Launcher Will Not Load! «123...Next Go

Kyliesswartz

I have not played for about 3 months or so and I decided I wanted to play today. I clicked on the game in origin and the icon opened at the bottom of my screen (I have a Mac) bounced and then disappeared a few seconds after. I then tried to open it again by not selecting TS3 in origin, but Into The Future in origin instead, it did not work. I repeated this with seasons but again it just bounced and then closed with no crash message or anything. I tried opening it from my search bar and then tried going into my applications and clicking from there and it did the same thing. I have never had any trouble with the game before. I have had it crash, but it always opens the launcher. Can someone tell me how I can fix this? Thanks!

Kyliesswartz

I have not played for about 3 months or so and I decided I wanted to play today. I clicked on the game in origin and the icon opened at the bottom of my screen bounced and then disappeared a few seconds after. I then tried to open it again by not selecting TS3 in origin, but Into The Future in origin instead, it did not work. I repeated this with seasons but again it just bounced and then closed with no crash message or anything. I tried opening it from my search bar and then tried going into my applications and clicking from there and it did the same thing. I have never had any trouble with the game before. I have had it crash, but it always opens the launcher. Can someone tell me how I can fix this? Thanks!

puzzlezaddict

Hey, no need to post everywhere, there are still a few mac people around and we always show up here eventually (just maybe not before 10 am on a Sunday).

I've never used Origin to launch my game; I don't even think I've had it open since I downloaded my last SP. I use the alias (in applications) of my most recent (by release date) pack to launch. I just tried it with wifi on, and the launcher came up as usual and my save loaded properly, so I don't think the problem is on EA's end. This time.

Has anything changed with your computer since you last played? New OS maybe? I take it you have a digital download instead of discs, since you're using Origin, but the newest versions of OS X won't let your computer authenticate any TS3 disc. If you've installed any new packs, some of them have a particular issue on macs where files don't get copied to their proper destination. There's an easy fix if this is the case.

Did you download anything to your game before you tried to play? The launcher can't handle a lot of items at once, and most people remove files from their Downloads folder after they've installed the items. Also, related, if you're playing online all the time, in addition to deleting your 5 cache files, it would be good to clear out the contents of your FeaturedItems folder. That's just store stuff EA is trying to sell you, even if you turned off the in-game shopping experience, and if you're online when the launcher loads it will deposit around 100 items in the folder.

Maybe try launching TS3 while your computer is offline, just to see whether that helps.

I know there's a way to start the game and skip the launcher entirely, but I can't describe it off the top of my head. Perhaps someone else will. In the meantime, it would be helpful to post your computer's specs so that others can give more specific advice.

Kyliesswartz

puzzlezaddict wrote: »

Hey, no need to post everywhere, there are still a few mac people around and we always show up here eventually (just maybe not before 10 am on a Sunday).

I've never used Origin to launch my game; I don't even think I've had it open since I downloaded my last SP. I use the alias (in applications) of my most recent (by release date) pack to launch. I just tried it with wifi on, and the launcher came up as usual and my save loaded properly, so I don't think the problem is on EA's end. This time.

Has anything changed with your computer since you last played? New OS maybe? I take it you have a digital download instead of discs, since you're using Origin, but the newest versions of OS X won't let your computer authenticate any TS3 disc. If you've installed any new packs, some of them have a particular issue on macs where files don't get copied to their proper destination. There's an easy fix if this is the case.

Did you download anything to your game before you tried to play? The launcher can't handle a lot of items at once, and most people remove files from their Downloads folder after they've installed the items. Also, related, if you're playing online all the time, in addition to deleting your 5 cache files, it would be good to clear out the contents of your FeaturedItems folder. That's just store stuff EA is trying to sell you, even if you turned off the in-game shopping experience, and if you're online when the launcher loads it will deposit around 100 items in the folder.

Maybe try launching TS3 while your computer is offline, just to see whether that helps.

I know there's a way to start the game and skip the launcher entirely, but I can't describe it off the top of my head. Perhaps someone else will. In the meantime, it would be helpful to post your computer's specs so that others can give more specific advice.

