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Difference between revisions of "The Sims 3"

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Line 12: Line 12:
 
{{Infobox game/row/date|Windows|June 2, 2009}}
 
{{Infobox game/row/date|Windows|June 2, 2009}}
 
{{Infobox game/row/date|OS X|June 2, 2009|wrapper=Cider}}
 
{{Infobox game/row/date|OS X|June 2, 2009|wrapper=Cider}}
 +
|reception    =
 +
{{Infobox game/row/reception|Metacritic|the-sims-3|86}}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/reception|IGDB|the-sims-3|83}}
 
|taxonomy    =
 
|taxonomy    =
 
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/monetization      | sponsored, dlc, expansion pack, | ref= }}
 
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/monetization      | sponsored, dlc, expansion pack, | ref= }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/genres            | Life sim }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/series            | The Sims }}
 
|steam appid  = 47890
 
|steam appid  = 47890
 
|gogcom id    =  
 
|gogcom id    =  
 +
|hltb        = 10195
 
|strategywiki = The Sims 3
 
|strategywiki = The Sims 3
 
|mobygames    = sims-3
 
|mobygames    = sims-3
Line 32: Line 38:
 
{{mm}} [http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-3/bd-p/the-sims-3 Answer HQ for The Sims 3 at EA.com]
 
{{mm}} [http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-3/bd-p/the-sims-3 Answer HQ for The Sims 3 at EA.com]
 
{{mm}} [https://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-Mac/bd-p/The-Sims-Mac Answer HQ for The Sims series at EA.com] (OS X)
 
{{mm}} [https://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-Mac/bd-p/The-Sims-Mac Answer HQ for The Sims series at EA.com] (OS X)
{{mm}} [http://sims.wikia.com/wiki/The_Sims_3?useskin=monobook The Sims Wiki]
 
 
{{mm}} [https://steamcommunity.com/app/47890/discussions/ Steam Community Discussions]
 
{{mm}} [https://steamcommunity.com/app/47890/discussions/ Steam Community Discussions]
  
Line 39: Line 44:
 
{{Availability/row| Retail | | key, actlimit, activation, Origin | {{removed DRM|SecuROM|7|SecuROM PA}}, unknown machine limit. A [http://activate.ea.com/deauthorize/ De-Authorization Tool] is available. <br /> Dropped starting with patch 1.2.7. <br /> Later expansions add {{DRM|Origin}}. | Origin | Windows, OS X }}
 
{{Availability/row| Retail | | key, actlimit, activation, Origin | {{removed DRM|SecuROM|7|SecuROM PA}}, unknown machine limit. A [http://activate.ea.com/deauthorize/ De-Authorization Tool] is available. <br /> Dropped starting with patch 1.2.7. <br /> Later expansions add {{DRM|Origin}}. | Origin | Windows, OS X }}
 
{{Availability/row| Origin | the-sims/the-sims-3 | Origin | Included with {{Store feature|Origin Access Basic}}. | | Windows, OS X }}
 
{{Availability/row| Origin | the-sims/the-sims-3 | Origin | Included with {{Store feature|Origin Access Basic}}. | | Windows, OS X }}
{{Availability/row| Steam | 47890 | Steam | | Origin | Windows }}
+
{{Availability/row| Steam | 47890 | Steam | Included with {{store feature|EA Play}}. | Origin | Windows }}
 
}}
 
}}
 
 
===Version differences===
 
===Version differences===
 
{{ii}} List of all different versions and regions can be found on {{W|The Sims 3#Editions|Wikipedia}}.
 
{{ii}} List of all different versions and regions can be found on {{W|The Sims 3#Editions|Wikipedia}}.
  
