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- it shouldnt be that hard. The website for Nraas even has detailed step by step tutorials :D I myself am just at it right now.
- I just download the mods and put them here:
C:Users%user%DocumentsElectronic ArtsThe Sims 3ModsPackages
..where %user% is your user name.
I'm on windows 10 btw - This website, courtesy of Carl, explains how to install mods on a step by step basis.
http://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/forum/?topic=9187.0
It SHOULD be easy following. - Hi there. Actually, I would recommend using the download and following the instructions at MTS because they are illustrated and the MTS download includes two small, sample mods that you can use to test and make sure it's working before adding more complicated things. Carl's site links there eventually, towards the end.
http://modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Installing_Sims_3_Package_Files/Setup_and_Files
NRaas has moved!
Our new site is at http://nraas.net - A big thanks to everyone for the information and advice.
- Boi its ez. Don't have too many tho, or it could crash ur game.
- edited May 2017
I have around 1,200 package based files in my game and over 250 of them can be considered mods or mod-related files (the rest are CC). How many is too many?Boi its ez. Don't have too many tho, or it could crash ur game.
(Not that I'm recommending anyone rush into that many mods at once, one does have to be careful with what one is doing to avoid conflicts and overload..)
NRaas has moved!
Our new site is at http://nraas.net - edited May 2017
- edited May 2017
I have Macs, although these days I sim on Windows through Bootcamp. In an otherwise perfect world (Ha!), mod installation for those playing the Mac version of TS3 should be exactly the same as on Windows. I have a lot of complaints about TS3 for Mac, many of us do, but getting mods and other package based content to work shouldn't be adding to the stress at all here.Not so easy espically when you have a mac .-.
Is there something we can help with or have you moved past that point already?
NRaas has moved!
Our new site is at http://nraas.net - Easier than sims 4 I think. At one point I used it frequently but my game crashing got worse so I deleted it all.
- I would love to have limited my Mods to fewer that 500 files though I ended up having to play with about 600 Mods and there's 109 NRaas Mod files along with AM just to fix the school overcrowding issue as it overrides the automatic assignment which was always glitchy and know to cause the overcrowding issue.I've also got well over 1000 package files of CC installed and some installed with CC Magic.
I've seen a lot less crashing and less glitching since adding Mods and my computer seems to think more is better.1 - I'm not good with computers + I'm using Mac. But I was able to install mods with no problems. I find tutorial on youtube and then it's really easy install anything. I even figured out how to install tray imposter to Mac LOL. And plus english is not my native language, all tutorials are in english. If I can do it, anyone can :dizzy:
Glad you've had success with that, but I think you mean Tray Importer. That's for Sims 4.I'm not good with computers + I'm using Mac. But I was able to install mods with no problems. I find tutorial on youtube and then it's really easy install anything. I even figured out how to install tray imposter to Mac LOL. And plus english is not my native language, all tutorials are in english. If I can do it, anyone can
NRaas has moved!
Our new site is at http://nraas.net- Easier than sims 4 I think. At one point I used it frequently but my game crashing got worse so I deleted it all.
Adding Mods to The Sims 4 is a simple copy and paste them into the Mods folder. The only difference between Sims 3 and Sims 4 is you have to add the Mods folder to Sims 3 and make sure to put then in the right sub-folder either Overrides or Packages and Sims 4 comes with one and no sub-folders needed.I'm just a little bit crazy LOL
Okay actually I'm totally and completely nuts LOL - I would love to have limited my Mods to fewer that 500 files though I ended up having to play with about 600 Mods and there's 109 NRaas Mod files along with AM just to fix the school overcrowding issue as it overrides the automatic assignment which was always glitchy and know to cause the overcrowding issue.I've also got well over 1000 package files of CC installed and some installed with CC Magic.
I've seen a lot less crashing and less glitching since adding Mods and my computer seems to think more is better.
Have not come across the school overcrowding before, how many pupils is too many. Which mods do you need to use too fix it. - edited May 2017
Tad is playing one or more worlds set in the 16th century (give or take 100 years) era when not everyone went to or should be enrolled in school automatically. I see her point, even with a Little House on the Prairie and a schoolhouse with a truant officer somewhere in town, school enrollment shouldn't necessarily happen ten seconds after a child ages up or is added to the game. Her particular issue is not a common complaint, though.Have not come across the school overcrowding before, how many pupils is too many. Which mods do you need to use too fix it.
