Hi, I'm trying to download MATY's empty templates because everytime I try to use other ones I end up still having downtownies, uni townies, etc. But the links to the empty download files are either broken or you need to be registered (not sure which). I keep trying to register but it says they think I'm a robot lol because the trivia question they have posted as verification isn't accepting my answer even though I literally googled it (it's asking the capital of assyria but when I google it, it lists 5 different names S.O.S lol). So i was wondering if anyone either knows where these have moved or can help me access them if it is a case of needing to be registered. Thanks

I should also specify that I want NO townies/maxis made sims, as well as no downtownies and dormies, and I would also love to be able to create the NPC sims (outside of the ones you can't touch like reaper)

There are better made safer templates now. Moving this to where can I find.

This:
http://meetme2theriver.livejournal.com/63030.html
Tarlia has cleaned the Maxis hoods, and tells you how to have "empty" hoods (not townies)

As Jo says, the empty templates on MATY are no longer considered the best way to get neighbourhoods without Maxis townies. At one time I used to use Argon's empty Pleasantview template from MATY so I wouldn't get Pleasantview townies in my custom 'hoods, but the late great Mootilda (arguably the most knowledgeable Simmer ever) persuaded me that I would be better just to remove the Pleasantview template (N001) from my program Files when creating a new neighbourhood. The precise location of the base game templates varies according to exactly what version of The Sims 2 you have, but it will be something like:
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2\Base\TSData\Res\UserData\Neighborhoods\N001
If you remove that folder while creating a new custom 'hood, you definitely won't get the Pleasantview townies or NPCs -- the game can't possibly add them if it can't find their templates!

If, as you say, you have empty templates, but you're still getting Maxis townies, I think you must have put them in the wrong place. These templates must go under Program Files\EA GAMES and like the one above they are quite deeply nested. Myself I only have the first 3 EPs, and I started with Double Deluxe. So my Downtown template is located at
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Double Deluxe\EP2\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate\D001
I added EPs 1 (University) and 3 (Open for Business) myself so my university templates are:
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 University\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate\U001
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 University\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate\U002
and
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 University\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate\U003
My Bluewater template is
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Open For Business\TSData\Res\NeighborhoodTemplate\B001
Again the exact locations will vary according to what versions you bought, but they will be something like that. When you use cleaned or empty templates, they must replace the Maxis templates in these locations.

Myself I would recommend the clean templates by tarlia/meetme2theriver. See grammapat's link above.

For the so-called "stealth" 'hoods that come with EPS from Pets onwards, Jawusa here at MTS is the expert.

Hope this is some help. I'm very tired tonight.

Thank you all for your helpful comments, while waiting for responses I came across Jawusa's clean and empty templates and set those up (following the instructions to a tee) to set up an empty (no playables or townies) neighborhood but ran into some problems. I installed all the "notownieregen" etc. mods, disabled the pleasantview N001 folder and set up the custom neighborhood with no issues (checked the characters folder when I was done and there were none so I know I did that part right) but the minute I add the downtown, university, or vacation destinations my folder gets flooded with townies as well as the playables remain in those hoods even though I used the empty templates by Jawusa. I downloaded their empty Bluewater Village template, university templates, vacation templates and downtown template as well as the empty stealth hoods and followed the instructions but still am getting townies once I had these sub hoods. Any ideas? I am running the Ultimate Collection through origin on Windows 10 if that makes any difference but I doubt it does. Any suggestions as to why that could be? Thanks in advance and once again thanks for the help thus far, it's greatly appreciated

I should also add that in Jawusa's instructions he says to cut and paste the folders and to NOT replace any existing files (so I didn't). Should I have? Is that the problem?

You did remove the existing files, right? You have to delete them before cutting and pasting. Cutting and pasting is simply so you don't copy over them, which can not work properly.

I did for the stealth templates (as per the instructions) but Jawusa said to cut and paste without replacing anything so I assumed that meant not to delete anything, should I delete the D001, U001, U002, U003, B001, A001, T001 and M001 folders before placing Jawusa's folders? I tend to follow instructions for the sims 2 to a tee due to the endless possibilities of hood corruption. Please let me know if I'm wrong in thinking this about the folders!

I would have thought you'd have to delete the old ones, or the Sims in the original Maxis templates won't be removed. Look at the Characters sub-folders of these templates; if there are Sims in those sub-folders, then you're going to get those Sims in neighbourhoods created using those templates. But @Jawusa should know best how to install her own creations. So I've tagged her (with the @ sign) so hopefully she'll come to this thread and tell us what, if anything, you're doing wrong.

Delete the original folders. You shouldn't have two of them or the game won't know which to use.

I deleted the original folders and it seems to be working now Thanks everyone for the help!!

I think there's something I don't understand here. So please educate me - If you're making a new hood, and you'd like it empty, can't you just choose the customised map option? They look pretty empty to me?? I swear I'm feeling so stupid right now!

If you create a new neighborhood you can choose a map with no houses/lots and so no sims already living there. But you'll still have the bin sims and all the townies, dormies stray pets...
If you don't want any of them you'll have to use clean templates, stealth hoods and "no-regen" mods.

'Empty' templates - not clean ones. Clean ones still have the EAxis sims.