Newness. SIMS3PACKS. UNMODIFIED.

Goal! [FREE]
LINK | DOWNLOAD

Beach Bummin'
LINK

It's Game Time!
LINK

Island Villa
LINK

I ran my game vanilla for the first 4 Sim days just to see if there were any outright conflicts. And for the most part, there weren't any. As soon as I added hack type mods that change game behaviour, the problems started. EA tampering with hack type mods? Looks like it.

I've added the new Mods folder although I haven't added any custom furniture or hairstyles to my actual Sims yet; I chose a pre-made in the new town. But I do know it's working because my Mods were at least showing that they were broken (game recognizes the new setup). Hacks are really what's screwed. I fixed my problem with not being able to click on other Sims, by just removing the hacks that I have even though they didn't interfere with the core files (no in-game messages of conflicts). Once I removed the hacks, the one new save I have would not open. I forget the message but you can only click a check mark which takes you back to the main menu. So, I cleared my caches, removed only my hacks and kept my other CC (Clothing, Cars, Genetics) and restarted the game. I can open that save and click on Sims. BUT, their relationships with other people are all gone; they only know each other and their bosses.

EDIT: Sorry, all relationships have gone capput, not just friends but husband and wife are now strangers.

I don't think I'll be playing anymore for the time being. I know it's still pretty early to tell but, I wonder if it's just game modifying behavior that conflicts, like Twallan's mods, Book of Knowledge, gardening mods and such because everything else works. What hope do we have that AM will eventually work?

Yep, I have experienced this too. But, it was not until I added my new Mods folder setup with all my Mods in AND after seeing that pop up showing me which Script Mods I had installed. I'm not certain if that screen is just recognizing that those are script mods and is notifying me or if it's saying that those particular script mods are conflicting with core game files.

Small issue: my Investigator Sim was doing a Stakeout at the Library. A message came up saying he found some information and should write a report and give it to the police. Since he was already at the Library and could use a computer, I clicked the building to go inside (it was still acting as a rabbit hole) but I didn't get the option to Visit the Library. I had to have him walk off lot to the supermarket, then clicked on the Library and I finally had the option to Visit and the Library interior became visible.

The laundry thing. I'm not sure what's going on but my Sim (pre-made, Sergeant is the last name I believe) never wears the same clothing twice anymore now that I've initiated the laundry system. Basically, every time your Sim changes clothes whether from showering or switching to work out, they drop a pile of clothing on the ground near them. Clicking on the laundry gives you the Clean Up option but if you don't then click on the Washing Machine and choose Do Laundry, the Sim will just drop the laundry in a pile again. OR you can just click on the Washer and choose Do Laundry and your Sim will go around the house collecting piles of clothing. Takes 45 Sim minutes for a wash cycle, not sure how long for drying, and a green light on the front of each machine tells you when it's done. Also, they get Wants to wash clothes and positive moodlets for fresh clothing.

BUT, back to the clothing, I was wondering if Sims wear ugly tattered clothing because you didn't have them do their laundry. It's bullshit but, I've been doing nothing but laundry since I started and my one Sim keeps wearing different clothing. Once it was a jumpsuit, then the career clothing for Culinary (even though she is a cop). Her husband does not have this problem.

I don't mind ads as long as they're realistic. Like if the highway signs had huge billboard ads for strip clubs and furniture factory blowout sales.

So this torrent is pretty much everywhere now. That's the fastest 4.5GB's I've ever downloaded (TorrentSeed). I wonder if I should start fiddling with this install now, or wait til I have a bit more patience. I don't know how ALT + TAB'ing became so important to me, but I was pissed when it started crashing the game (HELS fixed it). I'm just hoping it's not broken anymore.

Try opening TSRWizard.jar. I tried that one and it opened Merlin(?). Other than that, I'm sorry.

Here's TSR Merlin - http://www.mediafire.com/?guyyz20wmzg

I was speaking to someone on MTS about how damned useful Merlin is for simply viewing Sims3Packs and Packages; I was told it was removed in favor of their Launcher. Of course I don't have the EXE anymore; this is the install folder but I doubt that makes a difference. If you want to set this up to extract Packages into your Mods/Packages, you can edit a file in the folder called Options.txt and make sure the 2 paths in that text file point to your install folders (I forgot to remove my computer' name). Other than that, this folder should work.

I've viewed some of my merged Packages with Merlin and I really don't trust what it shows. I had a huge file (300MB's) and it only showed a few images of what was supposed to be merged. Also, on the tab that is supposed to show you all the contained Packages, it doesn't show anything. But when I open that same file in S3PE, it shows tons of files (I know not everything listed is an actual Package but, it didn't even come close to the few pictures that Merlin showed).

Right now I have Merlin set as my default program for opening Sims3Packs and Packages.

REVISION POST:
Shitty EA. The UltraLounge Kitchen/Bath set and Runway Riot look like more stuff that should have been included in the HELS stuff pack. Same with the Sim Point bonus lamp (looks like the Club Vaindenburg set) and Statue (should have been part of the Fairey Set). EDIT: Box.net links crapped out for bandwidth, but they'll be back up eventually. Mirrors are available from Mediafire.