Haha sorry about posting everywhere, I was a bit frantic! I have not downloaded anything and I normally play by searching up the game in my search bar and it did not work when I did that so I tried from origin. I have never played TS3 from origin. What does playing online mean in this circumstance. I think I might have updated my computer but here are the specs:

MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)
Processer: 1.8 GHz Intel Core i5
Memory: 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Startup Disc: Macintosh HD
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 6000 1536 MB

Thank you so much for helping me!

puzzlezaddict

When I suggested that you might try loading TS3 while offline, I meant that your computer would not be connected to the internet at all. Even if you don't sign in to the launcher or at the Main Menu, as long as your computer has a connection, the game will be receiving data from EA.

When I want to play, I click on Finder (or hit cmd-F), Applications\EA\The Sims 3\ and the alias to launch TS3 is there—in your case, whichever pack is the newest by release date, which I guess for you is Into the Future.

The one thing you didn't list with your specs is which operating system you're running (Sierra, High Sierra, Mavericks, etc.). While we're at it, which EPs do you have? Some require more power to run properly than others, not to mention more RAM than we can get on macs. (That would be only 2 GB because EA never did a proper port of the game for mac OS, but that's a whole other issue.)

But the bigger problem here is probably your computer. Macbook airs aren't great for relatively intense games like TS3, and I'm not sure whether your processor can be expected to hold up under even the moderate demands of the base game, let alone its heavy-hitting EPs.

Time to call in an expert. @igazor Over here, if you would?

Kyliesswartz

puzzlezaddict wrote: »

When I suggested that you might try loading TS3 while offline, I meant that your computer would not be connected to the internet at all. Even if you don't sign in to the launcher or at the Main Menu, as long as your computer has a connection, the game will be receiving data from EA.

When I want to play, I click on Finder (or hit cmd-F), Applications\EA\The Sims 3\ and the alias to launch TS3 is there—in your case, whichever pack is the newest by release date, which I guess for you is Into the Future.

The one thing you didn't list with your specs is which operating system you're running (Sierra, High Sierra, Mavericks, etc.). While we're at it, which EPs do you have? Some require more power to run properly than others, not to mention more RAM than we can get on macs. (That would be only 2 GB because EA never did a proper port of the game for mac OS, but that's a whole other issue.)

But the bigger problem here is probably your computer. Macbook airs aren't great for relatively intense games like TS3, and I'm not sure whether your processor can be expected to hold up under even the moderate demands of the base game, let alone its heavy-hitting EPs.

Time to call in an expert. @igazor Over here, if you would?

I tried without a connection and it did the same thing. I an running on High Sierra. I have every expansion expect ambitions andI have one stuff pack as well. I also play TS4 so my computer has always held up pretty well. The game always crashes, but it works and it has since I have gotten it. I have enough storage (I have 55 GB left out of 250 and most is used for TS4 and TS3.) I stopped playing back in January and it was only because I was getting bored with the game. I have had every expansion and played with every one for about 6 months on this computer with no problem at all.

igazor

Hi there, got thrown off by the multiple postings but we've sorted that out now.

I'm not clear on something, was this an Origin for Mac install or was it disc? And yes, we do need to know which version of OS X is being used here. (Edit: Okay, High Sierra. Our posts crossed each other...so therefore, this must have been an Origin install?).

It's actually fortunate that the OP has been able to get TS3 with many almost all of its EPs running on that MacBook Air. The Air is very much underpowered for this game and its graphics chip is not supported. I suppose we should focus on what changed from when the game did launch to now when it does not, but I'm not feeling real confident about this. Pushing an Air to work too hard like that can take years off of its life even if it seemed to be running with no problems for a long while.

Kyliesswartz

igazor wrote: »

Hi there, got thrown off by the multiple postings but we've sorted that out now.

I'm not clear on something, was this an Origin for Mac install or was it disc? And yes, we do need to know which version of OS X is being used here.

It's actually fortunate that the OP has been able to get TS3 with many (or all?) EPs running on that MacBook Air. The Air is very much underpowered for this game and its graphics chip is not supported. I suppose we should focus on what changed from when the game did launch to now when it does not, but I'm not feeling real confident about this. Pushing an Air to work too hard like that can take years off of its life.

