How to Upload Custom Content Into Sims 3

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The Sims	The Sims 2	The Sims iii	The Sims 4

Custom content has always been a part of The Sims series, at least for the PC and Mac games in it. Even so, how to install it has varied from game to game, and has non always been obvious.

Readers who are unfamiliar with compressed archive files (zip, RAR, and 7z), should read the section on archive files.

File paths given in this guide utilise the Windows-standard "\" ("backslash") separator. Macs may use a "/" instead.

Contents

• 1 The Sims
• 2 The Sims 2
  • 2.1 Sims2pack files
  • 2.2 Enabling Custom Content
• iii The Sims 3
• 4 The Sims 4
• 5 Archive files
• 6 Identifying file types
• 7 Notes
• 8 External links

The Sims [ ]

In The Sims, dissimilar types of custom content are placed in dissimilar folders, depending on their file blazon. There is no need to do anything to the content files other than place them in the right folders. Sub-folders are not recognized, except in the Downloads folder used for objects.

It is best to set Windows and so that file extensions are always shown. When installing content for The Sims, file icons and listed file types should not exist considered reliable, as many of the extensions The Sims uses for custom content are also used past other programs, and those extensions may be associated with those programs.

The file paths given beneath assume a default PC installation to C:\Plan Files .^[1] Macs may or may non have a Programme Files folder. Regardless of install location, and regardless of whether the game is on a PC or Mac, the part of the file path subsequently "The Sims" will be the same.

Objects ordinarily have the extension .iff, but occasionally use .far . They are normally placed in:
C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\Downloads, and may be placed in sub-folders. They may also exist placed in:
C:\Programme Files\Maxis\The Sims\GameData\UserObjects

• Some objects, such every bit default replacements, may accept specific install instructions.
• Files which modify aspects of game beliefs as well employ the .iff extension, and may have specific install instructions.

Skins, for both Sims and pets, have the extensions .skn and .cmx for meshes. The textures are BMP files, and have the extension .bmp. These files are placed in:
C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\GameData\Skins

• Custom animations, which use the extensions .cfp and .bcx.cmf, are likewise placed in this folder.

Roof textures are 32x32 BMP files, and take the extension .bmp. They can exist distinguished from skin textures by their modest size. They are placed in:
C:\Plan Files\Maxis\The Sims\GameData\Roofs

Walls, including murals, have the extension .wll. They are placed in:
C:\Programme Files\Maxis\The Sims\GameData\Walls

Floors take the extension .flr. They are placed in:
C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\GameData\Floors

Lots are a special case. Their filenames take the form HouseXX.iff, where XX is their lot number. They are placed in:
C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\UserDataXX\Houses
The XX is a two-digit number representing the neighborhood. For instance, Neighborhood i is UserData01, Neighborhood 2 is UserData02, etc.

The Sims 2 [ ]

In The Sims 2, custom content has been simplified. There is 1 main extension, .package, and one main binder, Downloads, whose location does non depend on the install location. The location of the "Downloads" folder is:
Windows XP:Documents and Settings\(Your User Account)\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Downloads\
Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac:Users\(Your User Account)\Documents\EA Games\The Sims ii\Downloads\

If Nightlife or later is installed, the Downloads folder may contain sub-folders.

As a dominion, .package files will non be associated with a program unless a program designed to read them, such equally SimPE, is installed.

At that place is no need to do anything to the package files other than identify them in the Downloads folder, or a sub-folder of it. However, it is oftentimes necessary for players to manually create the Downloads folder. When doing this, there are two things to continue in mind. I is that, as far as The Sims 2 is concerned, the name of this folder is example-sensitive. The first letter of the alphabet must be an upper-instance "D", and all other letters must exist lower-instance. Also, if the base game was installed past way of a compilation, the base folder name in Documents may be the proper noun of the compilation instead of "The Sims two". For case, in The Sims ii: Ultimate Collection, the Downloads folder is placed under:
Documents\EA Games\The Sims™ 2 Ultimate Drove\ .

