There's a super useful program for The Sims 3 I've been using for years called S3PackageViewer, which is no longer available for download where it was originally uploaded in 2013 (the ProSims forum, which is all in Russian)
S3PackageViewer shows you...
the thumbnails inside package files (even merged ones!), Sims3Packs, and world files
which clothing categories CAS items are available in and if they're enabled for random
how many simoleons build/buy items cost and their item descriptions
Someone on the NRaas forums re-uploaded the installers for it here!
Direct link to v.128 (MediaFire)
Direct link to v.129 (MediaFire)
(The only difference between these two versions is the icon for the program, which was re-designed for v.129)
I thought for posterity's sake I'd make a post containing these archive links so more people looking for this program will be able to find it online, and to just let people know it exists!
As a bonus, here's a guide someone made with some helpful tips for using it! Hope more people are able to get use out of it :)
Sims 3 Package Reducer (S3PR) by OhRudi - Update (03/16/2026)
🌈👩💻 Overview 👨💻🌈
This software reduces the size of Package-Files drastically, very usefull if you have tons of CC
It removes thumbnails (THUM) and icons (ICON) resources from Package-Files and compresses or decompresses them
Thumbnails are safe to remove, the game regenerates them (see image explenation)
Icons are safe to remove, the game doesn't use them, nor does CC-Magic
Compressing reduces the Package-File size drastically, but it's no performance gain for your game, because your game has to decompresses them while playing
Decompressing expands the Package-File size by three times. It's a performance gain while playing, cause your game needs them decompressed anyway
I'd recommend compressing your individual CC files, but decompressing the merged CC files, such as the builds from CC-Magic
DO NOT compress mods (like NRaas and other Script-Mods), only compress CC
You can use S3PR via console. Use .\S3PR.exe --help to get the list of possible arguments
Works only for Package-Files, not for Sims3Pack-Files
Works only for Windows (did test for Windows 10 & 11), not for Mac, did not test on Linux
⬇️ Download ⬇️
ModTheSims | Simblr | SimFileShare
🤔 How to install? 🔧
Just download and open the S3PR.exe file, you can move it anywhere, nothing else required
Works only for Windows, not for Mac, did not test on Linux
The warning message "Unknown Publisher" comes up, cause Microsoft wants me to pay, just so this popup won't appear
You can just tick the "Always ask before opening this file" and it won't appear anymore
(Optional) Technical Detail why this happens: You can sign software with a certificate by Microsoft, so windows knows it can be trusted. But this costs $70/year (minimum) and has no other effect than removing the warning.
If you're unsure if you can trust me, you're free to look at the source code on GitHub
I added explanations in the code and how to compile it yourself
(Optional) Technical Detail: It's just around 500 lines of code and parts of it I copied from other very successful Sims 3 Tools. If you're keen in coding, you'll find your way in the codebase pretty easily.
🤔 How do I use it? 🙆♀️
Important Notice: You don't have to use it repeatedly. The changes to the files are permanent. Once you finished, you only have to do it for new Package-Files.
1. Click "Browse", choose one or multiple folders that contain Package-Files
You can enable "Include Subfolders" and it will look at the subfolders as well
2. Check the boxes, choose what it should do with the Package-Files
"Remove Thumbnails" removes all Thumbnail (THUM) resources in the Package-Files
Thumbnails are safe to remove, the game regenerates them (see image explenation)
Some CC (mostly hair and clothes) has custom thumbnails, these will be removed, cause those images tend to be pretty big in file size
"Remove Icons" removes all Icons (THUM) resources in the Package-Files
Icons are safe to remove, the game doesn't use them, nor does CC-Magic
"Compress Files" uses the Sims 3 Recompressor (S3RC) Tool by J. M. Pescado to compress the Package-Files, it's a well known tool
DO NOT compress mods (like NRaas and other Script-Mods), only compress CC
Compressing reduces the Package-File size drastically and but it's no performance gain for your game, because your game has to decompresses them while playing
Compressing can take pretty long
"Decompress Files" uses the Sims 3 Recompressor (S3RC) Tool by J. M. Pescado to decompress the Package-Files, it's a well known tool
Decompressing expands the Package-File size by three times. It's a performance gain while playing, cause your game needs them decompressed anyway
I'd recommend compressing your individual CC files, but decompressing the merged CC files, such as the builds from CC-Magic
