Technical problems with THE HORROR: downloading, installing, and running it

[J. M. Pescado]

How do you do the bolded part? Do you burn it again or something?

You select the files and drag them to a folder on your desktop or something.

[daydreamer]

Ugh, the fucking download just wouldn't work for me. Everytime I downloaded it, it said that the file was damaged or unknown. Then, when I use the crack and keygen and press the TS3 icon, it said it's missing some 'dl3dx9_31.dll' file.

I'll just wait until the damn official release. The game can't worth the trouble I've been through.

[literatebse]

I almost hate to ask this, but has anyone had any luck with an arr'd version for Mac?  I'm away from PC's until the release, sadly...If this is a beta version, leaked from a preview, I would understand it not being around.  If, however, this is the release version, leaked through the manufacturer or the like, shouldn't a Mac-capable copy be floating around somewhere?  I can't find it, but I suck with the arr'ing.

[ShortyBoo]

I did some research and I found several people with the same video card I have that get a gray screen with vertical lines where they have to hit the power button and most of the time after restarting, have no video signal on the monitor. So I'm now positive my card's overheating, but I'm not really sure if there's anything I can do. I can't really add anymore fans and while I could remove the sides of the case like my brother did on his computer, I don't like how it looks and I'd rather not do that. I don't want to mess with water cooling, either. I'm looking into maybe getting this: http://www.akasa.co.uk/akasa_english/spec_page/vga_cooler/spec_ak_vc03_bluv.htm Would it help much? I've already tried turning the fan up on my video card and that didn't help.

[crunk]

Feel free to P&L/ignore this, but how reliable are the time estimates given by torrent programs? I'm using utorrent, and seeing a lot of fluctuation in the estimated time - anywhere from 11 hours up to 22 hours. I started about five hours ago and have about a gig and three quarters... so should I just estimate based on that?

Impatient cat is getting a little twitchy with her seemingly shitty internet connection.

[cassblonde]

I have a few questions for those that have the game:

I plan on upgrading my computer this week. My system currently has: 2 processors running - Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6320 @ 1.86GHz, 2.0 GB RAM, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (Build Service Pack 32600), NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT (GeForce 8600 GT) with 256 MB of video RAM, and 183.8 GB free on my hard drive. I'm adding a GB of RAM to bring me up to 3 GB of RAM and max out my useful RAM under XP but what I am really looking for is video card recommendations since I've heard it's not just video RAM I should be looking at.

Does any modder have a guess as to when a blur remover will be available? At this point I can see that will be my biggest annoyance.

My last question involves game play: While the active Sim family is busy with other things(at work, asleep, working through a bunch of things you've told them to do) can you take the camera and go wander around the Hood? If you do is there stuff going on or does stuff only happen on comm lots when your active Sim is there? I like the idea of being able to spy on, take pictures of and make up stuff about what the other Sims are doing while my playable Sim is otherwise occupied(and boring).

[netza]

I have a few questions for those that have the game:

I plan on upgrading my computer this week. My system currently has: 2 processors running - Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6320 @ 1.86GHz, 2.0 GB RAM, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (Build Service Pack 32600), NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT (GeForce 8600 GT) with 256 MB of video RAM, and 183.8 GB free on my hard drive. I'm adding a GB of RAM to bring me up to 3 GB of RAM and max out my useful RAM under XP but what I am really looking for is video card recommendations since I've heard it's not just video RAM I should be looking at.

you will probably woun't have any problem running the game on high settings it that's what you mean... See no reason to upgrade your computer at all, esp. not when you're running XP.

[blackcat]

Tasha, try torrent from isohunt. It gathers almost all big trackers together and gave me a nice speed. And I don't get nice speed often.

I really love your avatar, it's very qute  ^__^ !

[vcpink]

i downloaded from ISOHUNT in about 5 hours on DSL... had about 900-1000 peers, and about 100 seeds
there were about 10000 peers at that time.

