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Thread for new members to post their Sims 3 game issues

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  • frulaksimusfrulaksimus Posts: 5 New Member
    @puzzlezaddict I have the ambitions expansion pack, late night expansion pack and the high end loft stuff pack. I am playing on a macbook pro 13 inch from 2015, version 10.10.5, processor 2,7 GHz Intel Core i5, memory 8 GB 1867 MHz DDR3, graphics Intel Iris Graphics 6100 1536 MB.

    I also own the World Adventures expansion pack but have not downloaded it yet as the game didn't work.
    Hope this is all the information you needed :)
  • frulaksimusfrulaksimus Posts: 5 New Member
    @puzzlezaddict
    I have the ambitions expansion pack, late night expansion pack and the high end loft stuff pack. I am playing on a macbook pro 13 inch from 2015, version 10.10.5, processor 2,7 GHz Intel Core i5, memory 8 GB 1867 MHz DDR3, graphics Intel Iris Graphics 6100 1536 MB.

    I also own the World Adventures expansion pack but have not downloaded it yet as the game didn't work.
    Hope this is all the information you needed :)
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    edited March 2019
    @frulaksimus Yes, that's the info I needed. Are you really still running Yosemite? That actually might work to your advantage here, as some of the issues with installing TS3 into mac Os started with El Capitan (10.11).

    But the first thing to do is to check whether your packs are showing as installed in Applications\TS3. In addition to the base game icon, a readme, and the uninstaller, you should see icons for Ambitions, Late Night, and High-End Loft Stuff. If you don't, please let me know. It's easy enough to create an alias for each pack that doesn't already have one, but there may be one other issue to address as well.

    One issue you almost certainly need to address is your unrecognized graphics card. You'll need to edit both the graphicscards.sgr and graphicsrules.sgr files to force recognition. Bluebellflora has written out the proper text for the Intel 6100. Read the instructions, then download the text for both files and add it. Be sure to make backup copies of each file before you start, in case you need them.

    https://bluebellflora.com/2018/07/24/sims-3-mac-players-i-need-your-help/#Filesconfirmed

    Once you've edited the .sgr files, try to launch the game, and let me know whether it works.
  • frulaksimusfrulaksimus Posts: 5 New Member
    @puzzlezaddict Yes I am still running Yosemite. Yes, the packs are showing as installed.
    I followed the instructions to edit the .sgr files, yet I still can't launch the game. It still freezes once I've clicked play
  • Heidi739Heidi739 Posts: 2 New Member
    Hi, I probably have a really stupid question, but I searched a lot of forums and pages and I didn't find an answer anywhere, and I can't make a new thread yet... So, I want to re-name a lot - but re-name the "street", not the lot itself. I know it's possible to name a lot this way in Create a world tool, but is there a possibility to do it somehow in game? CAW doesn't allow me to change my downloaded worlds, and anyway, I just recently found out that when you move the lot in game, this name dissapears. Also when I'm adding lots in game, they don't have these names. Is it possible or is it something that can only be done in CAW? And is it possible to somehow easily just change/add those names in an existing world (in CAW or anywhere else)? Thanks.
  • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
    edited March 2019
    Heidi739 wrote: »
    Hi, I probably have a really stupid question, but I searched a lot of forums and pages and I didn't find an answer anywhere, and I can't make a new thread yet... So, I want to re-name a lot - but re-name the "street", not the lot itself. I know it's possible to name a lot this way in Create a world tool, but is there a possibility to do it somehow in game? CAW doesn't allow me to change my downloaded worlds, and anyway, I just recently found out that when you move the lot in game, this name dissapears. Also when I'm adding lots in game, they don't have these names. Is it possible or is it something that can only be done in CAW? And is it possible to somehow easily just change/add those names in an existing world (in CAW or anywhere else)? Thanks.
    If not averse to using mods, NRaas Tagger allows us to set or change the street addresses of each lot. There isn't a way that I know of to reach or adjust those without the mod or without using CAW's Edit In Game feature, but for many EIG is broken from what I understand.
    o550pjoa47rpxo63g.jpg
    NRaas has moved!
    Our new site is at http://nraas.net
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    @frulaksimus Sorry, I'm not sure precisely what's going on; Yosemite is kind of in between when TS3 worked in mac OS, to the extent that it ever really worked, and when it started being a royal pain to get installed. So I'm just going to ask a bunch of questions and hope something obvious sticks out.

