Question about general game maintenance

LadybugLeslie

Experienced simmers- is there anything I can do to reduce the physical amount of file space the sims takes up on my computer? Also curious about any other types of "best practices" in regards to the save files, etc. My game has gotten huge and is taking over my laptop's hard drive! It also takes forever to load up my save, but it has always seemed to be that way, so I'm not sure if there is anything to be done about that.

Bronwin2

Well first of all the game is not really designed to run on a laptop. On thing you can do is remove items from your downloads folder after you install them. You could also save your save games to external media and them put them back when you decide to play them.

kmsim15

Well there a few things in the Sims 3 folder that you can delete. Now one thing to remember, Don't delete any folder itself, just delete what is inside a folder. You can delete what is inside the World Caches folder, as well as what is inside the FeaturedItems folder. You can delete what is inside the DCBackup folder, except for the ccmerged.package file. Do not delete the ccmerged.package file, if you do that can cause problems. There are also Cache files that you can delete: CASPartCache.package, compositorCache.package, scriptCache.package, simCompositorCache.package and socialCache.package.

The Cache files will reappear everytime you start the game up. Files will also reappear in the World Caches folder and the FeaturedItems folder. Files will also reappear in the DCBackup folder, but I find that they don't reappear for me everytime. I just make it a habit to go through and delete everything everytime after I finish playing the game. But remember not to delete the ccmerged.package file in the DCBackup folder. If you accidently delete the ccmerged.package file don't worry, there is a way to restore it. The instructions for that are in this link: https://nonasims.wordpress.com/tag/ccmerged/

LadybugLeslie

Bronwin2 wrote: »

Well first of all the game is not really designed to run on a laptop. On thing you can do is remove items from your downloads folder after you install them. You could also save your save games to external media and them put them back when you decide to play them.

It's an alienware M11x designed for gaming, so it runs it pretty well. The startup was always slow though, even when I played on a desktop. So removing items from the download folder doesn't remove them from the game? I was always afraid...

LadybugLeslie

kmsim15 wrote: »

Well there a few things in the Sims 3 folder that you can delete. Now one thing to remember, Don't delete any folder itself, just delete what is inside a folder. You can delete what is inside the World Caches folder, as well as what is inside the FeaturedItems folder. You can delete what is inside the DCBackup folder, except for the ccmerged.package file. Do not delete the ccmerged.package file, if you do that can cause problems. There are also Cache files that you can delete: CASPartCache.package, compositorCache.package, scriptCache.package, simCompositorCache.package and socialCache.package.

The Cache files will reappear everytime you start the game up. Files will also reappear in the World Caches folder and the FeaturedItems folder. Files will also reappear in the DCBackup folder, but I find that they don't reappear for me everytime. I just make it a habit to go through and delete everything everytime after I finish playing the game. But remember not to delete the ccmerged.package file in the DCBackup folder. If you accidently delete the ccmerged.package file don't worry, there is a way to restore it. The instructions for that are in this link: https://nonasims.wordpress.com/tag/ccmerged/

Awesome- thanks so much!

emorrill

kmsim15 wrote: »

Well there a few things in the Sims 3 folder that you can delete. Now one thing to remember, Don't delete any folder itself, just delete what is inside a folder. You can delete what is inside the World Caches folder, as well as what is inside the FeaturedItems folder. You can delete what is inside the DCBackup folder, except for the ccmerged.package file. Do not delete the ccmerged.package file, if you do that can cause problems. There are also Cache files that you can delete: CASPartCache.package, compositorCache.package, scriptCache.package, simCompositorCache.package and socialCache.package.

The Cache files will reappear everytime you start the game up. Files will also reappear in the World Caches folder and the FeaturedItems folder. Files will also reappear in the DCBackup folder, but I find that they don't reappear for me everytime. I just make it a habit to go through and delete everything everytime after I finish playing the game. But remember not to delete the ccmerged.package file in the DCBackup folder. If you accidently delete the ccmerged.package file don't worry, there is a way to restore it. The instructions for that are in this link: https://nonasims.wordpress.com/tag/ccmerged/

^^^^Yeah, that.
Took the words right out of my mouth.
Here is a great VISUAL tutorial of how to do everything kmsim15 just mentioned.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=TpcO_dSmUTE

igazor

LadybugLeslie wrote: »

So removing items from the download folder doesn't remove them from the game? I was always afraid...

