Journalist seeks Sims 2 players

G

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I'd like to talk to Sims 2 players who've encountered hacks of the
games, or who've created these hacks. Do you regard this practice as
vandalism, or as good clean fun? Either way, I'm interested.

I want the article to include your name, age, occupation, and the
community
in which you live.

This is for real. Click on the links below to read some of my stuff.

Interested? Please e-mail me ASAP. Thanks.

Hiawatha Bray
Technology Reporter
Boston Globe
135 Morrissey Blvd.
P.O. Box 55819
Boston, MA 02205-5819 USA
617-929-3119 voice
617-929-3183 fax
617-233-9419 cell
bray@globe.com
watha@monitortan.com
Blog: www.monitortan.com
Recent writings: www.boston.com/business/technology/bray
 
G

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These don't sound like viruses to me. It actually sounds like an
effort by players to extend the capability of the game. It's more like
modding. I wanted to talk to people who've done it to find out what
they've got in mind. Interested?
 
G

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watha wrote:
> These don't sound like viruses to me. It actually sounds like an
> effort by players to extend the capability of the game. It's more
> like modding. I wanted to talk to people who've done it to find out
> what they've got in mind. Interested?

If you want to talk to the people who are doing the modding, go to the
forums at www.modthesims2.com , which is pretty much the hub for the
sims 2 modding community.

Not just extend the capability, but in many cases, fix bugs in the
game.
 
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On 12 Jan 2005 11:22:14 -0800, watha@monitortan.com wrote:

>I'd like to talk to Sims 2 players who've encountered hacks of the
>games, or who've created these hacks. Do you regard this practice as
>vandalism, or as good clean fun? Either way, I'm interested.

So your article isn't going to be alarmist and slanted? That would be
nice. I'm sick of reading about "viruses."

BW
 
G

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Jeremy Reaban wrote:
> watha wrote:
>> These don't sound like viruses to me. It actually sounds like an
>> effort by players to extend the capability of the game. It's more
>> like modding. I wanted to talk to people who've done it to find out
>> what they've got in mind. Interested?
>
> If you want to talk to the people who are doing the modding, go to the
> forums at www.modthesims2.com , which is pretty much the hub for the
> sims 2 modding community.
>
> Not just extend the capability, but in many cases, fix bugs in the
> game.


If my parents had named me 'Hiawatha' I think I'd have emancipated myself...
--
Facon - the artificial bacon bits you get in Pizza Hut for sprinkling
on salads.
 
G

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watha@monitortan.com waved a magic wand at the 'puter, changed into a
moose (OOPS!) - tried again and came up with:
> I'd like to talk to Sims 2 players who've encountered hacks of the
> games, or who've created these hacks. Do you regard this practice as
> vandalism, or as good clean fun? Either way, I'm interested.
>
> I want the article to include your name, age, occupation, and the
> community
> in which you live.
>
> This is for real. Click on the links below to read some of my stuff.
>
> Interested? Please e-mail me ASAP. Thanks.
>
> Hiawatha Bray
> Technology Reporter
> Boston Globe
> 135 Morrissey Blvd.
> P.O. Box 55819
> Boston, MA 02205-5819 USA
> 617-929-3119 voice
> 617-929-3183 fax
> 617-233-9419 cell
> bray@globe.com
> watha@monitortan.com
> Blog: www.monitortan.com
> Recent writings: www.boston.com/business/technology/bray

For our website, we've been discussing placing a warning on our hacked
objects to warn against their distribution on the Sims 2 Exchenage, and in
running the Sims2Pack Clean Install utility to ensure that our house
downloads don't have any hacked objects. As far as I know, these measures
have not been implemented - they are still in the discussion phase.

--
--- Mike --- http://www.livin-it-up.net
Member of eKoOK (evil Kult of Object Kreators)
"The ultimate goal is load time of 24 hours!"
"The ultimate goal is filling every hard drive in the world!"
Mwahahaha!
 

d

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Good clean fun
Vandalism? How so?
Maxis promised a lot but didn't really quite deliver
These hacks that I installed are just merely tweaks that make the game run
better
And actually in most cases, make the game playable.
Definitely check out modthesims2.com for the community who make hacks, great
bunch of people in my book.
Vandalism using the correct meaning, is defined as "Willful or malicious
destruction of public or private property"
Words are powerful things...but since you are a journalist, I'm sure you
understand that.