    First, when precisely does the game freeze, and what are you seeing? It sounds like the launcher opens fine, but the game won't load. Is this still true if you don't have Origin open at all? Do you see the opening plumbob screen, or a black screen, or nothing? Do you get any error messages, either from EA/TS3 or from your computer? There was one issue with connection to EA servers months ago, but that was resolved around the end of the year.

    One thing that would be helpful to check is whether folders for your earlier packs, i.e. Ambitions and High-End Loft Stuff, are being copied into the folder for Late Night. (They're actually aliases that get created, but whatever.) Right-click on the base game icon in Applications and select Show Package Contents. From there, the path is:

    Contents\Resources\AddOns\Late Night[Show Package Contents]\Contents\Resources\transgaming\c_drive\Program Files\Electronic Arts

    Inside, you should see a folder/alias for the base game and each pack you have installed. If you see one for HELS but not Ambitions, you can copy the Ambitions folder into its proper place:

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-Mac/CURRENT-ISSUE-Sims-3-Unknown-Error-in-El-Capitan-Sierra-High/m-p/5725514#M5926

    If you don't see the folder for HELS either, something else weird is going on, so leave it for now.

    Last thing: If you have a deviceconfig in Documents\EA\TS3, please copy the first 40 or so lines into a post here; you can stop where the game options start. The deviceconfig will list your user and computer names about 25 lines down, so you can delete those, but there's nothing else in the file that's specific to you. If you don't have a deviceconfig at all, let me know.

    In the meantime, I'll try to think of more.
  • Heidi739Heidi739 Posts: 2 New Member
    @igazor Thank you! I tried the Edit in game feature, but it didn't work (some "serious error"). I don't really want to install anything else to my PC, it's kind of old and has problems even with basic The Sims 3 game, but if I'll be desperate enough, I'll try it the mod. Thanks for the advice :)
  • IcySilverIcySilver Posts: 2 New Member
    I could need some help! So I've had this problem for a while and it's basically that when I play with a household for a few day/weeks it starts crashing as soon as I load the save file without an error code or anything, just goes straight to my desktop. I would really appreciate it if anyone would take their time to help me out. Thanks in advance :)
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    @IcySilver There are many reasons TS3 would crash, from your hardware to your playstyle to the way EA made some of the worlds, and everything in between. So more information would help narrow things down. First, please run a dxdiag on your computer, upload the results to a free filesharing site like pastebin.com, and link them here. You'll need to break up the link; use spaces or something.

    https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

    If you happen to be on a mac, please provide your specs instead, as described in this post:

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-3-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting/m-p/4756624#M4

    Please also list the packs you have installed, and the world(s) in which you've been playing. Some are built better than others, even the EA versions, and some custom worlds are problematic as well.
  • IcySilverIcySilver Posts: 2 New Member
    @puzzlezaddict Thanks for the response. I've got the link here ht tps:// paste bin. com /gV8jSjRf hopefully I've done everything right. The expansion packs that I have installed are, Generations, Late night, University, Pets, Seasons, Showtime and supernatrual. I'm playing on Sunset valley, and I do use CC and a few nrass mods such as master controller, errortrap and overwatch.
  • BailsBails Posts: 3 New Member
    Hello, I have a problem where all the mod files I try to download are internet files and when I try to download the Resource.cfg file just download as Resource with the internet icon, please help, I have tried so many times, looked on so many websites, watched so many videos and I don't know what to do
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    @IcySilver You did do everything right: https://pastebin.com/gV8jSjRf

    First of all, your C drive, where Windows is installed, is running out of space. A 128 GB drive is really too small for much more than Windows 10 and a couple of essential system programs, like an antivirus/firewall. Having only 20 GB free won't crash your computer normally, but it's not enough space to let Windows download and install a large update. And many apps (like TS3) generate temporary files when they run, so the actual amount of free storage while you're playing is going to be lower. You'd be better off uninstalling the game and reinstalling it on your much larger D drive, then redirecting Documents to D as well.

