I can see all of the saves up to the point I allowed the update for the store content in the Main Menu.  I can see every save that I ever attempted in the Saves file.

As I said earlier, I'm not much of a technical wizard when it comes to this stuff-- I wouldn't even have any idea how to identify what I could read to teach myself how to prevent Sims 3 from communicating with the internet (and running), or otherwise operating the way that EA wants it to operate.  The internet wasn't even generally available to the public for years after I graduated from law school.

I often wondered how so many people here could play this game for so long without their games breaking like mine always did; I suppose that knowing how to play without the game communicating with the internet is one reason.  I reinstalled Sims 3 on Halloween after taking a year off due to bugs and constant needs to reinstall drove me to more stable games, and I'm already teetering on the fence about whether this is all just too much trouble.  If an EA update can break my game this soon, my chances of getting to explore the full possibilities of the game seem well beyond remote.  Is there anything like "Hiding Your Sims Game from EA for Dummies" out there?  I know that I can't expect anyone to hold my hand; but, if someone without a B.S. in computer science can learn this stuff, I have to start somewhere, and I don't know where that is.  

I can see the saves under the names that I gave them in the Saves file; but, they do not appear in the Main Menu.

*  I suspect that I could make my game "playable," again, by restoring my files with Norton Ghost.  I believe that Norton Ghost ran its automatic update just prior to the introduction of the EA update (although I could be mistaken-- it was a pretty near thing).  At worst, I would have to roll my game back eight days. 

That wouldn't actually fix the problem, however-- EA would still keep pestering me with advice to install the latest patch, I couldn't fix my broken store items, and I might be stuck, unable to install more crucial patches in the future. 

I would, therefore, rather do anything else, up to and including re-installing the game, again, if I really had to do so, than just jury rig a solution with Norton Ghost, alone, [assuming it were guaranteed to fix my problem(s)].  If I used Norton Ghost to restore my files, and that much more so if I deleted all of my progress, again, to reinstall the game, I would hope to implement some change that would allow me to install and use all store content and future patches along with Awesomemod (I won't even bother playing if I can't use this mod) while avoiding my present outcome.  So, being made to understand why my game began behaving this way would be very much appreciated.

Ever since I installed the patch, when I save games, they appear to save without error; but, they do not show up on the Main Menu as games that I may select to play.  If I try to start a new game, it is a totally futile effort, because not even the initial save appears on the Main Menu.

I noticed an item that I could acquire in "buy mode" by paying nothing, so, I "bought" it.  The game then notified me that a patch was available for my store content, but I pushed the "later" button on that, since I wanted to know more about it, first.  I had no problems playing without the patch; but, upon checking what it did, I did possess some of the affected content, and the patch would allow me to use content that I had previously never used because of bugs which would now supposedly be fixed by the patch.

I checked here to see if there had been any news of this update; but, there was not. 

I went a couple of days, played, again, saw another free item, received the same offer, and did the same thing.  I checked here, again, to see if there were a new version of the mod lying around, or if people were discussing the new patch.  I saw no discussion about it. 

The last time that there was a patch, this mod was updated in almost no time; so, I guessed by the number of days that went by that no update to this mod was forthcoming or needed.
 
That being the case, I guessed that, perhaps, this store content patch only affected code with which Awesomemod doesn't directly interact, and that I didn't need a new version of Awesomemod to use it.  I continued installing the updates: I deleted the caches, again, and dropped in Awesomemod.

Next, my game appeared to save multiple times; I can even find those saves in the Saves file.  But, for some reason, the game doesn't like them.  If I go to the Main Menu, they are not displayed.

Plainly, I screwed up somewhere along the way.  Was I supposed to wait for a new version of the mod?  Was there going to be one that handled this patch?

Could anyone please help me get my game working, again-- or, at least, let me in on what's going on with Awesomemod and the store content patch?  (I'm not very technical, so I need to be talked down to like a kindergartener if it gets too complicated).

Thank you for your attention.

