The Sims 2: FreeTime

The game overall is fun, but the copyright protection prevented me from being able to start the game normally. About 50% of the time the copy protection (aka Securom) told me that I had a backup disk in the drive when I had the copy of the game that I paid for. I have since uninstalled the game and sold it to a local gaming business. If I buy a game I expect it to work 100% of the time. It was way too stressful trying to figure out how to start it.

Just be aware this product contains some security software called SecuROM.
The game ran on my system exactly once before the SecuROM software shut it down. The SecuROM software would insist I had loaded a backup or a copy and would not allow the game to run. Ea customer support blamed everything from my video driver to dust on the disk. I still haven't gotten the game to run again. I liked the game very much the one time I got to play it.
Caveat emptor

Free Time adds many new dimensions to the Sims2 gaming experience. I did enjoy building my own robots and restoring old cars. There is so much to do now that if it were possible maybe too much.

The Sims 2: Free Time EP gives you Sim the opportunity to have hobbies. Sims can now have many interests which include Cuisine, Nature, Music and Dance, Sports, Fitness, Arts and Crafts, and Tinkering plus a few others. You can use older items from the Sims to build Sims interest in their hobbies. The easel is builds up interst in Arts and Crafts, the telescope increases interest in Science, and the swimming pool increases interest in Fitness. Sims can "tinker" with the showers, bathtubs and garbage disposals. It also inclues new items like the car for Tinkering, a pottery wheel and sewing machine for Arts and Crafts, and ballet bar for Music and Dance. When Sims build up interest (similar to building skill points) they open up different options like the ability to talk about their hobby, read about their hobby, and blog about it. They can also subscribe to hobby magazines and gain memberships to clubs on secret lots. When the interest is maxed out Sims get "in the zone" and their needs go down more slowly. Sims also get a Lifetime aspiration meter and can get a Secondary Aspiration.
This EP also includes some much wanted new items for babies and toddlers. There is a new style of baby furniture items, including a crib with a canopy, and the activity table which toddlers and children can build their mechanical and creativity skill points. The activity table is my favorite new item included in this EP.
The downside to this EP is that it has some problems. The Sims needs decline much more quickly with this EP. It's is hard to build up hobby interest when the Sims energy, hunger, and hygiene go down very quickly. Another issue is that the nannies refuse to use any of the new baby items that came with Free Time. They won't put the babies in the crib and they won't use the new changing table. Instead they lay the babies on the floor and change them in the middle of the room, leaving a dirty diaper laying there. Other people have complained that the EP is incompatible with the kitchen and bath items from the Kitchen and Baths Stuff Pack. The Sims cannot tinker with the new showers or tubs and they can't get leftovers or make platters with the new fridges. However, EA games does have a patch on the Sims 2 website that fixes some of these issues. I think this EP is definitely worth getting but it definitely requires the patch.

This EP is soooo much fun. There are many hobbies you can get your sims into! But sometimes my sims aint got "time" to do any of them because they need to study for promotions and college! lol Anywho, you do get a lot of phone calls from "hobby people" all the time, but I ignore them. Oh and they may walk up in your sims house while sitting on the toilet. lol (ignore it). If you are able to play the Apt Life EP, you have the option to screen and silent calls. Awesome!

The secret lots in this game are alright I guess. I love doing the cook-offs and dance contests.

Cool new kitchen appliances, furniture, walls, floors, hair and outfits.

Your sims hobbies are predestined depending on personality and whatnot but I found a mod to change them at simswardrobe.com...so i'm good. lol

I'm not sure about the whole securom thing, but i have had no problems, eventhough I worry that I will have issues when I play or load a new EP/SP.

I could probably write more, but...basically I love this EP.