Wolf's Den

So I reloaded Sims2 last night.

Started adding back in all my CC, folder by folder. This is why I have 16 different folders. One for Clothing, one for furniture, etc...

Restarted the game after each folder. Got to the last two folders. Added them in and... it crashed at the same loading spot.

I thought , ok, well my mouse was acting stupid, so I'll remove those two folders, remove any files from the teleport folder, and restart the computer.

Game started up just fine.


So now, eventually I'll start adding in the contents of those two folders, package by package, until I find the culprit package that's causing the game to crash while loading. Then I'll delete the little bastard.

But I can play Sims2 on my computer again. That's a good thing.

I don't have any of my families on here, but oh well.

It may not work tomorrow (I'm a realistic pessemist with optimistic tendancies, what can I say), but it works tonight, and that's all I care about.

Death - Ghost Color (if it does anything) - What Causes it

Old Age - White - When a sim reaches the end of his life

Drowning - Blue, they leave puddles - When a swimming sim's energy is -100

Electrocution - Yellow, they have sparks flying off them - Can occor when a sim repairs an electrical object/plays with evil kite

Burning - Red, they bring smoke - When a sim stands too close to a fire

Starvation - Normal, but Transparent, they steal food from your fridge - When hunger reaches -100. Kids and below can't starve

Satellite - Orange - When a satellite falls on a sim while stargazing or Watch Cloud

Death By Flies - Purple - In a very messy room, all flies may form a deadly killer swarm

Disease - Green - If a fatal disease isn't treated for 10 days

Scared To Death - Pink - When 3 needs drop below -90 because of a ghost Scare

Cowplant - Light Green - When the sim is eaten by the cowplant

Burn as Vampire - Transparent - When all needs (except social and room) drop to -100 because of sunlight

Elevator - Transparent - When elevator breaks down while having low needs. More chance at breaking down when doing woohoo in elevator

Rally Forth - White with Megaphone - After doing the Rally Forth social when needs are very low

Hail - Dark pink - When at least 4 needs drop below 50% while standing in hailstorm

Spontaneous Combustion- Red , rather like burning up.

Electrocution by being struck by lightning- Yellow maybe?

Death by scissors (via a hack/download- Pink?


Death by WooHoo (Sex)- ???? Too funny.

Alrighty then. After 2.5 HOURS of messing around with the damn download last night- it took an hour to download, then I had to install it, then I had to wait another half hour for all the patches, then it refused to acknowledge a DirectX dll, so I had to uninstall it and try again, then I had to go to the Microsoft website to manually download the damn dll, well I gave up last night.

So it wasn't until this afternoon that I actually sat down and messed with it (hey, I had to go to the Inlaws' to get my Sims2 fix, sue me (not really, I had to do some stuff with Kat, playing Sims2 was bonus)).

I'm... not real crazy about it.

( Warning- lots of pics, some snark... )

I really should be reinstalling Sims2 to try to get it running... I just... don't really feel like fighting with it. Heh.

Since Sims2 is being a pain in my ass and won't run on this POS computer, I've reinstalled Ultima Online.

While waiting for the patch server to finish, I was reading the news. Seems UO Kingdom Reborn is a free download. Huh.

So naturally, I go to download it. Ugh. 10 minutes later, I'm still waiting and it appears I'll have nearly another hour to wait before I can actually install it and see what it's really like in game versus the screenshots, etc on the website.


lilithraevyn, have you downloaded it and played it yet? Mark says it reminds him too much of when they tried to go 3D. I never played in 3D, never had a computer fast enough. Heh.


For the record, I've uninstalled Sims2 again. Tomorrow/Friday, I'll reinstall it and see if I can get it working before I add in the CC again. I have a feeling the problem might be one of the damned Seasons patches. Either way, I've been playing on the bro in law's computer and have nearly enough screenshots for another Ramaswami Clan update and to start the Morgenstern Family (Alphabet Legacy of sorts), as well as a short tale of the Tesla family (ye gods that born in game Sim turned out ugly as she grew up, Igraine's chin could cut diamonds to form, I swear.), unless of course, no one's interested anymoree, in which case, I'm getting screenshots for my own benefit. LOL

Ooo 45 minutes left.

