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SmartDoor v0.108 for University or Nightlife (30 Dec 2008 updated)

by tunaisafish Posted 8th Feb 2006 at 12:31 AM - Updated 14th Mar 2009 at 5:18 AM by tunaisafish : Updated mod
 
147 Comments / Replies (Who?) - 144 Feedback Posts, 2 Thanks Posts
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Slippery When Wet
Original Poster
#2 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 12:33 AM Last edited by tunaisafish : 30th Dec 2008 at 11:14 AM. Reason: mod update
Default The SmartDoor HOWTO
The SmartDoor HOWTO

This file is also included in the main download.


Contents
  • INSTALLATION
  • BUILD MODE - PLACING DOORS
  • QUICK CONFIGURATION
    • Choosing a Preset Access Mode
      • No Entry
      • User Directed
      • Pass Gender
      • Halt Ages
      • No Visitors
      • Keyholders
      • 3's a Crowd
    • Simple Clothes Changing
  • ADVANCED CONFIGURATION
    • Popup Summary
    • Show Settings
      • Door Visibility
      • Private / Locked / Unlocked
      • Grouping Sims
        • Age list
        • Keyholders / Fishholders
      • Max Sims
    • Advanced Access Control
    • Advanced Clothes Changing
      • Examples scenarios
  • HAVING PROBLEMS

INSTALLATION

Copy the package file to the "My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2 Downloads" folder.
To uninstall, delete the package file.


BUILD MODE - PLACING DOORS

To place these doors on your lot, switch to 'Build Mode' and open the category
Build Tools -> Doors and Windows -> Doors.
These doors will show with a '*' on the icon indicating that they are custom doors.
Clicking on these icons will pop up a box stating 'tunaisafish smart door'.
If you don't see this, seek help for how to install custom content.

If you install the optional smartdoor_collection.package , you can also find the doors
in the 'Smart Door Items' collection folder.

You can now move the door over an existing wall on your lot and it will snap into the
wall in valid positions. Look at the green squares at the base of the door, you MUST
ensure that the ARROWS POINT OUT OF THE ROOM - in the direction of the EXIT.

Sometimes you need to help the door snap into the correct wall when there is more than
one wall available. Use the '<' or '>' keys to rotate the door in these situations.


QUICK CONFIGURATION

When a smartdoor is first placed, it acts just like a normal door.
Access is unrestricted (Normal mode). Both sides are unlocked.
Sims will not change clothes when passing through the door.

In 'live' mode, when you click on the door the configuration menu is displayed.
You can configure all options on the doors while the game is paused.


Choosing a Preset Access Mode

The first menu displays the current mode, and leads you to a menu to choose other modes.
For example. "Access (Normal)..." shows the door in the default mode.
When using a 'preset mode', additional options that are relevant to the mode are shown
under the "Show Setting..." menu. An option common to all will be locked/unlocked.

All of the preset modes allow sims to pass freely in the exit direction;
the same direction the green arrows were pointing when you placed the door.

The preset modes avalable are:-


No Entry

Entry is completely blocked.
Well that is almost true. Some special Sims are *never* blocked by the smartdoor as
doing so could mess up your game. These special sims are the Grim Reaper, Burglars,
Cops, Fire Fighters, RepoMen, Social Workers, Social Bunnies and the Therapist.

Settings:
Locked (default), Unlocked

Equivalent Custom Options:
Max Sims (Off)
Halt Others


User Directed

Entry is blocked, but it will not block Sims if you are controlling them.
This blocks sims that are acting under Free Will; sims that you have not queued any
commands for. So the main way for a sim to pass is for you to direct them into the
room, or command them to use an object in the room.

You can also issue 'user directed' commands to sims you do not directly control.
An example of this is 'Ask to join' command that you can give another sim when the
selected sim is playing a game or laying on a bed.

As well from letting your user directed sims pass through, the door does not block
NPCs when they are doing their jobs. So your maids, gardeners, etc. can still turn
up on your lot and perform their tasks unhindered. Most of the preset modes include
the Pass NPC option.

