My Return to Sims 3 «1234...Next Go

Opicana

I did take pictures, but they are on my laptop & I'm on my phone. They'll definitely be coming soon, though.

Thank you to all of you wonderful people who've helped me rediscover this game. I'm in love, and so excited to explore all the content I never got to experience before (like vampire toddlers). I'm so looking forward to weather and pets and toddlers and so many other things I've been remembering.

I plan on doing a self-imposed "release schedule" that involves not only expansions, but also mods and store content. I'm uncertain of the time frame yet, so if you have suggestions please feel free to share.

I've also rediscovered daily deals, cascades and complete your set discounts and I'm looking forward to deal hunting. It's like an extra bonus game, lol.

I've played two days so far. My time is very limited right now, but should be getting better next weekend.

My founder Sim is a mostly randomly generated guy with a few tweaks. He's pretty average looking, a bit chubby and awkward. I've worked out a bit of a backstory. He's an unlucky couch potato who enjoys reading. He's very focused on family. His first wish was to get married. I locked it, we'll be working on that soon. His name is Vincent Donaldson. He's gone into the medical career, but I'm not sure it's the right fit. He lives in Sunset Valley.

I've been reading the forums when I have a spare moment but am unable to play. It's keeping the excitement alive!

Thanks for reading!

Pary

Per your release schedule, store content sets used to be released once a week if I remember rightly, so perhaps you could add one per week?
Anyone can mod their game at any time, and to be honest, to save frustrations, if you're using mods like the NRAAS suite, then it's probably best to use those right from the beginning.

EP's and SP's... Uh, I'm not sure. I mean, they used to be released every 3-6 months or something I think, but no one wants to wait that long if they don't have to, right?
Maybe wait to install any of them until you feel you've fully explored the content you have available to you in you game at the given moment? Then just install one. Or, perhaps one every real time month if you feel you could wait that long.

I think your founder sim sounds awesome ! If you don't feel like he's a fit in the medical career, how about having him write books as an author? Maybe children's books or something like that.
I really love seeing people so enthused over TS3 all over again

Karritz

My suggested release schedule would be to decided to do it slowly and thoroughly - then decide you can't wait for that and just put it all in and see what happens. I only suggest that because that's how I usually end up doing it. Just so long as you have fun it doesn't really matter.

Opicana

That reminded me of another thing I wanted to mention- I need mod recommendations. I know I had a bunch, but not sure which ones.

I'm not sure I can wait long enough to fully explore each pack, especially since I'm a slow player. LOL.

I was considering the author path especially since he has already taken up writing. He wished for it pretty early on, so we practiced writing in the library. Good suggestion!

SimplyJen

thesims3.com shows release order. It goes like this...

Expansion Packs

1. World Adventures
2. Ambtions
3. Late Night
4. Generations
5. Pets
6. Showtime
7. Supernatural
8. Seasons
9. University Life
10. Island Paradise
11. Into The Future

Stuff Packs

1. High-End Loft
2. Fast Lane
3. Outdoor Living
4. Town Life
5. Master Suite
6. Katy Perry's Sweet Treats not listed on the site and no longer sold but it's #6
7. Diesel
8. 70's 80's & 90's

SimplyJen

I'm playing similar to you except I've been using mods since the start. I only add store stuff as I "need" it. Helps the launcher pop up much faster too. Each EP is unlocked after the heir of the current generation completes their lifetime wish regardless of having a child. I unlock SPs every other generation.

Hope you continue to have fun.

Karritz

My favourite mods are

1. Gardener service - it provides gardeners who come and tend your Sim's garden and at the end of the day put the harvested produce into the fridge.
2. Extra recipes and harvestables - there are several mods at MTS by Cinderellamouse and icarusallsorts and icemunmun
3. Have Coffee with Me
4. Scolding - by icarusallsorts it lets you stop constant scolding - for example if a child is late for school parent will scold and ground thereby prevent child from going to school and scold and ground for not going to school and it goes on and on and on
5. douglasveiga's banana plant and coconut palm. Both are harvestable. You'll need his CCLoader mod to get his mods to work and also to get the harvestables and recipes by Cinderelimouse and icarusallsorts and icemunmun as well. They seem to work together as a group to get it all working without conflicts and this CCLoader mod makes that all happen.
6. NRAAS Cupcake mod (only if you have the bakery set - it keeps it stocked) if you don't have the bakery set installed this mod will crash your game as you try to load it up due to missing content in your game files.
7. Syd's fountain fix mods that make all the broken fountains work

This is the link to one of icemunmun mod but there are others that include harvestables and recipes
http://modthesims.info/d/570898

I have dozens of other mods but these are a few that make my game more enjoyable.

