Should I get it? «12345...Next Go

RoggieBear

I have Sims 4 and am interested to see how much Sims changed since the last game... Do you think I should get sims 3? If so, why? If not, why not? Also, do you think Sims 4 is better or worse (if you play Sims 4)? Thank you so much!!!

It would cost me about 10 US dollars. I can convert to pounds/other money if you specify in the chat if price matters!!!

xXUniqueOo

The sims 3 is awesome! The sims 4 is good, but it has a lot of things that are missing, but its still a good game I my opinion.

xitneverendss

$10 is pretty cheap so if it's something you really want to try I see no reason not to. Not going to get into the debate about which game is better though, that topic has been beaten to death.

lauravonawesome

Definitely get TS3~ it's seriously awesome.

Just make sure you buy a legal copy, as people who purchased their games through third-party sellers like eBay recently had a bunch of EPs yanked from their accounts due to chargebacks and had to repurchase everything.

(Gotta be careful when buying used games~ it may seem like a good deal but, if you have to purchase it twice, it kinda takes away from that.)

I don't care for TS4, but that's just me.

Rflong7

Sims 4 is worse and better... More worse for me than its little bit of better.

Why get it if you're happy with TS4? It won't be much to you... you'll only be comparing and not really playing. So much different it will confuse, so much harder it will leave you frustrated. So Stay with your easy game of TS4. -Is my opinion.

I would also buy it from a good source... not second hand unless you know the seller.

TadOlson

I would buy the disks new from Amazon to get copies on disk as it would allow you to maually superpatch to 167 and I would try to get the entire collection over time and install only one at a time starting with the base game.I would get TS4 for another option if I want o play sims and don't have the time for TS3.I don't have enough space on my hard drive and already have TS2UC installed so I will play that if I want a break from Sims 3.

RoggieBear

Thanks so much everyone -- I took all of that into consideration, and I'm not quite sure about it yet --- I'll have to see how much it is on Amazon first, like some of you said, eBay might not be the BEST place to get it...

TreyNutz

RoggieBear wrote: »

Thanks so much everyone -- I took all of that into consideration, and I'm not quite sure about it yet --- I'll have to see how much it is on Amazon first, like some of you said, eBay might not be the BEST place to get it...

Steam has had regular sales of TS3 and EPs for 75% off. Check on the next Steam winter sale, or put the base game and packs on your Steam wishlist and set Steam to email you when they go on sale.

ZeeGee

@RoggieBear You might want to check over in the tech thread first to make sure your computer can run Sims 3. It takes a lot more to run Sims 3 than Sims 4.

If your computer can run it, you should totally get it. But be prepared, it's addictive. My experience with Sims 4 is I play for 10 or 15 minutes and I'm bored. I boot up Sims 3 at 6 am and suddenly it's 2 am and I've been playing Sims 3 for 20 hours.

RoggieBear

Haha! Thanks, @ZeeGee... I'm too much of a glutton to miss breakfast, lunch, and dinner though!!! Thanks for warning me!!!

IronboatLee

Get Steam Version Sims 3, don't buy it from Origin or other place.
The Steam version is the only sanctuary away from 1.69 update.

SimplyJen

If you're purchasing a digital copy, it should be a verified seller so eBay would not be verified. The Sims 3 Starter Pack digital copy (Base Game, Late Night EP, and High-End Loft SP) goes for $18.15 USD on Amazon with Prime. Origin has The Sims 3 Starter Pack digital copy priced at $19.99 USD. Like Trey mentioned, Steam throws out a decent sale every now and then but it's likely the next one will be during winter/holiday sales. Not on sale, digital copy of the base game alone is $19.99 USD.

We all have different play styles so I suggest starting with the base game (or starter pack) and see how much you like it. Origin has a return policy (Great Game Guarantee) and Valve/Steam has one as well here. I'm not sure about Amazon but in my experience, they have been helpful with various issues.

ZeeGee is correct about checking what your computer can handle. The base game alone isn't very demanding but additional packs will increase requirements just like any game.

ZeeGee wrote: »

@RoggieBear You might want to check over in the tech thread first to make sure your computer can run Sims 3. It takes a lot more to run Sims 3 than Sims 4.

If your computer can run it, you should totally get it. But be prepared, it's addictive. My experience with Sims 4 is I play for 10 or 15 minutes and I'm bored. I boot up Sims 3 at 6 am and suddenly it's 2 am and I've been playing Sims 3 for 20 hours.

I have a similar experience between the two games... With TS3, I can easily kill 4 hours at least before getting bored or tired. TS4 I sadly can't play for more than 30 minutes at most.

I've been trying to narrow down what I really like about The Sims 3 and to my surprise, one of the biggest factors is open world. The only thing remotely limiting is that it's a 32-bit program. I don't like going out of my way to change someone's mind. You can watch and read reviews but at the same time, nothing beats trying it out for yourself.

KATENESS

If you can afford it, and your computer can handle it, then YES OF COURSE GET IT. RUN. SKIP. HOP. JUMP. DO WHATEVER. Just get it.