Thanks!  I'll see if I can find it.

After growing tired of Sims 3's bugginess, I gave it a year's break.  I grew nostalgic after a year, installed a couple expansions, AwesomeMod, and played a few days when I received the message that it was time to install the new version of AwesomeMod.  I tried to install the latest version as I had an hundred times, before, but, it wouldn't take.  I installed the update, but, I was still told that my version was out of date and my game was shut down. 

I searched the board for information on the problem, and the nearest I could find to advice on something similar to my problem suggested, "Nuke it from Orbit."  I had months' of progress from over a year ago, but, not much from recently.  So, I just let it go and nuked it, reinstalled, and got it working, again.

Now, it's the first update for Awesomemod, and I have the same problem.  I deleted the caches, swapped in the newer version, and I still receive the message that my version is out of date. 

Obviously, it's impractical to "nuke the game from orbit" every time a new version of the mod is released.  Could someone please guide me toward a solution to my problem so that I don't need to reinstall my game, again?

When my daughter gets home, I'll ask her if she used a thumb drive in the computer and, if she did, put it in and use the "safely remove" button on the taskbar.  It does seem very possible that she might have used this computer to print something off, and pulled out a thumb drive without bothering to do that.  I'm very glad that I didn't go with the tech support guy's suggestion of reinstalling Windows.  Thanks for the idea.

P.S.  When my daughter came home, she confirmed that she had printed something off just before going to school, and I put the drive in, "safely" removed it, and it was gone.  Thanks, again.

Of course, I do have the plumbbob thumb drive (two, in fact); but, I have never so much as connected one of them to a computer.  I do have external storage devices, but, the ones I actually use are at least four times as large as the novelty thumb drive that came with the game.  In any event, this would not have been a mystery if I had anything connected to the computer that would explain the presence of the mystery drive.

Edit: To be more accurate, my daughter has one of the plumbbob drives, and I cannot vouch for whether or not she has ever used it on this computer; the last time I'd asked her, she was not using it, and she's at school, now, so I can't ask her if she ever used it.  If, in theory, she could have started using it and, although it is not on the computer, the computer could still be detecting it somehow, that would make more sense to me than this being some bootleg issue.

There can be no doubt that something called "Sims3CE" originated either from my game disk, or was somehow introduced in a patch or some other contribution from EA.  I always have my antivirus/anti-spyware software running, and do periodic scans.  If what everyone is telling me is true, then, I will be fascinated to hear EA explain the presence of this code.  Anything you can add as background on this topic would be useful for when I call them, since I typically get a tech who barely knows The Sims, never plays it, and can usually only suggest reinstalling the game as a solution to any problem (which is why I came here for answers).  What you folks are telling me suggests that my problem is far stranger than I could possibly have imagined.

No, my daughter is even less technically aware than I am regarding computers, and would have even less of an idea how to obtain a bootleg copy than I would.  At any rate, this is unofficially "my" computer.  The only person to install anything on this computer is me.  She always plays on the laptop in the other room, so, even if she had tried to download an illegitimate copy, it would be on "her" laptop, not this computer.

I have a Collector's Edition, complete with disk, manual, and EA-supplied registration number, that I ordered direct from Amazon.  This was pre-ordered, and is likely among the oldest versions of the game.  The cracked versions were probably derived from this; but, it would astonish me if this were derived from a cracked version, since it makes no sense for EA to be shipping that to Amazon.  Amazon does not traffic in counterfeits, the disk is covered with EA art, and was accompanied by both a valid registration code, as well as a valid code to obtain the bonus car that comes with the Collector's Edition.

P.S.  If this matters, I originally ordered only one copy of the game for my daughter (I would not have splurged on the Collector's Edition were I buying it for myself).  Once we had the game, I bought a second copy for myself about a week later once I tried it out and liked it more than Sims 2; I bought a second Collector's Edition in case there might be some compatibility problems, as we share the disks.  This was probably unnecessary; but, I would rather be safe than sorry.  I never buy any bootleg copy of anything.  The quality is usually bad, I don't want to reward thieves, and I want to support the people who labored to create the thing I intend to enjoy.

