SSD effect on Sims3 lag

[SimJMFan]

I forecast to buy a SSD disk and I would like to know if SSD has a big effect on Sims3, as Sims3 is loading files many times from HDD.

 

Cheers

[landess]

8 hours ago, SimJMFan said:

I forecast to buy a SSD disk and I would like to know if SSD has a big effect on Sims3, as Sims3 is loading files many times from HDD.

 

Cheers

 

I'm guessing this would be your 1st SSD.

 

An SSD has a big effect on everything. Most decent computers seem to be shipping with 2 drives now - an SSD for the Cdrive/operating system and another (HDD) for storage. I also have an external SSD. While it suffers some from the 'lag' induced by the USB port connection, it's still faster than the typical HDD.

 

While this 'may' be considered common knowledge - it's always best to mention for now - NEVER defrag an SSD. They don't need it, it won't help, and you will lose your data.

[SimJMFan]

Thank you for your reply.

 

Cheers

[playervlad1999]

On 2/2/2021 at 12:25 AM, landess said:

While this 'may' be considered common knowledge - it's always best to mention for now - NEVER defrag an SSD. They don't need it, it won't help, and you will lose your data.

Thank you Landess, I wasn't aware of this!

 

I put a SSD disk in for C drive a year ago and it has really speeded up the game. 

This is because I use quite a large page file on the C drive for virtual memory.

[GECK.O]

On 2/1/2021 at 4:38 PM, SimJMFan said:

I forecast to buy a SSD disk and I would like to know if SSD has a big effect on Sims3, as Sims3 is loading files many times from HDD.

 

Cheers

 

Definitely yes.

 

Even inside the game, it's running very smooth.

 

 

But there's a limit.

 

The more cc you add, the slower the game, as usual.

 

At least, you can add more cc up to the level as it slow as using HDD.

 

My mods folder is 21gb.

 

Hahaha

 

 

 

[SimJMFan]

21 gb of cc and it is still smooth. I am just dreaming awake. 

 

As my Acer does not have place for 2 disk, I think I will adopt landess's suggestion and buy a external SSD connected with a USB 3.0

 

Thank you for your advise and the CC you created. I still use some.

 

Cheers

[GECK.O]

2 hours ago, SimJMFan said:

21 gb of cc and it is still smooth. I am just dreaming awake. 

 

As my Acer does not have place for 2 disk, I think I will adopt landess's suggestion and buy a external SSD connected with a USB 3.0

 

Thank you for your advise and the CC you created. I still use some.

 

Cheers

 

The gameplay itself is running very smooth, and I'm playing at a huge and complex world like Sao Paten and Boroughsberg.

 

But the loading is killing me.

 

Including clothes and hairs loading in the CAS.

 

 

 

[landess]

6 hours ago, GECK.O said:

But the loading is killing me.

 

When I first got this new system about 3 years ago - it was 'top of the line' pretty much - Oculus ready, blah blah.

 

When I first loaded the Sims 3 and all expansions it took like 15 seconds to load a save - OMG. But then after adding more and more CC which the game has to scan, log, and use to build the game - getting to the save selection menu began taking somewhat longer. Still loading a save wasn't horrible. It was only once I began playing that save for awhile that the load times began to increase. Save cleaner has helped as the first time I used it, many saves were dropped in size by 1/2 or more.

 

Anyways, one of the things I found that has increased the load times on my saves is my preoccupation with customizing sims... I will customize them all IF I play a save long enough - even NPC's. This really causes load times to increase. As of now, 2 save series/towns I play have incredibly long load times approaching 1/2 hour or so - Los Aniegos and Bridgeport. If those 'crash' during play (it happens), I usually will play another world till I'm 'simmed out'. All the other saves I have are much more reasonable with load times varying from 5 minutes to 15 depending on the world size and length of time playing them (CAS whore).