Players' experiences with school over-crowding will vary. Without mods, I find that most single-school towns experience crowding at somewhere over 25 students total. The symptom is that students will still be standing in line to get into the school at 11am or later and we have to send our actives to school extra early to avoid them getting stuck in the crowds.
This mod, for many of us, successfully expands the capacity of schools and Uni classroom buildings by making more of the doors of many of them usable for entry and exit.
http://modthesims.info/d/568897
Another strategy, or one to consider at the same time, is to add more schools. With NRaas StoryProgression and GoHere (both required), one can set up Elementary and High Schools, or those separated by gender, net worth, traits, any other attributes one can think of. The NRaas Careers mod's Schools module also allows for specialty schools to take place at community lot buildings many players will already have in town, such as at the military installation, community theater, business building, science center, etc. and those can help relieve over-crowding up to a point as well. The same module also allows for Homeschooling for those who want to give that a try.
NRaas has moved!
Our new site is at http://nraas.net - Hi there. Actually, I would recommend using the download and following the instructions at MTS because they are illustrated and the MTS download includes two small, sample mods that you can use to test and make sure it's working before adding more complicated things. Carl's site links there eventually, towards the end.
http://modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Installing_Sims_3_Package_Files/Setup_and_Files
Hi again, do the MTS instructions work the same for windows 10.
Exactly the same for all operating systems, yes. The illustrations provided were done in Win 7 so things might look different around the edges, but it's still all the same.Hi there. Actually, I would recommend using the download and following the instructions at MTS because they are illustrated and the MTS download includes two small, sample mods that you can use to test and make sure it's working before adding more complicated things. Carl's site links there eventually, towards the end.
http://modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Installing_Sims_3_Package_Files/Setup_and_Files
Hi again, do the MTS instructions work the same for windows 10.
NRaas has moved!
Our new site is at http://nraas.net- 0
- One of the worst issues was when children or kids who can't possibly route to school in an hour from their home get assigned to that one school in town and live nowhere near it.I found the automated assignment was awfully glitchy and overcrowding happend too easily.It's what led to one of my old Modless saves becoming corrupted after a child was taken by the social worker for failing to attend school.He couldn't even enter the building as there were too many children or kids enrolled.AwesomeMod has an option to disable automated assignment which is better at fixing the issues if you're using NRaas and only enable that override in the config file.It would actually stop the school from becoming overcrowded because some kids would either not get education or would be home-schooled.0
- One of the worst issues was when children or kids who can't possibly route to school in an hour from their home get assigned to that one school in town and live nowhere near it.I found the automated assignment was awfully glitchy and overcrowding happend too easily.It's what led to one of my old Modless saves becoming corrupted after a child was taken by the social worker for failing to attend school.He couldn't even enter the building as there were too many children or kids enrolled.AwesomeMod has an option to disable automated assignment which is better at fixing the issues if you're using NRaas and only enable that override in the config file.It would actually stop the school from becoming overcrowded because some kids would either not get education or would be home-schooled.
If you have generations installed with there 5 specialist schools does this sort out the overcrowding without mods. - That overcrowding issue came from the automated enrollement coded into the base game and nothing else had ever fixed it until I added Awesome and got rid of the auto-enrollement.I just have to enroll them manually and not all of them will enroll until school became mandatary in the mid-20th century which I can activate auto-plum home schooling if I want automated school assignments now.0
- Where do you get mods for sims 4 please? And what mods do you use?
- Easy peasy, Do exactly what everybody else said. :)
- Easier than sims 4 I think. At one point I used it frequently but my game crashing got worse so I deleted it all.
Adding Mods to The Sims 4 is a simple copy and paste them into the Mods folder. The only difference between Sims 3 and Sims 4 is you have to add the Mods folder to Sims 3 and make sure to put then in the right sub-folder either Overrides or Packages and Sims 4 comes with one and no sub-folders needed.
