November 18, 2009

A word from some readers about the new patch

I still haven't installed World Adventures because I am actually deathly afraid of losing my game like I did when I updated the last couple of times. Anyway, some nice readers have sent me their stories and they want to share with others.

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A word of warning for Windows Vista users:
Do NOT download the latest pc patch v. 1.6.6 for sims 3. Neighborhoods now take up to ten minutes (whereas before it only took seconds) to load and game performance is much slower.
It ruined my game performance wise and now I am having to reinstall.

thanks, anon:)

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And now from Robbie:

Hey just a heads up that you may wanna post about the new patch thats out, there are only 2 mods that seem to be causing everyone problems/crash's.
The Awesome mod is the biggest one and also for those who used there online custom setting thing that file is called aweconf.

The other one that I found out on my own is the facial hack from MTS2 named facialhack_patch127.
Here is the the link to that hack-
http://linna.modthesims.info/download.php?t=344369

Also people who have World Adventures seem to find that moving there mods to C\ProgramFiles\ElectronicArts\
TheSims3WorldAdventures\Mods
Rather Than
C\ProgramFiles\ElectronicArts\TheSims3\Mods
Also it seems that moving the Resource.cfg to C\ProgramFiles\ElectronicArts\TheSims3WorldAdventures makes the mods work.

That seems to help a lot with mods working right with people who have WA installed, however I do not have world adventures installed yet so I can not confirm if that works.
I can say that since updating with the newest patch taking out awesome,aweconf,and facialhack_patch127 made my game run again.

Thanks, Robbie:)

50 comments:

  1. Thanks for the info, MS3B. I am now attempting to reapply the patch, and use the info from the official site forums: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/126235.page to save my game. Fingers crossed for luck, and good luck to all of you when you try it.

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  2. I downloaded the path to my game yesterday. And When I try to log into the game and it gets to the loading screen It takes forever to load. It will load to the end and then stop.

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  3. I can confirm that Awesome and the facial hack will lock up the game, but that Tallen's (SP?) mods, such as SuperComputer and his StoryProgression work fine, albeit with some bugs he's working on.

    I've also heard that you need to move mods to a new place, but keep CC in the old folder, though I can't confirm that for sure.

    Also, I run Vista 64-bit and have had slowdown, but nothing significant enough to make me trash the game. It takes maybe an extra minute or two to load the 'hood, but the games runs smoothly after that.

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  4. Where is Resource.cfg normally located?

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  5. I have World Adventures, but I'm not going to install it or the patch until some of these bugs are worked out. I'm not going to mess up my game because of this mess.

    I'm also waiting until some of the mods I have (Awesomemod, Supercomputer, NRAAS story progression) update to work with WA.

    If this doesn't happen soon enough, I'll return the game to the store (since it's unopened). I heard it wasn't that amazing anyway.

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  6. thanks for that ms3b, i am just going to leave it for a while, im glad i didn't install it. Im scared now ;]

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  7. If you've installed the new patch, is it possible to get it back off? I had no clue of this until after downloading it. Now it takes FOREVER!

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  8. After problems with the base game, problems after installing each progressive patch (after removing all mods/camera-video hacks, and CC -SOP for anyone who has been playing Sims since Sims 1), problems after installing the latest EP (basically even with no hacks/Mods/Cc, saved games whatsoever etc with the patch - blue lots, mass homelessness of premades, inability to save in CAS, inability to select the lots of premades, loss of car pools and taxis etc) and continued problems even after uninstalling WA and Patch 1.66 (reinstalled to base game patch 1.4 which was the last config that worked for me), and starting up game again w/ no hacks and mods I have uninstalled the game permanently. EA will not be getting any of my money until they can provide the quality of game that the ten extra dollars I paid for it - was supposed to be paying for.

    Emailed EA support and got told that I needed a better computer. My computer has a brand new 500 GB hard drive, top of the line (and top of the line for what the specs require) Nvidia card, and 4 GB of RAM. I also have less than a GB of CC/Mods and hacks in game (at least I did) the problem is not my computer. It is EA's fail not mine. I am done with Sims 3 and will be going back to my working with or without patches, mods, cc, and hacks Sims 2 game. I will still do finds for this game but not playing it any more or wasting any more money than I already have.

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  9. ha. well i did better than that. not only have i disabled those automatic updates since 1.3, but i didn't even waste my money getting wa when they haven't even COMPLETED the base game yet

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  10. Yikes, aside from the some kinks getting mods working, I've had a pretty good experience with it so far. It's a shame so many people are getting their asses kicked.

