Know What Is Inside Your Game: The Sims 3

Bily_jednorozec wrote:
Hi, Amjoie!
I'm very thankfull for this thread. So much work!
Now I'm still using bigger part of store content in packages, but I'm reading those tutorials, because I wanna try to install all store content by traditional way (launcher).
From my last attempts I've still got missing objects message after loading some old save.

Can I have 2 questions for you?
1) it is normal, that in Downloads folder is missing my email addy.bin?
I've fresh regenerated whole game folder + CAWs Folders, but it won't regenerate even if I made logout and login (launcher, Sims3.com and Origin site) + cleaned google and IE caches + getting still http://be.sponsorpay.com/assets/web_client.js script error (Origin updated). After clicking "yes" or "not" it is normally downloading, it makes me login-logout, links on launcher are working, but it won't regenerate my e-mail in Downloads folder.
2) about DCBackup folder:
I've still leaved there only ccmerged.package. Now is required to mantain there all files created during Store items installation? What happens if I'll continue to delete there all except ccmerged.package?

NB: I've read in previous messages here, that patches have changed something with WorldCaches folder and I have still deleted all things inside without issues.

Thank you so much for yours work on this topic, bookmarked :wink:

I have never had the problem of a missing email addy in the Downloads folder. Since regenerating an email addy should be an automatic game function, I cannot imagine why it is not happening in your game. It sounds like you have done everything to troubleshoot the problem that I would suggest doing, so I'm stymied. Perhaps you should try asking your question in the technical section of the forum. It sounds like something beyond the normal game function, and something more to do with a technical issue outside the game.

The files in the DCBackup, other than ccmerged, are the .pkg files of your objects, and are used by the game to "fix' any object that malfunctions, from my understanding of how the game works. It is, in that sense, a "backup" of your installed objects. They are there for a reason, and really should be left in your game.

If you install all the store things, just once, and never delete any, that folder should stay the same size. And the normal size of the folder should not be an issue, in your game.

In games that have most of the store and all of the worlds, and if you store the downloaded store content somewhere other than the game folder, the size should be somewhere between 20-25 GB, a little more or less depending on how much store content you own or if you have CC installed. The DCBackup folder will be somewhere around 5-7 GB. It may seem like a rather large amount, but not in terms of the game, as a whole. And the game does use those files. So they are not, as some would have you believe, just wasted space.

If you are that tight for hard drive space, that 5-7 GB is going to make a difference, then perhaps you should consider a larger hard drive for your computer.

The problem with the DCBackup is that nothing ever gets deleted from there, if you delete store content or CC through your Launcher. So the folder can go from sleek to bloated rather quickly, depending on how you manage your files.

But the best way to deal with the prospect of a bloated DCBackup is to replace it, every once in a while, with a copy of the DCBackup folder that was generated immediately after all your store content was first installed. If you kept a backup of that fresh new DCBackup right after you first installed all your store content, then it is very easy to use a copy of it to give yourself a fully functional sleek DCBackup, whenever one is needed.

It is even easier to keep a sleek DCBackup if you pretend that nothing can ever be deleted, once installed. That will help you install only those things you know you wish to keep, in your real game. If you want to "try something out" do it in a separate "trial" game, and keep your real game for only those things you know you will never wish to uninstall.

As to the question of whether or not you can "get by with" deleting all the files other than the ccmerged: Your game is not likely to blow up because you did that. You may never run into a problem. Some people may tell you they do it all the time and their game has never suffered.

But if your game calls for those files, and they are missing, your game will error. If errors pile up, they can cause corruption. This will happen where you do not see it happening, and cannot test for problems. It is just one more thing that might go wrong in your game. And frankly, with how touchy this game has gotten, I am not willing to take the risk. I think it is best to let the game have those files, regardless of the fact they take up 5-7 GB. The files are technically required by the game, and really are best left alone.

edit: I'm so glad to hear your email addy is now appearing in Downloads. :)