My Sims 2 ✨Aesthetics✨ (Defaults, Lighting, Mods, CC Style)

I thought it might be useful to explain what's behind my game's current visuals, also counting in things I don't want to use/change.
♦️ BEFORE YOU ASK ME ABOUT MODS OR CC, go here → / mertikora
💎 Get early access to videos and other perks → / marticore
Skin default → www.mediafire.com/file/6w3ez9...
Eye default → app.box.com/s/2rmfxb7qkb
Default Replacement Database → sims2defaults.dreamwidth.org/
No more sandals → modthesims.info/d/354776/
Baby default 1 → roguebotanist.tumblr.com/post...
Baby default 2 → gardenofshadows.org.uk/garden...
MM Lighting old version → www.mediafire.com/file/sa07uu...
MM Lighting new version (includes installation instructions) → dreadpirate.tumblr.com/mmligh...
Cinema Secrets Lighting → veronavillequiltingbee.tumblr...
Shadow Fix → modthesims.info/d/569585/
Neighborhood camera → modthesims.info/d/305352/
No traffic in hood view → modthesims.info/d/272655
Sky Fix → simnopke.tumblr.com/post/1355...
Repository Project → / ts2repositoryproject
fanseelamb → modthesims.info/m/117050
4t2 hair database → docs.google.com/document/d/10...
Michelle → modthesims.info/downloads/all...
1-tile desks → modthesims.info/d/370799/
IKEA extras (google this phrase for way more) → jodeliejodelie.tumblr.com/pos...
Larger fonts (Needs, name baby etc.) → modthesims.info/d/563540/
Larger change appearance window → simfileshare.net/download/110...
Larger family tree window → modthesims.info/d/627300/
More CAS columns → modthesims.info/showthread.ph...
Bed sheets recolors → modthesims.info/downloads.php...
🟣Discord: / discord
🟠Instagram: / mertikora
🔵Facebook: themarticore/
⚪Twitter: / themarticore
🔴Polish channel: / @mertaodsimsow
0:00 Intro
0:31 Skin & eyes replacements
1:52 Hair & clothes replacements
2:42 Lighting system
4:16 Neighborhood camera & sky
4:56 CAS CC
6:14 Recolors
6:45 Furniture CC
7:03 No custom genetics
7:08 The UI
7:49 Outro

[@Marticore]

Note: I don't actually have SkyFix because it's already included in custom lighting. But can be useful as a standalone mod! OK, I admit, I replaced the propeller hair with something quite different... sue me 🫡 But another thing I would *never* replace are *FACE TEMPLATES!!!* Love them. I only installed a few custom ones. ...and the green baby bottle, it's too iconic 😆

[@Tamatchi_]

SUE ME 💀🤣

[@rianna_banana]

I have face replacements and I regret it deeplyyyyy!! My CC folder is a mess so I can’t find them 😂

[@halpyhal]

I am absolutely obsessed with hair cc with the maxis textures. Something about them is so crunchy, I adore it.

[@Marticore]

Yesssss!

[@Gleamiarts]

blurple is my fave colour. plurple gang rise up

[@__zy]

Just wanted to mention that Nopke is Polish and that's how he describes the pronunciation of his nickname: “I’m Nopke - *Nop* is stressed, and pronounced like in _mo[nop]oly,_ *ke* - like in _[ke]pt_ or like the name of the letter K”

[@Marticore]

Nopke is Polish?!?! You could just say "Polish pronunciation", I'll use it from now on!

[@achraf3852]

I love watching your videos while sewing, makes me more precise and happy to work.

[@julteon]

this video is gonna be the reason i finally try default replacements. ive been so scared of messing w the files but your game looks so beautiful!

[@EsperElves]

I never use visual CC because I prefer how the original game looks like. Actually, I really don‘t like this mod or CC with more modern graphics because it looks so off to me. One of the only things I‘d take into consideration is adding the skybox.

[@ThatDayDreamer_]

get well soon! I'm like you with the recolours of furniture (I have a lot of Michelle's from MTS recolours in my save for later) having way too much stuff is overwhelming to choose in Buy mode & a lot of the maxis furniture is really nice too imo I did however go on a binge of adding everything from MissMaxoid's LiveJournal cos I want all the DLC items (including the Sims 2 store specific items) 🙈😆

[@Bumblebeatnik]

I have a very similar aesthetic to yours, but mine leans a little bit more towards the original Silent Hill 2 but not as greasy looking. Thanks so much for uploading this, especially the wider CAS screen. :D I hope you get to feeling better soon, I hardly ever get sick either but when I do I'm down for the count for a couple days. xD

[@squid5377]

The only time I use Alpha hair is to differentiate Celebrity Sims (recreations like Avril Lavigne and Whoopi Goldberg or something) from casual Sims 🫠

[@Marticore]

Celebrities gotta be ✨shiny✨

[@squid5377]

@@Marticore the hair might be shinier than the career of the sims sometimes though 😭

[@Fairly-odd-kel]

Ooooo thank you! I've been looking for good Sims 2 stuff

[@punkd22]

love being a maxis girly but wish there were more maxis match hairstyles :( i am trying to learn how to make them myself but it is so hard!!

