FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions on selected topics
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EA Store and Game Items
What is the Sim Store ? The Store is part of the EA Website where you can buy extra items for your Sims. All items there are approved and created by EA employees. Are there any faulty EA objects or clothing ? Yes there are. Check the Sims 3 Store forum for current and ongoing issues Are faulty items being updated by EA ? There are so called Store Content Updates. They can be downloaded through the launcher. The majority of the faulty store items is not fixed though. Are there any free items available in the Store ? Yes…
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Riverview
What is Riverview ? Riverview is a town like Sunset Valley that you can download for free when you register your base game. Riverview is a rural town with new characters, new houses, Rabbitholes, objects and clothing Where can I download Riverview ? Riverview is available in the Sims 3 Store. You will need to register your game and set up an account. What objects do I get with the town ? The world contains the following items Can I uninstall items from the world I don’t want ? Unfortunately you will need to uninstall the town if you don’t…
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Bugs & Patches
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.…
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Barnacle Bay
What is this Barnacle Bay ? Barnacle Bay is a Store world which can be bought through the Sims 3 Store and in retail stores (only contains a code, no disc). It’s another world like Sunset Valley, Riverview etc with a pirate based theme. There is also the Buccaneer’s Bounty Set available that is now included in the new version. Barnacle Bay is no vacation world and has no extra functionality. Which Patch/Add-ons do I need for Barnacle Bay ? You will need the latest patch and the base game. Why doesn’t my retail version contain a disc ? The…
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Backups
What is a backup ? A backup is a copy of your folders and files to an external drive, an different place on your computer, a flash drive or a DVD. Backups are used to go back to an older state if the existing one is not working or your computer is failing. When should I backup my files ? Before reinstalling your game Before moving everything to a new Computer Before installing a patch or a Expansion/Stuff Pack Before trying out new Custom Content, Store Content and Mods Savegames should be backed up after ever game play. It’s good…
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How do I reset my Sim and what does that do ?
Sims often get stuck or get stuck in an animation. The easiest solution is to reset the Sim Resetting a Sim drops every action/ animation his currently doing and puts him back to his own lot. His skills, relations etc are untouched by this action. There are several ways to do this: Reset a single Sim Open the cheat window with ctl-shift-c Type the following text: resetsim Firstname LastName (FirstName Lastname being the name of the Sim you want to reset). Reset a lot Go to Edit Town mode Choose the lot you want to reset Change into Build or…
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How to find your game version
Where do I find my game version ? The game has a game or version number which shows to what patch level you are updated. The version number can be found in the launcher What does the version number consist of ? The first digit(s) tell you for which EP the version number is Next is the version of the patch. When talking about the patch, only the first two digits are mentioned. The last two digits are the region code. What’s the region code ? Region codes help to find out how and where the game was bough. The…
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Where are my files installed ?
Where are my files installed There are to different kinds of files: The Installation files and the user files. The path can vary depending on your settings. The ones stated below are EA standard. User file directory This is the folder where the games save your individual game data. You should backup these folders (and all subfolders) regularly. All important stuff is in a folder called TheSims3 (can be slightly different) Ever OS places this folder in a different place. If you see more then one possibility per OS, they all lead to the same place, it’s just different ways…
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User Files Explained
Where are my user files ? Details can be found here: Where are my files installed ? What is the meaning of the folders/files ? Main Folder The 5 Cache Files are recreated on startup. Delete them from time to time, especially if you add package files. Options.ini: Contains your game and graphic options set in the game. Save this file if you update your drivers and put it back after the update or all your Option settings will be lost because the game would reset it automatically. This file may also become corrupted. If you get any graphical or sound…
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Mods/Hacks
What is a Mod/Hack ? A mod/hack is a piece of code that you put in your game as either a package file or as replacement of a EA file. A Mod/Hack changes the way your game behaves. There are four different kind of mods/hacks in Sims 3 XML/ Tuning Mods: The EA XML files are being changed to tweak a certain behavior to your liking. Since they override a file, Tuning mods always conflict with other tuning mods that change the same file. If EA changes a XML in their patching process, the mod becomes incompatible and needs to…
