a FIAT car for TS2 on the UK site. So, the tie-ins are already working.

I've had this happen five or six times in the last few days. I have no hacks and no downloaded content. What I have noticed is that it usually seems to happen when the original phone call is autonomously answered but I cancel the action. Poof! As if by magic, I've got visitors on the lot.

It obviously can't be hard because so many more people do manage to raise kids than fail... of course, raising kids into decent human beings... that's more difficult.

I've had Sims come home sick from work. Almost without exception this has occured when the Sim has been using the last charge of a noodlesoother. I'm not sure whether this is some effect of the item's expiration or if it is simply a coincidence, however.

Lobster = l'aragosta

Thanks JM (hope you don't mind me being so familiar). What with this and the info from BlueSoup I can see that my new neighbourhood is going to require more work than I had originally planned on but it also offers the possibility that it will begin to approach the foothills of Awesomeness.

SimSurgery, eh? I have no idea what exactly I can do with it and I know it will probably be rather a dry process in reality... but I do like the sound. As soon as I saw it I started to think about slicing off the more repellent features of some of my Sims....

Thanks, BlueSoup. That will definitely come in handy in the future. However, I actually want to destroy all the family relationships.

Some of the Sim families go all the way back to before the first EP came out and now everybody is getting a little close-knit. Additionally, there have been a lot of bad marriages over the years where good genetic material has become inextricably mixed with bug-eyed freaks. I want to salvage the decent 'breeders' and cut out all the ex-townies and NPCs as well.

Furthermore, my lots, which are mostly in the form of floating spaceships, were created before I understood many of the rules of Awesome construction. What I want to end up with is a whole bunch of single Sims with no family connections but with their degrees and cash and talent-badges and all ready to start populating the neighbourhood.

The only exception to that is one lot with 8 elder, perma-plat vampires that I can use as decent nannies and educators right at the start. Once I've got this done then I can have a decent stock of starters for any future neighbourhood shenanigans.

I have had one Sim abducted via EDS while at college. It was pre-patch, however, and I believe that it has been fixed. I wasn't expecting it and it happened in his first term. The baby spent 27 days in Uni before I had to use boolprop testincheatsenabled true for the first and, so far, only time in my game in order to get him back to the main neighbourhood. I moved him in with his granny then graduated his father and moved him in then moved them both back out again.

As far as I can tell, there were no side effects - although the baby's personality was... interesting... with 0 Neat & Outgoing, 10 Active & Playful and 8 Nice. It was also odd to see a baby lying in its cot with a thought bubble above its head, dreaming of getting on the Dean's List. I mostly used a Nanny but frequently left the baby unaccompanied on the lot during class. I would get a warning message that this was not a good idea but never got the Social Worker.

Like I said, however, I am pretty certain this issue was fixed in the latest patches.

Actually, on a side note, the father went on in later life to use an EDS only three more times. On every occasion he was abducted and inseminated.

Okay, after reading several threads, posting one of my own (thanks for the help, everyone) and reading JMP's judgements in the Building Contest, I came to the conclusion that far too many of my lots were on dodgy terrain and were also chock full of extra crap. I have decided to start again with a new neighbourhod (after reinstalling the EA folder).

I want to save a large number of my Sims because they are a) Awesome and b) the result of a lot of gameplay and I can't be arsed to send another 20 Sims through their whole lifecycle again. So, I am currently in the process of packing up my favourite inhabitants to provide me with a core colony population (perma-plat, maxed out Sims who I know are good genetic stock). The Sims are going in to individual lots which I know are flat (no more warped roads for me).

What I am planning to do is package them up to my HDD, then re-install them with Clean Installer, getting rid of the memories and so on, to a new, flat neighbourhood. Then I will re-package them to the HDD, remove the EA folder and get the game to generate a new one, and re-install the clean packs.

Considering that my aim is to produce the cleanest and most useable core population for a new neighbourhood (one that I can use again and again) I want to know if I am performing unnecessary tasks by doing this? As far as I can see, this is the only way I can guarantee to have a set of packaged lots that are as small as possible in file size and as clean as possible for placement.

