Game Help:TS3 CC Basics
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The Sims 3 Custom Content Basics
This guide explains the basics of downloading and installing custom content for The Sims 3. It is not a full guide to every little detail, but a general overview to help you get started. It will also link you to other pages with more information, where needed.
Zip and Rar Files
A zip or rar file is what is known as an "archive" file. An archive is sort of like a folder on your computer. It has its own name and location, and it can contain other files and folders inside of it. An archive is a bit better than a folder, though, as the files inside it are compressed, so the space taken up on your computer is smaller. This also makes it faster to download, as there's less data being sent.
Opening an archive file and uncompressing the contents to use elsewhere is known as extracting. You will usually need a special program on your computer to extract from most archive files (though your computer may already know how to do this with zip files). There are many programs that can extract from archives, some better than others.
Before you get started with Sims 3 custom content, you should download and install one of these programs to extract from archives. Just save the program to your computer and double-click it to run it and install it like any program.
- (((links to programs and stuff about actually extracting goes here)))
Read About the Content
It may be tempting to just go and download a whole bunch of stuff, but it really is important to read the info about each item before you choose to download it. There's some specific things you should look for:
Game Version/Patch
Certain content may only work with specific expansion or stuff packs, and may only work with certain patch versions. This is especially important with hacks/mods (things that modify game behavior - for example, allowing kleptomaniac sims to steal stuff whenever instead of only after 7 PM) as the game's code may have changed.
A mod that worked with a previous version of the game may have unwanted behavior in later versions (for example, outdated mods might prevent your sims from doing anything but mean interactions with each other).
Compatability
Where to Look In-Game
Types of Sims 3 Files
There are three main types of files that you'll encounter in TS3
