niaplaysthesims

[niaplaysthesims]

@fireflys-locket asked me to upload the models from this post, so here they are for them and anyone else who wants them. Christine’s sweater is a default replacement of this base game shirt and the custom version is here. All accessory meshes are included.

Christine Matthews

Amara Kulkarni

Megan Olson

[niaplaysthesims]

Happy Halloween, simmers! Yesterday I dressed up as an favorite npc - Mrs. Crumplebottom!

[niaplaysthesims]

STUDIO GHIBLI Loading Screens and Splash Music  by @knowledgeaspiration​ & @falkii​

So this is a thing that literally nobody asked for! A little while ago I saw these awesome ghibli TS4 loading screen replacements by @minataphy​, and it struck me that it would definitely be *fun* to try something like that for TS2 also falkii likes ghibli that’d be even more fun! AND THEN, @falkii​ mentioned that she could do the splash files (which I’m grateful for because you wouldn’t believe how bad I am at following tutorials)

I’ve made 11 loading screens!!! - obviously you don’t have to have them all, pick whichever you want, though TheLoadingRandomiser by greatcheesecakepersona (as well as CleanUI) is highly recommended, since the randomiser will allow you to have multiple screens and splash musics in game! They are various stills / wallpapers from different ghibli films. 

The logo is from greatcheesecakepersona’s own loading screen replacements, and the katakana for ‘Ultimate Collection’, and ‘The Sims’ are up there too (I hope at least) - these are inspired by the Japanese menu for M&G.

I should mention that these were put together with 1920 x 1080 displays in mind and more specifically windowed fullscreen, I don’t know what anything bigger looks like with these, if you have a larger display there will be a blurry border (hence why the previews look a lil wacky) 

@falkii​ put together 4 splash musics from Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo, Kiki’s Delivery Service and Porco Rosso, either pick one and replace the splash file in your latest EP or use the loading randomiser to have more than one. There is a readme file in the archive but I’ll post it below the cut too.

Enough talking and as always, if I’ve goofed - let me know! You can either go ahead and download all of them at once (which is kind of a big download if like me your internet is not great), the splash files only, or pick and choose screens from the SFS folder for smaller, kinder downloads!

DOWNLOAD: 

ALL IN ONE (Screens & Music) @ SimFileShare [125.4MB]

Splash Music Only [25MB]

SimFileShare Folder

credits: greatcheesecakepersona & adinc-sims for their useful templates!  studio ghibli, of course. falkii for putting together the splash music files

Keep reading

[niaplaysthesims]

Basic Linden Trees Redux + Default replacements

It’s finally here! Completely remastered set of linden trees.

There are 2 (two) download links. Choose only one!

Features:

Better mesh. Trees look less lowpoly and more fluffy keeping polycount at low.

Appearance/texture size. This is the main feature of the redux. In the original set, every tree had a 2048x1024 texture making the whole set weight about 23Mb, compressorized. Obviously, it was filling up the game memory quite hard. In this redux, the size of the whole set of six trees is 4,5Mb! And that is uncompressorized. Does it still looks good on closeups or near lots? Yes. The quality is the same. I’ve just used completely different technique making over all the trees, to achieve this result.

Sub.. substitutat.. substitutability! Yes, the new trees override the old ones, so you don’t have to replace all the trees manually. Just delete the old files from your ‘Downloads’ folder and put the new ones there.

Default replacements

As you may know, @lowedeus did an amazing job providing a set of DRs for maxis Oak trees, trees row and clumps of trees, replacing them with lindens. This redux comes with all these default replacements option already and it works the same as the old one replacing Maxis’ oaks, row of trees and two clumps of trees. 

How to use

First, backup your neighborhoods. Just in case you accidentally load your game right after removing old trees from ‘Downloads’  folder without putting the new ones in. Because once it happens, all the trees in your neighborhood will be gone forever once the hood is loaded.

Please scroll further down for alternative ‘Default Replacement only’ Install Option.

