More Downloads Folder Organizing

[strangetomato]

I've been doing a massive amount of clean up to my downloads folder, especially where hair is concerned. This is really helping with loading times, but creates other problems. Somewhere along the line, I seem to have removed the hair I was using on Kimberly Cordial by accident and now I can't remember where it came from. It's so frustrating! I know it's a free Peggy hair, and located the mesh name from her website, but is it just me or do her hairs have no titles? Neither her site nor the hair wiki seem to refer to it by any name I could search. No, that would be too easy. *sighs*

I was sure it was one of simgaroop's older retextures (and that would make sense, because I've removed a LOT of her hairs, due to the fact that I had about a million of them in my game), but I can't locate it on Simlish Creations, her journal posts, her photobucket album, or her mediafire folders. I've gone just about mad. :P

I mostly just wanted to bitch, but this is the hair I'm referring to, just in case you might recognize it. Cleaning up your downloads folder is hard work!

I've also been making use of a lot of the new clothing mesh defaults that are being created lately. I especially love the sets that dhearest and le_plat_du_jour have been releasing, but there are many other great finds out there. If you haven't already, check out le_plat_du_jour's amazing resource, sims2_defaults. This helps with conflicting defaults, which is so very helpful.

Has anyone else been trying out these defaults? I'm not going to replace everything, since some of the questionable stuff can be funny, and I need some for character reasons. For example, nobody has replaced the basegame afbodydress with anything equally mom-ish, and there are very few options for this age group as it is, so it stays). I'd love to see some nice Maxis-match work-appropriate defaults for the basegame suits, since they're so often used as work clothing for the various careers.

Some of the basegame textures and meshes are just bad, though. There's no two ways around it. I hate, hate, hate everything about afbottomflairedpantssandals, for one example, and I'm sure I'm not alone on that. What are your most hated basegame meshes?

Comments

[dhearest.livejournal.com]

Thank you for mentioning me :D
I admit I don't use all of my own defaults. I quite like Lilith's outfit for instance, but don't tell anyone that! D:

I wanted to replace those suits with the store Metro Suit but I can't figure out what's going on inside the files, it's got the texture,mesh and everything else in there!

Heh, I'm waiting for a townie to spawn in the gorilla suit so I can take a picture of it:D
I hate the rave outfit from NL the most. It's so bright and garish, yuck!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

How could I not mention you? ^_^ I'm in debt to all your hard work in creating those lovely defaults. You're a default machine!

Oh, does the Sims 2 Store stuff have odd things going on with them? Maybe le_plat_du_jour would be able to help. She's done some defaults with stuff from the store.

A townie with a gorilla suit would be great. I always laugh at the townies that generate with the wedding veil the most. Crack me up every time! XD

Yeah, the rave outfit is super bad, but it's one of the funniest outfits, too. It's just ridiculous.

[simtarts.livejournal.com]

I think my most hated maxis-wear are those mens shirts that end abruptly right below the sternum. Man crop-tops! You don't notice them if you pair them with the maxis-made high-waisted Dad Jeans, but otherwise...oye.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Heheh, yeah. They'd probably be okay if the pants they were designed for had been better. The Dad Jeans are not cool, but I suppose they do have a purpose for actual Dad types, not that we'd need 20 of them (or whatever crazy number of that style was included).

It would be nice to have defaults for men using some of the nice liberated top meshes that actually fall OVER most jeans. That would be something! :P

[simtopi]

I'm suspicious of replacing my defaults. I mean, I don't use a lot of the older Maxis meshes but I'm such a pack rat, I hate getting rid of even old stuff. But I'm glad you mentioned the work appropriate defaults... I really don't like the women's suits. I've been casually looking for maxis-match business pants suits for a while now and haven't been able to find any. And I hate those flaired pants and sandals. I don't mind the sandals, I hate the pants. Maybe I should look into the replacement default thing. Hrmmm.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Oh, I see... you're a completionist? I tend to be a little like that, to be honest, but I'm trying to be more aware of what I actually use these days, and a lot of the basegame stuff is never touched in my game. I'm being similarly harsh with cc, trying to eliminate the crazy amount of hair I've gathered, and try to limit the colours for each clothing item. And do I really need a bazillion different colours of glasses? :P (No, but the minute I remove some, I'm sure I'll need that exact colour!)

The pants are definitely the worst part. The pinched knee and the gross flare at the bottom? Eww.

When I first discovered all these new mesh defaults, I was downloading everything (the thrill of something new! Wheee! :P), but I've since gotten more selective about it.

[petchy-14.livejournal.com]

MY GOSH that Site is brilliant - I've found pages for stuff I *REALLY* dislike:
http://sims2-defaults.livejournal.com/20031.html
http://sims2-defaults.livejournal.com/26049.html
http://sims2-defaults.livejournal.com/21013.html
The defaults aren't that great, but it goes to show that the meshes you might not like, will probably be the ones overlooked!

