Sims 3 doesn't work on my macbook pro

roversqueen13

So i just bought myself a brand new macbook pro and tried installing sims through origin this did not work, it allowed me to open the launcher and then would stick on the loading page with the green diamond and blue background. i then deleted the sims by removing all files into the trash and started again this did this for 3 of my attempts and didn't work. I then read some of the threads about trying to download it by using the "i" button to install it this didn't work either and wouldn't even let me open the launcher! i have read through many off the issues but still don't have an idea on how to get this to work really frustrated as it works perfectly fine on my iMac!!!! please please help!!! :'(

fan00123

I'm sorry to hear that it's not working on the new macbook. I've heard/read about this on a few threads! I believe there's a thread on here about this. They say that it might have to do with the new Intel Iris. I really wish I could help some more! Maybe someone else can help more than me, but I think it'd be really helpful if you list your computer specs.

Edit: Typo

ciane

I have an old macbook pro and will have problems with my game. I read a post once about changing a line in a file to help out. I'm not sure if I actually followed through with that or not. But... I often have to launch my game a few times to get it to actually load and while I think it isn't working, if I go away and come back it will surprise me. I click on apps>sims 3 to bring up the launcher (usually three times before I actually get a game to load right). It's a tricky thing. Good luck!

roversqueen13

thank you

roversqueen13

Graphics: Intel Iris Graphics 6100 1536 MB
Processer: 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5

Ashpeef

@roversqueen13: EA never updated (patched) the game to use the Iris card. That's why you're having problems. If you have a look at the other threads in this subforum on Mac based Simming you'll find quite a lot of complains about that -- and a few ideas about what to do.

A good starting point to read about successfully playing Sims on a Mac is the first (stickied) thread on the Mac-forum:
a-mac-users-best-friend-please-read-before-posting-any-new-problem-threads.
Start reading at the first page; all kinds of useful links are collected there. The first link there is a true treasure trove by BluebellFlora.

@ciane: Bypassing the Launcher and starting the game itself directly might be what you remember reading. Unless you have to (un)install things, you don't need the Launcher at all. Bypassing it prevents all kinds of problems. You can find the instructions by scrolling down the first page of BluebellFlora's above mentioned link a bit. Or go there directly: Bypassing the Launcher.

WinMacSims3

roversqueen13 wrote: »

Graphics: Intel Iris Graphics 6100 1536 MB
Processer: 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5

The reason The Sims 3 doesn't work on your MacBook Pro is because the game doesn't work on Intel Iris graphics. According to @BluebellFlora and @Ashpeef, TS3 has problems with Intel Iris and Intel Iris Pro graphics. If your iMac played TS3 without issues, you probably didn't have the 2.7 GHz iMac which has Intel Iris Pro. The higher-end models have Nvidia GeForce graphics.

Since EA will not update TS3 anymore, TS3 will never be patched to support Intel Iris. What's interesting is Intel Iris came out when Into the Future was released and yet in version 1.66, EA hasn't updated the game to work on Intel Iris. This is really jarring for Simmers who have a Mac that prefers TS3 over TS4.

I'm not sure if using Boot Camp to run TS3 on Windows will counter the Intel Iris problem. I think TS3 on Windows probably might have the issue as well although very few non-Apple PCs have Intel Iris so I don't think it will hurt the Windows users that much. Right now, the only way for Windows users to have Intel Iris problems would be due to running Windows on a Mac.

ciane

[quote=@ciane: Bypassing the Launcher and starting the game itself directly might be what you remember reading. Unless you have to (un)install things, you don't need the Launcher at all. Bypassing it prevents all kinds of problems. You can find the instructions by scrolling down the first page of BluebellFlora's above mentioned link a bit. Or go there directly: Bypassing the Launcher.[/quote]

That was exactly the instructions I have pasted into a stickie on my laptap. I just don't think I tried doing that yet.

And I did go for the NVidia graphics on mine. It's a sticking point with me for Sims computers. Both my PC and my Mac laptop have good graphics.

roversqueen13

i tried by passing the launcher that still didn't work it came up with:

Unable to start game
Service initialization failed (0x0175dcbb)

LeoraMartin

I have a problem like this too. :s
I hope someone can solve it!
(sorry for my bad english :sweat:)

roversqueen13

anyone got any other ideas i can do really want to play sims again

BluebellFlora

@roversqueen13 do you have Intel Iris graphics?

roversqueen13

@BluebellFlora yes i do

BluebellFlora

roversqueen13 wrote: »

@BluebellFlora yes i do

Then I'm sorry but as has already been pointed out numerous times, The Sims 3 does not work on Macs with Intel Iris graphics. It really, really doesn't. You can try editing your Graphics files as per these instructions but not everyone has had success.

