Worthplaying has just informed me that there has been updates to the FreeTime Patch would adds a few more fixes to the list.

v1.13.0.161 changes since last patch:

• “Tinker” interaction is now available on the “Garbage Ninja by Kitchensations”, “Big and Brown Dishwasher by Romantic Notions”, “You Got Feets Bathtub”, and “SuperJet Corner Shower by Sleek Sensations”.
• Updated SecuRom version to resolve an issue where some players started their game through the launcher or clicked on the game executable, but never saw the game splash screen on monitor and fixed emulation problems players were experiencing.
• Added a new command line option “–blackfont” to make in-game fonts appear in black.
• Updated game code in order for The Sims 2 FreeTime to be compatible with The Sims 2 Store Edition. For users who have The Sims 2 FreeTime Expansion Pack installed, this patch must be installed in order to run The Sims 2 Store Edition with The SimsTM 2 FreeTime Expansion Pack. This patch runs automatically if FreeTime is already on your computer and you install The SimsTM 2 Store Edition on top of it.

For those that would like to try out the patch, you may do so here, but I’m still staying far, far away from it.

While I hate SecuROM very, very much there are still some of you out there who need to know about this.  A person on the EA UK forum emailed the developers of SecuROM and the devs came up with a fix for the “Emulation Software Detected” errors that many were getting with the FreeTime patch. 

“Hello,

Please rename your original <SIMS2EP7.exe> (located in the folder C:/Program Files/EA GAMES/The Sims 2 FreeTime/TSBin) to <SIMS2EP7.old>. Then, click on the link below or copy and paste it into your web browser. This will open a blank webpage and a File Download window. From the File Download window click Open, extract the new <SIMS2EP7.exe> into the original’s folder and re-start the application.

The link for the new file is:
http://www.securom.com/support/custo…0/Sims2EP7.zip

If the problem persists, please send another analysis file of the latest executable to us.

Best regards,

SecuROM Support Team
SecuROM on the web: SecuROM
or via e-mail: support@securom.com

NOTE: Please include the entire subject line, exactly as written including your ticket number, in the subject line of your communications to ensure proper handling.”

Thanks to SnootySims, you can catch the answers to the interview with Natasha Bedingfield over on the EA Australia site.  The official Sims 2 site has yet to publish it, but it should be posted anytime.  Many questions were good, but the answers seemed…to be lacking.

Q: Aquamarine996  – Was it hard to learn Simlish for your song?” & TinkerBell4993S-  Was it hard to learn the language? And was it weird singing it in Simlish?”
A: Natasha Bedingfield – Not really. it did make me feel like a one year old again though.  I took the task very seriously.. I wanted to get the pronunciation just right.

Q: Chrissy8550 – Do you think you’ve done anything wackier then made a song in Simlish? If so, what?  
A: Natasha Bedingfield -  Sure. I’m quite a wacky person.. I like quirky stuff… I wrote a song on my album with cowboy hat , a tutu, and a plastic bazooka. That’s my sense of humor.

Catch the rest of the interview here