I've been playing Sims 3 on and off but it's glitchy and basically my laptop, though it plays the base game well, cannot handle Generations and its bugs. The latest problem I have is that my items are rendering in grey when I zoom from the town to the house and its just ruining my game play enjoyment.

I'm tired of watching my sims drive invisible cars, walk around with invisible trays, and sleep on invisible beds..

So, I am considering going back to Sims 2.

I have every expansion for Sims 2 (except my Apartment life has gone missing which is bound to happen when you move every year).

I see there is so much amazing *new to me* CC out there and I can make my Sims 2 people look awesome.

I realize these are 2 different games but in so many ways, I think Sims 2 is better.

To each their own, I like to say. It's great that you've decided to play TS2! I agree that cc is pretty much the best thing since sliced bread (once i discovered that i could have more hair in my game- it really irked me that i had to keep using the same hair because i only liked 2, i was overly happy haha)

I totally understand. I gave up on Sims 3 right before Generations came out. Sims 2 has all the expansion packs and all the mods/hacks you could ever want. It's all I play anymore.

If you're looking for our approval, you came to the right board.

I know how you feel. Sims 3 was a huge headache for my laptop, and I have a special place in my heart for good ole' Sims 2 anyway. Plus who can resist the damn awesome CC for Sims 2!

M&G has issues if installed without AL, so be sure to either get and install another copy of AL, or omit M&G.

Welcome back!

Welcome back to the cool side! Muahahahaha...*coughs*

I have MG installed without AL and ive never had an issue with it

it's the cc that "made" my game!! I got soooo bored playing it 'vanillia' I had just about given it up, but 'discovering' MTS (one awesome thing I learned from the BBS) opened so many play options, gorgeous cc & challenges!!! so welcome home!

My best friend sold her sims 2 game to get sims 3 and sims 3 world adventures. It didn't glitch o anything but sims 3 sims are so ugly! (pudding faces) and all the rabbit hole buildings got annoying. It was so fun on sims 2, yes ther were loading screens but it was worth the wait, you could go shopping, swimming, clubbing, run your own businesses etc.

Plus the cc is better!

I played my old backed up Sims 2 games last night after a week of playing Adventures only. Made me realize how superior Sims 2 is to Sims 3 in terms of Sims looks, communication, expressing emotions, even walking. CC installation is a piece of cake with Sims 2 (I did love the pattern method of recoloring in Sims 3 though, would be awesome to have it in TS2).

TS3 is going to rest on a shelf for awhile :D

I think it's nice to switch back and forth really. I still enjoy playing both but I can't play either one for too long.

Just thinking back to when i got sims 3... I remember being so excited for it and i got home and played it and.... i remember I thought the graphics were great, especially the water, i liked CAS and the traits, and i also really enjoyed (and still enjoy) building homes, but mostly just outdoor landscaping. But after that, the things i liked stopped. I think the only reason i played the game was to create sims with my friend. And after a while i stopped playing TS3 altogether. So ive been a happy TS2 player for years

Cheers for the replies/encouragement. I was looking forward to playing it but...

Now I have issues with loading past Sims2 since I have Windows 7. I know this area is not for help, but all I need is a link to how to solve it (I am computer literate and I have been googling for help but...)

The Sims 2 is absolutely compatible with Windows 7. Your problem is something else.

Since my game just kept crashing and the solutions were waaaaaaaay to complicated, I gave up on TS3. I will never stop playing TS2 and I'm glad you came back to the anti-mainstream side . lol

If your PC has a multi-core processor (duel core, quad core, etc), you will need to set the affinity of the processor to get it to work right. You can find out how to set affinity here.
That was the problem with my game. My PC has duel core and the game was lagging like crazy.

If that doesn't help, your can do a pc checkup with the info found on this page.

I hope this helps.

PS: I bought Sims 3 when it first came out. Three days later, the long load times and glitching not to mention the cartoonish look of the sims was enough to convince me to uninstall sims 3 and go back to sims 2. I haven't missed sims 3 yet.

This is good to know. I thank you all, I just didn't have time to fiddle with the computer settings today. I plan on doing it later or tomorrow.

Welcome home! I played TS3, I liked it, but I just can't stand CAF and the graphics in general. It's partially because of my computer, but I don't think I could stand it even if I had a new computer.

Every now and then I think i want to go back to sims 3 for the new Eps. I just have the original. I loved the ability to recolor everything. it was so cool. But then, i remember that I actually hated the game itself. So, i stay with sim 2, the sims i truly love.

the ability to recolour everything is great but would waste a lot of time if you were to recolour many or every single item or sim content.

For lazy people the drag pattern tool is amazing

I would be lost without it

I feel the exact same way, I am reinstalling the sims 2 as we speak!

I agree that TS2 is better.


I know this is a little off-topic, but do you think I should re-install University? I have everything except for that Expansion in my current game; one thing I just hated was having to play that extra lifespan, but TS3 players seem to be desperate for a college expansion.

You're not obligated to send teens to Uni, and there are hacks to squash Uni-related Wants/Fears, if those bug you.

I wouldn't willingly play without any of the EPs myself, because even if I don't utilize the main features of some of them (like businesses in OFB, or apartments in AL), each one brings something to the table that's well worth having.

Wish I could give examples, but I've been playing the full game for so long, I forget a lot of details about what comes with each EP. I just know they're all important to me for various reasons.