Simorphor loves positive feedback and appreciates error link reports, but time is a precious commodity so if you have questions to ask please look for answers here first before you email Simorphor
Q01: How do I download the skins/ objects? Where do I save the files to? Q02: How do I "unzip" the download zip pack and "extract" the files? Q03: Is it safe to download files from your site? Q04: Can't find a particular object in the game after download. Why? Q05: I received update alert but why can't I see the new updates on the site? Q06: How to install those wonderful elevators? Q07: Why doesn't the glass window show up as transparent in my game? Q08: How do you create pond/ river in the garden? Q09: Where should I place the house.iff file after downloading it? Q10: Why do I get 'Some objects are missing from the house' message when I enter the house? Q11: Keanu bmp shows a black square! I need to play him badly!! Help!! Q12: I have so many downloads, how do I know which files belong to Simorphor? Q13: Why can't I find the Simorphor glass wall/glass window/glass door in my game? Q14: Why do my stairs disappear after I download new build mode objects?
Q01: How do I download the skins/ objects? Where do I save the files to?
AO1: Click to download, open file from location using a zip program, extract all necessary files into your download folder.
- Objects - unzip the
.iff files to The Sims/Download/ folder
- Walls - unzip .wll files into The Sims/Gamedata/Walls/ folder
- Floors - unzip .flr files into The Sims/Gamedata/Floors/ folder
- Roofs - unzip .bmp files into The Sims/Gamedata/Roofs/ folder
- Houses - unzip .iff file into The Sims/Userdata/House/ folder
- Skins/Heads/Body Mesh/Head Mesh - unzip .skn .cmx .bmp into The Sims/Gamedata/Skins/ folder
Q02: How do I "unzip" the download zip pack and "extract" the files?
AO2: Use a zip program to unzip the download zip pack, and choose the "extract" option [depending on your zip program] on the menu to move the files into the correct folders under Your-system-hard-drive/Maxis/The Sims directory. Why are these files zipped? The Sims skins and objects are not small files, and so the files are zipped-up or compressed into a smaller zip pack to make your download life quick and easy. If you intend to download a lot for The Sims you'll definitely need a zip program as it's commonly used by all major Sims download sites.
Q03: Is it safe to download files from download sites?
AO3: I will not speak on behalf on hundreds of Sims sites out there, but Simorphor files have been tested to work fine in Simorphor's 2 home pcs running W98 and WinME with different hardwares and game settings, before they are uploaded for public enjoyment. So far the 3000-4000 visitors a day have no complaints except a few typical error reports. And no Simorphor files do NOT have virus - I'm not into that kind of unethical stuff! No established Sims sites would risk their hard earned reputation this way. That said, like most great heavy-weight games, The Sims is system resource intensive, and not every computers and game settings are configured equal, hence use the downloads at your own risk.
It's good to be cautious and cultivate good download habits: always check with viewers after each download session to eliminate corrupted files, better still play the game, especially after you download a lot of stuff from a particular new sims site. Use Sim File Cop [downloadable from The Sims official site] to clean up your system from time to time. Be discriminating and organized you'll have a happy and stable Sims gaming time. :)
Q04: Can't find a particular object in the game after download. Why?
AO4:
A few possibilities. Let's start with the simpler ones:
[1] Have you look hard enough? Check again. Large objects look smaller in the game so you may have missed it. Some object makers categorize build mode/ outdoor objects under Buy section. When applies Simorphor will provide notes at the download windows for unconventionally categorized Simorphor objects. Tip: Frequent downloaders should install an object viewer program to check the conditions of objects after download sessions: Transmogrifier/
Elisims/
Simplorer
[2] Have you just downloaded a Living Large or House Party item but you do not have either of these expansion packs installed? Be reminded that, even if they show up on the viewer programs, new user made expansion pack objects will only show up in games with these expansion packs installed.
[3] Human error: The object creator packed the wrong object
[4] Human error: The object you download was mistakenly linked to a different object zip file on that website and you have download a totally different object. Inform Simorphor if that happens. Again checking with object viewers after downloads is strongly adviced.
[5] Human error: Corrupted files. Happens if Transmorgrifier, the object editor was opened when the object creator was zipping the file
[6] The object is defective and unusable. This hasn't happened on Simorphor yet.
[7]The Build Mode Object Limit is reached: are you a total download adddict? :) Have you overloaded your Build Mode which has a relatively lower limit on the number of objects? Nobody have yet to reach the limit on total object number, and nobody really knows the download limit ceiling for build mode, but if you downloaded too many build mode objects some of them will start to dissappear. Experienced users currently place the build mode limit at around 70-100 objects.
The solution: use Transmogrier to transfer some of your build object [e.g. trees, plants, shrubs] to say, Buy: General section. Object makers may also start categorizing new build mode objects under buy mode. Simorphor will start doing that as off July 2001
Again Be discriminating and organized. For more explaination about object limit read an article by Enigma here.
