1. I download fine for a while, now I keep getting an error page?

As of Oct 28, 2001 SimFreaks.com has been a subscription site. We chose to do this as a last resort due to the high costs of bandwidth because of the enormity of our site. We have not been the first to select this method of survival and will not be the last.

If you cannot subscribe, do still visit us to download our freebies. We offer at least one new freebie with each update.

2. How do I insert these things into my game?

The first thing you need is a zip file extractor like WinZIP, PKUnzip or EasyZip. These files are compressed and you can uncompress them in this manner.

For instructions on using WinZIP, visit SimsPlus! and view the help section.

PC Users:
Assuming you accepted the default path settings on installation and installed it on your C Drive.

walls:
Extension: .wll
Install to:
C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\GameData\Walls

floors:
Extension: .flr
Install to:
C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\GameData\Floors

skins:
Extensions: .cmx .skn .bmp
Install to:
C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\GameData\Skins
Insert skins with .skn, .cmx, and .bmp extension in this directory.
Note: not all .bmp files go in here, only if they are skins. If they say Pic in the name, they are probably not a skin. You may wish to open it first before inserting. Inserting should not cause problems. Skins Usually begin with something like B001FAfitdrk_blahblah or C311MAfatlgt_blahblah or something of that nature, unless they go with an attachment such as hats, glasses, purses.

objects:
Extensions: .iff .far
Install to:
C:\ProgramFiles\Maxis\TheSims\Downloads\SimFreaks\ or
C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\Downloads\

Do not install these.
.sif files contain text you may read with your text editor regarding copyrights
.sig files are infomation regarding the digital signatures of files.

houses & dowtown lots:
Extension: .iff
Install to:
C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\UserData\Houses\
or with Livin' Large:
C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\UserData#\Houses\

Extension: .fam .dtl
You will need to install the telecom patch from TheSims.com if you don't have it already.
Install to:
C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\UserData\Imports

Mac Users: seek help from other Mac Users in our Forum.

3. I keep trying to open these files but they keep opening as another program. How do I fix it?

Your file extension is associated with the wrong program.

Go to My Computer - View - Options - File Types

Scroll through and look for the file extention, such as IFF, WLL, FLR, ZIP.

Delete it.

Then go open it with the program of your choice. If you want to associate it with a program, right click on the file and choose, "Open with..." Then find the program you want to open with and it will then be associated.

Some programs won't open files in this manner. In those cases, just open the progrma

If you are having problems with it still, please contact Microsoft support or seek help elsewhere, we do not handle these questions.

4. Why do my wallpapers and floors keep disappearing?

If you don't have Livin' Large, House Party or Hot Date, the limit for custom walls is 90. The limit for custom floors is 63.

If you load more, you will see your selections being replaced by Maxis® custom floors. Tip: You can add walls and floors after gameload. Just hit ALT-Tab to minimize your game. Then drag and drop you new walls and floors. Unfortunately, you can't remove them in the same manner. You must close down your game to remove these files.

5. How did you create your Sim Game Add-Ons?

WALLS & FLOORS: Using the tool: HomeCrafter (aka HomeMaster) from thesims.com, I've used various methods to complete these decorative pieces. I mass produced the Solid Walls With Baseboards, Solid Stucco and Carpets using a texture fill. I'm not pleased with the Stucco and am working on a replacement.

The Old Bathroom Tiles were created by hand very slowly, then I created an overlay to change the color. I would've done this differently if I'd known I wanted to make more changes in the future. I'm now working on adding a larger color range in this category.

The Cupertino Castillo Collection involved me running around my house looking at walls and floors to create this seemingly poorly matched collection.

The rest are based on real life ideas.

SKINS & MESHES:
Creating quality skins is a difficult task. Some people just slap a block of color on a body and don't take the effort to create shading or texture. Programs that aid in creating skins and meshes may be found at various places. SimShow - thesims.com, Simposeium, CMX editor from Kelahn, and various others that I'm too lazy to get the URLs for at this moment.

