Sims 3 (Steam Edition) - Patch version Differences.

[Anach]

Sims 3 was just released on Steam. They have a special deal for all SP/EP rather cheap, so we took the plunge. However, the Steam version reports a core version Mismatch, as it seems we have a slightly later version patch.
No idea if there are any other changes to actual game content yet, but thought I should give you a heads-up, as I'm sure we wont be the only ones.

BASE - 1.18.14.009037 - 1.19.46.010037
WA - 2.13.8.009017
AMB - 4.6.8.009017
LN - 6.1.13.009017
HELS - 3.9.8.009017
FLS - 5.4.6.009017
OLS - 7.0.56.010017

After the game update, only the base game has been updated for steam to 1.19.46.010037. Apparently this is due to the way the Steam version is installed, as it has a single shared game/bin folder.

[BattyCoda]

Yeah, I saw this and thought of Claeric. Remember when he was whining about wanting Sims on Steam?

If I didn't already have it all, I'd probably go for the bargain pack thingie.

[Anach]

Yeah, I saw this and thought of Claeric. Remember when he was whining about wanting Sims on Steam?

If I didn't already have it all, I'd probably go for the bargain pack thingie.

Just thankful to never have to reinstall due to a patch not applying, and to not have to worry about downloading 20 different patches.. They also cut down on duplicate files. There are only 5 files in the game/bin folders of the SP/EPs now, instead of a bunch of duplicate crap, and its all contained within the one folder, like a DLC/Exp should be.

[gamegame]

Since the new stuff pack is releasing soon, it is possible for a new patch to arrive by next week and thus unifying the Disc and Steam versions?

[Zazazu]

That's what I suspect. They probably released the patch early to Steam, and we'll be seeing it shortly.

[Anach]

That's what I suspect. They probably released the patch early to Steam, and we'll be seeing it shortly.

Doubt its the upcoming patch, i'd imagine it's more a difference in version number purely due to the steam changes. Though as gamegame says, it is likely the patch will end up unified with disk versions once the new SP is released, at least I hope it does, which would make things easier.

[Jeebus]

RUN AWAY!! RUN AWAY!!

It forces the EAxis Launcher, no matter what exe you use. Game runs as TS3W.exe and even if you try to launch it through explorer, Steam forces up the Ea launcher instead. Also, its having trouble installing custom neighborhoods. Custom content works fine, though.  Other than that, its a rather nice setup.

Well, it sucks for you for not ARRing it.  Seriously, Pirate Cat does not pay for his downloads.

[wizard_merlin]

RUN AWAY!! RUN AWAY!!

It forces the EAxis Launcher, no matter what exe you use. Game runs as TS3W.exe and even if you try to launch it through explorer, Steam forces up the Ea launcher instead. Also, its having trouble installing custom neighborhoods. Custom content works fine, though.  Other than that, its a rather nice setup.

Well, it sucks for you for not ARRing it.  Seriously, Pirate Cat does not pay for his downloads.

They just got unweildy and I got sick of 5 hour uninstall/re-install sessions after something borked.

What bloody system are you using, 5 hours uninstall and reinstall?  shit I can do the whole lot in less than an hour, never timed it to know exactly how long, but sure as hell isn't anywhere near 5 hours.  Why do you do that everytime something borks?  That isn't necessary, just start a new game from the start new game menu, no need to uninstall/reinstall everytime, unless you're fucking around with files that you shouldn't be.

[cwurts]

I hate Steam!  I got it with Sid Meier's Civilization V and I had to redownload the whole game.  It took four days.  Now it starts automatically whenever I boot my computer.  What a nuisance!

[cwurts]

Yeah, but wouldn't I have to search for info on how to do that?  What a nuisance!

[Jeeves]

Or you could just pull your head out of your ass. What a nuisance!

[wizard_merlin]

I hate Steam!  I got it with Sid Meier's Civilization V and I had to redownload the whole game.  It took four days.  Now it starts automatically whenever I boot my computer.  What a nuisance!

Yeah, but wouldn't I have to search for info on how to do that?  What a nuisance!

I hate to admit that I agree with you on steam, Civ V was my first experience with steam and hated it, I have yet to find a way to start the game without using steam, but then again steam has turned me off playing the game so haven't really been looking.  A lot of people like steam, like using it and want to use it more, I have no problem with people who like it, I just don't.  It's no different to people liking TS3 while you don't like it because it isn't TS2 on steroids. 

