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Inventor
Original Poster
#1 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 5:52 AM Last edited by Sketching : 19th Nov 2017 at 6:03 PM. Reason: clarified title
Default Choosing Your EPs and SPs
Out of curiosity, has anyone ever uninstalled an EP or SP because they didn't like, want, or need its features? Perhaps deliberately didn't install any of the ones you currently have?

I ask because I recently posted on the Random Thoughts thread that I was this close to uninstalling FreeTime. When I first played TS2, FT was the last EP I installed since my friend lost the disk and I loved the experience I had even without it. When we found the disk and installed FT, I was so turned off by the invasive systems they introduced that I refused to play again for months. Later, we managed to discover the internet and I downloaded the mods to mitigate the issues.

I reinstalled TS2 on my current computer but left FT for last and it went uninstalled for a year. After extensive periods of hesitance, I decided to give it a second chance and I'm currently regretting it. As I said in the Random Thoughts thread, the only things holding me back are the secondary aspirations, the objects, careers, badges, that I still have some hoods I want to play, and the fact that several lots/objects for download have it as a required EP. I'm not saying that I hate FT with a passion, and the EP has its merits, but I'm beginning to realize more and more that I was somewhat happier with my old set-up even with all of the mods I could find to alleviate my frustrations.

I'm aware of AGS, which doesn't work for me nor do I want to restrict EPs to certain hoods. To answer my own question, I've never installed the Happy Holiday SP because I don't particularly need or want its features. I'm not looking to start wars over EPs and SPs here and I certainly hope that no else will needlessly bother to, and I'm happy that there are simmers who are happy with all EP and SP set-ups. I just want to know if anybody has done or even thought to do so other than for computer performance. You don't have to state a particular reason if you don't want to, and I personally don't think there's anything wrong with wanting only certain EPs and SPs.
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 6:02 AM
OFB. I've played with it in the past, but this time installing my husband and I agreed not to put it in. It's both of our least favorite expansion. Lately, I've been kind of regretting that decision and we've been talking about just switching to the UC instead. But everything we've got set up at present is specifically for no OFB...for example, we got the non-OFB versions of the converted Life Stories hoods. So I feel like at this point we're basically locked into not having OFB, and I'm not exactly happy about that. I still dislike most of the actual OFB functionality, but I miss some of the hair/clothes/etc. And the fact that so much CC and custom hoods and such specifically require it.

We also don't currently have either H&M or IKEA installed though we've had them in the past, but I don't think I've ever really missed a single thing from either of those SPs.
Field Researcher
#3 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 6:45 AM
I held off on Ikea for a long time because I don't like that type of product placement advertising, plus I prefer my sim world to be separate from the real world and not have english language items or real world brands. I finally did install it because there is so much great CC based on those items and I do like having them in my game but still not sure how I feel about having actual Ikea in my game.

I'm currently thinking about installing H&M for some lots that use it but I'm afraid that would be even worse with the branding, so haven't made up my mind on that one yet.

Glamour life I don't have and don't ever plan on getting because 95% of the items are just not to my taste and I'd rather not have them clogging up my catalog. :P

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Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#4 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 6:53 AM
No, I have them all and use them all. If there is something I dislike I try and mod it out. The main two things I modded out of FT were hobby people coming onto the lot and the in the zone noise, nothing else bothered me.

What is it that you hate in FT?

I probably use Glamour Life the least of the sp's but I still like that it has a matching bedroom set, a nice teen dress and a couple of decent male outfits.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Inventor
#5 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 7:14 AM
Same as Jo, I intend to use every EP and SP that came with the UC. For the minor things that annoy me, I'll just install a mod and zippity do da, it's fixed. Since playing the UC after emerging from just the base game, it has been a wonderful experience for me to try and discover everything that can occur within these packs. I don't even have a most favorite or a least favorite EP or SP either. I enjoy them all equally.

