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Seasons causing Macs to crash. Let's find a common denominator.

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  • NezuMuffyNezuMuffy Posts: 28
    edited February 2013
    I just spoke to an EA person and they said if your Mac isn't a 4 GHz Intel Core i7 then it won't work starting with Supernatural. Mine is a 2 GHz Intel Core i7 and it crashes all the time.

    That's pretty convenient, seeing as there are no 4GHz i7 chips in any Apple machine ever sold. Very convenient indeed.

    This might sound like a crazy idea, but I'm half tempted to write an article on this and submit it to gaming websites and magazines to try and get something done. Would anyone be willing to share stories of how they've dealt with EA, what they've been recommended to do, and how they feel about the current patching situation? If so, please get in touch (maybe via PM?) and we can work with it...

    You should write the article it. Your opinion, as well of the opinion of every disappointed and frustrated mac user in this site, matters. E.A. shouldn't be able to get away with this, not without the media know or at least have an idea on how bad things are over here. If you need another witness/story to add to your article, count me in. Oh, and also: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/45/621277.page#10203070
    ^ This thread topic might help, since there are instructions and a few people who are trying to get the press involved as well. :)
  • twilightimaginetwilightimagine Posts: 34 New Member
    edited February 2013
    NezuMuffy wrote:
    I just spoke to an EA person and they said if your Mac isn't a 4 GHz Intel Core i7 then it won't work starting with Supernatural. Mine is a 2 GHz Intel Core i7 and it crashes all the time.

    That's pretty convenient, seeing as there are no 4GHz i7 chips in any Apple machine ever sold. Very convenient indeed.

    This might sound like a crazy idea, but I'm half tempted to write an article on this and submit it to gaming websites and magazines to try and get something done. Would anyone be willing to share stories of how they've dealt with EA, what they've been recommended to do, and how they feel about the current patching situation? If so, please get in touch (maybe via PM?) and we can work with it...

    You should write the article it. Your opinion, as well of the opinion of every disappointed and frustrated mac user in this site, matters. E.A. shouldn't be able to get away with this, not without the media know or at least have an idea on how bad things are over here. If you need another witness/story to add to your article, count me in. Oh, and also: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/45/621277.page#10203070
    ^ This thread topic might help, since there are instructions and a few people who are trying to get the press involved as well. :)

    Thank you for the link to that thread - I've put a post on there asking for any advice so hopefully we can get something sorted soon. In terms of you helping out that would also be fantastic! I'm still not sure how private messaging works over the Sims forums but dropping me one might be useful. If you know anyone else from the Mac forums that has had a bad experience then please let me know and I'll try and get in touch.

    Let's not just talk about it on the forums, let's turn it to action instead!
  • DisasterCupcakesDisasterCupcakes Posts: 14
    edited February 2013
    I can only run my game from between 10 minutes - 1 hr

    I have a mid-2011 iMac Desktop


    Version 10.7.5 Mac OS X Lion
    3.1 GHz Intel Core i5
    4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
    AMD Radeon HD 6970M 1024 MB graphics card


    I own all the regular games, and then the master suite add on package.
    All the custom content I have was purchased from Sims 3 Store.
    I usually only have 1 family to select upon the load screen, I delete others I am done with.
    I have this problem in any town, no matter the speed im playing at, no matter how many family members, or lack there of
  • lizanyanlizanyan Posts: 13 New Member
    edited February 2013
    I have a December 2009 Macbook Pro. OS X version 10.6.8 It crashes since seasons but also a little bit before. But now nearly every time I play it crashes. Usually get an hour or more so It's not too bad and I always save after mile stones anyway. But would be nice to have a fix.

    I was considering upgrading to Snow leopard, Ive never done that before, does this improve graphic quality and speed of game?

  • heat33330heat33330 Posts: 255 Member
    edited February 2013
    lizanyan wrote:
    I have a December 2009 Macbook Pro. OS X version 10.6.8 It crashes since seasons but also a little bit before. But now nearly every time I play it crashes. Usually get an hour or more so It's not too bad and I always save after mile stones anyway. But would be nice to have a fix.

    I was considering upgrading to Snow leopard, Ive never done that before, does this improve graphic quality and speed of game?

