Reinstalling Sims 3

[croth0627]

Is there any way for me to install my base game and expansions in order on Steam?

I bought the base game with Pets. Then I installed Generations, and just yesterday World Adventures.

Clearly these were installed in the wrong order, which according to the internet is bad.

After World Adventures installed, the Sims 3 Launcher broke, and I can't play at all.

I've tried ...

• Uninstalling/reinstalling the whole game (14 GB).
  
• Deleting a bunch of cache files.
  
• Verifying the game integrity (always comes back with no files missing).
  
• Stopping the Steam application and then restarting it.
  
• Updated my video drivers to the latest version.
  
• Moved my Sims 3 folder out of My Documents to see if the game would regenerate the content for me.
  
• Deleting the appropriate registry keys.
  
• Running all executables in the bin folder directly (as admin) - BTW they all just want to launch the broken launcher.
  
• Looking for logs (like the launcher tells me to) even though the Sim3LauncherLogFile.log is exactly 0 kB.
  
• Opening a ticket on Steam Support.

My experience with help desks has never been pleasant, so I'm not really banking on anything coming out of my ticket. They will probably just tell me to redo all the things I did above, just in differing combinations and orders. I'll probably lose it when they inevitably tell me to just reinstall my OS.

So anyway, does anyone know of a way to install the base game and its expansions incrementally from Steam?

I'd like to try what all the non-steam players do: install the base game, patch it to latest patch, and then install the expansions in the proper order. This seems to have a high success rate.

Is this possible?

Also, if it turns out that I just can't play this on Steam ever again, can I take my CD keys over to Origin and download/install my content incrementally from there?

And if none of this works out, do you think Steam will give me a refund since I can't play anything?

[cruinne]

There's really no way to install the EPs/SPs separately or in any particular order on Steam. It's all just one big bundle. (I just installed the base game plus all-but-one EP via Steam on a new computer three days ago, and it worked just fine, if that's any encouragement.)

That said, I doubt that the install order is what's upsetting your launcher. Remember that the launcher relies on Java, .Net, Internet Explorer, and Flash, I believe. You will definitely want to ensure all those are up to date on your computer. Also, be sure your firewall/anti-virus isn't interfering with it (it could be worth turning it off temporarily just to see if the launcher behaves, so you know whether that's an issue).

One thing you didn't mention: Entirely removing (or renaming) your Documents directory's copy of "The Sims 3" folder (inside the "Electronic Arts" folder). I'd totally move that out and have the game regenerate everything as one attempt to troubleshoot this problem.

RE: Going to Origin: You can take your Steam keys there; I'm not sure how the install order works though.

RE: Getting a refund: probably not. It's just not how it works with games these days. Pretty much once you put down the money, it's up to you to get it working, or not. (I think it's a crap system but that's just how it is.)

Finally: Steam Support is probably not the place to go for help with a broken TS3 game. You'll want to go through EA support, as terrible and unhelpful as they are. If all else fails, it's at least worth a shot so your money isn't wasted.

[croth0627]

I forgot to mention that I did try moving my Sims 3 folder completely out of My Documents. Nothing got regenerated, however, and I think its probably because the game never really got to start.

[cruinne]

I see. (There are some caches in there that can affect the launcher, afaiaa, so that's why I suggested it.)

So, when you say the "launcher broke", how far does it get? What happens? Are there any error messages?

Did you go through the PITA of updating all those dependencies the launcher has?

[Moetron]

RE: Going to Origin: You can take your Steam keys there; I'm not sure how the install order works though.
If you need the install order to be correct add the key for the base game first, then the key for the expansions in order and just incase install the expansions before adding the next expansion.