Using Disc DLC With Steam Base Game?

[Queen Yeet]

I tried googling this subject but the ony answers that came up were 3/4+ years old so I was hoping for a present day answer; Is there any way to install an expansion pack via disc with the steam version of Sims 3?

More indepth, I have Ambitions and World Adventures on disc (as well as a couple of stuff packs) from when I previously played Sims 3. However, in the recent sale, I picked up the Base game + Generations, Pets and Seasons bundle and the Supernatural Expansion. I don't want to pay more money buying Ambitions again when I technically already own it, so is there a way to install it with the disc and have it usable with The Sims 3 through steam?

Can I just install it as I normally would and then the Sims 3 client would accept it? Or would I need to do something else? In the old threads, Origin was mentioned and the serial keys, but if I registered them with Origin, would I need to reinstall all of The sims 3 and its DLC's? Cause if so I won't bother.

Really I just wanna know if I can or can't use the disc to install Ambitions (and maybe World Adventures). If I can't, is there a reason why? Thank you for any help!

[erik.geirnaert]

I amfacing the same problem as you describe. When trying to install from disc the packages i own it was said that it needed an" installed copy of the base game " and did not proceed further. I made an attempt and installed also the base game that i owned on disc and after that you can indeed install the DLC but.... you don't find back the content in the game + DLC started up through steam... So it looks as you have 2 different versions of the game running on the PC ....
No communication in between both ...Find this also unacceptable.

[wim1234]

of course not, you have 2 games of them now, in the non steam you installed the rest, thats not in steam ofcourse., its totally different locations and folders on your hd.
you should install the discs in the steam dir..if thats possible, or,
with some clever moving over of folders, it is doable iprobably

the extra stuff in the doc folder is the same for both versions, that might give
a problem with saves.
so it dont think its wise to run the 2 vesrions side by side...and lets hope some other ppl will chime in.
its a bit of a weird situation now, versionnumbers are not the same too.

[cruinne]

There is a means of running the Steam Sims base game + disk EPs/SPs, though it involves editing your registry. See this guide for the details:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=628506758

[erik.geirnaert]

Hi Wim , thanks for the comments. I had already thought about it and installed the disc game n my usual steam folder. After that i downloaded the game and DLC online which were installed automatiocally in same folder. I could also install te disc DLC which i own ( 3) but it was not possible to do that in same folder (the install program refused to do that) so hey were installed on another location. I got 2 options to start the program : 1 = steam with results of all the DLC bought from them and 2 the start from my disc game with its DLC coming from disc....The problem lays there that the discs DLC in 1st instance don't rzcognize the Steam game as an installed copy and 2 (with the workaround I did) the disc DLC don't want to install in the steam game folder. Obviously this is not right because everytrhing was paid for ( the game even twice...)

[erik.geirnaert]

Hi "Cruinne",

thanks for yr info but frankly speaking this operation is a bit too complex for me...The result is in this case not justifying the means... Would prefer to buy the DLC again from steam but when i checked this at noon the price had come to original again and that is really not possible to pay for for a 5 to 6 years old program. When steam allows me to buy at the promotion price of yesterday they can give me advise.

[cruinne]

LoL, double quotes around my username as if I'm pretending to be her? Okey dokey.

I see where you're coming from. Unfortunately EA doesn't allow Origin or disk-purchased keys to be registered to Steam. The next sale will (likely) be around Christmas time, though sometimes they surprise us with a Midweek Madness, like this past week.

[erik.geirnaert]

Hi Cruinne,

you have it probably right but i think Steam should inform the buyers explicitily about this in their offers. Thanks for participating in this subject!

[Hydra_360ci]

Why go thru all that trouble getting it working on the Steam version?
CD-key of the Steam version are redeemable through Origin.
The Retail Disk CD-key will be redeemable via. Origin, as well.
Origin is also using a newer patch version.

Only advantages that Steam has over Origin is when stuff is on sale and the download servers.

As for steam telling you that Steam DLC's only applies to Steam games..... The warning in purple says that.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/249180/

There is also a disclaimer on the bottom explaining about registering the Steam's CD-key to an EA account. Only thing that Steam doesn't state is that EA accounts and Origin's account can be linked together. That info can be found on the EA site. Or is told to you when using the same email address for both EA and Origin, during the second registration process (which ever that is, Origin or EA).

http://answers.ea.com/t5/Skate-Games/Linking-EA-account/m-p/1972#M1

Steam is under no obligation of redeeming outside sources of EA games and has no control of what EA chooses to do with Steam's CD-keys that EA sells them.

In short, Steam doesn't tell you because they don't wish to do Origin any favors.... Steam and Origin don't see eye to eye. I think Mass Effect 3 was the final straw with Steam, of how EA's sells DLC content in-game which bypasses sales thru Steam. Sims 3 is the last game that is still available on Steam still able to do that, by the looks of it. Likely due to a contract loop hole.

[cruinne]

And... it's EA that stops the redemption of EA/Disk keys on Steam, not Steam. Steam does it for many games from other publishers; EA just chooses not to allow it.

[erik.geirnaert]

Hi Hydra,,

yr suggestion through Origin solved the problem. Thks

[Hydra_360ci]

Originally posted by cruinne:

And... it's EA that stops the redemption of EA/Disk keys on Steam, not Steam. Steam does it for many games from other publishers; EA just chooses not to allow it.

I don't know anything about that, I just know that it was Steam that decided to quit selling Mass Effect 3.

[marstinson]

Originally posted by Hydra_360ci:

I don't know anything about that, I just know that it was Steam that decided to quit selling Mass Effect 3.

Doubtful. ME3 released at about the same time that Origin came out, so was Origin-only. I was one of the suckers who pre-ordered, so if it had been available on Steam, I would have purchased it here and it's not in my library. ME and ME2 are, even though I typically play them through Origin to avoid the DLC installation hassle. Steam sells what EA allows them to sell, redeems what EA allows them to redeem, and all under the conditions that EA permits, so EA exercises the control in that relationship and there isn't much Steam can do about it if they want to get their cut of the sale.