Unending Freezes.

Previously, when I installed Sims 3 from the Games4theworld download I had no problem. However, after I had to reinstall the game, I'm facing a new problem. After I have installed the base game, and I'm trying to launch it, the game asks me for the registration code, despite having already installed the crack. The resulting text is on spanish. Crack doesn't seem to be working, for some reason. It matters not whether I put in one of the codes the installation instructions list over, it doesn't make any difference. I don't know how to solve this problem, I would appreciate if anyone could offer some input on how to solve it.

Enzo Max wrote:Previously, when I installed Sims 3 from the Games4theworld download I had no problem. However, after I had to reinstall the game, I'm facing a new problem. After I have installed the base game, and I'm trying to launch it, the game asks me for the registration code, despite having already installed the crack. The resulting text is on spanish. Crack doesn't seem to be working, for some reason. It matters not whether I put in one of the codes the installation instructions list over, it doesn't make any difference. I don't know how to solve this problem, I would appreciate if anyone could offer some input on how to solve it.

Hello and welcome to the Forum @Enzo Max,

Did you install at least one of the expansions or stuffpacks in addition to the basegame? Unfortunately the included crack doesn't work otherwise...

My bad, I only installed the base game. Installed one of the expansion, and it all goes well now. Thanks bunches, I was in a panic for a moment.

//EDIT


From time to time, the game will freeze. Some of these freezes are only some seconds long, while others, however, never end at all. Music and sound will still play on, but animations will completely stop, nor I am able to open any menus or act in any way with my sims. Interestingly, some of the freezes occur at specific hours, sometimes around 23:00-3:00, though it's not always so.

I read the stickied thread on fixes and crashes, and tried out several possible fixes. I have tried uninstalling all custom content and mods, but aside from an incredibly shortened load time, there's no difference. I resetted as well the town via Nraas's Master Controller, and installed other maintenance mods like Error trap and Overwatch, but there are no positive results. I turned off V-sync in the Nvidia control panel, to no avail. Tried as well assigning more memory RAM with Ntcore. Finally, I added all exe files to the DEP, again, no results.

I don't know what else to try, if anyone can share any ideas on how to solve this little problem, I would be inmmeasurably grateful.

Enzo Max wrote:My bad, I only installed the base game. Installed one of the expansion, and it all goes well now. Thanks bunches, I was in a panic for a moment.

//EDIT


From time to time, the game will freeze. Some of these freezes are only some seconds long, while others, however, never end at all. Music and sound will still play on, but animations will completely stop, nor I am able to open any menus or act in any way with my sims. Interestingly, some of the freezes occur at specific hours, sometimes around 23:00-3:00, though it's not always so.

I read the stickied thread on fixes and crashes, and tried out several possible fixes. I have tried uninstalling all custom content and mods, but aside from an incredibly shortened load time, there's no difference. I resetted as well the town via Nraas's Master Controller, and installed other maintenance mods like Error trap and Overwatch, but there are no positive results. I turned off V-sync in the Nvidia control panel, to no avail. Tried as well assigning more memory RAM with Ntcore. Finally, I added all exe files to the DEP, again, no results.

I don't know what else to try, if anyone can share any ideas on how to solve this little problem, I would be inmmeasurably grateful.

I merged your posts.   Unless you are told otherwise, please stay for all problems relating to one (1) game, in the same thread. And actually, vertical Synchronization must be turned ON:
https://games4theworld.forumotion.com/t21716-excessive-frame-rendering-in-the-sims-3-updated-on-16-12-2015

Is your PC capable (hardware-wise) to keep up with TS3? The game was never optimized properly, so even if you had a stronger computer you could encounter issues. Can you also try with a completely fresh savegame, to play TS3, and see whether the same crashes happen there as well?

My graphic card is a Gtx 660 ti, I believe it can take on the game. I already tried with minimum graphics, and the freezes kept on. Processor is rather strong, an i7 4790k 4.0 Ghz. I believe my specs are not the problem. I have tried deleting files in the DCbackup folder (except the cc.merged.package); it may have smoothed things over for a small time, since I didn't experience major freezes for at least a week in game, but it doesn't seem to be a permanent fix.

Still no luck. Sometimes shortly after the moment I start up playing with my sims, the game freezes, and I have to shut down the game from the task manager, starting all over again. It has made the game literally unplayable. Is there anyone with a similar problem? Is there some known fix?

Enzo Max wrote:Still no luck. Sometimes shortly after the moment I start up playing with my sims, the game freezes, and I have to shut down the game from the task manager, starting all over again. It has made the game literally unplayable. Is there anyone with a similar problem? Is there some known fix?

So did you also try with a brand-new savegame? Or more radically, change the folder name of "The Sims 3" under Documents\Electronic Arts, and play on...

