Partly Cloudy, But At Least the Sun Is Out

Some good news and bad news this time. (Big surprise, right?) I’ll get the bad news out of the way first: even though I finally got my game reinstalled, it went back to crashing like it was before. So the uninstall/reinstall didn’t fix that problem. Thanks to this thread at MTS2, however, I’ve determined that it’s probably a glitch with my Nvidia card and Open For Business. Having a ton of downloads doesn’t help, either, but since it crashed even when I removed the downloads, I decided to uninstall OFB. Hopefully when Nvidia releases a driver which is more compatible with OFB, I’ll be able to reinstall it, but for now I’d rather be able to play the game (and have all my downloads, although I am slowly reducing the amount).

Since I had to uninstall Family Fun Stuff and OFB anyway, I decided to uninstall everything and reinstall AGAIN, just to start fresh. Right now I have just the base game installed, and I’m going to keep it that way for a bit while I build some houses. Here’s where the good news comes in — my first house is available for download at Parsimonious! It’s called “Marchbanks”, and it’s a traditional colonial. Check it out, if you’re curious.

Before I reinstall University and Nightlife, I’m going to make a few more base-game-only homes for people who don’t have all the EPs — is there anything you guys would like to see? Starter cottages? Suburban homes? Mediterranean villas? I’m taking requests!

Also good news: I ran into some glitches with the Ravelo update, but I worked it out, so look for it TONIGHT!

I’m truly sorry to keep you all waiting for so long. This game is beyond frustrating sometimes, but I love it and I’m NOT ready to give it up yet! Thanks so much for hanging in there!

15 thoughts on “Partly Cloudy, But At Least the Sun Is Out

  1. Well thats good news and good job working it out with Revelos, and since I am the 1st person to comment on this update may I say that we are all routing for you and no need to apologize for the lack of updates, I am completely fine with it. good job!!!!

  2. Anything that’s NOT huge-a-normous and/or super luxury is fine with me. Starter cottages to ‘white picket fences two cars and 2.5 kids’ would be awesome. :D
    Something designed to hold grandma, grandpa, mom, dad and the four grandkids would be sweet. Also something for poor single mom/dad with seven younguns. Or (keeping to the theme here) something specifically with the Brokes in mind, even? These are all things I’ve looked for but haven’t been able to find elsewhere, nor really build on my own and be satisfied with the results.
    I did forcetwins on Brandi, so I expect to see her pop out two kids instead of the usual one boy! :D Are you still playing around with Pleasantview as well, or did that get dropped what with all the reinstalls and stuff?

  3. Wow! More issues. Glad you’ve got enough sorted out to begin playing, and I can’t wait to ‘watch’ The Ravelo’s tonight!! I love your house on Parsimonious (as I love all your houses) I’m particularly addicted to starter cottages – with enough room on the lot to grow. And nothing beats a well designed one-story for simplicity. Congrats on everything.

  4. Awesome, guys, thanks for the suggestions! I’ve been hankering to build some starter homes, so this will be a treat. Amy, I’ll do a single floor one on a big lot, just for you. And Kay, I love building houses with grandparent suites. The single parent with tons of kids house would be a good challenge, too. Keep the suggestions a’comin’!

    And Abby, thanks for your kind words!

  5. Kay – I forgot to answer your question about Pleasantview. I had an update all ready to go on the Goths, then got wrapped up in other stuff (namely trying to get everything reinstalled again). I was going through major Ravelo and DeGroff withdrawal. But I was having fun with P-view and may go back to that at some point.

  6. Ohh Jen, the house is beautiful. Geeesh, OFB messing up people’s reading time. Haha, atleast you found the problem and can now relieve your stress. Tengo una pregunta…did you kill the Annabel Island drama people? :(

  7. Hi Eva, the Annabel Island folks are still alive, and once I see if the game will run well with all my downloads back in (minus OFB), I will certainly be doing an update. I actually miss them more than I missed the Ravelos. But don’t tell the Ravelos that. ;-)

  8. I really hate that OFB caused so many problems with your game. I don’t have any of the expansion packs and the reason is because I fear they won’t function properly on my computer. You design the BEST houses! I love your decorating and how the rooms flow so well. Blackberry Place is one of my all time favorite houses. I have it on several lots and to make each family’s house different I changed the wallpaper in some rooms as well as the furniture styles. I would love to see Blackberry Place (or a similar house) on a 5×5 lot with lots of room for a pool and a swing set.

    Glad you’re able to play. I do miss Annabel Island and the Ravelos!

  9. Ooooh! Something small, cottage-y and fantasy-ish, please. I LOVE your houses and building styles. You have such a talent and I am jealous. (But in a good way)

  10. Yay! It’d be fun to see what all you’d make of the P-view (hee! new favorite term for it. It sounds so P-Diddy. XD ) story and its entanglements. I’m currently wrapped up in making all the inhabitants plus NPCs and Townies nicer looking: I’m tired of frog faces and Maxis’ preferance for small eyes! Rawr.
    The Caliente sisters are now teh hawt in my eyes instead of looking like Paris Hilton on a bad day. But I’ve left Don alone: he’s all good. :D

  11. Tonight! Tonight! Tonight! Well, seeing as I’m getting very good at procrastinating (o thou summer I await your lingering sigh of happiness! *cough*) I will be checking every five minutes or so. Not that I would not do that if I wasn’t procrastinating, but still. I’m happy things are finally getting back to normal, and I think it is very considerate and nice of you to offer to build houses non-EP. I can’t wait for the update!

  12. i lurve starter homes!

    don’tcha just love it when Maxis decides to up their video specs when a new EP comes out? (NOT!)

  13. YES YES YES YES YES! I have been so hoping you would get it all fixed. Good for you for not giving up, that takes a whole ton of perserverence. You rock, Jen! Must rush off and read update now before I slip further into Jen Withdrawal.

  14. Getting here after the fact.
    So sorry that your driver needs an update hopefully it won’t be very long.
    So you got the family fun pack – after hearing about all the problems it has given folks I think I’ll pass until they lower the price maybe then I could rationalize all the hassle.

    Homes ah yes – some nice starter homes fully furnished with room to grow and add on to.

    No over the top homes that are so elaborate that I can’t keep track of all my Sims and make the game lag .

  15. Congratulations on finally getting things to work! And while you’re building starter homes and all, could you maybe build so there is a place to add a driveway later? That’s my biggest problem with some of the original Maxis houses. And the fact that some of them look good and aren’t as playable as I’d like.

    Yours on the other hand are playable.