3. Reminder: Do you have a backup?
You'll be reminded to have backups
You can disable the warning by unchecking "Remind me to have backups"
4. Click "Edit"
Now you can make yourself a coffee, some tee or take a bath :D
Depending on the amount and size of the files, this can take a while (especially if you enabled compressing)
But trust me, it will be worth it
5. If you click "Stop"
It will not stop immediately, it will finish the file it currently edits and than stop
🙋♂️FAQ❓
What files I do use S3PR on?
Only CC, never mods (such as NRaas and other script mods). But there's one exception: The better ingredient thumbnails Mod, because removing the thumbnails from this file, would render it useless. This is actually the only exception I can think of right now. The rest is safe.
A simple rule of thumb if you’re not sure: Open the Package-File with S3PE (Sims 3 Package Explorer) and check if there are any thumbnails inside. If so, do you want to keep them? If so, don't select the “Remove Thumbnails” option for this particular CC. If you don't need these thumbnails, then you can safely remove them with S3PR.
Can I use it on merged files as well?
Yes, you can. There's no problem with that. Just keep in mind that large files may take a bit longer. Everything else is the same for merged and unmerged Package-Files.
Can I use this on my Sims3Pack-Files?
No, sorry. Only Package-Files. However, if you dearly need it for Sims3Pack-Files as well, leave a comment on the download page. I might include it in an update then.
Why should I compress my CC?
Compressing your CC means, that your CC takes up far less space. This is useful if you have limited space on your computer. The only problem is that the game has to decompress them while you play. I’d recommend compressing your individual CC files, but decompressing the merged CC files, such as the builds from CC-Magic.
Why should I decompress my CC?
Decompressing your CC means, that your CC takes up about three times more space. The positive about this: Your game doesn't have to decompress them while you play. This is only useful if you have an SSD-Drive (most computers have them nowadays). I’d recommend compressing your individual CC files, but decompressing the merged CC files, such as the builds from CC-Magic.
Does it harm my safe files in any way?
Editing your CC with this S3PR won’t affect the way your CC works in your safe files. Don't edit your safe files with S3PR. Use it only on your CC. Just as a side note: If you want to clean up safe files, use Regul Save-Cleaner.
What if a file or folder is not accessible for S3PR (no read or write access)?
In this case, S3PR will skip the inaccessible files and folders. You will then receive a summary of the files and folders that were skipped.
But I want to keep some Thumbnails?
Put those package files in a separate folder, select the folder in S3PR, then uncheck “Remove Thumbnails” before clicking “Edit”. Don't worry. If you uncheck “Remove Thumbnails” no thumbnails will be removed.
What happens if I run S3PR repeatedly on the same files?
Nothing. If you run it on the same files repeatedly, with the same settings, everything stays the same.
What’s the difference between this S3PR and the Sims 3 Recompressor (S3RC, by J. M. Pescado on MATY) or the Compressorizor-Tool (by JFade)
S3PR removes thumbnail and icon resources and compresses/decompresses your package files.
The Recompressor and Compressorizor-Tool does only compress your files. Just read the short overview for a clearer picture.
🤔 How do I use the Console Application? 🙆♀️
Important Notice: Everything is the same, but if you're into automation, you can use S3PR via the console.
Usage:
S3PR.exe [options] <paths to folders or files...>
Options:
-r, --search-recursive | Search directories recursively when looking for Package-Files.
-t, --remove-thumbnail | Remove thumbnail resources from Package-Files.
-i, --remove-icon | Remove icon resources from Package-Files.
-c, --compress-file | Compress Package-Files.
-d, --decompress-file | Decompress Package-Files.