    But the bigger issue is your graphics card. An Nvidia 710 can't really handle much more than the base game; a couple of early packs on low graphics settings might be fine, if you can accept the poor graphics. However, Pets and Seasons are the two most demanding packs, and they really do require a much stronger card.

    If I had to guess, you're seeing the crashes when the weather in your saves turns bad. Rain, snow, and hail are much harder to render than a sunny day, and your card wouldn't be able to handle the inclement weather. There can be some element of randomness to crashes caused by underpowered hardware, depending on what's happening in the game. But ultimately, your card just isn't able to keep up, and trying to force it to run most of your packs is a losing proposition.

    To run all packs on high graphics settings on a desktop, you'd need an Nvidia 950 or 1050, or the AMD equivalent. Theoretically, you could add a stronger card to your computer, since it has the necessary PCIe x16 expansion slot. But you'd have to check your power supply to see if it would support the card. Plus, your processor isn't all that powerful either. It's probably not the cause of your current issues, but it might not give you the full benefit of a strong graphics card, in other games if not TS3.

    I'm sorry I don't have something better to offer, but there's really not much you can do to make your card handle TS3 better. The game just does not adjust well to weaker hardware.
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    @Bails You don't need to post in multiple places; people will see your comment regardless.

    The fact that the resource file isn't showing its .cfg extension isn't a problem at all—your system is just set to hide extensions. It's the same file regardless. As for the icon, it sounds like you might have tried to open the file at some point, specifically with your browser. The icon shows what app your computer will use to open a file of this type by default. But you never need to open it, anyway, and the game won't care about this default setting. TS3 will use resource.cfg the same no matter which icon is showing on the file.

    Since you've had trouble with the download, it's a good idea to delete your existing resource.cfg and download a fresh copy. When doing so, be sure to select "save file" instead of "open with," and then just drop the file into your Mods setup. If you'd like more help adding mods, just ask. This is also a good resource, if you haven't found it already:

    http://modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Installing_Sims_3_Package_Files/Setup_and_Files
  • ArcadeLackeyArcadeLackey Posts: 9 New Member
    I'd just like to report back that it doesn't seem like you can have 3 different "have a child" wishes at once, unless you count the gender-specific ones. However, that said, I can affirm that Love Day triggers those sorts of wishes.
  • MJJB99MJJB99 Posts: 19 Member
    Hi! I'm in the market for a new laptop to play TS3 on. I looked at some of the older threads to find the kind of specs I should be looking for. I want to be able to play with all EPs, SPs, store items and possibly a few mods, preferably on the high graphics quality setting. I can avoid CC if necessary. I'd like to be able to use it but it's not a deal breaker for me.
    I found the Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop on Amazon and am wondering if this one would work. It's right in my price range but I'm willing to spend more if necessary. I'd rather spend more and not have issues or have to replace it in a year or two. I have 2 main concerns about it. One, I noticed there were several complaints about it overheating but I'm wondering if that is more of an issue with newer, more demanding games than TS3. TS3 is definitely the most demanding game I'll be playing. I don't do a lot of other gaming. My second concern is the hard drive storage. It says 256 GB Flash Memory Solid State. Will this be good enough? Or is there a way to improve that? I know nothing about computer builds, specs, etc.
    If you don't think this laptop will suit my needs, I'd appreciate any advice on what I should be looking for instead.
    Thanks for anyone who can help!
  • MJJB99MJJB99 Posts: 19 Member
    I found another thread with more specs and info. They suggested the website Newegg.com where I found this laptop:
    MSI GF63 15.6" IPS FHD Gaming Laptop, 8th Gen i5 8300H upto 4.0GHz, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD, 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti VR Ready Video Card, AC WIFI, BT 5.0, USB-C 3.1, Windows 10 Pro

