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#234613 - 05/28/13 09:39 PM
Helpful VF2 Windows/Mac Tips & Answers
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Lead Tester
Registered: 06/07/09
Posts: 1256
Loc: California (USA)
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**IMPORTANT MESSAGE** Is it ok to change the date and time on my computer to make my game go faster and/or to get lots of coins? No, we highly recommend that you NOT alter your computer clock to make your game go faster or to get coins. It prevents the game from running normally, due to the complexities of the game's real-time engine, which requires an accurate clock. While that sort of "time travel" is a popular way to speed up game play, real-time games rely on the accuracy of the computer's system clock to operate properly. Unpredictable results can occur if adjustments are made to the clock, especially moving the clock backwards in time. Different games will respond differently under those circumstances, ranging from minor statistics anomalies to killing whatever is living in the game. Virtual Families 2: Our Dream House has a much more complex real-time engine than some of our other games, and you're much more likely to see problems with it when adjusting the system clock.
The adverse effects on Virtual Families 2: Our Dream House after adjusting the clock include:
- One or more family members no longer get older
- Advancing to new generations may not be possible
- Nursing moms will not wean their babies
- Food supply and bank account may become unreliable
- Marriage proposals and other emails stop arriving
- The random events will not occur
- The store will stop updating the flea market and sale items
- The maid and gardener may stop coming to the house
While many people do adjust their system clocks to speed up play, doing so affects far more than just the games. Every application in your computer is affected, including the file system and other system applications. For all of those reasons, we do not recommend changing your computer's clock to speed up game play.
If you've adjusted your computer's clock and are now having problems with your game running normally, there are a couple of ways to resolve the problem:
1) You could wait for some period of time to see if the game recovers on its own. This will usually happen when the actual time on your device "catches up" with the furthest date/time that occurred due to clock adjustments. Unfortunately, we can't predict how long you may have to wait, since it will depend upon how far into the future the clock was adjusted. Pausing the game while you wait for that to happen can make the wait easier.
2) You could delete the malfunctioning game from the Manage Games area. You will lose all progress in that particular player slot and will need to start over from the beginning, but the game will operate normally again, as long as no further clock adjustments occur. 1. How do I get my couple to try to make a baby? Make sure your little couple has a cozy place to snuggle (sofa or bed will work) and then drag the adult male onto the adult female or vice versa. With any luck, your little family will have a new addition soon! 2. My couple won't make a baby. As soon as it says "Trying to make a baby", one of the little people walks away to do something else. This usually occurs because there is something blocking the path between your little person and where they need to go (bed, sofa, etc). The most likely cause is furniture or other decor items that you have placed in the house. Even if it looks clear to you, they might think it isn't. Our little family members can be pretty picky about what "clear" means! Some examples of how to correct the problem are: - If the little people suddenly change their mind about trying to make a baby, try moving the bed or couch away from any walls and try for a baby again.
- If it still gives you trouble, place the bed or couch on the front porch (or even in the yard). They shouldn't have any problems getting to the furniture then.
