Developer Options

This is a sub-page of The Sims 2: Castaway (PlayStation 2, Wii).

There are a bunch of toggleable options left in the game, that were most likely used by the developers for testing and debugging while making the game.

General Options#

enable_new_main_menu#

Use the new "random" TSC6 main menu.

To do: Can this alternatively be enabled by swapping DATASETS.ARC\mainmenu with mainmenualt? In theory it should, even looking at DvdRead sector reads changing from LBA 1261418 to LBA 1252706 (PS2 USA), but untested yet.

An unused Main Menu variant where the background keeps constantly changing, showing random different scenery from all the islands. Some of them lack additional objects that would be seen normally in-game, such as the trees. Why this menu style ended up not being used remains a mystery.

Create-A-Sim Options#

enable_clothing_catalog#

If enabled the CAS has all the clothing in the game available

Makes all the Create-A-Sim clothing available, including craftable clothes and clothes that can arrive in crates.

enable_cas_icon_editing#

If true, Icon configuration options will be available in CAS.

Lets you cycle through the clothing options. Press O to change the clothing/accessory type and cycle forwards with R1 and backwards with L2. Some types such as head don't seem to have anything else to display, despite having 5 items, so instead you get a headless Sim.

enable_sim_npc_editing#

If true, NPC configuration options will be available in CAS.

A broken option, since there are no NPCs in this game. Normally the game will crash after the CAS, but if the crash is bypassed, after getting in-game you'll be in a world with no Sims, stuck forever on First Beach.

enable_cas#

Enable Create-A-Sim -- old Create-A-Roommate

Similarly broken option, will crash by default, but if bypassed, will also lead you to be permanently stuck in First Beach.

Gameplay Options#

enable_all_objects_moveable#

If enabled all objects can be moved

Lets you move around any of the pre-placed objects in the world.

enable_ignore_crafting_requirements#

If enabled crafting items uses no requirements

This option is meant to just ignore the requirements for your Sims skills and currently used crafting bench, but it also seems to disable the crafting resource limitations.

enable_ignore_crafting_resources#

If enabled crafting items uses no resources

As mentioned above, this option is technically redundant, but it still has an effect of its own by displaying that you have enough resources to craft something.

enable_show_all_plans#

If enabled all plans are visible

Shows all plans. Even those that aren't meant to be used everywhere, such as bridges and boats.

enable_uneven_terrain#

If enabled, don't draw tiles, walk/place on uneven terrain

Since all the previous Sims games had flat lots, this was introduced to work around that "limitation". Disabling this will make object and character stand on an even ground.

enable_ik#

If enabled, it would allow IK to work

By allowing inverse kinematics to work, it can, for example, make standing on uneven ground look better by placing the feet accordingly to ground level. This is kind of buggy, and may not always work.

disable_additional_raycasting#

If enabled, additional rays will be cast to keep sim's feet along slope of terrain

Seems to keep the Sim at the same level on the terrain as it would when inverse kinematics are disabled.

enable_midlot_fade_flags#

Enable midlot fade flags.

Disables some distant objects and the clouds?

disable_passive_influence#

Turns off all passive influence motives including MFJH.

Disables animations such as clicking fingers when music is played nearby and holding your nose when near an object that smells.

disable_shower_curtain#

disables the shower curtain

enable_all_lots_on_map#

Enable all lots for transport on pause menu map

enable_build_past_fire_code#

If enabled can build without regard to fire code

Only seems to work with objects, not so much with shelters, walls and such.

enable_modal_dialog_timeout#

Used to let modal dialogs timeout for autotesting.

When enabled, most if not all modal dialog boxes will only last on the screen for one second.

disable_object_highlighting#

If set object highlighting is disabled

Disables the ring below selectable nearby objects.

enable_3d_wall_fade#

If enabled the 3d wall fade system is used instead of 2d system

This option is enabled by default, but can be disabled and it'll prevent the walls from fading that are in front of the currently selected Sim.

stop_reading_DPD#

Stop reading the dpd for the cursor

Stops reading from the Wii Sensor Bar, thus making this game a lot more difficult to play. Needless to say, this option is only present in the Wii release.

Visual Options#

Camera Information#

Displays information on the screen about the camera and target position, and FOV.

Rendering Information#

This is only present on the Wii release. The values stay at 0 (nan) most of the time, and very rarely and briefly flash something in one of them.

display_performance_metrics#

Used to display the FPS and CPU.

Does exactly what's mentioned in the cheat subtitle. The Wii version only shows FPS and CPU, but PS2 also shows Ren and Vrt.

display_text_boundaries#

Used to highlight the boundaries on the TV where text can't touch.

Displays a red border around the screen, showing the area that would likely be hidden due to overscan on older TVs.

enable_flash_bounding_boxes#

Enable colored bounding boxes used by flash text.

Highlights the textbox regions and boundaries.

The next 4 hidden graphics options are only present in the Wii release, and each of their effects can be compared against this default image shown on the right of this text.

use_wii_multipass_shaders#

Use the multi-pass shader system

This option is enabled by default, and disabling it seems to make some surfaces like sand appear more rough.

use_new_wii_shader_system#

Use the new shader system

An option that's disabled by default. Enabling it on its own has some minor effects, such as making the clouds more transparent, however, if multipass shaders are disabled and this is enabled, it has some very trippy effects on the sand.

use_wii_cpu_smooth_skin#

Use CPU smooth skins (slower but prettier)

use_wii_vertex_intensity#

Use Wii vertex intensity

Yet another option that's enabled by default, and disabling it seems to hide dark spots such as shadows.

Miscellaneous Options#

enable_sound#

If set enables sound. Otherwise sound is turned off

Enabled by default, of course, but can be disabled.

skip_startup_movie#

If enabled the intro and maxis logo movies won't be played

Skips the EA logo video, as this game doesn't have neither the Maxis screen, nor an intro video.

disable_slide_show#

Disable the slideshow after CAS