The sims resource: LOTS?

so i downloaded a ton of houses on thesimsresource.com

this is exactly what i did:

clicked the download button

it downloaded into a zipped folder

i extracted them into sims 2/dowloads folder



all the files are in the sims 2 downloads folder

but theyre not in the game

i thought they would be in the lots and houses bin



everything else ive downloaded from the sims resource worked how come the houses wont show up??

help please!!!!

and thanks in advance :DThe sims resource: LOTS?
Well, they shouldn't be in Downloads for a start and I'd guess they are Sims2Pack files which the game won't read. The game ONLY reads package files.



If they are Sims2Pack files you have to install them. To do this, you can use the Maxis Installer that came with the game. This, however, is asking for trouble since the packing system with the game has serious problems. You double-click on the Sims2Pack files to do this, BTW. I don't know how reliable TSR are at cleaning their lot files - personally, I wouldn't use that site if they paid me (instead of the other way around).



A better alternative is to use Clean Installer. This is a fan-made installer which does the same job as the Maxis one only better. You can get CI here:



http://sims2pack.modthesims2.com/



Install this utility and use it to open the Sims2Pack files (use right click and 'open with' if it doesn't do it automatically). Once you've got the files open, you can go straight to install if you like or, better, you can browse through the contents of the Sims2Pack file and get rid of unwanted stuff before you install. You will be surprised, oh yes you will, when you see how much crap can get put in there by the packing system. Any things in red are stray hacks which, if packed with a lot file, are likely to be out of date, so leave them out. Also, anything in pink will be a duplicate file (leave out also). You will find, unless the files have been cleaned, that there are piles of recolours and terrains in there which are not on the lot. Leave these out too. Finally, if any of the lots are occupied by sims, don't install them. Honestly, it's just asking for trouble.



Once you have installed the lots files - CI will put them where they're meant to be - move or delete the Sims2Pack files out of Downloads. The only files you should have in there are package files.The sims resource: LOTS?
do you have expansion pack or stuff on your box if you don't then it wont workThe sims resource: LOTS?
The houses you've downloaded might actually require expansion packs or meshes you don't have, so they won't show up at all.