Simblesse Oblige

[ts1depot]

I'm getting close to the point where I'm going to be able to upload some objects. So I have a few questions.

Exactly how do you determine what EPs each object is compatible with?

I mean, I know the obvious (that an object cloned from, say, Hot Date, will need that EP in order to show up).

But I remember reading somewhere that compatibility isn't as straightforward as this, because objects that debuted in some EPs eventually became altered by subsequent EPs. In other words, even though I may have cloned a Deluxe couch to make a sofa, a person would need Hot Date and up, since new functions ("cuddling") were added to it.

And then, of course, there are the actual EPs I have installed. To what extent does this factor into everything? I have Deluxe up to Vacation. Would someone need to have all of these installed as well to avoid problems?

Thanks in advance!

[gnubee]

Excellent question. I'm wondering the same thing.

[17mars]

Raeven explains it here and more:
http://www.woobsha.com/diy-epcompatibility.html

[Raeven]

It also came up in a couple of threads so they'll have additional info:
http://www.simblesseoblige.com/viewtopic.php?t=616
(this one links to the other)

[ts1depot]

Thanx all!

[Raeven]

New info

Peter's been explaining to me today that I've been misunderstanding a few things about EP checks. I'm still trying to sort out exactly whcih bits I have misunderstood and how so haven't any detail to post here but wanted to mention it asap in case in effected your current project. A"heads up" sorta post.

[peter9g]

Maxis objects check for game version compatibility in one of two ways
A direct check of the Game Edition - more often in the earlier expansions
or
A check of a specific Game Edition Flag - more often in the later expansions.
The difference between these two methods has not been well documented until now.

I have made a Global value feedback object (available at the SSoW Yahoo group) which reports that the Game Edition value for Makin' Magic with all expansions, but not Deluxe, is 239

So how do you reconcile this number with the flag values?

The value of 239 appears to come from

[ts1depot]

I'm sorry, but I'm finding all of this information a bit overwhelming. The only time I ever looked under the hood of anything was to fix UPHS two years ago.

Would it be better to just inform visitors to have Deluxe+HD and up, since it seems as though Hot Date changed most of the objects?

[Raeven]

This information effects whether the EP checks I recommended work or not.

For example, I use the following EP Check a heck of a whole lot:

[peter9g]

The safest way to ensure compatibility with earlier versions of the game is always going to be to test the new objects yourself, or have a trusted beta tester do it for you.

If you don't want to delve much into the code requirements for different objects from different expansions, it would be reasonable to have a plain Sims or Deluxe test system as well as your regular game, and accept that some objects won't work for people wiith different setups. Wherever possible you should clone your objects from the plain test game rather than an object from a game setup with multiple expansions, since nearly all the original objects will have been modified at one time or another by different expansions.

Note that very few people are inconvenienced by the current game edition settings in the no-EP bases, so they remain an excellent starting point for cloning an object that can be used by the largest number of people.

[ts1depot]

Guess I will have to uninstall all my EPs and start over with only Deluxe on my machine.

[mtaman]

You can have 2 versions installed if you have the space.

Try this: rename your current Maxis folder. You may be then able to reinstall a vanilla Deluxe since it can't find the exe. Make a shortcut to the exe in the renamed folder to use to start that game. As long as you have the CD in it needs to start, you should be good. Some of your other programs will only find the vanilla Deluxe, like SkinDoctor. Others , like Tmog, you can set the path to use the renamed folder files.

You might be able to rename the vanilla Deluxe Maxis folder and make the shortcut for it, and change your expanded folder back to Maxis like normal.

It's worth giving these methods a try. If they don't work for you all you have lost is a little time since you were going to reinstall anyway. If they do, you saved a lot of time and your game.

[Raeven]

After switching you real game back to it's proper spot you may have to reinstall Makin' Magic or whatever you last EP is so have that disk and serial number on hand.

Having this no EP version of the game to test things wont change anything Peter's listed above. I have a no EP game and the EP checks work fine with it and my allEP game. But having it does help you dins parts that still require EP and allows you to make thumbnails for all of your work by simply running the game. It also loads faster so if you ARE working on a No EP object you can test it faster.

Withs some types of objects you'll lose features by cloning the noEP version. Counters wont recognize other counters, for instance, and wont work with DT bars I think. Couches wont have cuddling. Lighting and Art will work the same but in some cases you'll need to find a no Ep base on the web. Wall lights and Ceiling lights, for instance, don't exist in the game at that point even though they work fine. (Minor hacking can turn a table lamp into either and, again, there are bases on the internet)

[Raeven]

[ts1depot]

Okay, so... ( *brain explodes from information overload* )

... what I'm hearing is that no one who has only TS or TS up to HP will be able to use these objects.

So I know that people will need at least HD for them to show up in their game, regardless of whether they were *only* cloned from Deluxe objects.

Now what about the fact that I have Vacation? Would users also need Vacation as well, since that EP seemed to have added more coding?

Agh... sorry for all these questions, BTW. And where would I find no EP bases anyway?