Return To Sims 3 !! Who else is playing?

pattyheart · March 2018

I absolutely love The Sims 3, however, after the change was made to make EP & SP's selectable playing became frustrating as the game itself would unselect choices between play sessions. Not only that, but, many of my owned packs would simply disappear from the selection area in the launcher. So, a while back I did a new reinstall hoping this might help. It had been perhaps a year since I had given up on a game that I very much enjoy. So, earlier this week I decided to actually play. I found that after downloading and reinstalling all of my owned worlds it was needful to re-select my choices. I am opening the launcher via Origin and before each session check to be certain that all remain active. Also, I've ignored the caution to "select only a couple" ( too limiting!) and have all but one of my EP &SP's activated. My game is running on Windows 10 with the highest graphic settings and continues to run smoothly after several LONG play sessions. Who else is yet playing or has returned to Sims 3 ?

SimCaity · March 2018

It's good to hear that you sorted out your problems with Sims 3!

The things I'd do to return to Sims 3!! But my poor Mac just can't handle it anymore. It goes extremely slow and the graphics are not the best. So I've honestly just recently started playing Sims 4 more often and I do enjoy it quite a lot!

Really wish I could go back to Sims 3 though. Maybe sometime in the future when I buy a new laptop / computer. But the Mac laptop I have now was only purchased back in January so that'll be a couple years away now!

igazor · March 2018

No one here has played TS3 for ages. We're a bunch of bitter old players who now don't play anything at all. We congregate here every day and post up a storm (a relatively mild one but a storm nonetheless) on this section of the forum about how much better things were in the past. Sometimes we exchange recipes and knitting patterns.

Igazor, stop that. The OP might not realize you are joking!

Okay okay, hi there and welcome back. You may be amazed to find how popular TS3 still is. And yes, Patch 1.69 was a royal pain but even while I lived through it before repurchasing and switching over to Steam/1.67, for me it was still playable. It just didn't add anything to the game experience for me except annoyances.

@SimCaity - Hate to say this, but TS3 for Mac is a mess. It's the only iteration of sims games where EA did not do a proper port into the Mac OS and they never went back to redo it. If you have the ability to Bootcamp your Mac within reach, and have the drive space and patience to manage two operating systems, you could put Windows and the Windows version of the game on it. I've been playing that way for years on my iMac here. In my case at the time I needed the Windows partition for something work-related anyway, but now I spend all of my time (at home) in OS X except for when playing TS3.

pattyheart · March 2018

So, today opening the game launcher via Origin several packs were not there. They had been unselected and were not availble to activate. Closed the game and opened the launcher via the launcer icon in my taskbar. The packs are now avaible for selection. Was this becasue I had earlier today downloaded and reinstalled items from my purchase history (at the Sims 3 Home) ?

@igazor Can we play Sims 3 via Steam ?? ( I began using Steam when I started playing the Fallout series)

I had purchased 2 copies of Sims 3 and because one is installed on an offline PC EA was unable to get in and insert the pack select mess.

SimplyJen · March 2018

Haven't left, just small simming breaks here and there. Packs randomly unchecking themselves was one of the reasons I ended up going back to patch 1.67

It's nice that you're enjoying the game once again.

Steam host big 75% off sales for the Sims 3 collection almost every holiday & season. I'm not sure about an upcoming Spring sale but it's possible. You can defiantly count on it during Steams popular Summer sale. The catch is you must purchase the base game through Steam as well before they let you purchase packs. Mac still has it's downsides even with the Steam version so most Mac users end up bootcamping as igazor explained.

igazor · March 2018

There actually isn't a Steam version of TS3 for Mac, I'm afraid only Windows and that would require a repurchase of the base game and all EPs on the Steam platform because Steam will not recognize disc or Origin codes. But yes, the seasonal 75-80% off sales make choosing to go that way more tolerable.

booknovice · March 2018

pattyheart wrote: »

So, today opening the game launcher via Origin several packs were not there. They had been unselected and were not availble to activate. Closed the game and opened the launcher via the launcer icon in my taskbar. The packs are now avaible for selection. Was this becasue I had earlier today downloaded and reinstalled items from my purchase history (at the Sims 3 Home) ?

@igazor Can we play Sims 3 via Steam ?? ( I began using Steam when I started playing the Fallout series)

I had purchased 2 copies of Sims 3 and because one is installed on an offline PC EA was unable to get in and insert the pack select mess.