-s, --silent | No Console Output.
-h, --help | Show this help message and exit.
Arguments:
<paths to folders or files...> | One or more files or folders to process.
⚙️ Technical Details 💡
You can find the source code on GitHub
It's published under the GNU General Public License (GPL-3.0)
Feel free to fork the code and change it any way you like, this source code meant to be public, free and open
The README-File contains instructions on how to compile the code yourself
I used Visual Studio 2026 with .NET 10.0 and WinForms API to create the GUI
🕑 Changelog 🔁
16.03.2026 - Version 2.0.0
New Feature: Decompress Package-Files
New Feature: Use S3PR via Console
No failure if folder is not accessable
Shows a summary of skipped file and folder names at the end
Completely rewritten most of the code
06.03.2026 - Version 1.0.1
No Failure if file is not accessable
skips if file is not readable or writeable
shows summary of skipped files at final success and stopped popup messageboxes
⭐ Big thanks to … 💐
Sims 3 Easy Extractor & Merger Tools by phantom99 (their project and open source code inspired me to do this)
Sims 3 Package Interface by Peter L Jones
Sims 3 Recompressor (S3RC) Tool by J. M. Pescado
Pixlr.com which I always use for free image editing
Seasons Coat with Buttons for teens by sweetdevil, which I used for example pictures
Set of hairstyles Skysims by Agnelid, which I used for example pictures
AND to this awesome and still alive community of simmers ^^
im not gonna lie to yall...these sets keep putting me through the ringer even when i think they're gonna be simple and yet...i cant stop💀 it helps me get better and i love this set so much i couldnt help myself🤭
info and download under the cut!
all original credits go to serenity-cc !! you can find the original collection here! 🤍
Ages YA-A (can be enabled for teen with NRAAS)
Everything is enabled for maternity (duh😭) and disabled for random!
Known issue: elbow bones for the dress and the shirt are a little funky in certain poses. from what i can tell they are fine for the most part but they just might look a little weird sometimes.. im sorry yall i tried
Known issue: the shirt might have some clipping issues with certain bottoms during pregnancy, i pulled the mesh out quite a bit to avoid this but i cant guarantee every bottom will work perfectly
I've made a hotfix for all S-Club lashes in three performance flavours, after discovering that 1.1k of these polygons were from a redundant mesh duplicate. That's 1/3 of the mesh just being bloat you can't see ingame!
CHOOSE ONE.
Install to Mods > Overrides.
Fully compatible with the S-Club eyelash sliders.
Compatible with Buckley's CASP fixes.
Original .packages required.
Flavor 1 QUALITY
2k polygons / 2k texture resaved in DXT1* for 50% less RAM usage /Identical to original.
Flavor 2 BALANCED
2k polygons / 1k texture resaved in DXT1* for 80% less RAM usage
All three look almost identical on my graphics settings, but you can safely swap between them if you decide you want a bit of extra crispness.
Please enjoy some sorely needed optimisation for a decade old piece of CC 🤡
*In the past, DXT1 was noticeably lossier than DXT5. However, the wizards at NVIDIA have made the difference between the two basically imperceptible with their modern Texture Tools Exporter. If a mesh doesn't need an alpha channel, you can and should be using DXT1 - it's half the file size for free!
An oldie but a goodie! This update fixes two issues with the combination washer/dryer.
Added a carryable state to the box of detergent pods so Sims will actually throw it away now. I also made it live dragging enabled.
Added ITUNs for all the interactions (and the box of pods) so interactions can be autonomous. This was also preventing Repair Service Sims from fixing it when called so that should be fixed now.
Fixed some missing strings
Please redownload just the main file HERE
Thanks to @sarahsarita00 for reporting!
Edit: Adding the link to the stackable version. No changes were made to it but some of you may be new to this mod and downloading it for the first time.
I've been pretty quiet on here, but that doesn't mean I've stopped simming! First up I'd like to say thanks (and sorry!) to all the lovely people who've sent me messages :) I'm gonna try my best to reply to everyone asap!