Please tell me if I am being too anal about the task I have set myself. Ever since migrating here from the BBS, I have been trying to make my game more Awesome.

Maybe a maximally Mean Sim with maxed logic who is also a Mad Scientist could actually use the Virus they create.... if only they could release it on a community lot it could be a fun way to cull an overpopulated neighbourhood.

I'd like to see some sort of physical symptom, too. They should have extended the use of the acne to represent buboes which they could get all over their bodies. I've never had an epidemic because I have always operated a very strict quarantine policy on sick Sims, they get no contact with anyone until they are better.

Well, the way I see it is that the effects of the bouquet are intermittent. When the Sim is within the are of effect of two bouquets that are firing off alternately they are receiving twice as much boost per hour. I always place them as close as possible without them getting in the way. For bedside bouquets I always use an end-table, if you just plonk a bouquet on the floor beside the bed the Sims are unable to use the bed. Th workbench cubicles I use are 4x3. Two workbenches against the back wall, a double door in the centre of the front wall and a Snapdragon in each corner.

I must admit that, since OFB, hardly any of my Sims have eaten at all. As soon as I can get a Sim up to Gold in Flower Arranging then it's Snapdragon Bouquets all the way.

I have an end table with a Snapdragon on each side of every bed. I have a Snapdragon on the desk beside every computer. The workbenches are in cubicles that hold two bouquets and two benches each. There is a bouquet beside each Career Reward object and beside each telescope. The only thing my Sims have to do is raise their energy - and that's what coffee is for.

I don't think my last ten or twelve Sims have eaten anything between becoming children and going to Uni. I make sure they take some Snapdragons there, too. The actually come out out of writing term-papers refreshed if you place them right.

I'm hoping for some sort of combination of the principles involved in these:

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/multi-touch-reel-p1.php (my favourite)
http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/floating-touchscreen-p1.php (the most sci-fi)
http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2005/augmented-reality-p1.php (although I also love this one simply for the ultra-French accent)

This, presumably, referring to the one-room bunker from which the rest of the world is excluded?

I don't know why, but, whenever anyone mentions the Presidential Bunker, I get this weird brain linkage between JM and Wonko the Sane.....

ETA: John Watson aka Wonko the Sane as seen in So Long and Thanks for All the Fish

If you took a couple of David Bowies and stuck one of the David Bowies on the top of the other David Bowie, then attached another David Bowie to the end of each of the arms of the upper of the first two David Bowies and wrapped the whole business up in a dirty beach robe you would then have something which didn't exactly look like John Watson, but which those who knew him would find hauntingly familiar.
"Ah yes," he said, "that's to do with the day I finally realized that the world had gone totally mad and built the Asylum to put it in, poor thing, and hoped it would get better."

"It seemed to me," said Wonko the Sane, "that any civilization that had so far lost its head as to need to include a detailed instructions for use in a package of toothpicks, was no longer a civilzation in which I could live and stay sane."

"I'm a scientist and I know what constitutes proof. But the reason I call myself by my childhood name is to remind myself that a scientist must also be absolutely like a child. If he sees a thing, he must say that he sees it, whether it was what he thought he was going to see or not. See first, think later, then test. But always see first. Otherwise you will only see what you were expecting. Most scientists forget that. I'll show you something to demonstrate that later. So the other reason I call myself Wonko the Sane is so that people will think I am a fool. That allows me to say what I see when I see it. You can't possibly be a scientist if you mind people thinking that you're a fool."

Exactly, so, by default, Maxis wins having been able to complete the challenge before the game was even released.

Apparently they're going one step further with TS3. When you pre-order a Maxoid comes round and pours a cup of cold piss down the back of your computer.

ETA: Having blithely posted away on this I finally managed to notice the dates on the original post and on the one I just quoted. I hope I'm not guilty of necromancy... merely stupidity and lack of concentration. 