The main thing I love about Sims 3 is that it's whatever you want it to be (with the right Expansions of course).

You want to play a Werewolf Gardener with the desire to decorate everything in plaid? You can.
You want to play a Kleptomaniac that falls in love with a Cop, while living on a Houseboat? You bet.
You want to play a Stay-At-Home Dad to 7 toddlers? Yep, do-able.
You want to play homeless sims that live off dumpster diving and collecting gems? Yes.
You want to send a sim to University just so he can party and skip class and make friends? You're in luck.

If you get it, come back and share some experiences, if you want. Enjoy!

Karallyne

i went and bought it when it was on sale for steam at 5 dollars and didn't really like it. maybe it's because I only bothered to buy the base game, but I wasn't really inspired to purchase more after trying it. I think the people who like it the most are typically the people who had been playing it all along, probably for the nostalgiac value.

that's not to say ts4 is "Better" or "worse" than it, just that maybe I didn't like it because it holds no nostalgiac value for me. It could end up being the same for you, but I have heard of some people buying it for the first time after 4 and liking it.

ZeeGee

RoggieBear wrote: »

Haha! Thanks, @ZeeGee... I'm too much of a glutton to miss breakfast, lunch, and dinner though!!! Thanks for warning me!!!

Oh I don't miss any meals. I do, however, eat in front of the computer. And take potty breaks.

ZeeGee

Simasaurus09 wrote: »

I've been trying to narrow down what I really like about The Sims 3 and to my surprise, one of the biggest factors is open world.

I have been trying to narrow this down too, and can't really put my finger on it exactly. I love the open world and it would be very difficult to live without CASt, but as for why S3 is so addictive and S4 is not? I don't really understand. I do like the smoother animations in S4, but I do not get attached to the sims. They are not as compelling to play as S3 sims. It has nothing to do with nostalgia as I only started playing in 2014.

Rflong7

@Karallyne wrote: »

i went and bought it when it was on sale for steam at 5 dollars and didn't really like it. maybe it's because I only bothered to buy the base game, but I wasn't really inspired to purchase more after trying it. I think the people who like it the most are typically the people who had been playing it all along, probably for the nostalgiac value.

that's not to say ts4 is "Better" or "worse" than it, just that maybe I didn't like it because it holds no nostalgiac value for me. It could end up being the same for you, but I have heard of some people buying it for the first time after 4 and liking it.

Hi

It's not "nostalgic" for others. Maybe they just like it a lot better. Nothing to do with Nostalgia or I'd still be playing the Original.

Karritz

RoggieBear wrote: »

Thanks so much everyone -- I took all of that into consideration, and I'm not quite sure about it yet --- I'll have to see how much it is on Amazon first, like some of you said, eBay might not be the BEST place to get it...

If you get it from a seller that is not an EA Authorised seller then they'll most like eventually block you from using it.

If you want to play with patch 1.67 instead of 1.69 you'll need to have a base game that is pre Sept 2012. Base games after that point require Origin, even the disk versions. Once you have to have Origin you are forced to have patch 1.69 if you are using the PC version.

Patch 1.69 is not available for Steam or Mac so if you really want to avoid patch 1.69 and have a PC to play it on, then go for Steam or get the original base game on disk from an EA Authorised seller.

Karritz

Karallyne wrote: »

i went and bought it when it was on sale for steam at 5 dollars and didn't really like it. maybe it's because I only bothered to buy the base game, but I wasn't really inspired to purchase more after trying it. I think the people who like it the most are typically the people who had been playing it all along, probably for the nostalgiac value.

that's not to say ts4 is "Better" or "worse" than it, just that maybe I didn't like it because it holds no nostalgiac value for me. It could end up being the same for you, but I have heard of some people buying it for the first time after 4 and liking it.

I play Sims 3 because I like the sandbox freedom of the game. I bought Sims 4 and felt bored. I kept playing it on and off for about a year but the type of game play it forces on players made it a punishment for me to launch and play the game. Eventually I'd launch Sims 4, wait for it to load up, then shut it down immediately because I just couldn't face having to waste more time on it.

I'd like to play the original sims game again for nostalgia reasons, but I've never bothered to install it on my computer so nostalgia isn't a driving force for me.

SimplyJen

@Karallyne I bought an old refurbished cheapo laptop to play the Sims 1 Complete Collection for nostalgia whenever I'm visiting family... But I can promise you I don't prefer Sims 3 over the rest and play it hours upon hours just for nostalgic reasons.

IronboatLee wrote: »

Get Steam Version Sims 3, don't buy it from Origin or other place.
The Steam version is the only sanctuary away from 1.69 update.

Steam, Mac, or the full disc collection with a base game copy printed before 2012 is the only way to stay on patch 1.67 or below.

The downside to patch 1.69 is the game ties to Origin so no bypassing the launcher. Origin will run in the background. OP is coming from Sims 4 so this is no different. You can select which packs to play with through the launcher, all or just a few at a time (cool)... but occasionally the launcher will forget and uncheck all packs. When you own the whole collection, it's annoying.

