The Sims 3
Cheat Codes:
------------
Submitted by: David K.
-= Open the Cheat Console =-
Press Ctrl+Shift+C during play. Type a command and press Enter. Commands are not
case-sensitive. Start with testingcheatsenabled true when a later command or
Shift-click action requires the testing layer.
-= Core Money Cheats =-
* kaching - add 1,000 Simoleons to the active household.
* motherlode - add 50,000 Simoleons to the active household.
* familyfunds - set a household's funds to the chosen value.
* freeRealEstate on - ignore lot price when moving a household in Edit Town.
* freeRealEstate off - restore normal lot prices.
-= Testing Cheats =-
* testingcheatsenabled true - enable testing cheats and Shift-click actions.
* testingcheatsenabled false - disable the testing layer.
* resetSim - reset one stuck Sim to a safe state.
* resetSim * - reset every Sim in the current world.
-= Shift-Click the Mailbox with Testing Cheats Enabled =-
Useful mailbox actions include Make All Happy, Make Needs Static, Make Needs Dynamic,
Make Friends for Me, Make Me Know Everyone, Force Visitor and Set Career. Exact menu
entries can vary with installed packs, but the mailbox is the fastest hub for needs,
social and career testing.
-= Get a Police Cruiser without Keeping the Career =-
With testingcheatsenabled true, Shift-click the mailbox and choose Set Career. Set
the active Sim to Law Enforcement -> Lieutenant, career level 5. The promotion awards
a personal Police Cruiser. The cruiser is a physical career reward and remains with
the Sim after quitting or changing careers.
-= Shift-Click Sims, Objects and the Ground =-
With testingcheatsenabled true:
* Shift-click a Sim to modify traits, trigger an age transition or use available CAS
editing actions.
* Shift-click another Sim to add them to the active household when that action
appears.
* Shift-click the ground and choose Teleport Me Here to bypass routing problems.
* Shift-click the ground and choose Build/Buy on This Lot to edit the selected lot.
* Shift-click an object and use Object... Delete It to remove it immediately.
* Click-drag motive and relationship bars to raise or lower them directly.
Object deletion can remove protected or irreplaceable objects. Use Save As before
deleting anything that normal Build/Buy does not allow you to sell.
-= Late Night - Set Celebrity Level =-
With Late Night installed, enable testingcheatsenabled true and Shift-click the
target Sim. Choose Set Celebrity Level and enter the desired star level. Set it to 5
for an instant five-star celebrity or 0 to remove celebrity status.
-= Ctrl-Click a Moodlet to Remove It =-
With testingcheatsenabled true, hold Ctrl and click an active moodlet to remove it
immediately. This works as a direct debug cure for unwanted moodlets, including
Mummy's Curse, but it also bypasses the normal gameplay cure and its associated
route.
-= Shift-Click Workplaces to Force Career Content =-
With testingcheatsenabled true, Shift-click a workplace to expose career debug
actions:
* Force Opportunity - trigger a career opportunity that can be accepted or rejected.
* Force Event - trigger a career event.
* Force All Events - run through the workplace's available event set.
Use these to test careers or recover a route when you specifically want the workplace
content; forcing every event can create a flood of pop-ups, so save first.
-= Ambitions - Spawn Active Profession Jobs =-
With testingcheatsenabled true, Shift-click an appropriate community lot or
residential lot and choose Spawn Job to create an assignment for an active Ambitions
profession. This is useful for testing Stylist, Architectural Designer, Firefighter
and similar profession progress without waiting for the normal job generator.
For Firefighter testing, higher-level disaster jobs can also appear through Spawn
Job. Use this on a separate save when forcing large incidents such as an Earthquake
because the generated emergency affects multiple lots and Sims.
-= Lifetime Happiness - 500 Points per Click =-
Enable testingcheatsenabled true at the Main Menu before loading the save. Open a
Sim's Lifetime Happiness panel, hold Ctrl and click the blank area between the
treasure chest icon and the point total. Each successful click adds 500 Lifetime
Happiness points. This does not reliably activate if testing cheats were enabled only
after the save was loaded.
-= ResetLifetimeHappiness Removes Saved Reward Points =-
Enter ResetLifetimeHappiness to reset Lifetime Happiness for Sims in the active
household. This is a reset command, not a points-granting cheat. Save first if the
household has unspent points you may want to keep.
-= Build and Buy Cheats =-
* moveObjects on - place, move or delete objects without normal placement rules.
* moveObjects off - restore normal object placement.
* constrainFloorElevation false - edit terrain even when floors, walls or objects are
affected.
* constrainFloorElevation true - restore normal floor-elevation restrictions.
* disableSnappingToSlotsOnAlt on - stop objects snapping to slots while Alt is held.
* buyDebug on - reveal the hidden Debug Buy catalog after testing cheats are enabled.
* buyDebug off - hide the Debug catalog.
* AlwaysAllowBuildBuy true - allow Build/Buy in normally blocked live situations.
* allowObjectsOnRoofs true - allow normal objects to be placed on roofs.
* placeFriezes on - allow friezes/foundation-style structures above tiled floors.
-= Apartment, Tomb and Locked-Lot Editing =-
* RestrictBuildBuyInBuildings off - edit normally restricted apartment/public areas.
* RestrictBuildBuyInBuildings on - restore building restrictions.
* enableLotLocking true - expose the lock control for protected lots in Edit Town.
* enableLotLocking false - restore normal lot locking.
These are especially useful with Late Night high-rises, World Adventures tombs and
Island Paradise diving/port lots.
-= Fix Imported Lot Height with setImportedTerrainOffset =-
If an imported house sits above or below the road in Edit Town, enable testing cheats
before placing it and enter setImportedTerrainOffset . Positive and negative
decimals are allowed, so adjust the value until the lot meets the street correctly.
Set setImportedTerrainOffset 0 afterward so the offset does not affect the next lot
you place.
-= Unlock Hidden CAS Outfits =-
Enter testingcheatsenabled true, then unlockOutfits on before opening Create-a-Sim.
Career, service and other normally hidden outfits become available in CAS. Use
unlockOutfits off afterward if you want the normal catalog back.
-= Island Paradise - Reveal Every Hidden Island =-
With Island Paradise installed, enable testingcheatsenabled true and enter
discoverAllUnchartedIslands. All uncharted islands in Isla Paradiso are immediately
revealed, bypassing their normal discovery requirements.
-= Presentation and Camera Cheats =-
* hideHeadlineEffects on - hide plumbobs, thought bubbles and similar headline FX.
* hideHeadlineEffects off - restore them.
* fadeObjects off - stop objects fading when the camera approaches.
* fadeObjects on - restore normal fading.
* slowMotionViz <0-8> - change visual slow motion without changing simulation time.
* fps on - show the frame-rate counter.
* fps off - hide the frame-rate counter.
* fullscreen on - switch to fullscreen.
* fullscreen off - switch to windowed mode.
-= Movie-Making and Map Cheats =-
Enable testingcheatsenabled true first when required:
* moviemakercheatsenabled true - add Shift-click animation and movie-control menus.
* moviemakercheatsenabled false - remove the movie-making debug menus.
* recordvideo - start recording with small/medium/large size and
low/moderate/high/max quality.
* mapTags off - hide map tags that the normal UI toggle can leave visible.
* mapTags on - restore map tags.
