How can I make the Sims 3 recognize installed expansion packs?

[Viewer]

I have Ambitions (EP2) and Late Night (EP3) already installed and recognized by the launcher and the game. I recently legally acquired Pets (EP5) and installed it to the same base directory, but the launcher will not recognize it, and when I attempt to run TS3EP05.exe manually, the game reverts to Late Night.

Is there a configuration file somewhere that I need to edit? Thanks.

[morriganrant]

No configuration file, Pets didn't install correctly for some reason. The computer doesn't know it's there. Uninstall and reinstall.

[Viewer]

sheep.wav

Edit: Damn, doesn't work. Steam has failed me again for the last time.

[Madame Mim]

This might be an opportune moment to mention that Pescado does not support/supply a steam-friendly version of Awesome.

[notouching]

Put the Pets key in Origin and install it via Origin.

[Viewer]

Madame Mim: I remember reading that, yes.

notouching: Did that, but when I run the installer, it can't locate The Sims 3 even though it's even located in the same directory and none of the filenames have been altered. I'm starting to wonder if there is something the Origin-installed program would use to identify itself to further installers, to prevent cross-compatibility. I wouldn't be surprised.

What's maddening about the whole thing is that a proper Steam-installed version includes, at first glance, all the directories and files needed, at least looking at EP2 and EP3 folders and comparing the file structure - it even apparently has the EP5 exe files, for all the good that does me.

[J. M. Pescado]

Origin and Steam are both EVIL and will not be encouraged or supported here.

[SendMeLies]

I have Ambitions (EP2) and Late Night (EP3) already installed and recognized by the launcher and the game. I recently legally acquired Pets (EP5) and installed it to the same base directory, but the launcher will not recognize it, and when I attempt to run TS3EP05.exe manually, the game reverts to Late Night.

Is there a configuration file somewhere that I need to edit? Thanks.

What do you mean by "same base directory"? Unless the "base directory" is Electronic Arts, you're doing it oh-so-wrong.

[Viewer]

Fat Obstreperous Jerk: Yes sir, He Who Does Not Suffer Fools Gladly (and who probably thinks I am crunchy and tastes good with ketchup).

SendmeLies: Look, all I want to do is fit a square peg into a round hole. How difficult is that?!

[morriganrant]

SendmeLies: Look, all I want to do is fit a square peg into a round hole. How difficult is that?!

More difficult for some people then one would think, as there are often people whining about their broken expansion when they've installed something like Pets to the exact same path as the Base game or other expansion, meaning the new expansion has written over the Base files.

Does your game start properly when you go into Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\ and double click the TS3W.exe file? (provided that your game is all patched up, if it isn't, that file may not be there, damn if I can remember which patch\expansion combo was out when they did it)

[gamegame]

I suggest you reinstall everything using only Retail and warez whatever you don't have.  I don't think Retail, origin and steam are compatible. 

[Viewer]

I...guess I will.

Thanks, everyone. You've all been almost as much fun as the game itself.

[yesterdame]

Hi Viewer Are you still having trouble installing pets?

I have never attempted using steam for the Sims (for Sid Meier's Civilization yes sir). So I dont know how far I can help you on this matter but I have a few ideas because Ive used Origin. I do know that Origin installed games do not go into Program Files/Electronic Arts like the Hard-Cd games, or cracked versions they rather go into the origin folder. I think you were spot-on if this is what you meant when you said something about Origin using other means. I would think that if you had games that were installed via Steam it would go in a steam folder?? ..

So this is what I think: If you had steam versions, or if you had HARD CD version, and attempted to install via Origin the installation program might not be finding the original game because it may be defaulting to its own Origin Directory. I think you said that you directed it to the right directory though during the installation prompts.

If not my second thought is:  when you attempt to play the game you said it reverts to late night? Well you might be clicking on an old desktop icon from your previous install. Oddly enough Ive had it happen that Ive clicked an old icon and the game does the loading screen for whatever icon (Late night in this case) but once the game boots the expansion is there.

Boot up the game and see if the world called Appaloosa plains is in the choices for worlds. If so pets is installed you just need to make a desktop icon for it -- OR:

If you installed the game via origin and it sucessfully completed? Then theoretically you should be able to see the game in your games library in the Origin program, and should be able to click play from there. (If you have cracked games this might cause an issue but open origin and open the games library and see if its listed there that way we know its sucessfully installed. We can fix the cracks later).

Another option: Also could try looking in Program Files/Origin (I think) and browse around for installed games et cetera. Locate the exe file and try clicking it from that directory.

If all that fails....you need to consider sticking to one method of installing games. Ive sucessfully used a combination of hard CD games, origin and 2 cracks. But i would think using origin and steam would be a problem if my above suggestions do not work. Let me know!

[Viewer]

I'm not having problems installing Pets anymore. That's all.

I had previously purchased The Sims 3, Ambitions, Late Night, and Pets via Steam. Sims 3 was installed in the "common" folder of steamapps, and the expansion packs and all the appropriate subfolders and files were installed in the Sims 3 folder as "EP2, EP3, and EP5". I alternately started the game through the launcher which would only recognize the base game, Ambitions, and Late Night (yes, I read Pescado's thread about it) and then attempted to open "TSEP05.exe" (Pets) directly, with the game only launching Late Night.

When downloading Pets in Origin, I changed the destination folder to the Sims 3 in Steam. Origin transferred the files, but were in an encrypted format that required me to open an installer that couldn't find The Sims 3 because according to EA, it could only ever be in one goddamn place.

I'm sure it would be fine if I installed everything using Origin, but I wasn't keen on exchanging one evil for another.

Thanks for your concern, yesterdame. I'm a little tired of discussing this, though.