And for those who can't download it themselves, here is the free dress:
LINK & DOWNLOAD & MIRROR

And the others:

Ultra Lounge Kitchen + Bath
LINK & DOWNLOAD & MIRROR

Hacienda Luxury
LINK & DOWNLOAD & MIRROR

Runway Riot
LINK & MIRROR

And mirrors for the Sim Point bonus items:

Desk Lamp
MIRROR

Statue
MIRROR

All Sims3Packs. None compressed.

Another possible glitch: I directed my swimming Sim to go to that deep fried diner to eat something and he changed his clothing, while still swimming, got out of the pool and promptly ran to the diner.

My Sims pause constantly. While just walking through their house, they often freeze for a second or two (mid-walk), but I figured this was because of graphical lighting and shadows needing to be drawn. Same with any time they need to change clothing. I always though it was the game being retarded and having to cycle through all of my Sims clothing, and choosing which clothing they'll wear after they shower. They're always late to the carpool because they stand there for 45 minutes switching into career clothing. I've changed my settings around a lot and this one issue is one that I cannot resolve.

I'm assuming from the lack of posts on this thread about various problems is a sign that this patch is harmless. I've expected this to be at least 3 pages by now.

Editing to ask a question: has anyone tried ALT-TAB'ing out of the game to see if it still crashes?
It appears at this early stage that ALT-TAB'ing doesn't crash the game anymore.

I've combined from 1,000 to 500 to 20 package files at a time. The only difference I've encountered is how long it takes to combine them. I've limited myself to no more than 300 files, or 200MB per file. The only time this method choked is the very first time I tried it when I just carelessly tried to combine 4,500+ files which took 9 hours and then wouldn't save.

I was successfully using this method for quite a while. Today, I've run into a problem.

I decided to split the store content and other S3Packs into separate DBC/Packages. The store DBC works fine; the working launcher even shows the installed symbol. But when installing other S3Packs (TSR, SimplyStyling Around The Sims...etc) , I get the "success" note on all of them, but no installed symbols in the working launcher. I make a copy of the DBC so it's in 2 places (Sims folder and Mods folder), and the content doesn't show up. I tried opening this DBC file in S3PE, and this 2.99 GB file is empty of content.

Has anyone else experienced this? I haven't changed anything about my setup so, I doubt that would be the problem. I know there are other methods of fixing the file, but I'm more curious as to why this install method just stopped working.

That roof issue is a common problem, especially when building in CAW. I don't know if that'd be consolation for you but, in some cases, you'll have to make some substantial change to the lot and save it in order for it to be visible in the neighborhood again.

The white house in your previews, are those walls/patterns/windows EA or some other CC?

Seeing this, I think I'll install my Sims Complete Collection. I do miss the simplicity of Sims 1.

I've just replaced all framework and it's still crashing. Anyone else have any ideas?

I've patched my game and I've installed HELS. Before patching and installing, I removed all Mods and CC and DCCache and Saves and WorldCaches. So basically I had a completely bare game (patched up to current + World Adventures).

All went well. I played for about 3 hours last night starting a new Sunset Valley, created a new Sim, built an extensive house and played for about 3 Sim days. Today, I figured I'd try putting everything back. From my experience, the only Mod that appears to work is that same old No Intro on MTS. AM and Twallan's Mods don't work (the game will begin to load but never progress, even after leaving it to load all day while I ran errands) and yes, I know AM will be updated when Pes is good and ready, but I had that one already in there with the rest so, yeah. I've tried adding empty Mods folders to base game folders and World Adventures folders with the actual Mods folder in the new HELS install, moving DCCache back to its original home, copying DCCache in both its original home AND Mods folder, and I cannot get completely into the game. After removing all Mods and keeping CC, I can load and choose a family, but as soon as the progress bar completely fills and should open the family lot, my game crashes. No message. No prompts.

I have read some people here got things working with CC/Mods after patching. What were your steps?

Does anyone have links to the standalone patches?

That would certainly be a worse situation for TS3 in that there is no need for new Walls and Floors because of CAST, and 5 new patterns doesn't really fill that void. Well, to me anyway. The only reason I'm inquiring about this is, in my 5 years of simming this is the first item I actually put my monies down on. I was thinking that it was about time but am still feeling like I'm not getting the value of this pack. Overall, 20 bucks is a small amount to pay for 5 years and 3 iterations of this game, but as far as this stuff pack is concerned, I feel I've wasted my money. Also, I read that thread on the BBS forum about some guy who got this pack early at a Walmart, registered it and got 1,000 free points. That 1,000 point award turned out to be the standard EA PHAIL (the website thinking that this guy was registering World Adventures and not a stuff pack) and will have since been fixed by the time the pack is released. That 1,000 points is what really convinced me to buy this pack and now that I don't get that, I'm super "eh" about the whole deal.

Has it been listed anywhere how many new objects have been included in this stuff pack?

With TS2, it seemed the magic number was 150 objects in stuff packs. At least with TS2 they used to preview the objects in high resolution photos on the main website and not some useless "trailer". God I'm so fucking sick of their trailers.

Can we make a distinction between Smelly N00b and Uber Lurker? That would suck if I was shunted because post count or something on a rudimentary level.