User:K6ka/Sandbox

This tutorial is for The Sims 2 only.

As mentioned in the avoiding corruption game guide, deleting a Sim in the family bin will corrupt the neighborhood the Sim was in. This is due to the fact that Sims deleted in the family bin are not removed entirely; their character file is unlinked but leftover bits of data is still left to drift around the neighborhood files, attaching themselves to other Sims and eventually throwing a monkey wrench into the works. Even if no Sims are deleted, the neighborhood can still be in danger due to its character file limit (1000 files for base game and University users, 32767 in Nightlife and later). Since deleting Sims in the family bin doesn't remove the character file (and still corrupts your neighborhood in the process!), one might ask, "How do I *safely* delete Sims without causing any sort of corruption?"

This article will cover the safest known method of removing Sims from a neighborhood. It is by no means perfect and may still cause problems. Please back up your neighborhood before attempting.

Step 1. Get SimPE
SimPE is a third-party program that is widely used for a wide variety of tasks. It can be used to create, clone, or mod objects, edit Sim character data, create hacks and mods for the game, and for examining the game's code.

Step 2. Get the FFS Lot Debugger
The FFS Lot Debugger is a debugging object created by J.M. Pescado that provides many tools that can be used to fix various issues with the game. These include the ability to remove gossip, wipe corrupted memories, clear out stuck tiles, destroy stuck event controllers, and much much more. It also provides the option to properly clean out a Sim's character data. You can obtain the debugger here, and can be found in Buy mode > Miscellaneous > Miscellaneous.

Step 3. Identify the Sim you wish to delete
Identify and record the name of the Sim you wish to remove. Make sure that deleting the selected Sim(s) will not instantaneously corrupt your neighborhood or game. Specifically, Sims that have been known to be dangerous and universal Sims are never safe to delete.

Step 4. Remove the ties
The FFS Lot Debugger will remove most resources, such as memories, Sim Wants and Fears, gossip, etc. automatically. However, there are a number of references that must be removed manually. These include family tree ties and business ties. To remove these references, simply sell or quit the business the Sim owns/works in, and then remove the family tree ties using SimPE.

Step 5. "Debugger" the Sim
Load the game and enter the neighborhood where the target Sims live in. Enter any residential lot (it doesn't have to be the one where the Sims are being deleted), go into buy mode, and purchase the FFS Lot Debugger as mentioned earlier. Press  and enter boolProp testingcheatsenabled true into the text box that appears on the top of the screen. Then,  on the FFS Lot Debugger, select "Prep Sim for Delete", and then find your Sim. They are organized by household names, not last names. "Default" contains all the universal NPCs and Sims that have died. "Garth" contains the Downtownies.

Once you get to the Sim you want to delete, click on their name. A dialog box with "You are on your way to destruction!" should appear. Write down the number that appears next to their name. Read the instructions carefully and make sure you have not missed a step. Also make sure the Sim you wish to delete is the one you want to delete, and make sure it is not a universal NPC/unsafe NPC - deleting those can cause corruption.

Click on "Yes", repeat for any other Sims you wish to delete, and then save the lot.

Step 6. Delete everything else
Enter SimPE and load your neighborhood. Select the "Sim Description (SCDC)" filter on the left. Using the number(s) that you wrote down before, locate the deleted Sims. Click on the "More" button and write down the "Character File" number. You will need this to completely remove the Sim and their file. Right-click on the Sim Description and select "Remove". Repeat for all Sims that were deleted. Save your work.

Now locate the character files of the deleted Sims. Go into "My Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2/Neighborhoods//Characters/", and then, using the number written down earlier, find the character files and delete them.

Step 7. Resetting the Sim Creation Index
On the panel on the left, select "Sim Creation Index". Click on the only item there and then select the "Hex" tab on the bottom. Click and hold on the value in column 0c, drag it onto 0d, and then let go of the mouse. At the bottom there should be boxes with numbers and hexadecimal values in them. Change "Byte" to 0x01 and "Short" to 0x0001. Click on "Commit", and then save the file.

Step 8. Checking for Damage
Close SimPE and start up the HoodChecker. Find your neighborhood and then select "Check". If there are any errors found, click on "Restart", on the neighborhood again, and then "Remove". The program should then attempt to fix any visible corruption in the neighborhood.