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Rising Ace

11 years ago

Know What Is Inside Your Game: The Sims 3

Introduction and Part 1: Inside the Programs/Applications folders

I will be putting together a few informative posts to help people understand their TS3 game better. It may take me a while, and I'm not sure how many I will do or how many will be needed. But I reserved some spaces, so I can keep everything together at the beginning of the thread.

We will start with an intro Part 1 of a "getting to know your game" post, and go from there. :)

***************

Everyone should know the insides of their The Sims 3 game. Please read the following, to acquaint yourselves with your game, so you understand how to properly back up your game and make it run as smooth as possible.

Here is a list of the expansions and stuff packs, in the order in which they were released:

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss84/amjoie/ScreenShot2014-07-26at70317PM_zps9c5c6f11.png

Your game is found in two places. One place is inside your User or Home folder, and then inside the Documents folder, and then inside the Electronic Arts folder, where you find The Sims 3. We will be examining this folder in detail, later.

PC:

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss84/amjoie/insidedocuments_zps832ab881.jpg

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss84/amjoie/yourgamefolderinsideDocuments_zpsc3018a4e.jpg

The same thing, inside the Documents folder on the Mac:

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss84/amjoie/ScreenShot2014-07-26at51932PM_zpsb54e99e1.png

The other part of your game is found in Programs or Programs X86 on the PC and inside Applications on the Mac. Inside there, you will also find an Electronic Arts folder. Inside that Electronic Arts folder, you will find all your installed EPs and Stuff Packs. I also keep a copy of each alias in that folder, as you can see in the pic.

PC:

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss84/amjoie/insideprogramsEA_zpsf0b5b962.jpg

On a PC, your actual game, that is patched while using a Superpatch, resides inside the base game, which is The Sims 3 folder found inside Programs or Applications. If you open that folder you will see several folders: Caches, Game, GameData, Support, Thumbnails. If you use an FPS Limiter, you will also see 3booter.exe, FPS_Limiter.exe, HookHelper.dll, and Limiter_D3D9.dll which put a limit of 30 frames per second on your game. (Without a frame limiter your game might run upwards of 800 frames per second, and has been known to burn out graphics cards, or worse, on top of the line computers.) I got the frame limiter from Pescado's site, so I cannot provide a link. Google it.

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss84/amjoie/insideprogramsEATheSims3basegame_zps8d05da05.jpg

Inside GameData, you will find the Shared folder.

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss84/amjoie/insidegamedata_zpsb932229e.jpg

Inside that, you will find NonPackaged. Inside that, you will find Worlds. And inside Worlds, you will find Sunset Valley.world which is the template that creates all the new Sunset Valley worlds in your game (if, once your game is open, you choose the plus sign to create a new world, and then choose Sunset Valley from the worlds menu.) This is NOT a save, but an actual template.

Inside each EP folder that you have installed in Programs/Applications, you will find something similar, following the same path, providing that EP had a world that came with it. Each world is found inside GameData/Shared/NonPackaged/Worlds.

Mac -- inside Applications and inside this folder, you will find something similar:

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss84/amjoie/ScreenShot2014-07-26at52404PM_zpsacf6c83f.png

On a Mac, inside Applications, inside Electronic Arts, your actual game that is patched by a Superpatch is this file (found way at the bottom, on my Mac):

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss84/amjoie/ScreenShot2014-07-26at54020PM_zps4cdc313b.png

In order to see your GameData folder, you will need to right click on the file pictured above, and choose Show Package Contents from the menu. Then you will see this:

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss84/amjoie/ScreenShot2014-07-26at54509PM_zpsc90c7de5.png

From there, it is the same as on the PC to find a world in each EP.

Unless you are an advanced user, these Programs/Applications folders should not be touched. But it would be good to have a backup of them on an external drive (they will not fit on a 32 GB thumb drive, if you have all EPs and Stuff Packs), should you ever need to do a manual install, if a game disk has been damaged.

The remaining game files that generate during an installation are in your Registry on a PC, or in your home folder Library Preferences on a Mac. I keep a backup of those files, also, so I will be able to manually install an expansion, should I ever lose a disk.

I cannot give detailed information on how to save those files, if you have your game on Origin rather than a disk. Do a search on Google to get that information, because they are found in different places. (I also do remember that someone wrote it was possible to generate files which are saved on your desktop that would allow you to install the game directly from those files instead of having to download them each time from Origin, but I don't remember how they did it.)

If you installed from game disks, on a PC, you can find out what to save and how to save it, if you follow the instructions to manually uninstall your game, BUT DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING OR REMOVE ANYTHING!!. Simply export everything they say to delete, and you will have what you need to import, in order to install your game manually, by doing the reverse of a manual uninstall.

