I absolutely LOVE the Sims 3, way more than 4, but if there's anything that drives me away from it after a while, it's how badly the game can run at times. I know there's been lots of talk of the Sims 3's engine being too bloated, not being coded properly, or the code not accounting for the tons and tons of packs and addons through the years, but I'm really curious - what makes this game stutter so badly?
I have a friend who got me into the game who claims his game never hangs, stutters, get FPS drops or anything - He was surprised at how stuttery my game can get at times. I found out he had an 8-core processor while I still had a quad core (?) (It was a Phenom (II), a test website for Mirror's Edge: Catalyst straight up told me it was bottlenecking my gpu lol) But when I upgraded to an 8 core i7, while the other games improved so much, the Sims 3 only marginally improved. The biggest performance drops are switching between build/live mode, and it takes ages to load the CASt textures and has horrible bouts of stuttering. Not unplayable, just bad performance.
Here's what got me really wondering about this however; I'm editing the base camp in China and the game is running... smooth. Surprisingly smooth, CASt is loading almost instantly with no frame drops, stuttering, nothing. It's astounding how good it's running. It really makes me wonder, does anybody know for sure what's going on at a technical level?
2
Comments
2.Computer doesn't meet requirements
3.Graphics settings to high, your FPS isn't capped etc.
4.Stuck sims, cars etc.
Tips:
Clear the game's cache between each session.
Disable memories.
Remove all screenshots from the screenshot folder.
Run your save through a save cleaner.
https://graceymanorsims3.tumblr.com/
That doesn't mean many of us don't love it, have a lot of fun working with it, and have much respect for the often berated over-extended game engine and many of the things EA did with it. But it does explain why we have to give it such a strong environment on which to run compared to what it "should" take in order to get decent performance on longer running ongoing games and especially with all or nearly all EPs in play.
I can't say exactly why CASt for example runs so much better for you on a WA world than your homeworlds except to point out that the WA worlds are typically lightly populated by comparison and even with mods we don't usually progress the resident population there through their lives and their careers (if they really have any beyond the marketplace vendors) as we do elsewhere, so the game engine does have much less to do on those vacations even when things are temporarily standing still for a design session.
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With TS2, TS3, and TS4 all installed on my current computer, I prefer TS4 because of its performance. It runs so much smoother, but the game itself is less complex (obviously a major complaint of TS4 players and the reason a lot choose to play TS3 instead). I think they tried adding too many features to TS3, which set the bar high for simmers. Now they're focusing on performance to allow more people to play on lower end machines.
This is the kind of set up no smoothness in the world can replace for me.
No, because I'm sure it is not exactly the same cause(s) for each and every case. From what I observe being the common reasons are an incompatible computer or the computer meets minimal system requirements but some try to play as if a computer that can handle a lot of mods/cc/EP's or the graphics card is not even being recognized for whatever reason (I wonder if some even have their computer connections in the right place...you know actually connected to the dedicated graphics card by VGA/DVI/HDMI cable and not the motherboard which may be by default to use its own integrated graphics) or mods/cc in general and being ignorant of how it affects game performance concerning poly count, being badly made/containing errors, not coordinating the same patch level for mods/cc, hidden conflicts with other mods/cc, etc or trying to play the game with settings that the computer cannot handle.
From my understanding, the most common issue concerning TS3's performance is on the user's end. There's so many different configurations of computers and ways for TS3 to function well or not. That's the whole point of the system requirements is to showcase and tell what is and is not compatible with the game. Unfortunately, TS3 didn't have any official recommended system requirements for the best experience and only provided the minimal. But is it really that difficult to figure it out? No. For one, there's enough information from people with certain graphic cards/CPU's/etc to research performance capabilities. Two, TS3 lifespan was from 2009-2013, however, I am not sure they added any more updates concerning addition of compatible hardware in 2013.
Which brings me to this observation. What if newer hardware and features/operating systems/newly released computers are not even compatible with TS3? Again, there is a reason why system requirements are used and are important to follow for the best experience for any game unless officially stated otherwise. Because computers have so many different configurations, I think that is the main reason why some have issues with TS3 because of their lack of understanding about computer hardware, how it all works and affects game performance among other things.
And yes, TS3 works fine without a gaming desktop or laptop but no one said that all EP's/SP's/Store Content/Mods could all be installed too and still run okay. Computers have a limit to what it can handle and games have a limit to what it can handle. That's the whole point of improvements, advancements in upgrades.
Is TS3 horribly programmed/coded? Actually, that can be subjective or objective depending on the actual expertise of having worked on games and done a lot of coding to know what is good vs bad and the why something is done the way it is. Sometimes it's because of a logical reason like limitations, etc. Subjectively, I think TS3 is fine as gameplay without mods/cc because performance-wise it runs at its best in my personal experience. I rarely nowadays, if ever, get error code 12 or crashing to the desktop which are the most two annoying issues I constantly have when using mods/cc. Everything loads up a lot faster without mods/cc putting an extra strain on the CPU/GPU. However, I try not to go crazy with mods so my game performance is still mostly minimal to no lag, however, with the unexpected two most annoying issues.
The game has glitches of course, but most I encounter are minor and/or have workarounds for it whether with or without mods. Most, if not all, of the major game breaking issues from patches, etc have been addressed. Or so I haven't come across anything recently.