Check out my profile for homes and community lots ready for download: My Homes and Stuff
Mad Poster
#6 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 7:50 AM
After the trouble I had with Happy Holiday Stuff, I was certainly thinking of leaving it off. I got the faceless Santa glitch, and it took a long time to fix.

Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.

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Mad Poster
#7 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 8:58 AM
I use the Ultimate Collection these days - but before UC, I had all the EP's and SP's except the Teen Style Stuff one. I think I use something from every SP, though.

OFB is very important, for Sims to run their own businesses of course - (I also like the OFB Sims). I especially like that my sims can support each other's businesses.

Free Time works very well with OFB - my potter shop does very well and those tea sets are pretty! I have also modded the hobby instructors entering residential lots out - but I don't mind the In the Zone. Free Time offers a lot of things, from pottery to jogging to hiking, all activities that keep many of my Sims busy. Desiderata Valley is the one Maxis hood that I actually play once in a while.

I can't remember ever having glitches with anything before UC - I did not have any with the Happy Holiday stuff. (Need Christmas Parties in my game).

I don't like to play apartments (so I don't). But being without AL? Ceilings! Architectural elements! A violin! And (yes, that's me) the social group townies! Some of them spend a lot of money in my hood's owned businesses too.
Mad Poster
#8 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 11:49 AM
I have them all. Some of the SPs I use less than others (glamor life, family fun), but I enjoy not having to even think about that stuff when downloading. And you never know when you might need a shell-themed bed or a ridiculous fur coat outfit. EP-wise I love most of them, but I do share your hesitant feeling towards FT: I could never get rid of it because it has some stuff I really enjoy, but I don't like the hobby system. It's overpowering, and the want zombieness drove me nuts. But I've deleted hobby things from my want trees, so now my Sims are more like they were before, and I can enjoy the extra activities hobbies brought. There are some wants I would have liked to keep, but don't understand want trees enough to fine-tune. Maybe one day.

I have been debating changing up my FT mods. I almost immediately added a mod that stops enthusiasm from decreasing. And while I do like that I don't feel forced to keep doing hobby things so a Sim that is interested in something will continue to be, I don't like that all Sims eventually end up interested in cuisine, film and litterature, and music and dance. Since all Sims eat, and Sims in the background often dance or watch tv, it builds up. So I'm debating either testing one that just removes the reminders, or trying to modify the one I have so it only affects some hobbies.

Reading forums over the years I've seen a lot of people that hate Pets, and choose not to install it. I can kind of get that, if you don't think the pets were well made there's not much point in having it. Lots of people also seem to dislike BV and opt out of it, which again feels like you either like vacations or there's not much point. I've also seen people hate on FT and AL, but most seem to still use them. Which makes sense, really. Freetime or Apartment Life are more varied, there are aspects you might like even if you don't like the main features (hobbies/apartments), whereas Pets/BV are more one thing and one thing only.

Creations can be found on my on tumblr.
Scholar
#9 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 12:00 PM
i have the UC and have used every pact at least 5 times

I May Be Life Dumb But I'm Sim Smart(mostly).
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Mad Poster
#10 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 12:04 PM
Pets: I am not overly enthusiastic about pets (although in RL, I am). I do like the furniture, though, and a dog or a cat here and there in a family is allowed.

BV- Hotels, though. Sims don't have to go on vacation to enjoy a night out in a hotel, they work in the main hood (and my tired parents with tons of twins are allowed to hire a nanny once in a while and book into the local hotel. Room service and uninterrupted sleep and perhaps some pool with friends, and they are as good as new when they get home).
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#11 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 12:11 PM
I have and would not be without them all - mainly because even if I don't use or don't particularly like features of an EP (FT hobbies are annoying for example and are more or less modded out in my game), EVERY EP brought something to the game - something about building, something about sim systems, something about objects or skins, even cheats. Nope - I want the full array of systems, tools and choices. And as Gummi says, you don't have to think when you're downloading stuff.

