TIPS & TRICKS

TIPS & RICKS

By A.Muller - ExtraTime.Media

The Sims 2: How to fix the flickering screen on Windows 10

The Sims 2 seems unlikely to return to Origin, but but if you have a copy installed and you are dealing with the dreaded screen flicker, there is a way to play in peace. To this very day, The Sims 2 straddles a weird space that both transcends its era and makes it a frustrating game because of some limitations. First released in 2004, the second edition of the popular Sims franchise, The Sims 2 gave players four years of content as the franchise came into its own. In 2021, The Sims 2 remains one of the fan-favourites and in 2014, the release of The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection on Origin brought some nostalgia to players who previously owned the game. But the cult classic was removed from Origin in 2018 and Sims players have been holding out hope for its return. Recently, those dreams were dashed –or at least dealt a blow – after a response from EAHelp to a Simmer’s query about whether the game would ever return to Origin. That response on Twitter said:

“Unfortunately I don’t really have any good news for you. The Sims 2 game is no longer available on Origin and we don’t have any game codes to share. The reason for this is that it’s a very old game and wasn’t designed to be run on the most recent versions of Windows. There is also no support or development team for the game so we wouldn’t be able to help players if things started to go wrong. For those reasons, it wouldn’t be fair to sell the game today. I’m sorry for the bad news.” While that is indeed bad news for players who do not own a copy of The Sims 2, the game is from a time where most games were installed from a Compact Disc (CD) and anyone with a hard copy should still be able to play. The Sims 2 and the dreaded flicker on Windows 10 While it is correct that this “very old game” comes with some technical challenges to be made compatible with newer operating systems like Windows 10, as pointed out by the original poster

in the thread about the game’s return to platforms like Origin, getting The Sims 2 to play nicely on Windows 10 is still possible. We are not going to deal too much with how to purchase a copy of The Sims 2 (there are other helpful sources for that out there). But, your best option is to find copies on places like Ebay and Amazon or even thrift stores. But, with anything purchased from the online retailers, do be careful of scammers. But back to the flickering screen, you get when you play The Sims 2 on newer operating systems on Windows 10. The website leefish.nl has a wealth of resources to help you. These include the relevant “graphics card” downloads to get The Sims 2 working on Windows, including tutorials on how to create your own “graphics card” for The Sims 2 if it does not currently exist. Depending on which version of The Sims 2 you are playing and which expansion you have, your fixes might need to fit into different folders. However, all of these fixes involve creating graphic card rules to get your game to work. While there are several custom fixes you can apply with The Sims Community website offering a really solid tutorial for those who are more technically savvy, downloading and installing the

Greetings everyone, I’m SimmerChase a gay, day-one Simmer who’s been Simming for the last 21 years. I grew up in the “backwoods” of Indiana, population of 400 but always aspired for bigger cities, where I could marvel at towers, connect with similar people and prove I could be successful on my own. I live in The Racing Capital of the World, Indianapolis, Indiana. By night I’m a YouTube Streamer and no custom content (CC) gallery builder who uses all the packs. I usually go big, like 64x64 big. I’ve created all types of buildings from an American Trailer Park or a Spooky Apothecary to the Faux Bacon Club Bistro, complete with 4-level below ground West Coast LA inspired techno dance club, karaoke lounge loft and full restaurant bistro; I do all builds. The more unique of a purpose the more I get excited. By day, I work as a graphics designer for a real estate brokerage firm where I help market buildings in real life valued over $35 million USD. The sims has come full circle and I hope to pay it forward by sharing what I’ve picked up over time. I am grateful that I can now use what was once my safety blanket for a means to open up, share my creativity and enable further inclusiveness in our Sims community. I now know there are many who were like me but have not got that spark yet and I hope to be that catalyst that ignites more imagination and creativity. I hope my creations, videos and stories help others realize they are not alone because together we have the power of our strong, diverse and talented community, sometimes you just need the fire to light the path already in front of you. I mean it now and forever, at the beginning and end of each of my videos, “Thank You Everyone, Stay Proud and Go Do Something Magical.” I hope these 21 tips celebrating our community mpowers you to realize your own personal greatness, that’s what’s magical.

SimmerChase (he/him/dude) Gallery: SimmerChase YouTube: Simmer Chase www.simmerchase.com

a. Similar to idea 1, instead of adding the trim and columns first you will want to opt for the tallest single pane window that fits your ceiling height and include those. b. To create a shower cubical, you will want to divide your rectangle again into 3 squares. c. Enable the bb.moveobjects on cheats d. Add windows to either the front or side of the shower cubes, ensuring you leave at least 1 tile wide for the Sim(s) to be able to use the shower(s) i. Shower cubes have glass walls on the sides and entry in front ii. Multi-person showers have a space in the middle and a window on each side of the front. e. Delete the walls or convert them to a column trim, leaving only the windows in place and trim. f. Add the simple standing shower(s), decorate, add towels, clutter and you’re set.a. Build a rectangle room 1x3 or wider (to avoid issues with trim) b. For a “step-up” shower, click on the room and use the up arrow button to raise floor platform up one step. c. Use the platform trim tool from the build menu, click the platform you want to trim out d. Next, add a column to each corner of the shower cover. e. Then, click the arch tool in to the column button in build mode, click the wall you want to become the archway trim over the shower f. Once the trim is in place, add your basic standing shower, some subtle saucer lights, tile and towels and you are set!

