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The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#201 Old 12th Apr 2012 at 1:49 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Darby
Social Worker has been bugging me, because she's an exception to the part of the rule of thumb about NPCs being safe if they can be befriended normally, without cheats. But she does NOT satisfy the part of the rule of thumb about having a real name! My brain is happy to have that settled.

Yeah, I wouldn't add the Social Worker. The one exception to the name rule is the drivers (brown shirts) - they are not safe to add to your family but then you can't interact with them anyway.

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
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Mad Poster
#202 Old 12th Apr 2012 at 2:58 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Darby
So M.M.A.A, Rule of Thumb: Does the NPC (in this case, chef) have a real name, AND can he/she be befriended, moved-in, etc. without use of cheats. If yes to both, chances are good that NPC is safe. If not, don't do it.


Will have to keep that in mind. Thanks.
Site Helper
#203 Old 12th Apr 2012 at 4:44 PM Last edited by Mootilda : 12th Apr 2012 at 5:11 PM.
Question: what should the wiki article be called? "NPCs that are safe to marry" isn't really an appropriate title. "NPCs to avoid"? "Safe and unsafe NPCs"?

Someone who found a new way to corrupt their objects.package: an odd error when using the batbox:
http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/s...ic,21409.0.html
Mad Poster
#204 Old 12th Apr 2012 at 6:32 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Mootilda
Question: what should the wiki article be called? "NPCs that are safe to marry" isn't really an appropriate title. "NPCs to avoid"? "Safe and unsafe NPCs"?


"NPCs that should not be tampered with"? or "NPCs that should not be made playable"?

But yours is better, the "Safe and unsafe NPCs".
Mad Poster
#205 Old 12th Apr 2012 at 8:42 PM Last edited by Darby : 12th Apr 2012 at 10:32 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by Mootilda
Someone who found a new way to corrupt their objects.package: an odd error when using the batbox:
http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/s...ic,21409.0.html


Whoa. Thanks for the heads-up!

From what Pes says in post 4, sounds like he modified it to make that less likely to happen. Went to the hacks download list and can confirm that ffslotdebugger was modified 4/10/2012.

So, time to update your BatBoxes, peeps!

For the Wiki, Mootilda, I'm wondering if we really need an exhaustive list with every possible NPC individually identified as either "safe" or "unsafe"? I don't think there are any exceptions to the basic safety criteria that 1. The NPC has a real name AND 2. The NPC has all the normal interactions available to townies.

However, the Wiki definitely needs the list of the Universal sims that, when made selectable, can potentially corrupt the .objects package and thus require a game reinstall.

ETA: Any idea what Pescado is talking about when he says, "... you should have locked your objects.package file..."?
e3 d3 Ne2 Nd2 Nb3 Ng3
retired moderator
#206 Old 12th Apr 2012 at 9:06 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Darby
ETA: Any idea what Pescado is talking about when he says, "... you should have locked your objects.package file..."?

Mark it as read only, that way the game cannot write to it.
Mad Poster
#207 Old 12th Apr 2012 at 10:02 PM
That's it? Very cool. Sounds like general game-safety advice that ought to be more widely disseminated!

But then, I don't know where to find the file.
Scholar
#208 Old 12th Apr 2012 at 10:15 PM
I read that link about the batbox myself and I wasn't exactly sure what it meant. I don't ever use the batbox in debug mode (or shift-click mode) so I'm thinking this really has little effect on me. I've always understood that in debug mode there was stuff that could seriously screw with your game so I just don't go there.
Mad Poster
#209 Old 12th Apr 2012 at 10:40 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Clashfan
I read that link about the batbox myself and I wasn't exactly sure what it meant. I don't ever use the batbox in debug mode (or shift-click mode) so I'm thinking this really has little effect on me. I've always understood that in debug mode there was stuff that could seriously screw with your game so I just don't go there.


Yeah, me too, I didn't understand what happened. So it would be kind of someone to explain to us what the problem is exactly.
Mad Poster
#210 Old 12th Apr 2012 at 10:44 PM
It reads like there was a problem with the rename feature. I use that ALL the time. Someone is apparently even more talented at finding a program's weak point than I am!
From what I understand, it isn't good to change a sim's last name in SimPE because the last name occurs in some places SimPE doesn't access. So that must be done in game. You can do it with the batbox, the simblender, probably other ways. If you have sims who keep their maiden name, divorced sims, or children of unmarried mothers who want to use their father's name, that's when this feature is useful. (Or if it annoys you that the Capp husbands took their wives' surname, or that Dina Bachelor is using her maiden name instead of her married name, or if you just want to fix the spelling of Francis J. Worthington's first name without exiting the game, or whatever.)

