At all.
I've followed this website direction too (game help: installing sims 2 package files/not working) and it still doesn't work. Only CC does.
Maybe it's because my sims 3 is pirated? Dont seem to find people with mods trouble on their pirated sims 3 on google.
When i opened the application (with nointro on my packages folder) the intro still appeared, same with any other mods (i have put alot before, nraas, slider etc. same outcome) i've put, even if its alone. When i came to the main menu there's no message popping out with mods acknowledgement either. The folders are named correctly, i have resource.cfg from this web, all of the mods are in .packages already (unzipped), caches deleted, downloaded suitable mods for my 1.63 patch, i have followed everything.
Please help! ><
No EP just Sims 3.
Screenshots of my sims 3 folder have been uploaded on files.

My Game Version (copied from my skuversion.txt):
GameVersion = 1.0.632.00002
Code:0.DL-0.0.11195
Asset:1.Content.Devtest.1397
Thumbnails:1.Thumbnail.dl.933
TCC:1.TCC.dl.1209
CiderVersion#002432

My Resource.cfg:
Priority 501
DirectoryFiles Files/... autoupdate
Priority 500
PackedFile Packages/*.package
PackedFile Packages/*/*.package
PackedFile Packages/*/*/*.package
PackedFile Packages/*/*/*/*.package
PackedFile Packages/*/*/*/*/*.package
Priority 499
PackedFile Test/*.package
PackedFile Test/*/*.package
PackedFile Test/*/*/*.package
PackedFile Test/*/*/*/*.package
PackedFile Test/*/*/*/*/*.package
Priority -50
PackedFile Probation/*.package
PackedFile Probation/*/*.package
PackedFile Probation/*/*/*.package
PackedFile Probation/*/*/*/*.package
PackedFile Probation/*/*/*/*/*.package
Priority 500
PackedFile DCCache/*.dbc

Alright I saw some "how to install mods" tutorial on youtube where the computer they used acknowledge their .package files as sims3 package on the type section, with thumbnails on each package.
Mine's just a blank white .package file.
Though some had the same blank white as mine in other videos and it doesnt seem to stop them from working.

I've tried to run the application as administrator and the mods still doesnt show up (if it seems silly i'll have you know that the desperation is real).
Will try to delete my cc first and re-installing the mods only to see if it works then.

Update: Doesnt work, the more I played around with this the more my game crashed (it exits all of a sudden after loading the household) that cleaning the folder doesnt help. Have re-installed the entire game again and tried the mods, still doesnt work.

Those tutorials where .package file have icons means that the maker of the tutorial had 'associated' .package files with the s3pe utility.

That is not needed to make .package files work.