* DisplayLotPackageFileName on - show lot package filenames in lot tooltips.
* DisplayLotPackageFileName off - restore normal lot tooltips.
* playSounds off - mute game audio through the cheat layer.
* playSounds on - restore game audio.
Movie Maker Cheats can expose looping animations, autonomy controls and CAS access.
Use them on a copy of the save when staging screenshots or machinima.
-= Expansion Testing-Cheat Actions =-
With testingcheatsenabled true, installed packs add useful Shift-click controls:
* Seasons - Shift-click the ground and open Seasons to change the current season,
weather, temperature and snow/weather state.
* Supernatural - Shift-click the mailbox and use Supernatural Population Control to
add or remove selected supernatural populations from the world.
* Ambitions - profession performance can be dragged through the testing-cheat
interface when you need to test an active-career promotion state.
These are debug tools for the active world. Save first before forcing a large
population or weather-state change.
-= Showtime - Display the Stage Performance Meter =-
With Showtime installed, enter OnTogglePerformanceMeter on to show the performance
meter above the playable Sim during a stage show. Use OnTogglePerformanceMeter off to
hide it again. This is useful when testing Singer, Acrobat or Magician performance
progress without relying only on audience reactions.
-= Use help to Check the Installed Command Set =-
Enter help to print available console commands for the current game/pack combination.
The Sims 3 accumulated commands across eleven expansion packs and several patches, so
help is useful when a build/debug command is present only with a particular pack.
-= Protect Saves Before Heavy Testing Cheats =-
moveObjects, unrestricted Build/Buy and forced CAS edits can leave objects, Sims or
lots in states normal gameplay never creates. Use Save As before large experiments
and keep a clean copy rather than making the only household save your test file.
Hints and Tips:
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-= Rotate Save As Files =-
The Sims 3 can produce very large long-term saves. Rotate several Save As names so a
single bad save does not destroy the entire legacy. Never rely on only one household
folder for a multi-generation game.
-= Keep the Active Household Manageable =-
Large households, many pets and heavily populated worlds increase simulation work.
The game is still a 32-bit Windows application, so a modern PC cannot remove its
roughly 3.7 GB practical memory ceiling. Smaller active households and cleaner worlds
give long sessions more headroom.
-= Pause before Large Build/Buy or CAS Sessions =-
Build/Buy and CAS can load large catalogs into memory. Save before spending a long
session redesigning a mansion or editing several Sims, then return to Live Mode and
save again under a new name when the work is finished.
-= Use Needs as a Schedule, Not Just an Emergency =-
Sleep, hunger, hygiene and social needs shape every school and career day. Handle
needs before a shift or class begins so work performance is spent on promotion
instead of recovering from a bad mood.
-= Lifetime Happiness Rewards Can Change the Whole Household =-
Rewards such as Steel Bladder, Dirt Defiant, Long Distance Friend and Collection
Helper permanently reduce maintenance or reveal opportunities. Buy rewards that
remove repeated daily friction before spending points on one-off novelty effects.
-= Traits Should Support the Sim's Actual Daily Job =-
A five-trait Sim does not need five broad bonuses. Stack traits around the planned
career, skill or family role: athletic/discipline for physical careers, artistic
support for creative work, social traits for relationship-heavy goals and so on.
-= Keep One Flexible Day in the Weekly Schedule =-
Opportunities, dates, parties, festivals and travel can collide with work. Leaving
one lighter day prevents a high-value opportunity from being lost because every hour
is already committed to skill grinding.
-= Use the Map View Aggressively =-
Map tags reveal workplaces, lots, opportunities and many pack-specific targets. Jump
through Map View instead of scrolling across an open world, especially in large
worlds such as Bridgeport or Isla Paradiso.
-= Do Not Leave Speed 3 Running through a Routing Problem =-
If time advances but a Sim stands still, cancel the interaction, use Go Here on a
clear tile and reset the Sim if necessary. Letting the game run at high speed while
many Sims remain stuck can make the whole world stutter.
Core Life Simulation:
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-= Mood Controls Performance =-
Positive mood improves career and school performance and makes many social or skill
sessions easier to sustain. Solve the strongest negative moodlets before starting an
important work shift or opportunity.
-= Wishes Are the Main Lifetime Happiness Engine =-
Lock wishes that match what the household is already doing. A career-focused Sim can
earn Lifetime Happiness quickly from promotions and skill wishes without changing the
daily plan just to chase random low-value wishes.
-= Age Stages Change Available Jobs and Interactions =-
Babies, toddlers, children, teens, young adults, adults and elders have different
actions, school/career rules and skill access. Triggering an age transition early can
skip remaining age-stage opportunities, so finish important child/teen goals first.
-= Story Progression Keeps the World Moving =-
Unplayed households can age, move and change relationships depending on the active
story-progression settings. Disable aging or story progression when you need a static
world for building, screenshots or carefully controlled rotational play.
-= Opportunities Can Be Worth More Than Raw Skill Time =-
Career, skill and special opportunities often grant money, relationships, items or
permanent advantages. Read the reward before declining; a short delivery or social
task can be more valuable than another hour of normal practice.
-= Moodlets Reveal Hidden Problems =-
A Sim who refuses an interaction may be blocked by more than routing. Check moodlets
for exhaustion, sickness, transformation states, environmental penalties or pack-
specific restrictions before repeatedly issuing the same command.
Create-a-Sim, Traits and Lifetime Goals:
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-= Five Traits Define an Adult Sim =-
Young Adults and older Sims normally have five traits. Choose traits that create a
coherent daily routine. Five small skill bonuses are usually weaker than a set built
around the Sim's actual career, family or hobby. Traits also unlock socials and
autonomous behavior that can matter more than their numeric effect.
-= Children Gain Traits through Development =-
Pregnancy quality, toddler training and school performance affect how much control
you have over later trait choices. Keep pregnancies positive, teach toddler basics
and maintain good school performance when you want full control of the final adult
build.
-= Lifetime Wishes Are Long-Term Build Targets =-
Pick a Lifetime Wish that matches the careers, skills, wealth or relationships the
Sim will pursue anyway. A badly matched wish can turn a normal household into a long
grind for objectives you never wanted to play.
-= Mid-Life Crisis Can Repair a Bad Trait Build =-
The Mid-Life Crisis lifetime reward changes traits without recreating the Sim. Use it
for a household you want to preserve when an early trait choice no longer fits the
career or expansion content you are playing.
-= Change Lifetime Wish before It Is Completed =-
The Change Lifetime Wish reward can replace an uncompleted Lifetime Wish. Once a
Lifetime Wish has been completed, normal reward selection does not simply grant
another full lifetime goal.
Careers, Skills and Money:
--------------------------
-= Promotion Requires Both Performance and Job Factors =-
Career performance rises faster when the Sim arrives in a good mood and satisfies the
career's listed factors, such as a skill, boss relationship or coworker relationship.
Hover the performance panel and train the factors that affect promotion.
-= Use Work Tones to Fix the Promotion Bottleneck =-
Rabbit-hole careers offer tones such as Work Hard, Meet Coworkers or Talk to Boss.
Use the tone that fixes the weakest promotion factor; Work Hard is wasted when the
boss relationship is what blocks promotion.
-= Career Milestones Unlock Permanent Rewards =-
Several base-game careers give more than pay and promotions:
* Culinary level 10 awards the MinusOne Kelvin Refrigerator. Leftovers stored inside
do not spoil, and Sims in the room receive the Quality Kitchen Equipment +30
moodlet.