Pics from my game: Sunbee's Simblr Sunbee's Livejournal
"English is a marvelous edged weapon if you know how to wield it." C.J. Cherryh
Site Helper
#211 Old 12th Apr 2012 at 11:14 PM
Quote: Originally posted by M.M.A.A.
I didn't understand what happened. So it would be kind of someone to explain to us what the problem is exactly.
As I understand it, the bug is this:

You decide to rename a sim using the batbox. Instead of your sim's name appearing in the name change dialog, Mrs. Crumplebottom appears (or one of the other sims that you must never ever change). You realize that this is a very bad thing and try to cancel the dialog. However, there is no Cancel button. No matter what you do, your objects.package is corrupted... unless:

- You have made your objects.package read-only, which should stop the game from allowing the change.
or
- You have a backup of your objects.package (after installing all of the patches), and replace your corrupted objects.package with the backup.
or
- You uninstall all of your EPs and SPs and then reinstall them.
Quote: Originally posted by Darby
For the Wiki, Mootilda, I'm wondering if we really need an exhaustive list with every possible NPC individually identified as either "safe" or "unsafe"? I don't think there are any exceptions to the basic safety criteria that 1. The NPC has a real name AND 2. The NPC has all the normal interactions available to townies.

However, the Wiki definitely needs the list of the Universal sims that, when made selectable, can potentially corrupt the .objects package and thus require a game reinstall.
I don't really know what's required. I personally like your simple algorithm (real names and normal interactions), but some people might prefer a list.
Mad Poster
#212 Old 13th Apr 2012 at 12:11 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Mootilda
- You have made your objects.package read-only, which should stop the game from allowing the change.
or
- You have a backup of your objects.package (after installing all of the patches), and replace your corrupted objects.package with the backup.
or...


I'd really like to do both those things. Where is the objects.package file to be found?


Quote: Originally posted by Mootilda
I personally like your simple algorithm (real names and normal interactions), but some people might prefer a list.


True. I'll just be happy to have the article to point people to, so whatever you think best is more than fine by me.
Site Helper
#213 Old 13th Apr 2012 at 12:30 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Darby
Where is the objects.package file to be found?
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2\TSData\Res\Objects, plus the same folder for each EP and SP.
Mad Poster
#214 Old 13th Apr 2012 at 12:45 AM
Awesome - Thank you!
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#215 Old 13th Apr 2012 at 1:28 AM
Isn't there some issue with making the objects.package read only? I mean you don't want it over-ridden obviously (though the fix is simple enough) but ... mmmm, nope it's gone. Maybe it was to do with patching?? Which is probably not important for most people now. I'm going to have to see if I can find that.

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
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retired moderator
#216 Old 13th Apr 2012 at 2:30 AM
Yes, before you patch you'd need to make it writeable again otherwise the objects.package will not be patched.
Field Researcher
#217 Old 13th Apr 2012 at 4:17 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Mootilda
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2\TSData\Res\Objects, plus the same folder for each EP and SP.


A faster way is to right-click on the EA GAMES folder, select search, and search for "objects.package". Then you can select them all and lock 'em down in one fell swoop. It'll get the stuff packs too, which are in different subfolders.

I finally got around to doing this myself last night and discovered that the M&G objects.package was touched back in August. I restored the original and write-protected it, but I really should have known better than to leave it open!

On my site I have dozens more Sims 2 mods. These mods come with no support so use them at your own risk.
Test Subject
#218 Old 16th Apr 2012 at 4:51 AM
WHAT?? I AM SO SHOCKED TO HEAR THIS! GUYS THIS IS REALLY BAD NEWS! I NEVER KNEW THIS COULD HAPPEN! How could EA let this happen??

There has to be a way we can fix this! There must be someone out there who is smart enough to find a cure! I am not that person but someone has to find a way to fix this, THIS IS A VERY BIG PROBLEM! This will ruin so many people's games!!
Mad Poster
#219 Old 16th Apr 2012 at 3:52 PM
This already HAS ruined a great many players' games over all the years the game has been out.

If a fix was possible, it would have been created by now. Getting the word out is the only solution, and an imperfect one at best, since there's no way to reach those who never participate in the fan community.
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#220 Old 16th Apr 2012 at 10:06 PM
Does limebreakfast mean fixing the objects.package (easy fix) or marrying/moving in the wrong sims (neighbourhood/game buggered)?

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Mad Poster
#221 Old 17th Apr 2012 at 12:23 AM
It took it as a response to the thread as a whole, but who knows.
Test Subject
#222 Old 22nd Apr 2012 at 7:06 PM
Garden club ladies/men are safe. I married one about an hour ago.
Mad Poster
#223 Old 22nd Apr 2012 at 7:14 PM
That's true, but marrying one in an hour ago isn't proof. The effects of making NPCs that aren't safe playable can take longer than that to show up.
Test Subject
#224 Old 22nd Apr 2012 at 7:20 PM
I guess, but wouldn't they just be the same as maids, repo men, ect??
Mad Poster
#225 Old 22nd Apr 2012 at 7:33 PM
All I'm saying is that it's not a good idea to make conclusions based on so little as one hour of play. Not nearly enough time to declare something as "safe".

General rule of thumb is that unless an NPC has a real name of his/her own (as opposed to Social Worker) AND (the "and" is critical) normal interactions that would allow for move-in without cheats, that NPC is not "safe".

Apply that to garden club members and maids. Real names, check. Ability to befriend and move in without cheats, check. So it's a good bet that they're safe.

Now, repomen: Real name, NO. No normal interactions, either, but even if there were, remember the "and" (no real name). Repomen are NOT safe.

There's also a list: http://www.modthesims.info/showthre...t=349317&page=3 (post 56 under spoiler tag) It's not complete yet, but there's good info there.
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