I didn't steal anything.  I bought this... in fact, I was gouged twice so my daughter and I could both play it at the same time.  Where in Hell did you get the idea that I stole this?

My game became so buggy that starting over seemed the least aggrevating path.  I used the Sims 3 uninstall command, then manually deleted the game's files from where I installed them.  I then looked for artifacts from the installation.  Despite my marginal technical skills, it was pretty hard to miss this thing: a 1.79 GB (60.5 MB used) "removeable disk" described under My Computer as Drive I, "Sims3CE."  I have no physical drive I. 

I searched MATY for "Sims3CE" and for mention of a Sims 3 virtual drive, and didn't see anything referencing this. Is it something that a new installation would just overwrite, or, is this something that needs to be deleted to ensure that I eliminate all bugs?  If it does need to be deleted, could anyone please tell me how to do so without needing to repartition my drive and reinstall Windows XP (the only solution offered by Alienware tech support)?

This seems like a Hell of a thing for the game to leave behind on my computer after a full uninstall.

Sometimes, I can't stop this guy from using a cab.  When he's still fresh enough, I direct him to jog everywhere I want him to go.  When he's gotten in all of his exercise, however, he won't jog.  I'd like him to just walk when I tell him to "go here;" but, that guy is so lazy when he's not exercising that he'll take a cab just to get to the other side of the park.

Incidentally, the paperboy mod is working-- no deliveries, and no crashes (so far, anyway).  Oddly enough, however, the game still creates him, even though there are no other homes and he's not delivering to me.  I started gardening in the central park, and I frequently see him riding by on his bike, rapture or no.


This is true.  I am quite puzzled about how some define a double post.  As I customarily use the term, it describes posting again right beneath your own post.  I've read other threads, however, in which someone was browbeaten for-- it appeared to me-- simply replying to a later post.  I'm trying to follow the rules here, even the ones that I can't quite understand, yet.

In my attempted "Omega Man" experiment, I wanted to keep the town intact, but, kill all of the NPC's.  To approximate that, I had to keep killing them, since nothing prevents them from respawning.  Until they respawn, however, the town's pretty deserted.  I did not see any food spawning in the park during this experiment, so, it appears that NPC's are almost certainly required to spawn pic-a-nic baskets.

The only existing thread that seemed to have anything remotely to do with this topic is over thirty days old; so, I began a new thread.  I hope that this is the right place.

I wanted to try playing "Omega Man."  I don't seem, however, to have hit upon a method of destroying everyone in the town that lasts very long.  I've adjusted settings so that, theoretically, there is no immigration, and no people are permitted to move in (or out) of the homes.  

I didn't even expect there to be any way of getting rid of the damned paperboy.  And, if I were to request any services (incompatible with the concept), I would expect that to spawn another townie, as well.  But, I was surprised when I soon saw other familiar faces walking about the neighborhood.  For some reason, Molly French is often the first I see.  I kill her and I kill her with destroyallnpcs or therapture; but, there seems to be an everlasting supply of her.  She, for one, just will not stay dead.  

I rapture or destroyallnpcs in the town again and again.  Anywhere from 28-32 souls get cast into the flames of perdition, only to sprout back by the next time I type in the command.  Based upon Molly French's repeated sightings, I suspect that the original starting Sims just will not stay dead.

Is it just plain impossible to keep those Sims dead, or, is there some setting or command that will permanently rid the town of them?

If it turns out that what I'm trying to do is impossible, I find it interesting that the game respawns these NPC's like this.

This is an attempt to avoid double-posting; I'm replying to the post below.

I expected Sims who were needed to be spawned, so, I assumed that my post-apocalyptic wasteland was going to be serviced by an irradiated paperboy.  I was determined not to order pizzas, hire repairmen, etc., to avoid spawning any more NPC's.