 
{{DLC|
 
{{DLC|
{{DLC/row| 70s, 80s, & 90s Stuff | | Windows }}
+
{{DLC/row| World Adventures | Expansion 1 | Windows, OS X }}
{{DLC/row| Ambitions | | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{DLC/row| Ambitions | Expansion 2 | Windows, OS X }}
{{DLC/row| Diesel Stuff | | Windows }}
+
{{DLC/row| Late Night | Expansion 3. Included with {{Store feature|Origin Access Basic}}. | Windows, OS X }}
{{DLC/row| Fast Lane Stuff | | Windows }}
+
{{DLC/row| Generations | Expansion4  | Windows, OS X }}
{{DLC/row| Generations | | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{DLC/row| Pets | Expansion 5 | Windows, OS X }}
{{DLC/row| High-End Loft Stuff | Also known as Design and Hi-Tech Stuff in Europe<br/>Included with {{Store feature|Origin Access Basic}}. | Windows }}
+
{{DLC/row| Showtime | Expansion 6 | Windows, OS X }}
{{DLC/row| Into the Future | | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{DLC/row| Supernatural | Expansion 7 | Windows, OS X }}
{{DLC/row| Island Paradise | | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{DLC/row| Seasons | Expansion 8 | Windows, OS X }}
{{DLC/row| Katy Perry's Sweet Treats | | Windows }}
+
{{DLC/row| University Life | Expansion 9 | Windows, OS X }}
{{DLC/row| Late Night | Included with {{Store feature|Origin Access Basic}}. | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{DLC/row| Island Paradise | Expansion 10 | Windows, OS X }}
{{DLC/row| Master Suite Stuff | | Windows }}
+
{{DLC/row| Into the Future | Expansion 11 | Windows, OS X }}
{{DLC/row| Movie Stuff | | Windows }}
+
 
{{DLC/row| Outdoor Living Stuff | | Windows }}
+
{{DLC/row| High-End Loft Stuff | Stuff pack 1. Also known as Design and Hi-Tech Stuff in Europe<br/>Included with {{Store feature|Origin Access Basic}}. | Windows }}
{{DLC/row| Pets | | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{DLC/row| Fast Lane Stuff | Stuff pack 2 | Windows }}
{{DLC/row| Seasons | | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{DLC/row| Outdoor Living Stuff | Stuff pack 3 | Windows }}
{{DLC/row| Showtime | | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{DLC/row| Town Life Stuff | Stuff pack 4 | Windows }}
{{DLC/row| Supernatural | | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{DLC/row| Master Suite Stuff | Stuff pack 5 | Windows }}
{{DLC/row| Town Life Stuff | | Windows }}
+
{{DLC/row| Katy Perry's Sweet Treats | Stuff pack 6 | Windows }}
{{DLC/row| University Life | | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{DLC/row| Diesel Stuff | Stuff pack 7 | Windows }}
{{DLC/row| World Adventures | | Windows, OS X }}
+
{{DLC/row| 70s, 80s, & 90s Stuff | Stuff pack 8 | Windows }}
 +
{{DLC/row| Movie Stuff | Stuff pack 9 | Windows }}
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
===Microtransactions===
 +
{{Microtransactions
 +
|boost              =
 +
|cosmetic            = SimPoints are spent on additional clothing and furniture.
 +
|currency            = Real money is exchanged for '''SimPoints''' which are spent in the Sims 3 Store. SimPoints are not available to be earned in-game.
 +
|finite spend        =
 +
|infinite spend      =
 +
|free-to-grind      =
 +
|loot box            =
 +
|none                =
 +
|player trading      =
 +
|time-limited        =
 +
|unlock              = '''Stuff Packs''' are sold which consist of additional clothing and furniture. Additionally, other maps and gameplay elements are sold piecemeal on the Sims 3 store.
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
==Essential improvements==
 
==Essential improvements==
 
===Patches===
 
===Patches===
{{ii}} [http://www.patches-scrolls.de/patch/4321/21/ Patch 1.67.2] are the latest patch available.
+
{{ii}} [https://www.patches-scrolls.de/patch/4321/21/ Patch 1.67.2] are the latest patch available.
 