Origin is for Mac and is installed. I am using MacOS High Sierra. If I were to uninstall some expansion packs, would that make it easier for my computer? I just want to make It playable.

igazor

I'm still not getting why the Launcher, let alone Origin, is even needed to startup the game. @puzzlezaddict, can you review the path to setting up a Launcher bypass on a TS3 for Mac Origin install, the one that involves going through Applications and Show Package Contents to get to the TS3w.exe executable? If I try to do this from memory, I'm going to get it wrong and a Spotlight search as the OP was using is not going to be able to dig down far enough into where TS3w actually is.

@Kyliesswartz - I can tell you until I am blue in the face that TS3 is too much for that computer, but it sounds like you won't believe me. So yes, we can try to help you get the game launched again if we can and if you stay with it, but you are doing so at the risk of ruining the entire laptop.

Kyliesswartz

igazor wrote: »

I'm still not getting why the Launcher, let alone Origin, is even needed to startup the game. @puzzlezaddict, can you review the path to setting up a Launcher bypass on a TS3 for Mac Origin install, the one that involves going through Applications and Show Package Contents to get to the TS3w.exe executable? If I try to do this from memory, I'm going to get it wrong and a Spotlight search as the OP was using is not going to be able to dig down far enough into where TS3w actually is.

@Kyliesswartz - I can tell you until I am blue in the face that TS3 is too much for that computer, but it sounds like you won't believe me. So yes, we can try to help you get the game launched again if we can and if you stay with it, but you are doing so at the risk of ruining the entire laptop.

If we are going to ruin the laptop by fixing TS3, then how can I uninstall the game and its expansions? I can not risk ruining this computer.

igazor

If the built-in Uninstallers do not work, and they often don't, we have these:
https://bluebellflora.com/how-to-do-a-clean-uninstall-and-reinstall-on-a-mac
https://bluebellflora.com/manually-uninstalling-an-expansion-or-stuff-pack-in-the-sims-3-for-mac

Kyliesswartz

igazor wrote: »

If the built-in Uninstallers do not work, and they often don't, we have these:
https://bluebellflora.com/how-to-do-a-clean-uninstall-and-reinstall-on-a-mac
https://bluebellflora.com/manually-uninstalling-an-expansion-or-stuff-pack-in-the-sims-3-for-mac

I am going to try those. I have not seen a way to uninstall the game through origin like I can with TS4.

Edit: What uninstaller can I use to uninstall base game/EP/SP

puzzlezaddict

igazor wrote: »

I'm still not getting why the Launcher, let alone Origin, is even needed to startup the game. @puzzlezaddict, can you review the path to setting up a Launcher bypass on a TS3 for Mac Origin install, the one that involves going through Applications and Show Package Contents to get to the TS3w.exe executable? If I try to do this from memory, I'm going to get it wrong and a Spotlight search as the OP was using is not going to be able to dig down far enough into where TS3w actually is.

Sure I can.
Step 1: Check BluebellFlora's website for instructions.
Step 2: Upon finding no instructions, um...
Step 3: Start clicking through everything I don't understand until I find the file.

Amazingly, I found it! I'm not sure how that happened; thank goodness for the back button. If you're still interested, I can type out the path.

Also, I was about to post links to BluebellFlora's site, but you beat me to it.

P.S. For posterity's sake (or rather the next person with the same issue), the OP hadn't played in ~3 months, and High Sierra was released in (I believe) December, so I'm tempted to do the math and accuse the new OS. I'm glad I've put off installing it so far, and now I get to claim that I was savvy about protecting my access to TS3 instead of just an unrepentant procrastinator.

igazor

Kyliesswartz wrote: »

Edit: What uninstaller can I use to uninstall base game/EP/SP

The Uninstaller should be in the Applications folder for TS3 alongside of shortcuts to the base game and EPs. But the manual method does the same thing and always works whereas the Uninstaller often does not.

Kyliesswartz

igazor wrote: »

Kyliesswartz wrote: »

Edit: What uninstaller can I use to uninstall base game/EP/SP

The Uninstaller should be in the Applications folder for TS3 alongside of shortcuts to the base game and EPs. But the manual method does the same thing and always works whereas the Uninstaller often does not.

Oh well this is strange. I am manually trying to uninstall but I wanted to take a look at the uninstaller. I went to the window where you select the packs you want to uninstall and nothing is there. It is just blank. Does my computer know that the games are there?

igazor

Between Origin for Mac always having been strange (and possibly getting in the way even though you aren't using it at the moment) and High Sierra not really being TS3 friendly, it's probably not unusual for the Uninstaller to not "see" anything to uninstall.

