The Sims 2 original base game and expansion packs (from CD/DVD or ISO images, NOT Ultimate Collection) installed on Windows 7, 8, 10 cause a lot of issues. I had to buy an older laptop on which I can install Windows XP and play my favorite game.
After several critics regarding Palace II‘s lack of elegance, and Palace I‘s messy house floor plan, too few rooms, non-rectangular rooms and bad interior design, I decided in April 2013 to build a new The Sims model of Trianon Palace from Floresti, Romania, built by Cantacuzino Family in 1910 and abandoned (more details). I broke my personal record of the most expensive house in The Sims 2.
An apartment block intelligently designed to make its external shape as complex is possible, 44 segments of facade, while internal rooms are all rectangular. It feature a very efficient floor plan with two big rooms living and dining 7×6 squares, three bedrooms 4×4 squares, two bathrooms 4×2 an 3×2 squares, each room having 2 doors to other rooms to prevent sims getting stuck.
The Sims 2 base game come with 3 pre-made neighborhoods (Pleasantview, Strangetown, Veronaville), expansion packs add 11 pre-made neighborhoods: 3 normal neighborhoods (Riverblossom Hills, Desiderata Valley, Belladonna Cove), and 8 sub-neighborhoods which can be linked to each neighborhood separately and visited: 3 university campuses (La Fiesta Tech, Académie Le Tour, Downtown), 1 Downtown, 1 shopping district (Bluewater Village), 3 vacation destinations (Takemizu Village, Three Lakes, Twikkii Island).
Total 14 pre-made neighborhoods with 350 lots Additional 5 hidden neighborhoods do exist in game files and are used to generate NPC, they cannot be played.
My second Modern House, a more realistic version of The Cube of Glass, now having internal walls instead of open floor plan. This home contains four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and plenty of unused space should be enough even for a family of eight Sims. Made in October 2012.
I built in The Sims 2 the famous house of Kevin McCallister from favorite movies: Home Alone 1 & 2, in September 2012, after I got its location and floor plan (671 Lincoln Street, Winnetka, Illinois, a 2-story house plus attic and basement, 4250 square feet, built in 1921). A luxury property for families up to 8 sims, decorated including the rear garage and minivan seen in movie, but it resulted a messy floor plan.
This is a The Sims 2 replica of the castle located in Săvârşin vilage in Romania, built in 17th century. I designed it in The Sims 2 in September 2018, featuring 4 bedrooms for families up to 8 sims, 4 bathrooms, living room, dining room with 12 seats, 3 TVs, 2 pianos, 2 desks with computers, 2 empty desks, etc.
Belladonna Cove a pre-made neighborhoods that was added by The Sims 2: Apartment Life expansion pack.
It contains 49 lots, of which 16 community lots, 14 apartment lots, 19 residential lots, and 11 families living in.
Inspired from Egypt pyramids or Luxor Hotel from Las Vegas, this The Sims house is shaped like a pyramid and feature 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, so it can be home for families up to 8 Sims. Made in October 2018, this is the first house designed by me where I decorated interior in stone and bricks, instead of wood and carpet seen in most of my houses. The interior receive daylight via windows even if the windows are not visible from outside, because are under roof.
In February 2008 I started to built a third The Sims 2 urban town, this time by using University Expansion Pack. I downloaded few user-made maps and choose to use StarlingSprings map because is a medium-sized, flat neighborhood, with dense and regulated street network, plus a river that split the map in two asymmetric zones (the map can be downloaded from modthesims.info or gethanesims.prismbaby.com).
Desiderata Valley a pre-made neighborhoods that was added by The Sims 2: FreeTime expansion pack.
It contains 23 lots, of which 7 community lots, 16 residential lots, and 6 families living in.
Expansion packs: University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage, FreeTime, Apartment Life.
Stuff packs: Holiday Party Pack, Family Fun Stuff, Glamour Life Stuff, Happy Holiday Stuff, Celebration! Stuff, H&M Fashion Stuff, Teen Style Stuff, Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff, IKEA Home Stuff, Mansion & Garden Stuff.
Riverblossom Hills a pre-made neighborhoods that was added by The Sims 2: Seasons expansion pack.
It contains 22 lots, of which 3 community lots, 19 residential lots, and 6 families living in.
I designed several polylines in AutoCAD that does calculate perimeter for each, adjusted the polylines to find the optimal shape to make the building to appear as large and tall is possible while keeping it under the limit of 2100 wall segments and basement + 14 floors (adding 1 more floor would cause game to crash).
Veronaville is one of the three pre-made neighborhoods shipped with The Sims 2.
It contains 25 lots, of which 4 community lots, 22 residential lots, and 3 families living in.
The larger version of American single-story home. Designed in October 2012 for a family of 6 Sims, in American Style: asymmetrical, siding wall cover, front porch and carport. Improved September 2018 changing furniture and removing fences.
Is possible to have a single-story house with driveway and swimming pool, on a 2×2 lot? YES! Designed in August 2012 for a family of 4 Sims, in American Style: asymmetrical, asymmetrical, siding wall covers, front porch and carport. Improved September 2018 changing furniture and removing fences.
A The Sims 2 apartment block designed to be realistic, floor plan inspired from a block type common across many Asian cities. Two-storey, 3 bedroom apartments per floor, with bedrooms accessible via hallway. Made in April 2013.