I really wish someone would make a nice Texture for af/amBodyMRacer or at least something similar - There is literally no good Motorbike Leathers, and Maxis' sci-fi-esque attempt makes them look like some weird plastic wetsuits! It's like they wanted to have *something* Sci-Fi for the base game.. but they turned out to look like Bike Leathers, so they just decided to blend the two together, which is sad.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

You don't like that "Mom in the garden" outfit? Oh, c'mon! :P

As high as the waist is, I do think that one has a use. For gardening.

The funny thing about defaults is our preferences are all so personal. If someone uses a set I like to replace something, it seems almost perfect, but then I notice something like them using the exact opposite of the colours I would have or something like that. :P I tend not to ever use defaults that tone down the crazy colours, because I like them, for example. I think you'd have to make your own to get something exactly like you want, though some of the defaulters come pretty close to my own taste.

Which outfit is that? The one that people tend to use as spacesuits for PTs? I wouldn't mind defaulting that one with better textures (some of the colours are ick), but the shape's not bad.

[tyralily.livejournal.com]

I think this looks like the one in the picture.

http://www.digitalperversion.net/gardenofshadows/index.php?topic=10812.msg307614#msg307614

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

That's it! ^_^ Thank you so much! I see now that I did remove that, but I have no idea why.

Back in it goes! Thanks again.

[simsinthecity.livejournal.com]

I was thinking she had done that hair, too, but I don't remember seeing it when I was preparing to clean out my own downloads. If it's possible for you to have the same mesh but Nouk textures, here's an alternative.

I haven't bothered much with default replacements lately, mostly because I'm busy cleaning stuff out and don't want to bring more in first, but since you pointed that database out, it won't be such a hassle for me when I get to it. Thanks!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I did locate the original (<lj user ="tyralily" linked me, above), but that's a nice option, too. Nouk textures could blend in with Maxis-match fairly well, I think. I tend not to use them because simgaroop has textured nearly everything, but they work well. Hahaha! I'm finding that a problem, actually. I keep adding extra hairs back in. I'm trying to be very harsh about the simgaroop hairs I'm taking out, but then I keep finding ones I didn't notice before and toss them in to try them out. :P You're welcome. ^_^ Just spreading the word.

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

That hair is right here bb:

http://kaleyard.livejournal.com/2126.html

it was done by Kale. I recognized it right away. xD

My downloads folder is insanely organized, but I feel like I don't have enough stuff. I went through Bodyshop and deleted like 30 sweater vest recolors, and I still have more to deleted. Good luck!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Josh! ^_^ If anyone had an idea, I thought it'd be you, for sure.

Don't have enough stuff? Wanna trade? :P I'm really getting harsh with mine. I'm taking out pretty much every buy mode thing that isn't Maxis or extremely Maxis-match, and really paring down my build mode, too. I'm even taking out some Holy Simoly things that I rarely use, and that's a first for me. I tend to think of HS as an extention of Maxis.

You deleted sweater vests?! Wow. I'm proud of you for being so hardcore. I never would have imagined you deleting a sweater vest. XD

I need to delete the million or so cardigan sets I have. Enough is enough! Heheh.

[autumnparanoia.livejournal.com]

Almost every basegame outfit can GO TO HELL, in my humble opinion. I like Lillith's outfit and that's about it.

I love the default database, it's so incredibly useful.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there really aren't many nice things in the basegame alone. I can still clearly remember going through it with my SO when I first bought the game and we were very underwhelmed by the clothing options. I distinctly recall him saying something along the lines of, "What's up with all this horrid Sears catalogue shit?"

Most of the EP stuff is okay. Nightlife brought a lot of questionable styles, but at least the textures are decent. I can live with the rest of the stuff, or just use texture defaults or things that edit small details (like taking the heels off the underwear mesh from K&B Stuff, for example).

[pixelcurious.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the link to the defaults resource! I'm with you, there are some I wouldn't replace because the original is funny. For instance, afBodyRaveLegWarmer. It's stupid and goofy looking and always makes me laugh.



My most hated are the adult and elder men's polo shirts. I LOATHE them. I'd love it if someone did a replacement for those -- just change them for something simple and plain. Even replacing them with a better looking polo shirt would be fine.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Exactly. That one is truly ridiculous, and a Sims 2 classic, in my opinion. I remember I did a scene in one of the chapters where Ripp, Jaxy, and Zoe were trying on clothes at Hortense and Mortimer, and that that was my top pick for crazy outfit.

The sad thing about the men's defaults is there's just so little cc out there to use to replace it. The only polo shirt I can think of is a fanseelamb one, and that would probably work. I tend not to use skintight untuckables on my male sims, though.