It is quite easy to prevent steam from starting when you load/start windows, and it really isn't that hard and doesn't take that long to find out how to do it.

[Anach]

I was anti-steam for years, and I only ever had the Valve games on there, until I accidentally bought a retail game that required Steam and while installing I happened to see their catalogue had grown considerably since I last used it and a few cheap titles grabbed my attention. Now for me it's mostly about the price of Steam games Vs retail, which are often about 50% cheaper on Steam than retail, also that I can get a lot of games on Steam that are no longer available in retail outlets, often for a few dollars. The sales they have on Steam are crazy, and we never get anything like it in retail outlets here.

I stopped getting cracked games a couple years back. I finally had enough of having to worry about cracks and cracked patches, and performance or stability issues due to DRM emulation cracks. Sims wasn't much of an issue, thanks to the type of CD check, but most other titles were. Storing Disks was also a pain. I have boxes of game boxes with disks. Having to search through hundreds of disk covers just to find a game or having two of certain games for my Wife's games as well, I'd need to dedicate a room in the house just to game disk shelving. The cracked games weren't much better. Having to store hundreds of Gig of ISO on a drive somewhere. That storage could have been used better elsewhere. Steam has taken care of both those problems, especially as I don't need to keep the installation files anywhere.

Finally, a while ago I had a system with bad RAM. It would often corrupt files, and it took me a while to track down the problem. During that time I had to reinstall games quite a few times. Sims 2 and 3 are the biggest pain due to the amount of disks. My steam games however, I only needed to do a quick scan, and it would download only the needed files. This is why I got Sims 3 on Steam. I got tired of failed patching due to a file that wasn't recognised by the patcher, then having to reinstall. Now if I ever have that problem again, which is unlikely due to the way Steam patches games, all I need to do a quick scan.

Oh just thought of something else. I am quite into my game mods. Almost everything I have install is modded to some degree. I have played games such as Oblivion, Fallout 3, Dragon Age, KOTOR countless times. Trying to do a clean install of those games, then DLC, while maintaining my mods was a real pain, especially for Oblivion and Fallout 3 which have like 20gig of Mods installed. With Steam, I just rescan, and it leaves 99% of mods in place, and ready to play.

[PrinJess]

Yeah, but wouldn't I have to search for info on how to do that?  What a nuisance!

Steam > Settings > Interface > Run Steam when my computer starts

Yay.

[gamegame]

Outdoor Living Stuff is out on the internets.

[Claeric]

How does steam solve an issue of lengthy reinstalls? You realize that to reinstall a steam game you have to...redownload it. Right?

[Anach]

How does steam solve an issue of lengthy reinstalls? You realize that to reinstall a steam game you have to...redownload it. Right?

Incorrect. To reinstall a Steam game, all you need to do is run a scan of the data cache, it will only download any modified, corrupt or otherwise altered files, resetting it to default. The actual install process for a Steam game is really only usually Direct X, VC++ Runtimes and whatever game specific registry or shortcut settings need applying. There is no separate install package, as there is with other DD stores like EA or GFWL, with Steam, what you download is what you play.

So using Oblivion as an example. Most game files are packed. There are very few loose files, which means the only loose files are generally mods. If I've edited some of the original game files and something goes wrong, all I need to do is rescan the cache for Oblivion. It will only download files that have been altered, not touching my mods. Or if i reinstall Windows, I don't have to do anything, except launch the game, as it will all all the necessary entries upon first launch.

As long as I don't delete my files, there is no need to download the entire game once again, like you would have to with other digital download services, which contain a typical setup/installation process and storage of the setup files.

BTW, bought the new SP on Steam today for $15USD. Which is $25 cheaper than retail is usually, not only that, but GAME (where we usually get retail stuff from) doesn't even list it as available yet.

[Anach]

Updated the original post with the Steam Patch information. Is AM going to support these version number differences, so we don't keep getting nag screens?

[J. M. Pescado]

No support will ever be provided for Steam here. Steam is EVIL. However, if it is the same as the now-released patch, it should work with the test version. Otherwise, You Are On Your Own. More Awesome Than You does not condone the use of Steam under any circumstances. If you are so willing to trade your freedom for not even security, but mere CONVENIENCE, you deserve your fate, because you disgust and sicken me.