Well, thanks to you all. The lot comes up in Clean Installer with the following:
The four teens
The Lot pictures
The Family picture
2 Skin Tones (one of which is 'hair_male_elder")
4 Hair Colours
1 Eye Colour
1 Eye Brow
1 previous occupant listed as a 'Game Object' but whio is also among the 23 Sims listed who are not and, in most cases, never have been living on the lot.

I assume I need the skin, hair, eyebrows and eye along with the lot pics, the family pics and the teens. Can I just get rid of everything else?

Ben

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far. I've just downloaded the CleanInstaller but cannot, for the life of me, work out how to view the actual lot package. As far as CC goes, I haven't downloaded anything other than the Maxian objects and clothes. That's what shows up with CI in my downloads file, anyway. It's all disabled in game (although not by using the Content Manager, just the in-game options). There are only original, shipped with the game/EP/SP furnishings in the lot.

Well, I've got to go visit a friend in hospital now so I'll probably check back this evening (it's 3 in the afternoon at the moment). However, judging by the responses so far, I will probably split the teens off and stick them in an empty lot. I'll ditch the lot other than in my personal game and rebuild and improve it as a stand-alone, pristine item. I needed a decent excuse to go on another building spree and now, I suppose, I have one.

Ben.

Sorry if this sounds like an advert... it was going to be the readme/description for the lot etc.

Ground Floor
This features a large swimming pool, a bowling alley and 3 state-of-the-art hot tubs as well as entrances to the converted port Buildings. These include 2 Elevator gantries, a 2 Car garage (with two expensive sports cars parked in it) and the ground floor bar and club (featuring DJ decks and 2 Dance Spheres as well as both male and female restrooms)

First Floor
The Ship itself begins here. The main bulk is living space. The front half is home to 2 chess tables, 4 desks with computers, bookshelves, communications and some seating. The rear half features plasma television, stereophonic equipment, a myshuno arena and plenty of seating. The two halves are separated by two access tubes, two well-equipped bathrooms and a Dance Sphere Display Cubicle.
Two internal ships elevators grant access to upper decks and a gangway leads across to the first floor of the tower which holds a lovely kitchen and dining bar, an extensive juice bar, a piano and coffee making equipment as well as 2 more shower/toilet combos. This floor also houses a clean-bot and an un-initialised Servo.
There are also 2 display fridges which have been stocked with a group serving of each of the following: Lobster Thermidore, Turkey, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Crepes, Berry Pie, Santa Cookies, Baked Alaska and Cheesecake.

Second Floor
This is the sleeping area of the ship. It is divided into 2 large double cabins with en-suite bathrooms and an extremely spacious children's dormitory for four. All the bedrooms have access to the balconies at the side. Rear mounted pods hold the cowplant chamber and the band practice room. Gangway access to the elevator gantries and to the tower are also included. This floor contains the amusement arcade.

Third floor
The central ship deck contains the bridge whilst the two engine nacelles hold large practice and hobby halls, each fitted with two basic bathrooms. There is also direct access to the top floor of the tower, to the two elevator gantries and to the two hydraulic pods that rise from the top of the garage.
Spread out across these chambers are all the career rewards except the military assault course but including the Uni career objects,. There are two each of the Science, Medical, Athletics, Show-business, Slacker, Criminal and Law reward objects. There are also another plasma television area, another stereo, three expensive telescopes and four pool tables as well as cubicles containing two each of the Robotics, Toy Making and Flower Arranging work-benches.


