Hi, everyone. For the people just starting to look at mods, I have some recommendations about how to keep everything neatly organized. If you need information about how to set up your game so it can use mods, please see the thread started by jeanamariex3:
Creating a Mods Folder/Installing Mods Step by Step Guide.
Tip# 1 - Only add a few mods at a time.Installing new mods can be exciting, and sometimes you find a whole bunch you like and want to add right away. However, if you download say, 10 mods, and stick them all in your mods folder at once and then your game starts to crash, figuring out which one(s) is causing the problem will be tough work. Of course, if you trust the modder a great deal, you might feel more comfortable taking the risk. Just remember that even modders trusted by the Sims 3 community at large are not truly infallible, so you might find yourself having to wait for an update or figuring out which mod is causing the problem.
Tip #2 - Use Delphy's Sims 3 Dashboard Tool to avoid mod conflictsThere is already
a thread about core mods and non-core mods, so if you're interested in learning the difference, go take a look there (see also
Crinrict's Mods/Hacks article, and
Understanding Mod and CC Conflicts with Delphy's Dashboard). For the vast majority of cases, when it comes to pure scripting mods, the chances of a conflict are extremely low. Most conflicts occur when using core mods and XML/Tuning mods. Like core mods, XML/tuning mods also have a sort of Highlander Rule. You can use as many XML/Tuning mods as you like your in game, but you need to make sure that you don't have two different XML/Tuning mods that alter the same game file at once.
For example, let's say you download a mod that makes it harder to become a celebrity, and you also download a mod that makes it so celebrities get disgraced less often. Both of those mods will alter the same game file, namely the Celebrity XML in the GameplayData.package, and because of that, they will conflict. You will have to choose between one of these mods, or find a mod that does both. So now you might be thinking:
How can I know which mods conflict with each other?Most creators will tell you what game resource(s) their mod modifies and what mods, if any, will conflict. There is also an easy way to check yourself if your mods conflict. It's good to check yourself because there are actually hundreds of thousands of mods out there, and mod creators can't be expected to know every single mod in existence. You can use Delphy's Sims 3 Dashboard tool to check for conflicts in your mods folder.
Delphy's Sims 3 Dashboard toolDon't be fooled by the "testers wanted" sign, the program works quite well. Delphy's Dashboard can tell you if you have conflicting mods, duplicate objects, and corrupt packages in your Mods folder. The Dashboard might occasionally give you a false positive, meaning it will tell you that certain mods will conflict even if they don't actually conflict (this is rare and has not happened to me except in the case of NRaas StoryProgession/Careers, which is a known non-issue). However, it will not give you a false negative; it will not tell you that two mods do not conflict when they in fact do conflict. Here's what the Dashboard Tool looks like:
- Note that script mods are denoted as Core Mods in the Dashboard tool. Your mod is not a core mod unless the mod creator specifically states that it is.
- Additionally, as noted in the NRaas wiki, Delphy's Dashboard will state that NRaas StoryProgression and NRaas Careers will conflict. This is a non-issue and can be safely ignored.
- Learn more about potential conflicts and Delphy's Dashboard at Simlogical
Using an Overrides Folder to Avoid ConflictsIn some cases, you can use an Overrides folder to avoid conflicts, but still use a certain mod/custom object. Check out this tutorial about how to set up an overrides folder, and how you can use your Overrides folder:
Tutorial: How to Create and Use an Overrides FolderMac Users: Please see the following comment:
Using Delphy's Dashboard on a Mac
Tip #3 - Organize your mods folderIf you
download the framework at ModThesims and use the resource.cfg file they have provided, you will easily be able to add a few more folders to your Mods folder which will help you keep your mods organized. You can read about
organizing your mods folder at MTS. This will also explain the Resource.cfg file in more depth.
Below are a few pictures of what my own Mods folder looks like. Note that the Overrides, Packages, Probation and Test folders are listed in the Resource.cfg included in the Framework.zip at MTS. Click the thumbnails to see a bigger picture.
In the first picture, you'll notice I have a Test folder, which is where I put new mods and custom content when I first use it. This way I can easily find the stuff I have added most recently to my game. In the second picture, you'll see that I organize my own mods folder by type. The Hacks folder is where I keep all mods that change game play and fix bugs, such Twallan's mods, XML/tuning hacks, and other script mods.
More Ways to Organize Your Mods and Mods Folder- It is perfectly safe to rename .package files. To keep track of where a mod is from, feel free to rename the .package file if the name is not already descriptive enough. You could add an abbreviation for where the mod is from and/or the creator. Just don't change the file extension (keep it a .package file).
- Consider keeping track of where you downloaded your mods from. You can do it with with a spreadsheet, or using bookmarks (or an online bookmark tool), or any way you feel comfortable. This way it will be easier to find what you need to update when patch day comes along.
- Downloading from ModTheSims is convenient because they have a download manager which shows you all items you have downloaded form their site. While logged into ModTheSims, click on User Tools in the upper right hand corner and then click "My Downloaded Items."
- See Tip #6 for information on merging package files and using CC Magic.
Tip #4 - How to Locate a bad mod or other custom content in your Mods folderAlthough this post is primarily about mods, this tip pertains to any custom content that you put into your Mods folder. If your game suddenly starts acting up, and you can't figure out what is causing the problem, you will have to do a little bit of detective work for yourself.
ModTheSims has a great guide about finding problem custom content.
