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64-bit Sims 3 for macOS Questions/Troubleshooting

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puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
edited February 2022 in The Sims 3 Mac Discussion
If your question isn't answered in this post, feel free to ask in the thread, and we'll try to answer.

If you have an issue that isn't listed, or the game is consistently crashing, please report it in the Sims 3 Mac section of Answers HQ. This is where all the current issues are being tracked and organized, so it would help for all affected players to chime in and say the issue matters to them.

Major Install issues

Everyone who owns Sims 3 content should also be able to access the 64-bit version of that content. If you are missing the 64-bit version of the base game or one or more packs, please contact EA customer support for help.

https://help.ea.com/en/contact-us/

Explain to the support rep that you need the "entitlements," as they're called, specifically for the 64-bit version of whatever you're missing. If the support rep can't or won't do what you ask, or doesn't understand the issue, feel free to ask for a supervisor.

Error: Your The Sims 3 base game is incompatible with the current Sims 3 expansion pack

Go into Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3 and delete Version.tag. (Thanks to @BluebellFlora for this one.)

Game downloads but won't install

If you've ever had the 32-bit version of Sims 3 installed on this computer, you may need to do a clean uninstall of that one before installing the 64-bit version.

Please also make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements for the 64-bit version of Sims 3.
(Taken from this origin.com page)
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
OS: Metal required. macOS® X 10.13 (High Sierra)
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz Processor or better
RAM: At least 4 GB RAM
HARD DRIVE: At least 15 GB of free space with at least 1 GB additional space for custom content and saved games
VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680, AMD Radeon RX 560, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 or better
INPUT: Keyboard and Mouse
ONLINE REQUIREMENTS: Internet connection required for product activation.

RECOMMENDED REQUIREMENTS:
OS: macOS® X 10.13 or later
PROCESSOR: Intel Core i5 or better
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680, AMD Radeon RX 560, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 or better
MEMORY: 8GB RAM
HARD DRIVE: 18 GB of Hard Drive space

— — — — — — — — — — — —

Minor install issues
  • Origin Play button now says Finalizing: Run the Origin reset tool for macOS.
  • "Can't find server" error in Launcher: It's irrelevant, ignore it.
  • Store content/cc installing issues: Please see this thread for suggestions.
  • Icons along the bottom of the launcher are grayed out. Please see below.

Error downloading content {0} or Critical system failure [while installing store or custom content, respectively]

This is caused by a missing .plist file within the hidden Library files on your system. Without this file present, the base game icon along the bottom of the launcher will be grayed out. Store and Exchange content will not install, and already installed store items won't load.

To recreate the missing file, please do the following:
  • Open a Finder window, click Go at the top of your screen, hold down the optn (alt) key, and select Library.
  • Open Application Support > Origin, and create a folder called Installer Data (exactly that, no variation).
  • Open your Origin game library, right-click (or hold crtl and click) on the Sims 3 icon, and select Repair.
This currently only recreates the base game plist file, which is sufficient for Store and Exchange content to work. Hopefully this issue will be addressed in a future Origin update.

Please keep in mind that running the Origin reset tool will remove this .plist file along with the Origin folder it's in, reintroducing the same issue. So you'll need to open Origin once and then redo the above steps to fix it again.

— — — — — — — — — — — —

Gameplay issues
  • Red flashing: Please post your specs in this thread, and list the lot(s) where you see it happen.
  • Shiny/pixellated hair, borked eyelashes: Please click Me Too and post screenshots in this thread.
  • No interactions on open water: Please click Me Too in this thread, and post if you notice other missing interactions.
  • Keyboard commands don't release: Please click Me Too and post in this thread.
  • Terrain paint can't be applied: Please click Me Too in this thread.
  • Can't collect insects or nanites: Please click Me Too in this thread.
  • Sculpture blocks are not rendered properly: Please click Me Too in this thread.

— — — — — — — — — — — —

Questions

What patch level does the game have?

1.70.292.024017

Do I need to update my mods?