Err yeah.

My computer hates me. Or more rightly, I hate this computer.


Something happened to my Sims2 game when I shut it down Thursday morning at 3am. Something got corrupted.

So yesterday afternoon, after moving my download folder, neighborhoods, etc, I uninstalled everything. Then I spent the next 2.5 hours reinstalling everything, except the neighborhoods and downloads(CC). That's the base game, and every expansion, every stuff pack thus far.

By then it was 10 at night, I was tired, and wanted a bath.

So today, between changing out Puck and Roo's bedding and packing for heading to Jersey this afternoon, I reinstalled all of the downloads. But not my neighborhoods or the camera hacks. Then I started it up.


And it crashed. Again.


I give up. SOMETHING got corrupted in my CC. So now, when I get back from Jersey on Tuesday, I get to uninstall everything yet again, and reinstall everything, yet again. This is why my Custom Content is split into folders. Because then, I get to reinstall the CC, one folder at a time until I figure out which folder is causing it, then start all over again, and reinstall each package within the culprit folder, one at a time, until I figure out which CC package is causing it.

Having roughly 5-6 gigs of CC, this'll probably take a damn week or two.


Like I said, I hate this computer.

The new (re-refurbished, not brand new, cheap ass Dell) video card arrived today. I had Mark install it.

I have successfully played Sims2 for an hour straight with absolutely no glitches.

None. Zip. Zero. Zilch.

WooHoo!


Oh and it's hilarious when your Sim brings a friend home from work and .. it's himself. Yeah.

Since I dyed anything new. Been trying to catch up on started projects, trying to whittle down the stash- yeah right, like that really works. Etsy has dried up for me. *shrugs* Been 3 months since I sold anything. Haven't listed anything new in as long. Between their consistant technical problems causing the site to be offline more often than it's up, it seems, lately, and no sales, I don't see the point in listing new things and causing my inventory to become overwhelming. So right now, I'm biding my time, letting what's listed run it's listing timeframe and possibly won't relist it. Who knows, maybe if I start showcasing things here again, I'll pick up a few sales.

So while Mark was bitching at Dell Tech Support for 3.5 days running, I decided to dye some Kona Cotton. I'd gotten an idea from a picture I'd seen, the name of the piece popped itself in my head and said MAKE ME NOW. I spent the next 2 days between testing colors to see which would look best, 'pop' best on the blue, and perfecting exactly how I wanted it to look. What you see above is the result. The purple/orange/blue/muddy piece will be the back. The orange/brown piece is where I was deciding which exactly orangish color I wanted to use (Pumpkin Spice won out over Golden Oak and Curry) on the blue/orange piece which is the front, the blue is actually Baby Blue and Robin's Egg Blue, heavily watered down.



It'll be a smaller piece, roughly 20" long x15"wide, I plan to have some beading on it, but beyond that, it hasn't said. Heh. I'm thinking of entering it in this year's Mountain Comforts Quilt Show, this October. We'll see. After that, most likely offer it up for sale . The orange isn't as bright as it looks wet, it's more muted, which is fine, as I think it works best that way. It'll still stand out, that's for certain.

Random Sims2 screenshot-



The MorgenSterns- Amelia and Aron, with their firstborn (and heir) Bronwyn, and toddler, Blaise. I love FRAPS, and the fact the bro in law's computer isn't acting up like mine is. LOL. This was just after Bronwyn's and Blaise's Birth Days.

Yes, I'm still using Photobucket, currently. My account was/IS paid up through October, so I'll be damned if they get my money for free. They never did respond to my other email though.


Wow. Simply WOW.

I had a photo removed from my Sims2 album.

Why? Because apparently, a SIM, a pixal created cartoon, bottle feeding a Sim baby, also a pixal created cartoon, violates their ToS. Why? Because he was BARECHESTED. 

Original Post.

This one to be exact...
 

They pulled a fucking photo of a cartoon feeding a bottle to a cartoon baby, simply because he was in his pajamas and his chest was *gasp* naked! Oh the horrors!


And yet... they leave THIS one alone-



BLATANT nudity. SIMS FUCKING IN THE SHOWER!! Yet, it's not removed!

