Random Dorkage

[kyburg]

No, really.

I went out to Sis' Sunday and forced a whole bunch of pomegranates to give up a gallon and a half of juice. I took pictures. As soon as I can, I'll share. POMEGRANATE CARNAGE!

(Complete with knives. YES.)

I think I'd do better with my siblings if I just learned to nod better, keep my mouth shut and quit being so much work. Honestly.

Thanksgiving looks to be 17 people at least (this is GOOD) - but I think I'd better get the lead out and get another table. A big one that will seat more than six people. I want this. Very, very badly. Theme for this year is World Travelers and I'll start acquiring the proper trimmings soon. (I'm thinking of putting world maps under clear plastic as the tablecloths, for example.)

The idea of having macaroni and cheese went over BIG, caitlin. VERY BIG. No worries.

I'm going to schedule another weekend out at Sis' to actually make the jelly - it was a true bonding experience.

--

I've stress-tested the new Sims2 expansion pack, I do believe. There is plenty of hue and cry going out all over the communities - there's a new anti-copying 'feature' that might interact badly if you have something that could actually - pirate - the CD-ROM. (Nobody would do that. No, not after EA Games will basically make you BUY a whole new software package if your disc should actually arrive broken, or become broken. No, they won't replace. Not even with the license key. Yerks.) There are a lot of new NPCs being spawned - with the attendant concerns about Too Many Sims crashing your neighborhood (upper limit was something around 1,200 last time I actually got a number - I've been playing over 1,400 for some time now. Months. Hm. Maybe even a year. I've lost track), and all the hacks that just don't work anymore.

I took all this very seriously and began watching my ass.

I've sent at least five families on vacation already, watched my number of Sims go from 1462 to 1531 after playing all three locales and sent some of their townie buts to college. I've had one Sim meet his wife-to-be on a vacation, have her invited over for a visit, get asked to move in, propose, get married (with party) and go on vacation to second locale...and nothing Bad happened.

Transitions are slow, but they've been slow for some time. C'mon. Custom content and over 1,400 Sims. Gimme a break. I get a new cup of tea. What.

I have used some boolproppage. Some Tombstone of L & D action, and I have to boolprop my graphics down or I get the blue screen of death - I have a slightly older video card that isn't patchable or upgradable. It's a known issue and I cope. *shrug*

Oh, and this is on a latop, BTW.

I don't use any hacks. Matter of fact, if I ever acquired one with a download, I got rid of it.

I think this game is approaching four years now. It's the only explanation. Database integrity and no surprises.

Oh, and no stuff packs. I'll live.

Matter of fact, the game runs better than it did with Seasons. I don't get it.

--

I've signed up for yuletide. Some of the choices were mouthwatering - I have high hopes to get something truly challenging.

And now, your life - now in progress.

Comments

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

Because of the NPC spawnage, I did download a hack. And it's helped the game run smoother. As you may know, there was a discussion at my_sims_reality a while back. The hack is at moreawesomethanyou.com, or MATY.

It was worth getting. If Eaxis fixes the spawnage issue in their patch, I'll take the hack out, and download the patch.

I haven't had issues YET with the SecuROM ordeal. I guess it was also included with the H&M stuff pack, so it's been going. While I would never pirate the game, I disapprove of the idea of having additional software on my computer. More, since SecuRom comes from SONY. I loathe SONY, and their tactics for breaking computers. It makes me wary from purchasing more games from EA ever, if they feel that I, a diligent consumer, who doesn't pirate games (or anything, really), must be watched closely because they don't trust me.

What this whole thing says to me, is that maybe I should spend my time and money elsewhere, and believe me, there are TON of elsewheres that money and time can go. I'd probably be better for it, really.

On another note, I'm curious as to what kind of food is going to be served at your TG theme this year. Not sure what we're doing yet.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Oh, very non-vegetarian. VERY. Be afraid, non-vegetarian. *laughs*

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

Oh. I meant like, 'Is it 'turkey and potatoes,' or 'Brazilian barbecue' style meals?

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Turkey, ham and all the trimmings. I don't touch the menu - I just change the decorations and stuff. *grins*

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

Ahh! I get it now. I got the idea that maybe you changed the menu annually. Okay, that makes more sense.

As for dinners, whenever we go elsewhere, we always bring tofurky.

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

Speaking of the software, you may want to read this.

I've been on the Maxis boards, and yes, I've seen bad behavior on both sides. But this no apology stuff is going to lose a lot of paying customers, unless they change their tune.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

I honestly suspect the stuff packs now. It's the only explanation.

*shakes head*

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

The last two stuff packs had SecuRom on it, I'm told, which is oddly when things like (insert disc) signs popped up, despite my always playing with the disc in. Life Stories ALSO has SecuRom on it, but I never had the desire to buy that game, so I don't have it.

But I think it's that they started including the software on all their stuff after Seasons. I'm told that other EA games have the SecuROM stuff on it too.

I don't know. I'm really tired of being treated like a criminal. I'm not stealing. I'm BUYING the game. It really irritates me, and I'm probably not going to buy from EA again because of this.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

But...I haven't seen any of this behavior, and by all rights I should!

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing it's because you're playing on a mac. I think that Apple builds really good computers that can withstand a lot of crap that is thrown at it. Sadly, I don't game on my Mac, because I don't think the graphics card on the macbook is decent enough. But I do just about everything else.

And I love that macs aren't targeted for viruses.

If it weren't for the dumb games, my Windows box would probably be an Ubuntu box.

I'm not having serious issues that I KNOW of, but I don't like the idea of unwanted software being installed on my computer. My issues are all rather minor. But my hatred of all things Sony just sort of gets in the way.

Sadly, this behavior (including programs like SecuROM) just tells me that the big corporations suck, and that the so called criminals have won, because us paying customers are the ones getting effectively screwed one way or the other.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Not anymore. Seasons made it impossible to play the game anymore on the Mini - too demanding. Sooo - I moved it off onto the PC, and then to the laptop, where I've played quite happily ever since.

Just watch. We'll find out I'm not having issues because HP made a deal with Sony and they're in cahoots together or something. ^^

[kimberlychapman.livejournal.com]

I had a terrible urge last week to break out one of my old games, feeling the pull most towards the Sims and Civ2. I haven't even played the Sims2...I had to give up the old one when a) my computer started to choke on the expansions for that and b) Peo, nuff said. :D

But I'd *really* like to finish Baldur's Gate 2 and its expansion some year soon!

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

There's another Baulder's expansion? My husband would love that. I think BG2 was his favorite. Although he's currently enjoying Oblivion.

I'm thinking of giving Neverwinter 2 another try.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

I played Neverwinter Nights out nearly to the end - and got fed up with the storyline. (I couldn't kill her. I couldn't. *weeps*)

And the other? I've been warned. Nope, not buying that one. I wish to sleep nights!

[kimberlychapman.livejournal.com]

I think there's only the one expansion to BG2...it's just that I finally got pregnant shortly after starting it and my brain went into fuzzy-pregnant-lady-mode and I put it aside and haven't had a chance to go back.