Settings:
Private (default), Locked, Unlocked

Equivalent Custom Options:
Max Sims (Off)
Pass Overrides; user directed, no power
Pass Employees
Halt Others


Pass Gender

Choose which gender you want to allow entrance.
After choosing this mode, it defaults to allow females through. If this is wrong,
go to the 'Show Settings' menu to toggle this setting to 'Passes Males'.

Settings:
Private, Locked (default), Unlocked
Passes Females (default), Passes Males

Equivalent Custom Options:
Max Sims (Off)
Pass Overrides; user directed, no power
Pass Employees
Pass Females
Halt Others


Halt Ages

Choose which age groups to blocked from entry.
After choosing this mode, use the age toggle options under the 'Show Setting' menu
to set the ages you want to be able to Pass.

Settings:
Private (default), Locked, Unlocked
Passes/Halts Toddlers, ... ,Passes/Halts Elders

Equivalent Custom Options:
Max Sims (Off)
Pass Overrides; user directed, no power
Pass Employees
Halt Age List
Pass Others


No Visitors

Don't allow visitors entrance.
Visitors to your lot include everybody that doesn't live there, and NPCs when they
are not performing their job. The lot residents and Employees can enter freely.

Settings:
Private (default), Locked, Unlocked

Equivalent Custom Options:
Max Sims (Off)
Pass Overrides; user directed, no power
Halt Visitors
Pass Others

This is the default mode for smartdoors placed on community lots.
Your controllable sims are still classed as residents to the door, so will not be halted.


Keyholders

Give keys to those sims you want to allow entry. Up to 12 keys may be given out.
Use the submenus under the 'Show Settings' menu to give or take keys from your sims.
You can give a key to any sim that is present on your lot as you click on the door.
Visiting sims will still be able to enter with their key the next time they visit.
You can take the key back from a sim at any time; even if they aren't present.

Settings:
Private (default), Locked, Unlocked
Give/Take keys

Equivalent Custom Options:
Max Sims (Off)
Pass Overrides; user directed, no power
Pass Keyholders
Pass Employees
Halt Others


3's a Crowd

Choose how many sims are allowed in a room.
When using this mode, make sure there is only one door to the protected room (or rooms).
The door keeps count of the room occupants by counting the sims entering and exiting
through the door. Entry is blocked when the room occupants equals the Max Sims setting.
Initially, the room is assumed to be empty, but if there are sims in the room things will
sort themselves out when the last sim leaves.

Settings:
Locked (default), Unlocked
Max Sims; 1 to 7. Default 2.

Equivalent Custom Options:
Max Sims (2)
Pass Others


Simple Clothes Changing

You can set clothes that the sims change into as they enter or exit the room through the
"Entry Clothes" or "Exit Clothes" menus.
When first placing the door, both these menus will display (off), click the menu to turn
on clothes changing. Now these menus will show "..." at the end, indicating that there are
sub-menus.
Click the menu again, and choose the "Change into (no change)..." menu.
Select the clothes you want from the list.

The door will not change the clothes of babies, toddlers and children.

Ignore the other options for now. Or read 'Advanced Clothes Changing'


ADVANCED CONFIGURATION

Popup Summary

Choose the menu option "Access (mode).../Popup Summary"
to see a summary of all the current access and clothes-change settings.
These menu items are always found first in the list (at the top).

Show Settings

The 'Show Settings' menu displays general information about the door, as well as the main

settings discussed above in 'Choosing a Preset Access Mode', when they are relevant.


Door Visibility
'Door is always visible' (default), 'Doors hides with walls'.

This toggle option is always displayed.
If you find the doors get in your way, use this option so that it displays the latter.
You may then need to raise and then lower your walls for this to take effect.


Private / Locked / Unlocked

This tri-state setting is displayed for preset modes.
  • Unlocked
    In this state, sims pass freely. This turns off all the blocking actions, except one.
    Sims will still not barge in on others that are using the toilet, or other similar
    objects. This makes the smartdoor behave like a normal door.
  • Locked
    The access checks are turned on, and sims will be allowed to pass or be halted
    dependant on the access rules you choose. Sims that are allowed to pass can still be
    halted by another sim using the toilet though.
  • Private
    As locked, but sims that are halted will not be aware of other Sims or objects
    behind the locked door. They lose their object telepathy.
    Sims that are allowed to pass will still be aware of the objects in the room.

