Game launcher (not Origin launcher) problem «12...Next Go

BSIRegina

I think I did a really bad thing. Yesterday I remembered I had this really old version of Origin installed on my computer and decided to uninstall it. I've been working on getting a world set up for playing and this happens to be a custom world without any Sims and since I wanted a particular kind of Sim for it I hit the Exchange last night looking for that type of Sim. Finally I downloaded about forty of them but some of them come with CC that I don't want in my game. I decided to create a throw-away instance of my game for installing said Sims then I could just pluck out the Sim files and add to my play instance.

Only here's the problem. I started up the game launcher (the little one we use for installing Sims3Pack files) and got a notice that it couldn't connect to Origin. I thought "oh well, that's not the end of the world," and set about installing a Sim file. The only problem is, it failed to install. I thought, "Well, maybe there's something wrong with this instance, I'll try in my regular build/test instance and see what happens." So I tried that and the files are still failing to install.

I can use the Multi Sims3Pack Extractor to extract them but then I end up with a lot of .package files that I don't know what are and have no way of knowing which one is the Sim and I don't know what to do with Sims in .package format anyway since I've mainly dealt with them in the .sim file format.

However, if the little game launcher/Sims3Pack installer no longer works I'm stuck as far as installing my world for testing too.

So, what I'm saying here is "PLEASE HELP!" because I am stuck as to what to do here.

EDIT

Update with information posted below. I don't think this has anything to do with my uninstalling Origin but possibly some changes that have been made to the Exchange. I'm going to have to extract the Sims from the Sims3Pack files and for those that come with CC use S3PE to pick out the Sim files then change the extension on the Sim files from .package to .sim and drop them into the SavedSims folder in my game.

Thanks EA.

Karritz

That 'Unable to connect to Origin' thing was on my mind too when I decided not to update my game yesterday.

I will have to wait and see if it becomes a problem for me. So far whenever I see it I have been launching my game and it doesn't matter but if I need to install something, that might be a different story.

One of the usual fixes is to make sure Origin is up to date but that is not what you want to do (I think)

You could try to see if other things such as drivers and browser are up to date just in case that helps.

BSIRegina

I've never used the launcher to start my game because it's just a nuisance in the starting process (and goodness knows I don't want the latest version of Origin). I've only ever used it for installing Sims3Pack format files. And here I had everything going so smoothly and then I hit this wall.

HappySimmer3

See if clearing your caches works.

Last night I tried to install something with my launcher and I got that 'unable to connect to Origin' too, but just clicked off on it. But then when I tried to install something last night, I'd get a 'the sims 3 has stopped responding' error. I tried a couple of times, same problem. I quit the launcher and tried to start the game (TS3W.exe) and also got 'the sims 3 has stopped responding' error. I was about ready to have a cow!

Then I cleared my caches and although I still get the 'unable to connect to origin' pop up, the launcher installed my kitchen counters just fine and I was able to run my game.

BSIRegina

@HappySimmer3 I don't know if it would be a cache problem since I tried it with a brand new instance of the game (as in renamed all my others to something else and let the launcher generate a completely new one).

I tried it and it didn't work. The failed installation says to make sure I have the latest game updates, which until this latest one I do.

From where were the counters you installed? I'm wondering if this has something to do with the packs coming from the Exchange.

Karritz

They did update the old Sims 3 website. I don't know what they did to it though.

HappySimmer3

Ah! Yeah, that could be the problem. Although I think others have said they're still able to download and install from the Store without the update. The packs I installed were kitchen counters from TSR.

BTW you can rename the files after they're extracted. I rename them to match the S3P name so I know what they are. Although sims with cc can be tricky. Opening the file with s3pe might be the only way to figure out what's what.

Oh, and if the sim refuses to install, something is probably corrupt. I'd try a different sim if I were you.

Karritz

I didn't think of that about the sim probably being corrupt but if it is that would stop the launcher from installing it.

Can you check the Sim with Custard? That should show if something is attached to it but may not reveal all problems.

TreyNutz

BSIRegina wrote: »

...I hit the Exchange last night looking for that type of Sim. Finally I downloaded about forty of them but some of them come with CC that I don't want in my game. I decided to create a throw-away instance of my game for installing said Sims then I could just pluck out the Sim files and add to my play instance.

That might not be enough to get rid of all CC. I downloaded a sim from another site and there was a CC skin attached to the sim file. I think I would have gotten rid of it by remaking the sim in CAS with non-CC skin and saving that to the bin, then deleting the one I downloaded. In my case I decided to just delete the sim.

Just a warning that you might have to take them into CAS, edit, and save back to the sim bin to get rid of some CC.

I agree with the others in that if it's one sim file failing to install, don't bother. If it's all the sim files failing to install then it's probably some other issue.

HappySimmer3

I believe she said that the sim has cc. She wanted to go ahead and install it in a new TS3 folder game and just copy the sim file (without the cc) to her regular TS3 folder.

But yes, not installing at all is not a good sign.

BSIRegina

@HappySimmer3 I tried with at least four different ones just in case it was a problem file.