It was probably just the fact that sims 4 was out when I got 3 so there were not constant updates. I hate how you have to go in the game to enable cc/mods in 4. That's why I find it complicated because I have to update everything. I was just spoiled in 3 I guess.
Although you can add plenty of new content with expansion packs and officially-released Stuff Packs, the fun doesn't stop there with 'The Sims 3.' Players can take it one step further by modifying the game using code and objects created by community users rather than the developers. Once you set up the game to accept mods, most will go in one central folder for use.
Available Mods for The Sims
'Modding' means different things to different people, but much is possible in 'The Sims 3.' For example, you can install mods that merely change the surface appearance of your Sim's wardrobe or that drastically overhaul core components of the game. More advanced mods like the latter allow you to bypass in-game restrictions, such as removing the censoring mosaic.
Installing Custom Content
Ensure 'The Sims 3' is fully patched; when you open the launcher on an Internet-enabled computer, you'll receive a message if any new updates are available. When you find a mod that's compatible with your patch version, extract it with a file extractor like WinRAR or 7-Zip. Depending on what you're modding, you'll either have a .package, .sim or .sims3pack file inside; where the file goes depends on its type. In any case, you'll need to download and extract a file to allow mods in your game (see Resources). Open 'DocumentsElectronic ArtsThe Sims 3' and extract FrameworkSetup.zip directly there; this creates the 'Mods' folder where most mods will go.
Installing Specific Mods
If your mod uses a .package file, you can drop it right into the 'Mods' folder. Use the 'Downloads' folder in the 'Sims 3' folder instead if you have a .sims3pack file; in the launcher, you can click the checkmark next to the mod you just added and click 'Install' to add it to your game. Finally, .sim files will go in the 'SavedSims' folder instead with no further action required. Where you find your modded content in-game depends on what you installed; for instance, custom Sims and clothes appear in Create-A-Sim, whereas new objects can be found in Buy or Build Mode.
Troubleshooting and Removing Broken Mods
If 'The Sims 3' runs smoothly without mods and starts acting strangely with them, something you installed is most likely causing the problem. The best way to tell which mod is the culprit is to disable all of them and enable each of them again, one by one. The only way you can 'disable' a mod would be to move it to another folder temporarily while you troubleshoot. To remove a problem mod, just delete it -- but make sure your family isn't actively using something the mod added, or else you may not be able to load the save.
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- Not to be confused with Custom content or Tool.
This distinguishes them from 'hacked objects'. Mods mainly alter gameplay values or add/change already existing features. For example, a mod could allow children to cook, or teenagers to WooHoo and become pregnant.
With regard to The Sims series, the term entered common usage with The Sims 2. Modifications to The Sims generally worked through 'hacked objects'; even when they didn't, the term 'mod' was generally not used.
Examples of small mods would be phone plugins for The Sims, mods such as the Less Addictive Espresso Bar mod[TS2] that affects how strongly an object advertises, or mods that allow Sims to do homework faster.
Example of big mods would be Awesomemod[TS3] and Macrotastics[TS2].
Since recent Sims games make more menu items available when using Testingcheatsenabled, many mods from older games have been seen as not worth remaking.
Some mods, such as hacked cameras for The Sims 2, are not in package format and are not installed in the player's downloads folder, but somewhere else. These mods are known as config(uration) mods.
Dangers of Using ModsEdit
Mods, when they are programmed, installed and used correctly, can be safe to use without risking damage to game data or saved games. However, improperly installed mods or mods that do not work correctly can result in corrupt data, saved game losses, and severe glitches. That's why it is always good to take extra precautions and backup saved game data, like whole neighborhoods.
Some mods can corrupt objects or even cause malfunctions in the game code, resulting in one or more of the neighborhoods disappearing, which requires the game to be re-installed completely. See Load game error for problems related to neighborhoods. Some Mods can also cause a Game Crash or save game error.
Many mods, when installed, conflict with other mods. This is especially true for core mods; only one core mod can be installed at a time. A mod designer may or may not be aware of these conflicts, so it is important to be careful when installing multiple mods. People playing The Sims 2 on PC can use the Hack Conflict Detection Utility to look for possible conflicts.