    For best results, only use this state on rooms that only have one entrance.
    For example, you could use the private state on a music room and block visitors from
    wanting to play the instruments. If you had used the locked state instead, your visitor
    would walk to the door, find it locked, then wave their arms and complain at you.

    The object telepathy is different from the game's jealously emitter. So don't use
    this state and expect your sim to be able to cheat on their spouse and not be found out.
    Both sims will still get the 'caught cheating' memories, although the spouse can still
    be halted when they run to dish out the slapping, so at least the cheater will not be
    furious with the spouse for being slapped.

    Techie talk: The 'private' door state is achieved by using the route-blocker-flags.
    Each sim on the lot, runs a routine occasionally that scans all objects on the lot and
    calculates routes to the object. If it discovers a portal along the route it looks to
    see if the route-blocker-flag 3 (lockable) is set. When set it calls the Test BHAV to
    see whether the sim can pass. So setting the 'private' state will cause the access
    checks to be run many more times than the 'locked' state.
    I've not noticed any slow down in game play using the private state. But I would not
    use this state with *two* smartdoors controlling access to a room or area. This is
    because the route checking routine would then see the controlled area as a route to
    reach objects outside the controlled area - in through one door, out through the other.

Grouping Sims

There are three different groups that can be used in the advanced access control, and
two of these can also be used in the clothes changing control.
The 'Show Settings' menu allows you to add or remove sims from these groups.

The grouping of sims, does just that. It defines them as a group.
If you are in 'custom' mode and add a Sim to the keyholders group, don't expect that
access will be automatically granted.
  • Age list
    This allows you to group sims by matching their current age.
    Use the Add/Remove menus to select the ages that you want to match.
    This group is only relevant to the 'custom' access mode.
  • Keyholders / Fishholders
    These two separate groups hold the names of individual sims.
    They are relevant to both custom access and clothes changing control.

    Sims that you give a key, are referred to as Keyholders.
    Sims that you give a fish, are referred to as Fishholders.

    The number of keys and fish you give out cannot exceed 12.
    eg. you could give out 7 keys and 5 fish, or 12 keys and no fish.
    You are allowed to give 1 sim a key and a fish if you need to.

Max Sims (Off)

This settings shows whether you are using the door to control how many occupants the
room can hold before blocking more from entering.
Toggle the option to turn this test on, and choose a number from 1 to 7.
Choosing the number 0 will turn the test off.

See the "3's a Crowd" preset access mode above for more info.


Advanced Access Control

The "Custom Entry" and "Custom Exit" menus, have an identical set of submenus.
The submenus should be read in a clockwise direction as that is the order that the tests
are applied. As soon as a test matches, the sim will either be allowed to pass through the
door (Pass) or they will be denied (Halt); the remaining tests will be skipped.

If you are using the 'Max Sims' test described above, it is applied before all other tests
for the 'entry' side only.


The common access menus are...
  • Private / Locked / Unlocked

    This option has the same meaning as described above in the 'Show Settings' section.
    When 'Unlocked' the remaining submenus are hidden.
  • Pass Overrides...

    If any of the conditions in this list are marked (On), and they test true,
    the sim can Pass.
    • Day 7-18
    • Dusk 18-19
    • Night 19-6
    • Dawn 6-7
      Tests the time of day. These conditions are true between the hours shown.
    • User Directed
      True if the sim is carrying out a user directed action.
      See the notes in the 'User Directed' preset mode above.
    • No Power
      True when the power has failed. As of Nightlife, this does not happen,
      but it may be introduced in an later Expansion Pack.
  • Halt Overrides...

    If any of the conditions in this list are marked (On), and they test true,
    the sim will be Halted.
    • Day 7-18
    • Dusk 18-19
    • Night 19-6
    • Dawn 6-7
      Tests the time of day. These conditions are true between the hours shown.
    • Free Will
      True when the sim is carrying out an autonomous action.
      This is the opposite of 'User Directed'.
  • Other Tests...

