Cannot play without Internet connection?

@TPMoriarty  If Origin is set to the off line mode the game should play. You do need to be online to activate the game - after that the off line mode should work. Maxis is the company that developed the sims franchise. EA (Electronic Arts) obtained Maxis so essentially Maxis is EA. Origin is client software developed by EA to replace the the poorly supported DRM SecuROM and SafeDisc. Origin is like Valve's Steam. If you are using WIFI it is possible your computer is sensing a wifi connection (there is many public WIFI hot spots today) but not being able to connect (because of a security key maybe). Do you use a third party antivirus? Connecting to the internet is complicated and many laptops strive to maintain that connection it may be difficult to purposely break the connection especially if the connection is WIFI. As the sims games aren't just simple games to start and play and if this is a real concern just tether your smart phone. I work construction in places that frequently doesn't have electricity yet more less internet. I frequently need to look up building codes and acceptable practices. It is very easy to tether my laptop to my smartphone and confirm issues without stopping work. Think of this issue like you have your smartphone set to make calls over WIFI. When you exceed the range of your connected WIFI the phone will switch to your carrier and continue to make calls. To help you we need to know how your computer is connecting to the internet and what happens when you lose connectivity and go from there.

Yes, we live on a 45 acre farm with limited internet.  Hubbie works for phone co., son is engineer for wireless security company.  Basically, as long as I connect the phone line to computer, I can play - the games still reach out and touch EA.  Pull the phone line and the games won't play.  I have a stand alone computer strictly for playing games.  16 GB ram, nvidia geforce 970, and so on.  My monitor is my 42' samsung tv over hdmi.  The only time it is online is when I need to update or for a new game pack - since cd's went out.  So, no wifi, no bluetooth, no internet, no connection to the outside world.  We have spent our whole lives owning, building, programming and securing (LOL) computers.  You cannot be hacked if you are not connected to the outside world.  LOL 

I assumed that buying the cd's would enable me to play offline.  The old cd's I had did that very well and did not require Origin.  Gave them to my son when he moved out and bought new ones for myself.  At any rate, it doesn't matter anymore.  Bought a cheap computer to strictly play the sims and nothing else.  I would have liked for my granddaughter to be able to play as well, but she is not allowed on a computer that is connected to the internet.  Bit of a ramble, sorry.  Been in the garden for awhile and it is 90 degrees out there.