Patch "Install" status as of Dec 2017 & store patch download removed.
Having had issues where my Sims 3 launcher wasn't properly downloading patches as of December 2017, I recently re-installed my OS on a formatted drive and re-installed the Sims 3 from disc. This is what I have discovered and confirmed with EA support.
As of December 2017 a disc based Sims 3 install now requires you to either super patch the game (to patch it) or install origin to install updates indirectly via launcher. Third option is to patch Sims 3 directly via origin to a disc-less patch update. Not installing origin will now return an unable to connect to download application in the launcher (which it never did before). This apparently has to do with how the Sims 3 launcher verifies with EA servers and recent updates made to that coding on EA servers. IF it does not find Origin installed it will not download patch 1.67 (before it did).
More so as of December 2017 the Sims 3 launcher will no longer install or download store patches regardless if you've installed Origin or not. The launcher will simply say the game is up to date. I believe this also relates to how server coding verification was updated and they failed to add/duplicate lines to check for store patches.
The good news if you have the "ContentPatch" directory with the ContentPatch.package backed up from the Sims 3 documents folder, you can simply place it back and it will work. If you do not, then according to EA you must either download it via a third party OR install the newer disc-less "Origin" Sims 3 patch (which is obviously what the recommend).
To note the Sims 3 store patches do fix a bunch of content (including missing content in game like hair) so if you have a lot of store content it is worth backing up your store patch contentpatch.package.
Finally this is for a disc based install of the Sims 3, for Steam based install it doesn't require origin installed (to patch) so if you want to install the game without Origin then steam would be your next option outside of super patching, installing origin. Regardless you still need to have the store contentpatch backed up otherwise as it will no longer download.
My advise is to backup your contentpatch folder found in the Sims 3 documents folder if you use a disc base install of the Sims 3 in the future.
If you do not want Origin installed but want to update Sims 3, download the super patch or update the game via the launcher with Origin installed and then uninstall Origin. Make sure to uncheck "automatic updates" after this time, otherwise you will receive "unable to connect to download manager" everytime you use the launcher. This will not effect downloading store content itself or items from the exchange.
Long story short - regardless backup your contentpatch folder for safe keeping if you have store content installed. The contentpatch.package itself found inside this folder should be just under 8MB to confirm.
As of December 2017 a disc based Sims 3 install now requires you to either super patch the game (to patch it) or install origin to install updates indirectly via launcher. Third option is to patch Sims 3 directly via origin to a disc-less patch update. Not installing origin will now return an unable to connect to download application in the launcher (which it never did before). This apparently has to do with how the Sims 3 launcher verifies with EA servers and recent updates made to that coding on EA servers. IF it does not find Origin installed it will not download patch 1.67 (before it did).
More so as of December 2017 the Sims 3 launcher will no longer install or download store patches regardless if you've installed Origin or not. The launcher will simply say the game is up to date. I believe this also relates to how server coding verification was updated and they failed to add/duplicate lines to check for store patches.
The good news if you have the "ContentPatch" directory with the ContentPatch.package backed up from the Sims 3 documents folder, you can simply place it back and it will work. If you do not, then according to EA you must either download it via a third party OR install the newer disc-less "Origin" Sims 3 patch (which is obviously what the recommend).
To note the Sims 3 store patches do fix a bunch of content (including missing content in game like hair) so if you have a lot of store content it is worth backing up your store patch contentpatch.package.
Finally this is for a disc based install of the Sims 3, for Steam based install it doesn't require origin installed (to patch) so if you want to install the game without Origin then steam would be your next option outside of super patching, installing origin. Regardless you still need to have the store contentpatch backed up otherwise as it will no longer download.
My advise is to backup your contentpatch folder found in the Sims 3 documents folder if you use a disc base install of the Sims 3 in the future.
If you do not want Origin installed but want to update Sims 3, download the super patch or update the game via the launcher with Origin installed and then uninstall Origin. Make sure to uncheck "automatic updates" after this time, otherwise you will receive "unable to connect to download manager" everytime you use the launcher. This will not effect downloading store content itself or items from the exchange.
Long story short - regardless backup your contentpatch folder for safe keeping if you have store content installed. The contentpatch.package itself found inside this folder should be just under 8MB to confirm.