    You can optionally choose to ignore carrying out the following tests by toggling the text to display 'Ignored'.
    Otherwise the tests are enabled and display 'Matched'. When these tests are on
    you will see additional toggle menus to decide whether a true test means they Pass or Halt.
    • Keyholders
      True if the sim a member of the Keyholders group.
    • Fishholders
      True if the sim a member of the Fishholders group.

    A sim can only ever match one of the following 3 tests at any one time.
    • Residents
      True if the sim is currently controllable (sims icon shown on the LHS flagpole)
    • Visitors
      True if the sim is currently uncontrollable (and not an Employee)
    • Employees
      True if the sim is 'on the job'.
    • Age list
      True if the sims age matches one set in the Age list group.
    • Gender
      True if the sims gender matches that displayed.
  • Passes/Halts Others
    If all tests above were false, this toggle menu diplays the default action.

Advanced Clothes Changing

The "Entry Clothes" and "Exit Clothes" menus, have an identical set of submenus.
The submenus should be read in a clockwise direction as that is the order that the rules
are applied.
  • Enabled
    This means that clothes changing is turned on. click it to turn it off.
  • Fishholders (ignore) / Fishholders (no-change)...
    Use this menu to control which outfit the fishholders group will change into.
    • If you do not have any fishholders, or do not want the fishholders group to have
      different clothes changing rules than others, leave this setting on 'ignore'.
    • If you want your fishholders to never change when going through the door, use the
      'no-change' options.
    • Otherwise, set the option to the outfit of your choice.
    If the setting is changed from the default 'ignore', the fishholders group will not
    have any further rules applied to them.
  • Keyholders (ignore) / Keyholders (no-change)...

    The same options as with Fishholders.
  • Skips Employees / Changes Employees

    By default, the door excludes maids, gardeners, etc. from changing out of their work
    clothes while they are 'on the job' - Skips Employees.

    Toggle this if you want the following clothes changing rules to apply to them too.
  • Ignores Current Outfit / Match Current Outfits...

    By default, the door does not take into account what the sim is currently wearing
    to decide whether to change their outfit - Ignores Current Outfit.

    Toggle this if you want their current outfit to be taken into consideration.

    When you click on 'Ignores Current Outfit', the 'Match Current Outfits...' menu
    appears showing toggle options for all the outfits you can match against.

    Also, an extra menu will appear so you can decide what action you want taken if the
    sim is currently wearing an outfit that matches one listed.
    • Changes if Matched
      Only change the sims clothes if they *are* wearing a matched outfit.
    • Changes if not Matched
      Only change the sims clothes if they *are not* wearing a matched outfit.
  • Change into (no change)...
    Choose the new outfit to change into from the list.

Examples scenarios

Your husband and wife are turned on by different outfits, Undies and Formal respectively.
Give the husband a fish, and set the menus as follows.
  • Enabled
  • Fishholders (Formal)...
  • Keyholders (ignore)
  • Skips Employees
  • Ignores Current Outfit
  • Change into (Undies)...
You don't like seeing your sims leaving the house when they are in undies, PJs or Naked.
  • Enabled
  • Fishholders (ignore)
  • Keyholders (ignore)
  • Skips Employees
  • Match Current Outfits... (Matches Undies, PJs, Naked)
  • Changes if Matched
  • Change into (Everyday)...
This last example behaves in a similar way to the 'Coming Home' doors made by Inge Jones.
Her doors have preset changing options on both sides, and double doors are available too.


HAVING PROBLEMS

Menus not appearing - The door does not divide two rooms. Fix it in build mode.
Sims do not stop at door - Read 'User directed' access mode.
Sims don't stay naked - Install nudity/noblur hacks.
Sims won't change into naked - Thai versions of the game will use Undies, apparently.
Some Sims are never blocked/changed - Search above for 'special sims', 'babies'.
These doors are too complex for me - See Inge's doors at http://www.simlogical.com/
These doors are too easy for me - See Pescado's APO at http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/
I want to have your children - I'll post a Sim tunaisafish some day.
Test Subject
#3 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 12:34 AM
Sweet! Thanks!
Lab Assistant
#4 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 12:34 AM
cool, i like it.
Test Subject
#5 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 12:54 AM
Just a simple question:

What happens if you try to use it with the basic game alone? Does the game crash, freeze, or what?
Lab Assistant
#6 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 1:05 AM
And if this smart door cannot be used with the base game alone, is there a smart door out there that can?

