Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Custom Contents

Custom contents are modified or fan-made contents by gamers or fans. They are usually fan-generated. In TS2, these custom contents comprise of not only game mods and hacks, but as well as fan-made clothing items, architectural elements and so much more. There are many sites that offer a busload of custom contents for free. You can download anything at all, ranging from clothes to furniture, and even food! I can't describe how amazing custom contents can do for your Sims and yourself, but I can assure you that you will not regret using custom contents in your movie or even when you're playing TS2 for fun. In comparison to the default appearances by Maxis, the custom contents exhibit more appealing designs and realistic textures.

Custom contents are always the factor that attracts people to watch your movie. It is agreeable that you can still make a good movie without custom contents, but if you think your PC can handle it, why NOT custom contents?

If you want custom content to appear in your game, don't forget to enable it. Follow these three simple steps!
1. Launch TS2
2. Go to Game Options and Enable Custom Content
3. Restart TS2

But I don't have any custom content!
Here's the guide to downloading and installing custom contents: Downloading For Fracking Idiots. Don't get offended by the title, it's meant to be funny I guess.

I know how to enable custom and the necessities for it to work on my game but..... WHERE CAN I DOWNLOAD CUSTOM CONTENT?!
Chill! You can head over to LianaSims2.net and XMSims.com for starters.

You can read more about custom contents here.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Fifi's Basic Rules

My basic rules of Sims movie-making are:
1. Configuring,
2. Modifying, and
3. Hacking the game.

Before I elaborate, I would like to make it clear that I know everyone have their own way of starting a particular task and you can say that this is my way. If you prefer to modify the game first before configuring it, it's fine but I think the path down that "order of rules" is a bit more complex than what I've set here. But it's really up to you.

Now the following are actually simple to follow through and just to remind you, some of the settings may not be compatible with your PC which may be caused by your RAM or graphics card. Just in case that your game crashes because your PC can't take it, don't forget to SAVE BACK-UP FILES before you start any of the below! Also, take note that the game may run slower than usual with glitches here and there since a lot of these settings and mods take up the space in your hard drive to work.

1. Configuring The Game
1.1. Enable Custom Content - So that the custom contents you have downloaded can be used in the game.
1.2. Enhance Video Quality - Self-explanatory.
1.3. Turn on Smooth Edges - To avoid jagged edges!

2. Modifying The Game
2.1. Smooth camera movements
  • Download GunMod's Camera Mod - A must have for every Sims 2 machinima directors! It enables you to have angles that you can never have on a default mode.
  • Install & Edit parameter - A parameter is the limitation and restriction of how the camera can move in a game.

2.2. Lighting

3. Hacking The Game
3.1. Cheats - The complete list of cheats.
3.2. JD Hacks - A list of hacks for download, very useful to make your Sim interact or do something without having to worry about lowering their aspiration points.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Cheat List

To open up the cheat box press CTRL+SHIFT+C. The box will come out across the top of the screen. Type in the cheat code and enter. Types expand to expand/contract cheat box and exit to exit cheat box. The use of capitalization will not effect the cheats.


*Some of the cheats listed are EP required. Please check the compatibility.







Movie Making Cheats

Plumbbobtoggle

Eliminates the plumbbob, which is the green diamond above the Sims head



showHeadlines [on/off]

Eliminates the speech bubbles and relationship points



slowMotion [0-10]

Slows down the game speed with 0 being normal speed and 10 being the slowest speed. Please note the cheat only slows down the game play and not in the playback of recorded clips.



AllMenus [on/off]

Makes rare interactions available. Please refer to JD Movies tutorial on how to activate the option.



BoolProp ControlPets [on/off]

Allows you to control pets’ behavior to a certain degree





Build Cheats

moveObjects [on/off]

Allows you to pick up and move objects that are normally un-selectable



boolProp allow45DegreeAngleOfRotation [true/false]

Allows you to rotate an object at 45 degree angle. Use < and > to rotate.



boolProp snapObjectsToGrid [true/false]

Allows you to place objects without being constrain by the square



roofslopeangle [15-75]

Changes the roof slope angle



setHighestAllowedLevel [level]

Allows you to build floors higher than 5 levels. You must build something at the current top floor before the next floor will go up.



boolprop constrainFloorElevation [true/false]

Allows you to change elevation of floor tiles





Gameplay Cheats

kaching

Adds 1000 simoleans



motherlode

Adds 50,000 simoleons



FamilyFunds [FamilyName] [amount]

Allows you change the amount of simoleans a family has in the neighborhood view. For example if you want the Mortimer family to have 100,000 enter: FamilyFunds Mortimer 100000



setHour [0 - 23]

Changes the hour of the day according to 24 hours clock



unlockCareerRewards

Unlocks the career reward items for selected Sims



maxMotives

Maximize the Sims needs



motiveDecay [on/off]

Locks the motives at whatever level they were at the time you activated the cheat



aspirationLevel [0-5]

Allows you to choose the aspiration level for the selected Sims



lockAspiration [on/off]

Locks the aspiration of the selected Sims at whatever level they were at the time you activated the cheat



aspirationPoints [amount]

Adds aspiration points of selected Simsthat needed to purchase aspiration rewards



aging [on/off]

Allows you to stop aging



boolProp testingCheatsEnabled [true/false]

The master cheat that allows you to change the variables in the game.

