I noticed MaxassSam was over here a few days ago. Probably checking the climate on people's attitudes--see if the Securom debacle is dying down.

I'lll never ever spend another dime on EA products or any software that has securom or starforce or any other crap they come up with stronger than SafeDisc. I'll pirate it and get a noCD.exe if I want it that badly which is what they--those in the gaming industry--deserve for putting that crap on our machines and then ignoring our problems.

I had a friend that said 'why wish a fucking on them? why not wish on them something unpleasant, like an audit?' So: Audit them!

It works fine for me, no problem at all, no special settings, on Vista Home 64bit.

I suggest you dump it and we'll try a new one the same size.

pbox: nope, not the dip I'm thinking of which is a good thing. I'd hate to think this phenom was happening on all the LA lots! it's no bid deal because it is easily fixed. Just not sure why it appears. I'll get a picture of it the next time it appears.

Morriganirant: have you tried leveling with constrainfloorelevation false?

EDIT: I found a picture-- you can see the dip at the build/beach line.

Yes, I've had the dip develope too. It's solvable: I used the level tool, selected one squre at the edge and pulled across the lot, side to side, each row repeated the sameway. This levels the dip out without losing the slope of the lot. I have no idea why it forms. I thought it might be the beach lots as the dip seemed to form in the asame place each time I saw it, at the build area/beach area line. But if you say it was at the sidewalk and that you saw it on pbox's lot, that blows that idea.

I'm going to retrace your steps (in a few days) and see what I get. I'm going to try it on the Vulkano terrrain.

Easist way to hunt for the Securomkey: Open your regiestry (run . regecit)

Make sure that Computer, the top entry/key is selected

Go to Edit in the Menu > FIND  and type in Securom

This will find the Securom key if it's there. (Hitting Find Again (or F3) finds the same entry again (duh))

Now go back to the instructions here to get rid of the little bastard kety if you found one.

Thjis is a handy dandy search function and works just the same as any Find function in any, for instance, word processor software. Learn it, use it. it's great and easy.

ooo--I hardly ever use the cars. Simply don't care for their functions. I hadn't even thought to test it! So glad you did. Thanks!  What size and what terrain won't let a drive be placed? After placement with moveobjects on did it work correctly? Must try this and see what I get.

I have never gotten any, even EAs, beach lots to place side by side. The closest placement is one square off. Are you sure you had them right next to each other?

I have several community lots going. They seem fine. I want to try one as a dorm--which I will but after Xmas.Too much distraction right now. I'm going to have to set up a Uni for that test as I don't want to 'invade' my regular hood uni with a test. So UHG on that testing! It can wait.

brownlust-I lust for brown too. It's a great color, and a great skin color too.

Thank you so much for the report. I will try that terrain too, thanks.

It seems that the lots play just fine. Hopefully, the lots are working as well for everyone else too--so few people have reported back....can I, should I assume that's a good thing? The difficulty placing them appears to be the reason EA offered up only the larger, easier to place lots--and they chose to ignore those of us that simply can't play the larger lots. Very EA of them.....

I used to  run only the smaller lots because my lots tend to be heavy in CC. I like details. I have a better PC now and I can run the larger lots, but I have developed a taste for the small guys. Hence, I was yearning for the smaller beachs and I like them so much better, even if they are somewhat harder to place, they aren't THAT hard--and in some spots they are the only ones that will place.

I'm glad to know others like them too. The credit for them goes to Mootilda and Inge for their hard work on the LA (lot adjuster) code. I only followed instructions and released them to the pubic.

Ran my DLs through GUID check--it worked fine. But the health check threw an exception error on every item --something about value 5.

A beach front dorm? lol. Nice. But no bills? Has this happened to other, land locked, dorms?

Maybe not snow--maybe Eas idea of sea foam?

I'm always late to the party. Tried to DL the test version, but couldn't get it.

I run all my Dls through SimPE. I've been waiting for the newest version.