{{ii}} The patch notes can be found here [http://sims.wikia.com/wiki/The_Sims_3/Patch#List_of_The_Sims_3_patches here].
 
{{ii}} The patch notes can be found here [http://sims.wikia.com/wiki/The_Sims_3/Patch#List_of_The_Sims_3_patches here].
  
Line 119: Line 139:
 
}}
 
}}
  
==Video settings==
+
==Video==
{{Video settings
+
{{Video
 
|wsgf link                  = https://www.wsgf.org/dr/sims-3
 
|wsgf link                  = https://www.wsgf.org/dr/sims-3
 
|widescreen wsgf award      = limited
 
|widescreen wsgf award      = limited
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|multimonitor              = hackable
 
|multimonitor              = hackable
 
|multimonitor notes        = Use [https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B4lfqq0DpUo-dEVGb2U2S2JVUFU&usp=sharing&tid=0B4lfqq0DpUo-WGV0OVVTS1Z0LVk#list The Sims 3 FOV] tool. HUD Position Affects Gameplay.
 
|multimonitor notes        = Use [https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B4lfqq0DpUo-dEVGb2U2S2JVUFU&usp=sharing&tid=0B4lfqq0DpUo-WGV0OVVTS1Z0LVk#list The Sims 3 FOV] tool. HUD Position Affects Gameplay.
|ultrawidescreen            = true
+
|ultrawidescreen            = limited
|ultrawidescreen notes      =  
+
|ultrawidescreen notes      = {{term|Vert-}} scaling.<ref>{{Refurl|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/widescreengamingforum/comments/gtir01/anyone_here_playing_sims_3_on_3440x1440/|title=Anyone here playing Sims 3 on 3440x1440 ?|date=2020-05-30}}</ref>
 
|4k ultra hd                = true
 
|4k ultra hd                = true
 
|4k ultra hd notes          = UI does not scale with resolution and is extremely small in 4K.
 
|4k ultra hd notes          = UI does not scale with resolution and is extremely small in 4K.
 
|fov                        = hackable
 
|fov                        = hackable
|fov notes                  = Use [https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B4lfqq0DpUo-dEVGb2U2S2JVUFU&usp=sharing&tid=0B4lfqq0DpUo-WGV0OVVTS1Z0LVk#list The Sims 3 FOV] tool.
+
|fov notes                  = Use [https://mega.nz/folder/iORliCIK#53Vv--UOAR77w6yXlihD-A/file/jGIxkaDT The Sims 3 FOV] tool.
 
|windowed                  = true
 
|windowed                  = true
 
|windowed notes            =  
 
|windowed notes            =  
|borderless windowed        = hackable
+
|borderless windowed        = false
|borderless windowed notes  = Use [[Glossary:Borderless fullscreen windowed#Borderless Gaming|Borderless Gaming]].
+
|borderless windowed notes  =  
 
|anisotropic                = false
 
|anisotropic                = false
 
|anisotropic notes          =  
 
|anisotropic notes          =  
Line 156: Line 176:
 
}}
 
}}
  
==Input settings==
+
==Input==
{{Input settings
+
{{Input
 
|key remap                = false
 
|key remap                = false
 
|key remap notes          =  
 
|key remap notes          =  
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}}
 
}}
  
==Audio settings==
+
==Audio==
{{Audio settings
+
{{Audio
 
|separate volume          = true
 
|separate volume          = true
 
|separate volume notes    =  
 
|separate volume notes    =  
 
|surround sound          = true
 
|surround sound          = true
 
|surround sound notes    = Up to 5.1 when zoomed in.
 
|surround sound notes    = Up to 5.1 when zoomed in.
|subtitles                = false
+
|subtitles                = n/a
 
|subtitles notes          = No intelligible dialog. All in-game dialog uses the fictional [[wikipedia:Simlish|Simlish language]].
 