- D
(25/F/Sydney,Australia)

"Ohmikeghod" <ohmikeghod@mirthlink.net> wrote in message
news:ZShFd.5268$pZ4.3312@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> watha@monitortan.com waved a magic wand at the 'puter, changed into a
> moose (OOPS!) - tried again and came up with:
>> I'd like to talk to Sims 2 players who've encountered hacks of the
>> games, or who've created these hacks. Do you regard this practice as
>> vandalism, or as good clean fun? Either way, I'm interested.
>>
>> I want the article to include your name, age, occupation, and the
>> community
>> in which you live.
>>
>> This is for real. Click on the links below to read some of my stuff.
>>
>> Interested? Please e-mail me ASAP. Thanks.
>>
>> Hiawatha Bray
>> Technology Reporter
>> Boston Globe
>> 135 Morrissey Blvd.
>> P.O. Box 55819
>> Boston, MA 02205-5819 USA
>> 617-929-3119 voice
>> 617-929-3183 fax
>> 617-233-9419 cell
>> bray@globe.com
>> watha@monitortan.com
>> Blog: www.monitortan.com
>> Recent writings: www.boston.com/business/technology/bray
>
> For our website, we've been discussing placing a warning on our hacked
> objects to warn against their distribution on the Sims 2 Exchenage, and in
> running the Sims2Pack Clean Install utility to ensure that our house
> downloads don't have any hacked objects. As far as I know, these measures
> have not been implemented - they are still in the discussion phase.
>
> --
> --- Mike --- http://www.livin-it-up.net
> Member of eKoOK (evil Kult of Object Kreators)
> "The ultimate goal is load time of 24 hours!"
> "The ultimate goal is filling every hard drive in the world!"
> Mwahahaha!
>
>
 
G

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Archived from groups: alt.games.the-sims (More info?)

<watha@monitortan.com> wrote in message
news:1105557734.854686.137540@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I'd like to talk to Sims 2 players who've encountered hacks of the
> games, or who've created these hacks. Do you regard this practice as
> vandalism, or as good clean fun? Either way, I'm interested.
>
> I want the article to include your name, age, occupation, and the
> community
> in which you live.
>
> This is for real. Click on the links below to read some of my stuff.
>
> Interested? Please e-mail me ASAP. Thanks.
>
> Hiawatha Bray
> Technology Reporter
> Boston Globe
> 135 Morrissey Blvd.
> P.O. Box 55819
> Boston, MA 02205-5819 USA
> 617-929-3119 voice
> 617-929-3183 fax
> 617-233-9419 cell
> bray@globe.com
> watha@monitortan.com
> Blog: www.monitortan.com
> Recent writings: www.boston.com/business/technology/bray

Probably looking for "dirt", like when s/he wrote about the Sims Online.
>
 
G

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If you ask me it's neither. In my opinion the entire problem rests in
catering to the lowest common denominator. Maxis made changes from Sims 1 to
Sims 2 in order to allow installation of custom content and sharing of
designs 'easier.' The result has been to reduce the control we have over our
own computers and what goes into them.

The modders and hackers have supplied bug fixes and extended game-play
options. It took someone external to the Sims 2 playing and modding
community to suggest a similarity to virus'. When the hacks started
migrating the modders basic reaction could be described as "Oops, that
wasn't meant to happen - hang on and we'll see what we can do." And they did
offer the first answer to exactly what the problem was as well as the first
solutions.

