I'd be really curious to know the player numbers for the Sims 3, because I suspect is larger then anybody suspects.
For example, I've noticed on Steam the Sims 3 maintains a constant average between 4000-7000 players DAILY. That might not seem like a lot, but considering steam has over like a million games and the Sims 3 has always been on its top 100 played games DAILY - that is huge. Especially when you have new AAA released games that barely make it on the list for more a then a month.
I personally play the Sims 3 via my CD install, but I'm sure a lot of people play it via origin digital install too (maybe 70/30?) since I suspect most Sims 3 players probably bought the game before origin was origin.
So based on steam alone, at the very least I'd suspect Sims 3 has probably 10K daily players - thats a lot of people playing a game that is nearly 10 years old! And pretty cool.
Personally, especially with the right mods (visual and gameplay) I simple enjoy the Sims 3 more, especially as a story teller.
Its too bad the Sims team/EA didn't manage a small Sims 3 team to keep supporting the game as a legacy title.
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A month ago, a problem surfaced with the authentication process between a computer and EA's servers. This only affects new or fresh installs, not existing ones, only those in mac OS, and only players who install just the base game, WA, and/or HELS. (Anyone who installs a newer pack thereby fixes the issue.) The master thread had dozens of posts in a few days; almosr one hundred people clicked the "Me Too" button in the first week. And I'm sure there were more who didn't bother to click or post but still needed a solution.
The fact that probably over one hundred people tried to install or reinstall TS3 on macs in just one week really says a lot about the continuing popularity of this game. I'm most grateful though that there are still knowledgeable people around (igazor) who can help the rest of us figure out how to run this game on modern systems, and maybe, if we ask nicely, teach us enough that we learn something about troubleshooting ourselves. Whether EA cares to address TS3 issues or not, the players are still here helping each other out wherever we can, and it's wonderful to be a part of it all.
https://graceymanorsims3.tumblr.com/
outrun / blog / tunglr
I'm sorry but there has been no moment where an older Sims title still eclipsed a newer one's popularity. It's obvious in not just stuff like community metrics (forum use, online uploads, etc.) but even asking people/known casual players you see in real life which Sims game they play right now if they do. It's TS4 and I don't think it's just something unusual about where I work or whatever. And there is something to be said with ragequitting TS3 over performance. I love the game but some people (like actual serious simming friends of mine) just didn't want to deal with it any longer, even people who loved TS3.
But I mean it's also just my experience. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The popularity of a game really brought together by player uploads/mods/content matters more than it does for, like, music (so I had to put away that analogy) but in the end...everything has to stand on its own with zero fans or a million.
outrun / blog / tunglr
Ragequitting is an entirely different subject. I see people ragequitting Sims 4 as well by the way, the game isn’t exactly bugless. I never ragequit Sims 3 nor 4 because I never had performance issues.
outrun / blog / tunglr
The Sims 3 def. doesn't have the community for new content the Sims 4 has now, especially for modders (whats really been done is done in most respects) but for CC (like hair and outfits, skins) there is a very small and incredibly talented pool of creators mostly found on tumblr and a few other sites (not tsrw) that are making incredibly detailed custom content mostly like clothes and bringing items from other games into the Sims 3. The creator community is def. not dead, just much smaller but I'd argue more talented then ever.
On the other hand, honestly a shrinking community isn't a bad thing either. I can't tell you how much CC I have downloaded between the Sims 3 and 4, take hair for example. I probably have over 300 hairs if not more - of which I still find myself using something between the same 4 or 8 hair styles. So a lot of CC just isn't used.
Now the Sims 2 CC community is truly dead though lol.
Sims 3 has never caused performance issues for me, without having any technical knowledge whatsoever I did always make sure to have a good PC, that’s true, the game indeed needs that (and the last computer I bought because I wanted to be able to play Sims 4, though it is an additional blessing Sims 3 loads so fast now in comparison to before) and it’s worth it for me. I seriously don’t care if it’s a casual game or not, I’m not casual about it
I actually know several players who returned to Sims 3 (and 2, or play all versions) and even two who started playing Sims 3 after being disappointed with Sims 4 (one was a disappointed Sims 2 fan who learned to appreciate the game after all, the other is someone who had never played Sims 3 and started with Sims 4). So, what does that tell us? Nobody is the same and we all decide for ourselves what a game is worth for us.
@TOLKIEN I wish the same for the sims 2 as well but no, they rather focus on sims 4 and get famous nobody wants.