The instructions are from this link:

http://help.ea.com/za/article/manually-uninstalling-the-sims-3/

Also see this link for clear instructions on uninstalling:

http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:TS3_Uninstall

...........

The base game:

If you're having issues with the game and need to manually uninstall it as a troubleshooting measure, refer to the instructions below.

Backup the save data in Windows XP:

Click the Start button and select My Documents.
Select the Electronic Arts folder.
Right-click The Sims 3 folder and select Cut.
Right-click on your desktop and select Paste.
To restore your Sims 3 save games, move this folder back into the Electronic Arts folder after re-installing the game.

Backup the save data in Windows Vista/Windows 7:

Click the Start button and select Documents.
Select the Electronic Arts folder.
Right-click The Sims 3 folder and select Cut.
Right-click on your desktop and select Paste.
To restore your Sims 3 save games, move this folder back into the Electronic Arts folder after re-installing the game.

Delete the game files (in the default location):

Click the Start button and select My Computer.
Select the Local Disk (C) drive folder.
Select the Program Files folder.
For 64-bit, select Program Files (X86)
Select the Electronic Arts folder if installed from the disk, or the Origin Games folder if installed via Origin.
Right-click The Sims 3 folder and select Delete.

Disclaimer: You are about to edit your registry. To avoid operational issues with your system, please follow the instructions exactly as they are written.

Backup the registry:

Hold down the Windows key and press R.
At the Run command, type in "regedit" (minus the quotes) and select OK.
Click on File and then Export...
Choose a location and name for the file; this will be your backup registry file.
Click Save.

Delete the registry keys:

Expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder.
Expand the SOFTWARE folder.
For 64-bit systems, expand Wow6432Node
Expand the Electronic Arts folder.
Expand the Sims folder.
Right-click The Sims 3 folder and select Delete.
Collapse the Electronic Arts folder.
Expand the Sims folder.
Right-click The Sims 3 folder and select Delete.
Collapse the Sims folder.
Expand the Microsoft folder.
Expand the Windows folder.
Expand the CurrentVersion folder.
Expand the Uninstall folder.
Delete the following folder if it appears:
{C05D8CDB-417D-4335-A38C-A0659EDFD6B8}
Collapse the Microsoft folder.
Expand the Classes folder.
Delete the following folders if they appear:
.Sims3
.Sims3Pack
Sims3
Sims3Pack

Delete the uninstall files:

Click the Start button and select My Computer.
Select the Local Disk (C) drive folder.
Select the Program Files folder.
Select Tools, then Folder Options, then View, then select "Show hidden files and folders."
Select the InstallShield Installation Information folder.
Delete the following folder if it appears:
{C05D8CDB-417D-4335-A38C-A0659EDFD6B8}

The Sims 3 should now be completely removed from your system.

***

Now that you know how to do it, here are the numbers for each EP/Stuff Pack (If you have 64-bit Windows OS, all entries below will be under the wow6432Node). These things should all be exported and saved, so that you have the ability to manually import them, if a disk becomes damaged:

{08A25478-C5DD-4EA7-B168-3D687CA987FF} The Sims 3 Master Suite Stuff (SP05)
{117B6BF6-82C3-420C-B284-9247C8568E53} The Sims 3 Outdoor Living Stuff (SP03)
{1C9B6173-6DC9-4EEE-9EFC-6BA115CFBE43} The Sims 3 Diesel Stuff (SP07)
{3BBFD444-5FAB-49F6-98B1-A1954E831399} The Sims 3 Showtime (EP06)
{3DE92282-CB49-434F-81BF-94E5B380E889} The Sims 3 Seasons (EP08 )
{44EAFE3D-09A9-4478-A2BF-0EED22F4E49F} The Sims 3 Create a Pattern Tool (CAP)
{45057FCE-5784-48BE-8176-D9D00AF56C3C} The Sims 3 Late Night (EP03)
{65761BAE-11E8-48FE-B30F-1F01011AB906} The Sims 3 Create a World Tool (CAW)
{71828142-5A24-4BD0-97E7-976DA08CE6CF} The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff (SP01)
{7B11296A-F894-449C-8DF6-6AAAA7D4D118} The Sims 3 Town Life Stuff (SP04)
{910F4A29-1134-49E0-AD8B-56E4A3152BD1} The Sims 3 Ambitions (EP02)
{9B2506E3-9A3F-45B5-96BF-509CAD584650} The Sims 3 Katy Perry's Sweet Treats (SP06)
{A0BBD6C7-B546-4048-B33A-F21F5C9F5B09} The Sims 3 Into the Future (EP11)
{BA26FFA5-6D47-47DB-BE56-34C357B5F8CC} The Sims 3 World Adventures (EP01)
{B37DAFA5-717D-41F8-BDFB-3A4B68C0B3A1} The Sims 3 Supernatural (EP07)
{C05D8CDB-417D-4335-A38C-A0659EDFD6B8} The Sims 3
{C12631C6-804D-4B32-B0DD-8A496462F106} The Sims 3 Pets (EP05)
{D0087539-3C57-44E0-BEE7-D779D546CBE1} The Sims 3 Movie Stuff (SP09)
{DB21639E-FE55-432C-BCA2-0C5249E3F79E} The Sims 3 Island Paradise (EP10)
{E1868CAE-E3B9-4099-8C18-AA8944D336FD} The Sims 3 70s, 80s, & 90s Stuff (SP08 )
{E6B88BD6-E4B2-4701-A648-B6DAC6E491CC} The Sims 3 Generations (EP04)
{ED436EA8-4145-4703-AE5D-4D09DD24AF5A} The Sims 3 Fast Lane Stuff (SP02)
{EF7E931D-DC84-471B-8DB6-A83358095474} Origin (aka EADM)
{F26DE8EF-F2CF-40DC-8CDA-CC0D82D11B36} The Sims 3 University Life (EP09)

