I started the install process back in December 2023. I kept hitting a wall when trying to install Uni, but there is a fix for it. You need to do a manual update (directions here). Once you've sorted that, you're good to go.

I got all my EPs installed (UNI, NL, OFB, SNS). I copied my old no-cd crack from my netbook (I'm still paranoid about Securom haha. Also I don't have an onboard optical drive on here either). But then my screen went like this.

I know, I can't believe either that it's taken me 10 years to know this is a thing, but, wow, way to go, EAxis. No one sucks quite like you do (Thoma$$ sucks more, but in a different way). So actual in-game non-cheatery functions can cause your hoods to implode. I've done some VBTs to my main playing hood, namely deleting sims from the bin and moving sims in their lots from one neighbourhood to another. So realising it's only a matter of time (although it could be a long time, who knows) before my hood turns into a BFBVFS, I thought it better to just extract my sims with SimSurgery and create a brand new hood and place a list of things not to do as the neighbourhood description. Since it's been years since I played any of my old families, I can't remember their stats anyway, so I'm fine with starting them again.

The problem is, EAxis insist on planting those premades into your family bin, and control freak that I am, I just don't want any playables that I didn't make in my main hood. I followed the safe(r) method tutorial to delete them only now neither of the two new households I created are ageing. I thought the problem was the recent installation of a lifespan mod but after testing it seems the problem is more likely the batbox stage of deleting sims as before that the sim was ageing fine. So my new supposed to be unborked hood is now borked even more than my worked neighbourhood. Way to go EA. If you had just had the sense to create a non-BFBVFS delete function this wouldn't even be an issue. So now that hood has to be scrapped too.

In an exclusive teleconference with EA, T$R's Steve has been able to leak us the following previews of The Sims 4!

In his dreams 😀

The Agent Pixies were revealed first by, I believe, AllGamesBeta.com. Please click the link to see the rest.

UPDATE: Official site is live: http://thesims.com

One thing I have to say, they don't look so puddin-faced as TS3 Sims. That was reason #1 that TS3 was a DNW for me.

W000o0o0ho0ho000o0o00000! You know Seasons is the one EP I really wanted. Uni I wanted for the Hang Out interaction for my stories, NL for the cars (although it also seemed the funnest out of the ones my poor XP box could handle) and OFB for no other reason than that I wanted the Magisplay tray for my screenies, which is kind of ironic, since I only bought it recently, long after I retired from Sim storytelling. But Seasons was the one I really wanted.

So despite my super-slow processor, the amazingly great graphics card (compared to the CCLOCIC) means I can actually play it! So I bought a copy second-hand (didn't I say no more of my money is going to be used to pay SHERRIE DANDAN'S wages?). I eagerly opened the box, then thought: Oh wait, this is EA we're talking about. Checked the back of the disc and ZOMGNOWAIZ! "Sony DADC"! Gaaaaah!

Who'd have thunk it? My netbook, despite its slowness, does actually have a pretty good graphics card on board. ATI Radeon 6250 apparently. Whatever that means, it's utterly better than the CCLOCIC (crappy crap load of crap Intel chipset). I'm surprised by how smoothly TS2 is playing on here, even with the addition of another expansion pack.

Better still, anti-aliasing also seems to be enabled on here. Have a look (click for big):

Old PC vs new PC:

New PC:

Eh, anyway, it looks a LOT better, and plays a lot more smoothly (when I say "play", I haven't actually put any Sims into it yet. I'm only using it for props.)

YaY for the Radeon chipset!