    I don't get why EAxis constantly releases unfinished products. If they prefer us to iron out kinks, off a discount and call it a Beta.

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  11. Or maybe hire the modders from the community who spend all their time fixing what EA breaks to work for them in the first place so that we don't get borked garbage created by some computer programming or graphic arts noob straight out of wherever EA gets them. Of course they probly could not afford to pay what Pescado would charge them (especially since it would include the removal of Suck U Rom from their products and possibly blood and gore. )

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  12. omg yo name izzzzz robbie???!!!!!!! o.OOO O_o

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  13. I have downloaded the patch without reading any of this stuff and now it takes an hour (no exaggeration) to start the game and it takes half an hour to save. I removed the mods etc., and it's still the same. I think I'll have to reinstall the game, losing everything.

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  14. That is why I find it laughable that EA is considered a legit gaming company. Maybe they work hard on their own regular games, but with Sims 3, we get half-assed, unfinished, worthless coding that have to be finished by the community modders. That is just to make the darn game playable.

    Next, EA wants to control what kind of modding the community can do with the game. So they try to make it complicated, but modders figured out where to place mods in the game. Now EA wants to completely knock that out by making patches that hampers and destroys the way core and script mods work. Yet they don't get that mods is what make the game popular, not so much the vanilla game.

    I tell ya, EA will be going down in flames if this community say "F" it to this series and play something else. Then where the head honchos will be?

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  15. ^ Srsly. I won't play the game 'til the modding issues get ironed out (even taking the advice is this thread hasn't gotten my mods to work, although my CC is there). If they don't, EA gets a fun call from my demanding my money back because their product doesn't work as it is expected to.

    The Sims has one of the most awesome, creative fan communities out there. We want to help. Why they fight us at every step is a question to which there is no logical answer.

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  16. I'll admit I've had a few weird glitches here and there, but I'm NOT using a top of the line computer and while before it took 2-3 minutes to get loaded up and running, it hasn't jumped up phenomenally. 5 or 6 minutes or so to load up for me now, I haven't even removed much of my former CC. Yea, there are some bugs that I REALLY wish they had fixed BEFORE launch and some dumb stuff that I'm gritting my teeth over, but I am having fun with it and I don't view the whole thing as toxic.

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  17. I've installed WA and updated to the new patch (WinXP thankfully) and haven't had any problems (yet).

    I did remove my Mods folder and the resource.cfg file before I installed anything, and will slowly start attempting to add my CC back into the game to see how it goes. I'm avoiding adding any hacks/mods until there's more information from the community. It does make sense (to me) that installing the resource.cfg and Mods folder into the WA folder would work, so I'll try that out.

    Thanks so much for the update!

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  18. Than you are one of the lucky ones. With this game unlike in previous versions of the franchise where the majority did not have problems with the patches or installing new EP's, you may be in the minority. Having read through the 441 Amazon review before the one I just submitted I would say you are definitely in the minority. But mind you if this is like Ts2 there are 7 more EP's and 9 more SP's to go, and I never had any problems patching until Apartment Life with Sims 2, and I won all EP's for Sims 1, and all EP's and SP's for Sims 2 so that is like 23 game add-ons with no problems or glitches whatsoever before I finally had problems with a patch/EP/SP.

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  19. My question is this: What are the specs of computer of those who are having slow loading times?

    My comp specs: HP mulit-media comp, 2.6GHz quad core processor, 6.00GB of ram came with Nvidia 9500GS graphics card and I upgraded to GeForce 9600GTS. Also, it has a 750GB harddrive.

    The only mod I have is the nighttime/ daytime mod. http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=367164

    I'll download and see what happens. Wish me luck!

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  20. My Specs- Pretty much the same Specs as yours except I have a 500 GB hard drive. Loading times wasn't the problem - loaded just fine- problem was actual gameplay.

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  21. Well, I've just uninstalled the game (chose to delete saved games bla bla bla) and reinstalled it. Nothing's gone? And of course, I still have the same issues. I guess I'll just have to wait for ... something?

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  22. Woohoo, just got the game to save!! I am so happy! I have a small form factor, 531s from Dell. 2.2GHz AMD64, 4400 dual core, something or another. 3gbs RAM, 300gigs of hard drive space. Yeah it is slow and don't do much, but it plays the game.

    If you notice, the game now save in folders if you have the new patch. After opening the first time and the game has made the folders, close the game and delete the .sims3.backup file, not the folder. Do not delete folders. Then you can save and not get the error 16 or make lots of "save as" files.

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  23. The interesting thing is (was) that I couldn't see a save folder since I got that Error 16 message.