Thanks!

Wait... WHAT?!?!?
Slippery When Wet
Original Poster
#7 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 1:08 AM
I've not tried it with the original game.
I do use multi-level menus though, which is why I know you would not get much use out of it. Multi-level menus were introduced with Uni.
You would need to be able to reach these level of menus to be able to configure, choose clothes, give keys etc.
Slippery When Wet
Original Poster
#8 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 1:09 AM
Auronapern: See Inge's doors at http://www.simlogical.com/

She has a great range of doors that are pre-configured for different tasks.
I took lots of inspiration from her doors while making some of the preset modes in mine.
Test Subject
#9 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 1:34 AM
This Is So Cool!!
Test Subject
#10 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 1:57 AM
Nice. Thanks!
Forum Resident
#11 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 2:00 AM
This is something I've been wanting for a long time, a hacked door that allows you to keep certain sims out. Thank you so very much for this,tunaisafish !
Test Subject
#12 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 2:16 AM
hey I have an idea, maybe you can make a 'tool' or something, and we can use it to change the doors that we've downloaded into "smart doors". This probably isn't possible, just an idea...it would be really helpful though..oh yeah...and if I have recolors for the doors that this mod uses, will they come up?
oh yeah...This is AWSOME...I have alot of secret passages in my houses...this is really going to help
Test Subject
#13 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 2:39 AM
This is one of the most comprehensive "best" ideas I've ever seen. Many, many thanks because we all have those times when we'd really like this mod. :D
Test Subject
#14 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 2:45 AM
Excellent! This will allow my wife to have her apartment building without the annoying guy downstairs always coming into her apartment! THANKS!
Lab Assistant
#15 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 3:31 AM
Excellent but it's missing just one option for my "Perfect House"; Visitors Only. That way my family won't enter the room with the poison food and booby-trapped items.

Hack Requests: Poison food and booby-trapped items.

Future expansion ideas:
Make the door invisible so you could have a secret entrance
Die When You walk Through
Vampires Only
Ghosts only
Become A Vampire/No More Vampire
Become a ghost/No more ghost
Gender Change
Age Change
Assume random appearence (In case your spy/paranoid sim likes to disguise himself)

Just a few thoughts.

This door could be FUN FUN FUN and GREAT for my house. Thanks

... Linux rules and Windows drools.
Lab Assistant
#16 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 3:40 AM
This looks fantastic, thank you!

After all your work on this, I hate to demand more, so if this isn't doable, that's fine. Is there any possibility that these could be made to override the doors they currently are modelled after? (I have tons of downloaded doors with various functions, so it would be nice to not have to scroll through even more...besides, I'm sure I'll want to use these doors in every house from now on!) Again, if it's too much of an inconvenience, forget I even asked.

Thanks again for sharing these!
Lab Assistant
#17 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 4:42 AM
Will it crash if you just have uni?
Test Subject
#18 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 4:58 AM
Its pretty cool, ill have to admit that
Lab Assistant
#19 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 5:05 AM
Very nice, this is needed in the game. Thank You.
Lab Assistant
#20 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 7:10 AM
It's not working in my game.
Slippery When Wet
Original Poster
#21 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 8:42 AM
Thanks all for your comments
and thanks to those that hit my 'thanks' button too

I delayed the posting of this here by a few days as I wanted to complete the HOWTO which you will find in the rar file. It starts off simple with the 'preset' modes to get you up and running, and gets more complex by the end as I explain the power of the 'custom' mode.

I'll post that in my reserved post when I get round to formmating it.

@bootypatrol2009
That 'tool' would be SimPE.
It would not be an easy task. There are only so many doors I can fit into one package and I don't want to start maintaining several of them. I plan to add the other EP1 and EP2 models later, so the majority of downloaders get the benefit.
The door will not pick up any recolours, I had to put the original game ones in myself.

