No CD Mod

[kattiq]

Has anyone tried out Twallan's no CD mod? If so, does it work rather well? I'm tired of having to leave my CD in my drive because every time I start up my computer it makes the drive run. I have also heard that can be bad for the CD in the long run and allows it to get scratched.
My hesitation is down in the notes it says says "This mod has no effect on the EA Game Launcher. You will need to start the game directly, rather than through the launcher." So does this mean I HAVE to use it without the launcher? I kind of like having the launcher show up so I can view all the items I have and do updates through it.

Thanks for any clarification!

[NonaMena]

It works quite well Currently all of my installs are digital download, but I use it anyhow to get rid of the Mod Scripts found message. I also used it when I had the game installed from the discs because I find it exceedingly annoying to put a disc in whenever I want to play a game. NoCD never needs an update so you don't even have to worry about that.

You can still use the launcher with NoCD, but you have to launch your game using TS3W.exe(*windows only, obviously), and not the play button in the launcher. However, since you're on a Mac, you'll want to take a look at this: http://nraas.wikispaces.com/message/view/Chatterbox/51463648 (and this: http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:TS3_Bypassing_the_Launcher )

[kattiq]

It works quite well Currently all of my installs are digital download, but I use it anyhow to get rid of the Mod Scripts found message. I also used it when I had the game installed from the discs because I find it exceedingly annoying to put a disc in whenever I want to play a game. NoCD never needs an update so you don't even have to worry about that.

You can still use the launcher with NoCD, but you have to launch your game using TS3W.exe(*windows only, obviously), and not the play button in the launcher. However, since you're on a Mac, you'll want to take a look at this: http://nraas.wikispaces.com/message/view/Chatterbox/51463648 (and this: http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:TS3_Bypassing_the_Launcher )

Yeah when I had just gotten Generations it was digital and it was SO nice not to have to put in a CD! I am going to read through those directions more thoroughly and try it out. I will post back here when I get it up and running!
Thanks a bunch Nonamena!
P.S. Also thanks for remembering I am on a mac! Those extra instructions are just what I needed.

[wednesday21]

Precisely what NonaMena said. I'm using this mod and I have no problems with it.

Bypassing the launcher in OS X is a bit more complicated than it is in Windows OS. In addition to the ModTheSims article NonaMena linked to, you might also want to check out the following thread, -

http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=365310

[kattiq]

Okay, I got the no CD to work fine. But I want to load the launcher and the threads you guys have shown me only do it with bypassing the launcher. What am I missing?

[wednesday21]

Okay, I got the no CD to work fine. But I want to load the launcher and the threads you guys have shown me only do it with bypassing the launcher. What am I missing?

For NoCD to work (i.e. to be able to run the game without inserting the game disk) you NEED to bypass the launcher. If you just open the launcher and click the big "play" button, it will show you a "disk not found" error, thus preventing you from playing your game.

That is why we have shown you threads explaining how to do this in OS X.

[Leto85]

Ive installed the last two expansions from the Origin which also makes me play the game without a disk. Thing is however, I didnt get the choice where to install it, as I wanted to have it on another drivr.
I guess Twallans mod works the same way as installed stuff from Origin.

[kattiq]

Okay, I just understood Nonamena to say there was a way. But since I can't load the game via launcher with this mod, how can I just load the launcher to view the items and update?
I'm tempted to buy Master Suite on Amazon and just download it so I don't have a CD to use.

[NonaMena]

Okay, I just understood Nonamena to say there was a way. But since I can't load the game via launcher with this mod, how can I just load the launcher to view the items and update?
I'm tempted to buy Master Suite on Amazon and just download it so I don't have a CD to use.

Ok that was my bad, because I use Windows and had assumed Macs have their own launcher as well. I don't know how to launch  the launcher on it's own on a mac, because I don't have one. On Windows, I can either use TS3W.exe to launch the game or use the Launcher exe to load up the launcher. Maybe somebody else with a Mac can help :/ (Sorry!)

Ive installed the last two expansions from the Origin which also makes me play the game without a disk. Thing is however, I didnt get the choice where to install it, as I wanted to have it on another drivr.
I guess Twallans mod works the same way as installed stuff from Origin.

To change the install directory in Origin: Go to Settings and under "Downloaded Games" click Change. Origin won't ask you between installs. However, it also won't let you change the hard drive. You'll probably need to install another copy of Origin on the other hard drive. I've been meaning to try it out so I can install Medieval on my other drive.

[wednesday21]

Okay, I just understood Nonamena to say there was a way. But since I can't load the game via launcher with this mod, how can I just load the launcher to view the items and update?
I'm tempted to buy Master Suite on Amazon and just download it so I don't have a CD to use.

That is why you should back up the info.plist file. This overall process works quite differently in OS X than in Windows OS as I've said before...the main difference is, in order to ever see the launcher again, you should revert your changes (either manually or by replacing the edited info.plist file with the backup), otherwise when you attempt to open the launcher it will get confused and crash. So this means, each time you want to update the game or install a .sims3pack, you should undo all your actions you did in order to bypass the launcher.

[Leto85]

To change the install directory in Origin: Go to Settings and under "Downloaded Games" click Change. Origin won't ask you between installs. However, it also won't let you change the hard drive. You'll probably need to install another copy of Origin on the other hard drive. I've been meaning to try it out so I can install Medieval on my other drive.

Well that's good information I need.
So future installations will have a better place now. Too bad it won't change the files recently installed.

[kattiq]

That is why you should back up the info.plist file. This overall process works quite differently in OS X than in Windows OS as I've said before...the main difference is, in order to ever see the launcher again, you should revert your changes (either maunally or by replacing the edited info.plist file with the backup), otherwise when you attempt to open the launcher it will get confused and crash. So this means, each time you want to update the game or install a .sims3pack, you should undo all your actions you did in order to bypass the launcher.

I do have it backed up. And err I'm just going to go back to using a CD until I direct download a stuff pack. That is WAY to much effort. Haha
Thanks for the help anyways guys!

[Hosfac]

Okay, I got the no CD to work fine. But I want to load the launcher and the threads you guys have shown me only do it with bypassing the launcher. What am I missing?

Even without the mod, I believe you can open the launcher without the disc in there.  You just can't start the game without the disc.  I would think that the NoCD mod would be no different in this respect:  you can open the launcher, download patches or whatever you need to do, then close it and start the game with the .exe file.  I do my game digital install, so I don't need my discs...but I don't start the game with the launcher because it's always been a bit flaky.

[NonaMena]

Even without the mod, I believe you can open the launcher without the disc in there.  You just can't start the game without the disc.  I would think that the NoCD mod would be no different in this respect:  you can open the launcher, download patches or whatever you need to do, then close it and start the game with the .exe file.  I do my game digital install, so I don't need my discs...but I don't start the game with the launcher because it's always been a bit flaky.

It's because of the way Sims 3 works on a Mac (she knows she doesn't need a CD to start the launcher). They need to do more than simply put the NoCD mod in their mods folder. I was looking for a way to start the launcher after editing info.plist (which is what mac users have to do to use NoCD) but I haven't found anything beyond keeping two copies of info.plist and moving them in/out depending on whether you want to start the launcher or the game.  This is admittedly a lot of work if one uses the launcher frequently.

[kattiq]

Thanks you guys for trying to figure something out. (especially Nonamena!) I wished they made stuff like this easier on Mac users. I think I'll just deal with having the CD until I can afford to download a digital stuff pack- unless I have to install stuff packs in order too then I guess that wouldn't work since Showtime was the last to come out!