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Instructor
Original Poster
#1 Old 29th Jul 2015 at 4:54 PM
Default Guides, advice, tips and so on for a Sims 3 beginner.
Sorry for opening this topic in the main section, but I was unable to find a more suitable one. Let me explain my "problem": I've bought Sims 3 in 2013 but I've never installed because my laptop could not running it. Anyway, I kept on buying EP (and some stuff packs) until I could afford something better, and about 2 weeks ago I finally got a new pc.
I've already downloaded everything I think useful (Store Set, Worlds, Mods and so on) but now... I'm stuck! I've almost all expansions pack (except for Seasons) and there're so many things to do that I get confused every time I open the game... I know, it sounds very silly, but I don't know what to do after creating a Sim.
I thought someone could give me some tips about best EP/career or anything else; are there any walkthrough or online guydes for beginners?
Thank you so much guys.
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Test Subject
#2 Old 29th Jul 2015 at 5:05 PM
I always start by greeting the random sims that walk past my sims house to start making friends. Then I fix a group meal for them to start my cooking skills and look for a job. A good place for walk throughs is Carl's Sims 3 Guide and right here on the forum boards.
Instructor
Original Poster
#3 Old 29th Jul 2015 at 5:19 PM
Uhm, seems to be helpful! And what about pets or supernatural? How do you decide the kind of job for your sims (if part-time, profession, pet-related...)? Anyway, I'll give a look to Carl's Guide, thanks a lot!
Test Subject
#4 Old 29th Jul 2015 at 5:30 PM
That is the great thing about the sims. The sky is the limit! Whatever you want to play today. Do you want to be a fireman or a bookstore clerk today? Failing is usually as fun as succeeding. It's an sandbox game. Just jump in and try everything.
Personally, I don't care for pets in game. They get on my nerves when they tear my furniture up. I do play supernatural sims but with limited gameplay because I fix the lunar cycle to keep zombies from going nuts in my yard. I usually use my sims life ambition to choose their career and sometimes send them to college first.
Seriously though, you can't mess it up. Just pick a course and go. You can always change jobs or adopt a pet later or create a new sim for another game. Just have fun with it. If you feel like you need some guidelines; you could check out the challenge board to see how others are playing.
Lab Assistant
#5 Old 29th Jul 2015 at 9:12 PM
Start creating really silly families.

A family of ghosts who want to hang onto the mortal plane of existance and suceed in life? Sure! An introverted, brooding yet incredibly friendly and proper fairy who just wants to have some friends but can't due to his shyness and/or drives away any suitable friends with his tendency to brood a lot? Sounds great! A Sim who still believes s/he's in the steampunk era and crafted an appropriately-themed SimBot who finds a way to go to the future, and gags at the sleek technology? I'd love to see that!

The key here is to be creative, and let yourself loose. There's nobody dictating what you should and shouldn't do(and in the event there IS someone, just ignore them - the game is a simulation sandbox), so go nuts.
Forum Resident
#6 Old 29th Jul 2015 at 10:01 PM
The easiest way to start is to use one of the EA worlds and explore. I spent days just wandering the wonderful open worlds. If your computer can handle it, get all the EPs. Check out NRAAS mods, they're great. Lots of CC, but I only use default replacements any more.
Department of Post-Mortem Communications
#7 Old 29th Jul 2015 at 10:12 PM
When I have a new world, I explore it first. And exploring for me also means getting to know my neighbours. A good job for this purpose is the ghosthunter because it will take you into all inhabited houses sooner or later and the job is easier than firefighter. 1 point in Charisma will also ensure that after a while you'll be friends with everyone when you chat with your clients after a hunting job is finished. Visiting all the pre-made houses will also teach you a few things about building and build problems if you look at them carefully.
Depending on how expensive your starter home is I wouldn't focus too much on advancing in that career. The pay is good enough to pay the bills and have money to spare. And you don't have to accept every job during a night. The advantage for me of the ghosthunter career is also that my Sim will sleep during the day. I have him/her sleep at normal speed and watch the daily life of the town by moving the camera around. TS3 takes place in an open world so you'll miss out on a lot of things by only staring at your house and your Sim(s) sleeping.
Whatever happens after this initial phase depends on what happens during that time, what Sims they meet or what wishes they role that please me. Initially you might think that you need to gather as many lifetime happiness points as possible by fulfilling every wish, but that isn't really necessary. Once you get the hang of keeping them happy the points will add up anyway and many of these rewards aren't really that desirable anyway.
Ah yes, and I'd recommend playing on a long or epic lifespan. At least for the first games. I don't like to feel rushed and I don't want my carefully crafted Sim(s) to die under my hands too soon. I want to see as much of a game first and how the traits work out together. And I have story progression turned off. I see no point in exploring my neighbours only to have story progression kill them off, move them around or drive them out of town a few days later.
Test Subject
#8 Old 29th Jul 2015 at 10:31 PM
Like someone said I suggest the Carl's Sim 3 Guide. It's a bit old (of course) They also have a new one for the Sims 4. I suggest just exploring each expansion pack one at a time. Even if this means uninstalling them and playing them one by one. Of course this is just a tactic and remember have fun
Instructor
Original Poster
#9 Old 29th Jul 2015 at 11:29 PM
Thank you everyone guys, maybe it's better to begin with one expansion pack and then using the others! Actually, in the afternoon, I've sent my Sim to Champs le Sims and I fell in love with it! I think I'll explore everything and then follow Don_Babilon advice about ghosthaunter profession.
Thanks again, I'm so happy to read your answer! I'll think less and play more :D
Lab Assistant
#10 Old 30th Jul 2015 at 1:02 AM
Might want to look here: mods to start with at nraas.

