Re: Missing items in the Eco Living pack

by PugLove888
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Re: Missing items in the Eco Living pack

Champion

@KatAnubis, I like to try all existing families at least once.  Some I go back to but many I don't.  And like you, I also like to play with the more expensive furniture since starting from the bottom with the same cheap furniture for almost 6 years is a bit boring! Sleepy Plus, since I've been playing the Sims since the original came out, I've done the start-broke-and-become-rich so many times over 20 years that I only still play that way occasionally!Large smile  Mostly I either tell stories, explore new features, or test things for people who need help! 

However, with the original Sims it was all new, so I played extensively with all the pre-made Maxis families , and did a lot of Rags-to-Riches gameplay!  Raised eyebrow

Well, I checked and Betty & Bob Newbie were the tutorial house for The Sims!Large smile  I thought so, but I wasn't 100% sure! Embarrassed

This is why sooooo many people remember them, because even if they never played another Maxis pre-made house, they probably played the Newbies! Heart Which is why their run down furniture was included in this pack! 

Here is a sample of the tutorial I found.  The gameplay is slow since it shows the tutorial but you will know exactly what everyone is talking about with regards to Bob & Betty Newbie!  And you can also see the original chairs, table, and TV that Eco Lifestyle used as models for the dumpster furniture! Large smile
https://thesimsdepot.wordpress.com/2017/06/30/the-original-sims-1-tutorial-with-bob-and-betty-newbie...

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Message 11 of 22 (761 Views)

Re: Missing items in the Eco Living pack

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@PugLove888 That's hilarious. It's been a *long* time since I played Sims 1. And I probably barely did the tutorial. But it's fun to see all the things that are now back around. I just don't have the same nostalgic feeling for them. I was too glad to escape to TS2, even if I did have to learn how to build my own computer to do it.

Like you, I've been around a long time too. I mostly just "play the game" (but never the Rags to Riches before.) In fact, it was my explaining that everyone plays the Sims differently (multiple times) that gave the ad agency that the "SimsGuru" (although they weren't called that. It was like "MaxisHydra" at that point) got me a job working (as a "Sims Gamer") while they were doing the "As Played By" commercial. They were having a devil of a time finding a "tag" to get EA/Maxis to like the concept. I kept saying "not everyone plays the same. I like to play the game. Other people like to make houses. Others do custom content like recolors of the clothes and furniture. And others like to make videos. Everyone has their own style of play." I must have said it on a daily basis. Finally on the last day (which we were working on until the wee hours of the morning) I said it again. It was like they finally had a light go off in their heads. "How about 'how do you play?' for the tag?" So that and the video I made (of a little girl getting taken away by the social worker after both her parents are hit by lightning) went off to EA/Maxis and they liked that concept. So it became the commercial. (I wish I could find a YouTube of one of them, especially the one with Darlene Thorne in it, since she's *still* one of my buddies.) (And you may remember me as SimMasterAnubis from TS2 days. I liked to help people too!)
Message 12 of 22 (733 Views)

Re: Missing items in the Eco Living pack

Champion

@KatAnubis, wowRaised eyebrow that is amazing  That is what I've always been saying as well, since TS1!  I've know so many people who only build in the Sims and others who only push boundaries (like finding all the ways a Sim can die), and other who tell stories.   Then with TS2 onward you have people who only make Sims in CAS and rarely if ever test them or play with them.  I think that is why the Sims is a game for almost everyone! Party hat

I probably encountered you on the Forums for TS2 and TS3. And Maxis Hydra sounds familiar as well!   I was PugLove888 ever since TS2, but I was DogDog888 on the TS1 Forums!

I couldn't play TS2 when it first came out since my computer couldn't run it.  I remember when it was released and when the first expansion pack (University) came out and longing for it!  Then our computer died, and while that was traumatic, it did allow us to get a new one that would play TS2!   TS2 is my favorite version of the Sims! Party hat I was so addicted to it that even I started to worry! EmbarrassedLarge smile  I had made some stories for TS1, but since that game is static with no ageing (save from baby to child, unless you had Makin' Magic which you could go from child to adult), my stories were pretty limited.  Then TS2 came and my toddler grew into a child and I got a bit sad and had to start taking pictures right before she blew out the candles to preserve those memories!  (She was the baby that Pascal Curious was Alien pregnant with when you start their household in Strangetown). After that I made so many family stories and arranged them in that album with text.  

Well, the tag line idea you came up with  is a fantastic one because it is so true to the spirit of the Sims franchise!Party hat  That is why all types of people love the Sims from the young to the elderly! Heart

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Message 13 of 22 (705 Views)

Re: Missing items in the Eco Living pack

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@PugLove888 I loved it when we went to TS2, but I really loved the open neighborhoods of TS3. I couldn't afford to upgrade, so I wasn't doing game testing anymore at that point (and we SimMasters were replaced by paid EA employees to do the moderating) so I got a little less active.

