The Sims 3/Removed features

Although The Sims 3 added new features, some features from older games (Mainly features from games up to The Sims 2 and The Sims Stories) have been removed or changed in The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval, some features were later restored in later versions.

• Restored features have a Strike Through.
• Features restored in The Sims 3 are put in Restored Features below this article.
• Features that were in older games of The Sims 3 but removed or changed in later versions of The Sims 3 are in Version specific features removed.

Startup

• The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval cannot be ran directly by using Run even if TS3.exe and TSM.exe are typed. Shortcuts such as -w (Windowed) are no longer supported.
• The notice Game Experience May Change During Online Play has been replaced with Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB. This is also seen on The Sims 2 Double Deluxe, FreeTime, IKEA Home Stuff, The Sims 2 Store Edition and The Sims Castaway Stories.
  • However, the Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB is no longer shown in The Sims 3 Fast Lane startup. This is also seen in The Sims 3-The Sims 3 Ambitions if the update is released on or after Fast Lane. However, the notice is still seen on copies of Fast Lane and later games sold in US and Canada.
• The Sims 3 is no longer ran directly as it opens the Launcher. However, a shortcut can be made to start The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval directly. (No longer possible in Patch 69 and later patches.)
• EPs now have the word "Expansion Pack" when an EP such as Late Night is started. In The Sims 2, EPs did not have the word and only the name was used (e.g., The Sims 2 Seasons and The Sims 2 Nightlife).
• All Sims 3 EPs and SPs no longer have new startup music. Late Night does have the theme of The Sims 3 for Console when the game is loaded.

Main Menu

• Towns cannot be renamed nor can saved games. However, Windows Explorer and Finder can be used to rename saved games.
• Towns no longer support custom pictures.
• Creating neighborhoods is removed in The Sims 3. However, Create a World can be used. It is possible to add new towns in The Sims 3.

Website

• The ability to sign in using usernames is not supported, email addresses must be used. The Sims 2 and the website supported this. However, username logons cannot be used to sign in to EADM/Origin or the EA website to download The Sims 2 or The Sims Stories from EA.

Options

• Although music can be previewed, it is impossible to stop the current music from being played.
• It is impossible to prevent a specific song from being played as it could be done in The Sims 2 and The Sims Stories.
• Edge Scrolling is now disabled by default in The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval whereas it was turned on by default in The Sims 2 and The Sims Stories.
• Freewill is now a slider rather than being a checkbox.
• Graphics Settings require a restart and are no longer applied automatically.

Files

• The Sims 3 supports Custom Music but mp3 files can only be put in the Custom category. Therefore, Custom Music cannot be played in Neighborhood, Buy Mode, Build Mode or Create a Sim.
• Custom Content cannot be installed outside. All CC must be installed through the Sims3Pack file or via The Sims 3 Launcher.

Hardware/Software

• Support for PowerPC Macs have been removed as well as Mac OS X Panther and Tiger.
• Support for Windows 98/Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP RTM-SP1 and Windows Vista RTM have been dropped. The Sims Medieval also drops support for Windows XP SP2 and 64-bit versions of Windows XP.
• Support for CD drives. The download version can be used to run The Sims 3.
• SecuROM is no longer included in DVD copies but still included in download versions. The Sims 2 University Life through The Sims 2 Fun with Pets, however, retained SecuROM.

Gameplay

Households/Sims

• Households can no longer be played as by double clicking them.
• Wants and Fears has been removed and have been replaced by Wishes.
• Changing Households is only possible through the Change Active Household button. As of Generations, it is possible to click the household and click the button to play that household directly.
• Maids no longer charge by the hour, they now charge a flat rate of §125 per day.
• Sims don't have memories. Returned in The Sims 3: Generations and carried forward in patch 1.22.

Lots

• Lots can no longer be placed. Restored in The Sims 3: Ambitions.

Build/Buy Mode

• It is impossible to save in Buy/Build Mode from options whereas this was possible in The Sims 2 and The Sims Stories. The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval requires the user to head to Live Mode to save.
  • Saving while building on an empty lot is impossible. The player must head to Edit Town to save.
• When there's a Fire or if a Burglar or Repo-man appears, the Build and Buy Mode icons are no longer grayed out but a dialog appears if the player tries to enter Buy or Build Modes.

Objects

• Hot Tubs were removed in The Sims 3. Hot Tubs were added in The Sims 3: Late Night, The Sims 3: Outdoor Living, The Sims 3: Showtime, The Sims 3: Seasons, The Sims 3: Island Paradise and The Sims 3: Into the Future.
• Diving boards cannot be placed. This is readded in The Sims 3: Seasons.

Version specific features removed

This is the features that were in earlier games of The Sims 3 but removed or changed in an update or later game.

The Sims 3 (Versions 1.0 to 1.4)

• Try for Baby with the Grim Reaper is removed in 1.3.

The Sims 3: High-End Loft Stuff/The Sims 3: Design & High-Tech Stuff

• Desks no longer burn anymore.

The Sims 3: Ambitions

• Multiple messages cannot be shown at the same time. The update for The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff, The Sims 3 Design & High-Tech Stuff and earlier games makes the message box Ambitions-like. The Sims Medieval and The Sims 3 (before Ambitions) still support the older message box.
• All Rights Reserved is removed after the © 2010 Electronic Arts Inc. which is now displayed as © 2010 Electronic Arts Inc. rather than © 2010 Electronic Arts Inc. All Rights Reserved. However, if The Sims 3, The Sims 3 World Adventures or The Sims 3 High-End Loft/Design & High-Tech Stuff is the latest game installed, All Rights Reserved will still be displayed.

The Sims 3: Fast Lane Stuff

• Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB notice is removed from Startup and The Sims 3 Launcher.

The Sims 3: Late Night

• Reflection settings is now a slider in Late Night rather than a checkbox from Fast Lane and earlier games.

The Sims 3: Generations

• The Bio dialog and button is replaced by Scrapbook. The update for Outdoor Living and prior makes the pre-Generations Bio Generations-like.

The Sims 3: Pets

• Create a Sim is now called Create a Household. On the Let's play The Sims 3! screen, Create Sims was also renamed to Create a Household although systems that do not have Pets or Plus Pets still call it Create Sims.