 

Now the testing I do is on a very small Island with 3 households/6 sims. This save loads as fast as the start to save menu does. So yeah, been doing this a lot with enough variation that I can pretty much pinpoint what is increasing my load times. It's funny on another post a member mentions around 15K objects logged on a total reset - I get around 30K.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

I've had 'others' ask me to just share my mod folder with them - LOL! Besides the fact it just makes them look both clueless and incredibly lazy, it would never work. One would need both folders to ensure they got the same experience, plus there would be the Windows10 registry to deal with. But - IF they had 'Into The Future' registered normally - they might be able to copy/past both my folders into the proper locations AND run the game from the ITF .exe

 

Of course they'd also need to pay for enough cloud space on say 'One Drive' and give me access......

 

 

 

Because I also run merged packages - making some changes would be near impossible without having the Archive mod folder and the subfolder(s) holding the merged packages/source packages and S3PE to add/modify/remove.....

 

 

59.1 + 31.7 + 18.5 = 109.3 so a minimum of 110GB drive/cloud space would be needed

 

Cleaning out/removing Screenshots/Saved games/Saved Sims would drop the total size somewhat but still.

 

>I did say clueless, right?

[GECK.O]

10 hours ago, landess said:

 

When I first got this new system about 3 years ago - it was 'top of the line' pretty much - Oculus ready, blah blah.

 

When I first loaded the Sims 3 and all expansions it took like 15 seconds to load a save - OMG. But then after adding more and more CC which the game has to scan, log, and use to build the game - getting to the save selection menu began taking somewhat longer. Still loading a save wasn't horrible. It was only once I began playing that save for awhile that the load times began to increase. Save cleaner has helped as the first time I used it, many saves were dropped in size by 1/2 or more.

 

Anyways, one of the things I found that has increased the load times on my saves is my preoccupation with customizing sims... I will customize them all IF I play a save long enough - even NPC's. This really causes load times to increase. As of now, 2 save series/towns I play have incredibly long load times approaching 1/2 hour or so - Los Aniegos and Bridgeport. If those 'crash' during play (it happens), I usually will play another world till I'm 'simmed out'. All the other saves I have are much more reasonable with load times varying from 5 minutes to 15 depending on the world size and length of time playing them (CAS whore).

 

Now the testing I do is on a very small Island with 3 households/6 sims. This save loads as fast as the start to save menu does. So yeah, been doing this a lot with enough variation that I can pretty much pinpoint what is increasing my load times. It's funny on another post a member mentions around 15K objects logged on a total reset - I get around 30K.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

I've had 'others' ask me to just share my mod folder with them - LOL! Besides the fact it just makes them look both clueless and incredibly lazy, it would never work. One would need both folders to ensure they got the same experience, plus there would be the Windows10 registry to deal with. But - IF they had 'Into The Future' registered normally - they might be able to copy/past both my folders into the proper locations AND run the game from the ITF .exe

 

Of course they'd also need to pay for enough cloud space on say 'One Drive' and give me access......

 

 

 

Because I also run merged packages - making some changes would be near impossible without having the Archive mod folder and the subfolder(s) holding the merged packages/source packages and S3PE to add/modify/remove.....

 

 

59.1 + 31.7 + 18.5 = 109.3 so a minimum of 110GB drive/cloud space would be needed

 

Cleaning out/removing Screenshots/Saved games/Saved Sims would drop the total size somewhat but still.

 

>I did say clueless, right?

 

Me too!!!

 

I really love the way I set my game, but it requires tons of CC and the right setting of mods.

 

Despite it makes the game loading time so long, not to mention sometimes crash, if everything runs so heavy.

 

 

The most annoying of all, if I already make everything right, the more you play a savegame, the more the savegame is going to break.

 

I love to do some little tweaks here and there, thru time.

 

It's very sad, in the end the savegame is not going to be playable anymore.

[landess]

10 hours ago, GECK.O said:

It's very sad, in the end the savegame is not going to be playable anymore

 

There is an option, but it takes work and isn't perfect.

