Re: Game is stuck on Finalizing after Installing

Thank you SO much. I really appreciate it!

Wait, the reinstall worked but instead of the game saying finalizing it says play and when i click it a window says "unknown error occurred."

@mschro303  No worries; I unmarked the solution, since you're still having issues. There are several causes for the unknown error, and which workarounds you apply will depend on a couple of factors.

Have you installed any packs yet, and if so, which ones?  Four of them (Ambitions, Late Night, Fast Lane, and Outdoor Living) don't install correctly, but it's simple enough to fix the problem.  It is easier though to describe what to do if I know which packs are involved.

If you only have the base game installed, please provide your mac's specs, as well as the device ID of your graphics card.  Here's how to find that information:

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

And please also let me know if you've ever done an uninstall on this computer, especially if you had one or more packs installed before that are not installed now.

I bought the bundle that gets you the base game and the Late Night. I have not done an uninstall for sims 3 on my mac before. Thank you!!!

@mschro303  Okay, then you might only have to apply the simplest workaround: creating an alias for Late Night in Applications, alongside the alias for the base game.  Here's how to do it:

https://bluebellflora.com/sims-3-packs-not-showing-as-installed/

If you still get an unknown error, you'll need to edit TS3's .sgr files to force it to recognize your graphics card.  I can help with that, if you want; just post the specs of your mac, along with the device ID of your card.

I have the same problem but the Origin rest tool is not working, and when I try to right click on it in applications it doesn't work either.

I’m in same position if you figure it out lmk

[edit: email address removed]

@kevincuevas2019  Please post the full specs of your Mac, including operating system, as described here:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-3-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting/m-p/4756624#M2878

I'm having the same problem. I haven't installed anything but the base game. I have a Macbook pro:

Operating system: High Sierra v. 10.13.6

Mac model: macbook pro 13-inch, 2017, two thunderbolt 3 ports

Processor: 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5

Memory: 8 GB 2133 MHz LPDDR3

Graphics: intel iris plus graphics 640 1536MB

I'm not running any antivirus. I don't have any expansions installed yet, but I own late night, showtime, Pets and design and high-tech stuff pack. I don't have any mods yet as I can't play the game.

@juditee  If Origin is stuck finalizing, please run the reset tool:

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

It's also best to run the Super Patch (digital download version) before doing anything else.

https://bluebellflora.com/sims-3-manual-super-patch-for-mac-1-67/

Whether Origin is working or not, it's easier to launch the game from its icon in Applications\The Sims 3.  Try that, and let me know whether the launcher opens.  If it does, but you press play and get the server error instead, that's fine—it will go away once you install your packs.  But if you try to open the launcher and get an unknown error, that needs to be addressed first.

It gets an unknown error before launching the menu

@juditee  Okay, then you'll need to manually add your graphics card to the game's database.  There are two files, graphicscards.sgr and graphicsrules.sgr, that need to be edited.  You can find instructions, along with text already prepared for your Intel 640, here:

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

Click on the link for the 640, download the readme and the two text files, and follow the instrucitons to add the relevant text to each of the .sgr files.  Then launch the game again, and let me know whether it works.  (Don't run the Super Patch again, or it wil undo these edits.)  Again, the server error can be ignored; the point is to see whether you can get past the unknown error and open the launcher.

Ok, I followed the step by step instructions and it still doesn't work ☹️

@juditee  Please open graphicsrules.sgr, and cmd-F to search for "plus" without quotes.  That will take you to these lines:

elseif (match("${cardName}", "*IntelIrisPlus*"))
seti cardLevel $cardLevelMedium
seti isCardMatched true

Highlight the part in bold, and replace it with this:

(match("${cardName}", "*Iris Plus Graphics*"))

 Save, and quit.  Don't change anything else about the entry, and don't retype the line if you accidentally delete something.  The punctuation is finicky to get right and can change formatting without warning.

I might be doing something wrong, because I can't open the menu.

Thank you lots for your help, by the way 🙂

@juditee  What menu can't you open?

When I click on the game’s icon I get the unknown error right away

@juditee  Right, that's normal for the unknown error.  Did you try the .sgr edit I suggested?  If it doesn't work, we can try another one instead.

Yes, I tried it and it didn't work

@juditee  Please do a clean uninstall of the entire game:

https://bluebellflora.com/how-to-do-a-clean-uninstall-and-reinstall-on-a-mac/

Create a new admin user account on your Mac, and install the base game there.  Run the Super Patch, and afterwards, edit the two .sgr files as described in Bluebellflora's instructions.  Let me know whether it works.