3. Use a different table for party food fountain

a. Use the party fountain and default table combination, but shrink the table to the smallest size possible with the “[” key b. Select a table or dresser that you like and place in the center of a room c. Hold down the ALT key (PC) or CMD key (Mac) and use the mouse to move the table with party fountain to center the

fountain over the new table. d. If there is too much space between the top of the table and the bottom of the fountain, use one of the pedestal options under the sculptures menu in buy mode, shrink the pedestal down 1 time with the “[“ key and place under your party fountain. e. To move the pedestal up and down use the 0 key for down or 9 to go up f. Use extra décor items to neatly hide the required party table below your table a. Use the partial walls to create a room as tall as you want your flowerbeds. b. Use the up arrow on the platform options to raise the flower bed to where it is 1 notch below your wall. c. Add wall trim, paint, stone or brick to your raised flower bed

d. You can add wall sconce lighting for extra nighttime effect and exterior lawn lights in the flower bed. e. Choose one of the grass options from the miscellaneous floor covering options, it’s near the stone and tile flooring options to paint grass covering in the floor bed.

f. Add flowers, pots, pedestals and layer objects to create a full raised flower bed that speaks to you

4. Sunken Hot Tub

a. Use the platform tool and create a block of space 6x4 to allow for the hot tub and stairs to fit in. b. Click the down arrow button from the platform control tool and click it 5 times. c. Place a hot tub in the corner of the hole you’ve made, add steps to get down to it. d. The hot tub should be flush with the ground for maximum effect. e. Add steps to the empty area, making sure you leave a 1-tilewide path for your sims to get in the hot tub. f. Add some lighting, tile, platform trim, plants and privacy screens for extra realism.

6. Hydro + Pyro Lighted Feature Wall

a. Similar to the Fireplace Behind the Wall trick, but instead of the fire, you’ll add the water jets water feature options too. b. With bb.moveobjects on, you don’t have to add a fountain base or pool, since it’s behind the wall. c. You can decorate the floor with rocks for extra effect.

d. pool, on an area around 6 tiles wide by as long as you’d like to enclose.

7. Below ground entryway

a. Create room above ground, copy it to the basement level below b. Delete the ceiling from the basement room by clicking the top edge of the wall, towards the ceiling, click “remove ceiling” c. Go to your first level room, click the floor and choose “remove floor” d. Now you have an exposed area to the basement, you can build a sub-terranean income property or a great place to send all those kids!

8. Outdoor kitchen, built-in mini fridge under countertop

11. Authentic theater

a. Use 2 floor levels and create a balcony by using only half of the 2 nd floor space b. Cut the 2 nd floor room space in half with a wall, delete the floor from one of the 2 rooms c. Choose the largest TV you can get, add it to the wall in between the empty space of floors 1 and 2 d. Create stadium style seating by using the platform tool, with 1 step up between each seating section e. Create a 2 tile wide by however long you’d like section for seating i. Be sure to allow 1 tile wide space for Sims to be able to move freely through the theatre f. Add couches, chairs, lighting and décor and you’re set for a great movie night.

a. Add your favorite kitchen island cabinet or as many as you like together. b. Shrink the college dorm fridge 1 size down, hold down the ALT key (PC) or CMD key (Mac) and move your mouse to freely place the refrigerator in the island. c. Islands work best for this trick as they don’t have doors that get in the way.

9. Built-in BBQ Grill in Countertop

a. Similar to the above, but instead of placing the refrigerator, you will use the 9 key to raise up the grill 1 level, then align your preferred grill into a set of island cabinets you’ve placed side-by-side

10. Outdoor Fire-pit with terrace seating

a. Like the sunken hot tub idea, add a fire-pit in a lower area of your yard for extra privacy and fire safety. Be sure you make the space large enough for your pit, lounge chairs, cushions and to get around the pit. b. Use the platform tool to create and outdoor amphitheater design

Asexual Pride Flag — In August 2010, the asexual pride flag after a period of debate over having a flag and how to set up a system to create one, as many asexual communities as possible were contacted and a flag was announced as the asexual pride flag by one of the teams involved. The flag consists of four horizontal stripes: black, grey, white, and purple from top to bottom. The black stripe represents asexuality, the grey stripe representing the grey-area between sexual and asexual, the white stripe sexuality, and the purple stripe community.

https://outrightinternational.org/content/flags-lgbtiq-community