 

Clear out/move households in the town edit bin 'if needed'.

 

Take a pen and paper, screenshots - whatever works for the player - to log where every family is.

>Choice: depending on the customize level of the lot - either save the household/sim only or sims and lot to the bin.

>>Once every Sim/lot is saved - start a new game in the same world. (change/fix all settings to match the previous values - NRaas, KW, whatever) 

>>>Now place/replace every household/lot with the ones in the bin where they 'used to be'.

 

They keep all skills/jobs/inventory/etc.

They lose relationships and a bunch of junk that clogs save files.

 

<New load times on that world after maintenance/overhaul is markedly increased!

 

Ways to slow a save from becoming unplayable: Besides the usual things like cleaning a save - try to not switch households. If one makes the entire population/customizes each Sim of a town before beginning play - keep an ORIGINAL save before playing. If one chooses to switch - they can save the family they were playing to the bin. Load the original save - and replace the 'advanced' family from the bin to replace the 'virgin' one. Choose another household to play........ make a NEW save series/name.

 

I keep at least one copy of every save series I've played archived - just in case I want 'something/someone' from that world. I can suffer the load long enough to edit the town - and take what I need.

[Misstelly]

if i purchase an external ssd will I need to reinstall the sims 3 on there ?

[landess]

3 hours ago, Misstelly said:

if i purchase an external ssd will I need to reinstall the sims 3 on there ?

 

It depends ?

 

I say this as I don't use Origin or Steam for my game - all Disks. So I'll try to explain an option, but no guarantee it works for 'online installs'.

 

For Myself: One simply copies the entire x86 folder including the proper 'address' for folder/subfolder hierarchy to the new drive. so it would be 'X'drive: Program Files/Electronic Arts/Sims 3 (and all EP's/SP's)

>The last EP (SP?) one installed will have an .exe which the game/windows registry uses to boot the game up. Identify this on your original install and make a shortcut from it's new location to your desktop.

 

This .exe should start the game fine. The registry will recognize it, and even if you have to 'reinstall' the Sims 3 to this drive - it would still use the SAME documents folder.

 

I have been running the SAME Sims 3 install this way for the last 3 computers I have. I simply install the game properly for the windows registry - test by starting the game, then I copy both the Documents and the Program Files x86 folder to the correct locations on the new computer.

 

The only changes between the systems would be found in the .ini files - so I leave those alone by 'replacing' the copied versions with the ones originally made which are now 'backed up' by renaming the original folder(s). Then I 'test' again. If everything was done correctly - the game boots normally - but instead of a new install - I have my old game running. I just have to fix my settings again as the original .ini(s) doesn't have this information - I used the original so the .ini had everything listed properly from the new computer....

 

 

>>>> The steps taken to move the Sims 3 to another drive are basically the same as moving a played game to a new computer with fewer steps. One doesn't need to mess with the Documents folder. One simply moves the Program FIles x86 to a new location and creates a new Shortcut for the desktop. One should be able to drag this to the start menu as well(?)

 

The reason I say it may 'not work' for online installs is the new location won't be recognized by Origin/Steam unless those platforms install the game to the new location. Now with Steam - it's not 'so bad' with caveats.... Since the registry for Steam/Sims 3 (any game on Steam) is set - one only needs to make sure to copy the entire Steam library stuff to the new drive - minus any other game folders/information (don't need useless bloat). Now the game should launch fine - This is how I handle Fallout 4 - but - this location won't be recognized by the platform - just the computer, so it won't be patched or have the ability to add DLC to it, yet it WILL launch (from the proper .exe - not the Steam application/program). 

 

Now with Origin needed I can't say anything concerning using this way of moving the Sims 3 files and still being able to run it.......  One can always try. If it doesn't work, just make safe back ups of both folder locations as always and then do a new install using 'Origin'. At this point one 'should' be able to copy the old folders to the NEW locations without any loss of mods/game progress as I have done for over 10 years.