I only had TS3 and World Adventures for what seemed like years and years. I didn't have the rest of the EPs until after TS4 came out (when again my computer couldn't handle it at all. But the TS3 EPs were suddenly a *lot* less expensive. I'm a retiree so money is important.) Then last year my video card gave out (poor overworked thing!) So then I could play TS4 (which my TS2 friends said they preferred over TS3.) I've been loving it but I miss the color wheel and the more open neighborhoods. I'm glad that they seem to be doing so much more with TS4 than they did with the others in terms of more varied content (with all the EPs/SPs/GPs).

And for the first time with EcoLiving, I'm doing the Rags to Riches. You said you did a lot of them in the past, but I hadn't until now. (Although I think she's rich now. She still lives in her tiny home in Port Promise but she is nearly a millionaire, probably because of her money tree! But somehow I doubt at Freegan will want to live in a mansion!)
Message 14 of 22 (680 Views)
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Re: Missing items in the Eco Living pack

Champion

@KatAnubis, sadly I did not care for the TS3 open world. Confused Most of this is because the game was so incredibly slow, and later it would stop for anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes before starting again... if it didn't crash altogether! Teeth baredDevil However, even had the game run well on my computer I still didn't care for the open world in that they were always empty! Angry I would spend most of my time in Map view looking for a Sim outside of the household to interact with and by the time my Sim got there they were gone.  And often I couldn't find anyone at all, if my Sim worked days and only had time to socialize at night. It was really awful. In theory I love the concept of an open world, so if EA/Maxis ever plans on doing it again, I would like it as long as the game is playable and the world isn't devoid of Sims who are all stuck in their houses.  If my Sim goes to a nightclub, I expect other Sims to be there! Large smile
So, I guess I feel the same as your TS2 friends!  My favorite is TS2, followed by TS4, then TS1, and last is TS3.  TS1 would be equal to TS4 or even higher, but it was a static game compared to the other 3, even though it had great gameplay and tons of charm!Heart

My favorite thing about TS3 was the CASt color/pattern wheel!Party hat  I was addicted to that almost as much as I was addicted to TS2!  However, my zeal for making and saving patterns and color combos was partially my undoing, as it didn't take long for the massive amounts of color swatches I had accumulated to freeze up my computer anytime I had to go into CAS or even Build/Buy Mode! OopsDisappointed So it was a double edged sword!  While I dearly miss it in TS4, I'm also relieved it wasn't included.  But again, if they can make it to where it would work with a ton of swatches, I would certainly want the CASt wheel back for the next version of the Sims! Fingers crossed

No, I don't think a Freegan would like to live in a mansion! Large smileWink  Mine got upset because I had just started the game and couldn't find anything in the trash and she had to eat something so I had her make a dinner of salad for the family and she got a negative moodlet for having spent money on foodOopsLarge smile  Well, it is a sight better than starving, I think! Wink

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Message 15 of 22 (662 Views)

Re: Missing items in the Eco Living pack

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@PugLove888 I guess I was just lucky with TS3. I didn't have problems with either crashing or with a lack of Sims in the neighborhood. And I had a much easier time with the Color wheel. Instead of a huge folder full of custom content (most of which was there so that I could get the colors of clothes I wanted), I had a relatively small number of items. I mostly downloaded a few clothing meshes but since I prefer all my Sims to be wearing purple or lavender, I had a much easier time with my custom content load.

I truly miss the color wheel too. My CC folder is huge again. For TS2 I did do some of my own recolors, but then I lost my copy of Photoshop and haven't figured out how to do it in TS4. (I have downloaded The Sims4Studio so that I *could* do it, and I have a ton of tutorials. I just haven't wanted to stop playing long enough to be inspired to learn the new stuff.)

By the way, a Freegan doesn't mind taking "quick meals" from the fridge. They much prefer that to spending money on food. However if eat too many of those in a row they get a negative moodlet for "unbalance meal choices." Although my Sims tend to do a lot of gardening which can take the cost down so that they will be willing to cook if they're a Freegan. And they get a very nice moodlet if they eat from the garden (although it takes about 5 soybeans or tons of the other things to fill them up, so it takes forever for them to eat.) They also keep bees and I found that they can live solely off of honey without getting *any* negative moodlets.
Message 16 of 22 (635 Views)

Re: Missing items in the Eco Living pack

Champion

@KatAnubis, it doesn't surprise me that you didn't have problems with the CASt wheel, if you didn't have that many swatches.  I know a lot of people like you who had no problems with CASt Angel … and everyone of those who I've talked to who did have problems with it were players like me who went hog wild with the CASt wheel ! EmbarrassedLarge smile

I am surprised that you didn't have a problem with empty worlds. Raised eyebrow I'm not the only one whose complained about this.  Wondering   
I also understand that my computer was just an average computer... not the best but not the worst either.  But even those with excellent computers still had laggy gameplay.  They say today's computers can better handle the game.  

I did some recolors in TS2 but I didn't use Photoshop (too expensive for me).  But I don't remember what I used. 