Additionally, some mods may corrupt saved games or game data if they are uninstalled incorrectly which will either result in a load game error or Game Crash. If a mod must be uninstalled in a particular manner, the documentation that accompanied the mod should explain this. Mods that add additional skills in The Sims 3 are known to cause damage to Sims who have earned a skill which was recently deleted. This will cause the player to have to delete their saved game.
Also, players are advised to check for updates every time they buy a new expansion or stuff pack. Out of date mods can cause save game files not to be loaded properly. Also, there is a chance that the save will be corrupted if it is run with an outdated core mod. The Sims 3 patch 18 fixed the issue to some extent by prompting the player if any out of date mods are installed.
Starting with The Sims 3: High-End Loft Stuff,[1] the player is told to disable custom contentontent prior to updating or installing a new version such as The Sims 3: Ambitions.
As with some cheats, mods which allow users to use 'illegal' actions, or which make features available in areas where they normally are not, may cause problems in the game. But unlike mods, cheats do not crash the game if they allow illegal actions although some (such as Moveobjects and testingcheatsenabled) can cause problems if used incorrectly.
Another issue is that mods created with The Sims 2: Pets would cause an older game to crash. For example, if a player's game was loaded with an object created with the Pets expansion pack, it would crash an Open for Business game. This issue has reportedly reappeared in The Sims 3 with The Sims 3: Pets.
Modders are not generally malicious, and trouble with mods is as likely to arise from problems such as those listed above as it is to arise from errors made by modders. For example, Awesome Mod's Configuration Tool is designed so that players who do not take the time to read instructions have the option to select a checkbox that will turn their installation of The Sims 3 into a 'Big Fiery Ball Visible From Space', or 'BFBVFS'. Basically this is a trick for catching out irresponsible Simmers. Players should always read the instructions surrounding a mod, and never use options if they're not clear on what they do.
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- TFM's Naughty Sims Asylum (requires registration to view)
- Simlogical (portal page w/links to content for TS1, TS2, and TS3)
- xSIMS (mature content)
- Sexy Sims 2 (adult content)
- LevelSkip»
Sims 3 Realistic Mods
Installing custom content and mods in your Sims 4 game can be a bit confusing! From knowing where to place the items, to figuring out what to do when your CC doesn't work- there's a lot to know and it can be tricky, especially if you're a beginner. This guide will teach you all you need to know about downloading, installing, and troubleshooting custom content and mods for the Sims 4!
Use the Table of Contents below to easily skip to the section you're interested in:
Table of Contents:
Make Sure Your Game Is Patched
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeBefore you get started with downloading and installing custom content, you'll need to make to make sure your Sims 4 game is up-to-date with all recent patches.
Make sure you are connected to the internet, then open Origin, go to The Sims 4 in your Game Library, click on the Settings tab, and then click on the Update Game button. If your game does need any updates, Origin will automatically download and install them. If your game is already fully updated, you'll get a notification telling you so.
Download an extraction tool
When you start downloading CC, you'll notice that many of the files end in names like .zip, .rar, .7s, and so on. These files have been compressed by the custom content creator so you can download them and put them into your game. However, you can't just place a .rar or .zip file straight into your Sims 4 game. Therefore, you'll need a tool to extract these files.
I recommend using Winrar (which, despite the name, can be used in both Windows and Mac) to extract your files. You can download it here. Once you've finished downloading it, install it on your computer and move on to the next step!
By default, The Sims 4 has an option to disable mods in the game. Before you get started with playing with mods and custom content, you'll need to start up your Sims 4 game and turn mods on (you'll also need to do this after each patch that is released, as the game options default back to mods being turned off).
To do this, start the game, click on the Menu button (the three buttons on the top right corner), Game Options, Other and then tick the Enable Custom Content and Mods box. Then hit the Apply Changes button and restart your game. The next time you start it up, your settings will be saved and you'll be able to play with mods!
Now that your game is patched and you've got a proper extraction tool on your computer, it's time to download some custom content or mods that you'd like to use in your game! If you don't already have one in mind, I've written some articles on some great custom content sites and mods for the Sims 4. Feel free to browse those articles to find something of your liking!
Download resident evil 4 pc kuyhaa. Once you've found the content you want to add to your game, click on the download button on the website.
