Base Game: 1.36.45.017001 - Either the Pets Expansion or its corresponding patch is needed to bring the base game to this version.
Ambitions: 4.10.1.011031
Fast Lane Stuff: 5.8.1.011031
Generations: 8.0.152.011001
High End Loft Stuff: 3.0.38.004001 color]
Late Night: 6.5.1.011031
Outdoor Living Stuff: 7.3.2.011031
World Adventures: 2.17.2.011031
If you are just installing the sims, you can get by without all the expansions, though if you don't have the packs needed for some of the clothes and hair, they'll be automatically replaced by things you do have.
All tomb objects have been removed from the lot, so those that were worried about that can download without having to worry about them.
Installation Instructions
If you are redownloading the lot, redownload the custon content package as well. Some of its contents have changed. You do not have to reinstall any of it if you don't want to, but it is a good idea to comb through it, see what has been added and removed and make the appropriate changes in your own game.
Read all of the above? Good. Onwards!
After downloading everything, now it's time to install. Install the custom content first! Inside the Penumbra Sims CC folder there are two subfolders: package files and Sims3Packs. How the files inside those folders are installed depends on what they are. The package files go into your My Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/Mods/Packages folder. The Sims3Pack files go into your My Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/Downloads folder, and are installed via the downloads tab in the game launcher.
Once the CC is installed, I highly reccomend that you clear the game's cache files. Don't worry, it won't hurt anything; the game will siimply generate new ones when you next start it up. If the cache files are not deleted, the game may not show new CC. To delete them, head over to the My Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3 folder, and inside you'll find a few loose files floating around. Delete the following:
compositorCache.package
scriptCache.package
simCompositorCache.package
Once the CC is installed, now comes the sims themselves. They - and their lot - and they without their lot - and their lot without they *hears grammar teacher scream in pain* - are also Sims3Packs and are dropped in the My Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/Downloads folder and installed via the downloads tab in the game launcher.
If your game is a jerk and gives you the whole "Your game is not up to date. Please update your game" first double check that your game is indeed up to date. If it's not, update and try again. If it is, load the game and see if the sims/lot/sims without lot/lot without sims is in the game or not. Sometimes Sims 3 is stupid and will insist that something couldn't be installed when it could and did. If you update and the lot still won't appear, there are a few possibilities as to why. The installation before the game was up to date could have screwed something up, the Generations Glitch - in which content installs but doesn't appear in the bin in game - could be at fault, EA Download Manager could be screwing up, or Gasp! the lot itself is screwed up. For the first 3, there is not much you can do but reinstall your game. If you suspect it's the last one, get back to me and I'll rebuild the lot from scratch if I have to.
There is a hiccup that affected the lot when I had to deinstall and reinstall the sims on my computer. The lot installed, and the custom content installed, but when I went into the lot to check on things, all my shiny new walls, floors, and ceilings were stark white. I had to redo them all, which was very irritating and time consuming. If thise happens to you, and you installed all the CC as instructed, everything should be ready for you to place. If you have trouble finding things, let me know, and I'll be glad to help you out.
The lot suffers from mild cc lag, due to the insane amount of custom content involved, but if you're running above the game's requirements, it shouldn't be an issue. If the lag is a bit much, you can ease things by deleting the four fog emitters on the lot. (Those blue spheres you see floating around in build or buy mode. All four are in the machine room.)
Finally! We're at the downloads! Woo!
The Shelter – No Sims - http://www.mediafire.com/?opm0jj7ox6lgwj7
The files are password locked, to prevent any Tom, Dick, and Harry that happens to be trawling the forum from grabbing the goodies, so just get the attachment below, and you'll be good to go!
Remember, if you have any problems - that can't be solved by following the instructions above, get back to me, and I'll see what I can do.