Category: Sims 3

Error Unable to connect to EA download manager from Sims Launcher

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Boy, I’ve just wasted some time trying to install updates for EA Download Manager, Sims 3 base game, and Sims 3 World Adventures! Not too long ago, perhaps after the last Sims update, the EA Download manager would start opening every time I open the Sims 3 Launcher. That is really annoying. I read that the EA Download Manager is required to be installed in order to receive updates, but does it have to open up a window each time? When I play the Sims 3, I don’t want any other windows or programs open in the background to affect performance!

Errors During Updates

I started getting an error message: Error Unable to connect to EA download manager . Then there was an update for the manager, which I thought would fix the errors. Nope. Then there was an update available for the Sims 3, seen in the Updates tab of the Sims 3 Launcher. So I started that one. At one point the installer closed, so I opened the Launcher up again. This time it said the Sims 3 Base game was not compatible with the expansion pack version and needed to update. So I started to worry that the wrong update was applied, or didn’t finish completely and I may have to re-install the whole game!

Re-installing the EA Download Manager

I really wanted to make sure I had the latest, non-corrupt version of the Download Manager, so I uninstalled my current version (both a EA Download Manager and EA Download Manager UI, how annoying). I did a search and found a link to download it here. Just click on the EA Download Manager button down at the middle of the page. This is a 20 MB file, which is different from the version in the EADM folder in the Sims installation directory. So that installed fine.

Actual Updates to the Sims 3

So, once the EA Download Manager is installed and running, I ran the Sims 3 updates again. This time it ran an update for the Sims 3 base game. You would think the update to the base game would happen first, so you wouldn’t get that ‘Sims 3 Base game incompatible’ message. But I think everything installed ok.

  • The Sims 3 World Adventures is now updated to version 2.4.7
  • The Sims 3 base game is now updated to version 1.9.22

Processes Running During Sims 3 Launcher

Now I’ve closed both programs, but I still see the EADM process in the Windows Task manager. There’s also an EA Core Server Application running. I ended the download manager task and opened Sims 3 Launcher with no errors. So I wonder if it will work now without opening a new window for the EADM. Perhaps the EA Core Server is handling part of it now?

Ancient Art of Smashing Boulders – Breaking Large Rocks

I’ve seen several large boulders while exploring tombs in Egypt and France, and my sim was unable to ‘clear’ or break through them like the piles of rubble. The message claimed that an ancient Chinese artifact or tool was required to break through them. So how do you obtain this ancient Chinese artifact?

Go to China and complete Adventures!

Of course the first thing you need to do is travel to China and start completing adventures! I’m not sure if they are random or go in order, but it took me quite a while until I found the one that claims to teach you the ‘ancient art of smashing boulders’. You will need to explore a tomb (the Temple of Heaven) that claims to be large and confusing, but I didn’t find it that hard actually. You will find Pangu’s Axe and be asked to return it to your contact. Do this (you may need to complete another task after that) but at some point they will let you keep it!

How do you use Pangu’s Axe?

Simply go to any of the large boulders or piles of rubble now and click on ‘Clear’. If your Sim is carrying the Axe in his inventory, he will hold it above his head while it starts to glow, then bring it down on the obstacle and it will instantly be cleared! Pretty cool!

How to get the Omni Plant

I enjoy growing gardens and improving the gardening skill in the Sims 3. As your sim gains the gardening skill, they are able to plant and grow more and more things. There are also many special types of plants that can be found as seeds or earned. For example, you can find seeds for a Life Plant, Death Flower Bush, Money Tree, and Flame Fruit Bush. By completing opportunities, you can gain knowledge of several other types of plants: Eggplant, Cheese Plant, Steak Plant, and Burger Patty Plant. I’ve gotten all of these before. But now I’m currently on a challenge/opportunity to grow 10 Outstanding steaks, and in return I’ll gain access to the Omni Plant (at least that’s what it sounds like)! I’ve heard of it, but never seen the Omni plant or know what it grows. On a Gamespot forum, they claim it replicates anything you feed it from your inventory. You can ‘Feed’ it items when it’s mature. On the Sims Wiki, you can find the gardening skill necessary for each type of plant, prices, and more.