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
#12 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 1:19 PM Last edited by simmer22 : 19th Nov 2017 at 6:55 PM.
I have all EPs/SPs, but there was a time back in 2008-09 when I sooooo wanted to install AL/M&G/K&B/IKEA but couldn't because my laptop had more than enough with handling FT. I even bought the CDs just to taunt myself with them. I did get a new computer in 2009, and the first thing I did was to install everything, and I've not regretted it. I do occasionally find parts of the EP/SPs very annoying, but I've found mods for removing most of the annoyances, and the rest I've learned to live with. I like various parts of all the EP/SPs, so I don't want to remove any of them.
Mad Poster
#13 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 5:35 PM
(Free Time is actually one of my favourite EPs. Right up there with Seasons, actually, maybe second only to Seasons. I love hobbies; I love hobby wants.)

Another EP I have considered not using is BV, because vacations can be annoying, or at least they were at first. But I loved all the items that came with it (massage table, hot springs, tea service, etc), so for a while I was just using it like a stuff pack instead of actually using the EP functionality. It's still annoying to have to go through and edit 90% of the lots in each destination to make vacations actually fun, though. But that's just a general complaint about the game as a whole and not actually specific to BV in any way.
Inventor
Original Poster
#14 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 5:53 PM Last edited by Sketching : 19th Nov 2017 at 6:30 PM. Reason: clarification
Thanks, everyone. I'm glad that I'm not alone in not wanting all of the EPs and SPs as well. Of course, there's nothing wrong with having all of them, but I don't get to meet that many people who choose not to have certain ones, especially since, like several members said, it's easier to download things without having to check for compatibility.

FreeTime has its merits - I like the secondary aspirations, the objects, careers, and badges, but gummilutt hit the nail on the head that it's the hobby system that turned me off the most. For one, it was so invasive to me, and I disliked how it overtook my sims' want panels. If I left them as they were, most of them would have too much enthusiasm based on their daily activities, especially cuisine. I've used tunaisfish's enthusiasm overhaul and SnorkackSearcher's Fewer Hobby Wants to mitigate this, but I found that neither of them were restrictive enough. Second is that I'm not fond of some of the concepts they have for hobbies themselves, such as music and dance counting as one hobby. Sure, I can ignore the want, but I'm not keen on having to train certain sims to only roll wants for literature and ignore the film wants, only to repeat the process in reverse for another sim.

So I put in a mod that completely removes hobby enthusiasm (RemoveEnthusiasmGlobal) in some hoods - that way, I can play the hobbies how I want to. I know it removes a huge part of the EP but I had much more fun playing like this because I can have more "variety" in terms of their activities. I'm not adept at editing wants trees so this is the next best thing I can do to fix the problem of the wants.

Now that the wants have been controlled to my liking (sort of), there is still one hiccup that significantly affects my enjoyment of the EP - the interest-enthusiasm bleed. In the hoods with hobby enthusiasm taken out, I noticed that sims still gain interest points when they engage in hobby-related activities, hence they max out food interest points even while they're just eating. Since I like using interests to help drive characterization (I especially like it when a sim autonomously reaches for a BG magazine and maxes out certain interests all on their own) and I enjoy story-oriented gameplay, this is a heavy downer for me since I feel as if I've lost one of the biggest aspects of the sims that makes them unique. I'd rather not have to keep dragging all of their interests down; I could ignore them but it affects their conversations and other wants as well.

I like the idea of hobbies - it's just that the implementation is so disappointing to me that I might have to fulfill both the want and fear of us breaking up!

A minor thing compared to the hobby system is that I'm also not fond of the BFF system. I already have Pescado's bffsarefor12s, but I just don't like it at all.
Mad Poster
#15 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 6:23 PM
@Sketching - check out Tuna's Enthusiasm Overhaul:
http://www.simbology.com/smf/index.php?topic=8586.0

Quote:
FILE 1: tunaisafish_enthusiasm-core.package
This is the main file. Install this to get...