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@CheesySimsLover
If that were true about TS3, then there's no way anyone could have a positive and good experience with the game. I'm sure there are many who can deny that claim about the open world bringing down performance. Specifically, those who don't use mods/cc and are knowledgeable about their own chosen hobby. It is true that TS3 is the most ambitious Sims game ever created, however, not at the expense of performance for the most part. If that were the case and as bad as some claim it is, I wouldn't be still playing 9+ years. And I'm the type to easily get frustrated when games don't work like they should. Not to mention, if it were so bad I highly doubt it would have continued to outsell TS2. Because word of mouth is quite effective, don't you think? So effective, that even misinformation gets spread about like truth for those who don't do their own research and just accept whatever they read and hear as truth. Or just accept their own experience as the truth that everyone has the same exact performance issues. It's the open world's fault, huh? It's all programmed/coded so poorly I can't even play and enjoy the game as is without mods and all EP's/SP's/Store Content installed and all in-game settings maxed out.
https://youtu.be/MZfGDCoFf2U
https://youtu.be/RecjZIs6N-E
https://youtu.be/eGZxSsm5sUc
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”
As someone who's been out of Simming for years, honestly, I played The Sims 3 for the first properly just last week in years. The last time I played before that was 2014, and before that probably 2011. I bought the game when it initially came out in 2009, just before heading off to college and leaving my games with my kid sister. I haven't read online forums, news, etc., on the Sims since the VERY beginning of the Sims 3, so my posts are merely based off my own personal opinion and limited knowledge of how games work (I majored in business, so I am mainly see the marketing perspective and the desire to draw new players with lower-end computers in). I have heard many have issues with The Sims 3, my little sister included - but she has never played the game on a decent spec computer until recently either. I played on an Asus laptop with 4 GB of RAM and a mid-range graphics card, and I played at top settings with little lag and little glitches/bugs. I've played both TS3 and TS4 recently over the past couple weeks and have yet to experience once glitch, bug, etc., on The Sims 4 (not saying it's not coming, because I'm sure knowing the games it will). The Sims 3 performs outstanding on top graphics, with an occasional glitch here and there - that's been my experience with the game.
I just kind of wondered what went wrong with the game, so thanks so far guys!
Wait, is this a thing that can affect performance? :O
I literally have every screen capture I have ever taken in-game in my folder! Guess I'll be moving those.
My statement was in regards to TS3 performance vs. TS4, based on my own personal experience. I don't appreciate being mini-modded. Thanks, though.
@Sindocat I have noticed a small difference in loading time when I move my screenshots but no difference in-game. I usually move my screenshots when I have around 4,000 but have been known to forget and can have as many as 8,000.
Zumi and the Winchester Brothers
The Watcher's Caretaker - A Limited ISBI
I remember igazor stating a while ago that the content in your Screenshot folder doesn't influence performance by the way..? Curious about that as well (mine is often stuffed). Actually just emptied it based on that post. Just in case.
Zumi and the Winchester Brothers
The Watcher's Caretaker - A Limited ISBI
However, once we start talking about many thousands of subfolder items each rather than dozens or hundreds, I have to agree that shifting them elsewhere out of the game folder is still a pretty good idea. Insisting that the game folder carries that many items just seems inefficient and possibly asking for trouble if something goes dreadfully wrong with the entire game folder along the way so the "just in case" organization strategy still seems like a pretty good one.
And, at the risk of going off-topic myself, I don't really care how well a different iteration of the game performs if it's one that I do not care to play for other reasons. I mean, I care from an intellectual standpoint and as an observer of how the entire franchise is evolving, but there is no practical point to comparing the two games on a thread such as this one. I don't really care how well GTA would perform on my system either since I know that I would never enjoy playing it.
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As for the actual coding g I can't comment but if you accept no game is ever perfect and that EA is unlikely to go back to fix known problems then it makes sudden irritating disruptions easier to accept. If that fails threatening to chuck the laptop out the bedroom window also aids performance Seriously after nearly ten years there isn't much the TS3 community hasn't seen that can't be fixed or modded. If all else fails switch the machine off. Go drink a beverage of choice and chill for a while. Then try again.
Wherever I am friends call me Betty
Sim enim est vita
My laptop starts to run slowly if i get a lot of screenshots or photos ANYWHERE on my system, hence making my game run slow.
So for me, it makes my system perform a little better.Even with my American Truck simulator, I move my screenies to my external.I also clean up my laptop's temporary files, and use CC cleaner to clean up junky files. Doesn't have to do with the game persay, but with my laptop's overall performance.
https://graceymanorsims3.tumblr.com/
And I deleted everything in the featured items folder(I had like 10,000 photos there ) and made that folder read only so it can't generate anything else.
https://graceymanorsims3.tumblr.com/
I understand the sentiment but what really gets me is that, using other games for a comparison, it's crazy how I can comfortably play really demanding games on high settings (GTA V online, The Tomb Raider Reboot, Monster Hunter) but the Sims 3 just refuses to run properly. I have a beefy computer, I spent the money! It shouldn't run this poorly, especially with cleaning out the folders and using Nraas mods! Lol.
I only brought it up because most of the people here it seems exclusively play The Sims, while I was already a PC gamer for a long time before a friend got me interested and I got roped into this whole thing.
Also for the record to everyone else, I didn't make the thread with the purpose of getting help improving performance, but I appreciate it otherwise! I was just kind of curious as to what's happening under the hood to make the game chug like it does, but fixes are a great side effect to the original post uWu