[8] Object ID Conflict: Happens from time to time with objects downloaded from
everywhere, even objects made with unique Transmogrifier magic
cookies built in, but happens the most with objects made with previous versions of Transmorgrifier.
Simorphor objects are made with the latest version of Transmorgrifier, but as long as you have a lot of objects downloaded from elsewhere made with older Transmorgrier, the ID conflict issue may still arise. When that happens you will have to check for conficting objects, delete the less favored one, or change their ID using Object ID changer. For an indepth explanation of ID conflict read posting by Enigma here.
Q05: I received update alert but why can't I see the new updates on the site?
AO5: Either
you're an AOL subscriber [try using a common browser] or it
is your browser
cache playing tricks on you - hit
refresh/reload. Still doesn't work? Then it could well be my
html code - email Simorphor!
:)
Q07: Why doesn't the glass window show up as transparent in my game?
AO7: For the transparency to work, you must turn on/ check *anti-alias*
under game setting. Anti-alias means adding a blurry edge to your objects to make
it look smoother and nicer. unchecking it, your game may run slightly
faster, but you'll find a yellow hollow around a lot of non-Maxis objects.
I recommend having anti-alias checked/ turned on at all times.
AO8: Go to build mode, choose the hand pick-up tool, ctrl-shift-c, type command water_tool, use the hand to place water on the ground. To remove water use the same command,
hand tool while pressing ctrl key. You can place water over existing objects and make them look 'drawn' or floating, even indoor. A NOTE: avoid touching object
[water lilies for example] after you submerged/ placed water over it - you can't put it back onto the same spot and will have to type the command all over again!
Q09: Where should I place the house.iff file after downloading it?
AO9: Save it to The Sims/Userdata/Houses folder. Here's some important notes:
-
House01.iff corresponds to Lot.1 house, and house02.iff is lot. 2 and so on. So if you have already built a nice house on
Lot.1, you may wish to store that house01.iff file of yours somewhere else before you replace it with the new house01.iff you have just downloaded.
- If you have Living Large installed you can save the downloaded house to any one of the 5 Userdata folders [representing the 5
neighborhoods] of your choice. I recommend leaving neighborhood 1 and 2 alone and place all your downloaded houses into the other folders. Or keep your neighborhoods theme/style base, i.e. Southwestern, Modern, Tropical etc. And if you're not sure of which house you maybe replacing the best thing to do is to back up the whole House folder somewhere. That way you may
reduce the risk of accidentally erasing your own favorite houses.
Q10: Why do I get 'Some objects are missing from the house' message when I enter the house?
AO10: Two possibilities:
[1]You haven't downloaded all the Simorphor
objects shown in the house object check list
[2]
You don't have Living Large installed You can,
however, still play the house even without all the pre-installed Simorphor/ Living Large objects.
Q11: Keanu bmp shows a black square! What happened!? Help!!
A011: For some reasons on certain users'
system Keanu bmp is shown as a black square, either due to
graphics viewer program or monitor/video card settings. Don't
worry or panic though - Keanu will still show up under
creating characters :)
Q12: I have so many downloads, how do I know which files belong to Simorphor?
A012: All Simorphor object files have Simorphor stamp in the game's description window, and start with Simorphor and can therefore be identified easily inside all viewers. All future skins and faces will also be marked with a Simorphor name/stamp to enable easier identification by users.
For your own convenience, and especially peace of mind in the long run, sort objects in folders within The Sims/Download folder named after your favorite sites, i.e. TSR, 7DS, Simorphor, etc. So everytime you download from Simorphor, just extract the files straight into The Sims/Downloads/Simorphor, or The Sims/Gamedata/Walls/Simorphor/ and so on. That way you can keep track of your own pattern of download. Do that for walls and floors, but remember that this subfolder system will not work with roofs though.
Spring-clean from time to time to get rid of defective or under-used files using viewer programs such as
Q13: Why can't I find the Simorphor glass wall/ glass window/ glass door in my game?
A013:
Possibility No. 1: The glass wall is found under the window section. Check again carefully. See Answer [1] on FAQ question 004
Possibility No. 2: Build Mode Object Overload. See Answer [7] on FAQ question 004
Q14: Why do my stairs disappear after I download new build mode objects?
A014: For some reasons on certain users'
system Keanu bmp is shown as a black square, either due to
graphics viewer program or monitor/video card settings. Don't
worry or panic though - Keanu will still show up under
creating characters :)
About Copyright, Ownership and Distribution
All information on this website are copyrighted by Simorphor, Metamorphor.com P. Ltd, and where applicable, Maxis, Electronic Arts Inc unless otherwise stated. All original works by Simorphor, including codes, meshes, bitmaps, htmls, site graphics on Simorphor site are free for PERSONAL USE ONLY, and NOT for public distribution. For public distribution of recolored original Simorphor creations on other sites: please FIRST apply to Simorphor for permission. Have respect for The Sims Community and The Sims Community will return the same. For more information on credits, linking and redistribution please see the Copyright & Distribution FAQ. _______________________________________________________________________________________