The game doesn't read the Downloads folder; only the Launcher does. Content that has already been installed is actually bundled up in dbc and ebc files in a folder called DCCache. If you remove those, then Launcher installed content will disappear from your game. Sims3packs do not need to stay in Downloads after installation and are better stored elsewhere.

As for other types of game maintenance, perhaps this page will help?
http://nraas.wikispaces.com/Tips+For+Better+Game+Performance (some but not all mod related)

LadybugLeslie

igazor wrote: »

LadybugLeslie wrote: »

So removing items from the download folder doesn't remove them from the game? I was always afraid...

The game doesn't read the Downloads folder; only the Launcher does. Content that has already been installed is actually bundled up in dbc and ebc files in a folder called DCCache. If you remove those, then Launcher installed content will disappear from your game. Sims3packs do not need to stay in Downloads after installation and are better stored elsewhere.

As for other types of game maintenance, perhaps this page will help?
http://nraas.wikispaces.com/Tips+For+Better+Game+Performance (some but not all mod related)

Oh wow! That link is great! I'm running errortrap and overwatch after a sad time several years ago when I had to dump my legacy family after 4 generations due to a corrupt save I'll have to get that traffic mod, because my mod deletes like 3,000 vehicles every night.

Despite all these years, I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of the sims and hardly know what I'm doing!

LadybugLeslie

emorrill wrote: »

^^^^Yeah, that.
Took the words right out of my mouth.
Here is a great VISUAL tutorial of how to do everything kmsim15 just mentioned.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=TpcO_dSmUTE

Perfect! That really helped

igazor

LadybugLeslie wrote: »

Despite all these years, I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of the sims and hardly know what I'm doing!

You aren't alone. I have easily over a hundred mods in place, gigabytes of CC, and an entire arsenal of utilities to fix game saves, adjust package files, etc. Yet sometimes I load up the game and stare at it like a deer caught in the headlights not knowing what in the world I was doing either.

I think it's exactly that evolved complexity of TS3, for those who really want to get into it, that has kept it popular all these years. But yet many of us have to ignore some game features and third party created options that we just haven't had time to explore yet for sanity's sake.

LadybugLeslie

igazor wrote: »

I think it's exactly that evolved complexity of TS3, for those who really want to get into it, that has kept it popular all these years. But yet many of us have to ignore some game features and third party created options that we just haven't had time to explore yet for sanity's sake.

It is sad to me. As the EPs have expanded the game play my available simming time has decreased I have basically just used supernatural as a stuff pack, I haven't really explored any of the game play that brought in. Crazy. Same with into the future. Alas- one day my sims will have conquered it all

Thanks again for that nraas link. I always tend to end up on nraas site when I'm on my phone, and I've never really explored it. That webpage was exactly what my bloated sim files needed!!

igazor

LadybugLeslie wrote: »

It is sad to me. As the EPs have expanded the game play my available simming time has decreased I have basically just used supernatural as a stuff pack, I haven't really explored any of the game play that brought in. Crazy. Same with into the future. Alas- one day my sims will have conquered it all

Thanks again for that nraas link. I always tend to end up on nraas site when I'm on my phone, and I've never really explored it. That webpage was exactly what my bloated sim files needed!!

You're most welcome.

And don't be sad. I have 10 of the 11 EPs installed and there must be a hundred things I've wanted to but haven't taken the time to explore fully yet. One of these days I'm going to make a spreadsheet of careers, skills, occult activities, recreational things, etc. that I keep meaning to take to their highest level and just general gameplay ideas that sound fun but I've never had time to give a try. I never seem to have the time to put such a formal list together either.

But I will be a little sad when I do get around to installing ITF, the one holdout. Only because it's the last one and the last chance for the game to totally overwhelm me to the point of total bewilderment.

LadybugLeslie

igazor wrote: »

But I will be a little sad when I do get around to installing ITF, the one holdout. Only because it's the last one and the last chance for the game to totally overwhelm me to the point of total bewilderment.

It will!! ITF unlocks so much additional game play. I sent one of my sims to the future, and I was like "omg- ok, we'll need to revisit this later!" ha. So much to do.