I've never used a mod. Where do I start?

[RunAmokSims]

The title says it all. I have a stable well running game but I'd like to try things to make my game different and better.

I'm looking for suggestions for a starting point.

[Seabody]

To start with, you'd want to know How to Install Mods (hosted on NRaas Industries Wiki).

I would recommend reading Twallan's Which Mod FAQ.

[Carl]

Well, we've already got our first stickies That's a great faq for new users and has all the information they need for Nraas and other mods. Great!

[Hosfac]

The first place you should start is here.  It will give you all the information on how to actually install game modifications, and you can even download the framework setup file that is required to make your game recognize them.  This file is extremely basic, and doesn't often change so you shouldn't have to update it very often.  The mods themselves are a different story:  you'll require a new version with every base game patch.  You determine this by hovering your cursor over the base game icon in your launcher.  If you download a patch and this doesn't change (I'm not sure if that even happens), the mods that worked before will work now.  If it did change, you'll need new mods.

After that, you need to decide what you want out of a mod.  Do you want utility or new game play?  Once you know what you're looking for, it's a simple matter of locating it.  The site I linked above (Mod the Sims) is a very respectable site and has a lot of knowledgeable creators.  However, I don't really know how quick they are with updates to their mods because I don't use them.  Someone else might be able to give you a better understanding of this.

NRaas Industries, run by Twallan, is another very respectable site, and he is rather quick with the updates.  It's usually only a couple of days before his are all current, and the big ones (like Master Controller and Overwatch) are usually done within a day.

It's also a good idea to clear your cache files when you uninstall mods.  Likewise, if you have an injector mod (one that adds interactions that don't exist in the base game), you should reset your entire town by entering the cheat "resetsim *" to make sure that none of the townies are engaged in that interaction when you save.  It has the potential to crash your game if they are, but is easily avoided through this one, simple step.

[jeanamariex3]

Modthesims.info is another great website, and shouldn't conflict with any of Twallan's mods (I've been using them along with Twallan's mods quite a bit, though it's been a while). They test every bit of their content as well. However, if for whatever reason, you decide you don't want to use mods, still check them out. They have Wiki articles with helpful tips, along with some CC free lots and downloads.

[Piggypox]

Likewise, if you have an injector mod (one that adds interactions that don't exist in the base game), you should reset your entire town by entering the cheat "resetsim *" to make sure that none of the townies are engaged in that interaction when you save.  It has the potential to crash your game if they are, but is easily avoided through this one, simple step.

On Twallan's website, he has written:

EA has since corrected the Interaction Injection error (they did so a number of patches ago apparently).
I will therefore be dropping that warning off all applicable mods. How kind of EA to correct that issue.

So you don't need to reset everything before uninstalling.

[Seera1024]

Modthesims.info is another great website, and shouldn't conflict with any of Twallan's mods (I've been using them along with Twallan's mods quite a bit, though it's been a while). They test every bit of their content as well. However, if for whatever reason, you decide you don't want to use mods, still check them out. They have Wiki articles with helpful tips, along with some CC free lots and downloads.

Some on modthesims might conflict with some of Twallan's. Modthesims is a bunch of different mod creators on one site. If you download Twallan's Story Progression, don't download a Story Progression you find on modthesims.

Just do your research and take plenty of back ups before you install any mod just in case. But that should be what you do for every mod you install. Just so you know what the mod is supposed to do and if there are any common bugs you should watch out for.

The site I linked above (Mod the Sims) is a very respectable site and has a lot of knowledgeable creators.  However, I don't really know how quick they are with updates to their mods because I don't use them.  Someone else might be able to give you a better understanding of this.

How fast the mods on that site update is a bit of a guessing game. There are many different mod creators on that site. Some might update just as quickly and reliably as Twallan. Others may never update for whatever reason. And you generally won't get as much feedback as you get with Twallan, but you might occasionally come across a mod creator on modthesims who does give frequent feedback on the progress.

