The Sims 3 is a reality simulator, following the style of The Sims 1 and 2. Players control their own Sims in activities and relationships in a similar manner to real life. The gameplay is open-ended and indefinite.

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58
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7answers
7k views

How do you prevent Sims from aging?

In Sims 2 you could make Elixir of Life to stop Sims from aging. Is there any way to do this in Sims 3?
38
votes
1answer
820 views

Is it common to die at work?

I downloaded The Sims 3 for my Android phone, and I've played through almost 2 Sim weeks with my character. My sim works Monday-Friday, and without fail, he will die every other day at work. If he ...
11
votes
1answer
252 views

Sims 3: Mad scientist looking for a new job

If a mad scientist in Sims 3 gets a new job, can you still perform experiments on random objects?
9
votes
2answers
2k views

Is there a way to put a lot of things in a fridge in an easy way?

Or in any container for that matter? After harvesting, I always end up having to drag every item in one by one. Also, is there a way to group the same item? After dragging and dropping, if I miss, it ...
9
votes
1answer
935 views

Can you disable automatic memories?

I have recently been playing sims 3 including all expansions so far. Generations has memories, which is great, except that everything seems to be a memory. Every time the game come up with a memory, I ...
8
votes
2answers
359 views

How do I end a romantic relationship with the butler?

Just to have some fun, I built up a romantic relationship between a sim and her butler. For a while it was amusing to see him get excited about the occasional WooHoo in the shower, but it has pretty ...
8
votes
1answer
160 views

Why does this Sim have more fun?

I'm playing some randomly generated sims. I've noticed that most sims will have a 7 hour "Having a Blast" moodlet when the fun bar is maxed. One of my sims has a 12 hour "Having a Blast" moodlet ...
7
votes
1answer
401 views

Can a vampire's human child and another human make vampire babies?

A vampire and human can have both vampire and human offspring. Can their human child have vampire babies?
7
votes
2answers
281 views

Lot no longer has a pool; Sims still want to swim, get stuck in loop

My current household used to contain a swimming pool on a third floor balcony. Since I've recently installed Sims 3 Ambitions, the pool had to go to make room for a laundry room. Every now and ...
7
votes
1answer
194 views

Are there any ways to decrease the impressively long save times for Sims 3 worlds?

I've been watching my wife play Sims 3, and I've noticed the save times are impressively long. (Load times are fine) She has a fair number of expansions, but the save times start off fine on a new ...
6
votes
1answer
488 views

Can I detonate things without losing friends?

I have the Sims 3 Ambitions and Late Night expansion packs installed and when I detonate stuff to get scraps and the challenge, I seem to be losing friendship points with all my friends and even ...
6
votes
1answer
219 views

Why are the outside walls of my house different shades?

I'm really confused why my outside walls are two different shades. I used the exact same masonry/brick wall covering for both levels of the house, yet the upper level always appears darker than the ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views

Can sims move to a new neighbourhood?

I got the late night expansion pack for the sims, and i'd like to move my family to the new neighbourhood that came with it. I tried it before but they lost all their money, which i would like to ...
5
votes
1answer
80 views

When looking for Collectibles does the game use my eyes or my sims eyes

Someone can edit the title if they want Just got sims 3 and I found a Yellow Gem when walking from my house to a neighbors house. Question: does my sim have to be in a "visible range" for the ...
5
votes
1answer
521 views

How difficult is it to bring someone back from the dead?

My partner accidentally died. I would like to resurrect her and I read up on the oh my ghost opportunity. Does it take long and is this oppertunity missable? Also, my partner was the cook, can she ...
5
votes
1answer
584 views

Sims 3 and the expansion packs?

I already own Sims 3 and Sims 3 Generations after buying them from Best Buy and Walmart. If I want to buy other expansions through the Steam sales, do I have to rebuy these two in order to play them? ...
5
votes
1answer
198 views

Can I make my Sims age again? What is a workaround for this bug?

