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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 18th Oct 2021 at 10:12 AM
Default what are the best expansions of sims2
So doing a reinstall and I am not going to install all the expansions. I definitely will install pets as its my favorite. I am wondering in particular what expansion have the best features. For example I need to know what expansion has the ability to grow and harvest crops. Which one has the crafting station.
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Field Researcher
#2 Old 18th Oct 2021 at 11:28 AM
Looks like you probably want Open for Business and FreeTime for crafting, as well as Seasons for gardening.
Theorist
#3 Old 18th Oct 2021 at 12:13 PM
Any reason as to why you're not installing all of them? They hardly take up any room on a modern computer.
As to the EPs, I know its a controversial opinion, but I'm kinda of the opinion that Seasons was the only good Sims 2 expansion pack that really expanded the whole game(its also the one with the crops to answer your question as far as that is concerned)
However when I install Sim's 2, I install all of them, if only for the clothes, hair and furniture.

Avatar by MasterRed
Taking an extended break from Sims stuff. Might be around, might not.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#4 Old 18th Oct 2021 at 3:00 PM
My old laptop crashed and burned. I am having to start over with a new system.The only install cd I still own being the base game and they add up buying the the ones I need online. In addition to all that. I only had pets and nightlife installed but a ton of downloaded content and it was still taking a long time to get past the loading screen and I would have to use task manager to get it kick started.
Mad Poster
#5 Old 18th Oct 2021 at 4:48 PM Last edited by simmer22 : 18th Oct 2021 at 6:15 PM.
If you play with kids and younger ages a lot, I'd recommend OFB for added toy options (personally I play with unlocked items), and the flowers are nice, too. I also quite like FT and AL for the added activities and some outdoor toys that were added (and the Store baby toys need AL to work). AL also has some neat cheats, like the ability to shift items up and down.

Seasons has gardening and weather, plus some other nice features, but weather does a number on the texture memory if the computer can't handle it - personally I haven't played much with weather because it was the number one cause for pink-flashing on my old computer, so I used a mod to make it perma-summer with steady temperatures, unless I needed snow for pictures (my older computers did not like snow on the ground, or temperature changes that triggered skin overlays. Wasn't too happy about rain or autumn either, but at least it wasn't as bad).

Honestly, I think there's something in each pack I like. The packs I probably could manage without (if I can use CC) are Uni (I don't play much with Uni now - there's probably some functions I'd miss, though), Pets (I've barely added pets to families the past 10+ years, and strays are extremely annoying, although I used to have a lot of fun with werewolves in my early simming days), BV (I never use the vacationing, but I like a lot of the furniture and some of the playable objects), and various SPs (I could probably manage without GL, and maybe FFS, although the latter is quite neat for kids' rooms if you play without CC).

The easiest nowadays is to go for a full collection. Lots of playability, and for TS2 you don't have too much of an issue (like with TS3 or TS4) where you need a supercomputer to play with all the packs.
Scholar
#6 Old 18th Oct 2021 at 4:48 PM
Seasons for growing crops, and Open for Business, which includes some of the crafting stations (but not the sewing machine and pottery wheel, which came with Freetime) and also allows you to have subhoods so you don't run out of room after three generations.
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retired moderator
#7 Old 18th Oct 2021 at 5:50 PM
Quote: Originally posted by tj7717
My old laptop crashed and burned. I am having to start over with a new system.The only install cd I still own being the base game and they add up buying the the ones I need online.