As for who I am. I work in a small computer shop as sales
assistant/helpdesk.
Megan Swingler-Hill
Adelaide, South Australia


Madame Mim




<watha@monitortan.com> wrote in message
news:1105557734.854686.137540@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I'd like to talk to Sims 2 players who've encountered hacks of the
> games, or who've created these hacks. Do you regard this practice as
> vandalism, or as good clean fun? Either way, I'm interested.
>
> I want the article to include your name, age, occupation, and the
> community
> in which you live.
>
> This is for real. Click on the links below to read some of my stuff.
>
> Interested? Please e-mail me ASAP. Thanks.
>
> Hiawatha Bray
> Technology Reporter
> Boston Globe
> 135 Morrissey Blvd.
> P.O. Box 55819
> Boston, MA 02205-5819 USA
> 617-929-3119 voice
> 617-929-3183 fax
> 617-233-9419 cell
> bray@globe.com
> watha@monitortan.com
> Blog: www.monitortan.com
> Recent writings: www.boston.com/business/technology/bray
>
 
G

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D waved a magic wand at the 'puter, changed into a moose (OOPS!) -
tried again and came up with:
> Good clean fun
> Vandalism? How so?
> Maxis promised a lot but didn't really quite deliver
> These hacks that I installed are just merely tweaks that make the
> game run better
> And actually in most cases, make the game playable.
> Definitely check out modthesims2.com for the community who make
> hacks, great bunch of people in my book.
> Vandalism using the correct meaning, is defined as "Willful or
> malicious destruction of public or private property"
> Words are powerful things...but since you are a journalist, I'm sure
> you understand that.

I sorta disagree. The TS1 Exchange was loaded with willful and malicious
homes that would crash your game. There's no reason to think otherwise of
the TS2 Exchange. The problem, of course is children (no matter what age
they really are) who find "fun" in destructive activities, along with a
company that refuses to vet content for bad things.

--
--- Mike --- http://www.livin-it-up.net
Member of eKoOK (evil Kult of Object Kreators)
"The ultimate goal is load time of 24 hours!"
"The ultimate goal is filling every hard drive in the world!"
Mwahahaha!
 

d

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So you are saying that people are intentionally putting corrupt files in the
exchange for fun?
And it's the writers of the hacks who are at fault?
Or maybe you are saying that YES there are people who are intentionally
corrupt
Something I find a little hard to believe...but I'll give you the benefit of
the doubt, after all it doesn't hurt to be careful.
but the thing is...it's not the hacker's fault nor Maxis's fault
they just provide the tools and services
If a hacker was intentionally making hacks and putting them in the exchange
(a hacker with very little life...what a poor sod)
then yeah he would be called a vandal
but you just can't say that the WHOLE of the hacking community is at fault
You just can't generalise like that...life isn't black or white, good or
bad, 'clean' fun or vandalism...
Free-will makes sure our lives are full of many shades of grey.

Maxis made a game, Hackers mod the game, a bored kid puts a maliciously
bugged house on the exchange to ruin people's games
Intentionally? or they just didn't know?
What the real problem is that there is no clarity, no organisation..
and so these things slip through

I will continue to defend the hacking community because if it weren't for
them I would've stopped playing the game
(thanks to bugs)
2 months ago.

Speculation breeds paranoia which breeds fear, and frankly I get enough of
that just watching the 6 oclock news.

Sorry.
--
- D

"Ohmikeghod" <ohmikeghod@mirthlink.net> wrote in message
news:mhqFd.6260$Ii4.3598@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> I sorta disagree. The TS1 Exchange was loaded with willful and malicious
> homes that would crash your game. There's no reason to think otherwise of
> the TS2 Exchange. The problem, of course is children (no matter what age
> they really are) who find "fun" in destructive activities, along with a
> company that refuses to vet content for bad things.
>
> --
> --- Mike --- http://www.livin-it-up.net
> Member of eKoOK (evil Kult of Object Kreators)
> "The ultimate goal is load time of 24 hours!"
> "The ultimate goal is filling every hard drive in the world!"
> Mwahahaha!
>
>
 
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"D" <deeus@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:rtrFd.116897$K7.84223@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> So you are saying that people are intentionally putting corrupt files in
> the exchange for fun?
> And it's the writers of the hacks who are at fault?
>
It is a small number of people who write hacks that do for whatever reason
do things like that. The majority of people who write them do add to the
playability and the fun value of the game. I don't think anyone is blaming
the whole hacking community because the way the Sims2 is written nearly
everyone is using some sort of hack. I am a purist at heart but I have had
to use hacks to solve bugs and with the recolours more easily done as a hack
my desire to have different kinds of bedding means I have hacks for that
too. Every community has twits and unfortunately people who don't play the
game will probably wind up thinking bad things about the modding community
as a whole because of the actions of a very few.

