How Do I downloads

Do you have the color enabler package for your objects. Many of the objects won't show up if you don't have that installed on your computer. I don't have a direct URL, but you can find the CEP through links on MTS2 and this one which also has the most uptodate SimPE: http://sims.ambertation.de/

Also, make sure that you are installing them correctly as not all files are treated equally. I'm including the whole explanation just to make sure I don't forget something important that you need:
When you first download something, put it someplace other than in the downloads area. (I have a special file called "unprocessed downloads".) Some of the files will come naked (no Zip or Rar) but some come included in a Zip or RAR file format (to make it easier to download.)



The files which come in a zip file can be opened with WinZip which comes with Windows XP. You just double click on the zip file and you can work with the contents.



If you don't have WindowsXP, then you'll need to download WinZip. You can find it here: http://www.winzip.com/winzip.htm



This one may also be used instead: http://www.powerzip.biz/



Some files (mostly from Europe) come in RAR form. It's like Zip but made by a different company. Powerzip can do those as well, but the WinRar itself is here: http://www.rarlab.com/



Once you have access to the "naked" file, they come in two types: self installing and ones which need to be manually put in the game.



The self installing ones have .sims2skins or .sims2pack as their extension. All you need to do with those is double click on them. You'll get a blue screen asking if you want to install the content. If you click install (and the file isn't corrupted, which usually means you need to redownload it), a second blue screen pops up saying that the content has been successfully installed





The other form is the .package file. Those you put into the specific user part of My Documents (not the All User or Shared My Documents). It goes in My Documents\EA GAMES\The Sims 2\downloads.

 

It shouldn't make a difference where you have it sitting while you're unzipping it. However, it's a good idea not to leave it there on general principles.

Objects may not show up because some require the CEP (Color Enabled Package). If it was not an object which had recolors to begin with, it requires the CEP installed on your computer to work. You can find it here: http://sims.ambertation.de/realdownload.shtml (in the middle of the page). That's the direct link to the download site (after a disclosure). If that doesn't work, go to downloads from this page: http://sims.ambertation.de

As to the clothes, I've read that some won't show up until you've installed Maxis' update patch. You can find that here: http://thesims2.ea.com/update/

 

Glad you got things going. It's very satisfying to do all that downloading and finally be able to see the stuff. (I'm a dedicated downloader, myself.)

However, if you have any objects or mods/hacks that you've downloaded, please remove them from your game before you install any Maxis patch or new EP, as some may cause problems in the game. (Most will either not work or will flash blue, but some, especially global hacks, may cause the game to either not load or to crash.)

Once your game has the patch or EP installed, then you can return them to your downloads file (although it's a very good idea to put them back in in small batches or one at a time, so that you can figure out which ones are problematic in your game, without worrying as much about crashing.)

Things like walls/floors or clothing (that use the Maxis meshes, not newly made meshes) do not need to be removed ahead of time. They are already Maxis compatible.