And do not tell about the sims 2 cc community, go to sssvitlans almost everyday I find conversions we don't have in the sims 3 , clothes , hairstyles or furnitures, more than we can find in the sims 3.
And there are still mods for the sims 2, much more than we can find in the sims 3.
This is the sims 3 cc that is truly dead. I download much more goodies for my explosing sims 2 cc than I do for the sims 3.
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No, it's not.
To add, I haven't been able to buy a new computer, nor components, for over 5 years and TS3 runs fine. Even CAW loves my old computer.
Really, if you want to play a PC game longer than 5 minutes a day, you (3rd person) have to learn some computer tech knowledge. TS2/3 has taught me a lot about computers.
I don't ragequit, I ragepout and then I learn- if I really want it.
I'm talking about TSR Workshop the program which is what most TS3 CC is made with, what most tutorials use, etc. Even creators on Tumblr...which is still a much less active CC-making community than even TS2's.
@Rflong7 @JoAnne65: cool anecdotes, mine say the opposite. I'll graciously leave the thread though.
outrun / blog / tunglr
That's a different matter from content development, which they have shuttered. The Last Venue of Amore was the developers' loving farewell to Sims 3 players, and it's really an astoundingly beautiful tribute.
NRaas is also still maintaining, if not necessarily developing*, Mods for TS3, and through the ever-patient and helpful @igazor maintain a presence on these Forums.
Edit - * I have not been paying attention. NRaas is still developing new mods for TS3! The CC scene is certainly thinning, but the Sims 3 Community is alive and well!
You don't have to leave. Conversation is Awesome! I'm glad people still enjoy The Sims, no matter which. I play TS2 most but I love CAW in TS3. Nothing beats that for me.
I wonder how many who rage quit TS3 don't know much about computers and it's just easy to blame the game for every single fault they have than their inexperience and ignorance. Not even I, who knew very little, gave up on getting the best experience possible out of TS3. I made sure I learned enough about computers and PC Gaming and it's paid off a lot. TS3 still has issues but my computer is not one of them. And usually that is what I think is the most common problem with 2nd likely being not understanding how mods/cc affect your game's performance.
TS3's popularity was based on two things I think.
1. The success and love of TS2
2. Everything TS3 bought to the franchise that is improved and advanced over TS2 plus new and worthwhile features to better imitate a life simulator
There wasn't much third-party content around in the early days of release and TS3 became popular on it's own. So popular that it outsold TS2 in 7 days.
https://www.cnet.com/news/sims-3-sets-franchise-sales-record/
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/the-sims-2-sells-a-million-smashes-ea-records
What record did TS4 make? Because as far as I'm concerned, the majority has spoken with their wallets. Had TS4 been a true sequel to TS/TS2/TS3 then I am sure it would have even outsold TS3.
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter”
I think users simply have to understand the limitations of their hardware, particularly since many seem to use laptops, and stop trying to fill their games with every SP & EP available, as well as gigs of third party CC, and then blame the game for not running nicely.
Resource sucking EPs like Pets and Seasons are also not very nice to laptops. Pets have a nasty habit of getting stuck in really dumb places causing lag. If you're not going to turn those kinds of things off , knowing what can happen, then you're going to have an unpleasant play time experience.
Should we have to ? Absolutely not. Should EA learn to optimise better, and allow for silly things like horses getting stuck in ovens in kitchens? Absolutely.
But they haven't, and to get a nice experience playing the game, yes, we have to micromanage it. It IS possible to have TS3 run well.
As for many simmers being "computer non-savvy" , sure, a lot of them aren't. However now, the sheer volume of tips and tricks available to get your game running well is abundant. There isn't any excuse for not educating yourself on how to get the game running well. It isn't hard information to understand either, and many of the guides come with pictures and clear instructions.
Also, the TS2 CC community is still alive and well and thriving. It isn't dead at all. What rubbish.
Edit - I don't know anyone who actually plays logged in to the game. I avoid the launcher completely - it's a useless, clunky piece of garbage. I've not played on Steam or hideous Origin either. I despise such clients needed to run games and only ever use them grudgingly when I have absolutely no choice. Thankfully, my sims games have such a choice.
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Devolution of Sims - a once customisable open world sandbox which has become a DLC Party catalog in a shoebox
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The Watcher's Caretaker - A Limited ISBI
Dictionary definition of anecdote: a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person. So yes, your stories are anecdotes about your own or others' experiences.
I agree with everything @Deshong04, @Pary and @Mikezumi said on those last three posts.
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