Gareeth
 
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"D" <deeus@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:rtrFd.116897$K7.84223@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>. clippy.......
>
> Maxis made a game, Hackers mod the game, a bored kid puts a maliciously
> bugged house on the exchange to ruin people's games
> Intentionally? or they just didn't know?
> What the real problem is that there is no clarity, no organisation..
> and so these things slip through
>
> I will continue to defend the hacking community because if it weren't for
> them I would've stopped playing the game
> (thanks to bugs)
> 2 months ago.
>
This is true. 8) and 8(

However, for every careful hackee who knows what they are about, enter
someone who hacks a hack without realising, or caring about, the effects it
might have on the game. They are just pleased with the end result. Shows how
clever they are...
Is ignorance an excuse? Or is stupidity?

Opening a can of worms the size of Sims2 and releasing it into the wild,
without realising that people would be adapting it like mad the day after it
hit the stores does indicate a lack of foresight that is .. Ummm... well,
dim, to say the least.
Look at the way hackers fell on The Sims with howls of glee, and thank
goodness they did, too.

I am with you. The whole downloading business needs cleaning up and
organising. I'm jolly glad I don;t have to do that job. Meanwhile, issue
fixes to fix the faults that shouldn;t have been allowed to be uploaded in
the first place. Can of worms.

Granny - who has downloaded a couple of lacy nighties, and that is the lot.
 

d

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"Granny Crabapple" <plumjam@[reallywild]blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:28sFd.9488$GG1.4735@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
> "D" <deeus@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
> news:rtrFd.116897$K7.84223@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>>. clippy.......

> Granny - who has downloaded a couple of lacy nighties, and that is the
> lot.



I don't go on the exchange myself...I find it too messy
since 1999 I think I have downloaded only the official objects Maxis gave us
and continue to give us
Although I have uninstalled the Halloween stuff because it's grotesque...and
too big..
waaaay too big. That kitty....whoa..
I thought it would be a nice little ornament...Noooo it had to be as big as
a Sim-child and twice as horrid.
Oh and I never installed that Macdonald stand for The Sims 1...


- D
 
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D waved a magic wand at the 'puter, changed into a moose (OOPS!) -
tried again and came up with:
> So you are saying that people are intentionally putting corrupt files
> in the exchange for fun?

yes - not the majority, of course, but it only takes a small number to ruin
the reputation of a site.

> And it's the writers of the hacks who are at fault?

no - I didn't mention hackers at all. Most people who upload homes to the
exchange wouldn't know how to create simantics code.

> Or maybe you are saying that YES there are people who are
> intentionally corrupt
> Something I find a little hard to believe...but I'll give you the
> benefit of the doubt, after all it doesn't hurt to be careful.
> but the thing is...it's not the hacker's fault nor Maxis's fault
> they just provide the tools and services

Of course it's not the hacker's fault. They provide great stuff and extend
the game. However, Maxis, through it's policy of not testing anything that
goes up onto the exchange, allows a few demented individuals to spoil their
attempts to provide quality downloads for others.

> If a hacker was intentionally making hacks and putting them in the
> exchange (a hacker with very little life...what a poor sod)
> then yeah he would be called a vandal

Again, it's not the hackers - it's a few "poor sods" who have no creative
talent whatsoever that find ways of creating trouble for everyone by
uploading homes with problems. It doesn't take much to give a site a bad
reputation - only one out of 1000 being malicious can do it. The people who
create problems are NOT the creative people who develop the hacked objects
that we know and love. It's the ones who normally would create problems no
matter what they do. It's much easier to create problems using stock
objects (I'm reminded of the TS1 home on the exchange with 20 babies about
to hatch), that it is to be creative and learn how to write simantics code.
I seriously doubt that any uploader with a malicious streak has that kind of
creativity.