No. Your mods should work as well or as poorly as they do in other fully patched versions of Sims 3.

I can't open the cheats console?!

The key combo is now, for some inexplicable reason, cmd-shift-C, not crtl-shift-C.

When is problem X getting fixed?

We have no idea, sorry. When an issue has been addressed, the relevant Answers HQ thread will be updated; if you subscribe, you'll get notifications for new posts and marked solutions.
Post edited by EA_Cade on

Comments

  • cody6268cody6268 Posts: 643 Member
    Brought it up on my Windows PC just now. Can't wait until a Windows version. But, with my secondhand laptop on its way out (really outdated, as it's from 2011, freezes randomly, gets hot, and the battery is toast), I may just buy a refurbished MacBook when I see them on sale again, mostly just for that.

    I wonder what is meant by "GO SOCIAL ALL NEW WAYS TO CONNECT"?
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    @cody6268 There's no indication a Windows version is on the way or even in EA's plans, although it could of course happen at some point. If you're going to buy a Mac, please check its specs against the minimum and recommended requirements for the 64-bit version of Sims 3: this version has higher reqs by a large margin than the original. And quite frankly, for any given price, the game would still run better on a Windows PC than a Mac, although on the high end, the Mac version will likely have closed a large part of that gap.

    The Go Social message sounds like the one on disc copies of the Sims 3 base game that require Origin, as in, any copy manufactured after September 2012. I don't know if the message is random or has some meaning, but I would guess that anyone playing on a Mac will now be required to launch the game from Origin, which isn't necessary in the current version. Or maybe someone just borrowed some old cover art.
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    As of right now, the 64-bit/Metal version of Sims 3 can now be downloaded from Origin.

    I don't have the game or one or more packs in my Origin library. What's going on?

    New purchases aren't showing up for everyone and may not for a couple days. Some "entitlements," as they're called, are still being pushed out. Additionally, new purchases are lagging behind. Please see this post for more details.

    If you see the old (32-bit) entry of Sims 3 in your library but don't see the 64-bit version, or you see a pack in the old Sims 3 entry but not the new one, please contact EA customer support and ask for help.

    https://help.ea.com/en/contact-us/
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    edited October 2020
    What patch level does the game have?

    1.70.292.024017

    I can't open the cheats console?!

    The key combo is now, for some inexplicable reason, cmd-shift-C, not crtl-shift-C.

    What is "Installation Verification Failure," and how can I make it go away?

    dwcsXGH.png

    We're trying to figure that out.
    Post edited by puzzlezaddict on
  • KatKat93KatKat93 Posts: 1 New Member
    Hey, I have downloaded the sims 3 and the associated expansion packs but now when I try to load it from the launcher it just says "Unknown Error" when I try and load it from an Expansion Pack, and it says, "Base game is incompatible with your expansion pack, please update from the launcher" when trying to load it from the main game
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    edited October 2020
    @kitkat93 The unknown error is a relic of the 32-bit version of Sims 3. Which one did you install, and how did you install your packs? And where do you see the unknown error: when pressing Play in Origin, or opening the Sims 3 launcher and pressing Play from there?

    It would also be helpful to know the full specs of your Mac. Please list everything here, including operating system; be sure to leave out your serial number.

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-3-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting/m-p/4756624#M2878
  • brendanleemeadbrendanleemead Posts: 1 New Member
    Hey!! Any idea on when we will get more info on the "Installation Verification Failure"? :smiley:
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    @brendanleemead There's no news yet. As soon as we have any fix, workaround, whatever, someone will post here.
  • plh1999plh1999 Posts: 1 New Member
    > @KatKat93 said:
    > Hey, I have downloaded the sims 3 and the associated expansion packs but now when I try to load it from the launcher it just says "Unknown Error" when I try and load it from an Expansion Pack, and it says, "Base game is incompatible with your expansion pack, please update from the launcher" when trying to load it from the main game
    >

    me too :( i called EA support and they said that it's a glitch-type-thing on the sims' part, they might update soon?
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    For this error:

    dwcsXGH.png

    The EA team thinks it's found the issue and will be able to fix it, hopefully soon enough.