If you're using Google Chrome as your Internet browser, you'll see the item downloading at the bottom of the screen. Once it's done downloading, you can right-click on the little arrow, and then choose to go to the folder it's downloaded to. Typically, your downloaded items will go into your Downloads folder on your computer.
Open up the Downloads folder and then right-click on the content you've just downloaded. If you're using WinRar, you'll see an icon that looks like a stack of books. Click on the option that says, 'Extract to (mod name)'. The file will then extract into a folder.
![How To Use Mods In Sims 3 How To Use Mods In Sims 3](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123708492/572265886.jpg)
Open up the folder and check the contents inside. Usually, you'll just see files that end with .package. This is the file-type used for Sims 4 mods and custom content. You might see some other file types too. Some creators include images of their CC or .txt ('read me') files. These can be safely discarded. If you see file types ending in .ts4script, .bpi, .blueprint or .trayitem- these are also Sims 4 file types, and I'll tell you how to install those below. Do not delete them!
Highlight (use your cursor to draw a box around) the .package files in the folder and then right-click on them and select 'cut'. Now you'll need to navigate to your Sims 4 Mods folder.
To do this, go to Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods. Once you're in that folder, simply right-click anywhere and then select 'Paste.' You'll then see the .package files you've downloaded appear!
When you start up your game, the mod or CC you've installed should be there and working perfectly!
Lots are the name for houses or any types of venues that your Sims can visit in the game. You can also download custom lots to add to your game on various Sims CC websites.
Installing and downloading lots is basically the same process as above, except you place these files in a place in your Sims 4 folder.
How To Use Mods In Sims 3 Youtube
Follow all the instructions above, but once you extract your files, paste them into Documents > Electronics Arts > The Sims 4 > Tray. Any download that ends in .bpi, .blueprint or .trayitem belongs in the Tray folder ONLY.
When you open up your game, you'll need to go the Gallery (click on the icon of the photos in the top right corner), then click on My Library. There, you'll find the lot you've downloaded.
If the lot also included custom content, make sure you click on the Advanced option in the Gallery and tick 'Include Custom Content' for the lot to show up.
Now you can place the lot somewhere in your game!
Script mods are ones which change and add-on to the scripting of the game. Things like custom careers, custom animations/interactions, and popular mods like McCommand Center and WickedWhims are all script mods.
Installing script mods is again, pretty similar to installing the other mods listed above. The main difference, however, is that the file type will end in .ts4script. For these kind of mods, you'll still put them into your Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods folder, but you'll also need to make sure in your game settings that you have Script Mods enabled.
To do so, click on the Menu (the three buttons on the top right corner), Game Options, Other, and then tick the Script Mods Allowed button. You'll see a warning about script mods. Click OK, Apply Changes, then restart your game.
Your script mod will then be working the next time you play!
If you've installed the CC or mod exactly as describe above, it should all work just fine. However, if it doesn't show up in your game, or doesn't work for some reason, you might need to do some troubleshooting. Here's a list of things to check and try when you run into problems:
- As described above, make sure you have custom content and script mods turned on in your game.
- If you can't find a particular item in Buy Mode (this is where your custom objects go), go into Buy Mode (by clicking on the tools icon or F2). Click on the Filter Items tab, select Content, then tick the Custom Content button and you'll see all your custom content. You should see the items you downloaded there.
- You can also double-check that your custom content is installed by clicking on the View Custom Content button in the Options menu (go to Options > Other and click on the View Custom Content button). Look at the files listed there and you should see the content you've downloaded listed.
- Open up your Mods folder, and make sure you've placed the CC correctly. Remember, you should only see files ending in .package or .ts4script in your mods folder. If the files are ending in .zip, .rar., or any other file type, they won't work in your game!
- While you're online, go into Origin and repair your game. You can do this by clicking on The Sims 4 in your library, selecting the Settings button, and then clicking on Repair Game (please note that you must not be playing the game when you select this option). The game will then repair itself and basically do a fresh install of the files needed to run The Sims 4. It won't damage your save game, and this has actually fixed broken CC (particularly issues with script mods) for me in the past.