I ... just... I'm at a loss for words.

Can you say.. LJ and the breastfeeding icons debacle?


And yes, I sent them a nastygram telling them I was outraged at their actions on removing a harmless photo.

And yes, as soon as I pull the image from the other drive, IT WILL BE REPLACED. If they pull it again, it'll be replaced again.

With a photo of a Sim naked, full monty, standing at attention, and CLOSEUP. Pull THAT photo, motherfuckers!

Just... wow. Talk about stupid.


UPDATE-  June 13th, 245pm- I received a response- 

"Dear WolfSilverOak-

Photobucket.com attempts to maintain a website that is absent of offensive,
indecent or objectionable content.  That is our general policy and your images
were removed in accordance with that policy. The Photobucket.com Terms of
Service, found at http://www.photobucket.com/terms.php, reflect that policy by
giving Photobucket the right to remove content that, among other things, (a)
it deems unlawful, obscene, harmful, threatening, defamatory, or hateful; (b)
invades the privacy of any third party; (c) contains nudity, illustrated
nudity, pornography, illustrated pornography, child erotica, or child
pornography; or (d) Photobucket deems otherwise objectionable. The Terms of
Service apply to all accounts whether Free or Pro or Public or Private.

Sincerely,

Your Photobucket Support Team"

I call bullshit.  And here's my response back-

"I will be finding a new photo hosting site, one that does not deem a cartoon
depiction to be "(a)
it deems unlawful, obscene, harmful, threatening, defamatory, or hateful;
(b)
invades the privacy of any third party; (c) contains nudity, illustrated
nudity, pornography, illustrated pornography, child erotica, or child
pornography; or (d) Photobucket deems otherwise objectionable. ".

I think you went overboard on this and have to wonder where exactly it will
go next.

If a cartoon was found to be offense and in violation of your ToS, then
EVERY. SINGLE. photo of REAL, LIVE HUMAN BEINGS without shirts on SHOULD be
found to be in violation of your ToS.  No exceptions.
Otherwise, I find what you have done to be a form of censorship.

Because I will not condone any form of censorship, I will be taking my
business elsewhere."

So now I will proceed to pull my photos off there, back onto my computer, and I guess I'll either start using LJ scrapbook, or Flickr.

I have to wonder... the original post is behind a LJ-Cut. The only way to see it was to click the link(the album is private). Methinks someone targeted it specifically and that Photobucket doesn't even KNOW what the photo was before they pulled it.   Sounds rather like something LiveJournal/SixApart has done recently... Hmmmm....

Even after wiping and reinstalling the OS and everything else on the 160gig drive, it is definately the video card that's got issues.

I still can't play Sims2 for more than 5 minutes. 10 if I'm extremely lucky.

So tomorrow, Mark gets to call Dell and order me a new vid card from them, seeings how they happen to be the only ones who have this particular size (low profile).

Edit-June12, 1035pm.-

Well, it's definately the video card. Mark brought home new cables, specifically digital monitor cables, because apparently my monitor is both analog AND digital. Cool, but it doesn't fix the problem... well, mostly did.

Now, my screen 'snaps' to the right, and turns black when I'm playing. I can still *play*, I just can't do screenshots and such because I don't know when exactly I'll have to hit the Windows button and drop to the desktop when the vid card freezes up. so makes no point to try to play the Ramaswami Clan or the Alphabet Legacy(new family), or the Tesla Legacy, right now.

Although, I do have over 450+ screenshots from the Morgensterns(Alphabet Legacy family) thanks to my new screenshot proggy, FRAPS, from playing them on the bro in law's computer. So that'll last for a few chapters.

Anyway, Mark's calling Dell tomorrow to order me a new video card. Here's hoping they won't want us to send them the computer instead.

Warning- Incestous Overtones. If this offends you, even as pixalization/cartoons, do not read.

She has a vet appointment next Weds. Although it's mainly to draw blood and see how her thyroid is doing, we'll probably go over a few other things as well.

When I went down there today to pick up her meds and cat food, Dr Eick happened to be out front. I told her everything that's happened and she agrees that this was inevitable. That age will do this to her. She suggested a pain med for when Dante gets too stiff to want to move, as she was yesterday, that we can do a trial run on and see how she does. Not Rimadyl, another one, started with a T.