I also have most of NRAAS mods as well but there are too many of them to write them all down here. Just go over to NRAAS and see what they have. You'll probably need Error Trap and Overwatch though.

ChelleJo

I'm replying on my phone so if I skip words, or autocorrect corrects the word wrong, I apologize. Also, since I'm on my phone, my reply will not be as detailed as I'd want to go.

OP, that is awesome!! I'm really glad you're living the game. I know I'm biased, but I think sims 3 is the best game put out.

Ah, vampire toddlers... they are super cute! Mine is becoming my favorite toddler I've had. I can't wait to play the other supernatural toddlers, myself.


I do highly recommend NRaas mods. Specifically over watch and error trap. But fun ones are master controller and, if your pc can handle it, story progression. I can't link you to NRaas since I'm on my phone, but NRaas are completely safe and there are tons you can choose from. I am always adding more.

Your founder sounds like a fun, interesting guy. I can't wait to hear how his life goes!

Karritz

I know I shouldn't have reopened this thread.

Talking about supernatural toddlers...

How about a werewolf toddler


This was AFTER she howled at the full moon and shredded a few gnomes







I had a game in Moonlit Falls. One of my Sims, who I wasn't controlling at the time, got turned into a vampire when I wasn't expecting it to happen.



She had to go and buy some Vampire No More serum to get a cure. (I think that's its name - but it may be something else)

Here she is drinking it.


I've never played a vampire toddler. Vampires usually die in my games.

I do love to have fairy toddlers though. This was my first fairy born in my game ever.


And the baby wings are just pretty sparkles until they turn into toddlers. Then you can tell the type and colour of their wings. You just get a hint of the colour when they are babies.




Here's a playground full of toddlers - many of them are fairies.

ChelleJo

@Karritz adorable pictures!!!! Now I really can't wait for a fairy baby!

Opicana

@Simasaurus09 11 expansions!!!! SO EXCITING!!! How on earth am I going to wait that long for Seasons, though. At least Generations is early on. I like the idea of unlocking after the completion of a lifetime wish. It will help motivate(give me an excuse) to play more. Do you add Stuff packs instead of an expansion, or in addition to?

@Karritz Thanks for the mod recommendations! I never had the ones that increase harvestables/recipes. That sounds fun! And thanks for more supernatural toddler pics!

@ChelleJo I love when you post because I get to see Dean.

In regard to Mods, I did have the NRAAS mods when I used to play, so I will go back to those. I was only thinking of putting them on a schedule so that I didn't have to spend a bunch of time doing that and not playing. My time is limited and I really want to play, LOL. I may add some of the more vital ones initially (overwatch, error trap, etc...) and save things like additional harvestables for later. I think I also had one that showed me the exact relationship scores since I used that for my Bachelor challenges. Presumably, I will need that again since I can never stay away from Bachelor challenges very long, and they worked a lot better in TS3 (more places to go, more things to do, more challenging to build up a relationship).

In regard to store content, I like the suggestion of doing them "as needed" and I'm going to take "as needed" to be when I'm having trouble waiting for my next expansion "release" I can add some store content to keep me pacified. Up to one item per week.

I don't want to be at work right now, I want to be home playing! Thank goodness for the forum. And the store....keeping my eye on those daily deals.

I always blog my Sim challenges, so I will be starting that tonight.

I think I read somewhere that online dating came in a patch? Is that correct? My guy's personality is a good fit for online dating if that's available. I also may try to find a potential mate at the library, which is where he hangs out when not working.

Rflong7

Hi

I really liked adding Expansions after a generation or two. And moving the family to the New world or a new Store world- just to play them all and to have something new for each generation (or two).

I was (and will again) going through all the worlds and marrying in my favorite Sims. I only got up to the fifth generation in Barnacle Bay with the Caliente sisters. I hadn't decided which one to marry in when I was drawn back to CAW- which killed my playing for a little while.

SimplyJen

@Opicana Seasons is a killer wait. I'm feeling it myself just watching others play with Seasons (lol). Also try to do something new each generation or at least something you've only done once. Like for the Generations pack I'll run a day care and try for twins.