[@Jacksonsimmer]

Thank you ❤❤❤

[@uzay4242]

I was wondering about that dusk and dawn mod cuz it looks really pretty✨️ Also get well soon!!

[@mariagamboni1017]

Te amo Marticoreee

[@lauralopezgarcia3621]

Omg where are your sims' lashes from? And the freckles? They make your sims so beautiful! Thanks for the video!

[@Marticore]

My go to site is always good ol' ModTheSims, so this should be the first to go to find it :D

[@fuwafuwamoth]

thank you for this!! also the mediafire download for the old version of the lighting isnt working for some reason, not sure if im the only one experiencing this

[@InhumanRampage1000]

Hi Marticore. For me pinterest might be broken cuz it doesn't show the CC categories you've set up, might be a problem on my side. Before it broke, I remember seeing a mod on you pinterest that disables weather channel notifications, but the link didn't work or something like that. And googling didn't help, I might be missing something tho. Could you please share this mod if you still have it? Or at least tell where it's possible to find it. I've gotta farm science enthusiasm and I'm really tired of that notification anxiety lmao

[@reginageorge9289]

To me the eyes you are using are nothing like maxis match, they look pretty realistic to me almost like alpha

[@Marticore]

They are in the Maxis Match section at Sims2Defaults! 😆

[@lisa_g981]

I’d say the eyes are definitely Maxis match, there’s no distinct shine in them like in alpha/realistic eyes. The skinblend, however, I would classify as semi-realistic because of the slight shiney texture and nose+lips details.

[@allyso0n._]

sorry for the off topic but i need help. I sent my family on holiday in the takemizu village to a holiday home, only, after having furnished the house well I do not access the live mode... in the neighborhood marks that my family is in that house but I can neither see it and nor play, please I need help, is there any mod that can help me?

[@alycegallagher5887]

Where did you get the picture frame with the child’s photograph in it? (The one on the dresser 5 minutes in).

[@Marticore]

That's Desk Locator for putting homework away properly

[@alycegallagher5887]

@@Marticore Thank you 🥰

[@franciliguori4689]

Which bed recolor are you using?

[@Marticore]

A lot of them

[@valve_of_sorrow]

Dear Marticore, do you play Sims 3? If yes, do you have mods or something to make sims looks better, definitely, it depends on taste, but maybe you know something that can make them less "plasticky". Thank you very much :)

[@Marticore]

Yes, I use some defaults and a little bit of reshade. You can find some of it on my Pinterest! Or if you speak Polish, there's a video on my Polish channel 😆

[@valve_of_sorrow]

Don't speak, but mostly understand. Serdeczne dzieki!

[@Erecura]

What do you mean by 'Maxis match' or 'alpha' CC?

[@Marticore]

Alpha is supposed to be realistic, so it's most of all very shiny, and Maxis Match looks like it's from the game (more or less). Google it!

[@metropolotankreyole]

Wait. So you don't have the mod so you can genetically pass the alien eyes anymore ? Si you can have a completely human baby with black alien eyes ? I tried to follow one of you link from another video, but the mod doesn't exist anymore I think.😢 I want it so badly.

[@Marticore]

I do have the equal genetics mod and it still exists

[@metropolotankreyole]

@@Marticore oooh, so to have alien colored eyes we juste need equal genetics ?

[@Marticore]

Either Equal Genetics with the alien eye addition or CreatureFixes, I'm pretty sure

[@rosariokaplan2837]

i hate how you have such hard accent

[@Marticore]

Sorry

[@lisa_g981]

Then don’t watch the video if it bothers you that much? Not everyone is a native English speaker. And as a general rule of thumb: If you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all :)

[@CurlySpicyGirl]

Like you thought it was needed ? You should be ashamed of yourself. And I hope you at least speak two languages with a pristine accent.

[@Marticore]

Thanks guys 😎 Well, all I can do about my accent at this point is try to speak as clearly as I can and improve it overtime (which it does). I don't control my speech apparatus that well 😆 And I wouldn't even want to speak without an audible accent.

[@AntiAnte]

@@Marticoreoh my gosh please don't be sorry or insecure about it bcs a couple rude people! especially when it's quite pleasant to the ear 🩷