The title says it all. I have a stable well running game but I'd like to try things to make my game different and better.

I'm looking for suggestions for a starting point.

I concur with Hosfac's questions about asking what you're looking for in a mod. New game play or make your game more stable.

Twallan has several mods for either answer.

For stability, I recommend reading up on: Overwatch and Master Contoller (along with the Cheats Module so you can access things like Edit in CAS when Sims don't age up and get their trait)

For game play, I recommend reading up on: Story Progression, Master Controller (along with the Integration Module so you don't need a dresser and mirror to plan your Sims' outfits)


If you scroll down on the page Hosfac gave you to NRass, Twallan has posted a short summary of what each of his mods does to better help people decide which mods are right for them (if any).

On Twallan's website, he has written:

EA has since corrected the Interaction Injection error (they did so a number of patches ago apparently).
I will therefore be dropping that warning off all applicable mods. How kind of EA to correct that issue.

So you don't need to reset everything before uninstalling.

That's nice to know, actually. I had installed one of Twallan's injector mods and dreaded remembering to uninstall it properly before I installed the patch or Showtime. Nice to know I won't need to do that anymore. Or at least any past this time.

[jeanamariex3]

Some on modthesims might conflict with some of Twallan's. Modthesims is a bunch of different mod creators on one site. If you download Twallan's Story Progression, don't download a Story Progression you find on modthesims.

Just do your research and take plenty of back ups before you install any mod just in case. But that should be what you do for every mod you install. Just so you know what the mod is supposed to do and if there are any common bugs you should watch out for.

How fast the mods on that site update is a bit of a guessing game. There are many different mod creators on that site. Some might update just as quickly and reliably as Twallan. Others may never update for whatever reason. And you generally won't get as much feedback as you get with Twallan, but you might occasionally come across a mod creator on modthesims who does give frequent feedback on the progress.

Oh no! I only use Twallan's Story Progression. I've used MTS with Master Controller years ago, when the cheats didn't have their own separate module, along with Story Progression.

However, I now have error trap and overwatch, (those two are firsts), when I had my heavily modified game exactly one year ago today, I had Story Progression, Master Controller plus a few from MTS, back then. Now that I have a core mod, I'm still unsure whether I want pose player or not.

[Hosfac]

On Twallan's website, he has written:

EA has since corrected the Interaction Injection error (they did so a number of patches ago apparently).
I will therefore be dropping that warning off all applicable mods. How kind of EA to correct that issue.

So you don't need to reset everything before uninstalling.

That is sincerely cool.  I never noticed that before (I usually know what I'm looking for ).

[Seera1024]

Oh no! I only use Twallan's Story Progression. I've used MTS with Master Controller years ago, when the cheats didn't have their own separate module, along with Story Progression.

However, I now have error trap and overwatch, (those two are firsts), when I had my heavily modified game exactly one year ago today, I had Story Progression, Master Controller plus a few from MTS, back then. Now that I have a core mod, I'm still unsure whether I want pose player or not.

Chances are considering how popular Twallan's Story Progression, Master Controller, and Overwatch are, if a mod on another site is known to conflict with it, it will probably be listed either in the description or in the comments. Not sure if Pose Player is a core mod, but if it is, just take back ups or temporarily remove Error Trap when you need to use the Pose Player.

And use common sense. If two mods affect skill gain, there is a fairly high chance of the mods conflicting with each other. But Story Progression's push for NPC's to skill will probably not affect a mod that affects the rate at which they gain the skill. Again, I said probably. So don't quote me on that and someone with more knowledge is free to chime in on the accuracy of that statement.

[Figwit]

I believe that xml mods work with Twallan's mods quite well.  The ones I know are the ones by Twoftmama, Bluegenjutsu, Shimrod and Buzzler.  The pose players will work.  I am careful about which mods I use at MTS because they are often not up to date.