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  24. This is just horrible! I am more disappointed with this than the securom fiasco! I tell you...maybe the modders and creators should put their heads together and make a 'sims' type game that would have ea looking like day old garbage!! It wouldn't take much to accomplish that I tell you! I have not downloaded the update and sooo glad I didn't. I have a brand new, top of the line computer and I would have went balistic if ea told me I needed a new computer!! How dare them! Need a new comp for what? So you can still suffer the same bs that you went thru with your previous comp? I will not play this game without the aid of cc...it is just way too bland! The major excitement I got from sims3 was waiting to see what the creators were going to make!

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  25. Just as an FYI:

    To get mods to work, you need to move the following things from the Sims 3 base game folder to the WA folder:

    --"Mods" folder
    --Resource.cfg
    **--d3dx9_31.dll**

    The last one isn't so straightforward, but Trif of Crazytown has a great guide on how to get things running properly here:

    http://www.the-isz.com/theisz/index.php?showtopic=3567

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  26. I never patched my game in the sims 2 and never had any problems. i will never patch the sims 3. it's too much aggravation for nothing. i'm not even sure if i'm buying world adventures. i have to wait and see what new objects come with it... even then i probably won't get it since cc is a million times better than anything that comes with the game.

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  27. any news on how the patch works on macs?

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  28. Well, i'm on vista and i have updated to 1.6, and installed World Adventures. Yes, i've had slowdown and it's a bit annoying, but nothing too horrible. The new places look awesome to me, and even if it's not a drastic change from the base game, i like the diversity it adds to the game.

    However, i'm worried about new patches and EPs not working in the future, having to reinstall and going through 34827593456 patches to get the game right.
    Patches are just the excuse to finish the game after the deadline and i hate EA for that. This is not a MMORPG so i don't see why we should be constantly updating, fearing our games will screw up and our EPs won't work.

    I hope the slowdown i have on my game now won't get worse or something. Mine went so smooth until today D: ...

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  29. I use Vista and haven't had any problems with just the patch installed, or with both the patch and WA installed. Maybe I'm just lucky?

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  30. Given the swarm of problems that just hit MTS and the complaints in the official forum, and what people who bought it are saying in reviews on Amazon- yes you are just lucky. Admittedly a chunk of those that are new to CC/Mods/The Sims Franchise probably patched or installed WA with all mods/hacks/cc in game and these do say so - but there are enough people like me who did what they were supposed in removing mods/hacks/cc/saved games and still experienced problems with the vanilla game fully patched to indicated that there are some real problems not caused by mods/hacks/cc

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  31. I have a DV6000 Hp Pavilion from 08. not sure of the specs. just thought id mention it if you want to google it. When i installed the patch on nov 16th, it did mess up my game, and kept crashing everytime i used the basement tool. And to get the patch installed in the first place i had to uninstall most of my game but was thrilled when i was asked if i wanted to keep my saved games and custom content. I promptly clicked yes. Finally i re install my game and the patch went thru and the infamous Error 16 started. Once I knew how to get around it i was ok. Once i had the EP installed i had to take out my speedy skills mod from modthesims, and awesomemod. I will miss them for now, but i know they will be updated promptly

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  32. Here is what I had read from the More Awesome than You forum: I read that the new patch is meant to be used with WA...so, the patch will not work properly alone...
    If that is the case, then I will wait until I buy WA and see if things work out

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  33. Patch works fine for me (without WA), but only with a brand new neighbourhood. On existing neighbourhoods, it takes forever to load.

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  34. Same here, the patch is good with a new game...but I don't mind having to start over seeing as the EP came out anyway and I had saved all of my families

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  35. Mine seems to be working fine now (I got the dreaded "Error 16" but the "Save As" option fixed it).

    I feel insanely lucky to have had relatively few problems with it. And I had two days worth of setup and problems.

    Conclusion: Fuck you, EAxis!

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  36. I don't think you guys should be so mean to EA! I mean, they started everything! Just because they make a few mistakes along the line does not make them a terrible company or anything.

    Even though the update DID ruin MY good game, at least I still have the game to play...

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  37. Sigourney actually it was Maxis that started the Sims with games like Sim City, Sim Tower, Sim Golf and the original Sims 1 game. The company was sold to EA right after the first Sims 1 game came out in 2000. I am greatful to Will Wright and Rod Humble neither of whom work for EA anymore for coming up with the Sims games- not EA they had very little to do with it.
    And to be clear here, as a customer of a company you have a right to complain when the product being " The Sims 3" does not work as advertised, which it does not.
    A game should not need 5 patches for the base game to work properly, a game should not crash, when you have installed the patches that it should not need properly, and customers who remove all their mods/hacks/cc and have top end computers should not be told they need a new computer because theirs isn't good enough.