I've occasionally had the launcher auto deselect packs when I've installed/uninstalled things from the store. It doesn't happen every time, but often enough I've learned to check them before playing.

MidnightAura · March 2018

Welcome back!

I still play and love the sims 3. Can't beat it! I feel your pain with the launcher issues. It's frustrating.

puzzlezaddict · March 2018

There are plenty of us still playing, including some people like you (and me) who came back after a break. This time around, I bought all the packs I didn't have before (although I haven't installed them all yet), and there's so much new stuff that makes the game compelling to me. I think a lot of us feel like TS3 still has more than enough to keep us entertained. There are some fun conversations that go on here, that is, when we get done yelling at the TS4 types to get off our lawn! Which somehow never gets boring.

Anthonydyer · March 2018

I like the ability to select and deselect expansions. Say one gets on your nerves or you just need to start the game without it... just deselect it. No need to uninstall. I acknowledge from time to time certain packs get deselected for no reason.

I think it would be neat if Sims 4 adopted this.

GamingTweety · March 2018

I tried to play it month ago and after 10 minutes it crashed. Ahh the nostalgia. Just like the old days

suzses · March 2018

Welcome back.

I'm on patch 1.69 with the launcher select stuff. When I reinstalled everything to new computer a few months ago, I found the launcher *did* deselect things about twice, and yes, I was installing a lot of store content at the time. I still occasionally install something I missed, but haven't had anything deselected for quite some time (knock on wood). Just in case, I always pull up that window before launching and look at the checks. Thinking it will settle down for you.

pisceschick75 · March 2018

igazor wrote: »

No one here has played TS3 for ages. We're a bunch of bitter old players who now don't play anything at all. We congregate here every day and post up a storm (a relatively mild one but a storm nonetheless) on this section of the forum about how much better things were in the past. Sometimes we exchange recipes and knitting patterns.

Igazor, stop that. The OP might not realize you are joking!

Okay okay, hi there and welcome back. You may be amazed to find how popular TS3 still is. And yes, Patch 1.69 was a royal pain but even while I lived through it before repurchasing and switching over to Steam/1.67, for me it was still playable. It just didn't add anything to the game experience for me except annoyances.

@SimCaity - Hate to say this, but TS3 for Mac is a mess. It's the only iteration of sims games where EA did not do a proper port into the Mac OS and they never went back to redo it. If you have the ability to Bootcamp your Mac within reach, and have the drive space and patience to manage two operating systems, you could put Windows and the Windows version of the game on it. I've been playing that way for years on my iMac here. In my case at the time I needed the Windows partition for something work-related anyway, but now I spend all of my time (at home) in OS X except for when playing TS3.

Igazor...you are too funny! Anyway...I went back to TS3 when I found TS4 to be...ahem...boring and expensive. I have all of this stuff for TS3, a game I still absolutely love, why not continue to play it? I still continue to work toward badges and goals for the game. I have a goal of having one sim earn all six degrees from University...the closest I have ever gotten is four before they died from old age. This was without life fruit and elixir. So, I really want to achieve this goal!

igazor · March 2018

GamingTweety wrote: »

I tried to play it month ago and after 10 minutes it crashed. Ahh the nostalgia. Just like the old days

There is help available right here on the TS3 Tech Discussions board if you ever want to revisit and find out why this is happening.

nickibitsward · March 2018

I took a "break" from Sims 3 a few years ago when the "other one" was released and was quickly right back at Sims 3 because I missed it all - all the building tools, open world and Create-A-Style so I haven't really stopped playing. And I never let my launcher do that dreadful update. I have all the EP's and SP's and the game plays just fine.

SimplyJen · March 2018

Anthonydyer wrote: »

I like the ability to select and deselect expansions. Say one gets on your nerves or you just need to start the game without it... just deselect it. No need to uninstall. I acknowledge from time to time certain packs get deselected for no reason.

I think it would be neat if Sims 4 adopted this.

It would make it very difficult to play the challenge I'm currently working on if I couldn't disable packs. Thankfully for mod users, someone already modded this feature before Origin added it. Sim Game Selector for those interested below patch 1.69

igazor wrote: »

There actually isn't a Steam version of TS3 for Mac, I'm afraid only Windows and that would require a repurchase of the base game and all EPs on the Steam platform because Steam will not recognize disc or Origin codes. But yes, the seasonal 75-80% off sales make choosing to go that way more tolerable.