    You're already on Snow leopard.
  • Elf67Elf67 Posts: 1,198 Member
    edited February 2013
    I have a Macbook Pro (mid 2012). It has a 2.5 ghz Intel core i5 processor, 4gb 1600mhz ddr3 memory and Intel HD graphics 4000 512 mb. I am running on Mountain Lion. I have Sims 3 base game, Pets, Supernatural, and Seasons and no CC or downloads from Sims 3 site or store. I have had very few problems playing on the Mac-far fewer than playing on any Windows based computer. I've played about 5 times since adding Seasons and it only crashed once (after more than an hour of play and with a warning freeze). Just to be safe, I save every 15 minutes. Yesterday I played about 3 hrs straight with no problems whatsoever . Spore, on the other hand, is a nightmare!
  • heat33330heat33330 Posts: 255 Member
    edited February 2013
    Elf67 wrote:
    I have a Macbook Pro (mid 2012). It has a 2.5 ghz Intel core i5 processor, 4gb 1600mhz ddr3 memory and Intel HD graphics 4000 512 mb. I am running on Mountain Lion. I have Sims 3 base game, Pets, Supernatural, and Seasons and no CC or downloads from Sims 3 site or store. I have had very few problems playing on the Mac-far fewer than playing on any Windows based computer. I've played about 5 times since adding Seasons and it only crashed once (after more than an hour of play and with a warning freeze). Just to be safe, I save every 15 minutes. Yesterday I played about 3 hrs straight with no problems whatsoever . Spore, on the other hand, is a nightmare!

    How I envy you... -_- :evil:
  • djb2487djb2487 Posts: 3
    edited February 2013
    I've always had problems with The Sims crashing to desktop. Started happening more after an update some time back but I have managed to resolve it by...
    -turning off memories
    -staying signed out from online
    -bypassing the launcher
    -playing in windowed mode
    -saving once every sim day

    After doing this, I have been able to play frequently for several hours until quitting at my own will. Occasional crashes/freezes but they happen after varying amounts of gameplay or sometimes not at all. I am patched up to the current version. I never download custom content or store content. I have only downloaded two expansions: Generations, Late Night, both of which from Amazon downloads. I play with the default moderate settings.

    Mid-2009 Macbook, has 2.66 GHz processor, GeForce 9400 graphics card.

    I am about to download Seasons. I plan to clear the caches before playing and even possibly uninstalling Late Night (I never use the features in that expansion anyway and like most people, Bridgeport is unplayable because of lag issues).

    Will report back with my findings.
  • djb2487djb2487 Posts: 3
    edited February 2013
    djb2487 wrote:
    I've always had problems with The Sims crashing to desktop. Started happening more after an update some time back but I have managed to resolve it by...
    -turning off memories
    -staying signed out from online & store
    -bypassing the launcher
    -playing in windowed mode
    -saving once every sim day

    After doing this, I have been able to play frequently for several hours until quitting at my own will. Occasional crashes/freezes but they happen after varying amounts of gameplay or sometimes not at all. I am patched up to the current version. I never download custom content or store content. I have only downloaded two expansions: Generations, Late Night, both of which from Amazon downloads. I play with the default moderate settings.

    Mid-2009 Macbook, has 2.66 GHz processor, GeForce 9400 graphics card.

    I am about to download Seasons. I plan to clear the caches before playing and even possibly uninstalling Late Night (I never use the features in that expansion anyway and like most people, Bridgeport is unplayable because of lag issues).

    UPDATE: Downloaded the EP, did not uninstall Late Night, and I was still able to play just now for over 2.5 hours without a major glitch or problem, eventually saving and quitting cause of the time. Only additional lag (compared to before install) was during a rainstorm and even then it was only slight. I made sure to save every 10-15 minutes. CAS functioned normally.

    I know it may not be ideal to all users and it is true that it is impossible to utilize all functions offered by the game, but I suggest attending to the same tasks that I did to get my game to work. I have never paid additional money for higher specs on my computer nor did I have do follow difficult install/uninstall procedures. It's worth a shot.
  • aprilroseaprilrose Posts: 1,832 Member
    edited February 2013
    djb2487 wrote:
    I've always had problems with The Sims crashing to desktop. Started happening more after an update some time back but I have managed to resolve it by...
    -turning off memories
    -staying signed out from online
    -bypassing the launcher
    -playing in windowed mode
    -saving once every sim day

    How did you bypass the launcher?
    Simming for 19 years!
    Family Tree
    Playing Mod & CC Free