Players should notation that some content needs to be placed relative to the game'south install folder, or relative to the folder for the latest expansion pack. For Ultimate Drove this is e'er
C:\Programme Files (x86)\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\Fun with Pets\SP9\ ^{[1] [2]}

Sims2pack files [ ]

Some content for The Sims 2 if delivered in files with the extension .sims2pack . A sims2pack file is a form of archive file; the format was designed to work with an installer program^[3] that is included with all versions of The Sims two. The sims2pack format tin exist used for whatever blazon of content, and is the standard format for delivering lots, Sims, and custom pet breeds. This is because the installer is designed to place the lot, Sim, or breed in the proper bin.

By default, double-clicking a sims2pack file will invoke the game's installer. It will open a dialog showing the names and descriptions of all custom content files independent in the sims2pack. (A packaged lot or Sim will commonly contain custom content used by that lot or Sim.) The dialog has ii buttons, "Install" and "Cancel". Clicking the Install button volition install everything in the sims2pack, regardless of whether it is already present. It cannot be told to install to a sub-folder of the main Downloads folder, and may give an installed packet file a "nonsense" filename that is a seemingly-random string of letters and numbers.

An alternative to the game's sims2pack installer is the Sims2pack Clean Installer from Modern The Sims. This program "assembly" the sims2pack extension with itself, then it will launch whenever a sims2pack file is double-clicked. It allows players to see what content is in a sims2pack, and to select which parts to install. When installing to the Downloads binder, it allows the player to select a sub-folder. Players can choose to override the default install binder and browse for the folder they wish to extract to. Players with Ultimate Collection volition need to practice this if they have a version prior to i.6.22.0.^[ii]

N.B.: Despite what Clean Installer's main folio says most needing to install the .NET framework, this should non exist necessary with Vista and later on versions of Windows.

Enabling Custom Content [ ]

In The Sims 2, it is not enough to install custom content correctly. It must be specifically enabled by style of a dialog that appears when the game loads. For players with Nightlife or later on, or any stuff pack, this dialog will non appear unless it is enabled in Game Options. Besides, custom buy fashion and build mode objects will not appear in the catalogs unless the game pick "Catalogs Brandish Custom Content" is set to On. Fortunately, these things simply need to be done afterward the game is first installed, or after adding a new expansion pack or stuff pack.

In addition to enabling custom content, players who want to employ recolors of Maxis buy and build objects must use the Color Enable Bundle.

The Sims 3 [ ]

Installing custom content in The Sims 3 requires some framework. It as well requires post-obit some instructions, which vary depending on the type of file being installed. Installation of custom content for The Sims 3 is covered extensively hither, and in linked pages.

In that location are three master file types for The Sims 3 custom content; .parcel, .sims3pack, and .sim . The .package and .sims3pack files are equivalent to .packet and .sims2pack files in The Sims 2, though they apply unlike formats. The .sim extension is used for custom Sims.

The Sims 4 [ ]

In The Sims 4, there are two custom content folders: Tray for lots and Sims, and Mods for other content. Both of these folders are located in:
Windows XP:Documents and Settings\(Your User Account)\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\
Windows Vista, Windows 7/8, Mac:Users\(Your User Account)\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\

The Mods folder may incorporate sub-folders. If the Mods folder does non be, it tin be created manually. The Mods folder will incorporate a file named resource.cfg. If it is deleted, the game should recreate it.^[4]

Most content uses the .parcel extension, though the format is dissimilar from that used in The Sims two and The Sims 3. Every bit in The Sims 2, installing package files is simply a matter of placing them in the Mods folder, or a sub-folder of information technology; there is no need to do annihilation to the files other than identify them. However, the archive file should not be placed in the Tray folder.

Lots and Sims use several dissimilar types of files. Both use a type known equally .trayitem . Lots as well use .blueprint and .bpi files, while Sims apply .hhi, .sgi and .householdbinary files. These files can exist installed by extracting them from the annal file they are in, and placing them in the Tray binder; there is no need to exercise anything else to them.