* Criminal -> Thief level 10 awards The Fox; viewing it grants I'm The Greatest +25.
* Law Enforcement level 3 unlocks Apprehend Burglar, and level 5 awards the personal
Police Cruiser.
* Law Enforcement -> Forensic level 6 awards a laptop; level 10 can Analyze on a
computer for 600 Simoleons.
* Law Enforcement -> Special Agent level 10 can raid the criminal warehouse for 1,500
Simoleons.
* Military level 4 unlocks the Salute interaction.
* Medical level 5 unlocks Determine Gender of Baby for pregnant Sims.
Physical career rewards such as the Police Cruiser remain useful after leaving the
career; career-specific interactions may disappear when the Sim changes jobs.
-= Skill Challenges Add Permanent Advantages =-
Many skills have challenge milestones beyond level 10. These can improve speed,
quality, price or special actions. Check the skill journal before deciding a skill is
finished just because its numeric level reached 10.
-= Painting and Writing Are Reliable Home Businesses =-
Creative careers are flexible because work happens at home and products sell
directly. They are useful for households with babies, travel schedules or professions
that make a fixed rabbit-hole shift inconvenient.
-= Gardening and Fishing Feed Several High-Value Systems =-
These skills support Ambrosia, Nectar, opportunities, collections and many recipes. A
household that grows high-quality ingredients can reduce food costs while also
supporting immortality or money-making routes.
-= Collecting Can Fund an Early Household =-
Gems, metals, insects and other collectibles can produce strong early income without
a career schedule. The Collection Helper lifetime reward makes this much easier once
the household can afford it.
-= Real Estate Creates Weekly Passive Income =-
Use a phone or computer and choose Check Real Estate to review purchasable and owned
businesses or community properties. Income becomes available once per week and must
be collected; it is not deposited automatically. Map View also marks owned
properties, so you can queue collections without opening every building manually.
-= Partnership and Full Ownership Have Different Prices =-
For many rabbit-hole businesses, clicking the building or its Map View tag can offer
Become Partner first, which costs less and pays a smaller weekly share. After
becoming a partner, Buy Out Partners adds the remaining ownership cost and raises the
payout. Check Real Estate can instead show the full-property purchase price directly,
which is why the same building can appear much more expensive there.
-= Full Owners Can Rename Businesses and Fire Staff =-
Full ownership adds management actions such as Rename and Fire. You cannot fire the
last employee, and owning the workplace does not protect your own employed Sim from
normal career demotion or firing. Buy the property for income and control, not as job
security.
-= Community Properties Upgrade from One to Three Stars =-
Non-rabbit-hole community properties use the Real Estate interface too. Their weekly
profit rises as the property reaches one, two and three stars. Upgrade requirements
depend on lot value and sometimes required objects, so open Check Real Estate to see
what the selected property still needs.
Relationships and Family:
-------------------------
-= Friendship Decays without Maintenance =-
High relationship values are not permanent. Long Distance Friend removes much of the
maintenance burden, while regular calls, visits and shared activities are the normal
way to stop important relationships drifting down.
-= Romantic Interest Is Not the Same as a Stable Partnership =-
Repeated romantic socials can create Romantic Interest without commitment. Use the
relationship socials to progress through partner, engagement and marriage states when
the household goal depends on a stable family link.
-= Pregnancy Quality Affects Trait Choice =-
Keep the pregnant Sim's mood and needs high if you want control over the baby's first
traits. Reading Baby Incoming: Preparing with Vigilance and Totally Preggers: An
Expectant Mother's Tale also helps the pregnancy-quality route. A strong pregnancy
can let you choose both newborn traits instead of receiving random or negative picks.
-= Steer Baby Gender with Apples or Watermelons =-
During pregnancy, eating apples increases the chance of boys while eating watermelon
increases the chance of girls. Three apples or three servings of watermelon are the
classic route. Treat this as probability control rather than a guaranteed single-baby
result, especially when twins or triplets are also possible.
-= Medical Level 5 Can Determine the First Baby's Gender =-
A Sim at Medical career level 5 or higher can use Determine Gender of Baby on a
pregnant Sim. This reveals the first baby's gender; with twins or triplets it does
not tell you the full set. Once the gender has been determined this way, the first
baby's gender is effectively locked, so do the fruit-based steering first if you are
trying for a specific result.
-= Kids TV and Children's Music Raise Multiple-Birth Odds =-
While pregnant, watching the Kids TV channel or listening to Children's music
increases the chance of twins or triplets. Using both together raises the chance
further. Fertility Treatment can stack another multiple-birth boost, so combine these
only when the household is prepared for several babies at once.
-= Prepare Maternity Outfits before the Pregnancy Spin =-
Before the Sim becomes visibly pregnant, use a dresser and Plan Outfit with clothing
that supports pregnancy. If the Sim is already wearing a maternity-compatible outfit
when the pregnancy spin occurs, the game can keep those pieces instead of replacing
them with a random maternity outfit. After the pregnancy outfit is locked, normal
unmodded outfit editing is much more limited.
-= Teach Toddlers the Three Core Skills =-
Walking, talking and potty training are the main toddler-development jobs. Completing
them improves the transition into childhood and reduces household maintenance before
the birthday.
-= Children and Teens Need School Performance =-
Homework and mood matter more than simply attending class. Use school tones to meet
friends or work hard as needed, and finish homework before the next school day when
the goal is a clean age-up with trait control.
-= Death Does Not Always End the Household Story =-
Ghosts, resurrection opportunities, Ambrosia and expansion life states can keep a
dead Sim relevant. Do not delete an urn or gravestone until you are certain you do
not want that Sim available for a later resurrection or ghost route.
Lifetime Rewards:
-----------------
-= Buy Rewards That Remove Repeated Daily Friction =-
Lifetime Happiness is scarce enough that permanent maintenance reductions are usually
stronger than novelty rewards. A household that no longer spends hours on bladder,
hygiene, hunger or friendship upkeep gains more playable time every day.
-= Steel Bladder Removes the Bladder Routine =-
Steel Bladder stops normal bladder decay and eliminates most toilet scheduling. It is
one of the best first rewards for career, university and travel-heavy Sims because it
removes a need that otherwise interrupts every long activity chain.
-= Dirt Defiant Slows Hygiene Loss =-
Dirt Defiant makes hygiene decay much more slowly. It pairs well with long
professions, tomb exploration and outdoor skill sessions where showers are
inconvenient.
-= Hardly Hungry Reduces Food Maintenance =-
Hardly Hungry greatly slows hunger decay. Use it on Sims whose daily job keeps them
away from a kitchen for long stretches, especially explorers, performers and
active-career Sims.
-= Long Distance Friend Stops Friendship Decay =-
Long Distance Friend prevents established friendships from decaying through neglect.
It is extremely useful for Charisma, celebrity, political and large-family play where
relationship maintenance would otherwise consume several evenings each week.
-= Collection Helper Turns Collecting into a Directed Job =-
Collection Helper marks collectible categories on the map. It is one of the strongest
cross-pack rewards because gems, metals, insects, seeds and several pack-specific
collections become deliberate routes with clear map targets.
