Questions from a Long-Absent Returning Player

[leglamp]

I hope this is the right place to post these questions. : )

I'm a former Sims 3 junkie, but stopped playing sometime after the Generations expansion was released.  Somehow, I’ve got the bug again!  It's taken me a few nights to buy/download the new expansions, re/install everything, and then patch, but the game seems to be running fine on my new computer.  I'm eager to experience all the content I've missed!

Before I get too deep with a new family however, I was hoping some people wouldn’t mind answering a few questions:

1.   Is the default EA Story Progression better than it was two years ago? Do people still rely on mods like Twallan’s/Awesome?
2.   Do I still need to futz with my computer to allow the Sims 3 to use more than 2 GB Ram?
3.     Does the error 11/12 (I forget which number) still happen?
4.   Are all the existing worlds patched/edited to include the special expansion venues/lots?  Or will I need to still manually edit each town?  If town editing is needed, which of these towns would be the easiest to get started with:  Appaloosa Plains, Starlight Shores, Moonlight Falls?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Leggy

[Trip]

1. It's far, far worse than it was two years ago. Let's just say that there is no difference between enabling and disabling story progression.

2. I still rely on DEP, so maybe.

3. Yes, but there are ways to prevent it (using save as instead of plain saving).

4. Some lots do auto-place, but you likely still have to edit in lots yourself depending on what you need. Moonlight Falls has a lot of extra space, so I'll recommend that.

[Saltypaws]

Answer to question 1 is, well, not the only answer, but EA story progression was great for a while.  It seemed like after each expansion my towns started turning into ghost towns.  I didn't use any mods, but had heard about them.  After installing Twallans story progression, I can't play without it.  My towns are always full and I really enjoy reading the popups about all of the relationships and babies being born.  I get error 12 every once in a while, but does not happen near as much as it use to on my older machine.  I only have 4 gigs of memory and I don't have any problem with it and don't have any application for it to run faster or better.  Have fun and happy simming.

Welcome to the forum leglamp.

[leglamp]

Thanks to you both.  While I was dreaming of being able to have a modless game after all this time, I'm happy to re-add the old Mod folder for the sake of sane story progression.   I'm just grateful Twallan still updates!

In my most rabid period of playing I referred to this site constantly, but never had to post anything because I could always find answers to what I needed.  I'm happy this board is being kept up to date too!

   

[Pam]

Welcome to our Forum, leglamp.

I've never played with any mods and I really don't have a problem with EA's story progression.  I haven't played my multi-generational file in quite awhile, but all of my other games seem to do fine.  It may be that I just don't know any better, but it's all good for me.

[Joria]

I hope this is the right place to post these questions. : )

I'm a former Sims 3 junkie, but stopped playing sometime after the Generations expansion was released.  Somehow, I’ve got the bug again!  It's taken me a few nights to buy/download the new expansions, re/install everything, and then patch, but the game seems to be running fine on my new computer.  I'm eager to experience all the content I've missed!

Before I get too deep with a new family however, I was hoping some people wouldn’t mind answering a few questions:

1.   Is the default EA Story Progression better than it was two years ago? Do people still rely on mods like Twallan’s/Awesome?
2.   Do I still need to futz with my computer to allow the Sims 3 to use more than 2 GB Ram?
3.     Does the error 11/12 (I forget which number) still happen?
4.   Are all the existing worlds patched/edited to include the special expansion venues/lots?  Or will I need to still manually edit each town?  If town editing is needed, which of these towns would be the easiest to get started with:  Appaloosa Plains, Starlight Shores, Moonlight Falls?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Leggy

Hi Leggy and welcome back.  I second Pam.

 I never use mods because for one I'm a bit paranoid about them despite how awesome Twallan is.  I just know I'd forget to get the latest update.  I really don't pay attention to story progression because the only progress I'm really interested in is my own Sims.  Others have complained about folks aging, dying off, and no relationships happening with townines.  Others have just imported more folks to make up for it.

If I futzed with my pc I'd break it.  Technology challenged.  I DO keep my game "clean" by deleting unnecessary cache files, back ups, etc. before I play each time.

Yeah, error 12 still happens, but not often.  Just do "save as" instead of save and you'll have no problems.

Up to a certain point in EPs, the game will automatically add venues etc. to your game.  Usually on the worst lots, (20x30 venue on a 40x30 lot), in the worst, most inconvenient places.  Sometimes it will ask you if you want the game to add the lots.  I always say no since I'll just have to move them to a more logical place anyway.

I'd say Moonlight Falls for your best choice though it never is a problem for me editing towns.  I usually can find a spot to place an additional lot or three.     It depends on what you like to see visually though.  If darker worlds bother or depress you I'd go with Appaloosa.  If it doesn't matter then it comes down to do you want more a wilderness feel or a Southern Cali feel?  Moonlight Falls is more woodsy, mountain wilderness, Starlight Shores is rather like Los Angeles but not as big city feeling. 

[leglamp]

Thanks again to all the responders.

I did end up reinstalling Twallan's Master Controller, Story Progression, and Overwatch, because their benefits outweigh my mod misgivings.

I've started a household in Moonlight Falls, and the game seems to be running okay so far without any RAM tinkering.   I'm not thrilled it still takes 2-3 minutes to load the game, but I can tolerate it.  Hopefully that isn't bad for having 9 expansions, 4 stuff packs, and a bunch of old store junk installed?  (It still loads much faster than when I used to have tons of .packages) 

Thanks for the "Save As" tip.  It used to be so frustrating to lose a legacy. : (

My town indecision was because there has been so much more content since Generations, that it feels overwhelming.  So, instead of trying to track it, I'll just change towns frequently until I get re-acclimated.  I'll raise a fortune-telling supernatural family in Moonlight Falls, then have a performer family in Starlight Shores, and start a rancher family in Appaloosa Plains.  If I do it like this, I think I would just need to check to make sure each town has a festival lot for the extra Seasons stuff, right? 

On a side note, I checked the Exchange to see if any of my old creations were still there.   (I think I uploaded about 4-6 houses in the past?)   I was expecting that nothing would be left, but something I uploaded in October 2010 was still there, which made me happy!
 

[Turoskel]

Festival lots are something that gets autoplaced so you shouldn't need to worry about those in any expansion towns, and the first few store towns as well, the newer ones released post seasons have lots on the exchange for downloading.

The RAM thing, when I was on WinXP I had adjusted my game but since I changed to Win7 I hadn't until I saw this thread on the forum, used it about two weeks ago and it has helped, was also really simple.

http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,16157.0.html