I seem to have a bug that is preventing my Sims from aging. It happened after my Sim had a baby. The "x days left until aging" bar never increases. Aging IS active in my game options. I found this ...
5
votes
1answer
300 views

Sims 3: downloaded Riverview twice; savegame kind of broken

When I downloaded Riverview to my installation of The Sims 3, the installation seemed to stall, so I aborted it. The second time I tried, it installed fine. I started a game in Riverview noting that ...
5
votes
1answer
220 views

How can I make my sim harvest the whole garden automatically again?

When you're harvesting your garden, usually if you click "harvest" or "tend garden", the Sim will go around and perform these actions to every plant in the garden that the action is applicable to. My ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views

What are the difference between The Sims 2 and The Sims 3?

I've been playing The Sims 2 for ages and I'm thinking about taking The Sims 3 (and all the expansions). What are the differences in terms of gameplay? I know that all families age at the same time ...
4
votes
1answer
574 views

Where is my time machine?

I have built a time machine, but it doesn't appear in my Sim's catalog. Where should it be?
4
votes
1answer
193 views

Where can I put the computer so I don't wake up the roommate

I'm going to start a game with computer whiz roommates. I was thinking about putting a computer in each bedroom, but am concerned about the potential for noise to interfere with sleep. B = Bed C = ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views

What is the purpose of copper ingots, etc?

When I'm looting treasure chests in tombs I pick up a lot of random metals. What are they for? What can I do with them?
4
votes
3answers
8k views

How do I change my Sims 3 installed content and saved games location?

Because my C: drive is just a 40gig SSD and space is an issue with it, I tend to keep games from saving files, DLC and screenshots there. I've changed my 'Documents' target on Windows 7 to target a ...
4
votes
1answer
120 views

Do Master Career Rewards stay after leaving the career track?

If I switch careers will I lose the "Special Ability"? For instance Professional Sports allows you to do Autograph Signings. If I become an Astronaut do I lose the ability? Another side question, ...
4
votes
3answers
6k views

How can I get the Sims DLC from Steam to work with the Origin version of the base games?

Looking in the Steam store, the Sims DLC packs have a little banner similar to this: Requires the base game The Simsâ„¢ 3 on Steam in order to play. My girlfriend has Sims 3 and Sims Medieval ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views

The Sims 3: Athletic skill stuck, any way to fix?

In The Sims 3, I have a sim that plainly refuses to learn the athletic skill. She can work out for hours, get fatigued, but her skill meter never moves and the skill is still stuck at zero. I've ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views

Custom music in The Sims 3 for various modes?

A feature I loved about The Sims 2 was how easy it was to customize music for the various modes -- buy, build, neighborhood, etc. As far as I can tell, The Sims 3 only lets you add music to the ...
4
votes
1answer
88 views

Is there any way to list what lot types do or do not exist in my current neighborhood?

I have many expansion packs installed for The Sims 3. I would like to have as many lot types in my neighborhood as possible, but crosschecking all lots with all available lot types seems like a pretty ...
4
votes
2answers
506 views

How can I get Create A World to find my game data?

I downloaded the most recent version of CAW from The Sims 3 website and I have a copy of The Sims 3 on Steam that is completely up-to-date. When I try to run the editor, I get a message saying "Game ...
3
votes
5answers
222 views

Will a PCI (not PCI-e) card work for The Sims 3

My daughter bought The Sims 3, but her video card wasn't supported. So we need to upgrade. Unfortunately, her XP machine only has a PCI slot and NOT a PCI-e slot. They say a NVIDIA GeForce 9400 is ...
3
votes
1answer
42 views

How can I adjust the duration of each season?

Is there any way to make certain seasons last longer than others?
3
votes
4answers
671 views

The Sims 3: Why is my Sim so unhappy?

As is visible in the screenshot below, my Sim has all their needs met and no negative moodlets, yet their happiness level is pretty much stuck to miserable. Is this a bug, and if so, how do I fix it? ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views

The Sims 3: Earn 10,000 Simoleons?