-= Moodlet Manager Can Cure Severe Negative States =-
Moodlet Manager can remove troublesome negative moodlets and is strong enough to
clear conditions such as Mummy's Curse. Keep it on an explorer or high-value legacy
Sim when you want a reusable emergency tool rather than a one-time cure.
-= Fertility Treatment Raises Multiple-Birth Odds =-
Fertility Treatment increases the chance of twins and triplets. Buy it only when the
household plans rapid family expansion; the reward can turn a manageable nursery into
a four- or five-Sim care problem very quickly.
-= Prepared Traveler Extends World Adventures Trips =-
Prepared Traveler adds travel time in China, Egypt and France. It is a high-value
World Adventures reward because longer trips reduce repeated visa/travel overhead and
make multi-tomb chains easier to finish in one visit.
-= Lungs of Steel Removes the Scuba Air Limit =-
With Island Paradise, Lungs of Steel lets a Sim scuba dive without normal air limits.
It turns deep-sea collecting and cave exploration into a route-planning problem
instead of an oxygen-management problem.
-= Pack Rewards Can Unlock Whole Life-State Routes =-
Several expansion rewards are route keys rather than small buffs. Dusty Old Lamp
leads to Genies, Mermadic Kelp can create a Mermaid, Future Sim changes Into the
Future progression, and rewards such as Permanent Mermaid or Immortal can stabilize a
chosen occult state. Buy them for a planned household route, not because the icon
looks rare.
-= Late Night Adds Eight Specialized Lifetime Rewards =-
Late Night has a compact eight-reward family built around clubs, celebrities, bands
and Mixology:
* The Hustler - 5,000 points; greatly improves odds in darts, foosball and
shuffleboard.
* Watering Hole Regular - 7,500; discounts food and drinks at bars.
* The Next Big Thing - 10,000; improves band success and gig income.
* Excellent Groupie - 10,000; makes group outings more successful.
* Master of Seduction - 15,000; romantic advances are not rejected.
* Better Mixologist - 15,000; improves drink quality.
* Always on the List - 17,500; bouncers do not refuse entry to bars, clubs or
lounges.
* Map to the Stars - 20,000; reveals Celebrity homes in Map View.
Always on the List and Map to the Stars are especially useful for celebrity play
because they remove recurring club-access and celebrity-search problems.
Building and Buy Mode:
----------------------
-= Alt Is the Everyday Precision Tool =-
Hold Alt while placing or rotating many objects to break free from the normal grid.
Use moveObjects only when Alt is not enough. Ordinary off-grid placement keeps more
of the game's normal placement rules intact.
-= moveObjects Can Delete Sims and Essential Objects =-
The cheat is powerful enough to move or delete things normal gameplay protects. Turn
it off after the build and test every door, bed, staircase and routing path in Live
Mode before saving over the main household.
-= constrainFloorElevation Is for Structural Builds =-
Set constrainFloorElevation false when creating split levels, warped walls or
advanced terrain structures. Restore it to true before ordinary building so later
terrain edits do not distort finished rooms unexpectedly.
-= buyDebug Holds Spawners and Pack-Specific Objects =-
After testing cheats and buyDebug on, the question-mark catalog exposes spawners,
tomb objects, fog emitters and other hidden content. These objects can change
gameplay, so place them on a copy of the lot first.
-= Apartment Editing Needs the Late Night Restriction Cheat =-
Use RestrictBuildBuyInBuildings off to change protected high-rise/public areas.
Return it to on after the edit and test elevators, call boxes and public-room routing
before moving a household into the building.
-= Locked Adventure and Diving Lots Need enableLotLocking =-
In Edit Town, enableLotLocking true exposes the lock control for protected lots.
Unlock only the lot you intend to edit; tomb triggers, ports and diving areas can be
broken by casual Build/Buy changes.
Expansion Pack Systems:
-----------------------
-= World Adventures - Travel, Tombs and Visa Levels =-
China, Egypt and France are temporary travel worlds built around adventures and tomb
exploration. Complete local opportunities to raise Visa Level and extend future
trips. Carry food, a tent or shower supplies on long tomb chains and save before
complex trigger rooms.
-= Visa Level 3 Unlocks Vacation Homes =-
Adventure chains award Visa Points separately in China, Egypt and France. Reach Visa
Level 3 in a destination, then use the phone or computer while visiting that country
to buy a Vacation Home. A home replaces Base Camp as the household's local base and
is especially useful for long tomb, Nectar or Martial Arts projects.
-= World Adventures - Pangu's Axe Opens Heavy Rubble =-
Pangu's Axe is a major tomb utility item from China. Once obtained, keep it in a
Sim's inventory when exploring because it destroys heavy boulders that block treasure
and optional routes in several worlds.
-= Mummy's Curse Has Several Real Cures =-
A cursed Sim does not need to abandon the Egypt trip immediately. Reliable cures
include cleansing at the Soulpeace Statue inside the Sphinx, receiving a kiss from a
King Cobra after practicing Snake Charming, sleeping in a Blessed Sarcophagus of the
Kings, or removing the moodlet with Moodlet Manager. Testing cheats can also remove
the curse by Ctrl-clicking the moodlet.
-= Ambitions - Professions Are Played Directly =-
Firefighter, Ghost Hunter, Investigator, Stylist and Architectural Designer careers
send the player into the open world instead of hiding every shift in a rabbit hole.
Prepare needs before work because poor travel and routing can consume the paid
workday.
-= Ambitions - Register Self-Employed Skills =-
High enough skill in eligible money-making activities can support self-employment.
This turns painting, inventing, sculpting and similar work into formal career
progression without a fixed workplace schedule.
-= Late Night - Celebrity and Vampire Systems =-
Bridgeport adds celebrities, clubs, high-rises and vampires. Celebrity levels unlock
access and freebies but also create public scrutiny. Vampires gain strong night
bonuses and special socials but need Plasma and suffer badly in sunlight.
-= Generations - Childhood and Family Depth =-
Generations adds Imaginary Friends, daycare, boarding school, after-school
activities, mid-life crises and deeper family events. Protect childhood schedules
because school, clubs and family opportunities can overlap heavily.
-= Pets - Horses and Unicorns Need Space =-
Cats, dogs and horses join households, with horses adding riding and racing. Large
pets need clear lots and routes; tiny urban homes can create constant routing
failures. Unicorns appear as rare magical horses and require strong animal
relationships to join.
-= Showtime - Performers Need Venues and Repetition =-
Singer, Acrobat and Magician careers build through gigs and public performances.
Practice the profession-specific actions before accepting difficult gigs and keep
travel time in mind when several performances are scheduled across town.
-= Supernatural - Moonlight Falls Is an Occult Sandbox =-
Witches, fairies, werewolves and playable vampires can be created directly in CAS.
Alchemy adds elixirs that transform Sims or change needs/relationships, making the
pack one of the fastest ways to build supernatural households deliberately.
-= Seasons - Weather Changes Daily Routing =-
Rain, snow, heat and cold affect travel, outdoor objects and festivals. Keep
umbrellas, outerwear and indoor alternatives available so a career or skill schedule
does not collapse when weather closes the preferred activity.
-= University Life - Degrees Trade Time for Career Advantages =-
Enroll with enough credits to finish efficiently, keep academic performance high and
use lectures, class activities and study objects to protect the final grade. Degrees
can grant career advantages, but failing terms wastes a large block of household
time.
