The Sims Resource Guide

This article will explain how to handle and install your custom content. Keep in mind that if your downloads are in zipped files, you are going to need to extract the files from the zips first before installing them.

Overview

Custom content has constantly been a part of The Sims series, at least for the PC and MAC games in it. But, how to install it has varied from game to game. And it has not always been obvious. The readers who are unfamiliar with compressed archive files (zip, RAR, and 7z), have to read the section on archive files. For note: File paths given in this guide utilize the Windows-standard “\” (“backslash”) separator. MACs may use a “/” instead.

The Sims Resource Guide

How to Install Package Files?

Need to know that most custom content is made in a Package file. This will include all CaS items like hair and makeup, clothes, building and buyable objects such as sofas, windows, and wallpapers. Usually, any file with .package on the end of it is a package file.

The package files are placed directly into your MODS folder:

Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Mods

If you prefer, you are able to organize your downloads into folders in your Mods folder.  This is safe provided you have the file resource.cfg in your Mods folder that instructs The Sims on how many folders deep to search for your content. If that file is missing from your own mods folder, you are able to recreate.

How to Install Lots, Rooms and Sims?

Remember that Lots, rooms and Sims are accompanied by a number of different files, all of which require to be placed in the TRAY folder:

Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Tray

The files you place in the Tray folder will include:

Lots

    • trayitem
    • blueprint
    • bpi (files

Rooms

    • trayitem
    • room
    • rmi files

Sims

    • householdbinary
    • trayitem
    • sgi
    • hhi files

If you find any package files included with your lot, room or Sim, those need to be placed in the Mods folder as explained above, not in the Tray folder. After you have installed your lots, rooms or Sims, then they are going to show up in your personal gallery in the game.

The TSR Custom Content Manager

If this sounds like too much hassle, here we also offer a Custom Content Manager for VIP members.

    • The CC Manager downloads and installs all your content for you without you having to worry about what is placed where.
    • The CC Manager provides images of the content you have already installed, what it is, who made it, and gives you a link back to the page where you downloaded it.
    • The CC Manager allows you to uninstall content easily, including anything installed in the TRAY folder.
    • The CC Manager keeps you updated whenever any content you have downloaded has been updated by the creator and installs the update on your behalf.
    • The CC Manager allows you to keep using it even without VIP. For note: VIP is only required for downloading new content or keeping existing content up to date.

You will be able to keep and continue to use the TSR CC Manager even without VIP. Remember that VIP is only needed to install new content with it or keep existing files up to date.

The resource.cfg File

For your information, this text file is made by default by the game and placed in your Mods folder when you run it.  It informs your game how many folders deep to read your custom content and usually allows for up to 5 nested folders inside your Mods folder.  If this file goes missing, running your game again will usually remake it. But, if it is not recreated for whatever reason, simply you are able to open a text editor such as Notepad and copy the following text into it:

    • Priority 500
    • PackedFile *.package
    • PackedFile */*.package
    • PackedFile */*/*.package
    • PackedFile */*/*/*.package
    • PackedFile */*/*/*/*.package
    • PackedFile */*/*/*/*/*.package

Before you save your file, you are able to change the file type from TEXT to only FILE. Otherwise, it is going to save as a text file instead of a config file.  After that, in the save filename box, you have to type resource.cfg and place this in your Mods folder. For note: custom content installers such as the TSR CC Manager and Vortex will add lines automatically to this file when you use them. Of course, this is normal. And it can be ignored.

The Sims 4 Custom Content

In The Sims 4, there are two custom content folders; Tray for lots and Sims, and Mods for other content. Those two custom content folders are located in:

    • Windows XP:Documents and Settings\(Your User Account)\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\
    • Windows Vista, Windows 7/8, Mac:Users\(Your User Account)\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\

The Mods folder can contain sub-folders. If the Mods folder does not exist, it can be made manually. The Mods folder contains a file named resource.cfg. If it is removed, the game should remake it.

Apparently, most content utilizes the .package extension, even though the format is different from that used in The Sims 2 and The Sims 3. Like in The Sims 2, installing package files is only a matter of placing them in the Mods folder, or a sub-folder of it. You do not need to do anything to the files other than only place them. But, the archive file does not be placed in the Tray folder.

Lots and Sims utilize some different kinds of files. Both utilize a type called .trayitem. Also, Lots utilize .blueprint and .bpi files, while Sims utilize.hhi, .sgi and .householdbinary files. Those files are able to be installed by extracting them from the archive file they are in, and placing them in the Tray folder.

You have to know that Script mods come in 2 cases. One case utilizes the .pyo extension, and has to be left inside its archive in order to function (the archive itself is placed in the mods folder). Another case utilizes the .ts4script extension. It is installed the same way as a .package file.  Also, script mods have to be specifically enabled in Game Options.

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