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Can't Remember How To Open Sims 2 Package Files

EricasFreePlayEricasFreePlay Posts: 849 Member
edited April 2022 in The Sims 2
Can someone here remind me how to install Sims 2 package files to the game? I have the Ultimate Collection in Origin if that helps. I have the old TSR challenge files in my Google Drive folder. I just don't remember how to actually install them in my game? I have WinZip on my laptop but it's not working. The files want to open in Adobe for some reason and that won't let me install them, obviously. Help?

Comments

  • EmmaVaneEmmaVane Posts: 7,847 Member
    edited April 2022
    You need to extract them (try 7-Zip if WinZip isn't working) then put them in a folder called "Downloads" inside your Sims 2 Docs folder. If it doesn't exist, just create it. This installs them into your game. You have to turn CC/Mods on in game too.

    If you mean to open the files themselves to edit them, you need a program called S2PE. That's got a bit of a learning curve though.
  • EricasFreePlayEricasFreePlay Posts: 849 Member
    Thanks for your help but this didn't work. It used to be as simple as clicking on the file and they would automatically install as package files. I don't remember having to unzip anything in the past. I don't know what happened.
  • Seera1024Seera1024 Posts: 3,629 Member
    edited April 2022
    Thanks for your help but this didn't work. It used to be as simple as clicking on the file and they would automatically install as package files. I don't remember having to unzip anything in the past. I don't know what happened.

    How CC installs depends on what format it is in when you download it.

    Many CC items online are put into some form of compression file first. Be it .zip or .rar or .7z.

    Inside of that may be a couple different file types:

    .package
    .sims2pack

    The former just gets put into the downloads folder. You don't double click on it at all (unless it's a mod that you're modifying)

    The latter you double click on and it opens an installer that installs the package (either the EA installer or a custom installer such as Sims2Pack Clean Installer).

    If you download mods, CC objects, and/or clothes on their own, they are typically downloaded as just .package files.

    If you download lots or Sims, those are typically downloaded as .sims2pack files and many of them contain CC objects/clothes inside of them as the creator used the CC in the build/Sim.
  • EricasFreePlayEricasFreePlay Posts: 849 Member
    edited April 2022
    Update: Still struggling. I thought this worked. I don't know why this is so difficult. Maybe the files are too old to work anymore.
    Post edited by EricasFreePlay on
  • crocobauracrocobaura Posts: 7,342 Member
    If the packages want to open with Adobe, you probably don't have SimPe installed on your computer. Anyway, you don't need to open the package files to install them, you just need to add them to the Downloads folder. Also, make sure to enable custom content to show up in game.

    Here's some instructions on how to add them to your game.

    https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Game_guide:Installing_custom_content

    https://www.thesimsresource.com/helpcenter/view-post/post/23073/Installing The Sims 2 Downloads/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9r4ch5m4mc
  • EricasFreePlayEricasFreePlay Posts: 849 Member
    Ok I have finally discovered the problem. Sims2Pack Clean Installer just showed an error that the files are archives. These are not the original package files. Now I know why they won't work. I won't be able to play these anymore. I wish they hadn't gotten erased from TSR so I could go back and download the original files.
  • Seera1024Seera1024 Posts: 3,629 Member
    Ok I have finally discovered the problem. Sims2Pack Clean Installer just showed an error that the files are archives. These are not the original package files. Now I know why they won't work. I won't be able to play these anymore. I wish they hadn't gotten erased from TSR so I could go back and download the original files.

    What is the CC item?

    Maybe you'll get lucky and someone browsing here has that item or knows where you can get that item again (maybe not exact same, but recolors of it).
  • EricasFreePlayEricasFreePlay Posts: 849 Member
    Seera1024 wrote: »
    Ok I have finally discovered the problem. Sims2Pack Clean Installer just showed an error that the files are archives. These are not the original package files. Now I know why they won't work. I won't be able to play these anymore. I wish they hadn't gotten erased from TSR so I could go back and download the original files.

    What is the CC item?

    Maybe you'll get lucky and someone browsing here has that item or knows where you can get that item again (maybe not exact same, but recolors of it).

    They were challenge household package lots from The Sims Resource. I did have the College Adjuster that was released after The Sims 2 University though. I found out that also stopped working so I deleted that too.
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