@puzzlezaddict Attached some screenshots.
I cleared EA apps cache (previously too).
I checked the exceptions.
I have the terminal admin thing still running (I think)
I also uninstalled/reinstalled Steam (just in case) and EA Apps.
Now, the Sims 3 launcher is opening (as it was before after a fresh install) but the minute I'm done adding in my mods and installing my CC (all of which I am sure sure sure is not corrupted) and go to actually play the game, it does the same thing where the launcher will not open and if it even tries to, it will just go into error state.
@divaisdancing One of the reasons I asked you to move the Sims 3 user folder to the desktop was to remove all your mods and custom content. It's best to start with a clean folder, nothing at all added to it, and then slowly reintroduce the content you want to use. Even if you're sure your mods and cc are fine, there's no shortcut for testing.
Now that you've established that the game works with no mods or cc, try creating a new Mods framework and adding back only your NRaas mods, nothing else. If the game still works, add a few more mods, and a few more, until you've added them all or found the ones that cause problems. Then you can do the same with your cc. The launcher not opening is more likely a cc problem—mods don't get loaded until the game launches.
As for Steam vs. the EA App, if you own Sims 3 in Steam, I'd use that. It removes the EA App as a possible source of problems, and you can in fact launch Sims 3 through TS3W.exe (or Sims3LauncherW.exe for the launcher) without even opening Steam if you want. This doesn't work in the EA App just as it didn't work in Origin after 2015.
The caveat is that you'd need to own all the packs you want to use in Steam itself; Steam won't recognize anything you only own through the EA App. And you'd need to redownload and reinstall your Store content as well. The way the Store encryption works, items cannot be shared between Steam and EA App installs.
Ok so this happened before as well but I was able to launch the game just 1 time with my mods and cc through EA apps ( I don't have all my games through steam, but asked because I was curious).
Now I went to relaunch the game and it's back to not opening at all. If I go to task manager it appears there but never actually loads.
Also I have been trying the TS3W method all week and it hasn't worked. I used to use this way back in the day no problem but it straight up doesn't work now.
Totally stumped.
@divaisdancing Try uninstalling McAfee, as described here:
https://www.mcafee.com/support/?articleId=TS101331&page=shell&shell=article-view
Whether it helps or not, you can reinstall it after testing (at least twice—if the game launches, restart the computer and test again). If it makes no difference, we'll know that's not the issue. But McAfee definitely objects to the EA App and games run through it at least some of the time, so it's worth testing.
And again, you can't launch Sims 3 directly through its .exe in an EA App install. The game won't open unless the App is also open. Furthermore, an EA App install uses TS3.exe, without the W; TS3W.exe does nothing and could be deleted without any ill effects. And trying to launch from TS3.exe with the App already open will only bring up the launcher, as that's what the .exe is coded to do.
The reason the TS3W.exe method worked "back in the day" is that only patch 1.69 uses TS3.exe. If you previously had a disc install, or even an Origin install before the patch 1.69 update in 2015, you would have been unaffected.
Unfortunately the EA app proved to not work despite every solution offered. I ultimately had to spend 200$ re-buying the packs on steam and am currently using with minimal issues.
I appreciate the assistance nonetheless. It's just disgusting that they forced us to use this program that doesn't work and I had no choice to basically rebuy this costly purchase.
@divaisdancing I'm sorry to hear that. I wasn't out of ideas yet, but if you don't want to deal with this problem anymore, that's understandable. And the fact that the Steam version works suggests the issue was probably on your EA account, but there are still other possibilities, for example borked permissions on the folder Sims 3 was installed into, where installing in a different location might have helped.
Regardless, I hope the game is now stable for you, and the Steam version is definitely more convenient than the EA one.
Launcher is starting to act up and not load even with steam-- any thoughts?
@divaisdancing Do you have any custom content installed at the moment? Does Sims 3 run if you launch it from TS3W.exe without involving the launcher at all?
Please also post a new dxdiag so I can look for current issues.
https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/
So I can't actually find the TS3W.exe now, but since it's through steam I'm not sure where it would be. However, I have been using the same CC and it has worked with my game no problem in the past and even when it briefly was working last week.
Also please see attached.
So I can't actually find the TS3W.exe now, but since it's through steam I'm not sure where it would be. However, I have been using the same CC and it has worked with my game no problem in the past and even when it briefly was working last week.
Also please see attached.
@divaisdancing The default location for TS3W.exe in a Steam install is this:
Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\The Sims 3\Game\Bin
Your dxdiag shows a number of crashes of Sims3Launcher.exe, but there are four different types of errors pointing to three different Windows resources. It's worth running DISM and sfc again, just to be thorough, even though the first pass should have addressed any corrupt Windows files. (And sfc told you it did just that.)
But the more likely issue is the data the launcher is trying to read. I can't tell you why you'd have the problem now and not before, only that it happens often enough to be worth testing with a clean folder. So if DISM and sfc don't help this time around, please move or rename the Sims 3 folder in Documents\Electronic Arts and see whether the launcher will open. And if it doesn't, please let me know how launching the game from TS3W.exe goes.
@kris_blurryface9 Yes, the Steam version of Sims 3 works better than the EA App version for a few reasons. However, you can't play through Steam unless you buy the game, and any packs you'd want to use, in Steam. Also, Sims 3 is not going to "get fixed" at all unless Maxis decides to do a remaster or remake. There is no Sims 3 dev team to fix anything, and the last update was released in January 2016.
So far the TS3W is working. We shall see how long it works for I guess lol
Thank you!
