The package method is actually a lot easier and more organized than the sims3pack method. Extract to package, then put it in the Library folder. If you want to uninstall it later, delete the package. I tend to prefer this, as it's basically impossible to unintentionally install CC along with the lot.

As for as the sims3packs, you probably need to look into decrapification, but you definitely want to read all the documentation before you do it. The launcher is pretty broken.

Decrapify won't run on a Mac by itself. Mac users need to use boot camp or something like Parallels. Decrapifying fixes a lot of borked crap, but the OP didn't indicate if they have access to a copy of Windows. I'd guess probably not, since the gameplay on Windows tends to be better than the one on OS X (coming from a Mac user who's tried both).

I'm thinking that Macs having trouble patching is a known problem, even with legit games. Are you doing it manually or through the launcher?

I'm pretty sure Maxis was just eaten by EA. The name still exists, but it's not the same Maxis from TS1 days.

This has already been covered multiple times, so I'm going to guess you didn't search.

Use Ctrl+F to search for the .exe file, and it should find the link for you.

You don't need an account to download CAW, you just need a direct link to the file. I'm pretty sure it's around here somewhere if you search. Alternatively, clicking view then page source in firefox will pull up the direct link.

The custom launcher at MTS also merges packages. Unawesome or not, you're going to have to figure out a method sooner or later, or just live without combined packages.

I'm surprised nobody else brought this up, but I'm a little curious how one determines if a computer is male or female.

It does mention some freezing with Win 7 on the download page. Maybe somebody is using an older/different version.

Strange. I'm using decrapified versions of Sugichaco's bunk beds in package format. They show up fine and don't cause any noticeable lag for me. Also, I remember reading that you don't want to mix and match decrapified/crapified files in your game.

Yes, clicking on the last (and most recent) page of a thread is indeed a lot of reading.

I think it's pretty clear they didn't bother to read the thread, since this has already been addressed there:

Doesn't the bloom effect get in the way, though? I often have to set my Sims' lighting to dim just because of the annoying glowing.

Not clear what you're talking about, TinyBear. In my experience, sims show up under CAS in their age category. For example, when I had the teen category selected in the past, I couldn't choose any of the custom adult sims I'd downloaded until I switched to the adult age. Haven't tried it with the new patch, but I'd expect it to be the same.

I love it when people try to claim they've been here since TS1 days. Alternate universe, maybe?

No, I suspect you just don't like the answer. Decrapify fixes broken sims3packs, but they can't be shared. It's also not for idiots, because it will break your game if you don't bother to read.

I get that message whenever I haven't decrapified the files first. You are decrapifying the files, yes?

Sounds like you picked up the centaur body mesh by Rose. I've heard of people accidentally getting it from the exchange. Like most of Rose's stuff, it's glitchy as hell and has to be uninstalled through the launcher.

Moral of the story: if you absolutely must download from the exchange, use Custard to clean it. Or you could just use my method, which is to avoid that place like the plague.

Another recommendation for those who do decide to go the boot camp route: using a program like BootChamp gives you the option of restarting in Windows from the menu bar. You still have to restart the computer, but at least you're not mashing the damned option button every time.

It's connected to the hair issue, I think. I used to have specific clothing and shoes that would go invisible at the same time my CC hair went bald.

Having tried the game on both sides with boot camp, I've noticed that for whatever reason, the performance under Windows is better than on the Mac side even though all the hardware is the same. Also, CC hair is majorly fucked up on Macs and it doesn't look like it will be fixed anytime soon, so that's something to be aware of if you're a CC addict.

Quoting yourself back to me doesn't mean your statement makes sense. You know what files you deleted, we don't.

This seems like a strange question to ask us. Shouldn't you know if you deleted any TS3 files? If you did, that's likely the problem.

Using the autosave, rather than merging the smaller packages and re-merging the larger packages, fixed the 50 MB limit for me. I thought I'd tried that already, but apparently not since all is functioning normally again.

Dramamine, I've never been able to merge HP's packages. IIRC, she stated somewhere over at MTS that she's aware of the issue. Those hairs were made in the early days of TS3.

Fair enough. I tried it out on a crappier computer and had it crash on me, but considering its crappy-like specs, it could've been something else entirely.