> but you just can't say that the WHOLE of the hacking community is at
> fault You just can't generalise like that...life isn't black or
> white, good or bad, 'clean' fun or vandalism...
> Free-will makes sure our lives are full of many shades of grey.
>
> Maxis made a game, Hackers mod the game, a bored kid puts a
> maliciously bugged house on the exchange to ruin people's games
> Intentionally? or they just didn't know?

A bit of both, actually. Some (actually, most) of the problem homes are put
up unintentionally. A small number, however, are put up intentionally.

> What the real problem is that there is no clarity, no organisation..
> and so these things slip through
>
> I will continue to defend the hacking community because if it weren't
> for them I would've stopped playing the game
> (thanks to bugs)
> 2 months ago.
>
> Speculation breeds paranoia which breeds fear, and frankly I get
> enough of that just watching the 6 oclock news.
>
> Sorry.
>
> "Ohmikeghod" <ohmikeghod@mirthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:mhqFd.6260$Ii4.3598@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>> I sorta disagree. The TS1 Exchange was loaded with willful and
>> malicious homes that would crash your game. There's no reason to
>> think otherwise of the TS2 Exchange. The problem, of course is
>> children (no matter what age they really are) who find "fun" in
>> destructive activities, along with a company that refuses to vet
>> content for bad things.
>>
>> --
>> --- Mike --- http://www.livin-it-up.net
>> Member of eKoOK (evil Kult of Object Kreators)
>> "The ultimate goal is load time of 24 hours!"
>> "The ultimate goal is filling every hard drive in the world!"
>> Mwahahaha!



--
--- Mike --- http://www.livin-it-up.net
Member of eKoOK (evil Kult of Object Kreators)
"The ultimate goal is load time of 24 hours!"
"The ultimate goal is filling every hard drive in the world!"
Mwahahaha!
 

ali

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Ohmikeghod wrote:
> D waved a magic wand at the 'puter, changed into a moose (OOPS!) -
> tried again and came up with:
>
>>So you are saying that people are intentionally putting corrupt files
>>in the exchange for fun?
>
>
> yes - not the majority, of course, but it only takes a small number to ruin
> the reputation of a site.
>
>
>>And it's the writers of the hacks who are at fault?
>
>
> no - I didn't mention hackers at all. Most people who upload homes to the
> exchange wouldn't know how to create simantics code.
>
>
>>Or maybe you are saying that YES there are people who are
>>intentionally corrupt
>>Something I find a little hard to believe...but I'll give you the
>>benefit of the doubt, after all it doesn't hurt to be careful.
>>but the thing is...it's not the hacker's fault nor Maxis's fault
>>they just provide the tools and services
>
>
> Of course it's not the hacker's fault. They provide great stuff and extend
> the game. However, Maxis, through it's policy of not testing anything that
> goes up onto the exchange, allows a few demented individuals to spoil their
> attempts to provide quality downloads for others.
>
>
>>If a hacker was intentionally making hacks and putting them in the
>>exchange (a hacker with very little life...what a poor sod)
>>then yeah he would be called a vandal
>
>
> Again, it's not the hackers - it's a few "poor sods" who have no creative
> talent whatsoever that find ways of creating trouble for everyone by
> uploading homes with problems. It doesn't take much to give a site a bad
> reputation - only one out of 1000 being malicious can do it. The people who
> create problems are NOT the creative people who develop the hacked objects
> that we know and love. It's the ones who normally would create problems no
> matter what they do. It's much easier to create problems using stock
> objects (I'm reminded of the TS1 home on the exchange with 20 babies about
> to hatch), that it is to be creative and learn how to write simantics code.
> I seriously doubt that any uploader with a malicious streak has that kind of
> creativity.
>
>
>>but you just can't say that the WHOLE of the hacking community is at
>>fault You just can't generalise like that...life isn't black or
>>white, good or bad, 'clean' fun or vandalism...
>>Free-will makes sure our lives are full of many shades of grey.
>>
>>Maxis made a game, Hackers mod the game, a bored kid puts a
>>maliciously bugged house on the exchange to ruin people's games
>>Intentionally? or they just didn't know?
>
>
> A bit of both, actually. Some (actually, most) of the problem homes are put
> up unintentionally. A small number, however, are put up intentionally.
>
>
>>What the real problem is that there is no clarity, no organisation..
>>and so these things slip through
>>
>>I will continue to defend the hacking community because if it weren't
>>for them I would've stopped playing the game
>>(thanks to bugs)
>>2 months ago.
>>
>>Speculation breeds paranoia which breeds fear, and frankly I get
>>enough of that just watching the 6 oclock news.
>>
>>Sorry.
>>
>>"Ohmikeghod" <ohmikeghod@mirthlink.net> wrote in message
>>news:mhqFd.6260$Ii4.3598@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>>
>>>I sorta disagree. The TS1 Exchange was loaded with willful and
>>>malicious homes that would crash your game. There's no reason to
>>>think otherwise of the TS2 Exchange. The problem, of course is
>>>children (no matter what age they really are) who find "fun" in
>>>destructive activities, along with a company that refuses to vet
>>>content for bad things.
>>>
>>>--
>>>--- Mike --- http://www.livin-it-up.net
>>>Member of eKoOK (evil Kult of Object Kreators)
>>>"The ultimate goal is load time of 24 hours!"
>>>"The ultimate goal is filling every hard drive in the world!"
>>>Mwahahaha!
>
>
>
>
> --
> --- Mike --- http://www.livin-it-up.net
> Member of eKoOK (evil Kult of Object Kreators)
> "The ultimate goal is load time of 24 hours!"
> "The ultimate goal is filling every hard drive in the world!"
> Mwahahaha!
>
>

