The Sims 3 and The Sims Exchange

[Sermor]

Hi everyone, then, on Linux and on EndevourOS The Sims 3 works without any particular problems (at least for me), but there is one thing that I can’t get to work: with the Steam version, using the launcher to download material various (other sims, various scenarios, houses and so on) from the sims exchange site.

On Windows 11 obviously I had no problems doing it, and I tried putting that downloaded material in the download folder on Linux (obviously the location of the folder in question changes), where the launcher then makes you select the various things and you can install them to be able to enjoy in the game. But it doesn’t work, if I put the material (in sims3.pack format I think) from windows to eos, the launcher on eos “freezes” (it goes into a sort of perpetual reading, the only option then is to exit).

Basically the Sims 3 launcher should work like qbittorrent when you go to a magnet file from the browser, a pop-up window opens and lets you choose the program that can use that file (qbittorrent or other torrent software), but in case of the sims 3 launcher this does not happen, the launcher is not detected, at least in the steam version.

Possible solutions? I have tried various compatibility, from proton 8.05 to proton experimental but the result remains the same.

[Kresimir]

@Sermor

On Windows 11 obviously I had no problems doing it, and I tried putting that downloaded material in the download folder on Linux (obviously the location of the folder in question changes), where the launcher then makes you select the various things and you can install them to be able to enjoy in the game. But it doesn’t work, if I put the material (in sims3.pack format I think) from windows to eos, the launcher on eos “freezes” (it goes into a sort of perpetual reading, the only option then is to exit).

Just a guess (I don’t play Sims), but did you setup the permissions when copying the files from NTFS to a POSIX filesystem?

[Sermor]

@Kresimir

@Sermor

On Windows 11 obviously I had no problems doing it, and I tried putting that downloaded material in the download folder on Linux (obviously the location of the folder in question changes), where the launcher then makes you select the various things and you can install them to be able to enjoy in the game. But it doesn’t work, if I put the material (in sims3.pack format I think) from windows to eos, the launcher on eos “freezes” (it goes into a sort of perpetual reading, the only option then is to exit).

Just a guess (I don’t play Sims), but did you setup the permissions when copying the files from NTFS to a POSIX filesystem?

Then, the downloaded sims3.pack files would still go into a folder within “home/user”. I haven’t touched anything there and read and write permissions are enabled, but only for the owner. The group and others do not have these permissions.

[Sermor]

Maybe I found the solution to solve the launcher problem and downloading packages from the site. I found it on protondb, obviously in the tab dedicated to the sims 3. Even if it is old, and was not made on EOS but on another distribution, the procedure described is this:

> Well, once properly setup, “The Sims 3” works perfectly under Proton, including the Launcher! There is no need to rename exe files, just install NetFx64.exe into the default 64 bit prefix. Steps to follow:

1. Navigate to “/home/***user folder***/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/47890/pfx/” (this is the Steam Proton/Wine prefix folder for “The Sims 3” (it’s a 64 bit prefix by default). Open a terminal here, and past in this command to download latest “Winetricks” script into this folder: "wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Winetricks/winetricks/master/src/winetricks"
2. download "NetFx64.exe" (Microsoft DotNet 2.0 - 64 bit) via below link, and place into your prefix folder temporarily: "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=6523"
3. This next step can be finicky... Trial and error will get you there. Using Winetricks (install Zenity for a visual interface if you prefer), and or wine config (add “winecfg” in place of the command “wine NetFx64.exe” below), remove mono package or any other DotNet applications installed by Steam in prefix. You "might" have to install Winetricks's own winetricks “Dotnet20” first (for all the registry settings etc) then delete it, and then install via “NetFx64.exe from Microsoft, via commands below:

"env WINEPREFIX=/home/***user folder***/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/47890/pfx/ winetricks dotnet20" "env WINEPREFIX=/home/***user folder***/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/47890/pfx/ wine NetFx64.exe"

The NetFx64.exe installer should give a positive confirmation of installation once complete, and does take a couple of minutes to run (there should be no errors given about .Net already being installed, otherwise try again).

4. Run through relevant optimisations on this page (read carefully): "https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1131162350"
5. Finally, install all mods, saved games, etc, and download through launcher all EA account goodies (if you already have an EA account, if not create one for the Sims 3 on this page: "https://www.thesims3.com/home.html" ).