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/the-sims-3-64-bit-amp-metal-release/m-p/9655800#M9771
  • Nikkei_SimmerNikkei_Simmer Posts: 9,404 Member
    Hopefully they will find that problem, since it's not fair and hasn't been fair to Mac-users for the better part of the past year...possibly more that they weren't able to play a game that they'd paid for.
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  • jimbbqjimbbq Posts: 2,734 Member
    I can’t even find the game on my origin app ...
  • HelsHels Posts: 2 New Member
    Hi, I've also tried to download the Sims 3 from Origin. The 64-bit version but I also am getting the error "Unknown Error" - "Base game is incompatible with your expansion pack, please update from the launcher" when trying to load it from the main game.

    I have MacOS Catalina Version 10.15.7 (19H2)

    Can anyone help!!
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    @jimbbq It's a known issue. Here's what an EA person had to say about it:

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/the-sims-3-64-bit-amp-metal-release/m-p/9652952#M8808

    You can post here if you want, although there's not much to be done:

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/64-bit-Sims-3-content-not-in-Origin-library/m-p/9653314#M8830

    @Hels Try running the Origin reset tool for macOS:

    https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/origin/origin/how-to-reset-origin-on-mac/

    If that doesn't help, uninstall the game (open your Origin game library, right-click, or hold down crtl and click, on the Sims 3 icon, and select Uninstall), reset Origin, and restart your computer. Download the base game only, and see if it launches. You'll probably get an error at the Main Menu, but that's a whole other issue, the same one from earlier in the thread.

    If the game loads at least to the Main Menu, download one pack and install it, then see whether the error shows up again. Let me know either way. If not, you can keep adding packs.
  • OmairaOmaira Posts: 666 Member
    My questions are:
    I have the sims 3 installed but have not been playing it as it did not play well so I have my mac partitioned and paly the games on the Windows side.
    1) Will I have to uninstall the sims 3 from the Mac side and install the 64 bit version or it will automatically "update"

    2)Will I still be able to play the game as it is now on my Windows partition?

    3)I don't have Catalina OS. Will I still be able to download 64 bit version.

    Sorry for this questions I am technically dumb :| so I am getting a bit confused.
  • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
    @Omaira
    1 - It's a different game install, and yes the older TS3 for Mac version would need to be uninstalled first. Personally, I wouldn't bother trying the new version yet until we get a green light from EA that the incomplete install error problem has been solved. But it's not going to harm anything by trying if you already have another way to play.

    2 - Yes, the Windows version has not changed and Bootcamp provides a different operating system for use. There's no connection between programs installed on your macOS partition and those on the Windows side.

    3 - Catalina is not required for the new Mac version, the min requirement is High Sierra. But your hardware does need to be able to run the Metal API. Which exact Mac make and model do you have (from About This Mac under the Apple Menu)?

    FAQ: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/An-announcement-for-The-Sims-3-players-on-Mac/m-p/9636105#M8517
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  • OmairaOmaira Posts: 666 Member
    @igazor Thank you so much for your kind help. As you say, I'm going to wait and see how it goes but in the meantime I will uninstall TS3 from my Mac side as I never play it there, I have The Sims 2 Super Collection to play on the Mac.
    I had my very old iMac OS changed just a year ago, to High Sierra before that, I think it was Leopard (this Mac is from 2010 nearly as old as me! :D So I should be all right with the OS. It has 16 Gb memory but it uses 8 Gb on each side (that might be a problem?)
    Otherwise it's a great computer and the partition is Windows 7 which is useful to have for some older games.
    I will find all relevant technical info and will post it for you.
  • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
    edited October 2020
    I'm afraid that the only Mac manufactured in 2010 that would capable of running the Metal API is the Mac Pro in certain configurations. The other models started kicking in around 2012 or later.