-= University Life Can Raise a Sim to Seven Traits =-
Graduating with a degree grants one additional Academic Trait slot. Reaching level 8
in any University social group grants a second Social Group Trait slot. These are
separate from the normal five-trait limit, so a fully developed University Sim can
hold seven traits.
-= Jock, Nerd and Rebel Influence Has Its Own Progression =-
Social-group influence rises from matching activities and can be checked from the
phone. Reaching level 8 in the first group unlocks the extra trait; reaching level 8
in another group later lets you replace that social-group trait instead of adding an
eighth slot.
-= Island Paradise - Resorts, Diving and Hidden Islands =-
Isla Paradiso adds houseboats, resorts, scuba diving, mermaids and eight uncharted
islands. Hidden islands have separate discovery conditions; use
discoverAllUnchartedIslands only when you want to bypass that exploration layer.
-= Into the Future - Oasis Landing Has Three Timelines =-
The normal future can be changed into Utopia or Dystopia through future-related
opportunities. Plumbots, Advanced Technology and descendants make future changes
affect more than scenery, so save before deliberately rewriting the timeline.
-= Five Legacy Statues Form a Separate Future Challenge Family =-
The Almanac of Time tracks five Legacy Statues:
* The Lustrous Entertainer.
* The Pioneer of Plumbotics.
* The Renowned Philanthropist.
* The Time Keeper.
* The Trendsetter.
Each completed statue places the Sim in Legacy Park and grants its own Future-only
benefit plus a +15 moodlet while visiting Oasis Landing. One Sim can hold multiple
statues, making all five a finite Into the Future completion route.
Life States and Occults:
------------------------
-= Ghosts Can Rejoin the Family =-
Ghosts remain attached to urns and gravestones and can become playable through normal
opportunities or other pack systems. Keep the grave when resurrection or a ghost
child is part of the household plan.
-= Oh My Ghost! Turns a Dead Sim into a Playable Ghost =-
Keep the dead Sim's urn or tombstone and maintain a close relationship with them. A
few days after death, the household can receive the Oh My Ghost! opportunity. Put the
remains in the active Sim's inventory and take them to the Science Lab; the dead Sim
returns as a controllable ghost. After completing the opportunity once, later valid
ghost restorations can be repeated through the Science Lab for 5,000 Simoleons.
-= Mummies Come from World Adventures =-
Cursed tomb interactions can create Mummies. Their needs and aging behave differently
from ordinary Sims, and Mummy's Curse is dangerous enough that tomb explorers should
carry recovery options before triggering sarcophagi repeatedly.
-= SimBots Come from Ambitions =-
Inventors can eventually create SimBots. They function as household members with
robotic needs and unusual environmental interactions, making them useful for long
work sessions that would exhaust an ordinary Sim.
-= Vampires Come from Late Night and Supernatural =-
Vampires can be created through gameplay and, with Supernatural, directly in CAS.
Nighttime boosts and long life are balanced by Plasma dependence and sunlight
penalties.
-= Imaginary Friends Can Become Real =-
Generations children can receive Imaginary Friend dolls. Building the relationship
and following the later opportunity/science route can turn the friend into a real
Sim, creating a hidden household-recruitment path.
-= Genies Come from Showtime =-
Genies are tied to the Dusty Old Lamp and can eventually be freed and added to the
household. Their wishes and magical abilities provide some of the most useful direct
powers in the pack.
-= Witches, Fairies and Werewolves Come from Supernatural =-
Supernatural makes all three available in CAS. Witches gain spellcasting, fairies use
fairy magic and a tiny form, and werewolves transform and gain hunting advantages.
Choose the life state around the playstyle. Stacking every occult in one household
usually creates more upkeep than useful synergy.
-= Aliens Come with Seasons =-
Aliens visit at night and can abduct Sims. Building space-rock activity and nighttime
exposure increases contact opportunities. Alien powers use Brain Power instead of the
ordinary Energy motive.
-= PlantSims Come with University Life =-
PlantSims use water and sunlight-style needs and can be created through the pack's
science/gardening route. Their altered motives make outdoor households much easier
than schedules built around ordinary hunger and bladder management.
-= Mermaids Come with Island Paradise =-
Mermaids excel in water and scuba content but require regular hydration and have
special food/water needs. They are strongest in Isla Paradiso-style play where the
household spends substantial time at sea.
-= Plumbots Come with Into the Future =-
Plumbots are built through Bot Building and shaped by installed Trait Chips. Change
chips to change the robot's job rather than rebuilding the whole bot; a well-designed
Plumbot can handle chores, social roles or specialized tasks indefinitely.
Secrets:
--------
-= Death Flower Can Save a Sim from Grim =-
A Sim carrying a Death Flower can offer it to the Grim Reaper when they die and be
returned to life. Keep one in the inventory of an irreplaceable Sim instead of
leaving every flower in household storage.
-= Ambrosia Resets Age and Resurrects Ghosts =-
Ambrosia requires very high Cooking plus rare ingredients, including Life Fruit and
Deathfish. A living Sim who eats it resets their current age progress; a playable
ghost who eats it can return fully to life.
-= Ambrosia Needs Cooking 10, Life Fruit and Deathfish =-
Learn the Ambrosia recipe at Cooking 10, then cook it with one Life Fruit and one
Deathfish. Life Fruit comes from special-seed Gardening routes; Deathfish can be
caught at the graveyard at night, with Angelfish as its classic bait. Ambrosia is a
single serving, so keep spare ingredients when more than one resurrection is planned.
-= Showtime Genie Can Resurrect a Sim or Pet =-
With Showtime, summon the Genie from the Dusty Old Lamp and keep the dead Sim's or
pet's urn or tombstone on the lot. Choose the Resurrect Sim wish and select the dead
character. The wish restores them to life and can be used again when another valid
set of remains is available.
-= Supernatural Adds Witch and Philosopher's Stone Routes =-
A high-level witch can cast Reanimation Ritual on a tombstone to bring a
teen-or-older Sim back as a zombie; Sunlight Charm can then cure the zombie state.
The Philosopher's Stone Lifetime Reward can instead Bind Ghost to add a selected
ghost as a playable household member. A playable ghost can then use Ambrosia for full
resurrection.
-= Ghost Babies Are a Hidden Family Route =-
A Sim can use Try for Baby with a ghost. Keep the ghost available through its
urn/tombstone, a playable-ghost route or another normal ghost encounter, build the
relationship until Try for Baby appears and attempt conception. A successful
pregnancy can produce a controllable ghost baby, and ghost children age through life
stages like other Sims.
-= Ducksworth of Bathington Adds Duck Time =-
Buy Ducksworth of Bathington at the grocery store and place the rubber duck on a
bathtub. Sims who bathe with it receive the Duck Time moodlet for a +15 mood boost.
It is a small, repeatable household bonus that costs no Lifetime Happiness.
-= Magic Gnomes Have Hidden Behaviors =-
Mysterious Mr. Gnome can turn up from fishing, catacombs, gem cutting, metal smelting
and other collection routes, then teleport around the home lot when nobody is
watching. With testing cheats and buyDebug on, the Debug catalog can also provide the
available Magic Gnomes directly.
Ambitions adds a practical variant: when the Magical Gnome of Invention appears at a
Scraptastic Workbench with an unfinished invention, it can advance that project to 99
percent complete. With Generations, ordinary Mysterious Mr. Gnomes can also form
families and age through their own life stages before leaving a gnome tombstone.