 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Do you plan on using the external SSD for the Sims 3? If NO - ignore everything I typed above. If YES, then the above may apply to you.

 

 

Spoiler

 

(I noticed between the time these shots were made and the ones further above - I have added 17GB of mods)

[Misstelly]

On 2/6/2021 at 4:26 PM, landess said:

 

It depends ?

 

I say this as I don't use Origin or Steam for my game - all Disks. So I'll try to explain an option, but no guarantee it works for 'online installs'.

 

For Myself: One simply copies the entire x86 folder including the proper 'address' for folder/subfolder hierarchy to the new drive. so it would be 'X'drive: Program Files/Electronic Arts/Sims 3 (and all EP's/SP's)

>The last EP (SP?) one installed will have an .exe which the game/windows registry uses to boot the game up. Identify this on your original install and make a shortcut from it's new location to your desktop.

 

This .exe should start the game fine. The registry will recognize it, and even if you have to 'reinstall' the Sims 3 to this drive - it would still use the SAME documents folder.

 

I have been running the SAME Sims 3 install this way for the last 3 computers I have. I simply install the game properly for the windows registry - test by starting the game, then I copy both the Documents and the Program Files x86 folder to the correct locations on the new computer.

 

The only changes between the systems would be found in the .ini files - so I leave those alone by 'replacing' the copied versions with the ones originally made which are now 'backed up' by renaming the original folder(s). Then I 'test' again. If everything was done correctly - the game boots normally - but instead of a new install - I have my old game running. I just have to fix my settings again as the original .ini(s) doesn't have this information - I used the original so the .ini had everything listed properly from the new computer....

 

 

>>>> The steps taken to move the Sims 3 to another drive are basically the same as moving a played game to a new computer with fewer steps. One doesn't need to mess with the Documents folder. One simply moves the Program FIles x86 to a new location and creates a new Shortcut for the desktop. One should be able to drag this to the start menu as well(?)

 

The reason I say it may 'not work' for online installs is the new location won't be recognized by Origin/Steam unless those platforms install the game to the new location. Now with Steam - it's not 'so bad' with caveats.... Since the registry for Steam/Sims 3 (any game on Steam) is set - one only needs to make sure to copy the entire Steam library stuff to the new drive - minus any other game folders/information (don't need useless bloat). Now the game should launch fine - This is how I handle Fallout 4 - but - this location won't be recognized by the platform - just the computer, so it won't be patched or have the ability to add DLC to it, yet it WILL launch (from the proper .exe - not the Steam application/program). 

 

Now with Origin needed I can't say anything concerning using this way of moving the Sims 3 files and still being able to run it.......  One can always try. If it doesn't work, just make safe back ups of both folder locations as always and then do a new install using 'Origin'. At this point one 'should' be able to copy the old folders to the NEW locations without any loss of mods/game progress as I have done for over 10 years.

 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Do you plan on using the external SSD for the Sims 3? If NO - ignore everything I typed above. If YES, then the above may apply to you.

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

(I noticed between the time these shots were made and the ones further above - I have added 17GB of mods)

Thank you so much for this information.

[namaradus]

The main things that affect the Sims 3 hardware wise is the processor and graphics card. The Sims 3 other than faster loading times actually doesn't benefit from an SSD as it isn't able to use the technology any other perceived benefits to performance is just the placebo effect.

 

Although I believe the The Sims 3 64bit Mac version does benefit from an SSD.