I generally use the
50% method when I need to hunt down a problem file. I recommend this method as it will not let your preferences blind you by assuming that mods by certain creators are definitely not the problem. Many times I have thought "It can't possibly be a mod by
soandso" and after leaving those mods in until the last step, I did indeed find that it was a mod I would not have suspected. Remember from tip 1, no Sims 3 creator is infallible
(but we love them all the same)
Tip #5 - The most basic tip of all: Back up everything!Frequently backing up your entire The Sims 3 folder is a great way to make sure you never lose any data. I back up my entire The Sims 3 folder about once a week. Sometimes I do it more often, sometimes less often. It just depends on how much I am playing and whether I'm on a downloading spree. I also keep a separate back up of my mods folder, my DCCache folder, my Saves and my Downloads. This way if I download a new version of a mod that isn't quite right, I can use an older copy of it.
Similarly, when you add a new mod to your game, Use Save As.. when you save for the first time with the new mod. If there are any problems in your save as a result of the new mod, you can easily remove the mod and go back to the older save.
Backing up my The Sims 3 folder take forever!If you have a really large The Sims 3 folder, it can take ages to back up all of your data. You can drastically cut down the size of your The Sims 3 folder with a few simple steps:
- Once you've installed a sims3pack, you can move it out of your Downloads folder and keep it somewhere else in case you want to re-install later. This goes for all sims3packs, whether they come form the store or elsewhere.
- The game does not read sims3packs, so keeping it in your Downloads folder only bloats your The Sims 3 Folder.
- When you install a sims3pack, the information is written into the the .dbc files found in the DCCache.
- Don't remove the folder named with a number in your Downloads folder, as that contains your simport and achievements data
- You can safely delete almost everything in your DCBackup folder. This is simply a copy of everything you've installed through your launcher, which is stored in the DCCache. Deleting an item from the DCBackup will also ensure that it will not hitchhike with your Sims 3 exports (houses, sims, pets, etc.).
- Do not delete the ccmerged.package. This package contains necessary information about your premium content items (the moodlets).
- If you have already deleted the ccmerged.package, fear not. You can fix this easily:
- 1. Do a factory reset by renaming your The Sims 3 folder. Do not delete the folder!
- 2. Start the Launcher.
- 3. Install your Premium Content items. Note: If you own Hidden Springs, you should install that as well.
- 4. Close the Launcher and go to Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\DCBackup and find the ccmerged.package.
- 5. Move/Copy that package file to the DCBackup folder in your re-named The Sims 3 folder.
- 6. Either Delete or re-name the current "The Sims 3" folder and then rename your original The Sims 3 folder to "The Sims 3"
- You can find more information about this process here: DCBackup, ccmerged.package, and Your Premium Content Items
- Do not delete or remove the DCCache folder from The Sims 3 Folder. That is where the game has installed all sims3pack content. Deleting or removing this folder will effectively uninstall all of your content installed through the launcher.
- As you can see, between the DCCache, DCBackup, and Downloads folder, you actually have three copies of everything you install through the launcher in your The Sims 3 Folder. This is needless bloat! Just back up your sims3packs, ccmerged.package and DCCache folder elsewhere, and you can drastically cut down the size of your The Sims 3 Folder.
- If your save folders are very large, you can cut down on their size by cleaning up memories.
- You can also use Kuree's Save Cleaner, available at Simlogical, to make your save smaller (will also help prevent Save Error 12)
Tip #6 - Merging your Custom ContentOnce you've got more than 200 package files in your Mods Folder, you will notice that your game will begin to load considerably slower. This is a limitation of the modern computer, so upgrading your computer will not necessarily help with package file lag. To reduce package file lag, you can merge your package files. This is a safe method of keeping your custom content organized and keeping your game running smooth.
There are many tutorials out there for merging package files, so I won't go into that here; I'll just link you to them. Some things you should keep in mind about merging package files:
- Once you merge a bunch of package files, you can't push a button and select "un-merge" to split the package back into individual packages. This is a somewhat permanent action, so keep a back up of everything you merge.
- If you have a back up of your merged items, you can un-merge individual items from a merged package. See this tutorial:Un-merging a file from a merged package
- It is perfectly safe to merge script mods and XML Tuning mods, but keep in mind that you may need to update the mods, especially after a patch.
- I recommend deleting merged mod packages after a patch and re-merging the new, updated ones, if you wish to do that.
- Twallan updates his mods frequently (but also sporadically), so merging his mods may not be worth the effort if you are doing it manually. See: NRaas Tips and Tricks FAQ: Should I merge my mods together?
- There's also so information about whether you should merge your package files in this thread.
Program required to merge package files:
Tutorials for merging package files:For PC UsersFor Mac UsersMerging package files on a MacIf you use a mac and know of a good resource for mac users, please share your information!
Using CC Magic to Organize your package files and keep them mergedMerging package files, and keeping them organized, can be a pain and a big time sink. My hubby used to make jokes that I spent more time organizing my packages than I did playing, and it was probably true! If you do it by hand, it can take a huge chunk of time out of your play time. Luckily, there's a program available that will do all the work for you:
CC Magic. Unfortunately, it's only available for PC users.
Information about CC Magic:
Another advantage of CC Magic is that you can create various configurations with which to launch the game, so that you can launch a game without any mods at all, or without certain sets of CC, if you like. This makes it easier for people who want to play challenges and dynasties which prohibit the use of mods, instead of having to use the factory reset method.
Recommended Reading:Slightly More Advanced Recommended Reading
That's all for now. Please comment with questions, suggestions, criticism, addendums, more links with good information etc.