@Ashpeef and @WinMacSims3 have already explained this to you and it is very clearly pointed out in the help threads.

roversqueen13

@BluebellFlora yeah i know they have said that but they have given me ideas on which to try and they haven't worked where as some people have got it to work. i was just wondering if there was any other way but if not then thats fine was just seeing if any one else had any ideas

BluebellFlora

They only way you will be able to get it to work is to try editing the graphics files.

roversqueen13

@BluebellFlora yeah that didn't work just going to get sims 4 instead

jadencelestine

Did the sims 4 actually work on your Macbook Pro? (mine's a mid-2012 and sims 3 isn't working on my computer either)

Tshine2614

This is why I don't play my Sims 3 games through Origin, because I was having the exact same problem: was able to buy and download the base game just fine, but the game wouldn't launch on my Mac, even though it said the game was still running.

My older brother couldn't figure it out, but he tried.

Eventually, I installed BootCamp onto my Mac, moved the Sims 3 into there, and it ended up working for me, finally. :P

BluebellFlora

@Tshine2614 - It's nothing to do with Origin, it's to do with your Mac having unsupported Intel graphics. The "Cannot start the process whilst the game is running" error is a typical symptom of the incompatibility. Thanks for the confirmation that it will work in Windows though. That's really helpful to know

@jadencelestine - Sims 3 and Sims 4 are like apples and oranges, completely different so you cannot compare. Sims 3 used Cider to play on a Mac whereas Sims 4 is native to OS X

WinMacSims3

Running Windows on a Mac is a good idea although you need a Windows license plus enough space on hard drive/SSD The downside with the Windows version is that you will have to deal with 1.69 and thus sign in to Origin, 1.69 also doesn't allow the Launcher to be bypassed like you could with 1.67 and earlier. Bear in mind that The Sims Medieval (as of December 2013) and The Sims 4 also require Origin sign-in to play.

So @Tshine2614 and @BluebellFlora does that mean that Intel Iris/Iris Pro or Intel HD 6000 will run The Sims 3 (and possibly The Sims Medieval) under Windows? Judging by what BluebellFlora commented, I'm guessing Tshine2614 has Intel Iris but the user didn't say what model or graphics was used.

If running TS3 (or TSM) on Windows allows the game to run with Intel Iris, running Windows could be an alternative to other workarounds such as modification of the GraphicsCards.sgr and GraphicsRules.sgr files, or purchasing an older Mac on eBay or Amazon. Unfortunately, it won't be easy to run both Windows and OS X due to the Retina MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs using SSDs that start at 128GB although it's more easier if you have 256GB or larger SSD. It could be useful if you have an iMac with Intel Iris Pro or Intel HD Graphics 6000 or a 2014 Mac mini with Intel Iris as they have hard drives by default which should be enough to install Windows and TS3. Although it's important to note that The Sims 3 will still give you the unrecognized video card warning due to Intel Iris not being included in the GraphicsCards.sgr and GraphicsRules.sgr files but that is possible to fix by editing the two files.

I could ask on The Sims 3 Technical Discussions if Intel Iris, Iris Pro, or Intel HD 6000 Graphics will work on Windows but the problem is that most Windows users such as Colton147147 and phoebebebe13 frown and recommend against using Intel (or AMD) integrated graphics and not many non-Apple PCs have Intel Iris or Intel HD 6000 anyway. I understand why integrated graphics are disliked among Windows users espeically since many newer games have high video card requirements that usually tend to call for an NVIDIA GeForce 660 or AMD Radeon HD 7870. Still it's nice to know that Windows will run TS3 with Intel Iris whereas OS X won't without workarounds.

Tshine2614

@WinMacSims3: I do use OS X El Captain with Intel Iris, and 6100 graphics. Sorry for not explaining earlier. I'm pretty sure mine was originally a Retina, you just have to change a few things around in your graphics card, although, even then, there's no guarantee that it will work.