Kyliesswartz

igazor wrote: »

Between Origin for Mac always having been strange (and possibly getting in the way even though you aren't using it at the moment) and High Sierra not really being TS3 friendly, it's probably not unusual for the Uninstaller to not "see" anything to uninstall.

Makes sense. Do you recommend I uninstall each pack one at a time or can I go ahead with just following the major uninstall. I just want to make sure everything is safe.

Thank you so much for helping me!

Edit: Should I be following the directions for Lion and above, I know that is a stupid question but I am not really sure how to differentiate between versions.

Edit 2: I noticed that I can not uninstall one by one because in the instructions it tells me to go and open the launcher to see if it is grayed out but I can not open the launcher

igazor

Since the intent is to uninstall everything TS3 related, I don't see why it can't be done all at once. Yes on the Lion and above question.

And you're welcome, I just wish I had better news or a path for you to get TS3 safely working again. Feel kind of bad that I'm not really seeing it on that computer.

Kyliesswartz

igazor wrote: »

Since the intent is to uninstall everything TS3 related, I don't see why it can't be done all at once. Yes on the Lion and above question.

And you're welcome, I just wish I had better news or a path for you to get TS3 safely working again. Feel kind of bad that I'm not really seeing it on that computer.

I wish I could post videos on here so I could film on my computer and show you what I mean. I am just going to do a clean uninstall. Do not feel bad, I love TS3 but if it is going to hurt my computer I won't play it. At least is is not TS4. I really appreciate it, you are so much better than going to EA support. The community is awesome!

puzzlezaddict

@igazor Just curious, what specs would you recommend for running just the base game and one or two early EPs? I mean, maybe the OP's computer doesn't meet them, but now I'm wondering how much space there is (more or less—I know there's some gray area) between "shouldn't run TS3 at all" and "can manage everything but maybe on low settings."

Also, I posted above about finding the shortcut, if you want me to type it out.

@Kyliesswartz I'm sorry your computer can't handle TS3. It has to be frustrating, especially after you did get to play for a while. If you're ever in the market for a PC to play on, people in the technical discussions section can help you find one that meets your expectations and budget.

Kyliesswartz

puzzlezaddict wrote: »

@igazor Just curious, what specs would you recommend for running just the base game and one or two early EPs? I mean, maybe the OP's computer doesn't meet them, but now I'm wondering how much space there is (more or less—I know there's some gray area) between "shouldn't run TS3 at all" and "can manage everything but maybe on low settings."

Also, I posted above about finding the shortcut, if you want me to type it out.

@Kyliesswartz I'm sorry your computer can't handle TS3. It has to be frustrating, especially after you did get to play for a while. If you're ever in the market for a PC to play on, people in the technical discussions section can help you find one that meets your expectations and budget.

Thank you so much for helping! I was wondering since it is connected to origin if I buy a new computer in the future will I be able to download all my packs form origin?

Kyliesswartz

igazor wrote: »

Since the intent is to uninstall everything TS3 related, I don't see why it can't be done all at once. Yes on the Lion and above question.

And you're welcome, I just wish I had better news or a path for you to get TS3 safely working again. Feel kind of bad that I'm not really seeing it on that computer.

So after I empty the trash, should I restart my computer? I am so nervous to empty the trash but I need to! Also is there a way I can check that everything is gone on my computer?

igazor

Emptying the trash and rebooting should never make anyone nervous. I restart my Macs at least every other day and never keep anything in the Trash. As long as that which you have deleted is strictly TS3 related, and you have gotten rid of the TS3 Application folder as well, the rest of your Mac should not be affected except positively by now having a lot more space freed up for other uses.

Kyliesswartz

igazor wrote: »

Emptying the trash and rebooting should never make anyone nervous. I restart my Macs at least every other day and never keep anything in the Trash. As long as that which you have deleted is strictly TS3 related, and you have gotten rid of the TS3 Application folder as well, the rest of your Mac should not be affected except positively by now having a lot more space freed up for other uses.