And here are the uninstall files, which should also be manually exported, so you can import them if a game disk becomes damaged:

{08A25478-C5DD-4EA7-B168-3D687CA987FF} The Sims 3 Master Suite Stuff (SP05)
{117B6BF6-82C3-420C-B284-9247C8568E53} The Sims 3 Outdoor Living Stuff (SP03)
{1C9B6173-6DC9-4EEE-9EFC-6BA115CFBE43} The Sims 3 Diesel Stuff (SP07)
{3BBFD444-5FAB-49F6-98B1-A1954E831399} The Sims 3 Showtime (EP06)
{3DE92282-CB49-434F-81BF-94E5B380E889} The Sims 3 Seasons (EP08 )
{44EAFE3D-09A9-4478-A2BF-0EED22F4E49F} The Sims 3 Create a Pattern Tool (CAP)
{45057FCE-5784-48BE-8176-D9D00AF56C3C} The Sims 3 Late Night (EP03)
{65761BAE-11E8-48FE-B30F-1F01011AB906} The Sims 3 Create a World Tool (CAW)
{71828142-5A24-4BD0-97E7-976DA08CE6CF} The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff (SP01)
{7B11296A-F894-449C-8DF6-6AAAA7D4D118} The Sims 3 Town Life Stuff (SP04)
{910F4A29-1134-49E0-AD8B-56E4A3152BD1} The Sims 3 Ambitions (EP02)
{9B2506E3-9A3F-45B5-96BF-509CAD584650} The Sims 3 Katy Perry's Sweet Treats (SP06)
{A0BBD6C7-B546-4048-B33A-F21F5C9F5B09} The Sims 3 Into the Future (EP11)
{BA26FFA5-6D47-47DB-BE56-34C357B5F8CC} The Sims 3 World Adventures (EP01)
{B37DAFA5-717D-41F8-BDFB-3A4B68C0B3A1} The Sims 3 Supernatural (EP07)
{C05D8CDB-417D-4335-A38C-A0659EDFD6B8} The Sims 3
{C12631C6-804D-4B32-B0DD-8A496462F106} The Sims 3 Pets (EP05)
{D0087539-3C57-44E0-BEE7-D779D546CBE1} The Sims 3 Movie Stuff (SP09)
{DB21639E-FE55-432C-BCA2-0C5249E3F79E} The Sims 3 Island Paradise (EP10)
{E1868CAE-E3B9-4099-8C18-AA8944D336FD} The Sims 3 70s, 80s, & 90s Stuff (SP08 )
{E6B88BD6-E4B2-4701-A648-B6DAC6E491CC} The Sims 3 Generations (EP04)
{ED436EA8-4145-4703-AE5D-4D09DD24AF5A} The Sims 3 Fast Lane Stuff (SP02)
{EF7E931D-DC84-471B-8DB6-A83358095474} Origin (aka EADM)
{F26DE8EF-F2CF-40DC-8CDA-CC0D82D11B36} The Sims 3 University Life (EP09)

..................

On the Mac, just save The Sims 3 Preferences, that you find in your home folder Library, inside Preferences. Keep it inside a backup folder that has a note saying where you got it from, so you know where to put it, if you ever have to manually install your game.

