ZL Origin servers + Sims 4 - can't we use torrent files as a faster solution?

I cannot be the only one having a massively tedious journey just getting these huge downloads to complete without server kickouts and suspended connections.  No surprise.  There's thousands of people trying to get this right now.

But torrents already exist of the standalone base game vampire+toddler update, without a crack.  For those of us who already got them, while waiting for the crack... can we not just grab all the torrented game files... move the game files to the correct folder... and "tell" ZLOrigin that the game is already downloaded.  Then ask ZLOrigin to run it.  Isn't there a system file that can be edited to indicate the downloaded files are there and verified?

In my limited brain this seems like a good plan.  Can anyone tell me why this isn't an option?

https://games4theworld.org/downloads/
I tought the same thing so gonna try it tonight  
Maybe works dunno

Calig wrote:I cannot be the only one having a massively tedious journey just getting these huge downloads to complete without server kickouts and suspended connections.  No surprise.  There's thousands of people trying to get this right now.

But torrents already exist of the standalone base game vampire+toddler update, without a crack.  For those of us who already got them, while waiting for the crack... can we not just grab all the torrented game files... move the game files to the correct folder... and "tell" ZLOrigin that the game is already downloaded.  Then ask ZLOrigin to run it.  Isn't there a system file that can be edited to indicate the downloaded files are there and verified?

In my limited brain this seems like a good plan.  Can anyone tell me why this isn't an option?

Welcome to the Forum @Calig,

It might actually make more sense while we're at it, to compile the entire TS4 folder (incl. toddlers and vampires) downloaded through ZlOrigin - I know for example that @Tarac did so, maybe some other team members as well by now - and create a torrent for it. Then put the torrented TS4-folder to whatever location is needed in ZlOrigin. Only thing is, I myself cannot independently verify whether such a folder would actually be recognized by the program.

Also, if we really went forward with the idea, hat would have to be a "semi-official" torrent only, that wouldn't be listed on the G4TW Downloads-page. But we'll see.

Copy all the game into ZLorigin folders, then run ZClient, run the exe TS4 and Zlorigin should open with everything correctly listed under your installed games.

I just can't get the download to work no matter what I tried so for me, that would be really helpful.

This would be great for me since I can download but ZLOrigin refuses to install even the base game.

The_gh0stm4n wrote:

Calig wrote:I cannot be the only one having a massively tedious journey just getting these huge downloads to complete without server kickouts and suspended connections.  No surprise.  There's thousands of people trying to get this right now.

But torrents already exist of the standalone base game vampire+toddler update, without a crack.  For those of us who already got them, while waiting for the crack... can we not just grab all the torrented game files... move the game files to the correct folder... and "tell" ZLOrigin that the game is already downloaded.  Then ask ZLOrigin to run it.  Isn't there a system file that can be edited to indicate the downloaded files are there and verified?

In my limited brain this seems like a good plan.  Can anyone tell me why this isn't an option?

Welcome to the Forum @Calig,

It might actually make more sense while we're at it, to compile the entire TS4 folder (incl. toddlers and vampires) downloaded through ZlOrigin - I know for example that @Tarac did so, maybe some other team members as well by now - and create a torrent for it. Then put the torrented TS4-folder to whatever location is needed in ZlOrigin. Only thing is, I myself cannot independently verify whether such a folder would actually be recognized by the program.

Also, if we really went forward with the idea, hat would have to be a "semi-official" torrent only, that wouldn't be listed on the G4TW Downloads-page. But we'll see.

That system works perfectly, but does NOT include toddlers, vampires and bowling as they still aren't cracked.
I could of course create an "all-in-one" download (some 31 GB) for ZLOrigin but that would still need Zclient and ZLOrigin to be activated.

DFMcLeod wrote:This would be great for me since I can download but ZLOrigin refuses to install even the base game.