Just make sure to put it back into the house afterward, so that the little people don't have to sleep outdoors and make themselves sick! 3. My couple always argue about having a baby, what do I do? If they argue, just keep dropping them onto each other repeatedly until they try. There is no need to wait. Keep in mind that (just like real people) the more children they have, the less likely they are to want more children, which can cause them to argue about having another baby. This is especially true if one or both of the parents are showing "Not Really" or "No Way" for wanting children. It is also recommended that you make sure they are happy, healthy and well fed, although I have had babies (and even multiples) when my little peeps were exhausted and hungry.  4. My couple keeps saying "It's too soon" to make a baby, what do I do? You can see the "too soon" message either after the mom stops nursing the baby or shortly after a previous attempt at baby making. How long a couple will want to wait after a baby is born before having another child, or between attempts to produce a baby, varies depending upon their desire to have children. For example, couples who "definitely" want children will be willing to try sooner than those who "no way" want children. The length of time you will need to wait between attempts can range from 15 to 45 minutes. Just keep trying. 5. My couple won't make a baby. How do I adopt a child? You can adopt children at any time by accessing the Special Upgrades category in the Store and clicking "Adoption Services." Each adoption costs 4000 coins. Your little family will then grow by one. 6. What is the cutoff age for having children? When is a woman too old to have babies? There is no set age at which couples can no longer produce a baby. As with real life, though, it will be rare to see a baby born to couples in their 50s and beyond, although they can still adopt a child. 7. What is baby boost? How does baby boost work? Can baby boost give me twins or triplets? Baby boost simply increases the chances of having a baby. Because there is a small chance of having a multiple birth when you are successful at having a baby, then yes, it can increase the chance of a multiple birth (but only because it increases the chance of a birth). A doctor's consult will tell you if one or both of your little people need baby boost. 1. My little people are freaking out because the sink is leaking, the shower or toilet is clogged, or there's a fire burning. They won't fix it or do anything else. What do I do? One of your little people (age 14 and up) must fix the sink / shower / toilet / fire before everyone will calm down and do something else. See this post for spoilers on how to fix these common household problems. Sometimes it will take an additional minute for other family members to realize that the problem has been fixed. If it bothers you, you can always pick them up and drop them after the repair is complete to "snap" them out of it. 2. My little person gets stuck when I praise him/her. They just stand there waving. What's wrong? This happens when your little person doesn't like jumping. Just pick them up and put them back on task after praising them. You can also purchase the "Systematic Desensitization" in your little person's Upgrade Me! section to remove the dislike.
To access the "Upgrade Me!" section for each of your little people:
1) Click your little person to select them, then click their portrait (picture) near the bottom-left of the game play area, opening their "Details" screen.
2) Click the purple "badge" labeled "Upgrade Me" at the upper-left corner on the Details screen. You will now see all the upgrades that are available for that little person. You may see checkmarks on services that you did not purchase. Don't worry, these checkmarks just mean your little person does not need these services at this time.
3) Choose the upgrade you want, click "OK' to dismiss the confirmation, then click "Done" to return back to the game play area. Voila! 3. Why are my little people constantly looking for snacks, heating up food, etc? Just like you and me, your little family gets hungry. Teach them how to prepare a meal and then sit them down to eat it. If they still insist on looking for snacks when meals are present, and it bothers you, scold them so that they will learn that you want them to eat meals instead. 4. How can I find out how much food my little people have in the refrigerator? Click the refrigerator, and the available amount of food will be shown above the Action/Status bar at the bottom of the screen. It's important to make sure that your little family always has enough food to eat, especially when left overnight, or if you're going to be away for a long time. Otherwise they may become weak and starve. 5. My little people never do what I want them to do! They won't work on their career. The kids are always being naughty and disrupting their parents. How you shape your little people's behavior is completely up to you! Your family continues to do what they have learned from you, based on what you encourage (with the green glove) or discourage (with the red glove). If you want them to work on their career, place them in the career room and praise them with the green glove (or yummy candy/fruit) when they begin to work on their career. When a child is being naughty, discourage the behavior by using the red glove on them (or salty candy). Just remember to praise them for positive behaviors; otherwise they will become "a bit blue" and later "depressed." 6. Why are there checkmarks next to "Psychotherapy" and/or "Systematic Desensitization" in the Upgrade Me! section for my little person? I didn't buy them. When these items are "checked" it means your little person does not need these services at this time. Think of it as purchase protection. Desensitization is useful for removing a dislike. Very handy when you have a peep who dislikes "running". Psychotherapy will help your family member only if they are depressed, in which case, there will be no checkmark, and you will be able to purchase the service if you want to use it. 7. My couple just had a baby! How can I see what it is? You can see what the new baby looks like, and his or her name, by viewing the "Family Tree" in the Family screen. Click the “Menu” button at the bottom-left of the game play screen, click “Family” and scroll down. The last child shown to the right of the parents is the new addition to your little family. 8. How long does it take to nurse a baby? How long until a baby grows up? How fast do my little people age? From birth to two years of age takes the equivalent of 4 hours of our time. From two years of age until death our little people age at approximately one year every four hours. So from two years, until they leave home at the age of nineteen years, is a total of 68 hours of real life time. 9. How long do kids stay in the house? What happens when the kids leave home? Children stay at home until the age of 19, unless you've sent them to boarding school or they went off to be famous. You won't see them again until you're ready to choose one of them to begin the next generation, although they do send their parents e-mails occasionally. The parents continue to live in the home.
