Look What I Found! This Tool Is So Good.

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Pond Bottom Defaults

The void of doom has bothered me for a long time. I finally found the textures in the program files months ago, and it took me months to get around to making an upload. I also found out how to get paint under the water, but I imagine there’s at least one person who would want the simpler way of using a default.

Here’s the preview/swatch of all 3 options:

As shown in the first picture, the terrain.ini can be edited to get rid of the sand edge (which shares it’s texture with the beach texture). Editing this file is optional, but I personally recommend it. I included a terrain.ini in the download, which is from the MG program files.

I haven’t seen any differences between various EP/SP combos, but you may want to edit your own if you’re way pre-MG or have your own configurations already in your own terrain.ini. Open the terain.ini file in the program files of MG or your newest EP of you don’t have MG. The file path will be something like InstallLocation/Sims 2/Most Recent EP\TSData\Sys. For example mine is C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\Fun with Pets\SP9\TSData\Sys

These are the values I used:

ShallowPaintDepthMin=-0.35 DeepPaintDepthMin=0 ShallowPaintDepthMax=5 DeepPaintDepthMax=2BeachPaintPeakDepth=0 BeachPaintEndDepth=0 BeachPaintMaxAlpha=0

Any terrain.ini edits won’t apply to existing ponds, although this is pretty easy to fix. Just redig around the pond edges (some objects may need to be moved) then undo it. The pond paint will be updated. Then fix any terrain painting/objects/deco that got messed up.

All files are compressed with included swatch and preview. I also included the terrain.ini instructions.

Download | Alt

Credit to Nilxis for the textures.

Oh, that's interesting. first time I'm hearing that claim. Now i understand what happened. in my legacy edition copy, I did notice a change to the graphic settings, but thought it was done by someone else, not EA. on the log it states that I have a slightly different card than what I actually have, and it did surprise me they didn't add mine to the pool, i was wondering what's that about. I tried to add mine manually, worrying its absence would cause issues, but it didn't change when I've added mine. I had no problems with it, so I just left it as it is.

Side note: I left this copy for testing (and forgot about it actually), I don't play it if I can help it, so there are hardly any mods on it.

Okay, I compared the Graphics Rules.sgr and Video Cards.sgr with the Ultimate Collection

They did EXACTLY what my brother has been saying for months but people have been debating him over it and didn't want to believe him

The new video cards.sgr doesn't include ANY new graphics cards. Wanna know why? Because the game doesn't fucking care. He has been saying for months that it doesn't care and that adding it via GRM doesn't do anything, it can actually potentially make it worse.

What they DID do is take out all the hacky stuff in the Graphics Rules.sgr to prevent the game from turning on and off certain settings depending on your hardware and software config. That's what I did as well, months ago, because he said it is the smarter solution.

May I add, skip Chrome for browsing, if you haven't done so. Firefox is much better anyway.

Skip Google for Research

As Google has worked to overtake the internet, its search algorithm has not just gotten worse.  It has been designed to prioritize advertisers and popular pages often times excluding pages and content that better matches your search terms 

As a writer in need of information for my stories, I find this unacceptable.  As a proponent of availability of information so the populace can actually educate itself, it is unforgivable.

Below is a concise list of useful research sites compiled by Edward Clark over on Facebook. I was familiar with some, but not all of these.

⁂

Google is so powerful that it “hides” other search systems from us. We just don’t know the existence of most of them. Meanwhile, there are still a huge number of excellent searchers in the world who specialize in books, science, other smart information. Keep a list of sites you never heard of.

www.refseek.com - Academic Resource Search. More than a billion sources: encyclopedia, monographies, magazines.

www.worldcat.org - a search for the contents of 20 thousand worldwide libraries. Find out where lies the nearest rare book you need.

https://link.springer.com - access to more than 10 million scientific documents: books, articles, research protocols.

www.bioline.org.br is a library of scientific bioscience journals published in developing countries.

http://repec.org - volunteers from 102 countries have collected almost 4 million publications on economics and related science.

www.science.gov is an American state search engine on 2200+ scientific sites. More than 200 million articles are indexed.

www.pdfdrive.com is the largest website for free download of books in PDF format. Claiming over 225 million names.

www.base-search.net is one of the most powerful researches on academic studies texts. More than 100 million scientific documents, 70% of them are free

New Mods Finds

I tend to avoid reblogging, I should probably set up a finds blog, but for now, here's a list of all the new mods I've found and started using for The Sims 2 in the last few months:

Shiftable Everything by @lamare-sims

50 New Lifetime Wants by @lamare-sims

Invisible Kitchen Surface by @lamare-sims

PSBs From Planter’s Paradise Recolors Fix by @simnopke

Time & Weather Manager by @simnopke

Convenience Store Clerk Outfit Fix by @simnopke

Longer Novel Titles by @simnopke

Immersive Rain by @bstu

Fix for Old Pine Trees by sam&skye

Max Slope Value Mod by @catherinetcjd

Go Steady Wants Fix by zachjohnunlimited

Trait Based Skill Gain Speeds by @fwaysims

Amicable Unbonding by @equinoxts2

Community Espresso Machine Now Sells Espresso by VirtualAlex

Fix for Broken Break Up Want by @profesionalpartyguest

4t2 Little Campers Functional Toddler Skill Toys by @elvisgrace

Closest Fridge for Cooking by @picknmixsims

Leftovers Overhaul by @picknmixsims

Charisma Gain while Chatting by @picknmixsims

Rabbit Pen as Toy Dog Pen Default Replacement by @deedee-sims & @episims + Rustic Edit by @pforestsims