Teen 1
Myrmidon Tintaglio
Knowledge Sim, Vampire, Abductee and Pickpocket
2 Days Away from growing up.
Perma-Platinum Status
125,250 Aspiration Points
All Skills Maxed
All Scholarships Awarded
Scholarship Value 13,500
Gold Flower Arranging Talent Badge
Silver Toy-making Talent Badge
Neat: 3 Outgoing: 7 Active: 7 Playful: 6 Nice: 7

Inventory:
Frankenbeasley's Starter Kit for Sims (Vamprocillin-D, Re-Nu-Yu-Porta-Chug, Mobile Phone, Elixir of Life, Re-Nu-Yu-Senso-Orb, Hunka Hwang Sports Car)
69 x Daisy Bouquet
34 x wildflower Bouquet
55 x Tulip Bouquet
41 x Mixed Flower Bouquet
156 x Rose Bouquet
60 x Snapdragon Bouquet
54 x Hydroponic Flower Pot (although, apparently, you can't sell them)

Teen 2
Pandora Tintaglio
Knowledge Sim, Vampire and Fast Food Shift Manager
7 days Away from growing up.
Perma-Platinum Status
136,170 Aspiration Points
All Skills Maxed
All Scholarships Awarded except Extra-Terrestrial Reparations
Scholarship Value 12,000
Silver Robotics Badge
Neat: 4 Outgoing: 10 Active: 7 Playful: 10 Nice: 10

Inventory:
Frankenbeasley's Starter Kit for Sims
31 x Toy Robot
33 x Hydrobot
10 x Cleanbot
3 x Sentrybot
7 x Munchiebot
7 x Servo

Teen 3
Diogenes Tintaglio
Knowledge Sim, Vampire, Twin and Intern
12 days Away from growing up.
Perma-Platinum Status
146,750 Aspiration Points
All Skills Maxed
All Scholarships Awarded except Extra-Terrestrial Reparations, Dance and Pool
Scholarship Value 10,000
Neat: 3 Outgoing: 6 Active: 7 Playful: 4 Nice: 9

Inventory:
Frankenbeasley's Starter Kit for Sims
66 x Sir Bricks a Lot
79 x Little Heroes Fire Truck
52 x Clown in a Box (plus 7 Evil Ones)
43 x Kites
101 x Twirl, Spin'n'Wobble

Teen 4
Scorpio Tintaglio
Knowledge Sim, Vampire, Twin and Emergency Medical Technician
12 days Away from growing up.
Perma-Platinum Status
111,670 Aspiration Points
All Skills Maxed
All Scholarships Awarded except Extra-Terrestrial Reparations, Dance and Pool
Scholarship Value 10,000
Neat: 3 Outgoing: 0 Active: 10 Playful: 0 Nice: 10

Inventory:
Frankenbeasley's Starter Kit for Sims
6 x Vamprocillin-D
4 x Re-Nu-Yu-Porta-Chug
4 x Cologne
2 x Love Potion
1, new and unused, of each of the following:
Every Career Reward Object (Including Graduate-only Careers)
Every Aspiration Reward Object
Robotics, Toy Making & Flower Arranging Workbenches

I figured I might as well make my first post here about something I really want to know. Especially since I am sure it will take me no time at all to be exiled to Retardo Land.

So, my problem is this... what are the major factors that dictate the final size of a lot file when it is packaged? Is it the lot size, the number of previous occupants, the furnishings and/or (for occupied lots) the inventory?

I have one lot that was on a 3x2 lot and which contained 8 Sims. This was created with the base game and the family were the original and only occupants - the packaged file (which has managed to avoid culling on the exchange  for about a year and a half) came out to about 5.5Mb. Recently, however, I wanted to put up a lot containing 4 'super-teens'. Admittedly, the lot was a 6x5 and had considerably more furnishings than the first example. The teens were also about the 5th or 6th generation to occupy the lot. Additionally, the teens also had quite well-stocked inventories and were the children of CAS parents using the Maxis BodyShop Starter pack alien skins and eyes (which may be the real problem, I suppose). This time, the packaged lot was something like 120Mb.... which is, I feel, a trifle unwieldy.

I really like the lot and I really like the occupants. Should I separate the two and simply create a new version of the lot as an unoccupied package? Should the family be put on an empty lot (I wanted to offer them to people as a neighbourhood seed family)? should I simply create a new set of teens using standard skins? Any help or advice would be much appreciated. I'll post the details of the teens and the lot below this in case it will help.

Cheers,
Ben