The Launcher will enable you to install all content properly and easily, no hacks required! And, that should be that.

The person who did this procedure was using Linux MX 18.3 Continuum.

There are similar, but not exactly the same, procedures of people who used manjaro:

> Launcher crashes without tweaking

Step By Step Instructions: Functional Sims 3 Launcher (Manjaro Distro) Steam Guide @ https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2192964372

    Install Sims 3, go into properties for the game in steam and force it to use Proton 4.2 Then launch the game where it will crash, this will make Steam create the prefix for the game. Reboot after this step.

    Navigate to your prefix folder “ ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/47890/pfx/ ”

    Open a terminal in this folder (Right click, Actions) and paste this command to download latest winetricks script “ wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Winetricks/winetricks/master/src/winetricks ” Close terminal afterwards.

    Download “ NetFx64.exe ” from following link and place the file in the pfx folder “ https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=6523 ”

    In new terminal use “ WINEPREFIX=~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/47890/pfx/ ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Proton\ 4.2/dist/bin/wine64 uninstaller ” and get rid of any dotnets you find (leave Microsoft Visual C++)

    Reboot and open terminal and use “ WINEPREFIX=~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/47890/pfx/ winetricks dotnet20 ” This will install dotnet20 so follow the prompts when it comes up (if this does not open a prompt then you don’t have winetricks installed and need to install it from your package manager)

    Use “ WINEPREFIX=~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/47890/pfx/ wine ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/47890/pfx/NetFx64.exe ” and when prompted, repair install.

    Open terminal and use “ WINEPREFIX=~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/47890/pfx/ winecfg ” Set Default Settings to windows XP.

    Reboot and hit play for Sims 3 in steam, the launcher should stick around now!

I have already tried to follow a similar procedure on my own but without success. Usually I don’t use winetricks or protontricks (both of which I have installed on eos), I launch games directly from Steam or Heroic Games Launcher, or from Lutris, but in short, that’s all I have to do. So I’m a little confused, being new to the Linux environment.

In your opinion, which of the two procedures (similar but not the same) can I try to implement?

Could someone give me a hand, since I’m not yet comfortable enough to do it on my own?

Thank you all.

[Sermor]

Small update: I followed the guide for manjaro, and in addition I also installed three other software because otherwise the launcher doesn’t work (the software they are mfc42, vcrun2005, vcrun2010).

The launcher starts and the game works, but the functionality of being able to download packages and install them still doesn’t work.

[Sermor]

I read this comment on protondb. Maybe that could be the solution, since the rest didn’t work.

There he is:

Getting the Launcher to run without crashing is tricky. If I start with Proton version 6.x, experimental or GE, then it will never work. If I delete the prefix and start with Proton 5.0.10, then the Launcher will run. The prefix it creates doesn’t have a Documents directory under users/steamuser. It has “My Documents” linked to users/steamuser/Documents, but this Documents directory does not exist. So if I symlink my real /home//Documents to the users/steamuser/Documents, then the Launcher will run, the game can be run from the launcher, and it will see all of my old saves (Don’t do this if you don’t know exactly what you are doing). But even with this, it will crash if I click the Downloads button. If you just press the big triangle-play button, the game will launch.

I think there is still something wrong with the prefix that Steam/Proton creates. I have a old prefix that I created a long time ago. If I use my own wine, in this case Wine-staging 6.18, the Launcher works and is rock solid. I can add all kinds of content, and run the game anytime I want. I wish I knew what was different about this old prefix. At the end of the day, I can get it to work through Steam, but if I want stability I have to run it from outside of Steam with an old prefix.

PS Installing dotnet and this-or-that pre-requisite did not help.

The most interesting passage is this I believe.

I think there is still something wrong with the prefix that Steam/Proton creates. I have a old prefix that I created a long time ago. If I use my own wine, in this case Wine-staging 6.18, the Launcher works and is rock solid. I can add all kinds of content, and run the game anytime I want. I wish I knew what was different about this old prefix. At the end of the day, I can get it to work through Steam, but if I want stability I have to run it from outside of Steam with an old prefix.

How do I run The Sims 3 that I have on steam, outside of steam with wine 6.18?

I installed wine obviously, and also lutris.