Update: My omni plants have replicated roasts, snails, and pomelos. I think you get about 4 for each, which means your 1 item you feed an omni plant is quadrupled. I was also able to replicate Life Plant and Flame Bush, but the death flower did not appear in the list when you select an item.

Omni Plants ready for harvest

Trouble With Egypt Library Under the Sands – no one answers door

I think there’s a problem with the Library Under the Sands adventure or quest in Egypt. I completed it for one sim, but then a different sim got the same quest, and no one answers the door at the house with the library in it. I can “Look in Window” and see someone in there, but not the person I’m supposed to talk to. I now have to talk to the same person to deliver a relic, and his icon is above the house, but he doesn’t answer the door. I found an article here that explains a possible work-around: GameFAQs – Library Under the Sands – Broken. It says that the owner of the house is a merchant and is constantly away from the house. It suggests going into Edit mode to add another Sim to the house who will be able to answer the door for you. I’m not sure if this will work, because I see someone in the house who isn’t answering the door. My Sim knocks on the door and an icon of the correct contact appears in the queue, as if he’s going to greet my Sim. But then the queue icon disappears, and my Sim is left standing on the porch waiting. I’ll try out the work-around to see if that helps. Otherwise you have to right-click on the quest to cancel it.

World Adventures Tombs Not Reset for Next Sim

I got the Sims 3 World Adventures expansion pack for Christmas! It is fun so far! I picked a single-Sim family in Riverview and took her to Egypt. I completed some adventure quests, and worked through the biggest pyramid tomb and the Sphinx. Then I decided to create a sim perfect for adventuring: including the Adventurous, Brave, Loves the Outdoors, and Friendly traits. I sent her to Egypt and realized the tombs that the first sim completed are still completed! So we’ll only have to go through them once per neighborhood, and all the other Sims will be able to go right through? There are still relics, gems, and ancient coins to collect, but all of the hidden doors are opened and traps disabled (whatever the first sim completed). I thought it would be reset for each Sim or family who visits. I guess it’s kind of nice, since it may get old doing the same steps for each sim. If one sim releases a mummy, will it still be walking around for the next sim?

Dirty Dishes Pile Up on Community Lots

Lately I’ve noticed a lot of dirty dishes on some of the community lots –  at Central park and especially the pool:

Dirty Dishes at the pool
Dirty Dishes at the pool

This has to be a bug! I tried searching the internet for why this happens and what to do about it. I found one article here: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/72278.page which suggests entering build/buy mode in the lot and deleting the dishes or dragging them onto the trash can. But this didn’t seem to work. It also mentions bringing your Neat sims to the lot and have them clean up.  I did this, but I still had to manually tell him to clean up each plate. I brought the whole family over and everyone helped.  This just about took a whole Sim day to complete. There were some plates on the other side of the stone wall too! So when I went into Build mode on the lot (Edit Town– select the lot — Enter Build mode button), I added another trash can and moved the plates closer so the Sims didn’t have to walk as far.

Someone on the forum believes there is an automatic clean-up process on community lots, but only when it goes inactive for a certain amount of time. And this means none of the sims can enter the lot, and your camera view can’t even view the lot. I don’t think this is really feasible. I’m always zooming out into the full map mode, which shows the pool from far away. My sims may not visit a community lot for several sim days at a time, but it must be viewing the lots from the full neighborhood view and preventing the dishes from automatically disappearing. It’s so annoying, it has to be a bug! I don’t want my sims to have to clean up every time they are there, and the dishes are getting too out of hand to ignore!  They get the negative moodlet every time. Is there any way to hire a maid on community lots?