EDIT:
anybody else notice the distinct lack of the creator camp stuff shown in the vids on thesims3.ea.com ... thought those houses and fams were supposed to be included... maybe they're like riverview, dl after authentication...

[vcpink]

There is supposed to be a second hood available to registered owners from the exchange. Is there anyway to see what build number is on the torrent release?

yeah, just open the disk after burning or mounting and open the skuversion.txt in the root directory, mine says

GameVersion = 1.0.615.00107
Code:0.DL-0.0.11190
Asset:1.Content.Devtest.1397
Thumbnails:1.Thumbnail.dl.933
TCC:1.TCC.dl.1209
CiderVersion#002432

[phyllis_p]

Okay, it's P&L at phyllis time (suddenly I have an image of a dancing banana).  Be gentle, though, because I'm an ARRRR virgin.  (Hmm.  That really gets weird since it followed the banana reference).  Ahem .. anyway .....

The torrent sites are including the following instructions with their TS3 download:

2. Burn or mount the image.

So ... I've never, to my knowledge, mounted anything (gah! More sexual innuendo!), so I'll stick with the disk.  So, we actually unRAR the files, burn them to disk, then install from disk.  (Seems clunky, but I'll not question why it must be done this way).  Do we then have to use the disk whenever we play?  Or, if we do the following, does that eliminate the need for using the disk beyond install?

Check your "Sims3Setup.exe" with WinRAR. If you can open it in WinRAR and find another one in there, along with a "codec.exe", you has it. That's the real one. Copy your CD contents, replace the wrapped version with the inside version.

And if we do the above, do we do it before copying to the disk and installing, or after?  It seems like you're saying "before," Big Fish, but I'm a nervous and uncertain F and want to be sure.  Also, if I do the above, does that eliminate the game trying to phone home, or is it better just to disconnect from the internet before playing?

I feel ultra dumb, and I almost sent this by PM, but I figure that if someone answers, many will benefit.

[netza]

Okay, it's P&L at phyllis time (suddenly I have an image of a dancing banana).  Be gentle, though, because I'm an ARRRR virgin.  (Hmm.  That really gets weird since it followed the banana reference).  Ahem .. anyway .....

The torrent sites are including the following instructions with their TS3 download:

2. Burn or mount the image.

So ... I've never, to my knowledge) mounted anything (gah! More sexual innuendo!), so I'll stick with the disk.  So, we actually unRAR the files, burn them to disk, then install from disk.  (Seems clunky, but I'll not question why it must be done this way).  Do we then have to use the disk whenever we play?  Or, if we do the following, does that eliminate the need for using the disk beyond install?

Check your "Sims3Setup.exe" with WinRAR. If you can open it in WinRAR and find another one in there, along with a "codec.exe", you has it. That's the real one. Copy your CD contents, replace the wrapped version with the inside version.

And if we do the above, do we do it before copying to the disk and installing, or after?  It seems like you're saying "before," Big Fish, but I'm a nervous and uncertain F and want to be sure.  Also, if I do the above, does that eliminate the game trying to phone home, or is it better just to disconnect from the internet before playing?

I feel ultra dumb, and I almost sent this by PM, but I figure that if someone answers, many will benefit.

If you'll need the disk after the install depends on the crack, but I would guess you'll need it.

copying of the crack is done after the install, from the disk i guess if it's on the disk (I always mount).

[phyllis_p]

More ignorance here.  I've used no-CD cracks before, so I understand that concept.  Does the crack come with the torrent, or must it be downloaded separately?  (My torrent finished just before I left for work, so I haven't unRARed anything yet and don't really know what's there).

[vcpink]

More ignorance here.  I've used no-CD cracks before, so I understand that concept.  Does the crack come with the torrent, or must it be downloaded separately?  (My torrent finished just before I left for work, so I haven't unRARed anything yet and don't really know what's there).

if you downloaded the rld-sim3.iso file (the one from PB/ISOHUNT) that isn't .rar'd but is just the plain iso file, then it should be in the /crack directory with the keygen

available here http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4901100/The_Sims_3-RELOADED.iso

[Inge]

I've never, to my knowledge, mounted anything (gah! More sexual innuendo!), so I'll stick with the dick.