I for one won't be downloading anymore homes from the exchange. The
last one I got had a house full of sick sims. I had placed the house in
the neighborhood, hadn't played it yet, went into the home I made of my
own family and sent them into town. The sick family was there and made
my "husband" sick! Needless to say I was pissed! Won't make that
mistake again.

Ali
 

d

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Mike I agree with you on all accounts
Because if anyone is at fault, it's Maxis for not caring enough to do the
testing.

And like you said, it's not even the hackers who are doing the damage
it's the kids who don't know any better
or who do know..but do it anyways because they are poor sods

lol

--
- D
 

d

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"> I think that Maxis shutting down the exchange due to a few malicious
> individuals would be bad. It's the same as capitulating to terrorists.
> Given that, however, Maxis should take some responsibility in ensuring
> that
> the site is clean, although that means using tools that have been created
> by
> the community instead of them - and they have a big dose of
> "not-invented-here" syndrome. OTOH, they could create a tool that removes
> non-Maxis stuff from uploaded homes... they do style themselves
> professionals, after all.
>
> --
> --- Mike --- http://www.livin-it-up.net


lol, that they do!
Good idea...you should pitch it to Maxis
They should listen to the community we pay their bills!
There are plenty of people who love the Exchange
it would most definitely be a pity if Maxis brings it down
just because some snot nosed moron decided he hated everyone.

- D
 
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D waved a magic wand at the 'puter, changed into a moose (OOPS!) -
tried again and came up with:
> "> I think that Maxis shutting down the exchange due to a few
> malicious
>> individuals would be bad. It's the same as capitulating to
>> terrorists. Given that, however, Maxis should take some
>> responsibility in ensuring that
>> the site is clean, although that means using tools that have been
>> created by
>> the community instead of them - and they have a big dose of
>> "not-invented-here" syndrome. OTOH, they could create a tool that
>> removes non-Maxis stuff from uploaded homes... they do style
>> themselves professionals, after all.
>
> lol, that they do!
> Good idea...you should pitch it to Maxis
> They should listen to the community we pay their bills!
> There are plenty of people who love the Exchange
> it would most definitely be a pity if Maxis brings it down
> just because some snot nosed moron decided he hated everyone.
>
> - D

Not me. I've been banned from their forum for over two years, because I
complained about their "professionalism" for not correcting old problems in
TS1... They really need QA people who know what they're doing.

--
--- Mike --- http://www.livin-it-up.net
Member of eKoOK (evil Kult of Object Kreators)
"The ultimate goal is load time of 24 hours!"
"The ultimate goal is filling every hard drive in the world!"
Mwahahaha!
 