So we'll see. She agrees that it's best to let Dante decide. I think, when it's too the point that she can't go upstairs to be with me, then we make that choice. Until then, we wait and we continue to enjoy her while she's here.

She hogged the bed this morning. I had to sleep on the diagonal and even that was rough, as when I rolled over, there was Aries, stretched out on the other side. I had maybe a half foot to sleep in, with Dante taking up the lower half and middle of the bed, Max sleeping on Mark's side, kicking me, I might add, and then Aries deciding my side was comfy. Sheesh. All in all, it was rather nice, as they don't do that very often anymore. Especially Dante.


In other news... heading to Jersey the 23rd with the Inlaws to take Mikayla up to her grandparents' for the summer. Coming home on the 26th. Mark can't go, he has to work, so it's just me. We plan to go into Philly, maybe go to the Zoo. I hope to get lots of good photos, especially from the High Speed Line.


My computer confounds me. I did a AdAware cleanup, Disc Cleanup, Defrag- something I do weekly, then turned it off for a few hours. I had downloaded/installed some new Custom Default skins and eyes for my Maxis Sims, to make them look better and blend better with my created Sims. So I was curious as to whether they 'took' or not. They did, and the Ramaswami Clan looks sooo much better now. Parts I-III will look vastly different from the rest. Ah well. Also downloaded a new 'Live Camera' hack as well. That was really nifty to mess with. Smile for your extreme closeup now. Need to download FRAPS to play with for screenshots.

That's not the confounding part.

I was able to play for 45 minutes with no glitches.

Hmm, maybe my computer caught wind of us going to order me a new vid card this evening. After all, I was sitting here talking on the phone with Mark about it. I certainly wouldn't put it past the computer to play that kind of game. It hates me after all.

Speaking of the Ramaswami Clan, an Interlude will be posted Sat. Part III will follow next weekend. Then you'll have to wait 2 weeks for Part IV. Too bad, so sad. Part IV hasn't even been played/photographed yet. That all depends on when the new vid card arrives.

Train tix to Michigan have been reserved. I'll stop stressing when they are actually here, in my greedy hands. Greedy? Yes, because I want them NOW. Because it confirms that yes, we ARE going home, well, my home, this summer for an entire week. And my mom can now reassure Allison that yes, Aunt Wolf is coming home this year. Doing this once a year doesn't seem like near enough anymore.

Ok, that was ... odd.. my delete key quit working for a second or two. So not a good thing.

I could go outside and finish that last brick bed that needs mortering, except it rained for the last 2 days, so it's rather wet right now. Not that I'm complaining, as we needed the rain badly.
Can't transplant the Irises, as I want to wait until a week or so before we leave to dig up the ones I'm taking to my parents. No sense getting them re-established only to move them again.

Can't really play Sims2, because it is rather discouraing to play for 5 minutes, finger poised over the windows button for when the screen starts glitching. And never knowing if when it goes to the desktop, if the game will come back up. Or if the computer will shut down. Or a myriad of other issues.. like it suddenly takes a nose dive out the window. Ok, so it won't do that.. yet.

Hoping to get a new card on Friday- 512mb ATI Radeon X1950 Crossfire. $430.00 at Best Buy. Yeah. Steve, a regular, is supposed to be talking to his computer guy and checking into getting me one at cost, if possible. Not holding my breath while keeping my fingers crossed. Talented, aren't I?

As far as fabric art goes, the most recent thing I've been working on is a quilt block for 'The Sunbonnet sue fights Breast Cancer Project'. I'm supposed to be doing a 'Bad Sue' block, yet compared to some of the blocks I'm looking at, mine is rather tame. No naked Sue on mine, sorry. Mine does, however, reflect my green thumb abit. Heh. Need to get it finished by Friday, so it can be sent out on Monday. Yes, yes, there'll be pics. Cripes.

Random Sims2 pic spam-

Rohan TreGarde, modeling awesome clothing/piercings by Aikea Guinea. Also is a sneak preview into the next chapter of the Ramaswami Clan.