Monday, August 29, 2011

How Movies Are Made

The truth is... The Sims 2 is not perfect for movie-making. It was never meant to be a virtual movie-making studio in the first place. So apart from the in-built video capture and preset angles, there are very few movie-making features. To achieve some acceptable result, you will need to recongifure the camera controls, download a lot of user-created contents and even resort to some hacking. That's why many people get so blown away the first time they see a well-made movie because it's so not what their games look like by default.

The main concept of Sims movie-making is quite simple.
1. Make your Sims act whatever you have in mind.
2. Capture it.

Then get all the little clips you have made and edit them together making it seem like a continious sequence shot with several cameras. You may use any movie editors. Most beginners tend to lean towards Windows Movie Maker since the features are very simple to use. Personally, I prefer Sony Vegas (as most machinima directors of well-made movies) because it supports high-quality HD even though it's complex and kind of difficult to impliment video/audio effects. In fact, most of the time what you see in movies is not what the game creators intended it to be. For example, if you want a Sim to fall on the floor, you should make them play bowling and wait till they trip and fall. Of course there are hacks which will make your Sims do various things without provoking them to do everything in-game, but that's how movies were made before all those hacks were developed.

Before you start making a Sims 2 movie, it is important for you to familiarise yourself with the game first. That is, if you have only heard of Sims 2 until you saw the movies on YouTube. While familiarising, you get to learn the interactions and cheats which were in the game and also controlling the camera. I'll be gathering all the cheat codes, animation boxes, sites to download custom contents, and other necessary means for producing good-quality Sims movies.

It's probably gonna take a couple of days until I update this blog since Eid Mubarak is almost near. Other than that, I've created a Twitter account for the blog: @Ripped_Scarlet or http://twitter.com/Ripped_Scarlet

Sunday, August 28, 2011

About Ripped Scarlet Studios

Background
Ripped Scarlet Studios were found and established in 2008. Due to lack of time and commitment, I was unable to manage it accordingly. In an attempt to redeem myself, I've come to a decision to explore the world of Sims 2 movie-making during my spare time. Again. Even after 4 years of experience, I still haven't produced a proper movie, which is pretty baffling. Not to mention, I neglected this part of my life for so long that I regret it. Therefore I'd like to use this opportunity to rekindle my love for Sims 2 and movie-making altogether, something that I shouldn't have taken for granted a long time ago. After all I still have much to learn and I hope to document every discovery, every knowledge (even newly found) that I have in Sims 2 movie-making onto this very blog.

What is Ripped Scarlet?
Ripped Scarlet means to be freed by your passion to prove yourself from doubts and obscurity. So basically our Studios are dedicated in - not only - making high quality movies but also in helping individuals to make their own high quality movies.

The Beginning
I stumbled upon Sims 2 movie-making when I came across Hold On by warhawke on YouTube. I was dumbstruck, and I thought I had to make one myself! Without further ado, I watched some more Sims 2 machinimas to get inspiration, and looked for cheat codes, mods, custom contents and movie-making tutorials.

Here I Am
Now that I know the important elements of making a high quality Sims 2 machinima, I'm currently waiting for the opportune time (a new laptop actually!) to strike before I can start working on a movie project - though I already have, namely "The Beldam" - which will incorporate all the things that I've learned about movie-making. I don't want to just be good, I'm working towards being great! - To Be Updated

Saturday, August 6, 2011

About Me

Introductory: Hello! My name is Fifi. I am the founder of Ripped Scarlet Studios hailing from hot and wet Brunei. I'm 18. I am currently studying Psychology, English Literature and History at PTEM. I have aspirations of becoming a doctor. I am the eldest daughter and I have three younger siblings.

Ethnicity: Malay with hints of Chinese.

Activities: I'm more of a martial artist rather than athletic. As of now, I'm active in two Japanese martial arts; Kendo and Shorinji Kempo. Other than that I enjoy writing, traveling, reading, baking, rock-climbing and gardening. Note: Currently on hiatus due to A Levels!

Interests: Egyptology, English Literature, Greek Mythology, Astronomy, Archaeology, Martial Arts.

Music: Indie rock, post grunge, folk rock... These are my top favourites! I'm also quite diverse in my music taste.

Books: Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Nathaniel Hawthorne, J.K. Rowling, Sidney Sheldon, Cliff McNish, Henry James, Dorthy Koomson.

Movies: Corpse Bride, Coraline, Forrest Gump, Larry Crowne, Star Wars, Seven Punds, Avatar, Inglourious Basterds, Changeling.

Games: The Sims, The Sims 2, The Sims 3, Fatal Frame, Hidden objects games, Rule of Rose.