Upon the death of either spouse, you are presented with the "Next Generation" screen with complete instructions on choosing your next generation. You may choose to wait and begin your next generation after the remaining spouse has died, meaning your family will continue to live in the house with the surviving spouse and remaining children under the age of 19, or you may choose ONE child to pass the house to and begin your next generation immediately.
When you choose to begin the next generation all the children are randomized - their ages, desire for children and jobs are completely random, just as when you chose your first adoptee. You select one of them to inherit the house, all of its furnishings, the family bank account, collectibles and all of the progress you have made in the game.
10. Can kids work? Children do not have careers. However, they can be very helpful around the house by washing dishes, taking out the trash, cleaning dirt smudges, wrappers and socks up off the floor. Of course they can also pick up collectibles while their parents are busy working. 11. Can I train my kids to choose the career I want them to have? No. When you choose next generation, the children's ages, careers and other information are completely randomized. Only their names, likes and dislikes and appearance stay the same. 12. I put the husband in the shower, then he takes a nap in it! Is he sick? It is possible that someone in the family opened a "special" e-mail and it had a delayed effect on him. LOL! After he finishes his shower he should automatically go take a nap. If you have other plans for him you can pick him up and then put him down and he'll go do something else. 1. One (or more) of my little people is weak or extremely weak and their health is low. How do I raise it? First of all, make sure there is food in the refrigerator. Next, if they are sick, you must cure the sickness. If their status shows that they are "Sick," drop them several times until their action line gives you an indication of the symptom they are having. The symptom will let you know what medication they will need from the store. In addition to illnesses that require basic medications, our little people sometimes get infections that will require antibiotics. A physician consult will tell you if they have an infection and, if so, which antibiotic they need. Fruits, antibacterial hand gel and vitamins (sometimes available in the Flea Market) are also helpful for improving health. For a spoiler of sicknesses and cures see this post. 2. One (or more) of my little people is tired or exhausted a lot. How do I raise their energy? The game is designed to run in "real time" so that your little people get a full night's rest when you do. The game should be closed for 6-8 hours and left un-paused so that they can sleep uninterrupted. Your little people will feel more rested if they each have a bed to sleep in. Also make sure that the Reverse Day/Night box in the Settings Menu is set to "No." 3. My little person/family is depressed or a little blue. What is wrong? How can I make them happy? Our little families will become depressed after they lose a family member. They usually recover fairly quickly from the loss though. People who “definitely” want children can become “blue” or “depressed” if they don't have them. However, those who “no way” want children will often go from happy to elated when they get them. Illnesses also bring their happiness levels down. There are many ways to improve your little people's moods. Spend time with them; they enjoy attention from you. Praising them for good actions using the green glove, candy and/or fruits, purchasing home improvements, as well as keeping the house clean are just a few examples. You can also purchase Psychotherapy services for your little person by clicking their Upgrade Me! button on their Details page. 1. I bought a maid and a gardener. They came once and then they left. The maid and the gardener don't actually live at the house. They come when needed (as you enter the game), do their work and then they leave. They will come back once every hour. They prefer to work during the day, so you won't see them at night. 