In The Sims 3, one of my sims has the wish to "Earn 10,000 Simoleons". Even though she is at the top of the corporate career ladder, she doesn't make even close to that much. Is there something I ...
3
votes
2answers
468 views

Can I make up for missing skill opportunities?

I have a sim who mastered gardening/cooking/fishing skills. According to sims wiki, I should have get omni plant and some other plants via skill opportunities. Because my sim is filthy rich, I wasn't ...
3
votes
1answer
600 views

How do I open a dimensional gate?

From various source I've come to understand that the PlasmaPunch Gyroscopic Conductor from Showtime can act as a sort of rabbithole, like the time machine or mausoleum. Are any specific conditions ...
3
votes
1answer
140 views

Why won't it let me challenge the next Sim to a chess match?

My Sim is a child with level 10 in the Logic skill and the Chess Legend lifetime wish. When I use the phone, it gives me the option to call and invite over the next Sim for a chess match, like ...
3
votes
2answers
211 views

Is there an NPC I can hire or create that will do my farming for me?

I have a fairly large garden with all types of vegetables. I do have sprinklers, but harvesting gets boring quickly. Will a Butler or a Simbot or some other NPC do my gardening for me?
3
votes
2answers
1k views

How can I get this car out of my Sim's inventory?

I made my sim marry a rich sim, who moved in. In his inventory he has one of the most expensive cars. I want to sell it, obviously, since I am ecofriendly and also want to buy all the things, but when ...
3
votes
1answer
86 views

What things do sims do on their own with Free Will and/or Story Progression turned on?

I've read various forum posts about different things that Sims do or don't do with Free Will set to High and Story Progression set to On. However, there doesn't seem to be any consistency and some ...
3
votes
3answers
873 views

What do I do with these “Omni Plants”?

I just checked my Sim's inventory and saw these two gift boxes labelled "Omni Plant". They are not selectable, can't be dragged out of the inventory, and aren't plantable or anything (they're ...
3
votes
1answer
160 views

Which lots do I need in a neighbourhood in order to have all the features from all expansions?

Nearly every expansion adds community lots that need to be in your town in order to be able to access all the features of that expansion: dog & cat parks for Pets, bars for Nightlife, etc. Where ...
3
votes
1answer
226 views

Can my Sims with music skills perform at venues with Showtime?

If I have a Sim with a high guitar skill or drums skill, can I get them to perform at a SimFest or a venue or something? Can I use these Sims to do any of the new Showtime features?
2
votes
3answers
2k views

What's the best way to promote in your jobs?

I know I have to fulfill the given skills and be happy to have a chance to promote. But sometimes I can wait a week before any promotion happens. Even with the required skills filled and being fully ...
2
votes
1answer
1k views

Why are my Sims so slow?

I have been playing Sims 3 again and it seems that my Sim's actions are too slow for it's own good. I have Late night(+ several others) installed and so my sim is now living in a high-rise(well a 4 ...
2
votes
1answer
2k views

Multiple users and households in Sims 3

Can someone explain the sims 3 households for me? So my fiancee created a sim and played with it in bridgeport. I then started a new game and created a new sim. We both want to marry eventually but ...
2
votes
1answer
68 views

What do the lighter squares in your skills mean?

When playing The Sims 3 and improving your skills, one or two of the skills will have lighter squares around a certain level in the skill. So far I've only figured out that they're somehow related to ...
2
votes
1answer
161 views

Should I choose 'stress relief' over 'fun'?

If I understand it correctly, only thing stress relief does is to push fun bar up to half point. But, I think items that give fun can push fun bar all the way up, and increasing fun already reliefs ...
2
votes
1answer
2k views

Can I make other Sims break up?

If I know a Sim who has a partner, but I want my Sim to be that Sim's partner, can I make them break up? For example, if I romance it hard enough, will an option like "ask to break up with partner" or ...
2
votes
1answer
319 views

Sims 3 expansion packs?

I just got my hands on a few DVDs, I got Sims 3, World Adventures and Late Night. I never played before sims 3, but I understand the last two are expansion packs. The question is: if I install all ...

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