Remove these old files from your ‘Downloads’ folder:

crqtt_basic_linden_tree_01a.package

crqtt_basic_linden_tree_02a.package

crqtt_basic_linden_tree_03a.package

crqtt_basic_linden_tree_04a.package

crqtt_basic_linden_tree_05a.package

crqtt_basic_linden_tree_06a.package

Put these new files in:

crqtt_basic_linden_tree_01a_RDX.package

crqtt_basic_linden_tree_02a_RDX.package

crqtt_basic_linden_tree_03a_RDX.package

crqtt_basic_linden_tree_04a_RDX.package

crqtt_basic_linden_tree_05a_RDX.package

crqtt_basic_linden_tree_06a_RDX.package

There. You’re done! If you’re using @lowedeus defaults, you have to remove these files from your ‘Downloads’ folder:

DEFAULT_lowedeus-CriquetteForest.package

DEFAULT_lowedeus-CriquetteRow.package

DEFAULT_lowedeus-CriquetteTrees.package

And then put these files in:

DEFAULT_MaxisOaks2CrqttLinden.package

DEFAULT_MaxisOaks2CrqttLindenForest.package

DEFAULT_MaxisOaks2CrqttLindenRow.package

Important:

the shadow fix you had to have in your ‘downloads’ folder in order to use Linden Trees DR must be also removed from your ‘Downloads’ folder, you don’t need it now.

Download Linden Trees Redux + Defaults (SFS)

Default Replacement Only alternative install

Please note, that the only difference between this option from the previous one is that it only saves you from having maxis AND custom trees in your ‘Flora hood deco menu at the same time (i.e. same 6 trees twice) in case of using the default replacements. There will be only Maxis’ Oaks replaced by lindens.

First, remove these files from your ‘Downloads’ folder:

DEFAULT_lowedeus-CriquetteForest.package

DEFAULT_lowedeus-CriquetteRow.package

DEFAULT_lowedeus-CriquetteTrees.package

Then, put these files in:

crqtt_DROnly_basic_linden_tree_01a_RDX.package

crqtt_DROnly_basic_linden_tree_02a_RDX.package

crqtt_DROnly_basic_linden_tree_03a_RDX.package

crqtt_DROnly_basic_linden_tree_04a_RDX.package

crqtt_DROnly_basic_linden_tree_05a_RDX.package

crqtt_DROnly_basic_linden_tree_06a_RDX.package

DEFAULT_MaxisOaks2CrqttLinden.package

DEFAULT_MaxisOaks2CrqttLindenForest.package

DEFAULT_MaxisOaks2CrqttLindenRow.package

Download Maxis Oaks to Crqtt Redux Lindens DR Only (SFS)

Enjoy!

[niaplaysthesims]

Audiobooks for wellness

[niaplaysthesims]

The Very Basics of Not Killing Your Computer

AVOID HEAT STRESS

If you have a laptop DO NOT use it on a soft surface like a pillow or on a blanket, it’ll block the vents on your computer and make it get really fucking hot inside.

If you have a desktop you gotta open it up and blow out the dust sometimes.

If you are moving your laptop in a bag turn the laptop off. Don’t put it to sleep, don’t just shut the screen, turn it off, because otherwise it’s in the bag generating heat and there’s nowhere for the heat to go in the bag. OFF. Not sleep. OFF.

DO NOT DROP

Okay I know that should be obvious but drop damage to your hard drive is bad bad news. Be as careful as you can to set your computer gently on flat surfaces; don’t leave it hanging out on a bed where it can get knocked off, don’t set it on the roof of your car. And yes, just dropping it a couple inches can kill your hard drive or totally shatter your screen.

DON’T PUT SHIT ON YOUR KEYBOARD

Look I’ve seen four people ruin their laptops because they had a pen on the keyboard and closed the laptop and it fucked up the screen and the keyboard and it sucks so much and you feel awful after it happens because it’s so avoidable just don’t put things on your keyboard and always check that your laptop is clear before you close it.

PROTECT YOUR PORTS ON YOUR LAPTOP

You’ve only got one power jack and a limited number of other inputs on your computer and if they detach from the motherboard you’re fucked. USB ports get damaged because people use them a lot and eventually it weakens the connection and then they just stop working and it sucks. You can get around this with USB ports by using a USB hub to connect things like your keyboard and mouse.