I did download and install from the store without any problems but that was also before I uninstalled that really old version of Origin, but maybe my uninstallation of that is just coincidence and this is a problem that is currently isolated to files on the Exchange (although if they did that how long will it be before they do the same to the store? I think I'm exceedingly happy that I pushed myself to get everything I really wanted downloaded the other day [sure, there are a couple of other things but I wouldn't mind having but I prioritized) and have back-ups of all those files that if necessary can be used in .package format).

I'm definitely willing to use the Multi Extractor to get them out of the S3Pack files but if I do that and get the Sims isolated, where do I put the Sims' .package files?

@Karritz definitely some of these Sims have CC which that I probably don't want which is why I didn't try installing them to my main game in the first place. I already have way too much junk in my game I really don't want as a result of various venues and what-not from the store. I don't want to bog it down any more. The Sims are all I'm after, just the Sims, because it would take me eons to make them.

I'm wanting to play the 4x4 Challenge in Rflong7's Bellatrix world and it has no Sims so I need a bunch of oddball alienish Sims for it.

TreyNutz wrote: »

BSIRegina wrote: »

...I hit the Exchange last night looking for that type of Sim. Finally I downloaded about forty of them but some of them come with CC that I don't want in my game. I decided to create a throw-away instance of my game for installing said Sims then I could just pluck out the Sim files and add to my play instance.

That might not be enough to get rid of all CC. I downloaded a sim from another site and there was a CC skin attached to the sim file. I think I would have gotten rid of it by remaking the sim in CAS with non-CC skin and saving that to the bin, then deleting the one I downloaded. In my case I decided to just delete the sim.

Just a warning that you might have to take them into CAS, edit, and save back to the sim bin to get rid of some CC.

I agree with the others in that if it's one sim file failing to install, don't bother. If it's all the sim files failing to install then it's probably some other issue.

A very long time ago I put a Sim in my game that used a custom skin without the custom skin and I think the same thing happens now in that they turn black and there's no fixing them. I strongly dislike custom skins for this reason.

And yeah, the majority of the time I download Sims I end up redressing them and saving my own copy with what I have in my game. It's a bit time-consuming but not nearly so much as trying to make all those Sims so I don't mind.

After reading your reply I'm rethinking and will probably put these into a test game along with their CC until I get them remade. At least if I do that I can have them as-is then redress them. Well, that is if I can figure out where a Sim in .package file format should go.

HappySimmer3

Ask Don Babilon at MTS. He was talking about this recently but I've never done it so I'd be scared to try to repeat what little I remember. I'm not sure if you can do it with households, either, they might have to be straight out of CAS to work like he explained. But on some sims you can rename the package file to a .sim file. But ask him about how to do it exactly.

Karritz

I'm not sure. If it had only one package file - perhaps extract the package files from the sims3pack and then combine them into 1 file using S3PE.

You might be able to put it directly into your library. Not sure about this though as I've never done it and have no idea if it will work but if you are desperate and are willing to try it in a fresh Sims 3 folder. It might need all the CC that is in/attached to it to be installed already though.

BSIRegina

Thanks, Tangie, I'll see if I can scrounge him up. I didn't want to post this in the Receptacle because sometime back he asked us not to post questions about our games there and him being moderator and all now he's probably pretty busy so unless someone here happens to know and posts in the meantime I'll dig around more with this question on the internet and only bug Don if I absolutely have to.

@Karritz I know some of these Sims have no CC but others have quite a lot (I mean, a Sim that's 50 MB in size? yeah, right).

HappySimmer3

He moderates the TS3 forum so if you ask there he will eventually see your question.

I learned over the years that sometimes the large sims pack size is due to having a lot of custom pictures of the sim. It's not always cc, but extracting it or looking at it with Custard should reveal that.

BSIRegina

@HappySimmer3 I decided just to give it a try on a file that looked small enough only to hold a Sim. I extracted him and sure enough there was only one file. I renamed .package to .sim and dropped him into the SavedSims folder, loaded up the game and there he was in all his glory. Now thankfully only about half of the forty-odd Sims I downloaded come with CC. Oh, and I'll have to make sure to export the pets too. I'm thinking they probably won't have any CC at all.

I can't believe the aggravations we're willing to go through just to play this goofy game.

Writin_Reg

Regina - Bellatrix does have Sims in it - at least mine did. I know I donated some Sims for Bellatrix to Rflong like my fairy Sims and my male witch Sims Nvay is in there. Unless you have an earlier version perhaps.

BSIRegina

@Writin_Reg thanks, maybe I have an earlier version, I don't know because sometimes finding her worlds isn't the easiest thing. At any rate, I still want these Sims in it--I spent way too long hand-picking them not to use them.

TreyNutz

HappySimmer3 wrote: »

I believe she said that the sim has cc. She wanted to go ahead and install it in a new TS3 folder game and just copy the sim file (without the cc) to her regular TS3 folder.

@HappySimmer3 , In my experience some CC comes with the .sim file. It takes some extra steps to remove it from a sim.

TreyNutz

BSIRegina wrote: »

After reading your reply I'm rethinking and will probably put these into a test game along with their CC until I get them remade. At least if I do that I can have them as-is then redress them. Well, that is if I can figure out where a Sim in .package file format should go.