If Frank was around and he objected to your release, he'd say so. He's probably quite sick of all the mean people in this community and has stepped back a bit. Being partlly mean myself as a result of the meanies here: screw those detractors! Anyone that has been around for any length of time knows better.

Thanks Inge. I thought as much but was unsure.

This is what I referred to with the boatnana reference above. I just wasn't sure it applied to beach lots--but there is no obvious reason why it should not.

I made those on your haven3 terain--it is mostly flat, right? I know there was one lot made on one side of the terrain that I couldn't use because the terrain was 'rough' and the side seam wouldn't 'heal'. So I tossed that out in favor of the flatter side lot which is what you have.

I'm not sure what you mean by your 'flat beach lot'. Can you upload one or is it uploaded someplace? IF I can get it, I'll try making it into 2xs for you. Maybe they'll place a bit better.

  I'm so sorry they are acting like this. I don't know for sure what it could be. Only the continued testing will tell us. They are so much funner to play than the large EA lots.

Emma, try the vulkano terrain? And have you tired all the sizes?

Sleepycat, have you tried any of the other sizes on those spots that won't let you place the 2xs? Have you tried the EA lots?

I worked off of your haven3 terrain (is that right--sleepycathaven3 or sleepyhaven3?)

I would be interested to know if they'll place on Vulkano for you on your system too, if you'd be willing to try that.

Also, over at MTS2 boatnana has a slope value change file that allows regualr lots to be place don more terrain slopes. It might work for beach lots too, you might try that. Just run a search on the member list for boatnana and it'lbring the right pagfe up--only one entry there I think

When trying to place them--what do you THINK is holding it up?

If there are any neighborhood objects in the area you try to place a lot on, the lot won't place. Like if there are any of the hood wave boxes, or rocks there, lot won't place. Try moving those items to see if the lot places.

It might be a good idea to keep track of the terrains beaches won't place on....

This is where you can find the Vulkano terrain: http://www.dreamlandsims2.de/ (click the orange pencil)

Try a different terrain?

I have placed them on one of Sleepycat's terrains available here, not sure which one, and one called Vulkano, made by someone I don't remember the name of. But I can chase that down.... again....

I think the EA terrains were too far from water to fit the shorter lots. The smaller lots are hader to place then the EA lots because they are smaller--the length of lot to water edge and the slope of the water front both come into play.

My only advice is to try another terrain. It could be the lots simply won't--but this is why they need to be tested. So far they have been DLed 16 times--perhaps others will give us a report on how they've done with them.

oo, Thanks Sleepycat, I should have mentioned those: No they do not need to be loaded. Just uncheck them.

What they are: pedestrian, car, beach and wave effect portals. Inge made a buyable version of these and that is what got packaged up with the lot. Don't load them into your game and then you won't have the buyable versions, the lot will simply grab the maxis originals and all will be fine.

OR go ahead and load them into your game and have fun placing them whereever to see what they will do......

She made a buyable people portal--like those found at the sidewalks. I have used these, for example, placed on the back corners of lots on corners, they allow sims to walk onto the lot from the side sidewalk as well as the normal front of lot sidewalk. Very nice.

Thank you Emma!

The other lots worked fine for me too.

Smaller beach lots! Info about them is in the post. Please test these! They need it!

http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=1839440#post1839440  - post number 1384!

".... I make friendly with whatever rep I am able to net. I ask them precise questions and give them an understanding that I am looking for answers. If they can provide me with the next step in the chain fine.... "

LOL!  Who says I don't do that too? Do I need to say it yet again?? Well, I won't.

Oh ye of little minds, those that think in paper sacks....lol. Exactly the reaction I expected from clerkwhiners.

'You obviously never worked as a clerk...' blah blah. Wrong. I worked through college selling various items, became a full time droogie (manager.)  And this is where I learned about the comsumer laws. (and I worked with the public all my life--even as liaison with the government.)

You wanna know what the name of the law is? YOU go hunt it up. I know it's there, don't give a rat's ass if you want to be ignorant and remain stupid/believe me or not....

