Update: From October through November 2011, I have been checking and changing my neighborhoods after running Mootilda's HoodChecker program. There were a few problems, so the file for Fixed_Maple Valley is new, the file for Clarkston University is exactly the same because HoodChecker said it was okay. If you have previously downloaded Maple Valley, and want to continue using the version you are playing, then you might want to run HoodChecker yourself, and follow the instructions in Mootilda's thread to fix the things it finds is wrong.
Thanks again to Mootilda!
On the 2nd of June 2005, a guy at TSR going by the username Zythe had the idea of creating a neighborhood that we'd make ourselves: with its own 'main' characters, and a storyline that you can follow and play out according to the clues lying around in their family descriptions, individual bio's, and by examining their relationship panels and memories. Or ignore all of that, do exactly as you like, and point them in your own direction!
To do this, there were things to learn and sort out inbetween, but on the 19th of September 2005 it was released. A year or so later, my own version of Maple Valley 'died', and I was completely sad! I had big plans for that hood, the whacky charactered and sillilly named sims wound their way into my heart. Even the ones I thought I'd dislike became important to me. You don't really need to know that, but it may explain my passion and love for this neighborhood. I was part of the team that had put it together, the team gradually left the Sims 2 community and I've 'faded out' of it as well, apart from uploading and updating my own neighborhoods.
Throughout all that time, people have still contacted me wanting Maple Valley, even after I'd told them about the problems it had. I'd created my own version of it again, moving on from the point where my game had broken down, but for some unknown reason, I didn't back up that new version! So when I went back to the game after a long break and wanted to start over, I found that wasn't possible.
More recently, on Mootilda's journal at ModTheSims, she has made a list of downloadable neighborhoods, and I saw that Maple Valley was there but I also knew that 'as it stood' it was quite broken. After finishing off some of my other projects, I knew I now had the time to recreate it, so here I go again!
This new one is as close to the original Maple Valley that I can make it, because I want all the funny/stupid/crazy I enjoyed playing so much the first time around! And because people have still been downloading it after all these years...maybe others might like to have a look at it too, in the knowledge that it's now as safe as I was able to make it!
The links on the right hand side in the archive section each lead to additional content that you can use either in Maple Valley, or any neighborhood you choose. I have put together a new university subhood, this will appear in your menu along with the EA/Maxis Sims State, Acadèmie LeTour and La Fiesta Tech universities, so it can be added to Maple Valley or any other neighborhood you choose as well. I have also put the lots I've used for that into a folder for seperate download, for those who would rather make up their own version, or perhaps use the lots in an another university.
There is a page that has three add-on families in their houses to download, then there are other individual lots that would suit a downtown setting very well, but they don't need to go there, and can be placed anywhere else you want to put them! There is also a page showing the Maple Valley family backstories, with pictures of the main characters so that you can see what you're going to get!
My email address is included with the major downloads, I am always willing to try to help if you have any problems.
lechapeau
My email address is included with the major downloads, I am always willing to try to help if you have any problems.
lechapeau