    As a customer when I pay for something- I have the right to say so when something does not work- it isn't being mean it is a simple statement of fact. I bought the EP, I patcehd to 1.6.6, My computer more than meets the specs for WA and the patch +EP broke my game- it does not work - I paid 13-USD between the game, the EP and the game guides, and I have a right to be unhappy that something does not work as it should.

    Why should I be grateful to EA for something I spent my hard earned money that doesn't work? I shouldn't be anymore than I should be grateful to McDonalds if they sell me a half cooked hamburger which results in me catching food poisoning. And as a customer you should be aware if a product you purchase has serious problems. I could be a lot ruder and meaner about EA if I really wanted to- I have been couching my complaints in very polite terms- and was even more polite about what I am not happy with when I spoke to EA's customer service yesterday. After all they are only peons and not at fault that the company they work for is run by people who have a very poor idea of what " quality" and " customer service " mean

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  38. Gahh typoes 130 USD for game, EP and guides.

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  39. I'm running vista and I have had no problems caused by the patch. I also don't have any of the mods that Robbie suggested are causing problems, so that could be why.

    I hate the whole don't use this if you have vista thing. Just because it crashed your game and you have vista doesn't mean its not compatible with vista. The problem is more likely caused by EA than vista. Anyway i'll stop ranting now.

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  40. There's a chance you will have problems, but I'd be willing to bet that you won't (assuming you remove incompatible hacks and the like). Just because there are lots of reported bugs does not mean that most people, or even a large percentage of people, experience them.

    Think about it this way: 10,000 people install a game. It works for 9,900 people, but not for 100 people (sometimes due to user error, sometimes not). Those 100 people with errors (a mere 1% of players) swarm the forums reporting bugs, while the 9,900 satisfied people are (guess what?) satisfied, and have no reason to go to the forums at all, since they're off playing their games. The forums will be abuzz with error alerts, and it will look like just about everyone is having problems, even though 99% of players are doing fine.

    The moral of the story is this: yes, there's a chance you'll have problems, but you won't know until you try. You probably won't have any problems at all. If you do, backing up and reinstalling takes a matter of minutes, maybe an hour if you're slow at it. The absolute worst thing that will happen (which shouldn't happen at all, if you back things up) is that you'll lose some games, lots or Sims. That sucks, but it's just a game. And it's not all that likely anyway.

    I'm not excusing the continual parade of bad programming that EA shoves down our throats, not in the slightest. I just think all these cries of "THE PATCH/EP IS EVIL AND WILL DESTROY YOUR COMPUTER" are completely blown out of proportion.

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  41. ^Oh, and no, you don't need the EP to use the patch, despite many people's insistence to the contrary.

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  42. I installed the new EP and the new patch and unfortunatly I got the problem where all my lots turned blue after returning from vacation. I ended up loosing my whole neighborhood and having to start with a new game. Several other people have had this happen and after testing we are pretty sure it has to to with custom patterns. Remove all custom patterns including those installed via the launcher. You must also delete your cache files and reinstal all your CC via the launcher, of course leaving out all the custom pattern. This seems to have fixed the problem, but it was too late to save the neighborhood I've been playing for the last 5 months.

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  43. Surprise! New patch released. 1.7.9
    :/

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  44. Okay, so for future reference, when I do buy the game (after the issues have been resolved of course) I need to move all mods, and cc to my WA folder instead of keeping them under TS3 mods folder?

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  45. ^ I took out all of my mods and CC except a few very basic mods (NoIntro, NoMosaic, HP's floor texture thingy) and default replacements (skin, eyes etc). They are all still in the original location and working just fine.

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  46. The bad news is, my game is literally taking hours (ten sounds about right) to load a saved game, and I have Vista. This is after I put my entire Mods folder back in.

    The good news is that before I put my mods back in, the game ran very smoothly and loaded everything almost instantly. Guess I'll be playing without my mods until a fix comes along.

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  47. "I took out all of my mods and CC except a few very basic mods (NoIntro, NoMosaic, HP's floor texture thingy) and default replacements (skin, eyes etc). They are all still in the original location and working just fine."

    Mine too. Is there a reason we should be moving them to the WA folder if they work where they are?

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  48. Cerridwen, thank you!!!

    I had patterns installed by TSR Merlin a it was the problem.

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  49. I'm about to install WA right now. Wish me luck:/

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