-= buyDebug Can Place the Ambitions Time Machine Immediately =-
Normally the Ambitions Time Machine is discovered at Inventing level 9 and appears in
the Family Inventory after it is built. For the cheat route, enable testing cheats,
enter buyDebug on, open Buy Mode -> Sort by Function -> Debug -> Miscellaneous and
place the Time Machine directly. It can send Sims on short trips to the past or
future and can return unique outfits, objects, money or even a time-travel child.
-= Life Fruit Is a Hidden Gardening Target =-
Life Fruit comes from special seeds and high-level gardening routes. Eating it
extends life slightly, while Ambrosia uses it as a core ingredient. Grow several
plants before consuming the only fruit if immortality is the goal.
-= The Omni Plant Grows Unusual Items =-
The Omni Plant is unlocked through high-level Gardening opportunities and can be fed
many objects to reproduce them. It is one of the strongest late-game gardening
rewards, especially for difficult-to-source ingredients.
-= Imaginary Friend Is a Hidden Household Recruit =-
Do not sell or lose a child's special doll if you want the Generations secret route.
Relationship growth and the later transformation opportunity can convert it into a
fully controllable Sim.
-= Unicorns Are Rare Night Encounters =-
With Pets installed, unicorns appear as rare magical horses. Befriend animals broadly
and build the relationship with the unicorn before asking it to join; the requirement
is more demanding than adopting an ordinary horse.
-= All Eight Isla Paradiso Islands Have Different Unlocks =-
The eight hidden islands form a complete Island Paradise secret family:
* Beryl Shoals - swim or boat close enough to reveal it.
* Diver's Den - reach Scuba Diving 10 and use the Pearl's Deep underwater cave exit.
* No Trouble Atoll - own a five-star resort.
* Cay to the City - rescue 35 drowning Sims in the Lifeguard profession; CPR does not
count.
* Refuge Island - complete the six-part resort-front-desk adventure chain.
* Mermaid's Secret - become Good Friends with a mermaid and scuba dive with them.
* Plunder Cove - collect and assemble four Buccaneer's Map fragments, or use the
Uncharted Island Map lifetime reward.
* Plumbob Island - find the extraordinarily unusual message in a bottle that contains
its map.
discoverAllUnchartedIslands bypasses all eight jobs when exploration is not the goal.
-= Utopia and Dystopia Are Hidden Future Variants =-
Into the Future allows the normal Oasis Landing timeline to be changed through
special opportunities. Utopia and Dystopia alter the world's behavior and visuals and
are worth separate saves if you want to explore all three versions.
-= Hidden Traits Can Pass through Families =-
Some careers, service NPCs and special Sims carry traits that do not occupy the
normal five visible trait slots. Children can inherit several of them, turning
genealogy into a hidden family-mechanics route.
-= Core Inherited Hidden Traits =-
* Pyromaniac - associated with firefighter/genie family lines; enables fire-related
behavior.
* Immune to Fire - associated with high-level firefighters and some supernatural
lines.
* Can Salute - associated with higher Military career levels.
* Can Apprehend Burglar - associated with Law Enforcement.
* Sneak Anywhere - associated with burglars and their descendants.
* Makes No Messes - associated with maid/service-Sim family lines.
* Pizza Appreciator - associated with pizza-delivery family lines.
* Rocker - associated with Rock Star family lines.
These are separate from visible CAS traits. A hidden trait can still be active even
when it does not appear in the ordinary five-trait panel.
Solutions:
----------
-= Plunder Cove Will Not Unlock =-
1. Search treasure chests and messages in bottles around Isla Paradiso for map
fragments.
2. Collect four Buccaneer's Map fragments.
3. Assemble the four fragments into the completed map.
4. Plunder Cove is revealed when the map is completed.
-= Mermaid's Secret Will Not Unlock =-
1. Befriend a mermaid until the relationship reaches Good Friend or better.
2. Meet the mermaid at a diving area.
3. Scuba dive and spend time with the mermaid there.
4. Continue the interaction until the mermaid reveals Mermaid's Secret.
-= A Sim Has Mummy's Curse =-
1. If you are still in Al Simhara, use the Sphinx route and cleanse at the Soulpeace
Statue.
2. Or practice Snake Charming until you can use the King Cobra and receive its kiss.
3. A Blessed Sarcophagus of the Kings also removes the curse.
4. Moodlet Manager can remove the cursed moodlet directly.
-= Ambrosia Is Missing from the Cooking Menu =-
1. Raise Cooking to level 10.
2. Buy and read the Ambrosia recipe.
3. Obtain one Life Fruit.
4. Catch or obtain one Deathfish; Angelfish is the standard bait route.
5. Use a stove and prepare the single-serving Ambrosia.
6. Feed it to a playable ghost for resurrection, or to a living Sim to reset current
age-stage progress.
-= I Need a Dead Sim Back without Replaying the Save =-
1. Keep the dead Sim's urn or tombstone.
2. Wait for the Oh My Ghost! opportunity on a Sim who was close to the deceased.
3. Put the remains in that Sim's inventory and take them to the Science Lab.
4. The dead Sim returns as a playable ghost.
5. Prepare Ambrosia with Cooking 10, Life Fruit and Deathfish.
6. Make the playable ghost eat Ambrosia to return fully to life.
Technical Issues:
-----------------
-= EA App and Steam Use Different Windows Branches =-
EA App on Windows is still 1.69.47.024017, while Steam remains on the 1.67 branch.
Gameplay content is largely the same, but launcher behavior, pack selection and
modern-Intel startup support differ. Do not apply a 1.69-only launcher instruction to
Steam and assume the missing option is a broken install.
-= EA App 1.69 Has the Official Alder Lake Fix =-
The January 2025 EA App patch fixes the launch failure seen on some Intel 12th-gen
Alder Lake and newer CPUs. If the EA App build shows an activation window after
patching, exit that window and launch the game again.
-= EA App Launcher Will Not Open at All =-
If the EA App starts but Sims3Launcher.exe never opens, or the launcher itself
crashes before the game can start, repair Windows .NET Framework 3.5 first. Open
Windows Features, disable .NET Framework 3.5, restart Windows, enable it again and
restart once more. This targets the launcher runtime and is separate from the Alder
Lake fix.
-= Steam and Disc Still Need an Alder Lake Workaround =-
EA's 2025 fix does not apply to Steam 1.67 or disc installs. On affected Intel CPUs,
the launcher may open while the game itself fails to start. Use a current, trusted
CPU- affinity workaround or executable patch only after confirming this exact
symptom; those workarounds are unofficial.
-= The Windows Game Is Still 32-Bit =-
Even on 64-bit Windows, The Sims 3 is a 32-bit application and normally tops out near
3.7 GB of usable memory. More system RAM helps Windows, but it cannot make the game
process itself exceed that architectural limit.
-= Cap Frame Rate on Modern Dedicated GPUs =-
The Sims 3 has no reliable built-in frame-rate limiter and can run at hundreds of FPS
on modern dedicated GPUs. Limit the game externally to the monitor's refresh rate, or
another sensible cap such as 60 FPS, through the GPU driver or another trusted
limiter. Use fps on in the cheat console to confirm the cap is active.
-= Error 12 Usually Means the Save Needs More Resources =-
Error 12 is commonly an out-of-resources save failure. Use Save As with a new name,
reduce memory pressure, leave long CAS/Build sessions, and restart the game before
continuing. A save written with a .bad suffix should not become the only backup.