You can always download the Ultimate Collection from here for free:
https://oldgamesdownload.com/the-si...ate-collection/
You can't buy the discs new from EA any more, only from resellers/ secondhand.
Theorist
#8 Old 18th Oct 2021 at 6:46 PM
Scholar
#9 Old 18th Oct 2021 at 7:51 PM
Such a silly question. The best expansion was this one with Katy Perry ofc!
Or it was Sims 3? I dunno, these nightmares...


favorite quote: "When ElaineNualla is posting..I always read..Nutella. I am sorry" by Rosebine
self-claimed "lower-spec simmer"
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retired moderator
#10 Old 18th Oct 2021 at 8:07 PM
Forum Resident
#11 Old 18th Oct 2021 at 9:18 PM
I would have to say my most favorite expansion in sims 2 was University because without it, I would never have discovered young adults. I was in the downtown area when the game generated a random dormie in downtown. Adults with teen voices. Add to the fact the YAs get their own subhood the campuses. With a little modding magic, I made YAs playable in the main hoods as well as community lots with simPE, sim blender, YA visit outside uni, and other mods and tricks made the YAs my primary playable sims and they get along so well with the other adults.
Instructor
#12 Old 18th Oct 2021 at 9:28 PM
Quote: Originally posted by ElaineNualla
Such a silly question. The best expansion was this one with Katy Perry ofc!
Or it was Sims 3? I dunno, these nightmares...


I still think her 'Hot'n' Cold' is catchy song. (you need AL to listen....eeh?)
Field Researcher
#13 Old 19th Oct 2021 at 10:48 AM
Quote: Originally posted by simsample
You can always download the Ultimate Collection from here for free:
[REDACTED]
You can't buy the discs new from EA any more, only from resellers/ secondhand.


Just want to point out that this is probably linking to warez/cracks which is against the rules, I'm sure people can find a pirated copy online on their own :p
Field Researcher
#14 Old 19th Oct 2021 at 10:51 AM
Quote: Originally posted by simsample


To this day it still disappoints me that they chose Teenage Dream out of all of Katy's albums to do a collaboration with. As a huge Katy fan, she actually had a really cute retro aesthetic with her 2008 debut album One Of The Boys, which some of those outfits I'd LOVE to see in game, and had a gorgeous cottagecore aesthetic with 2013's Prism. But no, EA chose the candy coated high saturation pain-in-the-eye Teenage Dream album to do a stuff pack on :/ It sucks too because a 60s retro style Katy Perry stuff pack would've been awesome and not actually terrible like the Sweet Treats pack.

Anyways, enough geeking out about musicians :>
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retired moderator
#15 Old 19th Oct 2021 at 11:10 AM
Quote: Originally posted by redandvidya
Just want to point out that this is probably linking to warez/cracks which is against the rules, I'm sure people can find a pirated copy online on their own :p


No, it's okay- I checked a while ago:
Screenshots
Scholar
#16 Old 19th Oct 2021 at 7:24 PM
Quote: Originally posted by redandvidya
Just want to point out that this is probably linking to warez/cracks which is against the rules, I'm sure people can find a pirated copy online on their own :p


don't be "that guy", how else I'd be able to complete my Barbie games' collection!????*



*sadly - on the oldgames there are only a small selection


favorite quote: "When ElaineNualla is posting..I always read..Nutella. I am sorry" by Rosebine
self-claimed "lower-spec simmer"
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#17 Old 19th Oct 2021 at 11:42 PM
Unless you're on a notebook or a really crap PC just go get the complete collection via download.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Field Researcher
#19 Old 20th Oct 2021 at 4:27 AM
Quote: Originally posted by simsample
No, it's okay- I checked a while ago:


Eh, don't download the OldGamesDownload one anyways given that it's missing the IKEA stuff (arguably the best DLC for build & buy) in the collection. There's a certain Tumblr post that I know linking to an All In One collection that includes IKEA stuff.. lmk if I should link it for y'all
Forum Resident
#20 Old 20th Oct 2021 at 4:44 AM
@redandvidya It is more comfortable as you say, but if you have a version without Ikea you can always install it separately, I did it that way.
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retired moderator
#21 Old 20th Oct 2021 at 11:23 AM
Quote: Originally posted by redandvidya
Eh, don't download the OldGamesDownload one anyways given that it's missing the IKEA stuff (arguably the best DLC for build & buy) in the collection. There's a certain Tumblr post that I know linking to an All In One collection that includes IKEA stuff.. lmk if I should link it for y'all

There are alternatives on the Reddit Sims2Help wiki also:
https://www.reddit.com/r/sims2help/...ral-information
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