In addition to and sometimes I let it slide and unlock the stuff pack early after the first born. Like right now my generation 3 heir had a teenage pregnancy.. Technically heir 4 is already born but the mother isn't even young adult yet and far from her lifetime wish. So I'm letting myself unlock Fast Lane after the mother ages up in a few sim days. I still have to wait for Late Night though.

The cool thing about this is you get to see all of the loading screens.

SimplyJen

Rflong7 wrote: »

Hi

I really liked adding Expansions after a generation or two. And moving the family to the New world or a new Store world- just to play them all and to have something new for each generation (or two).

I was (and will again) going through all the worlds and marrying in my favorite Sims. I only got up to the fifth generation in Barnacle Bay with the Caliente sisters. I hadn't decided which one to marry in when I was drawn back to CAW- which killed my playing for a little while.

Yeah this is something I'm doing too... New town every generation. Playing with NRaas: Traveler too just so my sims don't lose connection with the previous town Incase old spouses are left behind.

MidnightAura

I'm glad you came back to the game! I came back after a loooooonnngg break away I'm having so much fun!

SilentKitty

If you have a really good computer made for gaming, is it possible to install a few expansions without lag?

I really enjoy playing Sims 4 but I getting more and more curious about Sims 3. Reading about lag and buggines makes me a little worried about investing in it. Otherwise I would probably jump at it.

ChelleJo

SilentKitty wrote: »

If you have a really good computer made for gaming, is it possible to install a few expansions without lag?

I really enjoy playing Sims 4 but I getting more and more curious about Sims 3. Reading about lag and buggines makes me a little worried about investing in it. Otherwise I would probably jump at it.

I have all EP's and all SP's, several Nraas mods, a few off the wall mods, and some CC and I experience very little, if any, lag or issues. I can not tolerate lag or hesitation or any of that. It really drives me bonkers and kills gameplay for me. I have a fairly decent gaming computer, with everything on maxed settings (except the lots, I have that one 3 or 4, can't remember right off my head). When I'm recording, I have more lag in my game, but it's still not much at all.

SimplyJen

SilentKitty wrote: »

If you have a really good computer made for gaming, is it possible to install a few expansions without lag?

I really enjoy playing Sims 4 but I getting more and more curious about Sims 3. Reading about lag and buggines makes me a little worried about investing in it. Otherwise I would probably jump at it.

You can post your computer specs in tech and someone can let you know how well it will run for you. Be sure to list the packs you plan on playing.

SilentKitty

Simasaurus09 wrote: »

SilentKitty wrote: »

If you have a really good computer made for gaming, is it possible to install a few expansions without lag?

I really enjoy playing Sims 4 but I getting more and more curious about Sims 3. Reading about lag and buggines makes me a little worried about investing in it. Otherwise I would probably jump at it.

You can post your computer specs in tech and someone can let you know how well it will run for you. Be sure to list the packs you plan on playing.

Oh wow, you guys are really organized I will ask my in-house tech support (husband who built it and post it there).

Thank you for the letting me know.

KATENESS

@Opicana and @Goldbear86 do you happen to have a Store Wishlist yet? And maybe a link? Just curious. For no nefarious reasons.

Opicana

@KATENESS I did happen to update my store wishlist earlier today, I'm going to try out the beginner-friendly Animals Abound cascade.
http://store.thesims3.com/myWishlist.html?persona=Opicana

I installed one mod tonight (Errortrap; and it's already caught two errors); and played another day. Can't wait until I have more time.

Karritz

Problem with cascades is I've read they don't necessarily work with gifted items. I know that you can't gift items on sale. Gifts are treated differently when sales and cascades are concerned apparently.

Opicana

I've started blogging Vincent's story: http://www.crazycatnerd.com/sim-challenges/2016/9/9/meet-vincent-donaldson

I wanted to upload my photos here from my blog, but for some reason it won't let me use the image URL.

SimplyJen

Opicana wrote: »

I've started blogging Vincent's story: http://www.crazycatnerd.com/sim-challenges/2016/9/9/meet-vincent-donaldson

I wanted to upload my photos here from my blog, but for some reason it won't let me use the image URL.

Vincent is a cutie!

KATENESS

Karritz wrote: »

Problem with cascades is I've read they don't necessarily work with gifted items. I know that you can't gift items on sale. Gifts are treated differently when sales and cascades are concerned apparently.

I think it should work ok. I remember getting gifts and having them be the ones that tipped me over into being able to download the set. But maybe they've changed things. I hope not.

Karritz

I completed my store purchases before cascades started so I can't say anything from my own experience.

I have done gifting though and found things not able to be gifted when they are on sale.