The chickadees are showing their youngens where the bird feeders are. Namely, the only one I keep filled regularly, on the porch. Man are they loud. Had a Hairy Woodpecker pair on the Woodpecker feeder yesterday. As soon as the photos are uploaded from the camera, as well as the video, I'll post them.

Dante isn't much likeing the weather lately. She's moving well, but super slow. I think she's also losing bladder control when she's deeply asleep. She is 13.5 yrs old after all, so it's be to be expected. Really glad I have a steamcleaner though. Haven't seen much of a difference after 2 months on Synovi , honestly. She just doesn't move around as much. Reaffirms my belief that this is her last year.

The tumor/mass has grown as well. It's nearly twice the size it was 2 months ago. Still not doing anything about it. Old age will get her before any cancer will. And I refuse to believe that it is possibly cancer anyway. There's no point.

Still bored... guess I'll go do the dishes and get tonight's steaks marinating.

This has been an ongoing arguement since The Sims first was created- can you legally create custom content and sell it or have a subscription fee to download it?
Well, according to EA, their End User Licesce Agreement(EULA) says that anything created using their engine, meaning the core programming of the game, can not be sold. Meaning even if it's a brand spanking new, never seen before mesh(what the CC is made from), it still needs EA's engine to actually show up in game.

People have been trying to get paysites and subscription sites, including those who have CC in donation packs, for The Sims SHUT DOWN. Why? Because they don't want to have to pay for Custom Content. Fine, so don't pay for it then.

There are numerous other sites with just as awesome CC that is free. Do they go there? No, they bitch and whine and piss and moan about how they can't have one specific piece of CC because it's a paysite and they don't want to pay for it.

Here's my thinking-

You DON'T like something, DON'T download it.


You DON'T WANT TO PAY for something, DON'T download it.

Simple as that.

Until EA actually files that first lawsuit stating that some paysite must stop charging a fee, a subscription or even asking for a donation for any CC made with their engine, PAYSITES ARE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.

And we all know- EA gives a rat's ass about it's users, until it actually affects THEM personally. They are more than willing to put out crap product(Ultima Online Third Dawn anyone? I was beta tester for that piece of shit), steal CC creators' ideas (quite abit of stuff in the latest Sims2 Stuff Pack I've seen else where or had better made versions long before this Stuff Pack came out) and make promises they never keep(like offering a special piece of CC for the game when you preorder then never sending you the link to download it).

Until the paysites actually start taking money from EA's pockets- they won't actually do a thing to stop them. And given how the vast majority of the paysites are in Asia. Europe and elsewhere(Indonesia even), I really don't see EA going after them anytime soon.

So it basically boils down to this you don't want to fork over money for a piece of good looking, well made CC, then don't. Go look elsewhere for the same type of CC that is just as wellmade. I'm pretty damn sure you'll be able to find it.

Warning- Rated 'R' for Sim nudity, underage sex and possible incestous overtones. *insert evil SimGoddess grin here* 


( Part II )
Missed the beginning?
Part I Here.

( This is a new family that... )

Mark took one look at the notes for my Ramaswami Clan... and promptly told me I was insane.

This is Sanjay and Priya Ramaswami...

 

(  Part I... )

So I log in and decide to play the Ramaswami family, see if I can get Sanjay and Priya to Elder, Idrissa to Adult, and her new husband, Rohan Tregarde to Adult, as well as have them have a son.
Which means Ilyssa the daughter(granddaughter) has to age up to Toddler.

Idrissa is somehow an Adult already (WTF?! She had 13 days left?!!!) AND she's running for the bathroom to puke with the 'Am I preggers?' balloon over her head!

HUH?!

Her and Rohan hadn't tried for a damn baby, so she can't be preggers! InSim says she's not besides. InTeen says she's not too. ARGH. *puts her ass on birth control just to be sure.*

So I had to reset her age back to Teen with 13 days left.

Then I go see what Priya and Sanjay are up to.
Somehow they got from their bedroom where they were SLEEPING when I left, outside and Priya was pushing him on the swing, in her underwear AND she was cold.

He's dressed, yet she's in her undies . WTFD?!?

ARGH.

The only one who was where I left her and normal, is the baby, Ilyssa. Right now, I love her. She's so Heir material at this point.

Sheesh.