    Upgraded MSI GF63 15.6" 1920 x 1080 IPS-Level 60 Hz 45 Percent NTSC Thin Bezel
    8th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5 8300H 2.3GHz upto 4.0GHz
    512GB NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD, 8GB DDR4 SO-DIMM RAM
    4GB Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti VR Ready Graphics Card
    802.11ac WIFI, Bluetooth 5.0, 1 x HDMI (4K @ 30Hz), 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, 3 x USB 3.1 Gen 1
    Windows 10 Pro

    As far as I can tell, it nails all the specs mentioned in that thread. Would this one be good/better than the Predator?
    Sorry I can't post the link to it. New member and all.
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    @MJJB99 Is this the laptop you're considering?

    https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-Overclockable-Aeroblade-PH315-51-78NP/dp/B07CTHLX8C

    Its specs are excellent for running all TS3 packs on high settings, even a bit of overkill, but there's nothing wrong with that. (You only really need an Nvidia 1050 ti, unless you also have other plans for this computer.) But both of the points you bring up could be real problems for you. TS3 won't generate the same heat as some newer, more demanding games, but it can still overheat a laptop if you're not careful. And Acer doesn't always have the best cooling in its laptops.

    Plus, a single 256 GB drive won't be enough storage for you unless you're not going to install anything else besides TS3. You could probably keep the game (and all your cc) on this drive and be fine, but you'd still have to be a bit careful about free space, and managing externals for everything else might not be what you had in mind. This model does have space for another internal drive, but you'd of course still have to pay for it. A 1 TB mechanical drive might cost $50-70, a SATA SSD $120 and up.

    I was about to say you could do better for your budget, but I see you've already started looking. I think you've found this?
    https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=2WC-000C-00317

    (If not, you can link directly; just use spaces or something to break up the link.)

    That computer would be great in theory, but the one issue is that it's been upgraded by a third party. Some of them do okay; others mess up the installation of the new parts, or end up doing something ridiculous like stuffing a piece of styrofoam into the laptop to make everything fit together. I personally wouldn't take that risk unless I had a reliable repair shop available nearby.

    If you post your budget, and it sounds like you're in the U.S., I can look around a bit for you. Just list anything else you want the laptop to do, or if you're really interested in a large solid state drive or any other features.
  • MJJB99MJJB99 Posts: 19 Member
    @puzzlezaddict
    Yes, those were both of the laptops I was looking at. Thank you so much for your help! I really don't know a lot about computers other than using them, haha. I just know what I need it to do.
    If it can run TS3 with all EPs and SPs, it should be able to handle anything else I do. The only other game I play is Majesty. Other than that I would just need it to be able to run Microsoft Office as I'm a writer. I also do some graphic design using Photoshop. But I'm pretty sure TS3 is by far the most demanding thing I do. My crappy computer that I have now can handle all that other stuff but it can barely run TS3 with 1 or 2 EPs. I've actually uninstalled it for the time being because I'm fairly certain even that is too demanding and is doing damage.
    For my budget, I would prefer to keep it under $1,000 but I could go up to maybe $1,500 if necessary. Like I said, I'd rather spend the money and have what I need than being searching for another one next year.
    Thank you!!
  • MJJB99MJJB99 Posts: 19 Member
    Also, yes I'm in the U.S. sorry! I don't really know anything specific that I'd be looking for. I'm not really even sure what a solid state drive is. I just want to be able to play the full game without issue.
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    edited March 2019
    @MJJB99 A solid state drive (SSD) is much faster than a mechanical hard drive (HDD), so anything that requires intensive reads or writes will happen much more quickly on an SSD. There are two kinds of SSDs, SATA and PCIe; PCIe is 3-5 times faster than SATA. The type of SSD wouldn't make much of a difference, if any, to TS3, but you would notice a significant difference between an SSD and a HDD. Loading your save, the travel transition, loading the CAS and Build/Buy catalogs, and saving the game would all be noticeably faster on an SSD. Of course, SSDs are more expensive than HDDs, but they're also more reliable and last longer.