Yes, might as well get started

[Mmmary]

So ... I've never, to my knowledge, mounted anything (gah! More sexual innuendo!), so I'll stick with the disk.

I hadn't, either, but 'mounting' turned out to be quick and easy. Download Daemon Tools Lite from here, install, click the icon in the tray and find the iso file. Then you can browse the contents from My Computer just like you would if it was a regular CD. I'm almost certain it's easier than the other way.

[phyllis_p]

I've never, to my knowledge, mounted anything (gah! More sexual innuendo!), so I'll stick with the dick.

Yes, might as well get started

Madame Teacosy! Shame on you for misquoting me *blush*

@Mmmary and Mixreality: Thanks, both of you, for your respones.  I wish I could have thought up a decent justification for staying home today so I could play around with all this, but alas, people here seem to depend on me.  I guess job security is a good thing :-)

[maxon]

Feel free to P&L/ignore this, but how reliable are the time estimates given by torrent programs? I'm using utorrent, and seeing a lot of fluctuation in the estimated time - anywhere from 11 hours up to 22 hours. I started about five hours ago and have about a gig and three quarters... so should I just estimate based on that?

Impatient cat is getting a little twitchy with her seemingly shitty internet connection.

Think yourself lucky - mine currently says 23w.

[phyllis_p]

Feel free to P&L/ignore this, but how reliable are the time estimates given by torrent programs? I'm using utorrent, and seeing a lot of fluctuation in the estimated time - anywhere from 11 hours up to 22 hours. I started about five hours ago and have about a gig and three quarters... so should I just estimate based on that?

Impatient cat is getting a little twitchy with her seemingly shitty internet connection.

Think yourself lucky - mine currently says 23w.

My initial estimate was given at 500+ hours.  In reality, it ended up taking 12+ hours.  It helped to sleep through a big chunk of it.

[vcpink]

Feel free to P&L/ignore this, but how reliable are the time estimates given by torrent programs? I'm using utorrent, and seeing a lot of fluctuation in the estimated time - anywhere from 11 hours up to 22 hours. I started about five hours ago and have about a gig and three quarters... so should I just estimate based on that?

Impatient cat is getting a little twitchy with her seemingly shitty internet connection.

Well utorrent and the like give you an estimate based on the current/recent down speed. It's either the actual down speed at the moment or the average of the last few seconds.

[crunk]

I've resigned myself to minimizing the program and ignoring it until I get the "your download is complete" pop up. Thanks for the info!

[kennyinbmore]

Feel free to P&L/ignore this, but how reliable are the time estimates given by torrent programs? I'm using utorrent, and seeing a lot of fluctuation in the estimated time - anywhere from 11 hours up to 22 hours. I started about five hours ago and have about a gig and three quarters... so should I just estimate based on that?

Impatient cat is getting a little twitchy with her seemingly shitty internet connection.

Think yourself lucky - mine currently says 23w.

Torrent speeds fluctuate based on the number of active seeders unless you're a member of a private tracker

[jaccirocker]

For all those experiencing problems with download speed try Azureus. I tried several last night and even though the one with the best speed ETA was 1d12h I woke up this morning and it had gone up to 1 week. I searched and found the above and was able to get it downloaded in 2 and half hours. I'm mounting it now and it all seems well so far.

[dawnkay]

I have the game downloaded but cant find the registration code. Could someone please post a code?

[Alexia]

Has anybody managed to get all the rld-sim3.rars from rapidshare ? I've spent half the day downloading them and I find my self being unable to get parts 22-26. I've checked MediaUpLoad, but they seem to be blocked there too. Any help from fellow pirate cats would be appreciated.