Sorry my changes stink after 6 pm EST.
Lab Assistant
#11 Old 30th Jul 2015 at 2:19 AM
you could always take a look through the challenges. some of them focus on specific aspects of gameplay that will allow you to explore that area before moving on to something else, like a farming challenge where you have to live off the gardening skill.

you could pick a skill and focus exclusively on developing it and exploring all parts of it, completing all the challenges. I did that with mixology a few months ago.

a really good way to figure out where to focus your gameplay, imo, is lifetime wishes. those tend to be related to specific aspects of the game. I think there's one for each career, there are ones that focus on developing certain skills, ones that focus on relationships between sims, ones targeted at features that game from a certain EP, like in world adventures there's a lifetime wish to fully explore six tombs in each location. that can give you a goal to work towards.

form an emotional attachment to your sims. I'm always way more interested in my sims when I have an emotional attachment to them. let your imagination fill in the gaps, come up with backstories. is there a reason your sims is shy? a loner? a good cook? eccentric? how does that affect the way they interact with the world, other sims? tell a story, even if it's just in your head (that's where mine usually stay tbh).
Mad Poster
#12 Old 30th Jul 2015 at 7:05 AM
I just recently started a new legacy in Deery Meadows and it started with sending one of the sims out exploring the town and getting to know where everything was.I've had them harvesting from the community gardens at the country market and at Garden House or fishing from the local pool which is very well-stocked with fish.I've only got the one couple living there because I have to play story progression to move any new families in when it's time for new immigrants to arrive.I'm using 88 NRaas Mod files and tons of other Mods to fix the glitches and bugs in the game that can ruin a game or glitch out the town.
Mad Poster
#13 Old 30th Jul 2015 at 10:02 AM
For storytelling's sake, I actually wish there was a mod that hides the furniture in each room in a crate that would need to be "unpacked".

Just think of it, it gives a bit more of an emphasis on settling in and getting used to the house.
Instructor
Original Poster
#14 Old 30th Jul 2015 at 2:44 PM
@veiledstar: the link is not working :/
@MysticCandy: your advice was precious, but I'm still used to Sims 2, that in my case rounds around default sims only. In Sims 3 they're no so interesting to me, but it's a wonderful idea give them a background and focusing only on a skill. I'm going to play with my Sim in Champs le Sims, I'll let you know how the game goes.
@TadOlson: Sims 3 is very glitchy, and this is one of the reasons I still prefer Sims 2. Do you actually think I need something else, aside from overwatch and story progression?
Test Subject
#15 Old 1st Aug 2015 at 3:36 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Don_Babilon
When I have a new world, I explore it first. And exploring for me also means getting to know my neighbours. A good job for this purpose is the ghosthunter because it will take you into all inhabited houses sooner or later and the job is easier than firefighter. 1 point in Charisma will also ensure that after a while you'll be friends with everyone when you chat with your clients after a hunting job is finished. Visiting all the pre-made houses will also teach you a few things about building and build problems if you look at them carefully.
Depending on how expensive your starter home is I wouldn't focus too much on advancing in that career. The pay is good enough to pay the bills and have money to spare. And you don't have to accept every job during a night. The advantage for me of the ghosthunter career is also that my Sim will sleep during the day. I have him/her sleep at normal speed and watch the daily life of the town by moving the camera around. TS3 takes place in an open world so you'll miss out on a lot of things by only staring at your house and your Sim(s) sleeping.
Whatever happens after this initial phase depends on what happens during that time, what Sims they meet or what wishes they role that please me. Initially you might think that you need to gather as many lifetime happiness points as possible by fulfilling every wish, but that isn't really necessary. Once you get the hang of keeping them happy the points will add up anyway and many of these rewards aren't really that desirable anyway.
Ah yes, and I'd recommend playing on a long or epic lifespan. At least for the first games. I don't like to feel rushed and I don't want my carefully crafted Sim(s) to die under my hands too soon. I want to see as much of a game first and how the traits work out together. And I have story progression turned off. I see no point in exploring my neighbours only to have story progression kill them off, move them around or drive them out of town a few days later.


I really like your ideas. Sometimes it seems like I play the same way over and over. I think it helps also to try playing the way someone else does for a change of pace and I think I will create a sim and try it your way. Might break up the monotony a bit.
Field Researcher
#16 Old 3rd Aug 2015 at 5:23 AM
I agree as well. I've been playing for a long time and I sometimes lose my way.
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