  • djb2487djb2487 Posts: 3
    edited February 2013
  • Worm61Worm61 Posts: 1 New Member
    edited February 2013
    Given the absence of support from EA on this subject, I have started trying to make the issue as public as possible. I have already announced to my small number of online contacts that I am refusing to buy anything related to Sims 3 until this issue and the other game-breaking problems with The Sims 3 are resolved. Everyone else who is having this problem should post about it on Twitter and Facebook, write about it on your blogs. I wrote a post on The Sims 3 Facebook page, and it would really help if some other people would come help me prove that this is a serious and widespread problem, and that EA can't get away with treating its customers like this.
  • AlexRoz9AlexRoz9 Posts: 309 New Member
    edited February 2013
    I just spoke to an EA person and they said if your Mac isn't a 4 GHz Intel Core i7 then it won't work starting with Supernatural. Mine is a 2 GHz Intel Core i7 and it crashes all the time.

    That's pretty convenient, seeing as there are no 4GHz i7 chips in any Apple machine ever sold. Very convenient indeed.
    What's even more hilarious is that if that statement is true, EA is essentially telling people to use chips that will likely never exist! No consumer–level 4GHz chip has ever been produced, and attempts to create such chips resulted in the silicon actually melting. This is the entire reason Intel transitioned to muti–core processors instead of just bumping up the speed of the processor every few months. This isn't just a machine that doesn't exist now, it's a machine that will likely never exist unless some major breakthrough in processor technology occurs. :roll:
    This might sound like a crazy idea, but I'm half tempted to write an article on this and submit it to gaming websites and magazines to try and get something done. Would anyone be willing to share stories of how they've dealt with EA, what they've been recommended to do, and how they feel about the current patching situation? If so, please get in touch (maybe via PM?) and we can work with it...
    I've got far more irons in the fire than I should right now, but if I'm able to, I'll definitely do whatever I can to help with this. It wouldn't hurt to raise this on Mac–related sites (e.g. MacRumors) as well; the more attention the issue gets, the more likely EA is to fix it. I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit angry with the way this game has been handled on the Mac right now, especially for the quantity of money that I've spent on it for every EP and SP so far. I've just installed Supernatural, and I'm getting ready to install Seasons. Unfortunately, I'm still trying to get my game to install the update that it keeps telling me is available, and will likely have to work through the bugs for that EP before I can actually install the next EP. Between Create–A–World not being supported on the Mac, (and EA leaving it in a perpetual beta stage so that they don't have to support it on the Mac,) and the excessive bugs in the software that's supposedly supported on the Mac, I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with EA, and with their lack of support for the Mac platform. After almost four years, I think I have a right to be annoyed that this game and its expansions are still having the kind of severe problems that they had back in '09. It's one thing for a game to be buggy at launch, but it's quite another for it to be buggy after every update.
  • jessiekl835jessiekl835 Posts: 1
    edited February 2013
    I have the same problem. With Seasons, my game crashes every 10-15 minutes, especially if I try to save my game more than once.

    My mac runs on Mountain Lion.
    Mid-2010 Macbook
    2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
    4 GB

    It's so frustrating I feel like giving up soon.
  • mattpola331mattpola331 Posts: 2
    edited February 2013
    So I did the chat support this time and here is what they said.....

    [img]<a href="http://s1054.beta.photobucket.com/user/mattpola331/media/ScreenShot2013-02-11at110555PM_zps5d773444.png.html&quot; target="_blank"><img src="http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s494/mattpola331/ScreenShot2013-02-11at110555PM_zps5d773444.png&quot; border="0" alt=" photo ScreenShot2013-02-11at110555PM_zps5d773444.png"/></a>[/img]

    I'm sorry for it being so small, I don't know how to post pictures on the site.

    If the picture doesn't come up here is a link to it

    http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s494/mattpola331/ScreenShot2013-02-11at110555PM_zps5d773444.png
  • aprilroseaprilrose Posts: 1,832 Member
    edited February 2013
    So I did the chat support this time and here is what they said.....

    [img]<a href="http://s1054.beta.photobucket.com/user/mattpola331/media/ScreenShot2013-02-11at110555PM_zps5d773444.png.html&quot; target="_blank"><img src="http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s494/mattpola331/ScreenShot2013-02-11at110555PM_zps5d773444.png&quot; border="0" alt=" photo ScreenShot2013-02-11at110555PM_zps5d773444.png"/></a>[/img]

    I'm sorry for it being so small, I don't know how to post pictures on the site.

