26-10-2004 19:32									#151
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

I have got a problem with Sims2 currently... When I start the game, it loads well, except the text sometimes is flickering, but then I am lucky if I get to the neighbourhood at all...! You see, the game seems to freeze or something, and it takes ages for the next picture to come. F.ex.: I get into the neighbourhood, and the picture freezes. Then I click on something, and some 15-20-25 sec later, the thing I clicked on reacts, but now THAT pic has frozen...!

I thought this was a local Sims2 problem and reinstalled the game. It didn't help. I then found out that this also affected GTA3. I did a system recovery operation to see if that helped, but it didn't. Not at all. On the contrary, the game wouldn't load, and most folders in the Sims2 folder was duplicated. So I rolled back the system recovery(after yet a couple of tries), and gave up. I'm completely lost!

	26-10-2004 22:10									#152
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

Have you tried to read on the official Sims 2 forums?

	26-10-2004 23:49									#153
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

No. I tried to fix it myself, then I turned to the superior Poly community.

	27-10-2004 02:59									#154
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Sounds like a problem with your video card, video card drivers or DirectX. If I had to guess I would say your video card is on the blink - it is entirely possible for a card to be 100% stable except when rendering 3D graphics. So I'd update the video drivers (assuming you havn't already) then try another 3D video card... assuming you have one lying around, or can borrow one from another computer.

edit: Other hardware or funky driver problems are also possible, like the sound card, or even motherboard.. these are more likely to cause problems in non-games as well. I assume that GTA3 used to work fine?

Last edited by Blake on 27-10-2004 at 03:08

	27-10-2004 09:11									#155
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

It's weird why some games have problems on certain systems. It's hard to say whats wrong.

I'm sure you installed the latest direct x and updated drivers and all that.

I've had the game crash a few times on me. The problem is sometimes I get so engrossed in this game I forget to save. . I find the game can be very addicting. But lately I've been saving fairly often. I get crashes maybe once or twice a session (long sessions for me )

	27-10-2004 22:21									#156
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

Blake: I did update the nVidia drivers(I have a GeForce4 Ti 4600 card), with the only file I could find on their site. It didn't work unfortunately... Other than that the problem suddenly didn't affect the opening screen, but only when I go into a neightbourhood... I have no problems except in these two games(I may have problems in other games I haven't played in a while of course). There is a weird sound in the computer, as if there is something broke, a friend said he wondered if maybe the thing that holds the processor cold has problems functioning. But other than the sound that lies there, I have no problems I know of from this. And that it only should affect two games? That sounds a bit far off, doesn't it?

	28-10-2004 04:29									#157
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

Well without knowing what games work, and whether or not GTA3 used to work it's hard to say. When only a couple of games are broken it can be because they both use one particular feature of DirectX that is broken in your system, if other games don't use that feature, they will work fine.

Another possibility is that GTA3 and The Sims 2 are the only games you play that really stress your system, if your using a reasonably modern intel processor and your cooling fails [to keep it cold enough], then the processor speed will be automatically scaled back to prevent it cooking. A sudden reduction in CPU speed is ofcourse going to cause some problems with a game. If your processor is an Athlon I imagine overheating would cause it to just plain crash.

	28-10-2004 05:03									#158
	Got spare money?

quote: Originally posted by Nikolai Blake: I did update the nVidia drivers(I have a GeForce4 Ti 4600 card), with the only file I could find on their site. It didn't work unfortunately... Other than that the problem suddenly didn't affect the opening screen, but only when I go into a neightbourhood... I have no problems except in these two games(I may have problems in other games I haven't played in a while of course). There is a weird sound in the computer, as if there is something broke, a friend said he wondered if maybe the thing that holds the processor cold has problems functioning. But other than the sound that lies there, I have no problems I know of from this. And that it only should affect two games? That sounds a bit far off, doesn't it?

If the cooling system fails the processor will get a bit hotter than normal when working at full load and become unstable, you should check if everything is ok inside.

	28-10-2004 06:06									#159
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

quote: Originally posted by Nikolai Blake: I did update the nVidia drivers(I have a GeForce4 Ti 4600 card), with the only file I could find on their site. It didn't work unfortunately... Other than that the problem suddenly didn't affect the opening screen, but only when I go into a neightbourhood... I have no problems except in these two games(I may have problems in other games I haven't played in a while of course). There is a weird sound in the computer, as if there is something broke, a friend said he wondered if maybe the thing that holds the processor cold has problems functioning. But other than the sound that lies there, I have no problems I know of from this. And that it only should affect two games? That sounds a bit far off, doesn't it?

Far off or not, a new sound coming from inside the computer is more likely than not a bad thing. About the only things rotating in there are the power supply cooler, the CPU cooler, potentially a graphics processor cooler, if you have a fancy graphics card, and varius disks - the hard drive, and the CD.