Ah, I assumed there was a Mac version for some reason. Must be mixing it up with something else I read.

puzzlezaddict · March 2018

SimplyJen wrote: »

igazor wrote: »

There actually isn't a Steam version of TS3 for Mac, I'm afraid only Windows and that would require a repurchase of the base game and all EPs on the Steam platform because Steam will not recognize disc or Origin codes. But yes, the seasonal 75-80% off sales make choosing to go that way more tolerable.

Ah, I assumed there was a Mac version for some reason. Must be mixing it up with something else I read.

@SimplyJen That might have been me. I recently posted about how I bought most of the EPs and SPs on Steam for playing on my macbook. But I had to login to Steam on a PC, copy the CD keys, register them to my EA account, and then download the packs through Origin in order to to play. It wasn't that difficult, once I had assurances (thanks again, igazor and TreyNutz) I wouldn't be messing anything up in the process, and lucky for me patch 1.69 is only for PC. There are enough difficulties with the mac version of TS3 already without the Origin tie-in.

Simtown15 · March 2018

I play both games. I've been playing more Sims 4 lately though and I miss Sims 3. It's just so hard to start fresh after my last current household reached generation 3 before I deleted the save on impulse.

Xavy_Cat · March 2018

I sort of want to return to Sims 3 or jungle both 3 & 4, but I haven't got it set up on my new computer yet. The game itself is installed, but I need to install all my store content and transfer my mods folder from my old computer... and I just don't feel like it

mommy19959699 · March 2018

I definitely still play although the initial launch time sometimes turns me off and yah having to check to see if the launcher unchecked my add-ons is a nuisance. But once the game is fired up, I can play it for hoooooooours. Now that I have a decent pc too and the graphics and screenshots are so beautiful.. ugh awesome :-) The craziness that happens in the sims 3 too, wish we had more of that in the sims 4.

Simtown15 · March 2018

Ode to Sims 3
Oh Sims 3, dear Sims 3,
I've written this poem for you.
I love you, dear Sims 3,
but I don't know what to do.
I've played you for almost 3 years now,
but I am far from done.
I don't know what, but I'm sure there is,
more fun to be had, more fun.
I've played you half to death,
then I moved on to Sims 4.
But you, my dear Sims 3,
always leave me wanting more.
So, Sims 3, dear Sims 3,
please don't desert me yet.
I'll come back to you again,
it'll be soon, I bet.
There's one problem though:
I play, and delete.
Play, and delete,
and that I repeat.
But you see, Sims 3, I love you so,
with your silly sims and emerald glow.
But Sims 3, dear Sims 3,
I just don't know what to do.
Oh Sims 3, dear Sims 3,
I've written this poem for you.

thevogel · March 2018

I don't let that launcher deter me. If it suddenly doesn't show my expansions, I just close it, then open it again...then my expansions are there and just need to be checked. This game has so much to offer after all these years, and With Nraas mods, it plays really smooth, and my currently computer handles it really well.

Evalen · March 2018

igazor wrote: »

There actually isn't a Steam version of TS3 for Mac, I'm afraid only Windows and that would require a repurchase of the base game and all EPs on the Steam platform because Steam will not recognize disc or Origin codes. But yes, the seasonal 75-80% off sales make choosing to go that way more tolerable.

@igazor do you know if the Sims 3 plays better or the same on Steam I do not have a problem with the sims 3 and my game plays great and fine. I was only thinking in terms of origin vs steam in playing. is there a difference.
I do play some games on steam and like Steam and have never had a problem. I play Sims on Origin.

igazor · March 2018

@Evalen - On Steam, the current Patch level is 1.67. There is no Origin tie-in, and the game can be started up with a bypass shortcut so there is no need for Origin (which of course isn't involved anyway), the Steam client, or even the Launcher to start first. Once the game is up and running fully loaded though, it's exactly the same either way.

If you are having no problems on Patch 1.69 and the Origin method of starting up every time with the Launcher required, then there really wouldn't be any need to change things up.

Nikkei_Simmer · March 2018

puzzlezaddict wrote: »

There are some fun conversations that go on here, that is, when we get done yelling at the TS4 types to get off our lawn! Which somehow never gets boring.

...and in answer to the OP: Yeah. I play...TS3. A lot.

As far as the above screencap. I believe I've done that in RL too. I think I'm getting up there in that range of age. :shaking my cane:

TadOlson · March 2018

I play TS3 a lot though I've taken a break recently because I came down sick and could only play TS2 while I wasn't well though I'm looking at getting back to my 100 baby challenge soon.

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Return To Sims 3 !! Who else is playing?

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