- Try deleting your .cache files. To do this, go into Documents > Electronics Arts > The Sims 4 folder. You can delete the localthumbscache.package file in this directory. You'll also see a folder titled cache and one titled cachestr. You can delete everything in these folders, but not the folder themselves. You may also safely delete the entire onlinethumbnailcache folder, if present. Deleting cache files allows the game to 'fix' itself in a way, and can be done as a first resort before repairing your entire game.
- Re-download the mod and start over. Sometimes, download can be corrupted upon downloading them, so just in case, you can delete the files your first downloaded, download them again, and put them into your mods folder and see if it works.
- Check that the mod itself is up-to-date. With the Sims 4, nearly every time a patch comes out, it breaks a variety of mods. Usually, the mod's creator will be aware of this and will update his or her website to notify players of this. Check the page you downloaded the mod from and then delete and reinstall the new version, if necessary. Sims websites like SimsVIP also keep a running tab of incompatible mods and CC after patches.
- Remember that game mods and custom content are designed to work with genuine versions of The Sims 4. There is no guarantee that they will work with pirated versions of the game, so if you do have a pirated version and a mod isn't working, that could be why. The only way to fix this would be to buy a copy of The Sims 4 directly from Origin, where you can ensure the game will be patched regularly and compatible with all mods and custom content.
If you've tried all the troubleshooting methods and the mod/custom content still won't work, the best thing to do is contact the original creator and let them know. Give them a detailed example of what's happening in the game (i.e. 'Whenever I place down the couch I downloaded, an error message comes up and says 'script call failed'). Hopefully they'll get back to you with an updated version of the content or a way to work around the error. If not, you may just need to uninstall the file from your game.
Uninstalling CC and Mods is as simple as going to your Mods folder and deleting them. Right-click on whichever file you want to get rid of, select Delete, and then the next time you start up the game, that custom content or mod will no longer be in your game.
Hopefully this will never happen to you, but there's always the risk of running into broken or corrupt custom content or mods, while modding your game. If you have issues with your game freezing, crashing, generating 'LastException' files while playing, or other major issues after downloading CC or mods, more than likely, the mod or CC you've installed is corrupted.
Backup Your Saves
Before you start deleting mods and testing them, backup your save game.
Go to your Sims 4 folder, right-click on the folder titled 'Saves' and then copy it. Paste your Saves folder somewhere else on your computer, like your desktop. That way you'll have a 'safe' version of your saved game in case anything goes wrong while testing.
Test Your Game Without Any Mods
Go to your Mods folder and right-click it. Again, copy it to your Desktop. Once you're sure you have a copy of your Mods folder on your Desktop, go ahead and delete the copy in your Sims 4 folder. Restart your game and play it for a few minutes. If you game runs without crashing or having errors, you know the issue is with one of your Mods. If it doesn't, you'll need to go out and repair your game (and the issue is something within your Sims 4 game itself).
How To Install Mods In Sims 3 Windows 10
Delete Script Mods
Because Script mods do the most changing in the game, they are the most likely to cause major game play errors if they're broken or out of date. Go back to your Sims 4 folder and take out any script mods (custom careers, WickedWhims, McCommand Centre, etc.) and then test your game without them. If the errors are gone, you know that one of your script mods is broken and needs to be fixed or updated.
Delete Recently Added Mods
Identifying the problematic mod can be as easy as deleting the last mod you've downloaded, if the problem cropped up after that. Paste your Mods folder back into your Sims 4 folder and then sort your files by Date Modified. Delete the most recent mod/CC and restart your game, play for a few minutes and see if your game works. If so, you've found the problem mod.
The 50/50 Method
This is pretty simple to do. Make a new folder on your desktop and just call it 'Test Mods' or something similar. Take half of the items you have in your Mods folder and paste them into this folder. Test your game and see if the problem persists. If not, you know the problem content is in that other batch of mods. If so, the trouble mod is still in your game, and you'll need to repeat the process again.
This can be a bit tedious and time-consuming, but sometimes, it's the easiest way to identify troublesome mods when you have a big folder worth of content.
If you're having trouble understanding how the 50/50 method works, view this flowchart from The Sims Wiki.
There's several ways you can organize your Mods folder. I like to do mine by categories, as seen in the picture above. This doesn't really do anything special during the gameplay, but it allows me to easily find content in my folders, install new content, and delete or update old content.