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Maxis needs to

a) reject user-uploaded content that contains custom objects or, at the
*very* least,
b) inform Exchange users that such-and-such object contains custom ones or
c) rewrite the package installer so it displays all content within a
..Sim2Pack file, with a checkbox (install/don't install) next to each item

As for c), I'm thinking of writing my own. The .Sim2Pack format seems
braindead easy, at least as far as identifying multiple files is concerned.
 
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On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 10:18:51 -0500, "Homer J. Simpson"
<root@127.0.0.1> wrote:

>Maxis needs to
>
>a) reject user-uploaded content that contains custom objects or, at the
>*very* least,
>b) inform Exchange users that such-and-such object contains custom ones or
>c) rewrite the package installer so it displays all content within a
>.Sim2Pack file, with a checkbox (install/don't install) next to each item
>
>As for c), I'm thinking of writing my own. The .Sim2Pack format seems
>braindead easy, at least as far as identifying multiple files is concerned.

Isn't that what the one available at ModTheSims2 does?

BW
 
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Um - I think Maxis already does no.2 and doesn't the Clean Hack Installer
thing do no.3?

Best wishes
Maxon

"Homer J. Simpson" <root@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:iYedneGCLfhAf3rcRVn-qA@magma.ca...
> Maxis needs to
>
> a) reject user-uploaded content that contains custom objects or, at the
> *very* least,
> b) inform Exchange users that such-and-such object contains custom ones or
> c) rewrite the package installer so it displays all content within a
> .Sim2Pack file, with a checkbox (install/don't install) next to each item
>
> As for c), I'm thinking of writing my own. The .Sim2Pack format seems
> braindead easy, at least as far as identifying multiple files is
concerned.
>
>
 
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Guest
Archived from groups: alt.games.the-sims (More info?)

> > b) inform Exchange users that such-and-such object contains custom ones
> > or
> Um - I think Maxis already does no.2

As some sort of disclaimer? Maybe, but (at least the last time I downloaded
a lot) I was never shown an actual list of any custom content. Just a
generic warning isn't good enough.

> > c) rewrite the package installer so it displays all content within a
> > .Sim2Pack file, with a checkbox (install/don't install) next to each
> > item
> and doesn't the Clean Hack Installer thing do no.3?

If that's the utility that displays a whole mess of GUIDs and not much else
(after some seemingly random clicking around until you can get *something*
to appear at all), then color me unimpressed...there *is* displayable
information in those files, I'm not sure why that utility doesn't use it (if
we're talking about the same thing...gotta link?)
 
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On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 10:28:06 -0500, "Homer J. Simpson"
<root@127.0.0.1> wrote:

>> > b) inform Exchange users that such-and-such object contains custom ones
>> > or
>> Um - I think Maxis already does no.2
>
>As some sort of disclaimer? Maybe, but (at least the last time I downloaded
>a lot) I was never shown an actual list of any custom content. Just a
>generic warning isn't good enough.
>
>> > c) rewrite the package installer so it displays all content within a
>> > .Sim2Pack file, with a checkbox (install/don't install) next to each
>> > item
>> and doesn't the Clean Hack Installer thing do no.3?
>
>If that's the utility that displays a whole mess of GUIDs and not much else
>(after some seemingly random clicking around until you can get *something*
>to appear at all), then color me unimpressed

No, Sims2Pack Clean Installer (the one you can get from a link at
www.modthesims2.com) shows a list of files in the pack, with a check
box by each, so you can install any or none of them. It also can show
which ones are hacks, etc. Try it out. I have associated it with
..Sim2Pack files and use it to open/install them all now--floors and
walls as well as houses.

BW
 
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> No, Sims2Pack Clean Installer (the one you can get from a link at
> www.modthesims2.com) shows a list of files in the pack, with a check
> box by each, so you can install any or none of them. It also can show
> which ones are hacks, etc. Try it out. I have associated it with
> .Sim2Pack files and use it to open/install them all now--floors and
> walls as well as houses.

Nice.

Not only does it require the .NET framework, it dies a horrible death right
after installing.