For your power plug you just gotta be careful. Avoid tripping over the cord at all costs, don’t yank the plug out of the computer. It will SUCK VERY MUCH A LOT if you have to buy a new computer because the power port lost contact with the motherboard.

Don’t move your computer with things plugged into it. Take the power cord off before you put your laptop in the bag, take out the USB mouse dongle, do not travel with little nubby bits sticking out of your computer that can easily get caught or get tweaked or snap off inside of the thing.

(I really can’t emphasize enough that most of the “it will cost more than it’s worth to fix this” laptops I see are because of USB ports and power jacks. People don’t seem to know that this isn’t something that can be fixed easily; a broken power jack is a “remove the motherboard and resoldier components” job, not a “plug a new one in in fifteen minutes” job and most computer repair shops aren’t going to solder things for you and if they DO it’s going to be very expensive)

RESTART YOUR SHIT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH AND JUST LET THE FUCKING UPDATES RUN

You should probably restart more than once a month but whatever. This is actually something that I consider part of reducing heat stress because when your processor is straining to keep up with all the background bullshit that’s running from a program you opened three weeks ago it’s going to use up resources and get hot and look just restart it once in a while.

Also the updates are almost always okay and safe and generally running updates is a good and secure thing to do (though maybe follow a blog dedicated to the OS you run because if there IS a problem with the updates that blog will probably talk about it before the update gets forced on your computer)

ANTIVIRUS BULLSHIT

Yes you should probably be running an antivirus.

Sophos is free and it’s fine. But don’t pay for it - if you’re using Sophos use the free version.

If you’re looking for something paid and a little more comprehensive I recommend ESET - get the cheap version, renewals cost less than the initial purchase, and feel free to get a multi-year version, the credentials follow your email not the computer so if your computer dies before your license expires you can install the license on a new computer.

DO NOT INSTALL NORTON OR MCAFEE THEY ARE EXPENSIVE BULLSHIT. Kaspersky is whatever. It’s less bullshit than Norton or McAfee but not as good as ESET for about the same cost.

If you think you’ve got a virus run the free version of Malwarebytes and get your shit cleaned.

KEEP LIQUIDS THE FUCK AWAY FROM YOUR COMPUTER

Again this should be obvious and yet. But seriously, just make a rule for yourself that drinks aren’t allowed on the same table as your computer and you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches.

PLUG YOUR COMPUTER INTO A UPS

Okay I fucking hate amazon but here’s a thing you should be using, just search the rest of the internet for “surge protector/UPS” and you’ll find something that isn’t from amazon - APC is a solid brand for this.

Basically you want a fat surge protector that has a little bit of a battery backup and you want to plug your computer (desktop OR laptop) into that instead of into the wall. The benefit of this is twofold:

1) if there’s a power surge the UPS will prevent your computer’s power supply from getting fried and possibly frying parts of your motherboard

2) if there’s a power outage and you’re *at* your computer you’ll have enough time to save what you’re working on before your computer loses power (like, you’ll maybe only have a minute or two on a small UPS but that’s still time to hit CTRL+S and keep from losing work)

At a bare, bare minimum your computer should be plugged into a surge protector but NOT directly into the wall.

BACK YOUR SHIT UP

[we interrupt this yelling for me to tell you that Western Digital has apparently released their new My Passport line and I’m obligated to inform you that you can get a 2.5″ USB 3.0 backup drive with FIVE FUCKING TERABYTES OF STORAGE for $130. Or you can get 4TB for $93. Or you can get 1TB for $53. basically what I’m saying is that it is not only cheap computer season it is also cheap hard drive season.]

[also if you’re getting a backup drive get western digital not seagate seagate fucking sucks and has a much higher failure rate]

Uh, okay, anyway - Do an image backup of your computer every once in a while so that if you get infected or your hard drive dies or whatever you can just restore from backup and move on like nothing happened.

HERE’S HOW TO DO AN IMAGE BACKUP.