-= Error 16 Is a Write/Copy Failure =-
Error 16 points to the save not being copied or overwritten successfully. Check free
disk space, permissions and cloud-folder interference, then Use Save As with a simple
new name and stop overwriting the failing slot.
-= OneDrive Can Redirect the Documents Folder =-
The active user folder should normally be Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3
If OneDrive redirects Documents, the game may read a different Sims 3 folder than the
one you are editing. Check the folder's Windows Properties location before moving
saves, Mods or custom content.
-= A Serious Error While Loading Is Often a User-Folder Problem =-
For "A serious error has occurred while loading" on modern Windows systems, first try
a new save in the same world. If that also fails, try a new Sunset Valley save. A
failure across worlds points toward the user folder, permissions or OneDrive rather
than one damaged save; a failure only in one world points toward that world or its
installation.
-= Windows Save Location =-
Saved games are stored below: %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims
3\Saves
Each save is a folder ending in .sims3. Keep rotated copies outside the live Saves
folder when protecting a long legacy.
-= Restore from the Automatic .backup Folder =-
The Saves folder normally keeps a previous version with the same name plus .backup.
If the active save is broken, move the damaged .sims3 folder out, copy or rename the
matching .sims3.backup folder to .sims3, then load it as a recovery attempt.
-= Clear Rebuildable Cache Files When Troubleshooting =-
EA's troubleshooting guidance allows these files to be deleted from
Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 because the game rebuilds them:
* CASPartCache.package
* compositorCache.package
* scriptCache.package
* simCompositorCache.package
EA also recommends clearing the Thumbnails folder during troubleshooting. Community
support commonly includes socialCache.package as a fifth rebuildable cache. Do this
for a specific loading, mod or stale-content problem rather than as a mandatory
ritual after every normal play session.
-= CurrentGame Should Be Empty When the Game Is Closed =-
Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\CurrentGame.sims3 is temporary working data.
After a crash or forced close, leftover files there can block a later load. With the
game fully closed, clear the contents before retrying the affected save.
-= Test Custom Content by Halves =-
If a save works without Mods or custom content, restore half of the removed content
and test again without saving. Keep halving the suspect group until the broken
package is isolated. Delete the relevant cache files after adding or removing package
content so the next test does not reuse stale data.
-= Test a Loading Crash without Custom Content First =-
If the game crashes while loading, close and reopen the Sims 3 Launcher, open
Installed Content and enable Run without custom content. If the game loads normally,
custom content is the likely cause. Re-enable content in small groups and retest
without saving until the bad item is isolated.
-= Store Content Is Missing or Will Not Reinstall =-
EA marked the earlier EA App Store-content uninstall issue resolved in EA App build
12.115.0.5372 or later, so update the EA App first. If an item still refuses to
install, download a fresh Sims3Pack instead of repeatedly reusing an old copy. For a
clean test, move the current The Sims 3 user folder aside, let the launcher create a
fresh folder and install a few Store items there before restoring other user data.
-= EA App 1.69 Can Disable Packs in the Launcher =-
On Windows EA App/1.69, use the launcher's Expansions & Stuff tab to uncheck packs
you do not want loaded. This is useful for troubleshooting and for reducing the
memory load of a large all-expansions installation.
-= Fix Version Is Incompatible after Removing a Pack =-
If the Launcher reports that the game version is incompatible after an expansion or
stuff pack was uninstalled, close the Launcher and open Documents\Electronic Arts\The
Sims 3. Delete Version.tag, then restart the Launcher; the game recreates that file
automatically.
-= Installed EA App Packs Load as Base Game Only =-
The EA App launcher can forget the selected expansion and stuff packs even when they
remain installed. Open Expansions & Stuff, uncheck every pack, then check the packs
you want again before launching. If a save reports that required expansion data is
missing, verify the pack selection before treating the save as corrupt.
-= Steam 1.67 Cannot Disable Packs the Same Way =-
The 1.69 Expansions & Stuff selector is not part of the Steam 1.67 launcher. Do not
follow EA-App pack-selector instructions and assume the missing tab is a broken Steam
installation.
-= New GPUs May Be Reported as Unrecognized =-
The game's graphics database predates modern GPUs. An unrecognized-card warning does
not automatically mean the GPU is too weak. GraphicsCards.sgr and GraphicsRules.sgr
can be adjusted for a specific GPU, but use hardware-specific instructions and back
up both files before editing.
-= Isla Paradiso Has Known Routing Pressure =-
Island Paradise can stutter heavily because Isla Paradiso combines a large routable
ocean, houseboats and problematic Sims/lots. resetSim * can temporarily clear stuck
Sims; persistent saves may need world-specific cleanup rather than more graphics
power.
Reference:
----------
-= Testing-Cheat Workplace Actions =-
* Force Opportunity - trigger a career opportunity.
* Force Event - trigger one career event.
* Force All Events - trigger the workplace event set.
-= Expansion Cheat Actions =-
* Seasons: testing cheats -> Shift-click ground -> Seasons.
* Supernatural: testing cheats -> Shift-click mailbox -> Population Control.
* Ambitions: testing cheats can manipulate active profession performance.
* Movie Maker: testing cheats + moviemakercheatsenabled true.
-= Ambitions Cheat Utilities =-
* testingcheatsenabled true + buyDebug on - Debug/Misc includes the Time Machine.
* Normal Time Machine route - Inventing level 9, then check Family Inventory.
* testing cheats -> Shift-click suitable lot -> Spawn Job for active professions.
-= Pack-Specific Cheat Utilities =-
* Showtime: OnTogglePerformanceMeter on/off - show/hide stage performance meter.
* Late Night/building: setImportedTerrainOffset - adjust imported lot height.
* Reset imported-lot offset with setImportedTerrainOffset 0.
-= Extra Cheat Utilities =-
* ResetLifetimeHappiness - reset active-household Lifetime Happiness.
* recordvideo - record video at selected size/quality.
* DisplayLotPackageFileName on/off - toggle lot package filenames in tooltips.
* Testing cheats -> Shift-click ground -> Build/Buy on This Lot.
* Testing cheats -> Shift-click object -> Object... Delete It.
-= Base-Game Business Investments =-
The figures below use the standard base-game rabbit holes. "Buyout" is the additional
cost after partnership:
* Diner - partner 6,000 / 850 weekly; buyout +18,000 / 1,800 weekly.
* Bookstore - partner 7,000 / 1,000; buyout +20,000 / 2,000.
* Grocery Store - partner 7,000 / 1,000; buyout +20,000 / 2,000.
* Day Spa - partner 15,000 / 2,500; buyout +35,000 / 4,000.
* Criminal Hideout - partner 15,000 / 2,500; buyout +35,000 / 4,000.
* Theater - partner 18,000 / 3,000; buyout +40,000 / 6,000.
* Business Office - partner 18,000 / 3,000; buyout +40,000 / 6,000.
* Hospital - partner 30,000 / 6,000; buyout +75,000 / 12,000.
* Stadium - partner 35,000 / 6,800; buyout +80,000 / 13,000.
* Science Lab - partner 40,000 / 7,900; buyout +100,000 / 15,000.
-= Real Estate Quick Rules =-
* Phone/computer -> Check Real Estate for purchasable and owned properties.