Script mods come in two cases. One example uses the .pyo extension, and must be left inside its archive in lodge to part (ie. the annal itself is placed in the mods folder). The other case uses the .ts4scriptextension, and is installed the same way as a.parcelfile.  Besides, script mods must be specifically enabled in Game Options.

Archive files [ ]

Custom content for games in The Sims series is commonly independent in what is known as an "archive" file, normally a .zip, .rar, or .7z file. In some ways, an archive is sort of like a folder; it has its ain name and location, and tin contain other files and folders within of it. However, the files inside an archive are compressed, so they take upwardly less space and take less fourth dimension to download. The files inside an archive must be decompressed and copied to a location outside the annal before they can be used. This is called "extracting", fifty-fifty though the file is non removed from the annal. With custom content, the issue is knowing which files to extract -- and for The Sims, which folder to place them in.

The Sims, The Sims 2, and The Sims 3 practise not recognize archive files and cannot read them. While it appears that The Sims 4 does recognize zip files in the Mods folder, it besides appears to expect annihilation in them to be part of a script modern. Therefore, when downloading any Sims content other than a script mod for The Sims iv, the annal files should not be downloaded to any game folder, but can be downloaded to any non-programme folder the thespian chooses. Besides, it is not necessary to keep the archive files once the custom content files accept been extracted; they can be deleted or moved to an external storage device such as a pollex drive.

Windows and Os Ten can extract from zip files (which Windows may call "compressed folders"), but users will need a separate program to extract from RAR or 7z files. There are many programs which can excerpt from archive files, and virtually can excerpt from cypher, RAR, and 7z files.^{[5] [vi]} Prices and licenses vary, from commercial, to nagware, to free or open-source.

Identifying file types [ ]

When installing custom content, it is more often than not useful to be able to identify the types of files that are in an archive. An annal file may contain files that should not be extracted. For example, it may contain images or text files that are almost the custom content, but non part of it.

Identifying a file's type is best done by looking at the file extension; the function of the file proper name after the terminal "dot". Other methods, such as looking at the file's icon, tin can be misleading, particularly when installing content for The Sims. By default, Windows hides file extensions that are associated with a plan, even if the Details view is used. Withal, this tin be inverse:

1. Open a folder; information technology doesn't thing which one.
2. Enter Folder Options:

   • In Windows XP: Click on the Tools bill of fare, then Binder Options.
   • In Windows Vista: The button at the tiptop left (to the left of the Views button) volition say either "Layout" or "Organize". Click information technology; then click either "Folder Options" or "Folder and Search Options", depending on which one appears.
   • In Windows 7: Click on Organize at the acme left, then choose "Folder and search options".

3. In the "Folder Options" dialog window, click on the View tab. Await in the listing for "Hide extensions for known file types". Brand sure that the box by this option is empty, with no checkmark, then click OK.

Notes [ ]

1. ↑ ^{ane.0 1.1} 64-bit versions of Windows apply "Program Files (x86)" for 32-flake programs.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Game Help:Ultimate Collection FAQs at Mod The Sims
3. ↑ This is "PackageInstaller.exe", formally the The Sims 2 Body Shop Bundle Installer.
4. ↑ How To Install Custom Content in The Sims iv. SimsVIP.
5. ↑ The nix and 7z formats are open. RAR decompression is open, though RAR compression is proprietary.
6. ↑ Version 5.0 of WinRAR, released in September 2013, introduced a new version of the RAR format chosen RAR5. Older software will not recognize this new format, and volition not be able to open RAR files that employ it.

External links [ ]

• Game Help:Downloading for Fracking Idiots (for The Sims 2 on Simswiki.info)
• Game Help:Downloading for Downright Dunderheads (for The Sims iii on Simswiki.info)

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Source: https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Game_guide:Installing_custom_content

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