Tested a new game, played for two sim weeks straight on. I still get freezes, but they end eventually, and they aren't longer than 15 seconds, so I don't have to close the application and start up the game all over. Still, while playable for now, I fear there will come one of those unending freezes eventually, since they are getting longer the more I play.

What do you mean by changing the folder name?

Enzo Max wrote:Tested a new game, played for two sim weeks straight on. I still get freezes, but they end eventually, and they aren't longer than 15 seconds, so I don't have to close the application and start up the game all over. Still, while playable for now, I fear there will come one of those unending freezes eventually, since they are getting longer the more I play.

What do you mean by changing the folder name?

Renaming the folder will (temporarily) remove all your installed mods/custom content, cache files and savefiles. It's like you would start with a clean slate. Sometimes this can be the first step in narrowing down what is wrong with the game, hence it is a standard suggestion from us.

The suggestion worked, I made a new game, and experienced no freezes whatsoever for several sim days. I'm still not clear on what caused the freezes on the first place. I did deinstall once all custom content, and still experienced the freezes. The root of the problem could be the store content I downloaded from The Sims Architect. I will try playing without the store packs and my custom content, and then try installing Gamesworld's store collection packs. I will get back to you with the results, once I'm done.

Deleted all store content from Sim Architect. There have been no further freezes, and the game runs smoothly. I guess I will download all store items from the collection at Games4theworld. Thanks a lot for helping me determining the problem, it's appreciated.

Well, it seems I might have been wrong and now I'm at another roadblock. After I deleated Sims Architect files, I installed Games4theworld Store Collection. While the game is smoother, there are still freezes, some of them unending. Curious, since when I tested the game without the Store Collection, there were no freezes whatsoever. I suppose I could play without the store content and make do, for it seems to be such a pain the ass, though I would still miss out on a lot of stuff. Any suggestions?

Enzo Max wrote:Well, it seems I might have been wrong and now I'm at another roadblock. After I deleated Sims Architect files, I installed Games4theworld Store Collection. While the game is smoother, there are still freezes, some of them unending. Curious, since when I tested the game without the Store Collection, there were no freezes whatsoever. I suppose I could play without the store content and make do, for it seems to be such a pain the ass, though I would still miss out on a lot of stuff. Any suggestions?

I mean, I also get freezes from time to time when playing on my PC, but the game itself is overall perfectly playable. There was something else I had in mind. By default the game can only access 2GB of your available RAM, but you can extend this to 4GB. But you have to download this patch here:
http://www.ntcore.com/4gb_patch.php

Unzip this thing and run the .exe. Then go to your TS3W.exe under the Game\Bin location. Wait for the message "executable successfully patched" and then exit the patcher. Now play again and see if this makes another difference. It should.

Already did this, and there was no difference . I will try again anyway.


//EDIT

No luck. Worst is, shortly after the moment I start up the game with my sims, the game freezes, permanently, around the same hour. It's not really playable. It always happens when I set the game to maximum time speed. 

As well, my DcBackup folder was 2 gb worth, I have deleted it. I will post the results, after I test the game.



//EDIT


Nope, didn't work. Game always freezes around 1:00. Going to try removing Games4theworld Store Collection.



//EDIT


Removed the Store collection. While there are some minor slow downs, there are no freezes. I might just dispense with the Store items all together, given all the problems they are causing me, though I feel I might miss out on a ton of stuff.

Sorry to hear that,

The Sims 3 was never well optimized, and the differences in performance between different computers can be very interesting at times. I am running an oldish PC from the early 2010s, and have no problems whatsoever with the game. And I'm using the store content from G4TW plus all expansions.

I might have come to a solution. I installed the store content without the store fixes. While I experience some crashes, they are rare, and I no longer suffer any freezes. I will report here if there's any change to the situation.

Enzo Max wrote:I might have come to a solution. I installed the store content without the store fixes. While I experience some crashes, they are rare, and I no longer suffer any freezes. I will report here if there's any change to the situation.

I've read in earlier posts that some of the newer NRAAS Mods may indeed conflict with the store fixes. I can't say much about it, since I use NRAAS mods from the years 2013/2014 (they all work perfectly fine with the game version 1.67 though). Also keep in mind that some of your store content won't function properly without those store fixes.

At this point, you have to make a choice between keeping those NRAAS Mods or keeping the store fixes. Or maybe, you can narrow down the issue to one of the mods, to only leave out this particular one?

I'm not sure. I did test the game without the Nraas mods, and the freezes still kept on, so I'm not certain they are the problem.

Enzo Max wrote:I'm not sure. I did test the game without the Nraas mods, and the freezes still kept on, so I'm not certain they are the problem.

You can also try deleting the scriptCache.package under Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3, and test the game again. As for me, I can play the game just fine with those store fixes; if you think they are the cause of your problems then feel free to remove them. But again: a lot of your "premium" store content won't work properly anymore.