Have you actually tried this?

I'm betting that it crashes with the base game. Unfortunately, I can't test this for you because the BaseGame Starter hasn't been updated for Apartment Life.

You see, the internal structure of the lot package changes with each new EP that you install, so that lots are not (generally) backwards compatible. In fact, to load any lot, people will need (at the very least) the latest EP used to create the lot (FreeTime), or any EP released after that one (Apartment Life). This is true even for unfurnished lots.

The only way to make a lot compatible with a lower EP than the latest one that you have installed is to use the AnyGame Starter:
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=250555

or the BaseGame Starter:
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=107015

to create the lot.

If you did use one of these programs to create the unfurnished versions, you should probably say so...

I did not realize this. Actually I can't get the base game starter or any game starter to work on my computer. It always tells me to insert the Free Time CD. Maybe they aren't compatible then. So would it require all EPs I have installed or just the most recent one I am running?

All lots require the EPs you actually have installed. If you package a completely empty lot, it requires all the EPs you have installed. Please remove that bit from the title so folks don't get confused and go crashing their games.

I think that there are very few people who really understand how EP requirements work. The safest thing is to specify everything that you have installed. You shouldn't make any assumptions about what else will work unless you have actually tried the combination using the AnyGameStarter or BaseGameStarter.

I'm not that proficient with either of those programs... they've always just worked for me. You'd probably have better luck asking questions on that thread.

You should really try to get the BGS or AGS running on your machine... they are wonderful tools, especially for lot creators. Good luck!

I'm going to have to try to get the BGS to work again. Thanks all for clearing this up for me. Do the Stuff Packs affect the lots too if you don't use stuff from them?

Yes. The earliest SPs (Family Fun, Glamour Life) actually change the lot package structure, so that they are not compatible with earlier EPs (University, Nightlife, Open for Business). At some point, EA got smart and decided to stop doing this. SPs from Celebration on are basically equivalent to the Pets EP... ie, if you have Pets or later, and use nothing from a stuff pack, then you should be able to use the clean installer* on the lot to remove the requirement for that stuff pack.

However, the safest thing is to use the BGS or AGS when creating the lot to ensure that you are using the minimal required set of EPs/SPs. If you didn't use one of these programs to create the lot, then you should use the BGS / AGS to test alternate configurations before making any claims.

* My understanding is that the Clean Installer removes the "mark" that EA puts into files to say which EPs and SPs are required. It does nothing else to ensure that a lot is compatible with a particular set of EPs and SPs.

Alrighty then. I guess any lots I make until I can get the BGS or AGS working will require all my EPs & SPs. I'm going to have to work on getting that working. Thanks evryone for helping me understand this!