SOLVED-Please Close.

Croxycook

I have Sims 3 through Steam. I had bought it and some Expansion Packs before Origin.

Today, I just purchased new discs of Pets and University Life. When I try to install either, I get the message "Sims 3 Must Be Installed".

Guessing that the auto installer is set to look for the game in the Origin files. Is there a way to get these to install without downloading? (My high speed data is past its softcap so downloading is not an option.)

Croxycook

Found the answer. As I expected, installing these without download requires a rewrite of where the auto installer looks for the game registry.

So looks like I'll be a) taking the discs back and waiting until my high speed resets or b) waiting until my high speed resets, download base game from origin and then installing.

What a mess.

igazor

The path of least resistance (and less mess) here is that you could wait until you have sufficient download abilities again and purchase the Steam versions of the two EPs. You cannot mix Steam and Origin/Disc installs as the game versions are different under the hood, it's not just a matter of registry entries or how the auto-installer behaves.

Your Steam install is in Program Files (x86)\Steam\blah blah...sorry, not at my gaming computer at the moment, while Origin/Disk installs are under Program Files (x86) \ Electronic Arts or Origin Games. Again, they are different versions and cannot co-exist on the same computer.

Also, a Steam install would keep you at Patch 1.67 with no choices given. An Origin install would bring you to Patch 1.69 by necessity. Neither the Origin client nor the Steam one would be able to manage the DRM or the game programs over a mixed or dual install like that.

phoebebebe13

You have the option to keep the discs. You could uninstall the steam version and replace with the origin version. Steam does give you codes to register on origin. The only problem is as @igazor explained you will be on a different patch . The origin 1.69 patch forces you to check off each ep in the launcher every time you play. The 1.67 patch your on now with steam permits you to load the whole game at once. Many of us prefer to be on the 1.67 patch . Origin updates do have issues all the time. Some people are unaffected by origin and some are.

Croxycook

@igazor I'm thinking it over. I'm kind of leaning towards the Origin route simply so I can start over with less dlc. Or at least without Generations which cause a lot of bug build up for me.

phoebebebe13

Any time you register your disc with Origin they give you a free download copy . You could use all download and not use disc at all

igazor

phoebebebe13 wrote: »

Any time you register your disc with Origin they give you a free download copy . You could use all download and not use disc at all

Not sure if you just made the mistake I just did, but I had to read what was said three times before I realized @Croxycook was saying less Downloaded Content (DLC), not less disc. Guess "dlc" looks unusual to me in lower case.

Frankly, I find the Origin Patch 1.69 route a pain in the sim and after putting up with it for a year myself went through some effort to convert everything over to Steam just over a month ago. Other players have done or are doing the same for similar reasons. But yes, uninstalling and starting over with an all Origin install would be the other option.