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The Sims 3 Guide

Discussion in 'Guides' started by booman, Feb 19, 2016.

  • by booman, Feb 19, 2016 at 12:40 PM
  • booman

    booman Grand High Exalted Mystic Emperor of Linux Gaming Staff Member

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    sims89.jpg

    Create your own family in The Sims 3 and micro-manage everything from their daily tasks, clothes they wear, house they live in to parties, careers and marriage. Anything can happen to your family and everything will. Design each characters look, personality and age in a life simulation and social simulation.

    sims94.jpg

    Follow my step-by-step guide on installing, configuring and optimizing The Sims 3 in Linux with PlayOnLinux.

    Note: This guide applies to the Origin version of The Sims 3. Other versions may require additional steps.

    Tips & Specs:

    To learn more about PlayOnLinux and Wine configuration, see the online manual: PlayOnLinux Explained

    Mint 17.3 64-bit
    PlayOnLinux: 4.2.10
    Wine: 1.8

    Wine Installation

    Click Tools
    Select "Manage Wine Versions"
    wine01.png

    Look for the Wine Version: 1.8
    Select it
    Click the arrow pointing to the right
    wine02.png

    Click Next

    Downloading Wine
    wine04.png

    Extracting

    Downloading Gecko
    wine05.png

    Installed
    wine06.png

    Wine 1.8 is installed and you can close this window

    Download OriginSetup.exe

    Go to: https://www.dm.origin.com/download/legacy
    Navigate to your desktop
    Click Save
    simsthree01.png

    PlayOnLinux Setup

    Launch PlayOnLinux
    Click Install
    simsthree02.png

    Click "Install a non-listed program"
    simsthree03.png

    Click Next

    Select "Install a program in a new virtual drive"
    Click Next
    simsthree05.png

    Name your virtual drive: sims3
    Click Next
    simsthree06.png

    Check all three options:
    • Use another version of Wine
    • Configure Wine
    • Install some libraries
    Click Next
    simsthree07.png

    Select 1.8
    Click Next
    simsthree08.png

    Select "32 bits windows installation"
    Click Next
    simsthree09.png

    Wine Configuration

    Applications Tab
    Windows version: Windows XP
    simsthree10.png

    Graphics Tab
    Check "Automatically capture the mouse in full-screen windows"
    Check "Emulate a virtual desktop"
    Desktop size: 1920x1080
    Click OK
    simsthree11.png

    Note: Set the resolution to match your Linux Desktop

    Installing Packages (Libraries, Components, DLL's)

    Check the following packages:
    • POL_Install_corefonts
    • POL_Install_d3dx9
    • POL_Install_tahoma
    • POL_Install_vcrun2008
    • POL_Install_vcrun2010
    • POL_Install_vcrun2012
    Click Next
    simsthree12.png

    Note: All packages will automatically download and install

    Click Browse

    Installing Origin Client

    Navigate to your Desktop
    Select OriginSetup.exe
    Click Open
    simsthree14.png

    Click Next Again

    Uncheck all options:
    Click Install
    simsthree17.png

    Check "I have read and accept..."
    Click OK
    simsthree19.png

    At this point the client will try to launch, but nothing will happen...
    Origin will lock-down the Origin folder and is waiting

    We can fix that, just leave Wine where its at for now

    Origin Directory Permissions

    Go to the Origin Directory
    Path: /home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/Origin/Drive_C/Program Files/
    Right click
    Select Properties
    simsthree20.png

    Click Folder Access Dropdown under "Owner"
    Select "Create and delete files"

    Click the File Access Dropdown under "Owner"
    Select "Read and Write"

    Click "Apply Permissions to Enclosed Files"
    Click Close
    simsthree21.png

    Open the Origin directory
    Delete these files:
    • igoproxy.exe
    • igoproxy64.exe
    simsthree23.png

    Origin Login will now appear in Wine
    Login to Origin
    Check "Remember Me"
    simsthree24.png

    Disable Overlay

    Click Origin
    Click Application Settings
    simsthree25.png

    Click "Origin In Game"
    Uncheck "Enable Origin In Game"
    simsthree27.png

    Installing/Downloading The Sims 3

    Click My Games
    Select The Sims 3
    Click Download
    simsthree37.png

    Uncheck "Create start menu shortcut"
    Uncheck "Create desktop shortcut"
    Click Continue
    simsthree38.png

    Check "I have read an accept..."
    Click Continue
    simsthree39.png

    Sims 3 downloading...
    simsthree40.png

    When The Sims 3 is finished downloading, Origin may crash
    Click Exit Origin
    simsthree29.png

    The Sims 3 Shortcut

    Select "Sims3Launcher.exe"
    Click Next
    simsthree45.png

    Name the shortcut: Sims 3
    Click Next
    simsthree46.png

    Select "I don't want to make another shortcut"
    Click Next
    simsthree47.png