It is just the fear of getting rid of a game I have had for so long. I'll be ok though! (haha) All the files in my trash are either my EA folder that says Sims 3, my applications folder, the folder that says Sims 3 Preferences and any file/ folder that starts with Com.Transgaming

Thank you so much for the help, I honestly do not know what I would do without you! I hope in the future since everything is connected through origin that I can play again. I am also really happy with all the space I will have!

igazor

puzzlezaddict wrote: »

@igazor Just curious, what specs would you recommend for running just the base game and one or two early EPs? I mean, maybe the OP's computer doesn't meet them, but now I'm wondering how much space there is (more or less—I know there's some gray area) between "shouldn't run TS3 at all" and "can manage everything but maybe on low settings."

There's a combination of several factors here. I would say at least 2 GHz (though the standard 2.4 Ghz would be better) on the processor, at least 4 GB of RAM though more would be better, and I wouldn't recommend playing on less than a dedicated Nvidia or AMD graphics card of suitable strength. But if we must stay in the realm of integrated graphics and limit ourselves to the earliest of the EPs, then at least Iris Pro or something as strong. As we have seen, players' experiences will vary even on what look like the same hardware sets.

On the Mac game though, there are combinations of processors and graphics chips that even if they are strong enough are just are not going to work at all and some that will work for some players but not others. I believe the latter is a combo we have here. Bluebellflora's blogs are all over these issues. And by not working I mean that no matter what the game refuses to launch or the player ends up seeing pretty rainbow streaks all over the screen instead of what they are supposed to see and for them there is no game there to be played.

The computer must also have an adequate cooling system. The Airs do not have this as they are not designed for such use.

My iMac is over six years old now but it exceeds these requirements in all areas and I could indeed run the Mac version of the game with (almost) all EPs without all the goofy hardware combo unsupportable conflicts, although this was back when my OS was Lion. But the 2 GB built-in RAM restriction killed the fun of playing that way for me, as we have talked about before, and is what made me switch over to Windows for TS3 playing. The mess that EA made of this version of the game for Mac users back while the game was still in development and the EPs were still coming out, even on strong enough hardware, is pretty shameful I'm afraid. Now with all of the newer OS and hardware issues to contend with and pretty much no chance of the game being updated to account for them, it's become even worse.

Kyliesswartz

igazor wrote: »

puzzlezaddict wrote: »

@igazor Just curious, what specs would you recommend for running just the base game and one or two early EPs? I mean, maybe the OP's computer doesn't meet them, but now I'm wondering how much space there is (more or less—I know there's some gray area) between "shouldn't run TS3 at all" and "can manage everything but maybe on low settings."

There's a combination of several factors here. I would say at least 2 GHz (though the standard 2.4 Ghz would be better) on the processor, at least 4 GB of RAM though more would be better, and I wouldn't recommend playing on less than a dedicated Nvidia or AMD graphics card of suitable strength. But if we must stay in the realm of integrated graphics and limit ourselves to the earliest of the EPs, then at least Iris Pro or something as strong. As we have seen, players' experiences will vary even on what look like the same hardware sets.

On the Mac game though, there are combinations of processors and graphics chips that even if they are strong enough are just are not going to work at all and some that will work for some players but not others. I believe the latter is a combo we have here. Bluebellflora's blogs are all over these issues. And by not working I mean that no matter what the game refuses to launch or the player ends up seeing pretty rainbow streaks all over the screen instead of what they are supposed to see.

The computer must also have an adequate cooling system. The Airs do not have this as they are not designed for such use.

My iMac is over six years old now but it exceeds these requirements in all areas and I could indeed run the Mac version of the game with (almost) all EPs without all the goofy hardware combo unsupportable conflicts, although this was back when my OS was Lion. But the 2 GB built-in RAM restriction killed the fun of playing that way for me, as we have talked about before, and is what made me switch over to Windows for TS3 playing. The mess that EA made of this version of the game for Mac users back while the game was still in development and the EPs were still coming out, even on strong enough hardware, is pretty shameful I'm afraid. Now with all of the newer OS and hardware issues to contend with, it's become even worse.

Well I emptied my trash and restated my computer and can I just say I have NEVER heard my computer this quiet in my LIFE! Normally the fan is ROARING and now the fan is gone! It is so quiet I am almost scared because right now I can not hear the fan at ALL! Is this normal for a computer? (Haha) I hadn't realized how hard my computer was working.