Others have had game breaking experiences but most of the time it's just Origin and selecting packs you have to deal with. Admittedly I collected all physical copies to get rid of patch 1.69 but I prefer to bypass the launcher and use certain tools like save cleaner 2.0.

Karallyne

Rflong7 wrote: »

@Karallyne wrote: »

i went and bought it when it was on sale for steam at 5 dollars and didn't really like it. maybe it's because I only bothered to buy the base game, but I wasn't really inspired to purchase more after trying it. I think the people who like it the most are typically the people who had been playing it all along, probably for the nostalgiac value.

that's not to say ts4 is "Better" or "worse" than it, just that maybe I didn't like it because it holds no nostalgiac value for me. It could end up being the same for you, but I have heard of some people buying it for the first time after 4 and liking it.

Hi

It's not "nostalgic" for others. Maybe they just like it a lot better. Nothing to do with Nostalgia or I'd still be playing the Original.

i already figured i'd receive a reply like this. I never said it was that way for everyone or even most people. Ever.

Mikezumi

I've played 1, 2 and 3 and, by far 3, is my favourite. I have not tried 4 yet so have no opinion. TS3 does require a little "nursing" but it is well worth it in my opinion. I think if your computer can handle it and it is cheap you should at least give it a try. What have you got to lose but a little time and a few dollars?

Pary

Karallyne wrote: »

i went and bought it when it was on sale for steam at 5 dollars and didn't really like it. maybe it's because I only bothered to buy the base game, but I wasn't really inspired to purchase more after trying it. I think the people who like it the most are typically the people who had been playing it all along, probably for the nostalgiac value.

that's not to say ts4 is "Better" or "worse" than it, just that maybe I didn't like it because it holds no nostalgiac value for me. It could end up being the same for you, but I have heard of some people buying it for the first time after 4 and liking it.

I think the bolded statement is quite the generalisation. Perhaps it would have been better worded as "some people" or "a few people" rather than making it seem as if generally, every person who plays TS3 does so for nostalgic reasons. I certainly don't.

If you leave off the end bit about nostalgia, I'd agree with that statement, but not as a general rule. A lot of people who like TS3 HAVE been playing it all along. Again, not for nostalgia, but just because it appeals to them. A lot of people have left it because they got tired of babying it along, or it wasn't suited to them. Some went back to TS2, some to TS4.
There have been a few people lately coming into the TS3 section who are trying for the first time and like it too. That's always nice to see.

I play it because I have ( mostly ) the freedom to do whatever and go wherever I like in the game. I am not limited by fake backdrops, or tiny little neighbourhoods. Hair looks like hair and not a lego helmet, grass looks like grass should and not a smudge paste on the ground. Some of those things don't bother some folks, but they do me. I just prefer TS3 because I like it.

Karallyne

Pary wrote: »

Karallyne wrote: »

i went and bought it when it was on sale for steam at 5 dollars and didn't really like it. maybe it's because I only bothered to buy the base game, but I wasn't really inspired to purchase more after trying it. I think the people who like it the most are typically the people who had been playing it all along, probably for the nostalgiac value.

that's not to say ts4 is "Better" or "worse" than it, just that maybe I didn't like it because it holds no nostalgiac value for me. It could end up being the same for you, but I have heard of some people buying it for the first time after 4 and liking it.

I think the bolded statement is quite the generalisation. Perhaps it would have been better worded as "some people" or "a few people" rather than making it seem as if generally, every person who plays TS3 does so for nostalgic reasons. I certainly don't.

If you leave off the end bit about nostalgia, I'd agree with that statement, but not as a general rule. A lot of people who like TS3 HAVE been playing it all along. Again, not for nostalgia, but just because it appeals to them. A lot of people have left it because they got tired of babying it along, or it wasn't suited to them. Some went back to TS2, some to TS4.
There have been a few people lately coming into the TS3 section who are trying for the first time and like it too. That's always nice to see.

I play it because I have ( mostly ) the freedom to do whatever and go wherever I like in the game. I am not limited by fake backdrops, or tiny little neighbourhoods. Hair looks like hair and not a lego helmet, grass looks like grass should and not a smudge paste on the ground. Some of those things don't bother some folks, but they do me. I just prefer TS3 because I like it.

No generalization was made. What I said was:
" I think the people who like it the most are typically the people who had been playing it all along, probably for the nostalgiac value"

not

"Most people that like the game like it for the nostalgiac value"

I basically just said that I think the people who had been playing the game all along enjoy it the most. Then I said nostalgia might be a reason for that. If it isn't, then lovely. You make one observation and people automatically jump to conclusions, think the worst, as though I'm insulting TS3 players by saying something like "the game is bad, you only like it because of nostalgia" when that's not what I said at all.

Pary

It doesn't seem to me like anyone seemed insulted. I think they just wanted to tell you why they liked it, for their own reasons. I don't think anyone expected you to get all defensive.

Karallyne

I mean, when people misunderstand what you say it's okay to make a clarification. I don't see it as being defensive at all.
Whether people took it as an insult or not the common theme of the replies were " I don't enjoy it for nostalgia " when I never even made the claim that most people did.