You can organise your Mods folder in any way which makes the most sense to you! You can do it by creator, by categories (like shoes, clothes, hair, etc.), or functionality (buy mode, script mods, etc.).
Keeping your Mods folder organised is highly recommended, just for easier installation/un-installation of Mods as you play The Sims 4.
Rename files to speed up your game
I believe it was back in The Sims 2 when users began noticing that if you have files in your mods folder with special characters (like @ $ # , etc.) in their name, it would slow down the game's loading screen. This still happens in The Sims 4, so the easiest way to avoid long loading times when downloading mods, is to rename any files and delete any special characters in the title.
Just right-click on the file, select rename, and then delete any special characters and spaces. Make sure you don't change the extension type (it should still end in .package).
If you have too many files to do this all manually, there's a great program called the Bulk Rename Utility which will help you rename your files easily.
How to Use the Bulk Rename Utility
Download and install the free program from here.
Once you've finished installing it, go to your Documents > Electronic Arts > Sims 4 folder and right-click on the Mods folder. Click the option that says Bulk Rename Here.
The program will open up and you'll see your Mods folder there. Highlight everything in the folder, and then go to the section that says Replace (3), just below the Mods window. In the Replace box, enter your cursor and just hit the space bar once. This will delete any spaces in the file names.
Now go to the section that says Remove (5). Tick the 'Sym.' box. This will delete any symbols.
The Mods window will illustrate what the files will look like once you're done; all spaces and special characters should be gone. Hit the Rename button on the bottom right hand corner, hit yes to all the warning boxes, and you will have succesfully renamed all your CC/Mods!
If you have sub-folders, you'll have to click into each of them individually to rename the files inside. Follow the same method described above.
Merge custom content for faster loading
This method is a bit risky, and one I only recommend to experienced modders of The Sims. Merging files really can speed up your loading time, but it can also cause issues, as there's no way to 'un-merge' files once you merge them, and if one of the files breaks within your merged file, you'll have to delete everything merged with it to get rid of the problematic file.
However, merging files can be a great way to speed up your game and organise your game even more; for example, you can merge files by creator, by date, by item type (i.e. you can merge all your custom clothes together, or all your custom hair, etc.) or whatever you like.
Warning: DO NOT MERGE .ts4script, tray files or anything but basic .package files together!
How to Use The Sims 4 Studio to Merge Files
First, you'll need to register for a free account and download the Sims 4 Studio program. The Sims 4 Studio is a free-fan made program for both Windows and Mac users.
Once you've downloaded and installed The Sims 4 Studio program on your computer, open it up and click on Tools > Merge Packages.
A window will open up. Click on the Add button and then navigate to your Mods folder in the window. Highlight all the mods you want to merge together, and select open. Click on the Merge button. The program will prompt you to rename your new merged .package file. Give it a unique name and select Save.
Once the status bar finishes (it will take longer if you have a lot of files to merge), a pop-up will appear saying you've merged the packages successfully.
The program will automatically open up to your Mods folder when done and you'll see both your newly merged .package file as well as your un-merged ones. You can safely delete the old files, OR you can copy and paste them somewhere else as a backup (for example, make an Unmerged Mods folder on your desktop and keep them there), which will make it easier if you do have to delete one of the files in the future.
In the case that you do need to delete a file that you've merged, if you've kept the un-merged files copied somewhere, simply delete the individual file you want to get rid of, and delete the merged .package file from your Mods folder. Then go back into Sims 4 Studio, merge the remaining files as explained above and then put the new merged .package file into your Mods folder.
That's the basics on how to install mods and custom content for The Sims 4, as well as how to troubleshoot, uninstall and keep your Mods folder organised! Got any questions or suggestions that I haven't covered above? Feel free to leave a comment and I'll do my best to help!