It could be the CD - in my experience, when the drive is only starting to get screwed up, it stops liking only certain disks, and then eventually starts making nasty noises for all CDs and then dies. Of course, if the noise is coming out of the box even with no CD inside, that's not it.

It could be the hard drive, but then I would think that reinstalling the game either would not have worked in the first place, or would have helped.

It could be the power supply fan or the CPU/GPU cooler, but I imagine it would have more widespread effects, unless, like Blake guessed, you don't run any other system resource-intensive processes.

	28-10-2004 19:28									#160
	Full PM-box? Change here!

I may be playing too much. The other day I was cooking something in the microwave, and I spilled something. And I thought, no biggie, the maid will clean it up

	29-10-2004 00:18									#161
	Remove this text

quote: Originally posted by Dissident I may be playing too much. The other day I was cooking something in the microwave, and I spilled something. And I thought, no biggie, the maid will clean it up

Uh oh. It's time for a "You know you've been playing the Sims 2 too much when..." thread is it?

FWIW, I got the game last friday, and pretty much spent about 40 of the 48 weekend hours playing. Good stuff that. Though now I have to catch up on the work I would normally have done over the weekend, and have no time whatsoever to play. Meh.

I really like the aging aspect of the game though. Just appeals to me a lot and adds quite a bit of satisfaction to the gameplay experience.

Vovan

	29-10-2004 00:53									#162
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

quote: Originally posted by vovan Uh oh. It's time for a "You know you've been playing the Sims 2 too much when..." thread is it?

You know you've been playing the Sims 2 too much when you've played the Sims 2.

	29-10-2004 05:51									#163
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

finally got my character maxed out in the scientist career. I'm ready to retire now. A few more days, and I'll retire. As I've said, my first daughter will max out in the business career. I'm still not sure about my 2 other kids. I'll play through to my grandchildren. I'll probably be bored of my family by then. Then the evil begins.

	29-10-2004 09:21									#164
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

My Artist Couple (they aren't married, they just live together) had a child, they attended to it's every need and whim because they could stay home all day. I was so sickened that I went on a murderous rampage, murdering 3 families, in total about 15 Sims in a house'o'death, it was fun. Now I can put a nice big haunted house there.
Incinerated 6
Starved 1
Drowned 4
Scared to Death 4
Got Rescued by Social Services 2

If I could find a way to kill toddlers I would be very happy. Blasted Social Services keep rescueing them before they die, toddlers seem to be fireproof, even when being carried by a burning Adult (Now why don't they build ovens out of toddlers?). Also it seems to be hard to kill a child except by drowning or maybe fire, deaths that involve ruining their stats results in rescue by SS.

Incidentely I've found that Adoption Services don't care how badly you abuse your toddlers and children, killing them is even okay, only the action of "repossessing" the toddler/child prevents the family from ordering future victims.

	29-10-2004 21:25									#165
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

I hate those social services... in my last family I used I tried this:

First the couple got a girl, who got full logic before becoming a child (without using the milk)... everthing was going fine... then the couple had a boy, which I didn't want so I just put him in the garden forgetting all about him... then the couple (the wife ) got pregnant again, giving birth to another boy (Shortly after the social service took the first boy (who was named 'Baby Boy' )... I did the same thing this time, making sure he wasn't fed and all that... Then I saved the game, and a few hours (game-time) later the social service picked up the boy... but this time they also took the girl (who was almost maxed out in cooking too, and was about to become a teen) because of this
then I tried reloading, but now I couldn't hold the boy in the garden... I could give the parents the order to do so, but they ignored it, so I couldn't do anything to stop it... Thereby the whole family was destroyed, so I decided it was time to do something new... her husband was stupid enough to get into a pool without a ladder, so he died, while the wife quickly married a new girl in town

	31-10-2004 08:14									#166
	Full PM-box? Change here!

does anyone download content. how does that work? I noticed you can connect to the internet in game. I alway deny internet access for zone alarm. but I'm wondering what you can do in game?

any other good things I should download?

I've been playing a lot last night. It's getting tough with a household of 5 people. My 2 youngest kids don't have as high as aspiration as I'd like going into adulthood (in 1 day). But they have A+ in their grades. What do grades do for you? anything? My oldest daughter is CEO. I think she's almost maxed out in her career. When she maxes out I'll probably have her move out of the house. I'm getting her into a lesbian relationship (though I've barely had time- I'm trying to max out her career as early as possible)

And when do I die? I've been an elder like 10 days. I'm ready to die as soon as I become a granparent. . I think I had a fairly high aspiration when I did the age transition, so I may live a while.

	31-10-2004 08:47									#167
	Inflate your Upload Space

I don't have the game (nor plan to any time soon), but it's largely the same as with the original The Sims: new skins, furniture, house layouts etc. And yes, some people still want to be paid for their minor mod work. I don't know how close to running afoul of EA Games' copyrights that is, but I wouldn't bother anyway.