Tarac wrote:That system works perfectly, but does NOT include toddlers, vampires and bowling as they still aren't cracked.
I could of course create an "all-in-one" download (some 31 GB) for ZLOrigin but that would still need Zclient and ZLOrigin to be activated.

For what it's worth, that would be really helpful.  I've hit 3 separate brick walls trying to get this, and the last one was impassable for me.  Zclient is fine, ZLOrigin runs for me.  But when officially installing, ZOrigin insists that I do not have the VC++ installed which the game requires, even though the system confirms I do.  Origin fails to install the game because it selfishly keeps trying to install VC++ on its own, and quits with fatal error when it isn't allowed.  (Much like a toddler tantrum.  Has immersion gone too far?)

Tried every workaround I could think of (I won't list them all), but I think we can all agree that Origin is infested with problems for many people.  If we could somehow set everything up for it behind the scenes, bypassing Origin's attempts to download or install but rely on Origin simply to 'press play', then I think a lot more success and a lot fewer headaches would be happening around here.  :|

I can confirm that ZLOrigin will recognize the game files if they are already installed in the specified folder. I didn't like that ZLOrigin installed my game in "Program Files (x86)", so I moved the newly created "Origin Games" folder to my root. After this, ZLOrigin didn't find my game anymore. I changed the default installation location in ZLOrigin to the new folder location and after I hit install, it checked for the files, found them, skipped the download and installed immediately. It did however, repeat the process for every pack, which took a while.

In theory, if someone (@Tarac *cough*), made a torrent for it, you wouldn't have to download the files through ZLOrigin. However, you would still have to activate the game in ZLOrigin, which is essentially the same process with or without the files, only skipping the part where you actually download them.

So to speak, a torrent might not fix your VC++ problem, @Calig. Have you tried uninstalling VC++ and reinstalling it through ZLOrigin? Or if that didn't work, downloading and installing the latest version from Microsoft might also be worth a try: here!

@Builder: Fitgirl produced a complete torrent Sims 4 repack of just 14 GB, incl. toddlers, vampires and bowling that work perfectly.
So no need for me to make a new torrent.

About the VC++ problem: Have you allowed the certificate when you first started zclient as an administrator ?
The only problem I have with ZLOrigin and Origin is when I ask ZLOrigin to update/repair games that were originally installed by Origin. (We have encountered a problem)



This is caused when Origin and ZLOrigin use the same installationfolder.
I could only solve that problem by completely removing Origin with all its subdirectories in AppData via Revo uninstaller.

Builder wrote:In theory, if someone (@Tarac *cough*), made a torrent for it, you wouldn't have to download the files through ZLOrigin. However, you would still have to activate the game in ZLOrigin, which is essentially the same process with or without the files, only skipping the part where you actually download them.

So to speak, a torrent might not fix your VC++ problem, @Calig. Have you tried uninstalling VC++ and reinstalling it through ZLOrigin? Or if that didn't work, downloading and installing the latest version from Microsoft might also be worth a try: here!

Tarac wrote:About the VC++ problem: Have you allowed the certificate when you first started zclient as an administrator ?

@Builder, yes, thank you for being willing to help.  Those were the first solutions I tried.  Made sure I was up to date completely - no success.  I uninstalled the packs, confirmed they were gone, let Origin try to reinstall, but it failed again.  Then I learned Origin might be trying to install packs that are not even compatible with my system, just because it thinks it needs to, so I removed Origin's personal VC++ installation executables and put imitation files in their place with the same names, but that were compatible with my system.  ZLOrigin got further that time, but still gave me a VC++ installation failure.  At this point it's probably beyond my comprehension to know why.  But bloody hell, Origin should be programmed to skip that step and at least *try* to move on to the next one.  Because the game runs fine on my system without Origin.

I also did as @Tarac mentioned, the admin security certificate was approved and admin running permissions every time Zclient was run, and every step of this process.  And I made sure my user had permanent access to modify SYSTEM files.  I won't reject the idea there's something worse going on here, and perhaps I won't be able to fix it.  But I'd like to try every option there is before giving up!