|subtitles notes          = No intelligible dialog. All in-game dialog uses the fictional [[wikipedia:Simlish|Simlish language]].
 
|closed captions          = false
 
|closed captions          = false
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  |language  = English
 
  |language  = English
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Czech
 
  |language  = Czech
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Traditional Chinese
 
  |language  = Traditional Chinese
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Danish
 
  |language  = Danish
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Dutch
 
  |language  = Dutch
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Finnish
 
  |language  = Finnish
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = French
 
  |language  = French
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = German
 
  |language  = German
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Greek
 
  |language  = Greek
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Hebrew
 
  |language  = Hebrew
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Hungarian
 
  |language  = Hungarian
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Italian
 
  |language  = Italian
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Japanese
 
  |language  = Japanese
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Korean
 
  |language  = Korean
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Norwegian
 
  |language  = Norwegian
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Polish
 
  |language  = Polish
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Portuguese
 
  |language  = Portuguese
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Brazilian Portuguese
 
  |language  = Brazilian Portuguese
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Russian
 
  |language  = Russian
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Spanish
 
  |language  = Spanish
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Swedish
 
  |language  = Swedish
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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  |language  = Thai
 
  |language  = Thai
 
  |interface = true
 
  |interface = true
  |audio    = false
+
  |audio    = n/a
  |subtitles = false
+
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
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|mantle support        =  
 
|mantle support        =  
 
|mantle support notes  =  
 
|mantle support notes  =  
|metal support          =  
+
|metal support          = true
|metal support notes    =  
+
|metal support notes    = Requires macOS 10.13 (High Sierra).
 
|vulkan versions        =  
 
|vulkan versions        =  
 
|vulkan notes          =  
 
|vulkan notes          =  
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|mac os x powerpc app  = false
 
|mac os x powerpc app  = false
 
|macos intel 32-bit app = true
 
|macos intel 32-bit app = true
|macos intel 64-bit app = false
+
|macos intel 64-bit app = true
|macos app notes        = Not compatible with macOS Catalina
+
|macos app notes        =  
 
|linux 32-bit executable= unknown
 
|linux 32-bit executable= unknown
 
|linux 64-bit executable= unknown
 
|linux 64-bit executable= unknown
Line 499: Line 519:
  
 
===Better performance===
 
===Better performance===
{{mm}} [http://www.simlogical.com/ContentUploadsRemote/uploads/1532/ SaveCleaner]
+
{{mm}} [https://modthesims.info/d/652440/regul-save-cleaner-updated-29-03-2021.html SaveCleaner]
  
 
==System requirements==
 
==System requirements==
Line 505: Line 525:
 
|OSfamily = Windows
 
|OSfamily = Windows
  
|minOS    = XP SP2
+
|minOS    = 7
|minCPU  = Intel Pentium 4 2.0 GHz P4
+
|minCPU  = Intel Pentium 4 2.4 GHz
|minCPU2  = Pentium D  2.6 GHz, Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz
+
|minCPU2  = AMD Athlon XP 2400+
|minRAM  = 1 GB
+
|minRAM  = 1.5 GB
 
|minHD    = 7.1 GB
 
|minHD    = 7.1 GB
|minGPU  = ATI Radeon 9600 series
+
|minGPU  = Nvidia GeForce FX 5900 series
|minGPU2 = GMA 3 series
+
|minGPU2  = ATI Radeon 9500 series
 +
|minGPU3 = Intel GMA 3000 series
 
|minVRAM  = 128 MB
 
|minVRAM  = 128 MB
 +
|minDX    = 9.0c
 
|minSM    = 2.0
 
|minSM    = 2.0
  
|recOS    = Vista, 7, 8.1
+
|recOS    = 10
|recCPU  = Intel Pentium 4 2.4 GHz
+
|recCPU  =  
|recCPU2  = Intel Pentium D 2.6 GHz
+
|recCPU2  =  
|recRAM  = 1.5 GB
+
|recRAM  =  
 
|recHD    = 32 GB (with all DLC)
 
|recHD    = 32 GB (with all DLC)
 
|recGPU  =  
 
|recGPU  =  
|notes    = {{ii}} VRAM requirements do not apply to integrated GPUs.
+
|notes    = {{ii}} For computers using built-in graphics the game requires an Intel Pentium D 805 2.66 GHz or a Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz CPU, and 2 GB RAM. {{ii}} VRAM requirements do not apply to integrated GPUs. {{ii}} GeForce 6100 and 7100 cards are not supported.
 