Get Friend to Move In With You

Why is getting a friend to move in with you so difficult? My sim Melanie began a relationship with the maid, Ronny. They were good friends, so I advanced it to boyfriend/girlfriend status. I think this was when Melanie was a young adult, and who knows what age the maid was.  I moved her out of her parents’ house so she could go live with Ronny, and she has a wish to ‘Move in with Ronny’ but the option never becomes available. I can’t find where he lives in the neighborhood in order to merge the households manually, so I think he’s a ‘Townie’. Is this the reason they can’t move in together? Or perhaps he’s still a young adult while she’s an adult now, and he’s not allowed to move in yet. I’ve read on Yahoo Answers that you just need to do numerous romantic interactions to get the Move In option. I’ve done this before with Mortimer and Bella Goth and it worked. But I don’t think they should have to be in a romantic relationship in order to move in together; the Sims 2 game allowed the interaction as long as they were good friends, and it seemed so much easier. And it was very easy to make a Townie move in with you, as long as they were the right age. I did turn off aging so I could work on this issue, but maybe I have to wait until Ronny ages. How can I tell if he’s a young adult or adult?

Also, how are you supposed to know when you’re in a relationship with someone who’s much older than you? I wouldn’t want to get married to someone if they’ll soon become an elder and won’t be able to start a family.  Relationships without the Story Progression just seemed so much easier.  You knew what age everybody was. Along with the issues with disabling Story Progression, and I’m getting pretty annoyed with the bugs in this game!

Interact or Talk with Sitting Sims

There are not many interactions available between a standing sim and a sitting sim. One I’ve seen is the ‘Call Over’ if the sims are far away from each other. But I would think all of the interactions would be available, and the sitting sim would just stand up before performing the interaction. If you’re visiting a Sim and they sit down, you won’t be able to talk to them! You’ll have to sit down as well and see what options are available then. For example, if you both sit down in front of the TV there should be several things to talk about. But I think a standing sim should still be able to talk to a sitting sim. It seems like a bug to me.

Slower to Advance in Sims 3 Careers!

It seems like it takes much longer to advance in any given career in the Sims 3. Many sims have a lifetime wish to reach a top-level in a career. But if you don’t start them at an early age and become very dedicated to advancing, they might not reach the top level in a lifetime. Ideally I’d want them to reach the top, retire, and have some time to enjoy retired life before kicking the bucket. I know that the mood they have when going to work is very important, so I make sure the need bars are as high as possible before they leave. You also try to learn the appropriate skills and maintain relationships, as necessary. I thought the ‘Take it Easy’ work option would help performance by improving their mood, but the ‘Work Hard’ option must be better for performance, if you can afford to be stressed out. As long as you go to work happy, the stress out moodlet won’t have much of an effect on your mood. With all the dedication to work, how would a couple find time to start a family? I prefer to start a sim working on a particular lifetime wish or goal at a young age. But with the “Story Progression” option, it can be hard to find kids or teens in the neighborhood. Are you expected to just create a new family each time you want to switch families?  The Sims is a time management game — how do you manage your time?

Keeping Friends – Shortcuts to Calling

I just thought to myself, it would be nice if we could click on a friend’s icon and have menu options to call or invite them over. Well, in the Sims 3 we can!  Instead of going to your inventory and trying to find your friend in the phone’s list, just find the icon of the friend in your Sims’ friend panel and click to see the call menu.  Since the friends are ordered by how good a friend they are, this way you can find a relationship that needs attention. Or if you’re working on gaining new friends, see who has the highest relationship but is not a friend yet. The ‘Invite Over’ option is disabled if you aren’t home at the moment, or if the friend is at work! This is even true if you haven’t yet discovered your friend’s career!  For keeping track of your sims’ availability in The Sims 2,  I created SimAddy. But it seems you will be able to tell when your friend is available for calling now! You never would have known about this feature if you always use the phone for calling.