For christmas I wanted to share something special - so here is the public release of the first version of my Decorating Tools mod (or S3DT)
Quick Description -
This mod adds hotkeys to the game to allow you to move objects up/down, left/right and rotate in all directions, similar to T.O.O.L for TS4
PDF Guide included below!
To my wonderful patrons - thank you for your support <3 I feel bad that real life has gotten in the way of me delivering more content to you all, so I'll likely be closing it soon! If it's possible, I'll also refund the last couple of months due to my inactivity. Anyone who wants to can still donate to my Ko-Fi
MOD INSTRUCTIONS AND DOWNLOAD BELOW THE CUT
This version is compatible with icarusallsorts' Transmogrifier Mod, and until I can figure out how to script it better, my mod actually REQUIRES it in order for them to be compatible together.
*** EDIT - For some, you might need to use CTRL + SHIFT + Click to bring up object menus! ***
If you would like a version that does not require the Transmogrifier (but is therefore incompatible) send me a message!
FUTURE PLANS:
- Adapting movement depending on camera direction
- Adding a UI interface for interactions and manual rotations etc.
- Scaling interactions with hotkeys
Don't be afraid to reply to this post, send me an ask or a private message if you have any questions or problems. I'm also in the Creator's Cave discord, so feel free to @ me there too :) And please tag me or use the tag #S3DT if you come up with any cool ways to use this mod!
EDIT: DOWNLOAD S3DT V.1.2
VIEW PDF GUIDE
Thank you to @greenplumbboblover for her help with pesky matrix44's, granthes and Misukisu for laying the groundwork for this mod, and @puddingface1902 for his super helpful videos!
Hi! 💙
I’ve been a bit quiet these past few weeks because I’ve been working on a project for The Sims 3 that’s taking up quite a lot of my time. I’m not ready to share any details just yet, as it’s still in the very early stages, but I hope I’ll have some good news to share with you soon.
In the meantime, I’m sharing these four small family homes I built a while ago to make up for the lack of content over the past month. I hope you find them useful!
LS3SR13:
Features:
Lot type: Residential
Lot size: 20x30
Location: Sunset Valley
Furnished lot value: 89.629 §
Unfurnished lot value: 41.798 §
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 1
Packs used in this build: EP01, EP02, EP03, EP04, EP05, EP06, EP08, EP09, EP10
LS3SR14:
Features:
Lot type: Residential
Lot size: 20x30
Location: Sunset Valley
Furnished lot value: 82.241 §
Unfurnished lot value: 30.559 §
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 1
Packs used in this build: EP01, EP02, EP03, EP04, EP05, EP06, EP08, EP09, EP10
LS3SR15:
Features:
Lot type: Residential
Lot size: 30x20
Location: Sunset Valley
Furnished lot value: 298.721 §
Unfurnished lot value: 73.358 §
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 3
Packs used in this build: EP01, EP02, EP03, EP04, EP05, EP06, EP08, EP09, EP10
LS3SR16:
Features:
Lot type: Residential
Lot size: 30x20
Location: Sunset Valley
Furnished lot value: 108.121 §
Unfurnished lot value: 44.416 §
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Packs used in this build: EP01, EP02, EP03, EP04, EP05, EP06, EP08, EP09, EP10
Terms and conditions:
DO NOT claim my creations as your own.
If you want to use any of my builds in your custom world or save file, you are allowed to do so, BUT make sure to credit me as the original creator.
DO NOT re-upload my content under any circumstances; share it with your friends using my own links.
If you experience any issues, let me know and I’ll try to fix it as soon as possible.
Download them here. (Early access until 05/26/2025) 🤍
SPA:
¡Hola! 💙
He estado un poco ausente estas últimas semanas porque estoy trabajando en un proyecto para Los Sims 3 que me está exigiendo demasiado tiempo. No quiero daros muchos detalles por el momento, ya que se encuentra en una fase muy temprana todavía, pero espero poder compartir buenas noticias con vosotros pronto.
