TS3 CC Organization Strategy - Part 2
Date Posted: 9th Oct 2009 at 8:38 AM
Views: 201
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The strategy
You can edit the resource.cfg file to suit your organizing preferences. The items loaded by the game all have low priority (in the negatives), so the priority levels set here will determine that the packages will overwrite game data. Mine is setup like this:
Priority 500
PackedFile Mods/Packages/*.package
PackedFile Mods/Packages/*/*.package
PackedFile Mods/Packages/*/*/*.package
PackedFile Mods/Packages/*/*/*/*.package
PackedFile Mods/Packages/*/*/*/*/*.package
Priority 499
PackedFile Mods/ModTest/*.package
Priority -50
PackedFile Mods/Probation/*.package
and my folder structure is like this in my game root \Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 :\Mods\ModTest
\Packages\BuildMode\Chimney
\Door, Window, Column
\Roof
\Stair, Fence, Rail
\... \BuyMode\Bath
\Decor
\Hacked
\Kitchen
\... \CAS\Accessories
\Clothing
\Hair
\Shoes
\... \Hacks <---- awesomemod, nomosaic, etc here
\Misc <---- HUDNavigation, etc here
\NHoods <---- Riverview here
\Patterns\Wood
\Mosaic
\Tile
\... \Sets\Ultralounge
\... \Probation
You do not have to specify the folder name in the resource.cfg (the * will accept anything), just the folder's structure needed to be categorized by content-type (otherwise, why bother). I have only gone down two levels deep, as I do not organize by site or creator name; you can do that if you prefer.
Downloading...., else what is there to Organize?
I organize my Downloads folder by site and creator name outside of the game folder structure. But I don't organize the creators' creations by content-type as I would do that in the mods\package. Well...unless the creator is a prolific inventor and I love ALL and HAVE to have them, then it is organized so I can easily see at a glance what I already have (usually by following the creator's categories on their site).
My downloads folder is in my backup drive F:\ with this structure\MyDocument\Sims3Downloads\mts (no creator sub-folder because download has it in the filename)
\maty\creator1
\creator2
\... \grat\creator1
\creator2
\... \sitename.com (to remember where I download from, matches the sitename on my browser's Bookmarks)\creator1
\creator2
\... \...
Some tips:- Removing CC is a simple matter of deleting the .package file from the folder, and That's It! No cache/thumbnail removal bla bla bla. Only when I get a crash-to-desktop when loading a saved game, do I do that whole procedure, but normally the 3booter.exe does it for me.
- If you're on Vista OS, and am not so computer literate, do not install games in the \Program Files\. Even if UAC recognizes you as Admin, some of the settings are just too wonky to be fiddled with, especially if you don't know what you're doing. Install games outside the system's folder structure that will not check for security permission, like in C:\Games\ for example.
- When building lots or creating Sims for uploads, if you want to control the amount of CC links you need to credit, move ALL Buy/Build/CAS/Sets CC out of the \mods\package\ folder, and you are left with base-game content. If you want to use certain CC, then leave ony those behind. You can then create to your heart's content with manageable amount of CC creators to credit. Remember to restore the CC after you've uploaded your creation.
- If you get downloads in .Sims3Pack format, use an extractor utility to get at the .package files and you can then move them into the appropriate CC sub-folder for that CC type
- I occasionally drop by to check on sites if the downloads have been updated due to bugs or incorrect behavior in-game. Before removing the previous version, I'd back that up to desktop and load the new .package into modtest and then verify if the claimed corrections do not crash my game even worse.
- Do not install CC in one go - very, very bad idea!! TS3 is still new and some CC are known to cause problems because we still do not know how the game's innards will be affected. Some CC will also clash with others as noted above. So, always try to load one type at a time or in case of hacks or hair (known to be most problematic), load one-at-a-time.
So that's it! Thanks for sticking with my rambling...
do comment on your own experiences in organizing CC, which strategy your prefer (Launcher or manual), questions/problems you have or just drop a note if I helped or give you some ideas to create your own CC-organizing strategy.
Happy simming, all! :D
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