    This is the requirement that it would probably not be meeting; what has it got for a graphics card?
    VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680, AMD Radeon RX 560, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 or better

    Thus, unless I'm missing something, that Mac will not be able to run the new version of TS3 for Mac (once the issues are cleared and we can actually run it) and Bootcamp really remains the better choice for TS3.
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  • OmairaOmaira Posts: 666 Member
    @igazor. Yes I am sure you are right, I am going to change to my Mac side (I am on the windows partition now) and tell you exactly what graphics card is has, but just now I can tell you that whatever it was, it was not supported? by the game, and I think if my memory serves me right that I was told that it could not be changed.

    Back from my Mac side soon!
  • OmairaOmaira Posts: 666 Member
    macOS High Sierra
    version 10.13.6
    iMac (27-inch, Late 2009)
    Processor 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
    Memory 16 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
    Startup Disk Macintosh HD
    Graphics ATI Radeon HD 4670 256 MB

    Here it is, all the info I could find and yes it's an old lady, doing pretty well considering....but it might not be capable of handling TS3 64 bit @igazor
  • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
    No, I'm afraid it fails on the graphics card requirement. My own elderly lady from that series, a 2011 iMac, would be suffering a similar fate if I hadn't pretty much retired her early last year in favor of a new one.
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  • OmairaOmaira Posts: 666 Member
    edited October 2020
    Thank you @igazor for all your help, I might have to semi retire this one (still good for the sims 2 and many more things), but I am very interested in the sims 3 -64 bit for Mac.
    If the scientists find a vaccine for that horrid bug doing its round at the mo.. and the sims 3 upgrade for Mac turns out to be good, I will treat myself to a new Mac (in celebration!) that will handle it properly. In the meantime I will follow developments on both parts. B) while playing The Game on Windows.
  • HelsHels Posts: 2 New Member
    @puzzlezaddict Thanks for the help! I've done all of the above and tried to download it without any expansions and I'm still getting the same message! I've updated the game via origin but that comes up that it is fully updated.

    Unable to start game

    Your The Sims 3 Base Game is incompatible with the current Sims 3 Expansion Pack. Please update your game via the game launcher.
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    @Hels Open Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3 and delete the file labeled version.tag. That should fix the error.
    (Thanks to @BluebellFlora for figuring that one out.)
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    Additional information about the game (also added to the first post):

    Other major issues

    Error: Your The Sims 3 base game is incompatible with the current Sims 3 expansion pack


    Go into Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3 and delete Version.tag. (Thanks to @BluebellFlora for this one.)

    64-bit base game or packs are missing from Origin

    This is a problem with "entitlements" not appearing for all players at the same time. For now, please be patient, and your content should (hopefully) appear in your game library sometime in the next few days (as of October 30). Please see this post for more information:

    https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/the-sims-3-64-bit-amp-metal-release/m-p/9652952#M8808

    Game downloads but won't install

    Please make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements for the 64-bit version of Sims 3.
    (Taken from this origin.com page)
    MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
    OS: Metal required. macOS® X 10.13 (High Sierra)
    CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz Processor or better
    RAM: At least 4 GB RAM
    HARD DRIVE: At least 15 GB of free space with at least 1 GB additional space for custom content and saved games
    VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680, AMD Radeon RX 560, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 or better
    INPUT: Keyboard and Mouse
    ONLINE REQUIREMENTS: Internet connection required for product activation.

    RECOMMENDED REQUIREMENTS:
    OS: macOS® X 10.13 or later
    PROCESSOR: Intel Core i5 or better
    VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680, AMD Radeon RX 560, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 or better
    MEMORY: 8GB RAM
    HARD DRIVE: 18 GB of Hard Drive space

    Minor issues
    • Origin Play button now says Finalizing: Run the Origin reset tool for macOS.
    • "Can't find server" error in Launcher: It's irrelevant, ignore it.
    • Graphics performance issues: There are many. Please post screenshots and the full specs of your Mac.
    • Keyboard commands don't release: Please click Me Too and post in this thread.
    • Store content/cc installing issues: Please see this thread for suggestions.
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