What's The Best Expansion Packs?

oOoNutellaoOo · November 2015

Fun story!
I got a super fast new computer this year. Only reason I got it was because my last computer was absolutely destroyed-- to the point it won't even turn in. I only just got this computer, I don't want to risk slowing it down by packing a bunch of expansions on. I talked it over, I can put two on now and give it time to adjust. Now, I'm stuck with this problem-- which two to put on? I have to choose between Into The Future, Ambitions, Late Night, Showtime, Island Paradise, Pets, or High End Loft stuff 'cause those are the ones I have.
Help? Which are the best?

Sookie_54 · November 2015

My computer is outdated. I have all of the EPs all but two SPs and a ton of store content and it runs fine.
But everyone's computer is going to run games differently.
Plus everyone's opinions on each EP are different. High End Loft Stuff is a SP so it isn't very big compared to the EPs that you mentioned.
You could figure out the download sizes of all of them and start with the smaller ones if you are really going to only put a couple on at a time. But you should still be fine with High End Loft Stuff and 2 EPs at first.

cwaddell · November 2015

If it was me it would be Ambitions and Late Night.

TreyNutz · November 2015

A computer won't have any performance problems just because of games installed on it. When you aren't playing, installed games (TS3 or other games) will only take up hard drive space and that won't slow down a computer unless the hard drive is close to being full.

If you are worried about TS3 game performance, then you just need to install and play awhile to see. Computers don't "adjust" to game/software installs in any sense that I'm aware of.

Of the packs you have, HELS is just a stuff pack, so I'd install that regardless.

Pets and Seasons (which you don't have) are the 2 EPs known to have the highest computer resources demands. If you are worried about performance, then don't install Pets.

IP and LN both have the 2 laggiest worlds EA ever put out. If you are not going to play those worlds however, they shouldn't in and of themselves impact game performance in other worlds any more than any other EP (except Seasons and Pets).

I don't have Showtime so I'm not sure how that EP impacts performance although I heard that the limos used by some of the careers can cause lag.

I haven't noticed any lag or game performance issues from Ambitions or ITF, personally.

I'd go with Ambitions and either ITF, LN, IP or ST to start (and HELS). Then if your game plays well add another EP and then another EP until you decide you added too many. If your computer is as super fast as you say, you can probably play all of them. OTOH, if you love Pets, maybe start with just that (and HELS), and then add other EPs as you see fit until you get to a point where the performance hit (if any) is too much for you.

I have all EPs except Pets and Showtime, and 2 SPs (HELS and Town Life Stuff). I play with all of them and game performance is decent enough that I wouldn't consider uninstalling any.

SuzyCue72 · November 2015

oOoNutellaoOo, can you tell us the make and model of your new computer, please?

I don't have any mods or third party CC at all, but I have everything else Sims 3 related (all Eps, Sps and Store items) installed on several different computers, both laptops and desktops, and for the most part it runs fine. So if it's true that your computer is super fast, you should be able to play with everything Sims 3 on it too.

king_of_simcity7 · November 2015

All of them

oOoNutellaoOo · November 2015

Thanks for your responses!

TreyNutz- My old computer ran a tooon of CC and I'm not sure how reliable they were, which is probably why I'm so paranoid. I just wanna be sure, ya know?

Sookie_54- Your probably right with "every computer runs different", and I probably don't have much to worry about, I just want to be extra careful just in case something does happen. I like that idea though (smaller packs to larger), I might use it.

SuzyCue72- I have a Windows 10 (not sure about the extra details, not by my computer atm). I probably can play all the EPs I have, I'm just worried about my new computer, especially after my old computer's reaction. I didn't exactly treat my old computer so well, though, so I'm starting to doubt it was TS3 that broke it. xD

AppaloosaPlains · November 2015

I'd personally go with late night and Island Paradise.. or pets..

Olivesplum06 · November 2015

All depends on how you like to play.. I really enjoy ambitions and Late Night. They're a good combo together and don't lag

oOoNutellaoOo · November 2015

(bump)

Ariel0105 · November 2015

Genaritaions (sooo sorry i butchered that word to death lol sorry) and supernatural (Yay i spelled supernatural right :D)

Ariel0105 · November 2015

And or you could alternate between them like High End Loft Stuff and pets for a week or so, then add Into The Future for a week, and add LN etc etc

angelbear · December 2015

I personally like seasons the best

TadOlson · December 2015

I love all of them and I've got the entire collection installed without any issues at all except for my Mods needing to be updated now.

Konan_Norris · December 2015

I uninstalled Sims 3 when Sims 4 came out. Literally I am sitting here trying to decide what to reinstall with Sims 3 base. I have most of the expansions and stuff packs. I missed Supernatural/Pets/Ambitions etc. Still trying to decide about the rest...

Sigzy05 · December 2015

Late Night IMO.

AlanSims · December 2015

1. Late Night
2. Pets
3. Ambitions

lasummerb · December 2015

To me, it would be Seasons and Ambitions.

poppetje33 · December 2015

I love seasons

Lyrie · December 2015

IMO It's Generations and Seasons that make the game~

AthenaOnyx · December 2015

You should be fine installing all of them if you have a super fast computer, but if you have you're doubts you might want to stay away from Seasons. It's the most likely one for causing trouble in my experience.

breakingMachines · December 2015

Generally you can use a lot of expansions, if you play without mods. Or even with mods, if you learn how to combine the packages. You should also keep in mind your in game settings, and you can find that information on the internent. If you're concerned about lag and performance, I'd say choose between a larger pack and combine it with the smaller packs. You could definitely combine Into the Future or Island Paradise with the smaller expansions and stuff pack. If you're worried, try experiemnting installing the packs.

Protip, you shoud definietley navigate to your Sims 3 Bin folder, open up the Sims Ini file and mess with the
MemoryUsageLimit = 70000000 , this allows your game to run more smoothly and faster, because it allows the game to take advantage of your computer's resources. If you a pretty decent memory, I'd say change the number to match half of your memory. It helps the game run more smoothly, since Sims for some reason only takes advantage of 2 to 4 of your alloted memory. You can find your memory amount in the control panel, I believe under system preferences.

I'd definitely say that if I had to choose I'd go with Into the Future, Ambitions, and Late Night.
Into the Future added the newer interface, that showed up in University, without forcing you to buy University Life. Late Night and Ambitions add a lot of functionality and are a really fun. I'd stay away from the Stuff Packs since it only add items, and you could easily just replace this with CC.

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What's The Best Expansion Packs?

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