Meshes are a lot more difficult and I really don't have a clue. I've tried and failed. You can find some tutorials and explanations at Jerome's Mesh Shop.

OBJECTS:
We use transmogrifier by Don Hopkins from LushCreations.com. Read tutorial at Lush Creations, Jenny's Sim Stuff or 7 Deadly Sims. We also have a few tutorials in our Creation Tips & Tricks section

6. Will you affiliate or link to my site? NO. Don't call us, we'll call you.

7. If I send you a picture of my floor or wallpaper, can you convert it for my Sims?

Sure, just take the picture and send it to me in BMP or JPG format. Don't worry about file size, the bigger the picture the better detail I can get. I have DSL, so no picture will take to long for me to receive.

8. Should I try to attach a virus to my email when I send it to you?

If you are mean and cruel, go ahead. It wouldn't be the first time someone tried that. However, I never open any emails with files attached to them, unless I can identify the extention as safe. So if you want to send me any .exe files, active X controlled viruses or any other virus using a scripting language, don't waste your time.

9. Why did you create this site?

I started creating these pieces for myself, then thought "Why not share my stuff with others." The rest of the team I'm sure enjoys making stuff as much as I do.

10. Do you have ICQ or AOL IM?

YES. Do NOT Contact me, please. I just don't have time for idle chit-chat. I block unknown contacts automatically.

11. Do you have any other sites?

Yes. See our "About Us" page to see what other things we work on.

12. My Sims speak a weird language, how do I get them to speak mine?

Sims speak their own language. Don't beat yourself up trying to figure it out. Enjoy the pure universal simplicity of their language. I'm sure what they had to say wasn't that important anyway, like most of the people I've met. This question would've been answered if you just read the manual.

13. I lost my serial # and can't install my game, will you send me yours?

No. People who give out their serial numbers may find their account locked at thesims.com.

Visit SimsPlus! and view the help section to find out how to extract the serial number from your legal copy of The Sims.

14. Would you design my website, buttons or a banner for me?

$60 per hour.

15. What are the cheat codes?

You can find your answer to this one at TSR (thesimsresource.com) I believe. Also I have a list of cheat codes, but some are dangerous to your system. You've been warned. (dangerous list). Please do not send me more cheats. I will not be updating this section.

16. Can I use your stuff on my site?

NO.

17. What are .sif and .sig files?

.sif files contain information regarding permissions on the files. Although the base object (the object without the images) may always be cloned, the images are copyrighted by the original artists. Those items may not be cloned, modified or redistributed in any form including but not limited to the internet, ftp sites, CDs™, floppy disks or any other type of media.

.sig files are digitally signed files indicating the date the file was last modified and uploaded. We do this as a protective measure should anyone decide to redistribute or modify our art.

Both are viewable with your any text editor.

18. My game is lagging, what can I do to speed it up?

Virtual Memory Settings The Sims accesses your virtual memory all of the time, so if you don't have your virtual memory set to a specific number, it has to wait while your computer determines a safe amount.

Now you must determine what is a safe amount for you. First check to see how much Hard Drive space you have left on your machine. If you have a huge Hard Drive with over several Gigabytes of space, then you are probably safe setting your virtual memory to 500MB like I did.

Start - Settings - Control Panel - System - Performance - Virtual Memory - Let me specify my own virtual memory settings

Now I have about 19GB of Hard Drive space left, so I set mine min and max to 500. That's 500MB.

The trick here is to set the numbers to the same amounts for your minimum and maximum.

If you only have 1 GB or less, you should NOT set it to that high of an amount. You want to make sure you aren't going to leave yourself without Hard Drive Space to use for virutal memory...or you might have serious problems, so do keep that in mind when setting your virutal memory.

Download Overload

Have you gone on a download frenzy to pick up everything imaginable? You may want to be a little more choosy with your downloads and weed some of the garbage out.