}}
 
}}
  
Line 528: Line 550:
  
 
|minOS    = 10.5.7 (Leopard)
 
|minOS    = 10.5.7 (Leopard)
|minCPU  = Intel Core 2 Duo
+
|minCPU  = Intel Core Duo
 
|minRAM  = 2 GB
 
|minRAM  = 2 GB
 
|minHD    = 7.1 GB
 
|minHD    = 7.1 GB
|minGPU  = ATI Radeon X1600
+
|minGPU  = Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT
|minGPU2  = Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT
+
|minGPU2  = ATI Radeon X1600 Pro
|minGPU3  = Intel Integrated GMA X3100
+
|minGPU3  = Intel GMA X3100
 
|minVRAM  = 128 MB
 
|minVRAM  = 128 MB
 
|notes    = {{ii}} VRAM requirements do not apply to integrated GPUs.
 
|notes    = {{ii}} VRAM requirements do not apply to integrated GPUs.
 +
 +
|recOS    = 10.13 (High Sierra)
 +
|recCPU  = Intel Core i5
 +
|recRAM  = 8 GB
 +
|recHD    = 18 GB
 +
|recGPU  = Nvidia GeForce GTX 680
 +
|recGPU2  = AMD Radeon RX 560
 +
|recGPU3  = Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
 +
|recVRAM  =
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
{{References}}
 
{{References}}

Revision as of 17:37, 15 June 2021

The Sims 3
The Sims 3 cover
Developers
The Sims Studio
Expansions EA Salt Lake
macOS (OS X) TransGaming Inc.
Publishers
Electronic Arts
Engines
The Sims 3 Engine
Release dates
Windows June 2, 2009
macOS (OS X) (Cider) June 2, 2009
Reception
Metacritic 86
IGDB 83
Taxonomy
Monetization Sponsored, DLC, Expansion pack
Genres Life sim
Series The Sims
The Sims 3 on HowLongToBeat
The Sims 3 on IGDB
The Sims 3 guide on StrategyWiki
The Sims 3 on MobyGames
The Sims 3 on Wikipedia
The Sims
Subseries of Sim
The Sims 2000
The Sims Online 2002
The Sims 2 2004
The Sims Stories (series)
MySims 2008
The Sims 3 2009
The Sims Medieval 2011
The Sims 4 2014
The Sims
Subseries of Sim
The Sims 2000
The Sims Online 2002
The Sims 2 2004
The Sims Stories (series)
MySims 2008
The Sims 3 2009
The Sims Medieval 2011
The Sims 4 2014

Key points

Strong modding community
Lacks native vsync functionality. It is advised to force vertical sync via the graphics control panel to lessen the strain on your GPU.

General information

The Sims 3 Official Forums
Answer HQ for The Sims 3 at EA.com
Answer HQ for The Sims series at EA.com (OS X)
Steam Community Discussions

Availability

Source DRM Notes Keys OS
Retail
CD key
Can only be used x times
Requires online activation
Origin
SecuROM 7 and SecuROM PA DRM, unknown machine limit. A De-Authorization Tool is available.
Dropped starting with patch 1.2.7.
Later expansions add Origin DRM.
Icon overlay.png
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Origin
Origin
Included with EA Play.
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Steam
Icon overlay.png
Included with EA Play (Steam).
Icon overlay.png
Windows

Version differences

List of all different versions and regions can be found on Wikipedia.