No Caffeine Jitters by @episims

Crib Teeth Animation Fix by @episims

Colour Traits by @episims + all the mods for them:

Toothbrushes by Color Traits

Gifts by Color Traits

Coffee Mugs by Color Traits

Pencils by Color Traits

Engagement Ring Stones by Color Traits

Compatibility Addons/Edits by @jellymeduza

I have a mod list with all the mods I use, but I tend to keep new mods 'in testing' for a while before adding them to my list. I also get lazy and sometimes don't get round to updating it for ages. So most of these amazing finds are not yet on my full list, but I'm pretty sure they'll all be sticking around so will be on there soon! Check it out for more mod recommendations.

I'll be releasing some stuff myself soon so keep an eye out👀

The Internet Archive needs your help.

A coalition of major record labels has filed a lawsuit against the Internet Archive—demanding $700 million for our work preserving and providing access to historical 78rpm records. These fragile, obsolete discs hold some of the earliest recordings of a vanishing American culture. But this lawsuit goes far beyond old records. It’s an attack on the Internet Archive itself.

This lawsuit is an existential threat to the Internet Archive and everything we preserve—including the Wayback Machine, a cornerstone of memory and preservation on the internet.

At a time when digital information is disappearing, being rewritten, or erased entirely, the tools to preserve history must be defended—not dismantled.

This isn’t just about music. It’s about whether future generations will have access to knowledge, history, and culture.

Sign our open letter and tell the record labels to drop their lawsuit. 

A normal wedding in Pleasantview...

Update 5: added archives section. I think it warrants a reblog (updates aren't showing up on reblogs).

Sims 2 Databases Database

(Alright it's an index, I just had to)

Made it for myself, I might as well share. If there's something I've missed please let me know.

CC:

Sims 2 Object Default Database

Sims 2 Default Database [CAS]

Sims 2 Hair Database

Shoes Database

EA Sims 2 Store Items 2016

Sims 2 Functional Finds [Sorted by function]

Resource list: Clutter and decorative items [massive index at GoS]

TS1 to TS2 Conversion/Recreation Database

TS3 to TS2 Conversion Database

Sims 4t2 CAS Conversion Archive [EA]

Custom Clothing Conversion Database [Custom - ts4 only?]

Sims 4t2 Build/Buy Conversion Database [EA]

4t2 CC Database Build & Buy [Custom]

TSM-to-TS2 Conversion Database

The Sims spin-off games to the PC TS2 [&3+4]

CC Archives:

Sims Cave.

Sims Graveyard.

Liquid Sims - Community Archives.

Sim Archive Project, at The Internet Archive.

The Booty, at PSMBD.

Sims 2 Packrat, on Tumblr [Watch out for the recent SFS Hacking problem].

Resources:

CEP-Extras List, Huge Lunatic @ Sims 2 Artists.

Several Lists of Maxis Resources for Modding, under Notes. Pick'n'Mix Mods, own website.

Sims 2 Painting Sizes Database.

The Sims 2 Tutorials Database.

Sims 2 GUID Database Revival (Yes I'm shamelessly promoting it).

Update: added EA ts2 store items, Painting sizes db, Tutorials db. Update 2: GUID db Revival. Update 3: believe it or not, there's more - Shoes db, Sims 2 Functional Finds [sorted by function]. Update 4: Resource list: Clutter and decorative items, at @gardenofshadowssims Update 5: added archives section.

Mini tutorial on how to improve catalogue thumbnails for custom TS2 decor items using SimPe

Tiny object mesh combined with large shadow mesh often results in crappy thumbnail (even if you can’t see the ground shadow that doesn’t mean there isn’t one).

The most popular TS2 deco cloning material ever: Fruit bowl & Chinese vase both come with custom (non-standard) thumbnail camera settings. Vase settings may work well for some cc meshes but usually don’t. Fruit bowl camera settings are sh*t.

Note: obviously you can also replace the shadow with a smaller one.

Note2: By “the entire mesh” I meant: everything above the ground level ;)

And if you’d rather fix a shadow instead of removing it, I did a tut on that.

Sometimes it’s enough to clear out custom thumbnail camera settings in thumbnailExtension. Sometimes removing or resizing the shadow will do the trick - often it’s both.

Good one! that's a neat find.

I keep coming across the simmer who’s responsible for this shitshow, so a friendly reminder, watch out. She’s still active:

Caption: [Video Games/Modding] When You Want Your Sims to Have Pretty Nails but End up Getting Lightning McQueen, Dozens of Secret Sims, Racist Aliens, Nightmare Dogs, and an Unhealthy Dose of Game Corruption.

https://www.reddit.com/r/HobbyDrama/comments/15yd5yj/video_gamesmodding_when_you_want_your_sims_to/

- watch out if you like your game not infested -