[rurouniidoru.livejournal.com]

My problem with defaults is that I'm obscenely picky about them. The replacements have to be at least the same sort of thing that the originals were or else it bothers me. Like those horrible jeans with sandals, I'd like to see replaced with NICE jeans with sandals. (Oooh, maybe javabean_dreams' Tantra recolors!) And that whacked-out rave outfit, I'd like replaced with clothing appropriate for at least a party kid, if not an all-out raver. I'd default these things myself, but anything in SimPE aside from messing around with Sim Description data eludes me.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I can relate to being picky about it. In this case, it's a good thing, because I'm trying to limit the amount of defaults I'm using.

I agree about trying to match the theme of the original, and I'm especially picky about things that are the default outfits for Maxis sims. I don't want Dina Caliente showing up in converse and sweats! :P

I've made several attempts at my own defaults, but came across a couple of issues with each one. The tutorial is really easy to follow, but I seem to have bad luck. I think I'm going to try again, but I need a little time to get my enthusiasm up for it again.

[drankmywar.livejournal.com]

OMG I did not know about sims2_defaults, thank you so much for pointing it out!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. ^_^ It's too good not to share. Have fun!

[will-o-whisper.livejournal.com]

A default database is exciting! And a great idea; I'm a little surprised no one's done one before.

I'm a big fan of clothing default replacements, but idk, I'm still very fussy about them...a lot of defaults replace the outfit with something completely different, which isn't usually what I want. I want the original mesh/idea of the mesh, just, you know, better. :P

My least favorite base game meshes are probably every single top. They don't even work with the base game bottoms! At the very least I would love some replacements that lengthen them a bit, so they can be worn with pants that have to pulled up over your belly button.

[will-o-whisper.livejournal.com]

*that DON'T have to pulled up to the belly.

[le-plat-du-jour.livejournal.com]

When I got home from work today I had a ton of new emails in my inbox and was a little like, what the hell happened? But then I saw this post; I guess you reach a lot of people! Anyway, thanks! I'm glad you find the database useful, and that you like my defaults! It's hard to make defaults that a lot of people like... Not that was ever the idea, I just made them for myself and thought It'd be nice to share.

The most horrible maxis original I think is the flairedpants thing. Yuck. But then, those were the first pants I replaced. Oh, and I also hate that all those tops are so short! I guess everybody feels that way, though. Oh, and all those 'posh' dresses with sandals! There are a lot of horror pieces.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Heheh. Sorry to flood you with hits, but I guess that's a good thing. ^_^ I'm happy to spread the word. You've created a great resource there. Thank you for all your hard work!

It makes sense to create them for yourself first. That's what I would do. That way, at least one person gets exactly what they want! ^_^ Defaults are such a personal thing, so it's best to please yourself. We're just lucky you decided to share them!

I was messing around with graphics settings the other day and I realized that a lot of the ugliness of the basegame textures may have been intended for people with less powerful computers. On the lowest setting, those low detail textures still resemble something, so it makes sense. That's my theory, anyway.

[skellington7d.livejournal.com]

Pretty much all the basegame female formals, the cowboy tops, and those flared pants. I've also gotten really sick of that red seasons jacket because it always pops up when I'm missing a file. I also dislike all the FA tracksuits, though I really like the more flattering ones for teens. And I hate the kids' pajamas and how they're all alike!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I have a texture replacement of the Seasons jacket and it's so refreshing to see a different colour when I'm missing a mesh! It's still annoying, but at least I have something different to look at.

Has anyone ever considered converting the teen tracksuits for adults, I wonder? A lot of issues can be resolved with conversion meshes. There are a lot of nice ones for elders, for example. Those poor elders don't get many options, especially if you want to keep the elder shape.

I have a replacement for the kids pajamas that gives them bunny slippers. It's really cute.

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

Base game meshes? Hmmm...

I think it'd be the poloshirts for males (teen to elder), because they are so useless! I recolored them for my teen project without realizing that they can only be paired with the ugly jeans from the basegame. They don't even match the jeans from H&M! If they were longer and less square shaped, I'd definitely use them more often!

I don't think I'll ever find much use for the "Goopy" outfit, but I just can't get rid of it!

[saylee.livejournal.com]

Not a mesh, but my most hated base game content is the textures on the 3D facial hairs - especially the blond ones. They're so much lighter than the regular hair textures. I'd like to e able to use them for sims of different ages, for example. Also, facial hair is my go-to for chinless wonders. I've never seen any defaults out there, though - facial hair in general isn't very popular as CC.

I try not to bother with default replacements for the separates, since I only use full body outfits. I just replace the really egregious ones that tend to show up on townies a lot.