I bulldozed all of the homes that had no beautiful vista moodlets.  I dismantled the rest; but, there is no way to turn them into plain, empty lots that way; they still have a house icon over them on the map.  To avoid presenting any homes to would-be immigrants, I turned all lots that could not be turned into empty lots into community lots, instead.  I read in a post concerning starting a new neighborhood that the existence of houses caused immigration; but, in my experience, exactly as many moved into the neighborhood with houses in which to live as without them.  So, unless someone can suggest anything else that could work, it seems that the game will not let anyone play with fewer than 28-32 NPC's.  (32 seems by far the most common number).


This is a reply to LVRugger.

Since the concept was that my Sim was alone in the world, of course, he had no job, and could get none.  I assumed no plumbing or electricity; to fake that, he either ate raw food, or what he prepared just before eating it on a grill (no refrigerator).  He jogged everywhere to build up athletic ability and avoid taxis... although, in theory, he could steal any kind of car he liked anytime he chose.  I assumed that he could steal anything he wanted from the stores... no employees.  I quickly had him establish a garden, since, in my game, the food in the grocery store would soon rot (although, canned soup would stay good).  The game makes no provision for bathing in lakes/ponds, so, I just stuck cheap showers in the community lots closest to water areas and used my imagination.  

Intuitively, I don't know why discoinferno would work better than thereapture/destroyallnpcs... but, I'll report back if it has better results.  Thanks for the suggestion.  If I can get rid of everyone else, I'll try the anti-paperboy mod.  I've had pretty bad luck with MTS mods that affected gameplay, other than Indie Stone; but, it couldn't hurt to try it, if the paperboy is the only one left.  Thanks, again, for the suggestions.

Thanks for the continuing suggestions, everyone.



The first thing I ever did was "destroyallhumans" with the game paused, and set Indie Stone's options to the settings that I believed should have thrown everything into stasis and prevented any new Sims from occupying my town.  (I've never used EA's story mode).  Then, I used "destroyallnpcs" and "destroyalltownies," just in case I might have missed anyone.  Finally, I placed my "survivor."  After a few minutes, of course, I noticed that the NPC's just kept respawning.

The one thing I didn't do is the thing on which I am still unclear-- is the library you refer to: C:\Documents and Settings\*My Name Here*\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Library?  I have no idea what any of those package files do, or to what they pertain. (Which explains why I never even thought of deleting them).  Once I'm certain which item I should be emptying, I'll try that and start over.  Incidentally,  I'm still playing a regular game with a large family, as well.  Will deleting the contents of the library file you reference affect other saved games?  


I never got to any of those "fix my broken stereo" types of things in my Omega Man game, and my solo Sim had already worked through mastering a few skills.  Maybe, there has to be someone in the game to need those repairs, biographies, etc.  It would be logical to me if the game just chose someone on the map at random, since, if it did it the other way 'round, it might give you an opportunity to fix the television of someone who died while you were playing them, earlier.  The endless supply of Molly French's, however, just sort of kicks common sense out through a window.  I never saw any of the magicians you mention.  If I can't get a post-apocalyptic wasteland, at least, I want to see the magic show.  I saw the occasional car drive by; but, I was rapturing the town so frequently that no one had much of a chance to do anything.

As I assumed was the only possible outcome, with all lots but my own now either community lots or vacant, the 31 current cohabitants of post-neutron bombed Sunset Valley are homeless.  If only I could either kill them off for some realistic solitude, or turn them into interesting antagonists-- brain-starved mutant zombies or some such thing.  I could add evading the roaming bands to my list of tasks.  I must presume that they are subsisting on the free handouts in the park-- or, more likely, don't need food.  I haven't played much in Riverview, but, I don't recall them having so much free food.  if I relocate, perhaps I could starve them out?  Or, more likely, the game would just magically feed them or bring them back to life.  If anyone has any ideas on how to salt the earth to prevent the eruption of homeless NPC's, I'm willing to try any reasonable idea.

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