- I love downloading CC, but I can’t find any good websites that aren’t Sims resources. Do you know any good Sims custom content sites?Please have a look at my other article, The Best Free Custom Content Sites for 'The Sims 4'27
- How can I find a Sims custom content website to download from without a membership?Please check out my other article, The Best Free Custom Content Sites for 'The Sims 4' There's so many sites you can download from for free and without a membership.10
- What's the meaning of the abbreviation CC in the Sims 4?CC is custom-content; user created content (things made by Sims players like you and me!) that you can download in your game. CC can be anything from new clothes, furniture, hair and more!1
- Every time I try to download a custom content clothing it always says I need a new version for my PC and go to the software and publisher to find out what version I need and I do not know how to do that. How do I get the right version of the Sims 4?You need to update your Sims 4 game. This is the very first thing covered in the article, under the header: 'Make Sure Your Game Is Patched'16
© 2018 Brittany Brown
- i downloaded sims awhile before christmas and all my cc was working fine until a few months ago when i updated my account. Unless i have taken all my cc out of my mods or turned it off in game my sims won't load and will come up with a message saying 'sims 4 closed unexpectedly' i have a macbook air and if someone knows how to fix this i would be very thankful.
- OH WOW... IT WORKED YAY THANK YOU SO MUCH WHAT WOULD I DO WITHOUT YOU??????????????????
- Hi Brittany um i dont know which one yo download i scrolled down and it said english winrar and rar release and the mac one says Rar 5.70 for macOS (64bit) do do i download that or no
- So thank you very much! But I did have some files that were .rar and when i highlighted then with the .package files they did not show up and I was confused. If you know why I would dearly appreciate it!
- this has really helped my child to understand thank you so much because she thought that it wouldn't work with Origin but it did thank you so much x
- just started sims 4 thx to youtube content that peaked my interest..anyway, thx to your very conveniently found article i now know where to place item content. thank you.
- Wow! So helpful! I wasn't extracting my mods and I couldn't figure out why it wasn't working! Your a lifesaver, Brittany!
- Do you have to pay for cc,sorry I did not read this all
- Hello, I was wondering how you would restart the game in order to get the mods especially scripted mods?
- I dont suppose you know what folder i am looking for after I extract. Do you?
- ahhh thank you so much for this post! super concise and helpful. it made the whole process way easy
- Maybe I can get help from someone here.I've unzipped all the sims I've downloaded into my tray folder. I've turned on custom content in the game settings. It's still not showing up. How can I get my downloaded sims and custom content to show up?I've also just discovered the gallery and turned on the custom content feature.Can you use separate things from sims you've downloaded on sims you're about to create on ts4 like you can in ts3? It's not seeming like it and it's a little upsetting.
- Hello, I just got the sims 4 a few days ago, and I’ve been trying to get custom content to work, but it’s not working. I have it enabled in the options, and I tried a bunch of the things you suggested in your troubleshooting section (repairing the game on origin, deleting caches, etc.) and it still doesn’t work. It doesn’t even show a “custom content” tab in the filters for things like hair in CAS. Do you have any idea how I might get my custom content enabled? I haven’t created any sims or families yet. My game is brand new.
- i don`t know what pc we need can we just have every pc in the world i don`t know so can you tell me.
- I know how to install cc into sims 4. It was working perfectly a few months ago. Now, I go get cc but it won't go into my game. I still have the cc that I had a few months ago but no new cc will transfer into my game. Do you know what I can do?
- I freaked out during an automatic update and took my mods folder out in the middle of it. And when I went to move it back in all my mods were missing and I can't find them and no they aren't in the recycling bin :((((( Any suggestions?
- Hey all my mods are in my mods folder and I have CC enabled and script mods allowed but none of my mods are showing up in my game. They aren’t even showing up when I click “view custom content” and I don’t know what to do. Please help!!
- So, the thing I downloaded immediately jumped into the Mods folder, but I didn't see it in my game. I don't know if I have to extract it or not, and if i do, I see no extract option when right-clicking. Does anyone know how to help?
- When go to the page to download WinRAR, it gives me a lot of different options to choose from and i don't know which one to choose!
- I can't find an Electric Arts folder on my computer so where do I go?
- so, what should I do if a download asks for Easy File Opener ?
- Hi. I cant download sims 4 studio. When I try to open the page, it just says that it cannot open. what do I do? :)
- hi, I was wondering if you knew what to do if you don't download winRar, or if downloading it is the only possible way?
- It says I can't install winrar on my mac