That's what I would do. Use a test TS3 folder and remake them without any CC in CAS, save to the Sim Bin, then move over the new .sim files. Especially if I was using sims from the Exchange.

edit: The version of Bellatrix I got from the Exchange was unpopulated too. I didn't download the save file (I think there is one available though). I've spent some time adding lots and adjusting things. I may play a 100 baby challenge in that world. I've been meaning to play something in that world for awhile.

Writin_Reg

BSIRegina wrote: »

@Writin_Reg thanks, maybe I have an earlier version, I don't know because sometimes finding her worlds isn't the easiest thing. At any rate, I still want these Sims in it--I spent way too long hand-picking them not to use them.

I was wrong it is in the save she made apparently for the world - as I just installed the world just now and started it up - and don't see the Sims - lol - but some where in her thread is a save then - as I load the save and the sims are there.

Sorry about that Lol.
ETA

Found it -
The save is here:

http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/633566.page

BSIRegina

@TreyNutz I think it's a stunning world. Even if I never play with Lunar Lakes going through all those ads to get that world is worth it to have Bellatrix. Of course that's the way I usually feel about Rflong's worlds. And as I went through the Exchange last night I also got the inspiration for what I want to do with her Cake Island world, although that's a little farther down my list of things to do. My current "to do" list as far as playing is to move my very original Sim family into what I hope will be their permanent home of Barnacle Bay and get all these Sims into Bellatrix.

@Writin_Reg not a problem, not a problem at all. I actually mostly prefer worlds without Sims anyway. It makes it much easier to go through and make sure things are as I would like them before I start playing and in some cases I just want a particular bunch of Sims in a world, and if otherwise a world doesn't have a population it's a simple matter of letting Twallan's SP push them in, and if I decide I don't like them use MC to kill them off and then I have ghosts in the cemetery so it's kind of a win-win either way.

Writin_Reg

LOL. Also if I remember correctly - I believe you have to reset all the bars in Bellatrix - as EA did one of it's famous updates that broke the bars in the world - so what you will need to do if that is still the case is go to each bar and delete the bar (not the building, just the bar itself) - then replace it with the same bar - otherwise there is some weird issue with the bartender. It has been a long while since I played in Bellatrix as a new world - I play my old save still with no issues - where I had done that to start with - but just in case check the bars to see if they are alright or not.

BSIRegina

Writin_Reg wrote: »

LOL. Also if I remember correctly - I believe you have to reset all the bars in Bellatrix - as EA did one of it's famous updates that broke the bars in the world - so what you will need to do if that is still the case is go to each bar and delete the bar (not the building, just the bar itself) - then replace it with the same bar - otherwise there is some weird issue with the bartender. It has been a long while since I played in Bellatrix as a new world - I play my old save still with no issues - where I had done that to start with - but just in case check the bars to see if they are alright or not.

Oh, thank you for that! I notice there's an "Exclusive" club there but I think I'm not real keen on the celebrity system so was thinking about turning that into something else anyway but I noticed there is quite a number of bars there. I'm not real big on classism in the real world so yeah.

Oh, and the great thing about the MC and the ghosts is that before I smite them I dress them up in appropriate burial attire. It's more fun that way.

BSIRegina

Well, THIS has been a fun experience! I got all the Sims exported, renamed and put into the game. Then I put in all those .package CC files that were with them, started loading my game and it took ages and ages and ages. Eventually I turned off the game and ran a check with the Dashboard (finally remembered where I put the shortcuts to all those programs) and it picked up every single one of them as being corrupt. I pulled them out and the game loaded perfectly, went into CAS and all the Sims were there, although my catalog is now showing a whole lot of the CC that was with them. I'm sure deleting cache files will take care of that.

I asked in another thread about anyone with 1.67 having problems with the Exchange since the update and one person said they had used it fine. I am now wondering if my problem was the fact I saved the Sims3Pack file to my external drive then moved them to my Downloads folder for installation. I've never had a problem doing that with worlds from the Exchange and other Sims3Pack files but this IS the Exchange after all and there's often bizarre coding in some of these sites. I figure later on I'll download a file directly into the launcher and see if it installs. I just don't want to do that tonight.

I got almost half of the first batch ran through and in-game clothes put on them. Of course I'll have to finalize their outfits once they're in my play game.

Here's a funny aside: it seems like most people who make "aliens" for this game think they should be insane evil kleptomaniacs. Of course I'm having a lot of fun turning them on their heads and giving them quirky traits. There are some traits I don't like (evil, dislikes children, grumpy, etc.) but even without those traits I still end up with an odd assortment of characters.

Oh, and @TreyNutz I'm pretty sure at least some of those Sims brought along some extra baggage. One of them has a file size of 36.6 MB.

TreyNutz

Yeah, a file size that large is an issue.

BSIRegina wrote: »

...I saved the Sims3Pack file to my external drive then moved them to my Downloads folder for installation.

I always download the file to another folder, scan with CUSTARD if it's a lot or sim, then move to the Downloads folder. I never download directly to the launcher. OTOH I gave up on getting sims from the exchange long ago. I only get worlds and the occasional lots now.