Note: On some Mac OS, the home folder Library is hidden. To unhide it, do this: Open your home folder. Click on your desktop to get the finder menu at the top of your screen. Use the Go menu at the top of your screen, and choose Go To Folder. Then type in Library, and click the Go button. (Do yourself a favor, and make an alias of the Library folder, so you have it easily available, next time you need it.)

Next, we will examine the insides of your Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3 folder.

99 Replies

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iAMciane
Seasoned Ace
11 years ago
"PigDestroyer1978;13340014" wrote:
@amjoie or anyone else who may know... I'm going to be buying a new computer and want to move my Sims 3 without losing anything. I know I'll have to first re-install the game/expansions via my discs - then do updates and store patches. I also know I can then copy and move certain files via an external hard drive or usb stick (i.e saved games, mods installed manually in packages folder, library, installed worlds etc). I'm even fine with re-downloading everything from the store if I have to. But my question is how do I preserve the cc I installed via sims3packs? I did not keep all the original simspacks in my downloads folder and don't want to hunt the web for it all again. Can I just delete the stuff on the new computer in the dccache and dcbackup (ccmerged being the important file in dcbackup?) and replace it with the files from the dccache and dcbackup on my old computer (and yes, this is after I create these folders again by running the new game once)? Will this transfer the simpack stuff to my new computer and ultimately have it show up in the launcher again? Will it also simply transfer the installed store stuff this way? There is no way I'd be able to re-find everything I want from the web again - it took me forever, and for some reason I didn't save all the original simpacks to simply "reinstall" them. In fact, regarding Simpacks, I really hope the game doesn't require that every individual Simpack be "installed" every time like you would a core game file from a disc or something. Hoping for an easier way like copying and overwriting from old to new folders. After all, I know Simpacks are just package files that are merged, why would they need such special treatment (i.e game needing them to actually be "installed").

Thanks to anyone who knows this.

@PigDestroyer1978‌, the answer to copying your current dccache and dcbackup folders into your clean Sims 3 folder is yes. In fact, the cc you've installed in Simpacks is compressed into the .dbc files in the dccache folder and their backups in the dcbackup folder are package files. You could technically put your dcbackup files into a mods/packages folder and have them show up in game that way. The problem is that you have no idea which package file is the cc and which are store items.

I do recommend reinstalling store stuff if your .ebc files are larger than 270,000 kb. That is why I did the spreadsheets showing which sets are part of what compilations, so you can avoid duplicate files. But, if your store stuff stays installed and you have no problems with it; your way is definitely easier. :smiley:

The library folder will have the venues. The installed worlds and worldcache folders will have the worlds and their items. The dccache folder has all things installed through the launcher with the dcbackup folder retaining backup package files for all the sims3packs and the much need ccmerged file for premium content items.

Edit: The .tmp files created for the .ebc files in the dccache folder are all just duplicates that can be safely deleted.
sparky1922
11 years ago
Hi ciane,

I have been going through your IP thread and am instigating those changes you outline however when you say set the front doors of residential lots that are not my own active family I have tried every way I can think of to do this but have still not manged to achieve it so could you please let me know how its done-)

Also I am in the process of backing up and saving everything so I have saved several factory clean folders and all my store content which is most of the store and then saved my store venues by the hash numbers as outlined by Amjoie in this thread but I am getting confused about backing up and how to re add lots from the exchange I use in my worlds on a regular basis if I cannot do it through the store/launcher?

If I save the lots I use from the exchange backed up in a downloads folder will I just need to click on each individual item within that downloads folder for the item to be reinstalled into my game? I ask because I am making separate folders of all the lots I use in each world that I could not do without but I want to be sure if there is a time when I need to add them back into my game I know how to do it properly..

Also when people say the servers will go down does that mean no more launcher as well as store? and what about Origin as all my games are digital and I am wondering if I need to back that up as well somehow?

I cannot quite understand how I am going to be able to keep playing my game and using all my content...
karritz
Legend
11 years ago
I think people are referring to the time when EA turns off the Servers for Sims 3. The last patch for Sims 3 added some code that will allow you to play the game after the servers are turned off so all you need to do is to make sure you are fully patched.
sparky1922
11 years ago
Thanks Karritz,

I just cannot imagine whats its going to be like, will origin shut down too for all sims 3 and related? If so and I need to re-download my games what would happen then?

I am honestly dreading it...
DarkCougar555
11 years ago
> @SPARKY1922 said:
> Thanks Karritz,
>
> I just cannot imagine whats its going to be like, will origin shut down too for all sims 3 and related? If so and I need to re-download my games what would happen then?
>
> I am honestly dreading it...