I'm not able to try until later, but I will move the files to the correct folders and see whether Origin still tries to "install".  The torrent I have is from a while back, when update first released, but no crack.  Are these all the files needed, or is Fitgirl's torrent specifically needed for this workaround?  Either way is fine, but I wanted to check.
Thanks.

When you let Origin install/repair ZLOrigin games, it will render all items not legally bought unworkable.
When you let ZLOrigin repair files installed by Origin you will get error "We encountered a problem"
So keep them strictly separated.

FitGirl's files are cracked, like G4TW's official release. They don't need Origin/ZLOrigin to work. If you haven't tried those release, you definitely should to avoid the whole Origin mess.

The files you would need for ZLOrigin are the uncracked files. Someone would have to zip up their complete installation folder and upload it somewhere. This could even be a legit bought game. Again, no guarantee it would work, because ZLOrigin might still try to install incompatible stuff on your PC.

Basically Origin and ZLOrigin use the same file location for the installation of the game(s). (Default C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\The Sims 4)
Many people have the base game and/or some expansions legally bought via Origin and whatever you try, changing the installation folder won't make any difference.

With that in mind, you must not be surprised when you don't see Download for ZLOrigin's base game. Probably you only see "Play"
It's quite logical because you already HAVE that game.
Instead, right-click on the picture for the Sims 4 and, hopefully, you have the option "Repair Game" and/or "See Game Details".

Repair Game: (if visible) will check your game details and make some minor adjustments from an Origin to a ZLOrigin game for the games you already, legally, own.

See Game Details: This gives you the possibility to download the various EP's, SP's GP's

A full repair or installation will show at the bottom of the screen 1 of 20 and a progress bar

The_gh0stm4n wrote:

Calig wrote:I cannot be the only one having a massively tedious journey just getting these huge downloads to complete without server kickouts and suspended connections.  No surprise.  There's thousands of people trying to get this right now.

But torrents already exist of the standalone base game vampire+toddler update, without a crack.  For those of us who already got them, while waiting for the crack... can we not just grab all the torrented game files... move the game files to the correct folder... and "tell" ZLOrigin that the game is already downloaded.  Then ask ZLOrigin to run it.  Isn't there a system file that can be edited to indicate the downloaded files are there and verified?

In my limited brain this seems like a good plan.  Can anyone tell me why this isn't an option?

Welcome to the Forum @Calig,

It might actually make more sense while we're at it, to compile the entire TS4 folder (incl. toddlers and vampires) downloaded through ZlOrigin - I know for example that @Tarac did so, maybe some other team members as well by now - and create a torrent for it. Then put the torrented TS4-folder to whatever location is needed in ZlOrigin. Only thing is, I myself cannot independently verify whether such a folder would actually be recognized by the program.

Also, if we really went forward with the idea, hat would have to be a "semi-official" torrent only, that wouldn't be listed on the G4TW Downloads-page. But we'll see.

The idea is good and crossed my mind earlier on, but apart from tedious testing-time and the need of various PC's I came to the following conclusion:

a. a full pack of ZLOrigin will be treated by the real Origin exactly the same as a real Origin base game + G4TW expansions. It will render ALL not real Origin expansions unplayable.
b. a full pack of pirated Sims 4 (f.e. the new Fitgirl repack) will simply be ignored by ZLOrigin
c. actions by ZLOrigin on not ZLOrigin packs will result in an error "We've encountered a problem"



d. a full pack or ZLOrigin (20,4 GB Winrar), uploaded and downloaded by me wasn't recognized as ZLOrigin as of course the details in AppData were missing. No DataBase of ZLOrigin found on that specific, clean PC where neither Origin nor ZLorigin had ever been installed.


I'm sorry, but at least I've tried.
Nevertheless, I consider ZLOrigin not only as a positive revelation, but also a revolution in downloading.