[landess]

10 hours ago, namaradus said:

The main things that affect the Sims 3 hardware wise is the processor and graphics card. The Sims 3 other than faster loading times actually doesn't benefit from an SSD

 

This is exactly what I experience as I have upgraded my systems over the years. The improved processor allows me to run more scripts/Sims without stutter. The improved graphics allows me to run the sims at a higher detail, even using a HQ mod now without issue/overheating. The SSD makes loading the saves tolerable. I'd say the SSD's also help when loading CAS/CAST.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Of course changing the settings in Master Controller to only show one version (thumbnail) of each selection has been a huge boon IMO. Of course this last option forces me to remind myself a lot of CC may have completely 'different' versions which require CAST selection to appear. I see this with custom patterns/textures and accessory tattoos mostly. There are a few rare instances of an entirely new mesh as options, but those are few in my game. JoshQ heels are good example - while the shoe meshes are identical, the options to color them can be different.

[Yotix]

Until recently I had a small SSD (250 GB) and a TB drive with games on it. My girlfriend gave me a fast external SSD for Xmas, so I moved Sims 3 there.

I didn't use a stopwatch but ... 
- Game lag in the Island Paradise town is unchanged (because it's a routing issue) and elevators are still a pain

- Load times are a bit better, maybe by 25%. Other games I moved profited way more from being on the SSD, especially Total War Warhammer II.

- I think Sims 3 Game performance improved more noticeably when I upgraded from an Athlon XP processor to a (used, old) i7 (i7/2600 from 2010 or 2011) in 2017.

 

 

[Yotix]

On 2/6/2021 at 6:52 PM, Misstelly said:

if i purchase an external ssd will I need to reinstall the sims 3 on there ?

 

 

If you use Origin, just click My Library, right-click The Sims 3, and choose Move. 

(When I did that, it first moved everything, then downloaded expansions again. Possibly it decided to re-load the files because I had replaced the town files with modded versions that promised to fix routing lag.)
When I double-click a sims3package file or try to start the game without the SSD plugged in, it just complains that the path isn't valid, and works after I plug it in.
 

 

If you use Steam ... that also has an option to move games, but I haven't tried it with Sims.
The first step is to add a new Library Folder, Steam->Settings->Downloads->Steam Library Folders
Once you have the library folder, go to your Steam Library (in the Steam client, the place where all your games are listed), right-click the game, Local Files, Move.
My experience with this is not fantastic though: I bought Red Dead Redemption 2 Online (just the online part of the game) because it was only €5 and started downloading. Six hours into the 22-hour download I realized I was downloading onto the hard drive. I waited until it was finished, started the launcher to check it was functional, then told Steam to move the game. After the copying, Steam sent a popup about mismatched or corrupted files, and started the 22 hour download again.

Also Steam forgets about the new Library Folder whenever you unplug the SSD; so when I click the Total War Warhammer II icon it tells me it'll download the game for me. Manually adding the library folder again works though. (Maybe it's also enough to boot the PC with the SSD plugged in so Steam can see it on startup, but I don't think so.)

[landess]

9 minutes ago, Yotix said:

elevators are still a pain

 

There are 2 mods I use which help the game immensely.

 

One is a mod for elevators - basically removes ANY waiting.

 

The other mod does the same for doors on buildings housing Rabbitholes - like the school. No more waiting. Sims just walk up and disappear.

 

No more lines or waiting or a poorly designed queue ( 5 sims could have entered a queue after another that is traveling across town while they stand there waiting<sigh>) Not to mention the game trying to jockey around a group of Sims in the worst designed attempt to create a pathing solution to accomodate the TERRIBLE queue design.

[JarethJerdanis]

20 hours ago, landess said:

 

There are 2 mods I use which help the game immensely.

 

One is a mod for elevators - basically removes ANY waiting.

 

The other mod does the same for doors on buildings housing Rabbitholes - like the school. No more waiting. Sims just walk up and disappear.

 

Hi there! Any chance you remember the name of those two mods?

[landess]

12 hours ago, JarethJerdanis said:

Hi there! Any chance you remember the name of those two mods?

 

Sadly no - as I made fixes to these years ago. I did a search on the internet and also my archives. The best I could find was a Mod I know I use: https://modthesims.info/d/433745/make-those-elevators-go-faster-or-slower.html And remember using the 'fastest' option.