ANNOYANCES FIXED:
1/ a) Interests are not increased by hobbie activity. Except for the Sims' One-True-Hobbie.
b) Only one relevant interest will still gain an increase when a sim in engaged in the OTH,
instead of all relevant interests. (See table below)
c) The interest is increased in a non-destructive way and will not decrease random other
interests as the original EA code always did.
2/ Illiminated interest-enthusiasm bleed. To achieve the maximum gain rate, the primary
interest is the one that matters. Each hobby now has a unique primary interest.
eg. With EA code, a sim with the Games hobby would also get maximum enthusiasm gain in
Film&Lit and Music&Dance.
3/ Sims no longer lose their bonus effects at higher enthusiasm levels.
(Due to the way integer maths works, adding 50% to 1 still equals 1.)
4/ Steadier gain rate of enthusiasm during long interactions.
5/ Pets no longer given useless enthusiasm.
6/ Sims no longer lose their ability to 'instruct' at level 10
7/ Alien Abductions can no longer lose random interest points

FEATURES:
1/ Modified conditions by which sims will recieve an increase in enthusiasm gain.
'Interest' is now the dominant factor over the gain rate.
Sims with a high interest (5+) will get a faster gain, (8+ interest faster still).
If they are interested, then relevant high skill (5+ & 8+) will increase the rate too.
The OTH still gets a 50% boost.
2/ Relevant interests to hobbies changed. (See table below)
3/ Enthusiasm gains on a hobby lot recieve a super bonus.
An extra 2/3 added to the final rate after all other bonuses
Yes, now there is a reason to go there.
4/ Sims will only gain enthusiasm in a hobby if they have a minimum primary interest
value of 1 point. This does not apply to the OTH.
They may still win a point with the hobby chancecard gamble.

I'm secretly a Bulbasaur. | Formerly known as ihatemandatoryregister

Looking for SimWardrobe's mods? | Or Dizzy's? | Faiuwle/rufio's too! | smorbie1's Chris Hatch archives
Mad Poster
#16 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 11:17 PM
I didn't know enthusiasm changes interest. That is so dumb! Must mod out immediately. *disappears into her cave to dissect tunafish's mod*

Creations can be found on my on tumblr.
Mad Poster
#17 Old 19th Nov 2017 at 11:24 PM
The interest thing is one of the big reasons I use tuna's mod. It's dumb.

I'm secretly a Bulbasaur. | Formerly known as ihatemandatoryregister

Looking for SimWardrobe's mods? | Or Dizzy's? | Faiuwle/rufio's too! | smorbie1's Chris Hatch archives
Scholar
#18 Old 20th Nov 2017 at 12:25 AM
I MUST HAVE THEM ALL.

I wish I was kidding but my OCD wins out and when I collect a set/series, I want them all. My least fave was FT but honestly I liked them all and could not see my game missing a single EP or even SP.

That being said, I have modded my game so severely it doesn't even register as an EAxis product anymore

"Oh look, my grandchild is now an elder. They grow up so fast. Gee, I wonder when I'll finally graduate college." Sims 2
Scholar
#19 Old 20th Nov 2017 at 4:48 AM
I deliberately didn't install OFB on my last computer. I only have it on this one because I'm running Windows 8.1 now, and I read that everything had to be installed in a specific order or it wouldn't work. Since I wouldn't be able to change my mind later, I figured it was better to install it with everything else and then just ignore any features I don't want to use. And now I'm glad I did, because I have Tarlia's shopping district versions of the Maxis main hoods.
Inventor
Original Poster
#20 Old 20th Nov 2017 at 5:08 AM Last edited by Sketching : 20th Nov 2017 at 8:58 AM.
Thanks, @ihatemandatoryregister. I'm currently using it in some hoods, but I'd prefer that interests are separate from enthusiasm. I'll elaborate below.

