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Field Researcher
Original Poster
#1 Old 2nd Jan 2018 at 7:49 PM
Sims on Steam OS. (Or Ubuntu)
So the computer my sims 3 stuff is currently on is getting old. What used to fly like an eagle now has only slightly more computing power than the average potato.

My Fiance gave me his old gaming computer. It's no longer powerful enough for his needs, but I can keep a whole host of casual games I like on there. The only problem is it has two operating systems I can switch between, Ubuntu and Steam OS. Ubuntu has almost no gaming capabilities, but Steam OS sounds promising if I can get it to work. The regular Steam utility works on Ubuntu, but most games are unplayble due to OS incompatibility.

So, my conundrum here is that neither of these operating systems are widely used by Simmers to play. I also have a boatload of Mods installed, and I want to save them if I can.

I come here asking for help on the following topics:

-Does Origin work on Ubuntu?
-If I upload my current Sims 3 games to Steam and open them in Ubuntu, will they be playable or allow me to install mods?
-Should I shell out for a third operating system just to play the sims?
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 2nd Jan 2018 at 8:01 PM
You have two operating systems and neither of them are Windows? Yeah that's gonna be problem. I mean, you could get OS X too but I don't know how much you hate yourself.
Either way, TS3 won't work on what you've got. I've heard stories of TS3 working on Linux-based systems, but there's so many emulators and shells and requirements you'll need for it to work that it's probably way more effort than it's worth.

insert signature here
( Join my dumb Discord server if you're into the whole procrastination thing. But like, maybe tomorrow. )
Scholar
#3 Old 2nd Jan 2018 at 8:03 PM Last edited by mithrak_nl : 2nd Jan 2018 at 8:19 PM.
SteamOS is kind of Ubuntu+steam in big picture mode.

EDIT :
Quote: Originally posted by GrijzePilion
You have two operating systems and neither of them are Windows? Yeah that's gonna be problem. I mean, you could get OS X too but I don't know how much you hate yourself.
Either way, TS3 won't work on what you've got. I've heard stories of TS3 working on Linux-based systems, but there's so many emulators and shells and requirements you'll need for it to work that it's probably way more effort than it's worth.

Both SteamOS and Ubuntu is linux. But yeah, if you want to use playonlinux to get TS3 and Origin running, that requires some googling if you are not used to linux.
Quote: Originally posted by stormcat3
-Does Origin work on Ubuntu?

I know that some have TS3 working using WINE or playonlinux. As the computer was from your fiance you might want to ask him to do some googling about this.
Quote: Originally posted by stormcat3
-If I upload my current Sims 3 games to Steam and open them in Ubuntu, will they be playable or allow me to install mods?

If you already have TS3 and expansions on Steam and you want to use your savegames there, then yes. But you can't add Origin TS3 to Steam unfortunately. Anyway, if you get Origin and TS3 running on linux , then there is no need to even use Steam for TS3.
Quote: Originally posted by stormcat3
-Should I shell out for a third operating system just to play the sims?

I can't answer that for you But you can buy OEM licenses for Win 10 Pro for cheap. But for that you have to download the installation files from Microsoft. This is officially for when you build your own PC, but how can Microsoft tell if you didn't do that yourself :p
Top Secret Researcher
#4 Old 2nd Jan 2018 at 9:29 PM
I run Sims 3 on Linux Mint 18.2; both my Steam Install and my Origin install. I can run Steam for Windows and Origin on Mint 18.2 as well.
What I did is used Play on Linux an installed Steam (or Origin) for Windows and then used Steam (or origin) to install Sims 3. The Sims 3 works pretty well but Steam or Origin are a bit glitchy. I have the usual NRAAS mods including NRAAS mod updater, a lot of installed custom content etc.
What doesn't work is Create a World - that may be because of all my custom content.

Sims are better than us.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#5 Old 7th Jan 2018 at 10:15 PM
Okay, so now that I have the game working through PlayonLinux... How do I go about installing mods?
Top Secret Researcher
#6 Old 7th Jan 2018 at 11:34 PM
Quote: Originally posted by stormcat3
Okay, so now that I have the game working through PlayonLinux... How do I go about installing mods?

Same way you install them on windows...
*.package files go into the package directory in your mods folder.
*.Sim3Pack files are installed via the launcher.

Sims are better than us.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#7 Old 12th Jan 2018 at 6:18 AM Last edited by stormcat3 : 13th Jan 2018 at 5:48 PM.
Well, something's gone wrong.

I got everything set up, but I can't get any of the mods to work despite setting one up! I put it in the normal windows-friendly area, but the mods aren't working!
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#8 Old 13th Jan 2018 at 5:49 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Emmett Brown
Same way you install them on windows...
*.package files go into the package directory in your mods folder.
*.Sim3Pack files are installed via the launcher.



Um... About that.

I can't get anything to install via the launcher. I've got a pretty long list of store stuff, but it won't install!
Scholar
#9 Old 13th Jan 2018 at 8:07 PM
Did you try the sim3packs by putting them in the download folder or by clicking them? It is possible that the file association is not recognised, so double clicking might not work.

As for the mod folder. I don't remember if it appears automatically, but you can always create it yourself and then try a simple mod , like the no intro one, to see if it works.

Sims 3 package files installation
Top Secret Researcher
#10 Old 13th Jan 2018 at 8:28 PM
Quote: Originally posted by stormcat3
Um... About that.

I can't get anything to install via the launcher. I've got a pretty long list of store stuff, but it won't install!

Try the downloads dashboard if they won't install from the launcher.

Sims are better than us.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#11 Old 15th Jan 2018 at 3:55 AM
Quote: Originally posted by mithrak_nl
Did you try the sim3packs by putting them in the download folder or by clicking them? It is possible that the file association is not recognised, so double clicking might not work.

As for the mod folder. I don't remember if it appears automatically, but you can always create it yourself and then try a simple mod , like the no intro one, to see if it works.

Sims 3 package files installation


There seems to be an issue with the downloads folder itself. I've had to create one, but no matter where I put it, the game does not recognize the folder or anything in it.
Scholar
#12 Old 17th Jan 2018 at 12:57 AM
Quote: Originally posted by stormcat3
There seems to be an issue with the downloads folder itself. I've had to create one, but no matter where I put it, the game does not recognize the folder or anything in it.


I have never played games on linux, but I would imagine that downloads etc is put somewhere in your user folder (folder named after your account). It is also possible that Playonlinux makes seperate instances for every game (to keep different Wine settings for each one). The CC help sections shows pictures of how the TS3 folder structure looks like. Keep in mind that TS3 creates 2 folder structures, one for the gamecontent and one for everything related to saves,CC/store downloads, caches etc. The Downloads folder and mods folder should be in the second one.
Again, I am not familiar with Play on Linux or Wine for that matter, so I have no clue where it installs games. But you could do a search for one of the more uniquely named folders. InstalledWorlds for example.
Try this : locate -r '/InstalledWorlds$' in the command line (keep in mind linux is case sensitive) and it should list folders with that name including the whole path. Then just open whatever filemanager to check that location and see if the Downloads folder is there.
Field Researcher
#13 Old 17th Jan 2018 at 8:11 AM
I switched to Lutris so I can't look it up, but I am 99% sure that PlayonlInux linked the prefix Document folder to my Home/Documents folder so the EA Folder was there.
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