* Building/Map tag -> Become Partner can expose the cheaper partial-investment route.
* Partner -> Buy Out Partners for full rabbit-hole ownership.
* Profits become available weekly and must be collected manually.
* Full owners can rename businesses and fire staff, except the final employee.
* Community properties can be upgraded through three profitability stars.
-= Career Milestones =-
* Culinary 10 - MinusOne Kelvin Refrigerator; stored leftovers do not spoil.
* Criminal/Thief 10 - The Fox; I'm The Greatest +25 when viewed.
* Law Enforcement 3 - Apprehend Burglar.
* Law Enforcement 5 - Police Cruiser.
* Forensic 6 - laptop; Forensic 10 - Analyze for 600 Simoleons.
* Special Agent 10 - warehouse raid for 1,500 Simoleons.
* Military 4 - Salute.
* Medical 5 - Determine Gender of Baby.
-= Pregnancy Controls =-
* Apples during pregnancy - increase the chance of boys.
* Watermelon during pregnancy - increase the chance of girls.
* Kids TV - increases twins/triplets chance.
* Children's music - increases twins/triplets chance.
* Kids TV plus Children's music - stronger multiple-birth push.
* Fertility Treatment - additional twins/triplets boost.
* Good mood plus pregnancy books - improves control over newborn traits.
-= Pregnancy Wardrobe =-
* Plan maternity-compatible outfits before the Sim becomes visibly pregnant.
* Wear the intended compatible outfit before the pregnancy spin.
* Normal unmodded outfit editing becomes much more limited after the maternity state
is active.
-= Resurrection Routes =-
* Base game - Oh My Ghost! -> Science Lab -> playable ghost.
* Later Science Lab ghost restorations after first completion - 5,000 Simoleons.
* Ambrosia - playable ghost returns fully to life.
* Showtime - Genie Resurrect Sim wish.
* Supernatural - Reanimation Ritual -> zombie -> Sunlight Charm cure.
* Supernatural - Philosopher's Stone -> Bind Ghost -> playable ghost.
-= Magic Gnome Effects =-
* testingcheatsenabled true + buyDebug on -> Debug catalog can expose Magic Gnomes.
* Mysterious Mr. Gnome teleports and changes poses around the home lot.
* Magical Gnome of Invention can advance an unfinished workbench project to 99%.
* Generations lets normal Mysterious Mr. Gnomes form families and age.
-= Hidden Household Routes =-
* Ghost baby - use Try for Baby with a ghost.
* Ducksworth on a bathtub - Duck Time, +15 mood.
* Showtime Genie + remains on the lot - Resurrect Sim wish.
* Law Enforcement level 5 - Police Cruiser; physical reward remains after quitting.
* Late Night testing cheats - Shift-click Sim to set Celebrity Level.
-= Essential Cheat Quick List =-
* testingcheatsenabled true - testing layer.
* motherlode - +50,000 Simoleons.
* kaching - +1,000 Simoleons.
* familyfunds - set family money.
* resetSim - reset one Sim.
* resetSim * - reset every Sim.
* freeRealEstate on - free residential lots while moving.
* moveObjects on - unrestricted object movement.
* buyDebug on - hidden debug catalog.
* discoverAllUnchartedIslands - reveal all Isla Paradiso hidden islands.
-= Build Cheat Quick List =-
* constrainFloorElevation false - unrestricted floor/terrain shaping.
* RestrictBuildBuyInBuildings off - edit protected high-rise/public areas.
* enableLotLocking true - unlock protected Edit Town lots.
* allowObjectsOnRoofs true - place objects on roofs.
* placeFriezes on - allow friezes above tiled floors.
* AlwaysAllowBuildBuy true - enter Build/Buy during blocked situations.
-= Major Pack Unlock Gates =-
* World Adventures: Visa Level 3 -> Vacation Home in that destination.
* University Life: degree -> Academic Trait; social-group level 8 -> Social Trait.
* University maximum: 7 total traits.
* Island Paradise: 8 uncharted islands with separate unlock methods.
* Into the Future: 5 Legacy Statues tracked by the Almanac of Time.
-= Isla Paradiso Island Jobs =-
* Beryl Shoals - approach by sea.
* Diver's Den - Scuba Diving 10 + Pearl's Deep cave.
* No Trouble Atoll - five-star resort.
* Cay to the City - 35 water rescues as a Lifeguard; CPR does not count.
* Refuge Island - resort adventure chain.
* Mermaid's Secret - befriend a mermaid and dive together.
* Plunder Cove - four Buccaneer's Map fragments or Uncharted Island Map reward.
* Plumbob Island - special message-in-a-bottle map.
-= Eleven Expansion Packs =-
* World Adventures.
* Ambitions.
* Late Night.
* Generations.
* Pets.
* Showtime.
* Supernatural.
* Seasons.
* University Life.
* Island Paradise.
* Into the Future.
-= Modern Windows Performance =-
* The Windows game is 32-bit and has roughly a 3.7 GB practical process limit.
* The in-game FPS limiter is unreliable.
* On a dedicated GPU, cap FPS externally near the monitor refresh rate.
* Use fps on to confirm the cap during play.
-= Windows Save and Version State =-
* EA App Windows: 1.69.47.024017.
* Steam Windows: 1.67.2.024037.
* EA App 1.69 has the official 2025 Alder Lake fix.
* Steam/disc builds do not have that official fix.
* Saves: %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Saves
* Windows executable remains 32-bit with roughly 3.7 GB practical process memory.
-= Late Night Lifetime Rewards =-
* The Hustler - 5,000.
* Watering Hole Regular - 7,500.
* The Next Big Thing - 10,000.
* Excellent Groupie - 10,000.
* Master of Seduction - 15,000.
* Better Mixologist - 15,000.
* Always on the List - 17,500.
* Map to the Stars - 20,000.
-= High-Value Lifetime Rewards =-
* Steel Bladder - removes normal bladder decay.
* Dirt Defiant - greatly slows hygiene decay.
* Hardly Hungry - greatly slows hunger decay.
* Long Distance Friend - stops established friendship decay.
* Collection Helper - map guidance for collectible categories.
* Moodlet Manager - reusable moodlet cure.
* Fertility Treatment - increases twins/triplets chance.
* Prepared Traveler - longer World Adventures trips.
* Lungs of Steel - unlimited scuba air.
-= Hidden Trait Family =-
* Pyromaniac.
* Immune to Fire.
* Can Salute.
* Can Apprehend Burglar.
* Sneak Anywhere.
* Makes No Messes.
* Pizza Appreciator.
* Rocker.
-= Troubleshooting Cache Files =-
* CASPartCache.package.
* compositorCache.package.
* scriptCache.package.
* simCompositorCache.package.
* socialCache.package is also commonly rebuilt during mod/CC troubleshooting.
* CurrentGame.sims3 should be empty when the game is closed.
-= Pack Management =-
* EA App/1.69 Windows: use Launcher -> Expansions & Stuff to disable packs.
* Steam/1.67 Windows: no equivalent built-in pack selector.
* Loading fewer packs can reduce catalog size and memory pressure during
troubleshooting.
 |
|
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N-Gage, Nintendo DS, gamecube, XBox 360, Dreamcast, Super Nintendo) easily
accessible from one central location. (Release date January 10, 2026)
- All Cheats and Codes inside from the first CHEATBOOK January 1998 until today.
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