Base World Backups

[SoulGrinder]

Sorry If This has been asked  and answered, but I looked over 26+ pages of the forum ans did not see it listed.

What I would like to do, is create a backup, or better yet a duplicate of the base worlds that come with the Sims 3 ( I have All expansion packs and stuff packs that are out at the moment).

Then, I could, edit the town, add new buildings, and in general just experiment ALOT, without concerning myself about messing up the original World. I remember being able to do so, in the original sims, but can't remember if I was able to in the Sims 2.

Can I copy all aspects ( People, building, etc.) of a world like Sunset Valley, and use it in game as an alternate selectable World in the drop down box?

As I said, I have all the Expansion packs and stuff packs that have been released thus far, and the non user created worlds I am interested in Copying/backing up are Sunset Valley, Twin Brook, Riverview, and Bridgeport.

By the way, Carl and company, your guides are just FANTASTIC !!!! and this forum is a great resource as well. Everyone is very sociable, courteous, and helpful. A nice change to some of the forums I have visited. Thanks for reading and great Job to Everyone involved in this ongoing Effort. ( I know it isn't easy to run a large forum, not to mention updating and creating such detailed and helpful guides.

Thanks again,

SoulGrinder
 

[TheChronicR]

Welcome to the forums, Soul!

I don't exactly understand what you are asking - if you want to edit a world like brand new Sunset Valley, you just create a new game and enter Edit Town from there, making your changes there. When you start a new game, it won't be the edited Sunset Valley (the one you edited), but the brand new one. No, it is unfortunately not possible to add the edited world to the drop down box. However, you can make a copy of the save file (the one of the edited town), and keep it somewhere. Then, just copy/paste it into the Saves directory. Thus you'll be able to create new Sims/choose an existing household and play the game in the edited town.

I hope that was clear.

[pallyndrome]

From what you said, I have a feeling you are unaware of this fact:

Every time you start a new game file, you can use a fresh version of a base world, untouched, even if you already have a different file that's in that world already. So, say you have a file on Sunset Valley. You can start a new game file, in a new Sunset Valley, without changing the first file.

So I'd suggest just starting a new game file, and editing as you see fit. The original base world will always be available for future new game files.

Does that help?

[SoulGrinder]

First Off Thank you VERY much for the incredibly quick replies.

I think that Pallyndrome's response not only answered my question but taught me a little bit more about the way the game works.

I appreciate both of your responses, and welcome any further comments on the subject. ( I like to experiment with the worlds, etc, but want to keep them in their "original" state in case I want to play them as released. Know what I mean?)

I had no idea that each time I start a new game file, it uses a fresh copy of the base world. That was a major revelation and provides a sigh of relief for me. Thanks again.

SoulGrinder