If any authors have recoloured the Maxis doors, then feel free to supply a download for the smartdoor versions. I'll add your links to the docs so people will know how to find them.

@FredDoolie
Prepare to make your 'Perfect House'
Visitors Only is not a preset mode, but can be made using the 'Custom' mode.

Maybe someone has done an invisible recolour for the Maxis doors?

Vampires - would probably be better using the keyholders mode, or a custom variation of it.
The other requests are be better suited to an object where you have to choose when to use the function. See the InSIMenator at http://www.insimenator.net/ .
Changing things like that automatically with a door could lead to lot corruption if done at the wrong time.
I don't want to go down the "feature creap" path with these doors, but there are already more features on my TODO list though.

I'm working on a way to automatically configure the doors on community lots at present, so you won't have to spend the first ten minutes of each trip messing with the door menus.
Unfortunately, when sims arrive at a lot, the doors will be at the default settings, and there is no way to save them before you leave.

@TuesdayJune28
I will be adding a collection file for these at some point, so at least then you'll be able to identify these ones from all the other identical looking doors with asterix on them
I'll be tackling the community lot problem with dresscode-signs and mats [*1], so they'll also live in the collection too.
The smartdoors are priced 1 simoleon higher than the Maxis model, so will list after the original door (and Inge's too if those are what you already have.)

I'll see how much is involved in making another set to override the originals, although...

Open for Bussiness will have lockable options on them. From what I understand these will apply to all doors, but I could be wrong. If I remember correctly they will control access for employees, residents, visitors and 2 keyholders.

@all
Note that this mod is "In Testing".

The bug reports I've had so far had to do with a misunderstanding of what the door was expected to do. I've hopefully fixed that by including the HOWTO.
So the HOWTO is "in testing" too!

There are a few other areas I'd like some feedback for...

There's a new nightlife patch available from EA.
The list of fixes does not mention anything that I am concerned with, but appreciate a thumbs up/down from those that have installed it.

Ghosts
FredDoolie has just reminded me that I don't yet know if I need to do anthing special with ghosts, see keep an eye on these aroung the doors.

'Just Nightlife' or 'Just Uni'
If there are problems with these, I expect them to be minor ones with some options not working correctly with NPCs. I don't expect game crashes or corrupt lots, but that doesn't mean I'm not wrong. If you don't want to be a guinea-pig, don't be.

Holiday Pack
I don't have this. I don't know how the 3 new NPC types behave. If there are problems I may have to add these to the 'special NPCs' group.

[*1] Uni does not have mats, so if I can get Uni to work OK I may have to think of some alternative objects to add.
Slippery When Wet
Original Poster
#22 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 8:44 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Savannah
It's not working in my game.


This is with just Uni. How far did it get?
You're the first to try this so the more info I have the better chance I have of making it compatible (if this is possible).
Instructor
#23 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 4:20 PM
I got interested on your door because Inge's new doors don't work in my game. On my modding tests it was impossible to change Sims work clothes back to Casual so only a change door can help. There's a tendence in the Sim community to make very comprehensive mods and I for example need very simple features. I just want a door that change Sims back to Casual after work. Thanks.
Lab Assistant
#24 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 7:12 PM
Quote: Originally posted by tunaisafish
@TuesdayJune28
I will be adding a collection file for these at some point, so at least then you'll be able to identify these ones from all the other identical looking doors with asterix on them
I'll be tackling the community lot problem with dresscode-signs and mats [*1], so they'll also live in the collection too.
The smartdoors are priced 1 simoleon higher than the Maxis model, so will list after the original door (and Inge's too if those are what you already have.)


Excellent - thanks for the reply!
Forum Resident
#25 Old 8th Feb 2006 at 7:36 PM
Quote:
Excellent but it's missing just one option for my "Perfect House"; Visitors Only. That way my family won't enter the room with the poison food and booby-trapped items.

Hack Requests: Poison food and booby-trapped items.



ha! Love that! Anyway, GREAT item, tuna (can I call ya "tuna"? ); very helpful.

Thanks!
Always,
Emma
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