2. Help! There's a wrapper/sock on the floor and nobody will pick it up, no matter how many times I drop them on it. For wrappers, this usually means 1 of 2 things: Either the trash can is full or your little people "think" that something is blocking their path to the trash can. To tell the difference, look at the message in the player feedback area (the blue area above the Action/Status bar). When you drop a family member on the wrapper, the feedback area will either say that the trash is full, or there will be no feedback/message and the little person will choose another activity and walk off. If the trash is full, drop one of your little people at the trash can to take out the trash. If the trash is not full, your little person "thinks" there's something blocking a clear path to the trash can. Try moving furniture or other decor items that could be perceived as "blocking" your little person's path and have them try to pick up the wrapper again. If they still fail, continue moving things our of their way until they are able to place the wrapper into the trash. For socks: Drop a family member on the sock and look at their Action line. If it says "Picking up a sock" and then quickly changes to something else and the little person walks away, then your little person "thinks" there's something blocking their path to the washer (or to the sock pile in the bathroom if you don't yet have a washer). Try moving furniture or other decor items that could be perceived as "blocking" your little persons path and have them try to pick up the sock again. Continue moving things our of their way until they are able to take the sock where it needs to go. 3. How do I fix the house/hire workers to fix the house? To fix the house, click “Store” and then “Home Renovation” to see which rooms are available to fix. After you make your purchase, a team of workers will arrive at the home to complete the renovation. Additional rooms become available as your family progresses to the 5th generation, at which point all rooms will be unlocked. 4. How do I progress to different levels? When one of the adults has passed away you will be given the opportunity to choose one of the children to pass the house to, to begin a new generation (level). You will be able to choose any child in the family (a child still living in the home or one who has gone away to college or boarding school). If you're not ready, you can wait until the second adult passes. 5. Can I sell the furniture and other decor items that I no longer want? Yes. To sell these items, with the Decor tray open, drag the furniture you want to sell to the area outside the front gate. Green colored text will come up above the item and will tell you the number of coins you will get for it. Example: Sell for 22. If you're happy with that price then drop the item and it will be gone and the coins will be added to the family bank. Don't expect to get the full price of the item. If you decide not to sell it then don't drop it. Put the item back into the house or in your decor tray. Once sold you cannot retrieve the item but you can repurchase it from the store. 6. Why are all my little family members freaking out about the leaky sink, clogged toilet/shower, and fire instead of doing something to fix it? Your little people do not know how to fix these problems without your guidance. Take one of your little people (age 14 and up) to the right tool for the job and they will happily fix the problem. See this post for spoilers on how to fix these common household problems. Sometimes it will take an additional minute for other family members to realize that the problem has been fixed. If it bothers you, you can always pick them up and drop them after the repair is complete to "snap" them out of it. 1. I bought everything in the Flea Market and it didn't restock. Is this a glitch? The Flea Market restocks approximately every 6-7 hours. 2. Why are items 1/2 price in the Sale category of the store but at the same time full price in another category of the store? Those are actually two different "places" to purchase items. Think of it as separate showrooms (one for the regular store, and one in an "overstock" area). In order to get the sale price, you must go to the sale area. 3. What do the locks on store items mean? The number on the locks tells you how many generations need to have owned the house before that item can be accessed. Once you have reached that generation, the lock will be removed. 1. I can't find any bugs! Where are the bugs? Are there any tips for finding bugs? Bugs like it when it's wet outside. Try looking for them when it is raining. There is also an e-mail weather event from the helpful neighbor, and tropical rain is sometimes available in the Flea Market area of the Store. There's also another surprise way to get bugs. 2. Where is the Family / Collections / Goals Screens? To access the Family Screen/Family Tree (and other menu screens):
1) Click the orange "Menu" button at the lower-left of the game play area.
2) Then click whichever screen you want to view: Settings, Goals, Family, Help, Upgrades!, Store, Collections.
3) click "Done" to return to the game play area.
4) To leave the Menu click the "X" in the upper-right corner of the screen.
You can also access the Collections screen in-game by dropping one of your little people on the wide cabinet in the hallway, outside of the kitchen/office. Also see Fires, leaks, clogs and more! for additional tips.
_________________________
Kathy
Lead Tester
Last Day of Work
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