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u/jchau1995

▲ 11 r/thesims3+1 crossposts

Request for Great Sunset Valley with EA Match lots for ALL EPs?

One Simmer called scoopy_loopy created a save file of the original Sunset Valley that has been updated to include lots from all of the expansion packs (Mod The Sims - Sunset Valley updated for EPs. [No CC, EA Match lots]), while another Simmer called xXSpejderpigenXx (or HelenetheShort depending on social media) expanded the entire Sunset Valley to be on a larger map than the original, but kept just the original base game lots, called Great Sunset Valley (Mod The Sims - Great Sunset Valley).

I feel like I'm the kind of guy who would want both the larger layout of the Great Sunset Valley AND the additional EA Match lots for all of the expansion packs, so is it too much to request for the creation of a new version of the Great Sunset Valley world updated from base game-only to all EPs, possibly as a collaboration between scoopy_loopy and xXSpejderpigenXx? I put a comment about my request on both download pages, but neither Simmer has responded, so I thought I'd post it on Reddit.

reddit.com
u/jchau1995 — 5 days ago
▲ 5 r/windowsxp

I’m only asking this because there are four unused copies of Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 on eBay, and because a certain site that’s listing video game keys for sale is also listing Windows XP Professional keys for sale too. Time will tell whether I bite the bullet and buy one of these copies to virtualize XP MCE or make an XP MCE retro build.

Given that the Media Center Editions were originally based off of Windows XP Professional, is it possible for an unused XP Pro key to be used to activate installations of XP MCE 2003, MCE 2004 or MCE 2005? Or will the activation fail because the keys don’t match up?

reddit.com
u/jchau1995 — 23 days ago
▲ 65 r/thesims2+1 crossposts

Mods for Restoring/Animating the 2003 Maxis Logo for The Sims/The Sims 2/SimCity 4?

This is the 2003 3D version of the 1992 Maxis logo; which is seen on SimCity 4, The Sims Bustin' Out, The Urbz: Sims in the City, and on The Sims 2 all the way up to the Pets expansion (these screengrabs are from YouTube videos). For some odd reason, it was never added to The Sims Superstar, The Sims Makin' Magic or The Sims Complete Collection. From The Sims 2 Seasons onwards, EA just took out the Maxis logo entirely and pretended that Maxis didn't exist; up until SimCity 2013. Looking back, though I didn't really notice it then, it's kinda strange how EA Games got updated with new CGI-animated logos during the 2000s, while all Maxis got was a static image, even though that image got updated in 2003. But on the other hand, I do wish that the Maxis logo didn't get taken out from the later years of The Sims or The Sims 2 onwards. The Legacy releases don't ship with the Maxis logo, and The Sims Legacy Collection is (for now) still stuck with the bland 2005 "generic" EA logo as opposed to the 2006 "Sims" EA variant that debuted on The Sims 2 Glamour Life Stuff and is still there on The Sims 2 Legacy Collection. Does anyone know of any mods that can reinsert the static 2003 Maxis logo into The Sims 2 Legacy Collection?

For now, SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition on EA App is the only game that keeps the static 2003 Maxis logo (albeit in a much smaller size than on The Sims 2), though I wish there was also an animated Maxis variant for SimCity 4 and The Sims series. Does anyone know of any SimCity 4 or Sims 2 mod that can not only skip the static Maxis logo, but can additionally also replace the EA Games logo video with a new video file (in 640x480 or anamorphic 4:3 720x480 30fps with uncompressed stereo audio) for both the EA Games and Maxis logos?

If someone could actually make an animated version of the 2003 Maxis logo with 2000s-era reminiscent CGI graphics, I'd really love to see it in the Sims series games. I think I could've seen these variants pop up if EA had allowed Maxis to animate their own logos back then:

Main variant (for SimCity 4; following the 2003 EA Games logo): Begin with a detailed starfield similar to the one on the 1997 Streets of SimCity variant (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flWSDOea_VQ). Zoom out to reveal the bottom right corner of a dark moon-like planet, which zooms out to the center of the screen. As the planet settles into position, the translucent letters of "MAXIS" zoom out and spin into position. As the letters assume their spot in front of the planet, a flare appears from the top left of the planet and flashes the entire screen, blurring the entire scene as the starfield fades to black and the letters turn opaque. The scene unblurs as the light from the flash dims down to reveal the 2003 Maxis logo as the trademark symbol ™ fades in on the right side of the "S". The flare and the letters shine as the logo either remains bylineless or the byline "Maxis™ is an Electronic Arts™ brand." (in the same font as used in SimCity 4; written in whatever locale the game is launched in) fades in below. The soundtrack for the main variant can be a series of whoosh sounds combined with a low ethereal hum and an explosion sound effect for the flare; or it can have these sound effects play directly on top of a majestic reorchestration of the fanfare from the 1993 SimCity 2000 variant (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0b5INSyASo).

Short variant (for SimCity 4 or The Sims; following the EA Games logo): Same as the main variant, except the animation is sped up and the logo begins as the "MAXIS" letters start zooming out. The soundtrack for this variant can be just the whoosh, hum and explosion sound effects, the sound effects played over a shortened and sped up arrangement of the 1993 fanfare (cut down to the last ten notes), or one of the sounders from the 2001 EA Games/Maxis logo combo variants from The Sims House Party (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3rY1r6bdVs) or The Sims Hot Date (short version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye-JQ_BkXZk).

The Sims Hot Date variant (for The Sims): The 2002 EA Games "Challenge Everything" logo plays as normal, but then the logo flashes to white and segues directly to an updated version of the special animation that plays at the beginning of The Sims Hot Date (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bw8Irpyq-M), with an updated night sky, backlit 3D trees, the moon glowing faintly and the Sims kissing being moonlit. As the Sims kiss, a comet streaks the sky and begins to touch the top left corner of the moon, at which point a flare appears from the top left of the moon and flashes the entire screen white, transitioning directly to the end result of the short variant of the Maxis logo as the flash dies down. The soundtrack for this variant is the same unabridged sounder from the original Hot Date animation.

The Sims 2 variant (for The Sims 2): The 2006 "Sims" variant of the EA logo plays as normal, but then the logo flashes the screen green and transitions directly to the end result of the short variant of the Maxis logo as the flash dies down. The soundtrack for the Maxis portion of this variant should be the final few seconds of the Timos Maas remix of The Sims 2 theme song (https://youtu.be/LpxnAhHsyMs?si=GJnzhlsqUEDpflmE&t=317).

u/jchau1995 — 3 days ago