Sims 2 Life Stories Pictures

[MelodyOkie]

It's an old program ... and when I change it to "Windowed" version, the picture is so small on my computer screen that it's very difficult to get the pictures I need in order to create my Sims 4 version of the different lots.

Life Stories came with only an in-game camera that was strictly for the games use I guess, because there is no set of files anywhere that would allow for our using that in-game camera to take pictures. No place where they would go to be stored, that I can find.

I was wondering if anyone ever found a work-around that issue; so that pictures could be taken when the game is on full screen so you can actually see what you are taking a picture of. Also - the camera options do not allow for great mobility so you can move around easy; for instance, the arrow keys do not work for moving the camera around. Is there a way to make that work?

I know it's a really old program from the Sims 2 days and there is a good chance no one remembers or knows the answers to my camera problems - but I thought I would put it out there in hopes someone does know.

Also - maybe someone knows how to adjust the screen setting. I have a very large screen - but my old game only allows for an 800x600 - so when I have the game on full screen, rather than windowed version, it's very blurry.

[lindawing]

For the screen resolution, I THINK the following tutorial (here), works, even with Windows 10:
viewtopic.php?f=66&t=1875#p7671

I do know that Patty used that tutorial and it worked for the Stories series (all three of them) on both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. There is another file that you MIGHT need for Windows 10, but some people have not. You could try the tutorial, step by step, to see if you can find the files that need changing (be sure you keep backup files of the ones you will be overwriting), to see what happens.

NOTE: if you don't want to work through the whole tutorial, see if you can locate and COPY the files noted in the first part of the tutorial, in your application's program files. Then you can send me a copy of each program file. I would also need the info from your graphics card. Then I could send you back files for you to install, that should fix the problem.

With the camera controls, etc., you could check this out:
http://modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=G ... _Shortcuts

It's for TS2, but I'm thinking some of the same shortcut keys might apply to the Life Stories series.

As far as taking screenshots, you can always use Print Screen (with my current keyboard, Print Screen is a FUNCTION key, on the Insert button--it takes using the FN button near my space bar). With Print Screen, you have to paste whatever it is you captured, right away, into something like Paint, GIMP, Paint.net, or Irfanview. With all of those programs, you can leave them running in the background, call up a blank, past in what you copied with the Print Screen key, then not closing any of your pasted-in images until after you've use the Save-As button so you can pick them up later to edit them.

[MelodyOkie]

That is for Sims 2 Ultimate isn't it? (The Sims 2 Life Stories is a stand alone game and is not through Origin or Sims 2 Ultimate at all.) I will, however, print the instructions out and give it a go to see if it works for Life Stories or not. ) I didn't even need that for Sims 2 Ultimate at all when I had Windows 7 and 8. It all worked very well when I had Windows 7 and 8, without any manipulation on my part. I've only had an issue since Windows 10.

No, the camera controls are totally different in Life Stories than in Sims 2. Life Stories was made for lap top gaming and the camera wasn't made for taking pictures on our end due to keeping the files small so there would be no gaming issue. Lap tops were not as powerful back then as desk tops and could not handle a lot of graphic issues, or memory issues. The game was made to limit that type of issues. So I do not believe the camera is set to operate the way it did in Sims 2. I could be wrong though - but I just don't remember for sure. And no - the up and down arrow keys do not work the same in Life Stories as it did in Sims 2 - that is my issue. I need it to, but it doesn't. The shortcut keys listed at Mod the Sims for Sims 2 do not work the same for Life Stories.

Oh, my - Linda - I know about the Print Screen. Print Screen only works in windowed mode with the sims anymore (It will not work in Full Screen mode) - AND the windowed mode in Life Stories is too small and wow - the Print Screen picture is too! I also know all about the alt print screen, etc. etc. etc. I've been using Print Screen since computers came out I think - before games had in-game cameras. Lol!!

I do appreciate the information and I will give all that I've not already attempted a try - it never hurts to at least try, huh? Thank you!!

[MelodyOkie]

Well, no, none of that works with my system set-up and Windows 10. The files are not stored like this at all anymore; not even with the program this was written for. (viewtopic.php?f=66&t=1875#p7671) . It also isn't worth digging into any further at this point. I just want to take pictures I can work from to create Sims 4 versions of the stuff anyway and there's more than one way to skin a cat. I've decided I will just pull up life stories and run it beside Sims 4 and that should give me what I need. I will try that anyway - if it doesn't work, then I will try something else.

[lindawing]

Well, darn. I agree about trying to find anything else. I already tried several searches for other workarounds. There are screenshot apps "out there," but most of them are try-and-buy, and they are generally a bit cumbersome. Does Windows 10 have the snipping thing? If so, you could try that. If it's there, use the active window mode.

I'm curious about print screen. I use it with TS2, TS3, and TS4 all the time, and with everything else. Is it Windows 10, then, that has let it go?

[MelodyOkie]

You know, I don't remember when it quit working for me unless I was in "windowed" mode. Of course, most people are always in "windowed" mode with the game anyway - I've never wanted my game in windowed mode; however, I've learned to use it a lot in Sims 4. I have learned it is so much easier to create from floorplans in windowed mode rather than printing them out and wasting all that paper and ink.

[lindawing]

Yes! Agreed!

Doing an experiment right now, with full screen, to see if Print Screen works for me in my browser.

It worked. Of course, I had to hit the Windows key to get to Irfanview, in order to paste in the contents of the clipboard. I don't have the game up, so I can test with that. But you have me very curious, now.

[MelodyOkie]

I've not done any "testing" of anything. I only know when I can't do it.