Frozen game please help!!!

[zelieandsophia]

It first started before we got pets, some time when we had World Adventures. I don't remember exactly. We can play for however long, and save/ quit whenever we want, (we usually save after one sims day) but as soon as it crashes we can't do anything. We can't save after that. It can be a few seconds or a few hours before it crashes, but usually its 15 minutes or so. We can load a saved game, it only crashes when we are in live play. Never in buy/ build mode, or crete a sim. (Except with horses. Whenever a horse comes onto the screen, it freezes immediately.) We have had a long history of issues, so let me make a list.
- we first got the game, The Sims 3, in 2011 (we had the Sims 2 before)
- we were playing fine until there was some update we couldnt download. Asking the sims 3 tech help, they said to make a new account, and reinstall the sims on there.
- doing that, we could get the update, but it messed up our downloads. From then on, when we wanted to download something from the store/ exchange, a little sims 3 thing would pop up and then something would happen and it would crash.
- we fixed that problem somewhere along the way
-some custom content screwed up our game so we got rid of all our custom content
- we had to get a new computer (the one im on now) because this old one was too slow. we only got a new moniter, i think.
- we had problems reinstalling ambitions, it was stuck, blah blah blah had to get a new ambitions, (download) to get itto work, blah blah blah, its fne now.
- we got adventures, generations, late night, ambitions, and base game.
- sometime after we had all these, the freezing started. i think it was just after we instaled pets.
- even on the pets demo, horses never worked.
- horses still don't work
- heres what weve tried:
activity moniter
resetting PRAM
disk utility
getting a new account, etc. (as above)
uninstalling everything, and reinstalling it
deleting all the  .packages
emptiying the cache
some other stuff.

by the way, when it freezes, the mouse can move, the trees still move, and tyou can hear birds in the background noise. you cant click anything.

Sorry for all the typos and everything. Please help! If you need other information just ask me.

[Pam]

My first thought is that maybe your graphics card isn't powerful enough for the game.  The specifications increased with Pets, as well.  Have you checked the game's specifications from the box (or from the EA site) and compared them to your computer?

[pallyndrome]

Sounds like you might have have a similar problem to me. I too have tried many many fixes. Check out my threads if you want:
http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,9405.0.html
http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,11069.msg217075.html#msg217075

I have been testing my game all week, and have ruled out bugs on my downloads and latest expansions. I have also ruled out bugs in how I play (story progression) or big saved games, and my computer is totally capable of running the Sims 3 and all expansions. Also, my zonealarm is not the problem either. I think it's something on my computer, because it plays fine on my friends computer (which is nearly identical to mine). I hope to pinpoint what it is and/or fix it over the next few days. I'll let you know what I find.

[zelieandsophia]

My first thought is that maybe your graphics card isn't powerful enough for the game.  The specifications increased with Pets, as well.  Have you checked the game's specifications from the box (or from the EA site) and compared them to your computer?

That's what I thought too. I has to get a new computer after my old computer was too slow for this. I have an iMac with Mac os x leopard with something is 10.5.8 I'm away from my computer currently, so I can't get exact information. Does this seem like enough? Also, where do I go to see the game specifications online?

Thanks for all your help.

[zelieandsophia]

Pally-
It seems as though we have two separate problems. Some parts are similar, but you see, I have chatted with ea before it switched to ea help, when it was thesims3.com, and I have had over 50 chat conversations and about 10 emails with seniors. Now these have all been for various problems that lead up to this one. My problem is like a knot; I keep on adding knots and loops and trying to unweave it just makes more of a mess. So thank you for helping, but my problem is way more serious than anything. I bet that the only way to fix it is to buy the top most computer, and rebuy all the games, and start fresh. But as you see, I'm only 13 , so that may not be so easy. For now,  have just given up.

Thanks to everyone. I will still try everything anyone says, but. Just want you all to know how deep this really is.

[Pam]

That's what I thought too. I has to get a new computer after my old computer was too slow for this. I have an iMac with Mac os x leopard with something is 10.5.8 I'm away from my computer currently, so I can't get exact information. Does this seem like enough? Also, where do I go to see the game specifications online?

Thanks for all your help.

I found the minimum requirements for Sims 3 Pets at https://help.ea.com/.  Click here.

[zelieandsophia]

Thanks Pam. Ill have to check that when I get home.

[pallyndrome]

Oh that's a pity zelieandsophia. I hope you can find a solution in the end somehow.