How does my throwing a fit at a clerk hurt the corp? THINK. If I take the clerk's I can't help you quietly and go on my way: THAT helps the corp. If I scream and throw a fit THAT disrupts the workday, it makes the other customers present take heed of the state of the product, the return policies of the store or simply uneasy. All good for the irrate customer. Just because the customer behind me doesn't say "I think that person was right and you should do more to help them" or something along those lines doesn't mean they aren't thinking it. There are people that side with the irrate customer at least one for one for every one that is agreeing with/kissing the clerks ass for some reason.

It is NOT my job to track when the manager is in or out. I am not going to spend my gas and my time waiting for the manager to see me. (I also am not going to spend any more of my money at a store with stupid unhelpful policies/clerks/managers.) I also know that many many times the manager has simply said "I'm going in the office/leave me alone for a while/tell whoever wants me I'm out." If it's the store policy that only a manager can help with returns, then a manager should be onsite and available ALWAYS. That's what assistant managers were made for.

So you little minded clerkwhiners get a look at the reality of the situation, not just how it affects YOUR day (and screw the customer and their day). Screw you--it's your job. Don't like it? Find a new job.

I also stated once already, second and last time here: I do not go in yelling and insulting. I do not cuss etc. I start my 'act', because that is what it is and it does work, when I am treated badly, condensendingly, insultingly, as if I were stupid, told over and over again about the 'policy.' Anyway, most of the time, repeating the consumer laws alone brings the manager out of hiding and tada: problem solved. But if I am driven to a scream, then I scream.

I'm with JM. A rocket launcher or flame thrower would straighten a clerk-whiner/stupid store polic/greedy corp right out.

I understand some customers can be a pib and big idiots. I also understnad that it's 'corporate policy' to remove power from the clreks and tell the clerks they can do nothing for the unhappy customer. This is the way they control the returns. It is to their advantage to have it this way. it is also WRONG.

If I'm the unhappy customer and I have access to the clerk only, they are gonna hear how unhappy I am, regardless. If they don't listen, I'm gonna say it again and again getting louder and louder as I go until they DO listen. If they get abusive with me, say something completely senseless, insulting or whatewver, I'm gonna cuss.

It does no good?? My ass! If I go away nice and complacent, the way you clerks want me to act, the corp. wins. SO you clerks lose if I throw a fit? So what? it's your job. ANd if only the manager can help us then that manager needs to be onsite all the time any customers are.

You don't want to be hassled?? I didn't want to spend my hard earned cash on crap either--we're in the same boat. YOU, the clerk, work for the corp. It's YOUR responsiblity to report exactly how unhappy the customer is with the shitty product and the shitty return policies. If I'm nice and complacent you forget me quick and say nothing. A clerk, when no manager is around, is my only 'voice' back at the dirty crooked corporations. It shouldn't be on me to keep up with a managers schedule.

Federal consumer law says I have the right to return ANYTHING as long as it hasn't been abused and I have my receipt. The corps HATE us, the customers,to know this.

You might be nicer to the next loud mouth and make sure you report the complaint backa t the manager as often as it takes to make a dent in the bad policies..You clerk-whiners need to get a clue and see that us loud mouths are protecting your rights here too.

Thanks, morriganrant.

Yes, I play with the BV nocd.exe. I also, just because my bout with Securom was so bad, if I do put TSS on my PC, I will need a TSS nocd.exe! Otherwise I'll sit and worry about it! Took me several months to be able to play while connected to the internet nocd.exe in. So, silly and unneccessary tho it may be, overkill is better. No TSS nocd.exe? No TSS for me. lol.....

Please clarify:

This pack WILL install even though Securom is not on my PC (that shit is gone, it's staying gone.) If I stick the nocd.exe in before I start the game Securom will stay gone? Or does it install Securom and I must clean the shit off again?

I'm assuming there is a nocd.exe at say gameburnworld.....?