    Close Origin

    PlayOnLinux Configure

    Select Origin
    Click Configure
    simsthree30.png

    General Tab
    Wine version: 1.8
    simsthree34.png

    Note: Click the + to download other versions of Wine. Click the down arrow to select other versions of Wine

    Display Tab
    Video memory size: Enter the amount of memory your video card/chip uses
    simsthree35.png

    Close Configure

    Launch Origin
    simsthree36.png

    Note: Click Debug to see errors and bugs

    Optimization

    Launch The Sims 3
    simsthree42.png

    Once in game
    Click the settings button
    Click Options
    simsthree43.png

    Adjust:
    • Fullscreen
    • Screen Size
    • Screen Refresh Rate
    • Enable Object Hiding
    • Reflection Quality
    • Edge Smoothing
    • Visual Effects
    • Lighting and Shadows
    • Tree Detail
    • Animation Smoothing
    • Advanced Rendering
    • Draw Distance
    • High Detail Lots
    • Texture Detail
    • Sim Detail
    Click the Checkmark to apply
    simsthree44.png

    Conclusion:
    The Sims 3 runs almost flawlessly on my GeForce 550 Ti. I've experienced a random crash, but its very rare. Loading and saving is fairly slow, so be patient. I was able to create several family, navigate in the world, save game, load games, adjust video settings and use the keyboard/mouse without issues.

    Screenshots:
    sims81.jpg

    sims82.jpg

    sims84.jpg

    sims85.jpg

    sims88.jpg

    sims90.jpg

    sims91.jpg
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2017
    Joy and mrdeathjr28 like this.
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Comments

Discussion in 'Guides' started by booman, Feb 19, 2016.

  1. mrdeathjr28
    very good guide of this excellent game, actually runs very good and good screens too

    :)
    booman likes this.
  2. booman
    Thanks as always MrDeathJr! My kids love this game and play it all the time.
  3. Kiersten Shelby
    This was a great guide and worked to download my sims game, but the game won't play at all. It loads origin like it's nothing but when I press play there, nothing. Is there something I am doing wrong?
  4. booman
    Welcome to the forum Kiersten. What distro are you using? Also, can you play any other games in PlayOnLinux?
  5. Kiersten Shelby
    I have Zorin os and sims is the only game I have on my computer. Nothing more... Other than the expansions and I still haven't downloaded those yet.
  6. booman
    Ok, I have not heard of Zorin OS, but there are a few things I need to confirm so you can play games.
    1. Did you install 32-bit libraries in Zorin OS?
    2. Did you install Nvidia/AMD/Intel video drivers?
    3. What video chip/card are you using?
    4. What version of PlayOnLinux are you using?
    Most Linux distro's are 64-bit and most games still require 32-bit libraries in order to run. I'm not sure how to install them in Zorin, but it is a good idea to look for them. Search for:
    • ia32-libs
    • multiarch
    Also if you want to play games, make sure the video drivers are installed. Without them you won't be able to use most 3D enhanced features the card/chip provides.

    Make sure you have installed plain-old Wine first, before setting up your first game in PlayOnLinux.
  7. Kiersten Shelby
    Either intel or nvidia video drivers and intel hd graphics card. It let me install the 32-bit virtual drive so I think so. Lastly the version of Playonlinux I have is 4.2.2
  8. Kiersten Shelby
    Plain stupid question on my end... Does it matter that I have Java instead of adobe?
  9. booman
    Definitely update your version of PlayOnLinux to 4.2.10
    Looks like Zorin is based on Ubuntu, so download this version of PlayOnLinux and installed it:
    Download PlayOnLinux

    You will need to install Wine first of course, then install the package: xterm
    For some reason PlayOnLinux requires it.

    Now in order to install the 32-bit libraries you will have to use the Terminal (command line).

    1. Open Terminal
    2. copy/paste this code:
      Code:
      sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
    3. Press Enter
    4. Enter your password
    5. copy/paste this code:
      Code:
      sudo apt-get update
    6. Press Enter
    7. copy/paste this code:
      Code:
      sudo apt-get install libasound2:i386 libasound2-plugins:i386 libfontconfig1:i386 lib32nss-mdns libgnutls26:i386 libxslt1.1:i386 libxcursor1:i386 libxcomposite1:i386 libosmesa6:i386 libopenal1:i386 libmpg123-0:i386 libldap-2.4-2:i386 liblcms2-2:i386 libgstreamer0.10-0:i386 libgstreamer-plugins-base0.10-0:i386 libgsm1:i386 libxinerama1:i386 libxi6:i386 libv4l-0:i386 libsane:i386 libudev1:i386 libxml2:i386 libcups2:i386 libxrandr2:i386 libice6:i386 libsm6:i386
    8. Press Enter
    This should install all the necessary 32-bit libraries for Zorin. I would restart as well.
  10. booman
    Updated the Origin Legacy installer for Windows XP

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