I don't use any CC or Mods for TS4, as it got too troublesome to keep up with in TS3. Disappointed

I know that Freegans have no problem eating quick meals from the fridge... but the family needed to eat and the dad was busy gaining points so he could vote enough times to get a good NAP in the neighborhood, so the only other Sim old enough to cook in the family was the mom.  I wanted to give them a better meal that a quick one... and the garden , while planted, hadn't grown yet as it was just the first day of gameplay for this family!Frown  No time enough for honey production at that point either!  I have used honey a lot in my other saves! Wink


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Message 17 of 22 (616 Views)

Re: Missing items in the Eco Living pack

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@PugLove888 I couldn't do without my mods for TS4! I didn't use them for TS3 but there are so many annoying things with TS4 (annoying to me, others have no problems) that I really want them.

Ah, you started your first day with an entire family! That does make a big difference. I don't start out with families. I have them procreate their families. (Although I have some Sim couples that never have children. They just live for their jobs and entertainment.)

I'm itching to get back to my family though, but it's several generations in and since I just had the 134:... error code, I don't want to take the chance on my legacy family getting that. Same with my other long term game. So I'm playing one that is new enough I haven't gotten that attached. (Although she re-traited to get rid of the Freegan trait. Soon will be moving in to a mansion in Sulani so it's more convenient for her Conservation job. The husband is a techie geek. He won't care as long as he has fast internet!)
Message 18 of 22 (577 Views)

Re: Missing items in the Eco Living pack

Champion

@KatAnubis, well, as long as you maintain your Mods, (and I know a long-time player like yourself does), then that is wonderful!Party hat

My family was only a mom, dad, and child.Wink  Whenever a new pack is released, I always love to make a new family with all the new clothing and hair.  So I made this family and another one that is bigger with more children and a toddler. 
But I often have many of my Sims create their families in-game... I have one that I started with a single Sim when Get to work came out.  He is a scientist I named Ned Maxis, who married Eva Capricosa (or however you spell her name) from Get Together.  But before he married her he was abducted by Aliens and had a little Alien daughter, Maxine,  (who is now a adult).  Then Eva and Ned had a daughter of their own, and then Ned got abducted again and gave birth to another daughter! Meanwhile, Ned had a task at work to clone himself (I think, but I just might have been curious and tried it on my own NerdLarge smile ). That clone was an Evil Clone (with red eyes!)  Then I had him clone again and he got a regular clone who is good with normal eyes Angel.  Finally, Ned and Eva had a little boy! So, Ned and Eva have 4 kids (two who are Alien) and live with 2 clones of Ned , one of which is Evil! Raised eyebrowLarge smile  It was a small house designed just for Ned originally, but I expanded it by building a massive basement! 

I have another large family that started with a female Vampire and a male Alien, and now they have many children.  But I do also like to make large families in CAS.  I guess I just alternate how I l play based on my mood for that day! Large smile

I also have some single Sims that I often use to test new features of a pack.  I find it easier to concentrate for such exploration if I don't have too many Sims in one house. Often for these types of households I usually don't have them work a regular job (I usually have them paint and garden or things like that), or else I use money cheats (and pretend it is an inheritance!).  This frees me up to explore more new aspects or to test things for people who have problems in the game. 

I don't have any Legacy Families right now, but I did in TS2 and TS3.  I don't blame you for not wanting to take a chance on your Legacy families!!! That is another reason why I play either Maxis-Made families or new ones I create when a new pack is first used!  It is too risky to use either a well established family or lot (especially with a large developed garden) with a new pack or patch! 

I'm glad you retraited your Freegan since I think they would be miserable in a mansion! DisappointedWink  Sulani is so beautiful, so I'm sure they will be happy there! HeartParty hat

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Message 19 of 22 (529 Views)

Re: Missing items in the Eco Living pack

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@PugLove888 When I have a new pack, I take out all CC/Mods to see how it goes. I have a specific "No Mod Folder" save that I use. But I don't stay there long because I want my CC and Mods! (And yes, I definitely don't put them back in until I know they've been checked out or updated.) But even there, I don't use Maxis made families.

I've used a Maxis made Sim every once in a while as a "significant other" or something special. In fact, one of my "special saves" that I don't want to lose took Diego Lobo (from Myshuno) into their household. He was their buddy but he got cursed while in Selvador. Since I nothing seemed to work to get him "uncursed" without bringing him into the family, he got brought in (to the point where I had to renovate their whole house to provide him with a room of his own.) Now he's happily married and the new couple is about to move out into their own household. Then the remaining couple can quit their jobs and just go on vacation (without me having to juggle too many people while we're doing our explorations.)

As to my former Freegan, she is quite happy in her new Sulani home. (She did marry a Maxis Sim from Port Promise.) She's busy cleaning it up (because there are a number of naughty "litterbug" people that keep messing it up.) That and working on her Conservation career, her bees, her garden (which her husband is at least helping with) and maintaining their Off the Grid home are keeping her quite busy!
Message 20 of 22 (508 Views)