DLC and expansion packs

Name Notes
World Adventures Expansion 1
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Ambitions Expansion 2
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Late Night Expansion 3. Included with EA Play.
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Generations Expansion4
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Pets Expansion 5
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Showtime Expansion 6
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Supernatural Expansion 7
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Seasons Expansion 8
Windows
macOS (OS X)
University Life Expansion 9
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Island Paradise Expansion 10
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Into the Future Expansion 11
Windows
macOS (OS X)
High-End Loft Stuff Stuff pack 1. Also known as Design and Hi-Tech Stuff in Europe
Included with EA Play.
Windows
Fast Lane Stuff Stuff pack 2
Windows
Outdoor Living Stuff Stuff pack 3
Windows
Town Life Stuff Stuff pack 4
Windows
Master Suite Stuff Stuff pack 5
Windows
Katy Perry's Sweet Treats Stuff pack 6
Windows
Diesel Stuff Stuff pack 7
Windows
70s, 80s, & 90s Stuff Stuff pack 8
Windows
Movie Stuff Stuff pack 9
Windows

Microtransactions

Type Notes
Cosmetic SimPoints are spent on additional clothing and furniture.
Currency Real money is exchanged for SimPoints which are spent in the Sims 3 Store. SimPoints are not available to be earned in-game.
Unlock Stuff Packs are sold which consist of additional clothing and furniture. Additionally, other maps and gameplay elements are sold piecemeal on the Sims 3 store.

Essential improvements

Patches

Patch 1.67.2 are the latest patch available.
The patch notes can be found here here.

Skip intro videos

Skip intro videos[1]

Download and install this mod.

SMAA injector

Universal fix for most D3D9 and later games. Should provide better anti-aliasing especially with objects that use alpha effects e.g. hair and foliage; the default FSAA implementation unfortunately does not cover such effects.

Bypassing the launcher

Rename the executable[2]
  1. Go to <path-to-game>\The Sims3\Game\Bin.
  2. Delete or rename Sims3Launcher.exe.
  3. Rename TS3.exe to Sims3Launcher.exe.

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System Location
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/47890/pfx/[Note 1]

Save game data location

System Location
Windows %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Saves
macOS (OS X) ~/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/Saves
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/47890/pfx/[Note 1]

Save game cloud syncing

System Native Notes
Origin
OneDrive
Requires enabling backup of the Documents folder in OneDrive on all computers.
Steam Cloud

Video

Graphics feature State WSGF Notes
Widescreen resolution
Multi-monitor
Use The Sims 3 FOV tool. HUD Position Affects Gameplay.
Ultra-widescreen
Vert- scaling.[3]
4K Ultra HD
UI does not scale with resolution and is extremely small in 4K.
Field of view (FOV)
Use The Sims 3 FOV tool.
Windowed
Borderless fullscreen windowed
See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anisotropic filtering (AF)
See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anti-aliasing (AA)
Vertical sync (Vsync)
See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
60 FPS and 120+ FPS
High dynamic range display (HDR)
See the glossary page for potential alternatives.

Input

Keyboard and mouse State Notes
Remapping
See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Mouse acceleration
No mouse acceleration.
Mouse sensitivity
Mouse input in menus
Mouse Y-axis inversion
Controller
Controller support
Controller types

Audio

Audio feature State Notes
Separate volume controls
Surround sound
Up to 5.1 when zoomed in.
Subtitles
No intelligible dialog. All in-game dialog uses the fictional Simlish language.
Closed captions
Sound effects accompanied by visual effects.
Mute on focus lost
Can be turned off

Localizations

Language UI Audio Sub Notes
English
Czech
Traditional Chinese
Danish
Dutch
Finnish
French
German
Greek
Hebrew
Hungarian
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Norwegian
Polish
Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Swedish
Thai