SAVE YOURSELF THE WEAR AND TEAR

You know what is cheap? USB Keyboards and USB mice. You know what is not cheap? Fixing the touchpad on a laptop or replacing a laptop keyboard.

Get yourself a USB hub, a USB Keyboard and a USB Mouse (wired or wireless, doesn’t matter) and if you’re using your laptop at home plug *that* into your computer.

Also if your keyboard on your laptop breaks it’s fine just to use a USB keyboard instead I promise; if the screen breaks it’s also usually cheaper and easier to get a used or inexpensive monitor than it is to replace the screen. Your laptop is basically just a very small version of whatever bullshit is going on inside a desktop, if the peripherals break but the core components are fine you can just use it like a desktop.

Unless it’s a piece of shit that doesn’t have any USB ports or video out in which case you got ripped off, friend, demand functionality in your devices I’m sorry.

/rant

[niaplaysthesims]

Hey everyone, new video is up.

[niaplaysthesims]

I think I failed this challenge already 😂.

[niaplaysthesims]

I'm back 🤣, I've been taking some time for myself.

[niaplaysthesims]

Family time with the Dreamers

[niaplaysthesims]

Yay, new video into to the Dreamers! Lilith and Dirk.

[niaplaysthesims]

Anyone else pair Lilith with Dirk?

[niaplaysthesims]

Random Dormies

With this mod, residents of dormitories are picked randomly (originally, lowest-numbered Sims were chosen) from the pool of unplayable students who don’t have keys to rooms on occupied lots. If a dormitory they lived in isn’t occupied or no longer exists, their keys get destroyed and they can move to another dormitory. Originally, in such a situation they were trapped and couldn’t live anywhere else.

Conflicts

Dormie Gender Controller by twojeffs conflicts with this mod. They can be used together as long as twojeffs’ mod loads after mine.

Credits

Ciastko jfade (The Compressorizer!) Creators of SimPe

Download

simNopke-randomDormies

On MTS

[niaplaysthesims]

I love watermelon 😍

[niaplaysthesims]

This is so Awesome!

STUDIO GHIBLI Loading Screens and Splash Music  by @knowledgeaspiration​ & @falkii​

So this is a thing that literally nobody asked for! A little while ago I saw these awesome ghibli TS4 loading screen replacements by @minataphy​, and it struck me that it would definitely be *fun* to try something like that for TS2 also falkii likes ghibli that’d be even more fun! AND THEN, @falkii​ mentioned that she could do the splash files (which I’m grateful for because you wouldn’t believe how bad I am at following tutorials)

I’ve made 11 loading screens!!! - obviously you don’t have to have them all, pick whichever you want, though TheLoadingRandomiser by greatcheesecakepersona (as well as CleanUI) is highly recommended, since the randomiser will allow you to have multiple screens and splash musics in game! They are various stills / wallpapers from different ghibli films. 

The logo is from greatcheesecakepersona’s own loading screen replacements, and the katakana for ‘Ultimate Collection’, and ‘The Sims’ are up there too (I hope at least) - these are inspired by the Japanese menu for M&G.

I should mention that these were put together with 1920 x 1080 displays in mind and more specifically windowed fullscreen, I don’t know what anything bigger looks like with these, if you have a larger display there will be a blurry border (hence why the previews look a lil wacky) 

@falkii​ put together 4 splash musics from Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo, Kiki’s Delivery Service and Porco Rosso, either pick one and replace the splash file in your latest EP or use the loading randomiser to have more than one. There is a readme file in the archive but I’ll post it below the cut too.

Enough talking and as always, if I’ve goofed - let me know! You can either go ahead and download all of them at once (which is kind of a big download if like me your internet is not great), the splash files only, or pick and choose screens from the SFS folder for smaller, kinder downloads!

DOWNLOAD: 

ALL IN ONE (Screens & Music) @ SimFileShare [125.4MB]

Splash Music Only [25MB]

SimFileShare Folder

credits: greatcheesecakepersona & adinc-sims for their useful templates!  studio ghibli, of course. falkii for putting together the splash music files

Keep reading