	05-11-2004 05:13									#168
	Got spare money?

I retired, and my oldest daughter maxed out in the business career. She also turned into a lesbian . She had her girlfriend move in. And they formed a civil union (or whatever the game calls them). After that, I had them move out. I have no idea where they went I guess I have to leave the lot and select that family and then find a lot for them if I ever want to play them.

My son is now a lieutenant in the police force. He's close to the top I think. And he's dating a cop lady.

And my youngest daughter hasn't been as successful. I made a mistake and chose romance aspiration when I really meant to have her take family aspiration. Getting married sent her to the bottom of the aspiration meter. she needed a little therapy after that . She's pregnant with general buzz's child now. And General buzz moved in. The cool thing he's already maxed out in his career . He's a 0 on the serious serious/fun scale

Now I'm just waiting to die. People are hoping in a patch they extend the life span, but I think it's long enough. I'm ready to die so I can start a new game. But I want to see what happens when I die. Although perhaps they could shorten the elderly years and add on some more adult years.

	06-11-2004 00:33									#169
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

quote: Originally posted by Dissident Now I'm just waiting to die. People are hoping in a patch they extend the life span, but I think it's long enough. I'm ready to die so I can start a new game.

Another quote to put on the box.

	08-11-2004 08:46									#171
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

I got the game, came home to load it, and it would not load. I thought I had a bad disk, so I returned it for another and it still would not load. Call Tech support and after we found out my Computer spec. were OK, the Tech ask if I had a CDR. or any other copy programs and I said yes, I have a CDR. and he said I would have to uninstall the program, because the game detected my CDR. and will not load.
Will and Company are worried about people making copies of his game. The Tech told me, they have received many calls regarding my problem.
I returned the game, and until they make a change, I will not buy the game again.

	08-11-2004 08:56									#172
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

I bet you all new games will do that now.

	08-11-2004 13:29									#173
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

They'd better not or I'll make sure I pirate all of them just out of spite. How low can companies stoop? Stopping you playing the game because of your legal ownership of a cdr is just wrong.

	08-11-2004 15:45									#174
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

Yeah, that sucks...


The Settlers 3 had something like that. Ok, it didn't check if you had some certain HW or SW installed, but somehow it checked if the .exe file was the correct one or not. If it were it created some weird errors on purpose (like trees not growing and iron 'factories' produced pigs or something like that)... It backfired though, since those with a legal version of the game also experienced that problem, while those with a pirated copy had a greater chance getting it to work

	08-11-2004 15:48									#175
	Increase Your PM Length

That sounds a bit off, considering a CD-R can't really be used to pirate a modern game anyway - except by people who know enough to circumvent any copy-protection, ofcourse wouldn't be the first time over-zealous copy protection has caused far more harm than good. Personally I'd have just used a no-cd crack.

	08-11-2004 16:56									#176
	Support Apolyton

Legal copies are too much of a hassle quite often. Many times I have kept using my pirated copy despite owning a legal version of the game. Its rather sad - I trust pirate groups more than I trust games publishers.

	08-11-2004 17:07									#177
	Suffering from ads?

Yes, they are better at making games work.

	08-11-2004 17:49									#178
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

Superpower2 uses Starforce and people are spitting blood over that demanding it be removed in a future patch, especially considering it seems someone has already defeated it.

	08-11-2004 17:52									#179
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

quote: Originally posted by Skanky Burns Legal copies are too much of a hassle quite often. Many times I have kept using my pirated copy despite owning a legal version of the game. Its rather sad - I trust pirate groups more than I trust games publishers.

Same here... I own SimCity 4, but I have never had that cd in the drive, even though I bought it the day it was released...

	12-11-2004 04:03									#180
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

I don't care if no one else is playing it, I'll still post here

I finally died. I was the last one in my household to die. All my kids moved out. I had a pretty successful family. A son a lietenant in the police force. A daughter at the top of the business career (tycoon I believe the title is). And another daughter who had a baby from a general. So I even had grandkids.

Pretty cool death will sit down and watch television in your house for a while after you die .

Too bad my house and money don't go to my kids . Although they do have life insurance benefits, but it doesn't seem like my kids got any. They weren't living in lots at the time. Perhaps that is the reason why. My offspring still only started off with 20,000 simoleans to move into a new lot.

Enough of that.

Now the real fun begins

I could have made the appearances even more sinister than this screen shot. But the mouths and other facial features don't look to good when they extend beyond the boundaries of the face.

The fat man is called Dick- he's the pimp. The adult woman is called crack ho. The daughter is called slut. The boy is called satan. And the toddler is called fartknocker.

Let's see what kind of fun the can get into...

Attachment: sims2screenie3.jpg
This has been downloaded 84 time(s).