 

As for the school - which was driving me crazy since I had begun adding more teens to the game and would sit and watch as 20+ of them would congest around the entry - losing their grades because of 'skipping' - as they couldn't get into the school efficiently (it would be close to noon by the time they all finally entered). I remember doing something to fix it and since I CAN'T find a proper mod, it's possible I used a combination of things.

 

I suggest using this .INI tweak regardless and see if it helps you....

 

I also remember a 'no route fail' mod, but it's probably the one that stops sims from doing the 'tapping their foot' animation because their routing is blocked (even temporarily while 'waiting' this would happen). https://modthesims.info/d/366836   https://modthesims.info/d/367578

 

I know I looked at this mod as well - but can't find it in my archives, so I may have 'passed' on using it (requires a fair amount of user interaction to 'enforce'). https://modthesims.info/d/568897/additional-entry-and-exit-routing-slots-to-reduce-door-crowding-schools-university.html

 

I also learned if a community lot uses 2 'single' doors next to each other - replacing those with a proper 'double door' can sometimes help congestion. BuyDebug ON / MoveObjects ON - may be needed to make some changes and experimenting with making changes to rabbithole building 'shells' may not always be possible. Downloading Rabbithole rugs and placing them just inside shells/outside of entrances is always another option as well - not as elegant, but Sims disappear anyways when using this feature (rabbitholes) so using EA defaults just so they enter a set of doors before doing this is 'academic/semantic'.

[StellarLare]

Naughty Sims Asylum creator twoftmama has a lot of useful tweaks, including several flavours of a route fix .  Bluegenjutsu, also at NSA, has this mod which stops the route fail and foot tapping animations

[landess]

4 hours ago, StellarLare said:

Naughty Sims Asylum creator twoftmama has a lot of useful tweaks, including several flavours of a route fix .  Bluegenjutsu, also at NSA, has this mod which stops the route fail and foot tapping animations

 

For those without an account, or automatic log-in activated, those links take one to a NSA 'sorry, you have no permission to view contents' default/denied page. I don't mind blocking downloads without an account, but blocking the ability to even just 'look' has always bothered me.

 

Perfect reason people make 'dummy e-mail accounts'.

[StellarLare]

Ah, really? That really bothers me, too. I mean, I just want to look at the site before I go ahead and make an account. I guess I am just perma-logged in over there.

 

In case anyone wants to look, twoftmama's mod is called  Route Fix v9 Mods (4 Flavors) Updated October 22, 2013.

Bluegenjutsu's mods are found under the heading No Route Fail and No Foot Tapping Animation Mods

[sim333]

On 2/5/2021 at 2:41 AM, landess said:

All the other saves I have are much more reasonable with load times varying from 5 minutes to 15 depending on the world size and length of time playing them (CAS whore).

I have about the same loading. But I don't have time for that, My game starts and turns off with Windows at the speed of a light bulb - about 5 seconds - regardless of the size of the save. I am using the sleep mode of the system. The game can crash in about a month, then I clean the caches, saves and reboot. 

CAS is not a solvable problem, but the game can be minimized and continued tomorrow from the same place to wait for the CC to load.

Has anyone tried something like this?

[mctosh]

ssd helps loads with texture streaming and loading times.

 

unfortunately the biggest problem with the sims 3 is it's only 32bit, so will never use more than 3.7gb of ram. if your game uses more than 3.2gb you'll start lagging regardless of your other hardware, 3.7gb and you'll crash and eventually won't be able to load at all.

 

another problem is it only uses 2 cores. so having a processor with powerful single threading helps more than anything else. i recently upgraded from an ancient fx 8350 to a ryzen 9 and the difference is night & day. lag no more! coupled with an SSD for faster texture loading and its never run so good.

 

protip: disable memories. or download the mod that only allows important memories.