    I just looked around a bit, and I could customize you a CyberpowerPC laptop with an Intel i7-8750H, an Nvidia 1050 ti, 16 GB RAM, and a single 1 TB PCIe SSD (a bit slower than the highest end, but still 3x faster than a SATA SSD), all for $1079. Whether you'd pay tax depends on which state you live in. It looks like it's actually cheaper to get the large single PCIe SSD on sale than two smaller drives, or you could save $38 and get a single 500 GB SSD. The laptop has a 17" screen with a 144 Hz refresh rate, and you could get a mouse and a pair of headphones for $5 each. You might also want to spend an extra $30 to upgrade the brand of RAM. Here's the base I'm looking at:

    https://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Tracer-III-17-Xtreme-100

    If this isn't what you're looking for, or you'd like to save some money, I can look for other options. But it's almost impossible to find a 512 GB SSD in a laptop around $1000 unless you customize it yourself. You could get a combination of 256 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD, but you'd have to manage your free storage on the SSD carefully, or else install TS3 on the HDD and lose the benefits of the SSD entirely.

    Anyway, let me know what you're thinking, and I'll try to find something that works for you.
  • MJJB99MJJB99 Posts: 19 Member
    @puzzlezaddict Thank you for explaining!
    I'd definitely be interested in the customized CyberpowerPC. How would that work? Is there somewhere online that you customize it or..?

    Also, I just found this on newegg: https: //www. newegg. com/Product/Product.aspx? Item=9SIAA0S7ZY9884 &ignorebbr=1
    It says it has a 512GB SSD. Could you possibly tell me what I'm not seeing that makes it so much cheaper? It just seems like some of these computers have all the same specs but there are $100's difference in price. I must be missing something
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    edited March 2019
    @MJJB99 One difference is that the computer you linked only has 8 GB RAM, although I'm sure you could add more yourself. Another is that it has a weaker processor—an Intel i5-8300H is more then enough for TS3, but it's not as good as an i7-8750. (You may not mind though.) Yet another difference is it's a Dell, which doesn't always make the highest quality gaming laptops. (Or they're great and overpriced.)

    But the biggest difference is that this laptop has also been upgraded by a third party; you can see the seller, CravingSavings in this case, in the upper right corner, above the price. Again, you might get a great laptop that does everything you want. But if something goes wrong, you'll need to get assistance from the third-party vendor, not Dell, as the modifications will have voided the warranty.

    I'm not saying that it's a terrible idea to get one of these upgraded computers, but you should understand what that entails. If you're interested, the MSI you found earlier would be a much better option, with an 8750H and 16 GB RAM, as well as (probably) a faster SSD.

    If you want the Cyberpower option, you can customize it yourself through the link I posted, or you can tell me what you want and I can send you a link with everything arranged to your liking. And feel free to ask any questions about the hardware as well.
  • MJJB99MJJB99 Posts: 19 Member
    @puzzlezaddict Okay, so is that link for the Cyberpower already customized? Because the only options I'm seeing really are to save it or add to cart.
    Sorry, I'm so confused.
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    @MJJB99 No worries, it's kind of daunting the first time you see a parts list.

    The link is for the base model, and you scroll down and start adding or replacing hardware the way you want. There's an index on the left side that you can use to navigate among parts, although on a laptop, some of them will be non-negotiable. Like in this case, you're stuck with the processor and graphics card that comes with the model. But you can add RAM and switch out the suggested hard drive. (And you can get Call of Duty 4 and Fortnite for free, if you're interested.)

    If this is something you're not comfortable doing, just tell me what parts you'd like, and I'll put everything together. The options are:
    • single solid state drive, either 512 GB or 1 TB; SSD and secondary HDD, of various sizes; or two SSDs, i.e. a small one for Windows and a larger one for everything else. The secondary drive cannot be a PCIe SSD
    • an extra 8 GB RAM (16 total) for $82, plus $30 more if you want to upgrade the brand
    • mouse for $5 and/or headphones for $5
    • free Call of Duty and Fortnite (lol, but why not)
    • the other options are either extras you don't need (video capture card, monitor, sound card) or options you can find cheaper elsewhere (external drives, cables, gaming chair)
    For the hard drives, the biggest thing to consider, besides price, is whether you're interested in managing two drives. It's not that much trouble, once you get everything set up, but you might prefer to keep things simpler with a single drive. You should also consider how much storage you need. It's not that expensive to add more now, but it might be difficult later.
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