    If the picture doesn't come up here is a link to it

    http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s494/mattpola331/ScreenShot2013-02-11at110555PM_zps5d773444.png

    Sounds like more bull to me.
    Simming for 19 years!
    Family Tree
    Playing Mod & CC Free



  • aprilroseaprilrose Posts: 1,832 Member
    edited February 2013
    This might sound like a crazy idea, but I'm half tempted to write an article on this and submit it to gaming websites and magazines to try and get something done. Would anyone be willing to share stories of how they've dealt with EA, what they've been recommended to do, and how they feel about the current patching situation? If so, please get in touch (maybe via PM?) and we can work with it...

    I think this is a great idea and it would be great if everyone would get involved. I would very much like to help get our issues addressed because this is pretty ridiculous and i'm tired of getting excited for game after game that I won't be able to play after dishing out cash. It is time for EA to go back to Aspyr, find another company or just simply fix the issues. I am tired of being let down and the frustration...don't want to even talk about the frustration.
    Simming for 19 years!
    Family Tree
    Playing Mod & CC Free



  • deserttrashdeserttrash Posts: 1
    edited February 2013
    djb2487 wrote:
    I've always had problems with The Sims crashing to desktop. Started happening more after an update some time back but I have managed to resolve it by...
    -turning off memories
    -staying signed out from online
    -bypassing the launcher
    -playing in windowed mode
    -saving once every sim day

    Specs:
    Macbook Pro Mid 2012 with OS X
    2.9 GHz Intel Core i7
    8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 512 MB

    I have scoured this whole forum and tried every reasonable suggestion. I could only play for 10 - 15 minutes before it would crash, UNTIL I did all of the above and lowered the graphics. I got a full 45 minutes of play before it crashed with the new settings, which is a drastic improvement. It also runs better if I shut off the rain/fog/snow/hail but whats the point of having seasons if there's no weather?

    Someone said to clear the caches? Fortunately, I backed up the world caches before trying this because it wouldn't load my game after deleting them and all would have been lost. Deleting the other caches had no effect and did not correct whatever error is occurring.

    I am, however, going to invest in a cooling pad and suggest you do, too. The Sims made my PC and non-apple laptop so hot that they both have harddrive damage. If the game didn't crash so **** often I'm sure this Mac would get hella hot, too.

    To all you angry people, I feel your pain, but you can't let EA ruin 13 years of Sim Love! Yes, they're capitalist ******** who enrage the whole gaming community on every front, but don't take that out on your Sims. You're their benevolent Creator, they love you and are nothing without you!
  • kxande8kxande8 Posts: 41 Member
    edited February 2013
    i mac about a year old ...forgot to put what kind of mac....facepalm...
    mac os x
    processor 2.7 GHz
    Intel core i5
    memory 4gb 1333 MHz DDR3
    AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512 MB Graphics Card
    Software is Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5

    On the HD, it shows 928.91 GB free of 999.35 gb TB for storage
    It has 4 memory slots 2 filled, two empty.

    I have the latest patch installed.

    The only non mac apps I have are Silverlight. and the Sims 3. I do have ALL of the Sims Games up to 70,s 80's and 90's. I also have a lot of Store stuff, , including items with playable features ( wind chimes, greenhouse, Monte Video, Lunar Lakes, etc. ) I can list them all if you want.

    My issue is that I when I create a new game and build a new sim. the game crashes in CAS if I am in it for more than 5 minutes.

    If I try to change my appearance in the game by using a mirror or dresser, it crashes. When I am in BUILD or BUY I have about 10 minutes to make changes before it crashes, it used to be longer. I do not have any custom content or any modded items. I do not download any items from the exchange.
    When I do play the game, I either get error 12, which indicate not enough memory...seriously ? or no disk found...or the ever popular debug error.
    Right now I am getting about 10 minutes of game play in Build/Buy mode....maybe.

    I have unistalled/reinstalled, gotten all the extra folder out about 3 times, so I am willing to do that again.

