Game Mod Discussion at Carl's Sims 3 Forum

[twallan]

If one person is using mods that stop bugs, and one person is not because they don't want to run the risk of using mods, regardless of the potential benefits, then the person using them will have a clear cut advantage.

Very true.  A user using [ErrorTrap] for instance can travel between worlds without losing their fish, giving them a clear advantage.

Same with [Overwatch]:  The fix for the "Box" fishing error, allowing you to fish using bait, gives a clear advantage over those that can not.

Unfortunately, anyone who wishes to compete on an even playing field must forgo mod use.

[Hosfac]

I'm hoping both Error Trap and Overwatch will improve UC performances, along with MC and SP mods.

Well, I know that in Sunset Valley, Overwatch is personally responsible for the destruction of 50 cars per Sim day.  The game I'm running there is on it's 3rd generation...so just imagine how many cars that would be by now.   

[NonaMena]

As a long time lurker, I am so happy to see this change. Although I value and appreciate every piece of information I've acquired from this site (and a lot of my information about Sims 3 comes from this site), I've never posted much because I disliked the anti-mod atmosphere (although I've always sent new players here, with a tinge of regret about the mod policy). It was exactly the thought that: if you disallow discussion about mods completely so that people have to go find out on their own from possibly untrustworthy sources and end up downloading old, obsolete, and broken mods, those people just ruin their game more. Because of this, I have never posted much, although I have read most of the forums. Truly, I welcome this change.

One thing, I did see someone mention something about Twallan approving mods. I know he posts on this forums and he is a really friendly, helpful guy, but I don't think it is fair or appropriate to ask Twallan to approve anything but his own mods and he does does that by posting them on his wiki. He works tirelessly on them and updates them with a speed that cannot be called anything but superhuman. The are plenty of ways to check for one's self if a mod is safe to use or if it conflicts with another mod without having to ask Twallan. After all, responsible mod use is all about discretion and education on behalf of the user.

[samoht04]

Carl I think this was a smart move and it opens up the forum and the help it can provide dramatically now that we can get to know what sort of thing people may be using in their games.

Unfortunately, anyone who wishes to compete on an even playing field must forgo mod use.

Not necesarrily. If you see this Thread, you could in effect create two Sims 3 Games, one with Mods and one without. So in one I could have my Jade Dynasty which is for the HoF and no mods allowed. Then in the other folder I could have my Ravensgate Legacy which is on my own rules and what I want really - if I then chose to have mods I could put them in there. To do this see this thread.

I msut admit it has crossed my mind several times about Mods. Some of the stuff available is just such good quality, mind you I would only ever use Mods that are from popular/reliable creators. I have yet to do so though, I really couldn't due to half of my Sims time involving my Immortal Dynasty.

[Esther1981]

Why thank you Nicky! I know, when it was lagging, I got amazing help even though it didn't work! I try to be sweet and kind. True, the moderation is awesome around here! I spent many hours playing tonight and while I was playing, I was also thinking about this thread. I know 3 computer geniuses, but the only one I would completely trust about anything sim-related is Carl, and if he thinks they are ok now, maybe I should too. Even though I am still about 99% sure I'd never use one.

Seera, I agree. Posting anything on here gets attention quickly and I love it with all my heart.

Hosfac, I resisted lol. However I think I'm the only one so far!

Jeana, that's the very thread I brought up for Carl! How cool. It's also one of the threads that freaked me out on the subject.

I'm good online, like I'm good at finding things I need, but I'm not a computer genius. Just thinking about installing a graphic card has me seriously freaked! That being said, I would probably never download a mod because knowing me, I would do something wrong and my game would break.

[Figwit]

You could start slowly.    I think it is good to be cautious and take your time.  You may even decide that they are not for you but the important thing is to keep an open mind.  I cannot imagine playing without mods because they help my computer run the game much more efficiently and give me the freedom to explore more of the game than would otherwise be available to me.   Twallan has a mod that allows you to peek inside all the houses in your hood, for instance.  That is a load of fun.  You can see what the inactive sims in your town are up to when you are not playing them.  Most of the time they are just standing staring at the walls but they soon spring to life when they feel your eye on them.     He has another that prompts me to save at regular intervals.  That really has saved my sanity at times and also hours of game time.  It is so easy to get caught up that you forget to save.

[Huge]

Just read the email about the modding of the Sims. Tbh the complete lack of any acceptance of modding put me off coming back here (amongst other things), now it's allowed, I'll be here more often.

[xFezIsAFreakx]

Thank you so much, Carl! I only installed my first mod about two-three weeks ago, it was Twallan's Overwatch and it completely eliminated my game lag. I had debated with myself for ages before installing it, and part of the reason I was too scared to was because of the sort of dogma surrounding mods that I had heard from places including here. I felt really ashamed and like I was being unloyal, almost, and I really wanted to mention that I used a mod on my legacy but I didn't want to because I felt so bad about it and that people would be against it. What a relief to find that I'm not the only one here, and that so many of you use mods! I want to install ErrorTrap as well but am waiting until after the new patch.