Quote: Originally posted by gummilutt
I didn't know enthusiasm changes interest. That is so dumb! Must mod out immediately. *disappears into her cave to dissect tunafish's mod*

I was close to table-flipping so many of times because of it. How long I've wished for a static interest mod, or at least separated enthusiasm and interests without tunaishfish's mod...

I just don't like that sims gain food interest from eating or learning how to cook, among other things. I could interpret it as chemical formulae or whatnot for scientists, but considering that I have mods that check for interests and I use interests for characterization, the interest-enthusiasm bleed affects a whole lot more than I want it to. We can gain proficiency without interest in real life, and I would've preferred that in-game as well.

Related to that is how I don't agree with how personality tends to lead to hobbies - there are a variety of TS2 players for example. I'd prefer the game check only interests to determine one's OTH, so I usually just adjust it based on interests... which leads to a circle about disliking the interest-enthusiasm bleed because it renders it moot.
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#21 Old 20th Nov 2017 at 12:52 PM
I'm not disagreeing with what you're doing Sketching but how else do you think people gain enthusiasm in cooking? I mean, I'm a good cook because I like to eat. I see what you mean about gaining proficiency without necessarily having an interest - though that's likely to make you a poor cook IMO (even if you are skilled). I guess it wouldn't work for my game.

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
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#22 Old 20th Nov 2017 at 1:24 PM
Quote:
I just don't like that sims gain food interest from eating or learning how to cook, among other things.

Related to that is how I don't agree with how personality tends to lead to hobbies


Why wouldn't you gain interest in cooking from eating and cooking?

For hobby's+ personality I ignore all of that, I use the hobby adjuster to change the hobby to whatever I think suits the sim best.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Inventor
Original Poster
#23 Old 20th Nov 2017 at 1:52 PM Last edited by Sketching : 20th Nov 2017 at 2:09 PM. Reason: clarification
Sorry, I guess my thought process is a bit strange. I would've thought interest in food would make me more inclined to cook or enjoy food-related activities. Gameplay-wise, engaging in hobby-related activities increases interest instead, which I don't agree with because it can cause eating to increase interest in food. I don't mind gaining enthusiasm when cooking (to a degree), but I'd rather it not also increase food interest.

For example: I decide to study first aid to pass an exam. By default gameplay, that'd increase my interest in Health, but in reality, although my medical knowledge should increase, I won't necessarily be more interested in it.

I thought that would've been the case, so tunaisfish's mod makes sense to me because it somewhat works that way. I'd have also thought being more interested in something would also make you gain more enthusiasm faster, which is also addressed by the mod, such as if I had more interest in fishing than cooking, I'd be more motivated or enthusiastic to participate in more fishing activities than food-related activities.
Forum Resident
#24 Old 20th Nov 2017 at 4:23 PM
Pre-UC, I think I was missing Holiday, Celebration and Glamour Life SPs.

I think the only SP I actually bought was M&G. The others I got with University Life and Best of Business. I wasn't playing in the early days, and by the time I was playing (and got a job after university), many of the SPs weren't available anymore. I remember checking Amazon for used copies.

I don't think there's any EP or SP I don't use something from. I may not use certain features of them (I sent one sim to one hobby lot one time, and never again), but I'd rather have the objects, and tolerate or mod out the silly features, than not have it at all.
Mad Poster
#25 Old 20th Nov 2017 at 4:41 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Sketching
For example: I decide to study first aid to pass an exam. By default gameplay, that'd increase my interest in Health, but in reality, although my medical knowledge should increase, I won't necessarily be more interested in it.


Exactly. And just because I eat every day doesn't mean I become more interested in food, just means I'm human and have to eat to survive. I mean, really, how many people do you know that would describe food as an interest? And how many people do you know that eat regularly? I'm guessing the latter category is significantly larger than the first one

Creations can be found on my on tumblr.
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