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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 5th Jun 2020 at 7:32 AM
Default Origin vs. Steam
Are there any benefits to playing The Sims 3 on Origin vs. Steam? (Aside from v1.69 vs. v1.67 of the patch.) I'm not familiar with either source, so any information is helpful!

Origin offers a few of the worlds like Hidden Springs, Dragon Valley, Roaring Heights, etc., whereas Steam does not. Both have all the EPs and SPs. Price-wise, everything's $19.99, but each has different purchase/bundle options --

Origin:
The Sims 3 Starter Pack (only way to get the base game) $19.99 - includes base game, Late Night Expansion Pack, and High-End Loft Stuff Pack
The Sims 3 Expansion Bundle $19.99 - includes The Sims 3 World Adventures Expansion Pack, The Sims 3 Generations Expansion Pack, and Jet Set pack bonus content
The Sims 3 Worlds Bundle $19.99 - includes The Sims 3 Hidden Springs, The Sims 3 Monte Vista, and Chocolate Fountain bonus content

Steam:
The Sims 3 Plus Pets $29.99 - includes base game and Pets Expansion Pack

Origin seems to have better deals right now, though either of the EP-contained ones have EPs i'd get at some point.

*Susan*
Sims 3: Laura Bow, Lillian Prune, and Steve Dorian by me!
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 5th Jun 2020 at 7:01 PM
The game files for both patch levels are identical except for their internal build numbers. The only differences are that under Origin/1.69, you must use Origin to start the game, it hands off to the Launcher (also required) and you get a pack selector interface where you can choose which packs you want to load each session. In reality, it keeps forgetting which ones you select and for many players it keeps forgetting which ones we even have installed so many regard the required Origin/Launcher tie-in as a complete waste of time. On Steam/1.67, the game can still be started without using the Launcher at all.

Steam runs deep discount sales several times each year. Some are unscheduled surprises, but the next one up is probably the annual summer sale beginning in the last week of June during which the base game and all of the EP/SPs can be as much as 70-80% off (so that's usually like $4 or $5 each, USD).

The store worlds and other forms of store content are not expansion packs and can still be purchased by way of Origin (for the worlds that are sold this way) or store points and used on Steam installs. For the ones sold this way, Origin is merely acting as a purchasing agent. The player gets a code that can be redeemed for the worlds on the store site, the worlds aren't actually installed by way of Origin for anyone.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#3 Old 7th Jun 2020 at 5:44 AM
Thank you for the information! Very helpful.

*Susan*
Sims 3: Laura Bow, Lillian Prune, and Steve Dorian by me!
Test Subject
#4 Old 11th Jun 2020 at 10:08 AM
Can you run both?

So that you can buy cheaper EP/SP on Steam an then run the game through Origin (I already have Origin).
Mad Poster
#5 Old 11th Jun 2020 at 11:46 AM
Quote: Originally posted by girlgamine
Can you run both?

So that you can buy cheaper EP/SP on Steam an then run the game through Origin (I already have Origin).

We cannot install both for the same computer user at the same time, or rather we shouldn't because both installs will fight over the same user game folder. And the two different kinds of pack installs cannot be mixed and matched.

If you purchase, but not install, the base game on Steam, that will allow you to then purchase all of the packs you wish to acquire that way. Steam throws in Origin codes at no extra cost due to its long-running agreement with EA to do so, and then those codes can be added to an Origin install. Note that this only works if you at least temporarily have a Windows version of the Steam client, not on the macOS because Steam does not officially carry the Mac version of the game.

If you register the otherwise useless extra base game, and WA if you purchase that one, on the TS3 store site, then you get 1,000 store points for each as that offer is still being honored.
Test Subject
#6 Old 11th Jun 2020 at 1:57 PM
Thank you.
Inventor
#7 Old 11th Jun 2020 at 6:00 PM
I something that needs to be said is that the Steam version is DRM free. You only need to run it once from Steam so it creates all the registry entries (you may need to run it again if you install new packs). After that, you can simply run it from the TS3W.exe without having Steam on the background and totally bypassing the Launcher (which is not possible with the Origin version).
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