FAQ

Bugs & Patches

March 21, 2011 /

What’s a Bug ?

Bugs are errors in the game. Not everyone has every bug for it depends on the combinations of actions you do if a bug actually shows in your game or not. Some bugs are very common, others are not. Bugs can be caused by Mods and CC as well. Because of this, make sure your Downloads are always up-to-date.

What’s a patch ?

A patch is an update to the game code. A patch can have two purposes

  • Fix bugs in the game
  • Adjust the base game to the be able to handle a new expansion.

Is it normal for me to have bugs from expansions without having the expansion ?

Yes, a patch always updates all add-ons to the newest update.  It’s only bugs that concern specific functionality of a add-on  that you won’t have if you don’t have the expansion (e.g. since excavating is specific to WA, you will only have that bug if you actually own WA, the bad mood bug you will have as soon as you patch to 1.19 cause this is base game functionality). Pets and newer expansion also have examples of bugs that only occur if you don’t have the EP cause EA failed to properly gate the functionality (e.g. Gourmet Pet Food)

Can I just skip a patch and move on to the next one if I want to omit a bug ?

No. A newer patch includes all changes in the previous patches. You can wait until the next patch comes – hoping EA will fix said bug – but once you want to install a new EP you need the patch for that.

Can I uninstall an already installed patch ?

It’s not possible to unpatch a game (this would lead to potentially more issues). All you can do is uninstall your game, reinstall and manually patch to the level you want. Make sure to turn off automatic updates. Links to older Manual Patches can be found at MTS

Do patches that EA released around the time an EP is released fix my bug I have with the new EP ?

Probably not. That patch is for all those Simmers that don’t want to buy the add-on so that their basegame/add-ons are patched to the newest version as well and also for the people who buy the download version. Patches that are released at the same time as an expansion pack are always included in the DVD and you already have that patch if you’ve installed the EP. There are very few exceptions to this rule where EA releases a patch within a few days of the release of the add-on. Check the versions numbers to make sure that you are up-to-date.

Do I have to buy an EP to get rid of my bugs

No, you will never have to buy an expansion pack to get rid of errors and bugs. If the patch didn’t fix it, the EP won’t either. Exceptions are those are the bugs EA now likes to introduce where EP functionality is not properly gate for the EP. Those are bugs and EA needs to fix them. You should NOT buy the EP just for those.

Do I patch my game to lower levels first if I skipped a patch ?

No, that is not necessary. The newest patch always contains the fixes for the older patches as well. If you’re patching manually and use the incremental patch, make sure you patch from the right version.

Can I keep using my mods after an update ?

No, you can’t. Some of them will still work, other will not. Check with the creator if they still work or not. Never use a mod that is not doesn’t have an ok from the creator or someone you trust. Can I keep using my other downloads and custom content ? Clothing, objects and more can also have issues after a new patch. Check around the forums if you find any info of potential problems.  There were several occasions were many downloads had to be updates: Blue Lots, CC Objects issues with Patch 1.26/1.27 and there was also an issue with doors and windows when half walls were introduced. What patches did we have so far ?

What patches have been released ?

Patchliste
  • Patch 1.2.7 (June 25th, 2009)
  • Patch 1.3.4 (July 27th, 2009)
  • Patch 1.4.6 (05. August 5th, 2009)
  • Patch 1.5.82/1.6.6 (November 16th, 2009)
  • Patch 1.7.9/2.2.8 (November 18th, 2009)
  • Patch 1.8.25/2.3.33 (December 15th, 2009)
  • Patch 1.9.22/2.4.7 (February 2nd, 2010)
  • Patch 1.10.6/2.5.12/3.1.7 (February 8th, 2010)
  • Patch 1.11.7/2.6.11/3.2.8. (Match 24th, 2010)
  • Patch 1.12.7/2.7.7/3.3.11/4.0.87  (June 1st,  2010)
  • Patch 1.14.11/2.9.10/3.5.8/4.2.32 (July 8th, 2010)
  • Patch 1.15.34/2.10.5/3.6.6/4.3.4 (September 7th, 2010)
  • Patch 1.17.60/2.12.8/3.8.6/4.5.6/5.3.4 (October 27th,  2010)
  • Patch 1.18.9/2.13.6/3.9.6/4.6.6/5.4.4/6.1.11  (November 30th, 2010)
  • Patch 1.19.44/2.14.4/3.10.4/4.7.4/5.5.4/6.2.4 (February 1st, 2011)
  • Patch 1.22 (May 31st, 2011)
  • Patch 1.24 (July 25th 2011)
  • Patch 1.25 (September 1st, 2011) --> MAC only
  • Patch 1.26/1.27 (October 17th, 2011)
  • Patch 1.29 (December 14th, 2011)
  • Patch 1.31 (March 1st, 2012)
  • Patch 1.32 (March 9th 2012) --> Bad Patch. Don't Use
  • Patch 1.33 (March 15th, 2012)
  • Patch 1.34 (June 2nd, 2012)
  • Patch 1.36 (July 8th, 2012)
  • Patch 1.38 (August 31st, 2012)
  • Patch 1.39 (September 27th, 2012)
  • Patch 1.42 (October 29th, 2012)
  • Patch 1.47 (January 8th, 2013)
  • Patch1.48 (January 22nd,  2013)
  • Patch 1.50 (February 19th, 2013) --> Incremental patch doesn't work. Use Superpatch.
  • Patch 1.55 (June 18th, 2013)
  • Patch 1.57 (September 4th, 2013)
  • Patch 1.63 (October 17th, 2013) --> Use Superpatch
  • Patch 1.66 (January 14th, 2014)
  • Patch 1.67 (January 24, 2014)

What do the numbers mean ?

Each expansion has it’s own version number. Details can be found here: Game Version. Details dazu gibt es hier: Spielversion. Since Patch 1.22 only the base game is patched and only the base game gets a new number. The launcher shows the version of your latest Expansion pack anyways which leads to confusion. For checking compatibility and bug reports, only the version of the base game is of relevance.

Can I combine the digital downloads with the DVD version ??

Yes, as long as you stay on Origin. The Steam Version is not compatible with the DVD or the Origin download. The Code from Steam can be redeemed at Origin.

Do I need to use the launcher to patch ?

No, you can manually patch your games. Make sure to turn off automatic updates for that though.

You have two options to manually patch

  1. Use the Patch Downloader (recommended)
  2. Download the manual patch and install it to your game by double clicking on the file. Many sites, including  SimsVIP, ModTheSims and this site offer links to the manual patches quite fast. Those are the official patches, hosted by EA. The sites just link them.

If you use the second method, make sure you download the right patch. There are incremental patches as well as a cumulative superpatch. You need to make sure, you use the right patch if you are using the incremental one. Your region and current version are important as well as your operating system. The superpatch doesn’t care which region or current patch level but you can’t install a mac patch on a Windows system and the other way round.

If you are on Steam, you patch your game through Steam. The manual patches are NOT for you.

What’s the different between a Store Content patch and a Game update ?

The Store Content patch updates the Store content that you can buy extra for your game while the game update updates the game itself.