    Please help





    Post edited by Unknown User on
  • PirateJandcatsPirateJandcats Posts: 635 Member
    edited February 2013
    djb2487 wrote:I've always had problems with The Sims crashing to desktop. Started happening more after an update some time back but I have managed to resolve it by...
    -turning off memories
    -staying signed out from online
    -bypassing the launcher
    -playing in windowed mode
    -saving once every sim day

    I used to do this too and depending on how sims 3 'felt' that day, I'd get 5-60 minutes play, least I didn't go into CAS. However, now a new problem has occurred for me when I bought 70s, 80s and 90s (I know, shouldn't have bought it but I caved)which I've seen cropping up on the forums more these days. This is the problem of the exception raised error which I get every time I try and save the game. I haven't been able to play in about 3 weeks now and can't find any means of solving it, I've tried a lot. It seems almost a dream now of when I used to play sims 3 into the wee hours of the morning or leave it running in the background, but since that update when sims 3 supernatural came out I have had nothing but trouble like many people.
  • kansas66kansas66 Posts: 21
    edited February 2013
    Mine's been crashing every since I installed Seasons.
    I've got a 2009 (2010?) iMac
    3.06 GHz processor
    4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3

    The last few times I've played it crashes in CAS and I can't even get to building a house. Once I was able to get a family in the house but once I tried to save during gameplay it froze on the save screen and I lost it all anyway.

    Kind of getting beyond frustrated with the game at this point. It takes 10 minutes to start up enough to play so what's the point of trying anymore?
  • oliversnowballoliversnowball Posts: 68 New Member
    edited February 2013
    Okay... I like most everyone else has been suffering from fatal crashing. My game has not worked right since i installed showtime. Some people are blaming CIDER, some say it the CC stuff we installed, I SAY IT IS EA!!!


    I have talked to EA Tech team, they are useless. I have read posts and forums on here and other sites. I have tried to install Wineskin and other thrid party apps to make my game work! NOTHING DOES!!!! Meanwhile I have 11 games of the Sims that are just collecting dust on a shelf waiting for EA to get off their ***** and help us Mac users out.

    Did everyone see how they did a live broadcast about their new expansion packs but not one word was about MAC users complaining that their games don't work? They go ballistic announcing that ORIGINS is now for Mac users but Mac users still can't play their games? I don't know about you but I HAVE HAD IT!!!

    I say it is time for us Mac Users to be heard! LET'S START POSTING OUR COMPLAINTS ON THEIR FACE BOOK PAGE! Maybe we can shame them into listening to us. God knows they don't check the forums anymore!

    Instead of complaining on here in the forums, let's start doing it on their Facebook and Twitter pages!!!! OKAY SIMMERS, LET'S UNITE!

    FACEBOOK The Sims 3: http://www.facebook.com/TheSims3
    Twiiter: http://twitter.com/thesims3

  • sarahprestoosarahprestoo Posts: 3
    edited February 2013
    my game keeps crashing since i installed seasons, sometimes it crashes after 5-10 minuets or sometime it dont crash at all if im lucky but since it started crashing i dont play it that much
  • oJaMezZoJaMezZ Posts: 23
    edited February 2013
    I have the same problem, but after the 1.42 patch was installed. I have Seasons & Pets. It was perfectly fine until yesterday when my sims would freeze then unfreeze, then sometimes the game would and now it starts to crash a lot. The 1.42 patch was working fine until yesterday, so strange. I've tried running no CC but that didn't help.

    My iMac specs:

    21.5-inch, Mid 2011
    Processor 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5
    Memory 12 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 (I upgraded this myself)
    Graphics AMD Radeon HD 6750M 512 MB
    Software OS X 10.8.2 (12C60)


    iMac + game is up to date, so there no issue of out of date software. Before the 1.42 patch came along Seasons worked fine.

    I know this is not the place to complain about Seasons but it's real frustrating how in Winter is ALWAYS snows, and in spring/summer/autumn when ever it rains it ALWAYS thunders. Thats unrealistic and lazy, no surprise there though. - Unless of course, it's a bug too... no surprise there either.

    Frustrating, as I would like to play Sims but I cannot stand the gameplay right now, it's frustrating trying to play when your sims just freeze.
  • Metalheadmarc3Metalheadmarc3 Posts: 1
    edited February 2013
    Just recently purchased some expansion to the sims via origin for mac. I cant even play the game it just freezes then crashes randomly after a good 30-60 minutes of gameplay.FYI, The expansions I purchased and installed consist of Seasons, Late Night, Generations, Showtime and Ambitions.

    My macbook pro specs:
    Processor 2.53 GHz Intel Core i5
    Memory 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
    Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M 512 MB
    Software Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5 (11G63)

    EA if you could fix this issue with freezing and crashing that'd be great.
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