More Awesome Than You!

See title. Does such a beastie exist? ;)

It's bad enough that they get spontaneous urges to play SSX when they're supposed to be doing something more useful, but at least if I see the computer randomly turn up in their queue I can delete it. The problem is when I've got uni students writing a term paper, and they get bored before the end and start playing SSX. As "Write Term Paper" and "Play SSX 3" have the same icon, I don't always find out until they've been doing it a while >:(.

I could've sworn I saw someone make a hack for this... but while searching MTS2 for it, I found this (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=36817) instead. However, it completely removes 'Play SSX3' altogether. If you don't mind that, give it a try and see if it works.

I think there's an anti-SSX3 hack on Ingelogical.

DEATH TO SSX!  There are no automomy computers at MTS2 and also a hack at Simlogical.  I use the one at MTS2 and it works great for the Moneywell and Little sister.  For custom computers, I changed automony in SimPE to 64 and unchecked the user boxes so it doesn't even show up in pie menu.  I hate that game with a passion of the zombies!

Yeah, I mean, what was EA *THINKING* when they tried to plug SSX3 in TS2? That has to be the worst publicity move they've ever made. You can already feel the overwhelming urge to not buy that game.

The hack at my site, simlogical.com, is a global hack that will make all SSX playing non-autonomous for any computer, apart from if you happen to have a hacked computer where the creator put all the code into the object instead of using the shared code in the semiglobals.

Didn't I already say that?

Well, I was left perplexed about exactly what you had said about it.  I was trying to put myself in the shoes of the readers and decided I'd have still been confused :)

You know, I actually bought SSX at least partially because it was featured in The Sims 2, but then I like snowboarding games.  I would actually like to be able to choose which game my Sim gets with their PC though.

IMHO the best way to stop Sims from playing on the computer (and a whole lot of other annoying things)  is to turn off Free Will.

That's my view of the matter also. I've supplanted the functionality of "Free will" with Macro Power Idle anyway. It does all the same crap, but a whole lot faster, better, and with less noise and disruption.

What I do is while they are writing their term paper I click on "turn off computer" which they will do as soon as they have finished, then tell them to go and pee, or something, and give them a long list of other things to do!

I never turn off the computer. You don't turn computers off in real life, why should you turn them off in game?

I always find if my sims leave them on, they go up in a load of smoke and then I have to get the repairman in!

Computers always explode after your sim stops using it, for whatever reason. They SHOULD explode when a sim tries to turn it ON, for better realism.

There's an idea: The Linux PC. No games. Less crashing. And never frickin' turn it off, because Linux takes forever to boot up.

As far as I can tell, the computers are of little use anyway, exept for job-hunting and 'find own place' purposes. If you absolutely want the pixel-people to play electronic games, get the game-console. For everything else, the phone will do just fine.

At least in TS1 the computer allowed kids to study, this one does not even do that.

G.

You can clearly see the political message Maxis is trying to send here: Computer games are not fun anymore.

Mine never stop doing their term paper until I cancel it out.  If I forget them, they will complete the whole thing in one sitting and go way down on fun.  What I usually do when I remember, is let them write half to three-quarters of it, then cancel out the instruction and tell them to play SSX3 instead, which pushes their fun bar up quite quickly, then I get them to finish the term paper.  They can do all this in one sitting without leaving their chair, so the game is quite useful in that respect anyway.  It's not useful at any other time though, mainly because it takes so long to actually get started.  It is also the most irritating noise in the entire game.

So what if they go way down on fun? Finish the frickin' paper, then go automatically kick a flamingo. No problem.

If it's Gnohmon's flamingo, it'll probably have just pushed fun up again!

Even ordinary flamingos are the top class for "fun objects" in the game. You won't believe it till you've experience the Macrotastic Stuff Kicker.

I cannot live with out my Macrotastic Stuff Kicker thingy bobber. I have officially banned TV's and computers in my game. My sims have a thing for flamingoes now I swear.

Of course you do: It's Flamingo Kicking, the Sport of Kings. There are still some sad, benighted heathens (http://home.online.no/~itlandm/di050628.html) who refuse to see the light, though.

You know I think the folks at Maxis have forgotten all the cool stuff you can do with computers these days.  What if each neighbourhood had its own forums, seething with inane posts from the Townies?  Oh wait, hang on, that would be far too realistic ;)

You can also find answers to things that have already been asked, by checking a FAQ or using a search engine.  In game, Sims could use their computers to do research for a term paper or assignment, and pull together information they have already gathered from books, and produce a much higher quality piece of work than if they'd used a pen and pad.  They could pursue their interests, and read fan fiction for their favourite film or TV series.

For cryin' out loud, they could plot their incomings and outgoings on a spreadsheet so they can see if they're spending beyond their means.

About the only thing the Maxoids got remotely right is e-mail, and even then it isn't especially great.

Perhaps they should invent a new game and call it SimGeeks!

I would sure hate to be one of your Sims.  The poor things must be petrified everytime you click your mouse!

I used th give the college kids a break, but I just make them finish the term paper all the way too.  If they need fun back up they can go play red hands or dance to the radio if someone else is already kicking stuff.

Or woohoo in the hot tub!

Good call!!

Thanx!

Now that's and ode to your macrotastics if I ever read one. It could've been written by you, but I'm sure it's not, it lacks the insults. :D

By the way, love the link to the German page. More paise-singing, this time in my own language.

G.

No you wouldn't. Because I don't click very often. Macrotastics is totally more awesome than you.

Ah-hah! I've been thinking about this for a while, and this adds the final piece. A Geek centered expansion pack! Primarily, it makes computers functional and interesting. Yes .  . . Of course, it's really just an excuse to have tabletop RPGs in the game.

SSX3 is friggin' EVIL. Never ever ever buying it. Ever. I have SSX1, it's a fun game, and I considered getting SSX3 before Sims, but no more! Between this and the obvious "Argh! The suits rushed the deadline for financial reasons and now the game is craptastic!" aspect to both S2 and Uni, I now officially LOATHE that towering edifice of Evil that is EA. I used to like them, because S1 probably wouldn't have been made without them buying Maxis out (long story there) but now that they have screwed the franchise over with their stupidity, I doubt I will ever buy anything that has only the EA label ever again.

Has anyone else noticed that they are pushing the EA-ness of TS2? TS1 was in the "Maxis" folder. TS2 is in the "EA Games" folder. I guess it is rather appropriate though, seeing as they're responsible for the game being what it is today. Gah.

Just a little bump to say thanks to the people who drew my attention to Inge's hack. It works like a charm :D. Death to SSX3!

What always annoys me, you send your sims to the shops, they buy Bustin' Out or whatever, but everytime they turn on the playstation it's back to the default!  I'd love a hack that locks it on the last program played, so only the human player can switch it back!

There's no memory of the last program played. You always have to pick one to play when you start the game.

I realised that, that's why I wondered if it would be possible to do it.

Not really. It'd require the creation of an entirely new attribute, for starters. That'd be messy. Doable, perhaps, but would be messy and potentially prone to future conflict....and for what purpose? If you want to create a Deathmatch, you have to initiate it yourself anyway. If you don't want a deathmatch, then why are you putzing around with that dumb thing?

A bit of an Alice, I suppose - just curious!

If you want to create a Deathmatch, you have to initiate it yourself anyway. If you don't want a deathmatch, then why are you putzing around with that dumb thing?

Pardon my ignorance, but how do you start a deathmatch?  I have your hack concerning it, but I don't really know how to use it.

Thanks,
Vicki

Either get a game console, or get multiple PCs and use the 'join lanparty' option after a Sim has started playing.