Regarding what someone said a page or so back about not using mods so it doesn't affect their immortal dynasty, I believe there are mods out there that let you only use the mod on one game file, or let you choose a game file to not use the mod in, etc. My laptop is really old and falling to pieces, yet Overwatch completely stopped any lag and the only time my laptop crashes while gaming is when it overheats, so if it helps even the worst of systems that says a lot!

[Metropolis Man]

If one person is using mods that stop bugs, and one person is not because they don't want to run the risk of using mods, regardless of the potential benefits, then the person using them will have a clear cut advantage.

As far as I am aware, this matter is not open for debate.  So any actual debate on it doesn't really help matters any.

Correct. I thought I would jump in here and state the obvious — no modifications whatsoever for any challenge/Dynasty file. Period. Now, that said I have no issue with someone using a mod to prepare them for a challenge/Dynasty file that allows them to turn everything off as if there were no mods to begin with.

[Pam]

I just want to step in quickly and remind everyone that this thread is only for the discussion of changing our rule about mods on the Forum.  Any talk about specific mods and what they do and how they can help should be suspended until the Mod Board is up in a few days.  Please don't get into all of that detail kind of stuff.  Here the topic is the fact that our Forum is going to start allowing talk and links to mods.  Nothing else.  Ok?

[BellaClo]

Correct. I thought I would jump in here and state the obvious — no modifications whatsoever for any challenge/Dynasty file. Period. Now, that said I have no issue with someone using a mod to prepare them for a challenge/Dynasty file that allows them to turn everything off as if there were no mods to begin with.

It's not even needed to use such a mod to run the game "mod free". The Factory Reset trick of Moonsareblue is absolutely great for this. Samoth has already mentioned it a few posts above, but I'll relink the thread (ok I'm a huge fan of this trick, if it's not obvious enough by now  ):

It's a sticky in the Technical board, find it here

The game only reads a user folder that is precisely named "The Sims 3". Rename your user folder to something else and the game will recreate a brand new one, just like when you install the game for the very first time (hence the factory reset name). This new Sims 3 user folder contains absolutely nothing besides a few EA files and empty folder required by the game. No previous saves, no additional content of any kind, no mods nor Mod folder (required to run modded game) and all game options are reset (again) to their default settings.

Being an old time mod user, I've been using this trick ever since I joined the challenge board and it has worked flawlessly. At least on a PC. For Mac user, I suspect it's the same but this should be tested of course (something that I'll happily be able to do in the upcoming months since I've decided to jump to the apple side of the force for the next comp'. Hurrah!).

[CreativeCrayola]

Back along, I was using a mod by Twallan that enabled a better Story Progression, and I was liking it, but I felt bad because of the forum. I don't use mods now, but I'm probably gonna start using that great mod again

[Korva]

I'm still new here, but let me add my support for this change as well. Sims 3 is a big game (and getting bigger still), with bugs that the official team doesn't seem to be in any hurry to fix and some features which can be quite frustrating. If there are mods that can alleviate this, it is much better in my book to allow discussion so people can learn from a trusted source which ones are good, stable and safe to use, and which sites it may be better to avoid. I don't think that those who don't wish to bother with mods at all need to worry that they would suddenly "infest" the content and discussion on this site, especially after reading your intentions for the rules about what will be allowed where. For those who have issues that a good mod could fix, though, this change could be a big help.

I've downloaded some of twallan's work to help me with some annoyances I have with the game. Because he is a respected poster here, I figured that his work would be good to use. Being able to make such a statement openly in the future would be a good thing. And I have to respect your admission that you don't feel right to forbid the mentioning of mods when you've used some to help in making UC. It is a good point.

[Saltypaws]

I guess I have been one of the lucky ones in regards to alot of the glitches and bugs.  I don't think I have had the car problem, except in one game.  I have had the normal ones that have come along, but nothing as major as most people have had.  Like I said, I have never had any use to use mods, but I do know, if something came up that I could not play my game and I knew a mod could help, I would definitely install it.   Those types of mods are the only ones I would be interested in.  I can't believe the turnout on this thread and I think it is great.  I know this is going to bring more traffic and I know us moderators will have our hands full.  Since I do not know that much about mods and which sites, except Twallan's, I think I am going to do some research, so at least I will know what people are talking about, lol.   

[Ankaret]

I was happy to respect the rule and not discuss mods here, but I'm also happy to see discussion of mods permitted.  I'm a big fan of Twallan's story progression mod and think it works much better for long-term dynasties than the EA Story Progression.