Issues fixed

You can find various fixes in this Steam Community Guide .
Many performance issues can be fixed with mods. These include Overwatch, ErrorTrap, Traveler, Mastercontroller and DebugEnabler

Poor performance

Turn off online functionality
  1. Open the ingame settings
  2. Go to general settings
  3. Turn off shop mode, lessons, usage sharing, memories and interactive loading screens
  4. Go to online settings
  5. Turn off online notifications

World Adventures Region Error

Incorrect Region Codes can be fixed with a simple registry tweak.
World Adventures Region Error[citation needed]
  1. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\The Sims\The Sims 3
  2. In the right hand pane, double-click on SKU
  3. Change the value to either 1 or 2 or 3 or 5 or 7 (depending on your version of expansion pack*.)
  4. Try to install the expansion pack again.

Region Codes

  • North America (languages: en-US, fr-FR, es-MX)
  • Europe (languages: en-US, fr-FR, es-ES, de-DE, it-IT, nl-NL, sv-SE, da-DK, no-NO, fi-FI, pl-PL, pt-PT, hu-HU, cs-CZ, pt-BR, el-GR, ru-RU)
  • East Asia (languages: en-US, ko-KR, zh-TW)
  • Japan (languages: en-US, ja-JP)
  • Worldwide (languages: en-US, fr-FR, es-ES, es-MX, de-DE, it-IT, nl-NL, sv-SE, da-DK, no-NO, fi-FI, pl-PL, pt-PT, hu-HU, cs-CZ, pt-BR, el-GR, ru-RU, ko-KR, zh-TW, ja-JP, th-TH)

Other information

API

Technical specs Supported Notes
Direct3D 9
Metal support
Requires macOS 10.13 (High Sierra).
Shader Model support 2.0
Executable 32-bit 64-bit Notes
Windows
macOS (OS X)

Mods

The Sims 3 attracts a large modding community, allowing further customization features. Unfortunately, even properly designed mods could increase the chances of crashes and errors in the game. Mods have a major impact on loading time and stability, and should be used with discretion if you are having issues with the game.
AwesomeMod - A large compilation of mods and small tweaks. More information can be found at The Sims Wikia and Matywikka (archived)

Mod resources

The Sims 3 Exchange - The official website for sharing user-made content (sims, households, clothing and etc.). The website uses the Sims 3 launcher to download and install custom content. Both the exchange and Sims 3 launcher require the same account.
Mod The Sims - Also hosts mods for The Sims 2 and The Sims 4.

Tools

Official

These tools were created by EA and are hosted on the games official website.
Create a World (Beta)

Unofficial

More tools can be found here

Better performance

SaveCleaner

System requirements

Windows
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) 7
Processor (CPU) Intel Pentium 4 2.4 GHz
AMD Athlon XP 2400+
System memory (RAM) 1.5 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 7.1 GB
Video card (GPU) Nvidia GeForce FX 5900 series
ATI Radeon 9500 series
Intel GMA 3000 series
128 MB of VRAM
DirectX 9.0c compatible
Shader model 2.0 support
For computers using built-in graphics the game requires an Intel Pentium D 805 2.66 GHz or a Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz CPU, and 2 GB RAM.
VRAM requirements do not apply to integrated GPUs.
GeForce 6100 and 7100 cards are not supported.
macOS (OS X)
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) 10.5.7 (Leopard)
Processor (CPU) Intel Core Duo
System memory (RAM) 2 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 7.1 GB
Video card (GPU) Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT
ATI Radeon X1600 Pro
Intel GMA X3100
128 MB of VRAM
VRAM requirements do not apply to integrated GPUs.

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 File/folder structure within this directory reflects the path(s) listed for Windows and/or Steam game data (use Wine regedit to access Windows registry paths). Games with Steam Cloud support may store data in ~/.steam/steam/userdata/<user-id>/47890/ in addition to or instead of this directory. The app ID (47890) may differ in some cases. Treat backslashes as forward slashes. See the glossary page for details.

References