Mientras tanto, os dejo por aquí estas cuatro pequeñas casas familiares que construí hace un tiempo, para compensar un poco la falta de contenido del último mes. ¡Espero que os resulten útiles!
LS3SR13
Características:
Tipo de solar: Residencial
Tamaño del solar: 20x30
Ubicación: Sunset Valley
Valor del solar amueblado: 89.629 §
Valor del solar sin amueblar: 41.798 §
Habitaciones: 3
Baños: 1
Packs utilizados en esta construcción: EP01, EP02, EP03, EP04, EP05, EP06, EP08, EP09, EP10
LS3SR14
Características:
Tipo de solar: Residencial
Tamaño del solar: 20x30
Ubicación: Sunset Valley
Valor del solar amueblado: 82.241 §
Valor del solar sin amueblar: 30.559 §
Habitaciones: 2
Baños: 1
Packs utilizados en esta construcción: EP01, EP02, EP03, EP04, EP05, EP06, EP08, EP09, EP10
LS3SR15
Características:
Tipo de solar: Residencial
Tamaño del solar: 30x20
Ubicación: Sunset Valley
Valor del solar amueblado: 298.721 §
Valor del solar sin amueblar: 73.358 §
Habitaciones: 3
Baños: 3
Packs utilizados en esta construcción: EP01, EP02, EP03, EP04, EP05, EP06, EP08, EP09, EP10
LS3SR16
Características:
Tipo de solar: Residencial
Tamaño del solar: 30x20
Ubicación: Sunset Valley
Valor del solar amueblado: 108.121 §
Valor del solar sin amueblar: 44.416 §
Habitaciones: 3
Baños: 2
Packs utilizados en esta construcción: EP01, EP02, EP03, EP04, EP05, EP06, EP08, EP09, EP10
Términos y condiciones:
NO proclames mis creaciones como tuyas.
Si quieres usar alguna de mis construcciones en tu mundo personalizado o save file, tienes permitido hacerlo, PERO deja claro que yo soy su creadora original.
NO resubas mi contenido bajo ninguna excepción; compártelo con tus conocidos usando mis propios enlaces.
Si experimentas algún problema, házmelo saber e intentaré solucionarlo lo antes posible.
Descárgalas aquí. (Acceso anticipado hasta 26/05/2025) 🤍
I present versatile fairy lights for your fences! They look better on thinner inner fences though. Now off to make a decal version for walls just because I feel like it.
So here is the complete list of all the lighting mods I’m currently playing with.
(the pictures above are completely unretouched - no Reshade
UranesiaLightingMod_NOGreenSunrise+DefaultWater+BrighterNight by Nilxis : it’s the main lighitng mod.
Wasset_EnchantedEnvironment_Seperated by Wasset ; it change the appearance of both the sun and the moon (plus adding them a beautiful “halo”), of the clouds, rainbow and stars, and few other features. The original link on his page is broken, so I just uploaded it HERE
Improved Environmental Shadows by Simsi45 ; I’m using just the DYNAMIC file (the shadows respond more accurately to the sun’s position, letting them stretch further towards the horizon).
Shadow Extender by Lazy Duchess: it increases the draw distance of shadows and in addition improves the look of map view by making trees and other miscellaneous deco cast shadows, when they previously did not.
Snow but Better by Lyralei: instead of the snow replacement of Wasset, I’m using this one, more detailled. The terrain snow textures are entirely redone; Frosty windows and glass now has more detailed frost on it; it fix that annoying and ugly “Grass” patches.; Icicles have a new texture; Roads got bumpier and more detailed.
Reworked & Impreved EA lights by Simsi45: it modifies the lite resource for almost all the lamps, making the game a little bit more atmospheric and visually appealing.
Shader Tweaks by Lazy Duchess: this is a set of improvements and fixes to some of the shaders. The color of rooms will now contribute to lighting on Sims. Outdoor Sims skin lighting was slightly “flattened” to make Sim faces look slightly better. Bloom has been reduced significantly.