Me too. I think it's more likely that it will happen. If I recall correctly, they did close TS2 Store some years ago. :(
sparky1922
11 years ago
Hi Fourteen,

As Amjoie pointed out it can be a quick decision to close the store and/or the servers go down which will leave a lot of people trying to organize and download all at the same time in a frenzy so I am taking some time to learn how to backup and save everything from the store and all the exchange lots I use on a regular basis in my worlds but that does not mean I understand everything or how it will all work when it happens :D
DarkCougar555
11 years ago
> @SPARKY1922 said:
> Hi Fourteen,
>
> As Amjoie pointed out it can be a quick decision to close the store and/or the servers go down which will leave a lot of people trying to organize and download all at the same time in a frenzy so I am taking some time to learn how to backup and save everything from the store and all the exchange lots I use on a regular basis in my worlds but that does not mean I understand everything or how it will all work when it happens

Hi Sparky! =) Yeah, I downloaded all of my wishlist for just in case, too. Those items are in my TS3 backup folders and in my Google storage as well. Now, I just brought one item and I'm on low simpoints (about 200) again. So, I am trying to obtain many points from ads later tonight. Do you have any idea of when will they shut the TS3 store down for good? Maybe few more months from now?
sparky1922
11 years ago
Hi fourteeen,

There has been a lot of discussion on the subject and opinions are extremely varied however I tend to trust Amjoie's advice and she says as no one really knows when it will happen the best course of action is to sort as much out as you can as soon as you can so when it does happen your not caught off guard or fail to be able to sort everything before it shuts down.

I doubt they will close it down while the store is still making money but who knows when that will stop being profitable. I think I panic because I have never been through it before and many people are still playing sims 2 so we know its all possible however many of us do not believe sims 3 will be supported as long as 2 was so only time will tell and I hope you manage to get all the store content you want by then :D
brappl218
11 years ago
Amjoie... this is a great write up and I see you've put a lot of time into it. However, I'd like to clarify a few things with regards to Mod Conflicts and Twallan's suite of mods at NRaas

With the exception of 2 core mods, Twallan's NRaas mods are script mods and the chance of experiencing conflicts is about 0. Delphy's Dashboard will not detect conflicts with these types of mods. Simlogical is closed and the original document available on the new site is difficult to read but I have a PDF of the original Understanding Mods Conflicts on Mediafire. This link might help your readers understand the types of mods: https://www.mediafire.com/?5n34obn34b1tl7n

1. Quote:
It should be noted here that Twallen abandoned his mod before the final two patches of the game. The last version of NRAAS that was written exclusively by Twalllen was made for patch level 1.63 and that patch doesn't have the changes in it required by the game once the servers go down. The last time I looked at NRAAS, they still had links to the last version of the mod that Twallen wrote, exclusively, which is compatible with patch level 1.63 only. Unquote

This might be misleading to those who are "skimming" while reading. The NRaas Mods are patched and have been since 1.67 was introduced to 1.67 (as you noted below) and older versions are available for those who are not updated to a particular patch level.

2. Quote:
The current version of NRAAS mods has been rewritten to match patch level 1.67, which does contain changes required once the servers go down. Be aware, however, that the NRAAS mod has been changed by a group of talented modders, and is no longer Twallen's mod, in that sense. (Had Twallen been involved, he may or may not have approved those changes. But the group of modders have made every attempt to stay true to Twallen's original vision of his mod, according to their statements on the site.) Unquote

The Mods were not rewritten, they were updated by Chain_Reaction (an experienced developer) on Twallan's original platform. They have not only been updated but have been enhanced with new features, fixes for Twallan's mods that he was working on before retiring have been fixed and two brand new mods have been created.

3. Quote:
Twallen's original vision means that you will have to learn not just one mod, but many, many mods.

Sorry, that is not correct. It is not always necessary to use multiple mods. You can install just one or several. It depends upon what you want to do and how you want to play your game. They all do not have learning curves. Some of the mods need only to be installed. Story Progression is probably the most complex mod yet you can just install the base mod and not have to do anything further.

I strongly suggest players considering using these mods refer directly to NRaas for information and help with these mods (not Google). Here's a link with some suggestions starting with NRaas:
Mods to Start With: http://nraas.wikispaces.com/Getting+Started+Using+NRAAS+Mods
A complete listing of Mods, Options, and FAQ's: http://nraas.wikispaces.com/Quicklinks

Hope you don't mind the clarifications and again, thank you for great write up ...

Edit: Sorry, I did not realize the age of the original post with regards to the Patch levels .. I'm sure by now everyone is aware all has been updated for some time.