Protecting your game from file corruption...
 

Under certain circumstances, the game can clobber its own data files, for example killing or vampirizing Mrs. Crumplebottom. Certain modding tools can be misused to produce the same effect, such as modifying resources in situ rather than cloning them. Apparently, BodyShop itself can be used to delete the ugly Maxis clothes, destroying the data files containing them in the process.

To prevent this:

Navigate to Program Files/EA Games/. That's Program Files, not My Documents.
Start a Search based on this folder by any method you prefer. I like Ctrl-F.
Click "All Files and Folders."
Type *.package in the Filename box.
Make sure that the box to include subfolders is checked (under Advanced Options).
Click the "Search" button.
Wait a while.
When the search is done, select all the files in one big batch. I use Ctrl-A.
Right click on one file and pick "Properties" from the context menu.
In the Properties dialog, click the box next to "Read Only" until a check mark appears.
Click "Ok."

Your files are now safe from the game, yourself, and BodyShop!

Zirconia Wolf also suggests doing this procedure on your Downloads folder. That's My Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2/Downloads, not any other file or folder associated with the game, and definitely not the Neighborhoods folder, or your game won't be able to Save!

I'll try, but remember, I was in the Navy, and there ain't a thing under God's heaven has been made "sailor proof".

Well, this gives your files a fighting chance!

I've done this & am tickled with the (non-buggy) results.

I have also converted all the package files in my Downloads folder to Read Only (just the Downloads folder, nothing else in My Documents\EA Games) & have been equally happy with my Sims 2 expiriance! (Didn't make a huge dent in my load-up time though. My fault for having a fast computer in the first place! )

Hmm, odd.

The important game files are now protected, at least I can't delete them with out a warning about them being read only.


And.

It seems the more I reload into my ~\Downloads folder (now at 4.36Gb and rising), the less the halting sound bug appears. It only ever butts in during the initial load up of the game anyway, it has never interrupted actual game play, once into a "hood or lot.

I did that some time ago and have not yet experienced any inconvenience from it.

Thought, now that I think of it, it might explain why I'm having difficulty reverted back from GunMod's Lighting Mod. I didn't think to reset the file permissions. But I'd think I'd get an error message. :thinking:

Lol, thought I'd posted this before on the Hullabaloo, but no, it was here!

http://www.sunsims.com/forums/showthread.php?t=506

I'm missing something. How does your tutorial on how to protect .package files relate to whatever the heck we were talking about?

I accidentally posted my tutorial twice here, with different titles, thinking the first one was on the Hullabaloo.

Is there anytime I would need to reverse this?

Not that I can think of. Just remember to repeat it when you install a new EP or StuffPack.

If you wanted to install a game hack that modifies the core software or uninstall The Sims 2, you would need to make the affected files writable.

Erm...how do I know if a game hack is modifying "core software"?

The hacks I'm used to seeing just tell you they are "global" or "local", but I haven't noticed any (hack related) problems in my game despite the fact that I have several global overrides & 100% "Read Only" Program Files\EA Games & Sims 2\Downloads folders.

So if global hacks don't modify "core" software, whattheheck does???? And will a hack-creator tell anyone what files needed to be non Read Only to use their mods???

If a program messes up other programs, then it is modifying the core operating system routines.

Global hacks means they affect all of The Sims 2. SecuROM is more than that; it affects the ability of all programs that read and write to disk, not just The Sims 2. The extent of the damage it might do is unknown, which is why I can't take the risk of installing any new software from Electronic Arts.

If using game software as a Trojan Horse to infect unsuspecting consumers' machines with SecuROM isn't a crime, it ought to be.

At the very least, all Electronic Arts software should be clearly labeled on the outside of the box and throughout out all documentation with:

WARNING: If you install this software on your computer, you will also be installing, beyond your control, routines that will maciliciously and by full intent modify or destroy the operability of certain parts of your Windows operating system.

Ahem. No game, EA or otherwise, even sez "Includes SecuROM" on its label, much less tells you what it might do to your puter..

I had to help hubby's nephew bypass the launcher for Oblivion just after Christmas.

No problem; we'll just give 'em bunk beds when we send 'em to prison.

Ah! Got it!

I have to agree with your "warning label" idea! While I am 100% for a company trying to keep it's games out of the hands of the criminal element, I am equally for the rights of us legitimate users being able to not only play our legitimately purchased games but to also be able to continue using our own friggen PCs after we install a game!

You wouldn't think these two things would be in conflict, but SecuROM has proven otherwise!

It has also made me very happy about no cd exe files....

I suspect that eventually they'll move to requiring a net connection to play so that they can check your registration against a database stored on their server. It sounds like all SecuROM does is inconvenience paying customers while no slowing down criminals at all. :thinking:

Actually, I'm afraid they're almost there already! Yesterday I was at Half Priced Books (a local used/over stock book/music/game store) & picked up copies of the 2 Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 expansions (Soaked! & Wild!) for reasons I'm still not sure about. (Well, okay: they were reeeeaaalllyy cheap!) I have a personal grudge against RCT3- or should I say Atari- as they released (a very buggy) RCT3 without any beta testing what so ever. They even bragged about it on their friggen website!

Anyway I was browsing through the game "instructions" (remember when PC games came with actual manuals instead of just semi-enhanced installation guides?) when I stumbled across a little feature where one of the packs "requires" a constant internet connection in order to "update the ad displays on the billboards in your park"! (Yeah. Riiiiiiiiiiigggghhhht.)

Fortunately, you can turn off this little "gem" of a feature in the Options panel (though of course the manual advises against this) but the very idea that something like this was even included at all makes me real glad I didn't pay full price for those EPs!

That seems to be the general consensus. The sad thing is that SecuROM is still being (rather widely) used!

Oh joy. In-game advertising. I have certainly looked forward to that all my life! :confused: